Biographies Characteristics Analysis

In which case does the expression make sense? Meaning of numeric, literal, and variable expressions

In 1587, the future writer left his native city and went to try his luck in London. Some biographical sources claim that Shakespeare's family was forced to leave the city due to government prosecution for poaching. The so-called "lost" or " dark years"Shakespeare, about which historians know little. In general, there are four main periods in Shakespeare's work. During the first period - from 1590 to 1594 - the first Shakespearean play was created - a chronicle called "Henry VI". quickly became famous and met an ill-wisher - the then-famous playwright Robert Green. He ironically called the newcomer "scene shaker", playing on the surname Shake-speare ("spear shaker"). himself with our feathers pulled, he believes that he is able to write in the same sublime white verse as the best of us. "Despite such a negative response about his work, the aspiring playwright continued to create. In addition, in 1592, Shakespeare joined the Burbage Acting Company in London.

AT late XVI century in England, a plague epidemic raged, many theaters began to close. During this involuntary pause, Shakespeare created several new plays: the chronicle " Richard III", "The Comedy of Errors" and "The Taming of the Shrew", as well as his first tragedy "Titus Andronicus". In addition, Shakespeare's poetic works were published - the poems "Venus and Adonis" and "Lucretia", which were first published under his real name In 1594, when the plague subsided and the theaters resumed their work, Shakespeare joined the new composition of the troupe of the Lord Chamberlain of Hunsdon. .

The second period of creativity of the great playwright falls on the years 1594 - 1600 (some Shakespeare scholars combine the first and second periods into one). In 1595-1596, the first mature tragedy "Romeo and Juliet" was written - perhaps the most famous work Shakespeare. The basis for the play was a short story by the Italian writer Bandello, but the plot that formed the basis of both tragedies could be found much earlier, in Ovid in the story of Pyramus and Thisbe. Following "Romeo and Juliet" Shakespeare wrote "The Merchant of Venice" - the first comedy, which critics later called "serious". In 1595 Shakespeare's comedy Dream in midsummer night", and in 1598 - "Much Ado About Nothing".

During the second period of his work (from 1592 to 1599), Shakespeare wrote not only plays, but also sonnets - small poems 14 lines long. There are 154 of them in total, they were first published in 1609 by the book pirate Thorp, most likely without the knowledge of the author. The bookseller's expectations were not met - the general public did not like the sonnets, and their next edition appeared only in 1640. The entire cycle of Shakespeare's sonnets falls into the following thematic groups: sonnets, dedicated to a friend; sonnets dedicated to a swarthy lover; the conclusion is the joy and beauty of love.

In 1599, the Globe Theater opened in London, this became one of the most significant events in the life of the famous playwright. Shakespeare was one of the co-owners of the theatre, as well as an actor in the troupe and principal playwright. Under King James I, in 1603, Shakespeare's troupe received the status of a royal, and the playwright himself - the title of valet. In the same 1599, in honor of the opening of the Globe, he wrote the Roman tragedy Julius Caesar and the comedy As You Like It. AT next year English playwright created "Hamlet" - one of his most serious creations and the standard of plays in world drama. Furthermore, this work became the largest in terms of volume - it contains more than 29 thousand words. This tragedy is based on the legend of Hamlet, and is dedicated, first of all, to revenge - the protagonist seeks retribution for the death of his father. According to historians, the plot of the play is borrowed from a book by Thomas Kyd.

With the advent of "Hamlet" began the third period (the period of "great tragedies") in the work of Shakespeare (from 1601 to 1608). Every year the works of the great playwright became more and more serious, and sometimes even gloomy. It was then that such tragedies as "Troilus and Cressida" (in 1601 - 1602), "All is well that ends well" (in 1603) and "Measure for Measure" (in 1604) were written. Othello, one of Shakespeare's great tragedies, was written in 1604. The source of the plot of "Othello" was Cinthio's short story "The Moor of Venice" from the collection "One Hundred Stories" published in 1566. In 1605, King Lear was written, and in 1606, Macbeth. In addition, Shakespeare wrote tragedies based on ancient subjects - Antony and Cleopatra, Coriolanus and Timon of Athens.

During the fourth last period creative life Shakespeare, late "romantic" plays were created, including " winter fairy tale" and "The Tempest", written in 1610 - 1612. They were united tragic beginning and happy ending. In 1612, Shakespeare retired and returned to his native Stratford, where his wife and daughters lived. The reason for the unexpected termination of such a successful career as a playwright and the departure from the capital was, apparently, the illness of the writer. Shakespeare died on April 23, 1616. Three days later he was buried in the altar of the Church of the Holy Trinity on the outskirts of Stratford. During the life of William Shakespeare, his works were not collected in a single publication - only poems and a collection of sonnets were published separately. After Shakespeare's death, his friends - the actors Heming and Condell - prepared the first complete edition of his works, including 36 plays, the so-called "First Folio" ("The First Folio").

Shortly before his death, on March 15, 1616, Shakespeare drew up and signed a will, which subsequently raised many questions about his identity and authorship. Later historians called it "Shakespeare's question". The fact is that the famous writer in his will mentioned all his property - houses, utensils and even rings as a keepsake for friends, but did not say a word about his literary works. In addition, the signature on the will is extremely illegible and is practically the only example of handwriting. famous writer. The question immediately arose: was William Shakespeare from Stratford the author of all the above works?

For more than a century, many experts have taken a negative answer - they believe that he was uneducated, did not travel, and did not even study at the university. About two dozen candidates for "Shakespeare" were proposed. Among the most popular contenders are the philosopher Francis Bacon and Shakespeare's predecessor Christopher Marlowe. But mostly they looked for a writer among titled persons, such as the earls of Derby, Oxford and Rutland. It was believed that only their inherent education, position in society and at court, as well as the opportunity to travel gave them that broad view of the world that is reflected in the plays. At that time, the work of a playwright was considered not prestigious, which could be the reason for such a thorough conspiracy. Nevertheless, all these arguments were covered by the main argument: Shakespeare's name during his lifetime appeared on dozens of editions of plays, poems, as well as on a collection of sonnets, and it was he who was talked about as the author of these works. No denials or revelations appeared until late XIX century.

The life of William Shakespeare was as versatile as the works he created. You could even say that he had not one, but several lives. Shakespeare alone is an adherent of the family: son, husband, father and friend. But people knew the least about this, and his personal life so it remained a mystery. The public knows more about the other Shakespeare, the business man who entered an independent life with almost no means and had to earn by hard work. Much remains of this Shakespeare - bills of sale and mortgages, statements of claim to the court, inventory lists and other documents related to the acquisition of property and monetary transactions. This Shakespeare was a co-owner of the theater and performed on stage as an actor. Nobody knows the truth about Shakespeare, there are only legends, judgments, some documents and, most importantly, his great works.


Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, King Lear, Macbeth, Othello - their thoughts and actions are known to the whole world. Oddly enough, almost nothing is known about the playwright who created these characters, William Shakespeare. His literary heritage is perhaps one of the richest in the world: 37 plays, 154 sonnets, two long poems and many poems. However, only two of his images have survived, claiming to be authentic; no letters or diaries remain to reveal his feelings, and Shakespeare's handwriting is evidenced only by a few illegible signatures and 147 lines of a scene that he wrote as a co-author for a play created around 1595, but forbidden by the censors. Despite the fact that the achievements of Shakespeare as a playwright were recognized by his contemporaries, he himself believed that only poetry would bring him the fame he deserved. complete collection his plays were not published until seven years after his death in 1616, and some scholars still argue that not all of them are written by the playwright. Potential biographers of Shakespeare have at their disposal only fragments from which they have to reconstruct his life. In the parish register of Stratford-upon-Avon, an English town of about 20,000 people located 33 kilometers southeast of Birmingham, there is an entry in Latin about the baptism on April 26, 1564: "Gulielmus, filius Johannes Shaksper" - William, son of John Shakespeare. William was the third child (and first son) of eight children of Mary Arden and her husband, John Shakespeare, who made gloves and later became a city councillor. Most likely, William was born two or three days before the christening. There is no record of his education, but it can be assumed that he studied Latin grammar at the Stratford School. His upbringing was also to include church attendance and intense Bible study. In late November or early December 1582, 18-year-old Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway, the daughter of a prosperous farmer who was eight years his senior. Six months later, their daughter Susanna was born, and in February 1585, twins: son Hamlet and daughter Judith. Nothing is known about his life from this date until 1592, when William Shakespeare, already a popular actor and aspiring playwright, appeared in London.

upstart crow

It is largely on the basis of this biting and contemptuous remark by Robert Greene that historians consider the three parts of Henry VI to be Shakespeare's first play. It was most likely written before 1592, when Shakespeare was an aspiring actor in one of London's theater companies, such as the Queen's. In January 1593, a plague broke out in London, and Privy Council The queen forbade "all plays, bull-baiting, bowling, and any gathering of any number of people (with the exception of sermons and divine services in churches)." Theaters reopened only in the autumn of 1594. By the time the plague had subsided, Shakespeare had acquired a patron, the handsome young Earl of Southampton, to whom he dedicated his poems Venus and Adonis and Lucretia. Venus and Adonis, published in 1593, was his first published work. And when theaters reopened, Shakespeare joined the Lord Chancellor's troupe, with whom he would be inseparable until his retirement from the stage 18 years later. In the ledger of Queen Elizabeth's treasurer, William Shakespeare is listed as one of the three "servants of the Lord Chancellor" who were paid a sum to appear before the Queen at her Greenwich Palace on 26 and 28 December 1594. As comedies, tragedies, and historical dramas appeared one after another, not only did Shakespeare's fame grow, but so did his wealth: he soon became a shareholder of the troupe and its main playwright. Most likely, he staged his own plays. It is also known that Shakespeare continued to play - both in his own plays and in the plays of other authors, including his young protégé Ben Jonson. His best role the role of the ghost of Hamlet's father was considered, and younger brother Shakespeare recalled his role as Adam's old servant in As You Like It. Despite the fact that Shakespeare was rather indifferent to the publication of his theatrical plays, several of them were published by the end of the century - both with his consent and without his knowledge, often without even indicating the name of the author. In some cases, the playwright had to publish corrected texts of plays that appeared incomplete or distorted. In February 1599, Shakespeare joined other members of the Lord Chancellor's troupe who, having rented a piece of land on the south bank of the Thames, built a large new theater on it - the Globe. Already in the fall, the Globe opened with a performance of Julius Caesar. Armoy, to Stratford We have no information that Anne Hathaway moved to London with three children to live with her husband. On the contrary, the family of the famous actor and playwright seems to have lived in Stratford, first in a small house in Henley Street, and after 1597 in a handsome three-storey house with five gables, located at the back of the courtyard on Chapel Street opposite the church in which Shakespeare walked as a boy. Their son Hamlet died at 11, but both of Shakespeare's daughters married during their father's lifetime, and the eldest daughter, Susannah, gave birth to his only granddaughter, Elizabeth Hall. After 1612, Shakespeare finally returned to Stratford, and on March 25, 1616, he wrote a will - separately bequeathing his "second, best bed" to his wife Anne Hathaway, with whom he lived for 33 years. He died a month later, on April 23, almost on his 52nd birthday.

Looking for Shakespeare

Shakespeare's works are unusually multifaceted. At one time, doubts were expressed that they could come from the pen of one person - especially such a relatively poorly educated person as a far from brilliant actor from Stratford. The famous plays, with their intricate plots and unforgettable characters, amaze with the depth and breadth of human feelings and reflect the author's knowledge of history, literature, philosophy, law, and even court etiquette. How did this provincial, who belonged to the lower strata of society, know how aristocrats behave and how lawyers speak? Maybe the actor allowed his name to be used educated person who occupied high position and who wanted to keep his authorship a secret? In 1781, the English priest J. Wilmot, having studied the archives of Stratford, came to a startling conclusion: a man of such a background as Shakespeare did not have the education and experience to create these immortal works. Not wanting to publish his work, Wilmot burned all the notes, however, confiding his suspicions to a friend whose account of their conversation was not published until 1932. Meanwhile in mid-nineteenth century English and American scientists began to put forward similar theories. In 1856, one of them, William Henry Smith, suggested that the playwright was Sir Francis Bacon. This philosopher, essayist and statesman held a high office under Queen Elizabeth's successor James I and later received title of nobility from his royal patron. Scientists on both sides Atlantic Ocean seized on Smith's hypothesis, bringing down an avalanche of documents in support of it. The Baconians, as they came to be called, pointed out that Sir Francis had all the qualities that Shakespeare lacked: classical education, position at court and good knowledge jurisprudence. Unfortunately, Bacon was clearly not interested in the theater and, as far as is known, never wrote blank verse. In 1955, the American scholar Calvin Hoffman named the Elizabethan playwright Christopher Marlo, who was threatened with prison in 1593 and possibly death for his heretical views, as the author of Shakespeare's plays. According to Hoffman's theory, Marlo staged his own murder in a tavern south of London, the real victim who became a foreign sailor. After fleeing to the Continent, Marlo continued to write the plays that had already won him recognition in London and send them to England to be staged under the name of Shakespeare. Aristocrat Candidates

Neither Bacon, nor Marlowe, nor the younger playwright Ben Jonson wrote Shakespearean plays, other literary detectives say. In fact, their author was a nobleman who either considered it beneath his dignity to write for the theater, or was afraid to displease the queen. open expression controversial political views. Among the nominated candidates of aristocratic origin, Shakespeare's contemporaries, are William Stanley, 6th Earl of Derby, Roger Manners, 5th Earl of Rutland, and Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford. Despite the fact that Lord Derby showed a great interest in the theater and even wrote several plays, it should be noted that he outlived Shakespeare by 26 years, during which no new Shakespearean play appeared. As for the candidacy of Lord Rutland, he was only 16 years old in 1592, in which at least three Shakespeare plays were written and staged. And Lord Oxford died in 1604, although Shakespeare's masterpieces such as King Lear, Macbeth and The Tempest continued to appear until 1612, the date of his supposed return to Stratford. Despite intriguing hypotheses about a mysterious author masquerading as a rural actor, most scholars today recognize William Shakespeare of Stratford-upon-Avon as the author of great works. Shakespeare was recognized as a genius during his lifetime, and contemporaries did not have the slightest doubt about his authorship. It is useless to try to explain where he got the experience and talent needed to create his masterpieces. Wouldn't it be better to be grateful to that young man who went to London 400 years ago, leaving behind his humble past. His act made the world so much richer

English poet and playwright, one of the best playwrights in the world.

William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon (Warwickshire) in 1564 year, baptized on April 26, the exact date of birth is unknown. The writer's father was a wealthy craftsman and was often elected to important posts. Shakespeare's mother came from of old kind Arden. Presumably, the boy attended the Stratford Grammar School, where he studied Latin and literature.

Upon reaching the age of 18, he married Ann Hathaway, the daughter of a wealthy landowner, who was several years older than him. They had three children. When William was about 23 years old, he moved to London, where he got a job. At first he did any small works, and then got a job in the theater. It is not known for certain when his career began, but biographers attribute this stage to the mid-1580s. In 1592, Shakespeare was already a well-known playwright, as well as a member of the Burbage London acting troupe, which received royal status under James I. The first mention of the historical chronicle writer "Henry VI", which was staged on the stage of the Rose Theater, owned by Philip Henslow.

In 1599, his troupe built a new theater on the south bank of the Thames called the Globe. A few years later they purchased another theater closed type"Blackfires". Thanks to a rapid theatrical career, Shakespeare soon became a very wealthy man. There is evidence that already in 1597 he purchased one of the largest houses in his native Stratford. From 1598, his name was full of publications on leaflets. Combining acting and dramaturgy, Shakespeare spent most of his time in London, but went home between breaks. There is evidence that he preferred to play "royal roles" in his theater. So, for example, he played the father of Hamlet, Chorus in "Henry V", etc.

AT early XVII century, many theaters in London were closed due to outbreaks of the plague. Actors, remaining unemployed, went home. So, shortly before his death, Shakespeare returned to Stratford-upon-Avon. During the years 1606-1607 he wrote several more plays, and in 1613 he stopped writing altogether. It is believed that the last three plays were written jointly with another playwright, John Fletcher.

Shakespeare... William Shakespeare! Who doesn't know this name? The greatest playwright and poet, the pride of the English nation, the heritage of the whole world. That's who it is. His brilliant works have been translated into most languages ​​of the world, they are included in the compulsory literature program of many countries. Is this not a confession?

Childhood.

It is generally accepted that Shakespeare, whose years of life differ in some sources, was born in April 1564. Exact date still not known to anyone, since no documentary evidence was found. But in the church book is the date of his baptism - April 26.

He was born in the center of England, in the town of Stratford-upon-Avon. It is known that his father was John Shakespeare, who was originally a craftsman (engaged in the manufacture of gloves). A little later, he took the position of alderman, that is, in fact, the head of the municipal assembly, then became the head of the city council.

John was pretty wealthy man, as evidenced by the fact that he constantly paid huge fines for not attending church services. There were rumors that Shakespeare Sr. was a secret Catholic.

The mother of the future playwright was Mary Arden from an ancient and respectable Saxon family.

William Shakespeare (years of life - 1564-1616) had seven brothers and sisters. He himself was the third child in the family.

Youth

Since no school documents of Shakespeare have been preserved, researchers of his biography were guided by some scraps of information from different sources. According to them, Shakespeare studied at the Grammar School of Stratford, and later at the school of King Edward the Sixth, where he studied poetic creativity ancient authors.

Shakespeare (see years of life above) married at the age of eighteen. His chosen one was the daughter of a landowner named Ann, and besides, she was pregnant. A few months after the marriage, the newlyweds had a girl named Susan. Two years later, twins were born - son Hemnet and daughter Judith.

Theatrical career. Life in London

Since 1585 (after the birth of children), there is no information about Shakespeare. Only in 1592 his trace was discovered in London, where he was engaged in theatrical activities with might and main. Thus, the seven-year period simply disappeared from the biography of the great playwright. None of the researchers can say with accuracy what Shakespeare was doing during these years.

Since everyone knows what century Shakespeare lived in, such gaps should not be surprising.

From various documents it became known that the plays of William Shakespeare were successfully staged in London. But again, it is not entirely clear since when he started writing them, how he ended up in the capital and why he is close to the theater.

The Servants of the Lord Chamberlain Company had first-hand rights to the production dramatic works Shakespeare, since he himself was there as an actor, and a little later became its co-owner. Soon this theater organization became one of the most popular in London.

The years of Shakespeare's life went on as usual. In 1603, his troupe became known as "Servants of the King", which meant recognition of merit and creativity all knowledge.

Theatrical performances were a huge success, which allowed the troupe to acquire their own building. The new theater was named "Globe". A few years later, they also bought the Blackfriar Theater. Shakespeare quickly grew rich and did not hide his wealth. So, he got the second largest house in Stratford.

Literary activity

Shakespeare, whose years of life flowed inexorably, began to think about the publication of his manuscripts. The first was published in 1594. But even after he became famous in literary circles, the playwright did not stop playing in the theater. It was his brainchild, which he could not abandon.

The entire period of Shakespeare's work is divided into four stages:

  1. The first one is early. Renaissance comedies, chronicles, two poems, "the tragedy of horror" were written.
  2. Second. A mature dramaturgy appeared, an ancient play, sonnets, chronicles with a dramatic narrative.
  3. The third. Antique tragedies, great tragedies, gloomy tragedies have been written.
  4. Fourth. Shakespeare created fairy tale dramas.

Dramaturgy

Shakespeare (life: 1564-1616) is undeniably considered the greatest playwright of all time. And there is no such name in the world that could stand on equal terms with his name.

In the early 1590s, literary fashion was historical drama. It is to this period that the plays "Richard the Third" and "Henry the Sixth" belong.

It is quite difficult to determine the periodization of the creation of specific works, since they are not dated by the author himself. But researchers believe that the early period of creativity includes:

  • "Two Verona".
  • "The Taming of the Shrew".
  • "Titus Andronicus".
  • "Comedy of Errors"

Also early period characterized mainly by farcical and ironic works. Unlike the second stage, where romantic works come to the fore. For example, "A Midsummer Night's Dream", "The Merchant of Venice".

With each new work, Shakespeare's characters become more complex and interesting.

At the peak of the playwright's work is the writing of tragedies. Among them are "Hamlet", "Othello", "King Lear".

Shakespeare lived in a century full of opportunities to create, to embody his ideas, to write something new, innovative. In the plays of the last period poetic skill the author has reached its apogee. That is why the style of such dramas as "Antony and Cleopatra", "Coriolanus" is considered ideal.

Some researchers believe that several plays were written by Shakespeare in collaboration with another writer. For that period, it was a normal and frequent practice.

"Romeo and Juliet"

Perhaps this is the most famous history love all over the world. There were countless theatrical productions, and the number of adaptations is also amazing (more than fifty). But it is also surprising that, despite the past centuries, this story still touches the soul and makes one think about the essence of being.

The plot of the drama is probably known to all reading people. The action starts at Italian city Verona. In what century did Shakespeare live, in this the events described take place.

The Montagues and the Capulets are two families that have been at enmity for many years and have probably already forgotten the reason for their hatred. Fate disposes so that the children of the leaders fall in love with each other. Romeo and Juliet decide to get married in secret. But the young man, in the heat of a fight, kills his beloved brother and is expelled from the city.

Out of desperation, the girl is going to drink poison, but the monk gives her a drug that simply puts her to sleep. The family decides that Juliet has left this world and put her in a tomb.

Romeo, unable to survive the loss of his beloved, drinks poison, waking up, the girl sees a lifeless body at her feet. She decides to follow her beloved and stabs herself to death.

The death of children led to the end of the irreconcilable strife between the two families.

"Hamlet"

William Shakespeare experienced a great tragedy in his life - the death of his son. Hemnet died at the age of eleven, presumably from bubonic plague.

Since the playwright worked in London, he did not often visit hometown and at the time of the death of his son, he was not there either. Shakespeare was very tormented by this circumstance.

It is with this event that researchers of creativity connect the creation of the tragedy about Hamlet, linking them with the similarity of names.

There is, of course, no connection in the plot. The action takes place in the Kingdom of Denmark. A prince named Hamlet encounters the ghost of his dead father, the king. He tells the young man that he was killed by the current king, Hamlet's uncle, Claudius. The ghost asks for revenge for what has been done to him.

Hamlet is confused, he cannot make a decision. To protect himself, he pretends to be crazy. But his uncle is not so simple, he does not believe in the farce of his nephew. In the head of Claudius, a plan is born to kill Hamlet.

As a result, Hamlet drinks poison without knowing it. But before his death, he manages to avenge his father.

Frontinbras, the Norwegian ruler, enters the throne.

Poems and sonnets

What century did Shakespeare live in? In the age of development economic relations and accelerated development of the country. It so happened that the main trade routes ran through England. sea ​​routes. As a result, in 1593 the country was seized by a plague epidemic that lasted almost two years.

Of course, no public institutions, including Shakespeare's theater, worked in such conditions. The playwright was forced to sit without work. He read a lot, and was inspired to write two erotic poems.

The third was "The Complaint of a Lover", which was reprinted several times during the life of the author.

But William Shakespeare is best known for his sonnets. There are 154 of them in the poet's work. The sonnet is a verse of fourteen lines, in which the following rhyme is adopted: abab cdcd efef gg.

The cycle of sonnets is conventionally divided into twelve thematic groups, among which:

  • chanting a friend;
  • longing and fear;
  • the joy and beauty of love.

Shakespeare style

William Shakespeare, whose years of life are indicated in the review, has been greatly transformed in terms of literature. His first works were written plain language, which does not distinguish the playwright from the crowd of the same hacks. To avoid the routine in his works, Shakespeare loaded them with metaphors, literally planting them on top of each other. This prevented him from revealing the images of heroes.

However, soon the poet comes to his traditional style adapts to it. The use of (written in iambic pentameter) becomes standard. But it also differs in its quality, when compared initial work and subsequent ones.

A feature of Shakespeare's style is that he wrote with a focus on theatrical performances. Enjambements, unusual constructions and length of sentences are used on a large scale in his works. Sometimes the playwright invites the viewer to think out the end of the phrase, inserting a long pause there.

Criticism

Shakespeare, years of life, short biography which are known to all literary figures, rendered a huge impact on their followers in writing.

Despite this, during his lifetime he was not considered a great playwright. And at the end of the seventeenth century, he was even criticized for mixing the tragic and the comic in his works.

However, already in the eighteenth century, these opinions were forgotten, literary critics began to thoroughly study his work. And soon the now well-known fact that Shakespeare is the national poet of England was voiced. After that, close attention drew on the years of Shakespeare's life.

The nineteenth century was marked by massive translations of Shakespeare's plays into other languages. In particular, this was done by August Schlegel.

However, there were still critics. So, he declared that Shakespeare was outdated compared to Ibsen, and he did not understand this idolatry.

Leo Tolstoy also doubted the existence of Shakespeare's dramatic abilities.

But the beginning of the twentieth century brought him back to the pinnacle of fame, when the expressionists and futurists began to stage his plays, and the poet declared that Shakespeare's plays would always be modern.

Last years

The last years of Shakespeare's life were spent in his hometown. Although he often traveled to London on business. He was replaced by J. Fletcher as the chief playwright of the troupe. According to some researchers, he also became a co-author of the last plays.

Shakespeare lived in an age when it was impossible to know exactly what happened to a person. But according to the remaining documents, it was clear that his handwriting had changed, became uncertain and sweeping. On the basis of which historians have concluded that William Shakespeare was seriously ill.

Death

Shakespeare died on April 23, 1616. It is believed that it was his birthday. According to the will, all the property of the playwright passed to the daughters and their direct descendants.

The last direct descendant of the poet was his granddaughter Elizabeth, who died in 1670.

Where Shakespeare spent last years of his life, a bust of the poet was erected.