William Shakespeare

1. William Shakespeare An Introduction

2. Basic Facts • Born 1564 • Lived as a young man about 75 miles northwest of London • Married at age 18 and quickly had three children • Moved to London before turning 28, leaving his family behind • After reaching success, moved his family to London as well • Died in 1616

3. What’s In a Name? • No spelling standards in Elizabethan times • People spelled their names however they wanted, whenever they wanted • Six documents exist with Shakespeare’s signature, and each is spelled differently • Examples include: Shakspere, Shagspeare, and Shaxpere

4. More Than A Playwright • Shakespeare didn’t just write plays, he also acted in them, and he was part-owner of the company that produced them – he was a shrewd businessman! • Seven years after he died, his works were collected and over 1,000 copies were sold from the first printing at 1 pound each – this is equivalent to $50 each in modern times!

5. You Quote Shakespeare • Shakespeare created the following words: leapfrog, majestic, hint, lonely, excellent, and gloomy • He was also responsible for the following phrases: “catch cold,” “laugh it off,” “fair play,” “disgraceful conduct,” and “foregone conclusion.”