The Bard of Avon
Poet, Playwright & Actor... |
As a young man William decided to go to London to find a job as an actor and writer. These were difficult times as theatres were closed for a number of years due to the Black Death and it was hard for William to find work.
Between 1592 and 1594, Shakespeare mostly wrote sonnets and poems. His first publication was Venus and Adonis in 1593 followed by The Rape of Lucrece the following year. When theatres re-opened he became a member of the Lord Chamberlain’s Men which was the best acting company in the country. The plays were performed in The Globe, a round theatre without a roof. The actors of the play and the writers owned the theatre. They produced the plays, bought their own costumes and wrote their own scripts. They also had shared their profits. Performances and plays started early in the afternoon. The people who didn’t have enough money to pay for a seat were allowed to stand at the front. Sometimes they even had special plays just for the kings and queens. Shakespeare wrote many plays based upon tragedies, comedies, plays with happy endings and stories about love. A detailed list of his works can be found at the link below: |