Who was William Shakespeare?

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Who was William Shakespeare?
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William Shakespeare

• Born in 1564 in Stratford-on-Avon
• Both parents were illiterate
• Regarded as the finest playwright that ever lived
• Much of his life is full of mystery

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His Life

• Beyond grammar school, he had no further
  education
• He married an older woman at 18, Ann Hathaway (8
  years his senior)
• They had three children
• He became a famous first for his acting, then his
  poetry and plays
• He died on April 23, 1616
• Buried in Holy Trinity Church in
  Stratford-on-Avon

Shakespeares House
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More about Shakespeare
Video Presentation
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The Times

• Queen Elizabeth was the ruler of England
  (followed by James I)
• The plague ( a disease carried by rats) killed
  hundreds of people
• He lived during the Elizabethan Era. It was a
  great time for art and writing in England.

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The Globe Theatre
The globe has been rebuilt, and tourists can
enjoy Shakespeares work in a truly authentic way
today.
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Theories

• Some people believe that Shakespeare never
  existed, and that he was a pen name for many
  authors at the time.

• He was homosexual
• He was Italian
• He was Queen Elizabeth
• He stole the ideas for his plays