William Shakespeare

This is sleepy history sleepy history is a production of slumber studios to l...

add free get access to bonus episodes and support the ongoing production of this show

check out our premium feed

“what I want to do is not to be a part of the studio, the master of the club is called "the internet" so master is really great!”

you can say that you can be a director of the studio, but you don't understand it! egal! it's just a challenge! make the whole thing like this! and if you work then you will be able to do it! that's right! save! like this! now let's try to get out of here! now let's try to get out of here! now let's try to get out of here! now let's try to get out of here! let's try to get out of here!

now let's try to get out of here! now let's try to get out of here! now let's try to get out of here! now let's try to get out of here! now let's try to get out of here!

now let's try to get out of here!

now let's try to get out of here! now let's try to get out of here! now let's try to get out of here! now let's try to get out of here! now let's try to get out of here!

now let's try to get out of here! now let's try to get out of here!

now let's try to get out of here!

now let's try to get out of here! now let's try to get out of here! now let's try to get out of here! now let's try to get out of here! now let's try to get out of here!

now let's try to get out of here! now let's try to get out of here! now let's try to get out of here! now let's try to get out of here!

“while his main profession was glove-making, he also bought several local properties,”

which he leased out for extra income. a popular figure in the community, he took on various roles within local government. positions ranged from town constable to stratford's own official ale taste them. and in 1568 when William was just four years old, John was elected as high bailiff, the equivalent of mayor.

Ever things took a turn a few years later.

John was prosecuted and fined the selling wool illegally without a license.

his reputation took a hit alongside his finances. William is thought to have left school around the age of 13 or 14. perhaps due to his father's financial difficulties. on the other hand, back then it was common for boys to leave school at this age.

“we can't know for sure, and the history of Shakespeare's early life is patchy at best.”

but we can assume that he attended the local grammar school, studying a curriculum that included Latin and classical literature. there's no record of what William Shakespeare did between the ages of around 13 and 18.

but, considering his situation and the context of the time,

it's likely that he worked in his father's glove-making business. the next time Shakespeare's name appears in the historical records it's to document his marriage to Anne Hathaway. the daughter of a prosperous farmer, Anne, was 26 years old,

“older than average for a first marriage.”

in Elizabeth and England, marriages were commonly arranged by parents, sometimes for girls as young as 12, though most couples were in their 20s. Shakespeare's marriage may have caused gossip as Anne was already pregnant

when the couple wed in 1582.

historians have long speculated about the nature of their relationship. in all the plays and poetry Shakespeare would write, they're don't appear to be any references to his wife. some think that their marriage was distant and unaffected another possibility is that they had a close but private relationship.

“like much in Shakespeare's life, the truth remains elusive.”

the couple went on to share three children together. Susanna was born in 1583 and then two years later Anne gave birth to twins, Hamnut and Judith. they likely lived with Shakespeare's family in Stratford

as young couples offered dead at the time. at this point Shakespeare disappears from the records once again. some have speculated that he may have been employed as a schoolmaster by a Catholic landowner named Alexander Houghton. however, there's little evidence for this,

rather than a mention in Houghton's will, of an employee named William Shakespeare. what we do know is that by 1592 Shakespeare was living and working in London and we know that he was writing because several of his plays were already being staged. it's that same year when his fellow playwright Robert Green attacked him in print as an upstart crow.

Green didn't mention Shakespeare by name but it was clear to all that the lines in the pamphlet were about him. especially as Green paraded a line from one of Shakespeare's plays Henry the sixth part too. Shakespeare had described one particular character as having a tiger's heart

wrapped in a woman's hide. in his pamphlet, Green referred to the playwright as having a tiger's heart wrapped in a play as hide. it tells us something that Shakespeare was chosen as a target. his plays were already a hit with the general public

so playwrights like Green may have felt threatened by his success. at this point in time Elizabethan England was in the midst of the English Renaissance.

There had been a cultural shift in arts and education.

the Renaissance led to all sorts of advances

“including a flourishing of literature and drama.”

it also led to the evolution of English Renaissance theatre which might be the era's crowning Jew. the country became more prosperous under Elizabeth I which meant that more people had extra income. this could be spent on leisure and entertainment

like trips to the theatre to see the latest play. with the theatre business in bloom there was competition between different playwrights and acting troops something hinted at in Green's pamphlet.

Shakespeare was employed with the Lord Chamberlain's man, a theatre group

who were named after their wealthy patron. they originally performed at a venue simply called the theatre

“in the region of shortage just outside of London.”

historical records from 1592 list Shakespeare's profession as a player or actor. indeed he would have acted out his own plays and others alongside a cast of male-only actors. typically acting was considered a lowly profession. actors were often thought of as vagabonds

who lived outside civilization. but Shakespeare's company, the Lord Chamberlain's man, had noble patronage. these kinds of troops were increasingly respected. and enjoyed legal protection. although Shakespeare was living and working in London

he continued to provide for his family remained in Stratford upon Avent.

“over the years Shakespeare received financial support”

from wealthy patrons such as the Earl of South Hampton. and of course he also had his wages from the Lord Chamberlain's man his work as both actor and playwright. since the invention of the printing press and the century before it had become easier for writers to share their work.

Shakespeare's play scripts were circulated among his peers and staged soon after having been well received. the chronology of Shakespeare's writing requires educated guesswork but one of his earliest plays is believed to be the comedy "The Taming of the Shrew".

the play follows the courtship of a couple and the transformation or "Taming of a Headstrong Woman". the "Taming of the Shrew" is thought to have been written sometime between 1590 and 1592. around this time he also wrote "Enre the Sith"

the first of many history plays.

it took the form of three separate plays arts one two and three. it's believed that part two was the first to be performed. it was likely staged at the Rose Theatre in 1592.

the other parts were probably performed soon after either at the Rose or in a performance by his own troop at the theatre. other historical works soon followed, including Richard III Richard II, King John and Henry V. and at the turn of the century Shakespeare took a break

from British history to write Julius Caesar. history plays were popular during the English Renaissance. for a long time they were thought to be historically accurate. but today we allow for Shakespeare's artistic license. for instance we now know that Shakespeare's descriptions

have Richard III in terms of both his physical appearance and his character were somewhat exaggerated.

Tragedies were also very popular,

including those that blended elements of history.

“Shakespeare's earliest tragedy was Titus Andronicus,”

first performed in 1594. although it's set in ancient Rome the story is fictional. it's based on classical and medieval legends. Titus follows a general in the Roman army, returning from war with prisoners in tow.

the play explores darker themes like revenge and murder, a most of the major characters meet their demise. Shakespeare's plays quickly became some of the most popular in London. the Lord Chamberlain's men began performing his plays almost exclusively. for years the company had primarily been based

at the theatre ensured it. but in 1597 the landlord, Giles Allen refused to renew the lease. this posed a predicament for the company. luckily the men had a solution in mind.

one that would save their careers and their theatre. when negotiations failed the company took advantage of some ambiguity in the terms of the lease.

“working in secret they dismantled the theatre”

and carried the timbers across the river. they then constructed a new venue in southern the globe theatre. the former landlord was furious ensued for damages. but the courts ruled in favor of the Lord Chamberlain's men.

this bold stunt likely raised the theatre's profile and helped to secure the company's future. they now had their very own purpose-built playhouse. by the time his work was being performed at the globe Shakespeare had written many plays

that are still beloved today. this included the tragedy, Romeo and Juliet the tale of star-crossed lovers from rival families. it showcased Shakespeare's countless talents such as his ability to convey emotion to an audience.

he achieved this predominantly through the dialogue which took center stage on a fairly simple set. a reo balcony in the globe formed Juliette's bedroom window where she listened to Romeo's proclamation of love. the wards the end when tragedy

before was the couple a trap door in the stage became a makeshift tomb. music also helped to convey emotion

but the main focus was always on the acting.

the cast were all male as in Renaissance England women weren't allowed to perform on stage. female roles like Juliette would have been played by men in costume. it made little difference to the play's success

and perhaps that's testament to the skill of the actors. those who worked with Shakespeare at the globe theatre went on to become celebrities in Elizabeth and London. Richard Burbage was the company's biggest star and perhaps the most famous actor in England at the time.

Burbage was famed the his dramatic prowess

which lent itself well to title roles like Richard the third

and Hamlet years later. will camp by contrast was a popular comedic actor. he brought out the humour as a servant in Romeo and Juliet

“and perhaps as the self-important dog breed”

in much a do about nothing. he very well might have acted in other roles too considering the number of comedies that Shakespeare wrote.

They were often a little farsical

a comedy of errors in which two sets of identical twins are searching for their lost brother. in a mid-summer night stream two couples get lost in the woodland

“where a mischievous fairy uses a love potion on them.”

the larity ensues as he matches the wrong couple causing chaos between the human lovers. whether inspired by history or entirely fictional, comedic or tragic

Shakespeare's plays always ended to a clause.

one of the first Shakespeare plays staged at the globe was Julius Caesar a historical tragedy set in ancient Rome. he charted the events that led to the Roman dictators' assassination,

exploring themes like ambition and abuse of power, a fickleness of the public and the consequences of decisions. it's thought to have mirrored

16th century anxieties

about the danger of power

held by absolute monarchs and the potential for civil war if the queen died without an heir.

“this was one of Shakespeare's many talents”

but he could take a story from a distant time and place and make it feel relevant to the audience. he could explore topics that paralleled contemporary themes and problems and covertly make a comment about Elizabethan issues.

plays like Richard III are in part propaganda, exaggerating the virtues of the Tudor rulers

alongside the shortcomings of their political rivals.

but at the same time, there seems to be an effort to educate the public and shine a spotlight on the consequences of poor leadership. Shakespeare was able to humanise monarchs as a time when they were thought to be appointed by God.

“it must have been refreshing to see kings and queens as real people”

rather than heroes or villains. people who were susceptible to the same faults and misfortunes as everyone else. sometime between 1599 and 1601 Shakespeare wrote one of his best known works, Hamlet.

it was written after the death of his 11-year-old son, Hamlet. some critics have speculated that Shakespeare may have channeled his grief into the play. either way, there's no doubt that Hamlet is profoundly emotional. it's the tale of the Prince of Denmark who wants to avenge his father's murder.

he descends into madness and violence with devastating results for all involved. Hamlet was one of many great plays that Shakespeare would write over the next decade and a half. there were more witty comedies and gory tragedies

and more historical plays mixing different elements. walls well that ends well is a comedy that tells the story of unrequited love. after being rejected, a woman chases a nobleman around Europe and eventually wins his heart through cleverness and determination. another popular comedy, twelfth night, includes a shipwreck,

a love triangle, and a case of mistaken identity. though, as with all of Shakespeare's comedies, there are layers beneath the laughter, poignant themes that stay with the audience. take measure for measure with its comedic plotline

about the come upence of a corrupt tyrant. we don't have to dig too deep beneath the surface to find themes of morality, law, and justice. by criticizing the hypocrisy of one corrupt leader, Shakespeare condemns all who would act in this way.

the emphasises the qualities that a good leader should have, like the willingness to forgive and show mercy.

Shakespeare was masterful in teaching moral lessons.

his plots showed the consequences of certain actions

“and characters were often punished for having low moral fiber.”

for being selfish, cruel, cowardly or boastful. one example is the ruthless ambition of the Scottish general Macbeth in the tragedy of the same name. goded on by his power hungry wife, he's driven to murder in his quest to be king.

there are more deaths as Macbeth spirals into paranoia and it's implied that the guilt causes lady Macbeth to take her own life.

the country is plunged into a civil war.

Macbeth is killed and a new king is crowned.

“in a fellow Shakespeare explores the theme of jealousy”

as the NVSC Argo manipulates a fellow into thinking his wife is having an affair. this results in the deaths of nearly all the major characters. it's as if the playwright is sharing a message about the impact of jealousy. these are the consequences of coveting what others have and being quick to trust in those with ulterior motives.

during this period Shakespeare also wrote several history plays, fictionalized versions of real life events, some take place far from England like Anthony and Cleopatra, setting Italy and Egypt. it tells the tragic love story of the Roman general Mark Anthony and the Egyptian queen Cleopatra.

“others are set closer to home like Henry VIII,”

which Shakespeare co-wrote with John Fletcher in 1613. it's the story of the king's divorce from Catherine of Arrogan

and his marriage for his second wife Anne Berlin.

the play ends with the christening of their daughter Elizabeth, who is prophesied to become a great leader. it was during a performance of Henry VIII in 1613 that the globe theater burned down. canons were fired as part of the theatrics.

a stray spark ignited the attached roof and reduced the building to ashes in less than an hour. the globe would be rebuilt by the following year and the lord Chamberlain's men by now called the king's men but once again delight audiences with Shakespeare's plays.

however the playwright himself wouldn't join them. by 1613 Shakespeare had mostly retired from writing. he moved to Stratford for the house that he'd bought for his family years earlier. it was known as "new place" and it was one of the largest and most luxurious houses in Stratford.

here Shakespeare would live out his short retirement. he passed away just three years later at the age of 52. the cause of Shakespeare's death remains unknown. he may have had a fever such as typhus. another theory is that he might have contracted syphilis

or living as a bachelor in London. there has long been speculation about Shakespeare's sexuality. the famous son it shall I compare thee to a summer's day is widely believed to address the young man. some believe that man was Henry risely bird earl of Southampton

Shakespeare's patron and perhaps lover. other sonnets describe the dark lady a woman with dark hair and skin. some have speculated that she was a real person and tried to identify her. but many scholars agree that the dark lady is most likely fictional. a product of Shakespeare's imagination.

We'll likely never know of Shakespeare's real life romances.

but judging from those in his plays and poems,

“it seems fair to assume that he experienced love.”

and contrary to popular belief, Shakespeare's marriage was not necessarily a loveless one. recent research suggests that rather than living separate lives, Shakespeare and Anne may have spent time together in London.

another interesting detail is that in his will, Shakespeare left Anne his second best bed.

although this is sometimes been interpreted as a snub, it may have actually been a sentimental gesture. the best bed in the house was usually for guests. so the second best bed was likely the one they had shared as a couple. to his wife, Shakespeare left the bed and furniture.

he was eldest daughter the majority of his estate.

“and to the world he left an unparalleled legacy,”

one that changed the course of English literature. however, we can't give Shakespeare the entirety of the credit. after all, it was common practice for playwrights of the time to collaborate with others. Shakespeare worked with Thomas Middleton on time and of Athens and collaborated with others on his last three plays.

equally, he took inspiration from contemporary dramatists, as well as medieval plays and works by Seneca, the ancient Roman playwrights and philosopher. not that this takes away from Shakespeare's own legacy as the barred of avon and England's national poet. it's impossible to overstate the reach of his impact, or the depth of his genius and individual flair.

“his works would be published after his death,”

thanks to the efforts of his former colleagues.

the first folium was published in 1623.

it was a collection of Shakespeare's work, including 36 plays. the preface was written by fellow playwright Ben Johnson. a former rival of Shakespeare, his appraisal was glowing. Shakespeare was not of an age to Johnson,

but for all time. the second folium was published in 1632. it was essentially a reprint with hundreds of minor changes and corrections. looking through the works, we contract the development of Shakespeare's unique style. characters become more intriguing with each play,

and narratives are brought to life through a range of devices. generally, Shakespeare wrote in Iambic and Tamata, using unrhymed lines of ten syllables. an unstressed syllable is followed by a stressed one, a "dedum-dedum" rhythm.

this gives the writing a natural flow, which lends itself perfectly to spoken dialogue. actors were given monologues and celliloquies, speaking their inner thoughts to a wrapped audience. this revealed the depth of characters,

their fears, desires, internal conflict, and motivation. no person was straight forwardly good or bad, even the heroic could be flawed and human.

Shakespeare is often credited with first recording

or even inventing as many as 2,000 words, including gossip, jaded, lonely and traditional. he also used a range of similies and metaphors in order to create an image in the audience's mind.

Many common expressions today were first coined by Shakespeare.

from I have not slept one wink and four gone conclusion

“to the world is my oyster and what's done is done.”

hunts, words play and doblown tondrous were expertly inserted to add humour and depth. what's more, we likely miss some of the jokes because the spelling and pronunciation of certain words has changed since Shakespeare's day.

the day, experts are still looking for hidden layers in the body of work that Shakespeare left behind. that's at least 38 plays, 154 sonnets, three long narrative poems and a few other verses. there might well be more too that we don't yet know about,

“Shakespearean scripts that have been lost over time.”

the plays are remarkable on so many levels but perhaps it's the stories themselves and the characters that have assured Shakespeare's enduring legacy. themes like jealousy, ambition, deceit and power

are just as relevant today as when the plays were first written.

same is true of the individual characters. he in a conflict they experience their virtues and shortcomings and the problems they face which have no easy solution. these characters are real in a way that an audience can connect with whether in the 17th century or the 21st.

Shakespeare's plays raise questions.

“and perhaps there are some lessons to be learned.”

some teach us to laugh through difficulty

while others cancel us to trust our instincts.

some guide us to take measured risks and to deal with the consequences whatever they might be. these days scholars are cautious about biographical readings of Shakespeare's work. nonetheless it's tempting to think that in the plays

we can also learn something about the play right himself. his own life philosophy. maybe he was drawing on his own experiences and observations of people. he may have witnessed the real life consequences of jealousy, deceit, corruption and greed

and understood the folly of revenge. the latter is a theme in one of his last plays, a tempest. it emphasizes the importance of forgiveness, empathy over judgment, love over hate. Shakespeare reminds us of what unites us as people,

the highs and lows that we all endure. as such, he made the world a brighter place, a little kinder, wiser, and more thoughtful. we'll leave you now with these words from the tempest. our revels now are ended.

these are actors, as I've already told you, we're all spirits and are melted into air into thin air. and like the baseless fabric of this vision, the cloud capped towers, the gorgeous palaces, the solemn temples, the greats glow itself,

yay, all which it inherit, shall dissolve. and like this insubstantial pageant faded, leave not a rack behind. we are such stuff as dreams are made on,