The Life and Times of William Shakespeare (Shakespeare: His Work and World, 1)

At its most basic, the story of William Shakespeare's life is one that has been repeated countless times around the world. A young man in a small town goes to school, gets into a bit of a scrape with a woman, scurries off to a big city, becomes successful, and eventually retires, wealthy and comfortable to the place where he began. As simple as that story is, the fact that it occurred more than 400 years ago introduces a few difficulties. Several important details of Shakespeare's life, for example, simply aren't known. ... As with many writers before and since, William Shakespeare was influenced by the events that took shape all around him. Sweeping changes to England's politics, language, and culture that took place during his lifetime were the fertile ground from which the Bard drew inspiration. Shakespeare's life is surveyed and the social context in which he created his greatest drama and poetry is examined. Presents The Life Of The English Author And Explores The Government, Society, And Theatre Of The Times.