Gill Davies

Francis Griffin Stokes

William Shakespeare was born April 1564 and died 23 April 1616, four hundred years ago. Today the bard from Queen Elizabeth's I's Merrie England is the most-read author in the world. His works are truly international, with copies of plays and poetry by William Shakespeare exceeding four billion. He is among the most translated authors in history, eclipsed only by the Bible. Shakespeare penned some of the most celebrated dramas, but also added to the language, inventing an amazing 1,700 new words. His father was a glove maker, leather worker and wool merchant; his mother, Mary Arden, was from a landowning family. One of eight children, young Shakespeare was probably educated at the local King Edward VI Grammar School in Stratford but would eventually make his name as an actor and playwright in London. Now, some four centuries onward, Shakespeare's writings continue to enthrall and enrapture audiences, to inspire and thrill, not just at Stratford or in London's Globe Theatre but in every corner of the worldwide globe. This highly illustrated book is crammed with images and facts that encapsulate the glory of this amazing man, his life, his works (that include plays, poetry and sonnets), his language and legacy.

A Companion Guide to His Life and Achievements

William Shakespeare 1564-1616

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With Notes on the Sources and Dates of the Plays and Poems

A Dictionary of the Characters & Proper Names in the Works of Shakespeare

Although many of Shakespeare's allusions would have been familiar to the theater-goers of his day, we've come a long way from the language of the Globe Theater. This indispensable dictionary helps modern readers and audiences find their way back to the Elizabethan stage. With more than 3,000 entries, it encompasses all of the plays as well as the poems and sonnets. In addition to the historical, mythical, and fictitious characters themselves, the coverage extends to their references to other people, places, literature, and legends. Who's Who in Shakespeare offers an alphabetical guide to these names. It provides a specific identity and context for each, with quotations from the works in which they appear, from the sources which Shakespeare may himself have used, and from the writings of his contemporaries. The author has also contributed his own comments on the accuracy of some of the historical and geographical references, and on the links between the playwright's life and his choices of names. Entries for major characters feature brief analyses of their roles, arranged scene by scene. The plays appear under their individual titles, with details of their original publication and probable date of composition. A useful appendix contains family trees of the important ruling and noble houses at the time of the Wars of the Roses, plus a catalog of works included in the First Folio.

Francis Griffin Stokes

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