Shakespearean

The record

The Bard, William Shakespeare (1564 – 1616) was an English playwright, poet, and actor. In his lifetime he wrote approximately 38 plays of his own and in collaboration with others, 154 sonnets, two narrative poems, while other verses attributed to him have in fact questionable authorship. Shakespeare is considered to be the pre-eminent author of the English language, and it is his ability with language which has helped to shape modern English. His brilliant turn of phrase remains with us to this day – we unknowingly quote the Bard every day such is the resonance of his writings. His works remain popular because he told great stories which have laid the foundation of so many successors and inspired imitation and adaptation with varying degrees of success and quality. He described the human experience with compassion and humour. He drew compelling characters many of whom have become blueprints for stock characters in fiction from young lovers, evil queens, mad King, the ambitious, greedy, fortuitous, and tragic – they all peopled his plays as well-rounded individuals, rather than simplistic cardboard cut-outs. It is these characters, so sharply drawn and well-defined, which populate

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