William Shakespeare
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William Shakespeare

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William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's preeminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon". His surviving works, including some collaborations, consist of 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and several other poems. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire and was baptised on 26 April 1564. Thought to have been educated at the local grammar school, he married Anne Hathaway, with whom he went on to have three children, at the age of eighteen, before moving to London to work in the theatre. Two erotic poems, Venus and Adonis and The Rape of Lucrece were published in 1593 and 1594 and records of his plays begin to appear in 1594 for Richard III and the three parts of Henry VI. Shakespeare's tragic period lasted from around 1600 to 1608, during which period he wrote plays including Hamlet and Othello. The first editions of the sonnets were published in 1609 but evidence suggests that Shakespeare had been writing them for years for a private readership. Shakespeare spent the last five years of his life in Stratford, by now a wealthy man. He died on 23 April 1616 and was buried in Holy Trinity Church in Stratford. The first collected edition of his works was published in 1623. (The portrait details: The Chandos portrait, artist and authenticity unconfirmed. NPG1, © National Portrait Gallery, London)
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Masterpieces of Tragedies and Comedies

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Featured Article: 7 Gripping Family Dramas to Feed Your Succession Obsession


Our favorite family baddies, the Roys, serve up a lot of drama filled with sibling rivalry, business takeovers, and toxic family love. If you're on the edge of your seat, dying to know what happens next but also dreading the completion of the series—then you’re probably not doing so well. We won't be able to fill the Roy-shaped hole in your heart, but we can recommend some podcasts and audiobooks that will remind you of Succession's best moments.

Featured Article 7 Gripping Family Dramas to Feed Your Succession Obsession

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    • Julius Caesar

    • A Fully-Dramatized Audio Production From Folger Theatre
    • By: William Shakespeare
    • Narrated by: full cast
    • Length: 2 hrs and 21 mins
    • Release date: 02-24-15
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 451 ratings

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