English Literature Exam Papers

William Shakespeare
(1564-1616)
The great English poet and dramatist was born at Stratford-on-Avon on April 23, 1564. His father, John Shakespeare, was a merchant and, for a time, one of the leading citizens of Stratford. His mother, Mary Arden, was a farmer's daughter. John and Mary had 8 children. Their third child was William. The boy learned to read and write at the grammar school in his native town. At the age of 18 he married Ann Hathaway. They had 3 children. Shakespeare had a quarrel with local magnate and was forced to leave his native town for London. Shakespeare became famous as an actor and a writer of successful plays. In 1593 and 1594 Shakespeare published two long poems "Venus and Adonis" and "Lucrece". Both poems were dedicated to the young Eare of Southampton, a great admirer of Shakespeare's plays.
In 1594 Shakespeare became a member in the Lord Chamberlain's company of actors. He wrote plays for the company as well as acted in them. Shakespeare's early plays were performed in the playhouses known as "The Theater" and "The Curtain". When the company built the globe theater, most of his greatest plays were performed there. By that time Shakespeare was acknowledged to be the greatest of English dramatists. Shakespeare's career as a dramatist lasted for nearly 20 years. Around 1610 he left London and lived for the rest of his life at Stratford-on-Avon. He died on April 23, 1616 and was buried in the church at Stratford-on-Avon. A monument was erected to Shakespeare's memory in the Poet's Corner at Westminster Abbey. In his lifetime Shakespeare wrote 154 sonnets and 37 plays of all kinds- comedies, tragedies, historical chronicles and faces.
Shakespeare's creative work…