What's It All About, Shakespeare? An Introduction To The Bard Of Avon

By S. A. Markham

What's It All About, Shakespeare? is a series aimed at demystifying Shakespeare's work.

This first instalment, 'An Introduction to The Bard of Avon' offers a short biography of the world's most famous playwright, an introduction to his works and a guide to understanding them.

Think Shakespeare's boring? Think again.

• Language: English
• Publisher: S. A. Markham
• Release date: Jan 10, 2012
• ISBN: 9781466127166

S. A. Markham

S. A. Markham is a professional freelance writer from the U.K. She has a B.A. (hons) in Drama and Literature; a degree which had particular emphasis on the work of Shakespeare. Since graduating, she has been writing non-fiction material for various sources. She has also written and co-written a number of short stories and novels. 'What's It All About, Shakespeare?' is a website and ebook series, which aims to demystify the Bard of Avon's work, while sharing an enthusiasm and passion for the world's most famous playwright.

Book preview

What’s It All About, Shakespeare?

An Introduction to the Bard of Avon

by

S. A. Markham

What’s It All About, Shakespeare?

An Introduction To The Bard of Avon

by S. A. Markham

Copyright © 2012, S.A. Markham

Published by S. A. Markham at Smashwords

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

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Contents

Introduction: Why Shakespeare

Shakespeare The Man

Who Was Shakespeare

Did Shakespeare Write Shakespeare?

Shakespeare The Poet and Playwright

What Did Shakespeare Write?

Shakespeare’s Plays

Shakespeare’s Sonnets

Getting to Grips With Shakespeare

How to Read Shakespeare's Work

Strange and Unusual Shakespearean Words

Brand New Shakespearean Words

10 Popular Phrases Coined by Shakespeare

Shakespeare’s Still Relevant

Pinching From Shakespeare: Modern Adaptations and Retellings

Still Think Shakespeare’s Boring?

Introduction: Why Shakespeare?

Before we go any further, there is something that I have to get off my chest: I love Shakespeare. I am completely and passionately in love with William Shakespeare. It’s real and it’s deep.

The Flower Portrait of William Shakespeare, c1820-1840

Now, that is one mighty fine hunk of man, am I right, ladies? Yes, indeed. I’m fairly certain that, if I had been alive during the Elizabethan era, Anne Shakespeare née Hathaway and I would have been fighting.

Because I feel so strongly about old Bill Shakespeare, it distresses me when I hear people say that they don’t like him or, worst of all, that they find him boring. Telling me that you find Shakespeare boring is akin to swearing at me. No, it’s worse. It’s like spitting at me. You might as well spit directly into my face, if you’re going to tell me that Shakespeare is boring.

Shakespeare’s plays are not boring. They are filled with passion, suspense, violence, deception, romance, philosophy, satire, betrayal, ambition, foolishness, jealousy, slapstick, insanity, lust, psychological thrills, war, murder, intrigue and…toilet humour. Of course, you won’t usually find all of these qualities in a single play. But the point is that all of the things you love about your favourite films or television programmes are found in abundance in Shakespeare’s plays. In fact, some of your favourite films might actually be based on Shakespeare’s plays, but more on that later.

So, why do relatively few people share my love of the Bard of Avon?

Well, I think it has a lot to do with the way he is taught and studied. For most people, a first glimpse of Shakespeare occurs at school and, for some, this can be a pretty unpleasant affair. And if this first encounter is objectionable, you won’t want to touch his plays or poems with a bargepole, which is completely understandable.

In order to appreciate Shakespeare, I think you need to be introduced to him by someone who has enthusiasm for his work. Unfortunately, not all English teachers have this. Consequently, with alarming regulatory I hear and read the question: Why do we have to study Shakespeare? or slightly less polite words to that effect.

Why Is Shakespeare Important?

Literature buffs and Shakespeare scholars could probably list