Celebrating Shakespeare

It’s time to celebrate the birth of one of the world’s most renowned writers ever. Although it is still debated whether 23^rd April can be historically ascribed as the birth date of the Bard of Avon, Shakespeare lovers all over the world celebrate this day as his birth anniversary. It is only a matter of coincidence that the same date also marks his death anniversary. The Anthonian Literary Club would like to pay homage to one of the greatest writers that ever lived, and especially because his relevance to world literature has increased manifold in the centuries that have rolled after his passing.
William Shakespeare was born in 1564 to John Shakespeare and Mary Arden. Shakespeare was most likely educated at the Stratford free grammar school. He was likely apprenticed at the age of thirteen when the family's financial situation was going downhill. He married Anne Hathaway in November of 1582.
As a playwright, Shakespeare was not well known until 1592. Stages were closed then because of the plague, but by the time they reopened in 1594, he had written Venus and Adonis, as well as Lucrece. Although he was also an actor for the company, he was more famous for his writing. Frequently, his plays were requested by Queen Elizabeth, and later, by King James I.
Shakespeare retired in 1610, returning to Stratford from London. He busied himself with the community and was comfortable with the large fortune he had earned. William Shakespeare died on April 23, 1616.

A list of Shakespeare’s plays: -

COMEDIES	HISTORIES	TRAGEDIES
All's Well That Ends Well As You Like It Comedy of Errors Love's Labour's Lost Measure for Measure Merchant of Venice Merry Wives of Windsor Midsummer Night's Dream Much Ado about Nothing Taming of the Shrew Tempest Twelfth Night Two Gentlemen of Verona Winter's Tale	Cymbeline Henry IV, Part I Henry IV, Part II Henry V Henry VI, Part I Henry VI, Part II Henry VI, Part III Henry VIII King John Pericles Richard II Richard III	Antony and Cleopatra Coriolanus Hamlet Julius Caesar King Lear Macbeth Othello Romeo and Juliet Timon of Athens Titus Andronicus Troilus and Cressida

Even though Shakespeare lived and wrote in a world far remote from today’s, his relevance has not waned. This is because Shakespeare was an entertainer of the people and his work was enjoyed by peasant and king alike. He could be likened to a modern television network, offering comedies, tragedies, history, political commentating, criticism of the hypocrisy of clerics in government, mental illness, murder, lust, adultery, sloth, wit, slapstick comedy, racism, betrayal, valor, integrity, vanity and just about every other human emotion and behavior known to man. He was equal to men and woman, believing both could be treacherous and honorable.¹ Shakespeare’s plays are adapted into films even today. Some recent examples being Baz Luhrman’s Leonardo DiCaprio starer Romeo and Juliet, Al Pacino starer The Merchant of Venice and our very own Vishal Bharadwaj’s Maqbool and Omkara.²

Shakespeare had such a profound impact on world writing that even Tagore as a young man was inspired enough by Macbeth to make a translation in Bengali.

Shakespeare is being studied by the students of class 9 (“Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Wind”) as part of the syllabus prescribed by the WBBSE and those of class 8 (an excerpt from “Julius Caesar”).

CHECK OUT THE LITERARY CLUB NOTICE BOARD ON THE FIRST FLOOR FOR A QUIZ ON SHAKESPEARE. THE FIRST TEN CORRECT ENTRIES WILL WIN TOKEN PRIZES.

1Relevance of Shakespeare's works: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/804493/is_shakespeare_relevant_in_the_21st.html?cat=9

2 Relevance of Shakespeare’s works: http://www2.le.ac.uk/ebulletin/features/2000-2009/2006/02/nparticle-9c4-yz3-zjd