Bard of Avon

I assume that only some can recognize the name “Bard of Avon” of the great poet, playwright, actor “William Shakespeare”. The name “Bard of Avon” was given to him in recognition of his stature as great poet and the unofficial national poet of England. Many of us might have known him by his famous plays, poems and Sonnet. But it is not necessary that we all know about him and his life.

Speaking of the great person, the life of Shakespeare has a fair number of facts, but on these facts the industry of commentators has constructed an additional mass of great magnitude and complexity. His birthdate was not clear but from the church records, he was baptized in the parish church at Stratford-on-Avon on April 26, 1564. He may be born on April 23 which happens also to be his death date in 1616. His father, John Shakespeare was a burgess of the town and also done the occupations of a butcher, glover and a farmer. He attended the grammar school of the town. Ben Johnson himself a competent scholar affirmed that Shakespeare knew “small latin and less Greek”. A bond dated November 28, 1528 shows clear evidence of Shakespeare’s marriage on that date to a certain “Anne Hathway of Stratford”. He was only eighteen when he was married and his bride was eight years older than him.

In 1584, Shakespeare left his native town. The reason is unknown. But the most popular explanation which appeared after his death was that he as accused of hunting on the estate of local magnate, Sir Thomas Lucy and he fled to escape the consequences. Shakespeare the reappears as a rising star and again disappeared after 1592. During the time he is said to wandering the country and finally coming to London. In London he has done may jobs like holding horses at the stage door. On the face of them such tales are not improbable, but they grew up when the dramatist had become a half mythical figure. It is also said that he may have spent much of the time in the Low countries on service with the armies of the Earl of Leicester.

In 1592, Robert Greene in a carping book called A Groatsworth of Wit, mentions in his own conceit the only Shakescene in a country”. In 1595, his name appears on the payroll of the Lord Chamberlain’s company of actors. His chief function was to write dramas for his company and the fruit of such labour was his plays.

About 1610, Shakespeare left London for Stratford, where he stayed at new place, a house that he had bought in 1597. He may have written his plays there, but it is likely that his connection with his company of actors ceased when the globe theatre was burned down during a performance of Henry VIII in 1613. His will, executed document is dated March 25, 1616. His death occurred a month later April 23.

Shakespeare’s poetical work is worthily represented in the numerous lyrics that are scattered through the plays. His two long narrative poems “Venus and Adonis” ( 1593) were the oldest of his writings. The sonnets themselves consist of 154 numbers which are all composed in the English form of the sonnet.

His plays that are usually accepted as beind Shakespeare’s almost endless discussion has risen. For example, A midsummer night’s dream, Macbeth, Twelfth night, Love’s Labour’s Lost etc.,

He more likely lived the life of a common man and so.