This article was written by Camryn Yi of Richard Montgomery High School
What comes to mind at the name of William Shakespeare? School theater clubs performing A Midsummer Night’s Dream; the romantic tragedy, Romeo and Juliet; or high school English class, reading, analyzing and studying a couple of his most famous works? However, what might not come to mind is his life, impact and legacy he left behind on today’s literacy.
The Life of Shakespeare
William Shakespeare is an English poet, playwright and actor, known for his dramatic plays and intellectual poetry, which earned him the title of English national poet and the reputation of being the greatest playwright of all time. His works of literature have left a lasting imprint and impression on world literature today.
According to the Folger Shakespeare Library, Shakespeare was baptized on April 26, 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon. Although this date may not seem significant, there is no official record of his date of birth. People have been able to use the date of his baptism to determine his birthdate was just a few days prior. He was the oldest child of John Shakespeare and Mary Arden, and the older brother of three boys and two girls. Even though there is no record of the school he may have attended, it is likely that he attended a refined local grammar school. At this school he would have been taught Latin classics, which includes grammar, memorization and performing classic plays.
Around late 1582, 18 year old William Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway, his senior who was pregnant at the time with their child, Susanna. Later they would have twins, named Judith and Hamnet. However, Hamnet would soon die at the age of 11 in 1596. Although Shakespeare had a family, he did not live with them. Instead, his wife and kids lived in Stratford while he stayed and worked in London to pursue his theater career. Afterwards, his oldest daughter would marry a Stratford doctor named John Hall and give Shakespeare his first grandchild. His second daughter, however, did not get married until a few months before his death. Shakespeare would die on April 23, 1616 and be buried at the Stratford Church.
Shakespeare’s Works
Throughout his career, Shakespeare has written many famous works, including many plays and poems, which lots of people may have heard of, read, or even seen live. According to Britannica, the impact of Shakespeare’s on literature is so large that each one could be deemed as one of his important achievements. However, the most important achievements are seven plays and one collection of poetry, consisting of Romeo and Juliet, Much Ado About Nothing, Julius Caesar, Hamlet, King Lear, Macbeth, The Tempest, and the collection of Sonnets. Besides these plays and poetry, Shakespeare has also written at least 30 other plays and over 150 short and long poems.
Shakespeare’s Impact on the Literary World
Even though Shakespeare wrote most of these works over 400 years ago, his plays and poetry continue to have a lasting impression on today’s literary world, especially on English language and literature. According to the BBC, Shakespeare invented over 1,000 modern, daily-used vocabulary, including words like “amazement,” “champion,” “bedroom,” and “dawn.” Many of these words originate from foreign languages and classical literature. Shakespeare has also influenced the structure and styling of grammar, making it less vague and establishing the grammar used today. Furthermore, his works are still studied, read and performed today.
Conclusion
In conclusion, whether it was studying one of his plays in school, or sitting in a theater watching one of his performances, William Shakespeare has left a huge imprint on today’s world—particularly the literary world. Even in Montgomery County, we still experience Shakespeare, through hosted events like an outdoor performance of one Shakespeare’s plays, and soon-to-happen walking tour featuring Shakespeare’s plays. He and his legacy will be known from generations to come.
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