William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare (1564-1616) is recognized around the world as the greatest English playwright. Almost four hundred years after his death, the interest in his life and work is stronger than ever. Yet Shakespeare himself is still a puzzle to biographers. The scarcity of hard evidence relating to some crucial aspects of Shakespeare's life has given rise to much speculation over the centuries, including some doubt as to the authorship of his most famous plays. We still don't know if he actually knew Queen Elizabeth I, whether he was fond of ale or sack, or why his father suffered such a decline in fortune during William's early childhood. This entertaining and authoritative account of the Bard's life and work by theatre expert Dominic Shellard provides a clear account of the main events in the playwright's life, and gives new insights into the circumstances and influences that shaped his major works. The text and illustrations are based on the manuscript and printed book collections of the British Library. Book jacket.