Shakespeare

Author: Fu Zheng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: The "World Famous Person Biography Series" carefully selects 31 world-renowned figures who have influenced the progress of human civilization in the fields of science and technology, culture and art, and ideological education. Based on respect for historical facts and combined with the reading habits of teenagers, the series introduces the life experiences, ideals, and brilliant achievements of these world-famous individuals in a vivid and lively, rigorous and meticulous style. The series is meticulously structured and designed for teenagers' reading characteristics, featuring a series of knowledge sections such as "Quotations," "Appreciation of Famous Passages," and "Chronology," accompanied by detailed historical images and rich knowledge links, making the books more readable and collectible. Shakespeare is regarded as the "greatest writer of all time," "not belonging to one era but to all centuries," as emphasized by German critics who highlighted his extraordinary artistic talent; British critics emphasized his identity as a "remarkable poet" and an "outstanding observer of humanity"; while Romantic writers shifted the focus of criticism from concentrating on the "beauty" and "flaws" of works to explaining the joy and delight that readers or theatergoers always felt in the plays. This book is part of the "World Famous Person Biography Series" and uses simple and fluent language to tell you about Shakespeare's life and creative journey. It can serve as a reference for young readers to understand Shakespeare and his works. Shakespeare (William Shakespeare, 1564–1616) was a famous British playwright and poet. Born into a wealthy merchant family in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, he studied at the local grammar school. At the age of 13, his family fell into poverty, and he dropped out of school to work in business. Around 1586, he moved to London. Initially, he worked as a stable boy for noble customers in front of theaters, gradually becoming an assistant, actor, playwright, and shareholder in the theater. In 1597, he purchased a property in his hometown and spent his final years there. Shakespeare was the most famous writer in England from the late 16th to the early 17th century (Ben Jonson called him the "soul of the age") and the culmination of humanist literature during the European Renaissance. He wrote a total of 37 plays, 154 sonnets, two long poems, and other poems. The long poems "Venus and Adonis" (1592–1593) and "The Rape of Lucrece" (1593–1594) were based on the works of the Roman poet Virgil, with themes of the irresistible power of love and a condemnation of bestial acts that defy the concept of "honor." The sonnets (1592–1598) often took the form of continuous sequences, with themes of praising friendship and love. His main achievement was drama, which can be divided into three periods—early, middle, and late—based on the development of time, ideas, and artistic style. Early Period (1590–1600): During this period, the Elizabethan central sovereignty was still consolidated, and the temporary alliance between the monarchy and merchants and the new aristocracy was still developing. After defeating the Spanish "Invincible Fleet" in 1588, the country's strength greatly increased. This gave the author an optimistic outlook on life and a belief in the realization of humanist ideals. The historical plays and comedies written during this period reflected a bright and optimistic style. Historical plays, such as "Richard III" (1592) and "Henry III" (1599), condemned feudal tyrants and praised enlightened monarchs, embodying humanism's anti-feudal tyranny and its ideal of enlightened political unity. Comedies, such as "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (1596), "Twelfth Night" (1600), and "As You Like It" (1600), depicted gentle, beautiful, and brave women who broke through feudal obstacles to finally achieve love, reflecting humanism's praise for free love and its opposition to feudal asceticism. Even the tragedy "Romeo and Juliet" (1595), written during this period, retained many bright and optimistic elements. Middle Period (1601–1607): During this period, the "enclosure movement" in rural England was accelerating, the temporary alliance between the monarchy and the bourgeoisie and the new aristocracy was disintegrating, social contradictions were deepening, and the political and economic situation was deteriorating. The extravagance and reactionary policies of James I after his accession further intensified the suffering of the people and led to repeated uprisings. Under these circumstances, Shakespeare deeply felt the growing contradiction between humanist ideals and reality, and his writing style shifted from bright and optimistic to melancholic and resentful. The tragedies he wrote during this period no longer focused on praising humanist ideals but rather on exposing and criticizing the various evils and darkness of society. Representative works include "Hamlet" (1601), which depicts a thrilling struggle between progressive forces and tyrannical darkness, where the former is outnumbered. "Othello" (1604) portrays a moving love tragedy of young men and women who break through feudal constraints but fall into capitalist selfishness. "King Lear" (1606) depicts the transformation of an arrogant feudal king into a more realistic and compassionate "human" through the education of truth and hypocrisy. "Macbeth" (1606) reveals the destructive corrosive effect of power and ambition on people. The comedies written during this period, such as "All's Well That Ends Well" and "The Taming of the Shrew," also carried a tragic tone. Late Period (1608–1612): During this period, the James I dynasty became even more corrupt, and social contradictions became sharper. Shakespeare deeply felt the collapse of humanist ideals and retired to his hometown to write romantic plays. His writing style also became more romantic and fantastical. "Cymbeline" (1609) and "The Winter's Tale" (1610) tell stories of reunion after separation or vindication after false accusation, leading to reconciliation. "The Tempest" (1611) depicts the Milanese duke using magic to transport the ship carrying his usurping brother Antonio to a deserted island, where he forgives him, and his brother also returns the throne. A political storm similar to "Hamlet" becomes calm through forgiveness and compassion. Marx called Shakespeare one of "the greatest geniuses of humankind." Engels highly praised the realist spirit and the vividness and richness of the plots in his works. Shakespeare's works have been translated into almost all languages in the world. After 1919, they were introduced to China, and now there is a Chinese edition of "The Complete Works of Shakespeare."