William Shakespeare Life And Career In London

William Shakespeare Life And Career In London

Shakespeare In London :-  Shakespeare left Stratford in or about 1586. The immediate cause of his departure was trouble with the police, financial difficulties, possibly the dissatisfaction with the family life and the lure of the city together with dramatic tendency. There are records io show that a company of it itinerant players, such as were becoming popular, visited Stratford at this time and it was as a member of this company that Shakespeare left his native Stratford. For many years the name of Shakespeare remained unheard and oblivious. He was next heard of in 1591 and we find that the other playwrights of London were already beginning to find him a formidable rival. He was spoken of as a successful actor and author. According to Prof. Hudson, the drama at this time was gaining rapidly in popularity through the work of the University Wits. Shakespeare son turned to the stage and his first employment in connection with the theatre was that of holding the horses of those who came to the play. With Prof. Dowden we too may dismiss it as probably mythical. Dr. Johnson believes this myth but shortly afterwards he became an actor and mender of old plays. 

The flower of William Shakespeare's genius blossomed forth in the nourishing soil of London where he could well study both men and things. During his apprenticeship he worked at odd jobs provided by theatrical companies, dined at the ordinary taverns, gazed on courtly processions and spectacles, seeing new types of character and hearing new stories day by day he tried his hand at acting and was soon a successful actor. The coarse and worthless plays of the time disgusted him, and he began his dramatic career by recasting existing plays and changing them beyond recognition. He was an INTELLIGENT and OBSERVANT man, the theatre managers were soon impressed by him as his rise was rapid. It was here that he acquired varied experience, wide outlook, human sympathies and knowledge of living men and women. His name and fame spread. Greene became jealous of him and called him "An upstart crow", beautified with our feathers that with his tiger's heart wrapt in a player's hide supposes he is as well able to bombast out a blank verse as the best of you; and being 'an absolute Johannes Factotum is in his own conceit the only Shakespeare in the country'. Englishmen in those days, were crossing the bounds of sky, being distinguished as sailors, adventurers, lawyers, scholars, statesmen, churchmen, dramatists and the like. These things had left an indelible mark on the mind of Shakespeare. He adopted and rewrote several plays besides acting in the plays. (Adam in the 'As You Like It' and Ghost in the Hamlet'). 

In 1593, he dedicated his 'Venus and Adonis' to the young Earl of Southampton. Lucrece' in 1594 dedicated to the same nobleman written like the earlier dedication : "What I have done is yours : what I have to do is yours" being part of all I have devoted yours. Shakespeare's genius was warmly appreciated and recognized. According to Davernant Southampton offered to Shakespeare a sum of £ 1000 to go through with a purchase he had mind to. This is doubtless an exaggeration according to Prof. Dowden. Southampton was at this time a warm and generous friend we may riot doubt and Shakespeare was scoffed at by Green. From Greene's ill-natured allusion that Shakespeare must have been actively engaged in the play-writing by 1592. His plays were, worthless plays of the time disgusted him, and he began his dramatic career by men and as sailors, adventurers, lawyers, however, based on the works of others.

The Tide Turns

Ben Jonson praised Shakespeare profusely and called him "Sweet Swan of Avon". Shakespeare appeared twice before Queen Elizabeth in 1594. He was now writing historical plays and earlier comedies and was gathering enormous wealth. John Shakespeare tried to recover the ancestral fields, A letter still exists in which Shakespeare's famé and interest in his country home are recognised. He acquired property both at Stratford and London. Ben Jonson's first comedy 'Every Man in His Humour' appeared in 1598. It was through Shakespeare's good offices that it was brought before the public and he even acted in it, playing the role of Knowell. 'Palladis Tamia', 'Wit's Treasury' by Francis Meres contains twelve of Shakespeare's plays which are witness to the true chronology of his works. Meres also mentions the 'Sugared Sonnets' of Shakespeare. The earliest editions of his plays belong to this period. He was so famous then that many persons passed their plays under the name of Shakespeare and this is testimony enough of his popularity, recognition and acceptance. 

Family Matters

Shakespeare's father, John Shakespeare, died in 1601. The dramatist was now a shareholder of the Globe Theatre. It was built by a player and joiner, James Burbage in 1577 by the name The Theatre' in the fields outside the city walls, on the West of Bishopsgate Street, in Shoreditch. In 1998, it was pulled down and next year was rebuilt as The Globe', on Bankside, Southwark. The dramatist was now gentleman of Stratford-on-Avon. Queen Elizabeth died in 1603 but Shakespeare did not bother to write even a single line on it. When Elizabeth's successor, James First, arrived in London, he issued a warrant licensing the theatrical company to which Shakespeare belonged. His name appeared second in the list of players contained in the warrant. He again played in Ben Jonson's play. He left the stage and returned to Stratford. On June 5, 1607 his eldest daughter Susanna was married to Mr. John Hall. That very year his youngest brother Edmund died. In September, 1608 his mother died. On February 21, 1607-8 was baptized a daughter of John and Susanna Hall. 

Stratford Again

William Shakespeare's life in London had been one of continuous success and prosperity. These years in London were passed in great exertion. Monèy had never been the supreme concern for him and yet he was now a prosperous man. After eleven years of absence, in or about 1609, Shakespeare is supposed to have left London for Stratford. There is nothing definite to fix the change to any one year, but the internal evidence of his plays and Sonnets as well as the fact that he must before he made his will have sold or released it to his partners all his interest in the Globe and Blackfriars's profits and in his plays almost obliges us to conclude his leaving dates from 1609 or thereabouts. On account of his name, fame and money he was respected by his fellowmen. The atmosphere here, at Stratford, in comparison to that of London was calm and quiet. Still he had not lost his interest in London. In 1613, he bought a house near Blackfriars Theatre. In 1612, his brother Richard had also passed away. Ill Luck dogged him still. In 1613, the Globe Theatre was burnt to ashes and many manuscripts of his plays perished. The following year there was again a fire at Stratford in which fifty four houses were burnt down. 

THE END

 On February 10, 1616 Shakespeare's younger daughter Judith, aged 31, was married. Shakespeare's health had begun to decline. On March 25, he executed his will. For quite sometime he had not been keeping good health. Since August 11. 1596 after the death of his only son. Hamnet, Shakespeare had been in indifferent health. The end came on April 23, 1616-the day of his birth. He was fifty two years old. The only report as to the cause of his death is in the Diary printed in 1839 of the Rev. John Ward, who was 1662 that Shakespeare. Drayton and Ben Jonson had an eerie meeting and it seems drank too hard for Shakespeare died of a fever there contacted. He left his appointed Vicar of Stratford in property to his daughter, Judith, sister Joan, his grandson, his Stratford friends and some of his players. His body was laid in the Parish Church of Stratford-on- Avon with this epitaph, written by himself, inscribed over his grave: 

"Guod friend, for Jesus sake forbeare, 

To dig the dust enclosed heare,

 Blest be ye man yt spares thes stones, 

And curst be he yt moves my bones.