William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare (baptized 26 April 1564; died 23 April 1616) was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. __71_ ___ His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright。
Shakespeare was born and raised in Stratford-upon-Avon. At the age of 18, he married Anne Hathaway, with whom he had three children: Susanna, and twins Hamnet and Judith. __ _72__ He appears to have retired to Stratford around 1613, where he died three years later. Few records of Shakespeare's private life survive, and there has been considerable speculation about such matters as his physical appearance, religious beliefs, and whether the works attributed to him were written by others.
Shakespeare produced most of his known work between 1589 and 1613. __73___ He then wrote mainly tragedies until about 1608, including Hamlet, King Lear, and Macbeth, considered some of the finest works in the English language. In his last phase, he wrote tragicomedies, also known as romances, and collaborated(合作)with other playwrights.
Shakespeare was a respected poet and playwright in his own day, but his reputation did not rise to its present heights until the 19th century. The Romantics, in particular, acclaimed(赞扬)Shakespeare's genius. ___74_ In the 20th century, his work was repeatedly adopted and rediscovered by new movements in scholarship and performance. _ _75___ And they are constantly studied, performed and reinterpreted in diverse cultural and political contexts throughout the world.
A. His early plays were mainly comedies and histories.
B. The modernist revolution in the arts during the early 20th century.
C. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon".
D. Even the Victorians worshipped Shakespeare with a reverence(尊敬) that George Bernard Shaw called "bardolatry(莎士比亚崇拜)".
E. His plays remain highly popular today.
F. Scholars refer to the years between 1585 and 1592 as Shakespeare's "lost years"
G. Between 1585 and 1592, he began a successful career in London as an actor, writer, and part owner of a playing company called the Lord Chamberlain's Men, later known as the King's Men.
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