The Poetry of William Shakespeare (Introduction)

In this three-part series on William Shakespeare, we’ll learn about the life and work of the most famous (and arguably, greatest) writer that has ever lived.

First, an overview of Shakespeare’s biography and a quick look at the written works that made him successful and wealthy during his own lifetime – his plays, along with reasons why modern poets will find value in Shakespeare’s work, and how their own writing will benefit from reading and studying Shakespeare’s.

In the second and third installations of this series, we’ll take a closer look at Shakespeare’s sonnets and other poems, respectively.

Brief Bio

William Shakespeare (1564 – 1616) is the lord of the written word. He lived in England four centuries ago, yet to this day, his fame and acclaim persist, and he is still celebrated as one of the greatest writers to have ever lived.

Often hailed as England’s national poet, William Shakespeare has been crowned the “Bard of Avon.” He was born to John Shakespeare (a glover) and Mary Arden (daughter of a prominent farmer), the third of eight children raised in Stratford-upon-Avon. He attended school but did not go to University.

At age 18, he married 26-year-old Anne Hathaway and together they had a daughter, Susannah, and twins Hamnet and Judith. Hamnet died at age 11.

Shakespeare’s works include 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and a few other pieces, including collaborations. His writing has been translated into every known language.

His career in London was that of actor and writer as well as part-owner of the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, a successful play company. In 1599, his company launched the Globe Theatre, which was the first playhouse that was built by actors for actors. Its construction and history is often studied by theater enthusiasts and academics.

A Master Writer

Shakespeare’s plays were published and performed during his lifetime, and upon them he built a fruitful and lucrative career. His work explores a broad spectrum of genres — from comedy to tragedy, drama to fantasy — and includes classical mythology and religious figures among themes, tightly-woven plots, and dramatic characterizations.

Shakespeare’s plays are still widely performed to this day. They have been adapted into films many times over and have proven that effective writing and storytelling stand the test of time.

But Shakespeare was also a poet. His plays feature rich language more aligned with poetry than play writing. He invented words, which became absorbed into common language, and his works (both his poetry and plays) have spewed countless memorable quotes that are commonly known today.

• “To be, or not to be: that is the question.” (Hamlet Act III, Scene I)
• “This above all: to thine own self be true.” (Hamlet Act I, Scene III)
• “All the world ’s a stage…” (As You Like It – Act II, Scene VII)
• “Now is the winter of our discontent.” (King Richard III – Act I, Scene I)
• “O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo?” (Romeo and Juliet – Act II, Scene II)
• “Good Night, Good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow…” (Romeo and Juliet – Act II, Scene II)
• “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” (Romeo and Juliet – Act II, Scene II)
• “This is the short and the long of it.” (The Merry Wives of Windsor – Act II, Scene II)
• “Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.” (MacBeth – Act IV, Scene I)
• “Out, damned spot! out, I say!” (MacBeth – Act V, Scene I)

What are some of your favorite Shakespearean quotes?

Why Study Shakespeare’s Poetry?

My early exposure to Shakespeare was rather uncomfortable. As I worked through his poetry and plays in my high school English courses, I kept thinking why do I have to read this drivel? Let’s face it, Shakespeare’s English is not today’s English. His work is difficult to read. While I appreciated some aspects of his work (I have always loved Romeo and Juliet — the movie), reading it was a chore.

But in college, as an English major, an entire course on Shakespeare was mandatory. I took a three-week, condensed class (about six hours a day), and finally, it clicked. I realized that Shakespeare’s writing is masterful and timeless. Sure, you have to work a little harder to get through it, but the payoff is great:

• Expose your mind to Shakespeare’s wit and rhyme.
• See what kind of writing warrants accolades for four centuries.
• Study works that incorporate mythology and cultural and biblical elements.
• Challenge your language and reading skills with Shakespearean words and phrases.
• Better understand the craft of poetry and writing in general.
• Discover phrases in common use today that were coined by Shakespeare (forever and a day).

If you can read Shakespeare, you can read anything. The English language has changed considerably since Shakespeare’s time, so his work may be difficult to get through, but if you can get through it, then you will have absorbed the creative body of an artistic master.

For me, as a writer, it makes sense to know a little bit about the most famous writer in history and to have studied his work. It’s not that you have to memorize his repetoire or biography, but you should (as a writer) have a basic understanding of what he did, how he lived, and what made him so monumental.

More on Shakespeare

Much has been written on Shakespeare, from biographies to criticisms and theories about his work (including whether or not he actually wrote all that was attributed to him). There is little known about the details of his personal life and most conjectures are formed from studying official records (birth, marriage, death, taxes, etc.) and his collection of sonnets. Critics and scholars have evaluated Shakespeare’s poems from every angle, often using them to compose some idea of the man’s biography, but it’s likely we’ll never be certain about William Shakespeare’s personal life. But there’s one thing of which we can be certain; his work is a testament to the power of great writing, excellence in storytelling, and mastery of language and wordplay.

Coming Up

Next month, we’ll look at Shakespeare’s sonnets up close, so stay tuned.

Sources for this Article: Wikipedia, The Norton Shakespeare, Absolute Shakespeare,