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William Shakespeare: A Brief Life
This engaging and fresh biography begins by examining how Shakespeare's life turns into myth so comfortably as to seduce even the most sceptical scholar. The early departure, the late return. Public success, private loss. A twilight of plays about family reunions, a death at home in the biggest house in town, the one he walked by as a schoolboy and eyed with envy, or at least ambition. Shakespeare led an orbital life, everything returned to where it began. He even had the dramatic good sense to die on his birthday.
One of the appealing dynamics of the Shakespeare myth is the contrast of his humble beginnings and his lofty achievements, persuading us that genius might blossom anywhere. William A Brief Life honours these myths, but also explores some of the why Shakespeare left Stratford, who he ran with in London, why he put down his pen and at last came home again. Ultimately, the book explores the compelling contrast between the mere fifty two years Shakespeare lived, with the prolonged after lives of his work and his story, which show no sign of ending.
One of the appealing dynamics of the Shakespeare myth is the contrast of his humble beginnings and his lofty achievements, persuading us that genius might blossom anywhere. William A Brief Life honours these myths, but also explores some of the why Shakespeare left Stratford, who he ran with in London, why he put down his pen and at last came home again. Ultimately, the book explores the compelling contrast between the mere fifty two years Shakespeare lived, with the prolonged after lives of his work and his story, which show no sign of ending.
280 pages, Paperback
Published April 20, 2023
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October 29, 2023
For a brief life it stretched to nearly 300 pages I think! This is an excellent book detailing the whole of Shakespeare's life, most of which it turns out I didn't know. We go through from his upbringing by his parents and the school he attends, that he didn't want to go into the family business but wanted to act. That he ended up acting with a troop of players for Elizabeth I and eventually for James I but he really seemed to want to write sonnets, poems, rather than plays. Some of the sonnets quoted are really poignant ones in regard to his life and loves, his plays were also rather good!!
The one thing which I hadn't quite realised was that he spent more time living in London than living with his young family in Stratford, which must have been very tiring for his wife especially when their only son died young, he wasn't even home for the funeral and burial wherever that was. Yet in later life he returned to living at home and enjoying life with his wife and two young daughters, the sad fact I found was that his line died out when Hamnet his son died, as only one daughter had a child, his grandaughter who died childless, so there were no more little Shakespeare boys to carry on his family line, which I thought was rather sad. All in all a very good for lovers of Shakespeare. And I rather liked Paul Menzer's writing style!
The one thing which I hadn't quite realised was that he spent more time living in London than living with his young family in Stratford, which must have been very tiring for his wife especially when their only son died young, he wasn't even home for the funeral and burial wherever that was. Yet in later life he returned to living at home and enjoying life with his wife and two young daughters, the sad fact I found was that his line died out when Hamnet his son died, as only one daughter had a child, his grandaughter who died childless, so there were no more little Shakespeare boys to carry on his family line, which I thought was rather sad. All in all a very good for lovers of Shakespeare. And I rather liked Paul Menzer's writing style!
Displaying 1 of 1 review