1选读shakespeare.doc

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare (1564年 4月23日–1616 年4月23日) was an English poet, playwright and actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the worlds pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called Englands national poet and the Bard of Avon. His extant works, including some collaborations, consist of about 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and a few other verses, the authorship of some of which is uncertain. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. As a dramatist Shakespeare’s career is usually divided into three periods. The first period dates from 1590 ----1600. In this period he wrote most of his historical plays and comedies, and a few early tragedies, and these plays are imbued with an optimistic atmosphere of humanism. Among the best known of this period are Romeo and Juliet(1594) and the Merchant of Venice(1596). The second period, from 1601 ---- 1608, includes chiefly his great tragedies: Hamlet(1601), Othello(1604), King Lear(1605), Macbeth(1605) and Timon of Athens(1609). The outstanding tragi-comedy Measure for Measure(1604) also belong to this period. In the above-mentioned plays are reflected the social contradictions of the age. The third period dates from 1609----1612. In this period Shakespeare chiefly wrote three tragi-comedies, of which The Tempest(1612) is the most significant. In these last plays we see Shakespeare’s optimistic faith in the future of humanity, at the same time we also see the dramatist’s Utopianism. Shakespeare’s masterpieces are as the following: Four tragedies: Hamlet, Prince of Denmark; Othello); King Lear; Macbeth） Four comedies: Twelfth night; A midsummer nights dream; The merchant of Venice; Much ado about nothing（人教版教材称As you like it） Historical plays: King Henry Ⅳ;The life of King Henry Ⅴ;The life and death of King Richard Ⅱ The Sonnets; Two long poems: The Rape of Lucrec