William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare is an incredibly influential English poet and playwright who lived from 1564 to 1616. He is viewed by many as the most important writer in the English language. His plays are the most highly regarded aspect of his work because they address a number of deep philosophical issues. Additionally, they are renowned for their technical aspects. Shakespeare''s sonnets are also extremely important, as they represent some of the finest work in English poetry. His influence is undeniable, and his works remain as lauded today as they were during his lifetime. Shakespeare is also notable since he managed to excel in authoring both comedies and tragedies. The comedies were primarily written during the earlier part of Shakespeare''s life. Using whimsical characters and many mystical elements, he presented humorous situations that spoke to the human condition, especially love. A Midsummer Night''s Dream, for instance, portrays four Athenians in a forest inhabited by fairies. The human characters of the play interact with mystical creatures, including a satyr, and ultimately fall in love. The Twelfth Night is another one of Shakespeare''s popular comedies and follows the misadventures of several characters. Besides being humorous, the play also manages to address themes concerning human identity and gender classifications. These plays and several other comedies by Shakespeare are still being widely read and performed today, over 400 years since they were authored. They have also been adapted to film. The latter half of Shakespeare''s career is typified by his tragedies. They contrast with his comedies dramatically, addressing the darker aspects of human nature. A Several of the tragedies are also based upon historical situations adapted for theatrical elements. B Macbeth exemplifies the tragedy that can transpire from lust for power and betrayal. It is also believed to be loosely based on the actual king (also named Macbeth) of Scotland. In it, a power-hungry lord manages to capture the throne by killing the monarch and many of his close friends. Eventually, the way he came to power haunts Macbeth to the brink of insanity. Other plays, like Romeo and Juliet, highlight the tragedy that can arise from seemingly insignificant situations. In Romeo and Juliet, two young lovers from opposite sides of a family feud fall in love with one another. C Ultimately, the two commit suicide as a result of trying to hide their forbidden love, forcing their respective families to address their conflict and come upon the realization that the feud is petty and foolish . D Like his comedies, Shakespeare''s tragedies are also being performed today, both on stage and on film.

In addition to his success as an author, Shakespeare is also well-known for his contributions to literature at large. Prior to his publication, the theater was divided into two distinct realms. Tudor morality plays were popular with the public. These allegorical plays used comedy and slapstick humor to portray larger moral truths, usually with a protagonist choosing a life of virtue over vice after a struggle. Meanwhile, academic plays were popular in the university setting. Based on classical Roman performances, the plays were usually performed in Latin and adhered to strict academic standards. Additionally, they addressed deeper philosophical issues that morality plays usually overlooked. Thanks to the influences of playwrights before him, academic plays and morality plays were beginning to come together. However, Shakespeare is famous for blending the two in a way that had never been accomplished before. While his plays still addressed moral issues, they also incorporated deeper philosophical debates and questions. Furthermore, Shakespeare included humorous situations and compelling plots in his plays, making for a truly comprehensive theatrical experience. There are a number of mysteries surrounding the popular playwright even today.

Several scholars are now raising questions about his religious beliefs, sexual orientation, and even his identity. Some have argued that Shakespeare was not a single man but a group of writers that were publishing under the same pen name. In spite of the controversy surrounding him, however, the legacy that Shakespeare has left behind is truly remarkable. The fact that his plays are still being performed 400 years after their authorship is a testament to his genius. 1. a. b. c. d. 2. a. b. c. d. Why does the writer mention Shakespeares sonnets in paragraph 1 ? To highlight the large scope of his work To underscore his primary interest in poetry To illustrate his disinterest in English poetry To show how important poetry is to English literature What can you infer from paragraph 2 about Shakespeares career? His comedies and tragedies represent his best career. His comedies and tragedies brought him a fame as a successful writer His comedies and tragedies became a famous source of making a movie. His comedies and tragedies made people happy.

3. According to paragraph 2, what was the major theme used in Shakespeares play? a. Humor b. Love c. Mystery d. Playful 4. a. b. c. d. a. b. c. d. The word typified in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to Epitomized Succeed Continued Expressed The word it in paragraph 3 refers to Macbeth Tragedy Lust Power

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6. Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information. a. b. c. d. The play ultimately sees Romeo and Juliet commit suicide, which shows their blatant disregard for the feud between their families. The family feud ultimately becomes too much for Romeo and Juliet, who decide to commit suicide to teach their families a lesson. Their attempts to hide their forbidden love eventually lead Romeo and Juliet to kill themselves, forcing their families to admit that the family feud is trivial. Even though the family feud is petty and foolish, Romeo and Juliet hope to stop the conflict once and for all by killing themselves.

7. Look at the four squares that indicate where the following sentence can be added to the passage. In addition to addressing the horrors of human vices, Shakespeare peppers his writing with deep philosophical speculation. Where would the sentence best fit?

Click on a square to add the sentence to the passage. 8. The word they in paragraph 4 refers to Plays academic plays issues theaters 9. According to paragraph 4, which of the following can be inferred from the contribution of Shakespeare work to literature? a. He publicized his works to the theaters that made them more successful. b. He harmonized every present theme at the time of his presence. c. His work gave the theaters an inspiration to flourish their plays. d. His work brought the theaters a glory to inform their themes at ease. a. b. c. d. 10. a. b. c. d. a. According to paragraph 4, all of the following are true EXCEPT Tudor morality plays were widely viewed by the common people Tudor morality plays employed slapstick humor to get their message across Shakespeare overlooked the philosophical issues by focusing on morality Shakespeare managed to couple Tudor morality plays and academic plays

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According to paragraph 4, which of the following is true? Ordinary people enjoyed private morality with humorous situation about human vice b. Oridnary people could enjoy not only moral issue but philosophical thoughts. c. The two distinctive theaters showed not only different themes but similar ones. d. The two distinctive theaters later blended more due to the effect of playwrights.

12. According to paragraph 5, which of the following can be inferred from Shakespeares life? a. He felt his life was not successful. b. There is very little known fact about his personal life. c. His life was very average, completely different from his plays. d. There was never an actual writer named William Shakespeare. 13. An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided below. Complete the summary by selecting the THREE answer choices that express the most important ideas in the passage. Some sentences do not belong in the summary because they express ideas that are not presented in the passage or are minor ideas in the passage. Shakespeares influence is undeniable and his works remain lauded. a. Even though Shakespeare's tragedies are popular, his comedies are largely disregarded. b. Shakespeare's work draws primarily on Tudor morality plays. c. The figure of Shakespeare remains a subject of controversy even today, but is still widely read. d. Both the comedies and tragedies of Shakespeare highlight his ability to write effectively. e. William Shakespeare's plays and sonnets present some of the most important work in English literature. f. The philosophical problems posed by many of Shakespeare's plays make them the only remarkable works by the author. 1. A 2. B 3. B 4. A 5. A 6. C 7. D

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A B C B B C, D, E