William Shakespeare

Miscellaneous Pieces of Ancient English Poesie: Viz. the Troublesome Reign of King John, the Metamorphosis of Pigmalion S Image and Certain Satires (1 William Shakespeare

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Contributor Bio:  Shakespeare, William Arguably the greatest English-language playwright, William Shakespeare was a seventeenth-century writer and dramatist, and is known as the "Bard of Avon." Under the patronage of Queen Elizabeth I, he penned more than 30 plays, 154 sonnets, and numerous narrative poems and short verses. Equally accomplished in histories, tragedies, comedy, and romance, Shakespeare's most famous works include Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Macbeth, King Lear, The Taming of the Shrew, and As You Like It. Like many of his contemporaries, including Christopher Marlowe, Shakespeare began his career on the stage, eventually rising to become part-owner of Lord Chamberlain's Men, a popular dramatic company of his day, and of the storied Globe Theatre in London. Extremely popular in his lifetime, Shakespeare's works continue to resonate more than three hundred years after his death. His plays are performed more often than any other playwright's, have been translated into every major language in the world, and are studied widely by scholars and students. Contributor Bio:  Marston, John John Marston (c. 1575-1634) was an English playwright who wrote thirteen plays between 1599 and 1609, his two finest being the tragicomedy "The Malcontent" (1604) and the comedy "The Dutch Courtesan" (1605). He is noted for his violent imagery and his preoccupation with mankind's failure to uphold Christian virtues. Other plays include the tragedies "Antonio's Revenge" and "Antonio and Mellida "(both 1599) and the comedy "What You Will "(1601). At the turn of the century Marston became involved in the so-called war of the theatres, a prolonged feud with his rival Ben Jonson. Jonson repeatedly satirized him in such plays as "Every Man Out of His Humour "(1599) and The Poetaster (1601), while Marston replied in "Satiromastix "(with Thomas Dekker; 1601). Their squabble ended in time for the two to collaborate with George Chapman on the ill-fated" Eastward Ho! "(1605), which resulted in all three authors being briefly imprisoned. Marston was later imprisoned for offending James I with his tragedy "The Insatiate Countess" (1610). After his release he took holy orders and wrote no more plays.