William Shakespeare

AMERICAN CHARACTER

American society seems to be much more informal than the British and, in some ways, is characterised by less social distinction. Students do not rise when a teach­er enters the room. One does not always address a person by his title, such as «Major» or «General» or «Doctor». The respectful «Sir» is not always used in the northern and western parts of the country.

However, it is best to use a person's title when first meeting him/her, and then allow the person to tell you how he/she wishes to be called.

They use first names when calling each other, slap on the back, joke and are much freer in their speech, which is more slangy than the conventional British English. You will often hear the word «Hi» (a form of greeting among friends) used instead of the usual «Hello», and «Howdy» instead of «How do you do?».

Yet, in spite of all the informality, Americans, even in the way they address each other, show consciousness of social distinction. For example, one is likely to use somewhat more formal language when talking to superi­ors. While the informal «Hello» is an acceptable greet­ing from employee to employer, the employee is more api, to say «Hello, Mr. Ferguson», while the employer may reply «Hello, Jim».

Certain other forms of politeness are observed on so­cial occasions. Women may wear hats in church, in restaurants, and often when attending luncheons in public places and other public social functions expect those that take place in the evening. Men who do wear hats ordi­narily remove them in elevators, churches, restaurants, private homes, business offices — in fact, in most public situations when they wish to show respect.

The last half of the XVI and the beginning of the XVII enturies are known as the golden age of English litera­ture. It was the time of the English Renaissance, and sometimes it is even called «the age of Shakespeare».

William Shakespeare, the greatest and most famous of English writers, and probably the greatest playwright who has ever lived, was born in Straford-on-Avon. We know very little about his life. The things that we know about Shakespeare's life begin with the date when he was baptised in the church of Stratford, on April 26, 1564, when he was only a few days old. So he is believed to have been born on April 23.

Though little is known about William's childhood, there is every reason to believe that he was educated at the local Grammar School. When little over eighteen he married Anne Halthaway of Shottery.

William lived in Stratford until he was about twenty-one, when he went to London. We do not know why he left Stratford-on-Avon.

There is a story that Shakespeare's first job in Lon­don was holding rich men's horses at the theatre door. But nobody can be sure that this story is true.

Later, Shakespeare became an actor and a member of one of the chief acting companies. Soon he began to write plays for this company and in a few years became a well-known author.

Shakespeare's experience as an actor (although he usually acted only small parts, like the Ghost in Hamlet) helped him greatly in the writing of his plays. His knowl­edge of the stage and his poetical genius made his plays the most wonderful ones ever written.

Shakespeare's wrote 37 plays. Among them there are deep tragedies, such as Hamlet, King Lear, Othello, Macbeth, light comedies, such as All's Well That Ends Well, Twelfth Night, historical dramas, such as Henry IV, Richard III.

Most of Shakespeare's plays were not published in his lifetime. So some of them may have been lost in the fire when the «Globe» burned down in 1613.

Shakespeare's spent the last years of his life at Strat­ford, where he died in 1616. He was buried in the church of Stratford. A monument was erected to the memory of the great playwright in the Poets Corner in Westminster Abbey.

Дата добавления: 2014-11-06