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Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice, With Intr., Notes and an Appendix by T. Parry
Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice With Intr Notes and an Appendix by T Parry Author:William Shakespeare General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1883 Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text. When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million book... more »s for free. Excerpt: INTRODUCTION. Section I. t. Shakespeare's Life and Writings. -- William Shakespeare was born at Stratford-on-Avon, Warwickshire, the 23rd April, 1564. At the time of his birth his father, John Shakespeare, was a well-to-do tradesman, and in 1568 he was Mayor of Stratford. His mother, whose maiden name was Mary Arden, brought her husband a small landed estate. As a boy, William Shakespeare probably attended the Stratford Free Grammar School; but, his father becoming involved in money difficulties, early took him from school to assist in his business. Some time later, probably in 1579, his father apprenticed him to a butcher. About 1586 he removed to London, leaving behind his wife and three children. Arrived in London, he became an actor, play-writer, and shareholder in the Blackfriars Theatre, and subsequently in the Globe, where he was patronised by Queen Elizabeth, James I., and the Earl of Southampton. He saved money, with which he assisted his father, as well as purchased houses and land in his native town. Year by year he visited his family, until about 1604 he left the stage and retired to Stratford. He continued to write, and, during the few quiet years that followed, produced some of the grandest ot his works. He died on the 23rd April, 1616, and was buried in the chancel of Trinity Church, Stratford, where soon afterwards a bust was erected to his memory. He had two daughters and a son, and several grandchildren ; but the latter all died childless. There are extant thirty-six plays and various minor poems attributed to Shakespeare. Some of these were not originally written by Shakespeare, bu...« less