8-5ProfessionalLife

//Answer prepared by Michelle B.//** 
 * What was Shakespeare's Professional life like in London?

It is believed that Shakespeare started in London around 1588, and that is when he began to create his title as such an esteemed actor and playwright. From the beginning many people were jealous of the promise and talent that Shakespeare showed, and Robert Greene, a London playwright in 1592 said as it says on //Shakespeare Resource Center// “Shakespeare’s Biography,” “...an upstart crow, beautified with our feathers, that with his Tiger’s heart wrapped in a player’s hide, supposes he is as well able to bombast out a blank verse as the best of you: and being an absolute //Johannes fac totum//, is in his own conceit the only Shake-scene in a country.” As I learned on the website Shakespeare Birth Trust, on the Shakespeare’s life page, until 1952 Shakespeare lived with his family at their house on Henley Street. In the mid 1950’s, Shakespeare was living in the parish of St. Helen’s Bishopsgate. In 1957, he bought New Place, his Stratford home that he had until his death. Also, in 1604, he lived in a house in Cripplegate.

In 1594, Shakespeare was acting, writing for the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, and managing partner in it as well. In 1593, plague broke out in London, and therefore Shakespeare turned to writing poetry. During this time Shakespeare published the poem, “Venus and Adonis,” dedicated to Henry Wriothesley. Some of Shakespeare’s first plays in London were //Henry VI,// //The Two Gentleman or Verona//, and //Titus Andronicus//.

Shakespeare became known and respected through the course of his life, because his genius masterpieces were embraced and thought highly of. Although this is true, Shakespeare became even more highly renowned after he died, because his many works that he created while in London are still studied preformed, and taught today

As I learned on the Shakespeare Authorship site, on the Shakespeare’s Stratford friend’s page, Shakespeare had different close friends in Stratford who were similar to him in social status. Richard Quincey, one of Shakespeare’s life long friends started as his friend from the beginning. Their fathers were also close friends, and they were neighbors for almost 50 years. He was a well off mercer by trade. Thomas Greene was another one of Shakespeare’s closest friends. He served as Steward, and Town Clerk of Stratford, and he was an accomplished lawyer. Lastly, Shakespeare’s other close friend was Thomas Russell. His father was St. Thomas, and he was connected with many other well-known high people in society. As you can see, Shakespeare developed close friendships with those people who shared his place in society with him.

__**Works Cited**__

Chrisp, Peter. //Shakespeare//. New York City: DK Publishing Inc, 2002. Print.

Chute, Marchette. //An Introduction to Shakespeare//. New York City: E.P. Dutton and Company, Inc, Print.

Halliday, F.E. //Shakespeare and his World//. 1. United States: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1 979. Print.

unknown, "Life and Times." __Royal Shakespeare Company__. unknown. 12 Mar 2009 .

unknown, "Preformance History." __Royal Shakespeare Company__. unknown. 12 Mar 2009 .

unknown, "Shakespeare's London." __Royal Shakespeare Company__. unknown. 12 Mar 2009 .