William Shakespeare and George Gordon Byron

William Shakespeare. The greatest English poet and dramatist.
Memorial Theatre in Stratford-on-Avon.

William Shakespeare, the greatest English poet and dramatist. He was born in April 1564 at Stratford-upon-Avon.
Stratford – prosperous, self-governing market town.
The Avon – a pretty river.
Stratford Grammar School.
Mary Arden, the poet’s mother, was a daughter of rich man.
John Shakespeare, the poet’s father, was the town officers and dealer in corn and meat.

This is the most famous house in England and the most famous house in the world.
Shakespeare was born here.
The appearance of the house is the same as it looked at that time.

The Globe Theatre.
William Shakespeare wrote most of his plays for the Globe Theatre.
In those days in the 16th and 17th centuries people had neither radio nor a newspaper, that’s why the theatre played an important part their lives.
In those days the people of London, young and old, rich and poor, loved the Globe Theatre very much. The poor people could not pay much for the tickets and they stood or sat on the ground in the yard. Rich people and their wives sat on the balconies and aristocrats were allowed to sit on the stage.

Young William liked to watch actor and actresses who visited Stratford-on Avon. He was fond of actor’s profession and decided to become an actor. With this purpose he went to London. There he played and wrote plays as well. In hi works he described the events of England’s contemporary life. His plays that were staged in many theatres and which were then translated into many languages made Shakespeare a very popular person.

In all Shakespeare wrote thirty seven plays. He cooperated with the best English theatres during twenty five years. His best and the most famous plays are “Othello”, “King Lear”, “Hamlet”, “Romeo and Juliet”.

“Romeo and Juliet”- an optimistic tragedy.
Staged in all kinds of theatres.
This wonderful love stores is about two lovers Romeo and Juliet. Unfortunately, they died, but they didn’t stop loving each other. They stayed young forever!
Высоко-поэтическая пьеса о любви, великом чувстве, связывающем людей на всю жизнь, для которого даже смерть не преграда.
С.Прокофьев «Джульетта-девочка» из балета «Ромео и Джульетта»

“Hamlet” is a great philosophical tragedy. It is the story of a man who loved good and hated evil who loved truth and hated lies.
The character of Hamlet is one of the most difficult in world literature.
This role was played by the best actors of all times and peoples.
John Gielgud was the best in the role of Hamlet in England.
Russian poet and actor Vladimir Vysotsky was brilliant in our country.

“Othello” is a play about love and jealousy, a play about a person who believed the lie and killed his wife whom he loved dearly.

“King Lear” is the story of a man who was so proud so egoistic that he could not understand a world around him. He heard only what he wanted to hear; he saw only what he wanted to see.

Besides plays Shakespeare wrote a lot of poetry, which is translated into many languages and is well-known throughout the world.

Сонет № 20
***
A woman's face with Nature's own hand painted
Hast thou, the master-mistress of my passion;
A woman's gentle heart, but not acquainted
With shifting change, as is false women's fashion;
An eye more bright than theirs, less false in rolling,
Gilding the object whereupon it gazeth;
A man in hue, all 'hues' in his controlling,
Much steals men's eyes and women's souls amazeth.
And for a woman wert thou first created;
Till Nature, as she wrought thee, fell a-doting,
And by addition me of thee defeated,
By adding one thing to my purpose nothing.
But since she prick'd thee out for women's pleasure,
Mine be thy love and thy love's use their treasure.

СОНЕТ № 37
***
As a decrepit father takes delight
To see his active child do deeds of youth,
So I, made lame by fortune's dearest spite,
Take all my comfort of thy worth and truth.
For whether beauty, birth, or wealth, or wit,
Or any of these all, or all, or more,
Entitled in thy parts do crowned sit,
I make my love engrafted to this store:
So then I am not lame, poor, nor despised,
Whilst that this shadow doth such substance give
That I in thy abundance am sufficed
And by a part of all thy glory live.
Look, what is best, that best I wish in thee:
This wish I have; then ten times happy me!

Сонет № 79
***
Whilst I alone did call upon thy aid,
My verse alone had all thy gentle grace,
But now my gracious numbers are decay'd
And my sick Muse doth give another place.
I grant, sweet love, thy lovely argument
Deserves the travail of a worthier pen,
Yet what of thee thy poet doth invent
He robs thee of and pays it thee again.
He lends thee virtue and he stole that word
From thy behavior; beauty doth he give
And found it in thy cheek; he can afford
No praise to thee but what in thee doth live.
Then thank him not for that which he doth say,
Since what he owes thee thou thyself dost pay.

William Shakespeare died in 1616.
But his creations are still popular now and millions of people still admire them.

William Shakespeare was buried here in 1616.
These 4 lines are said to have been written by himself.
“Good friend, for Jesus' sake,
forbear
To did the dust enclosed here;
Blessed be he that spores these
stones,
And cursed be he that moves my
bones”.
Shakespeare's monument in Westminster Abbey.
A memorial statue of Shakespeare is set up in Poet’s Corner.

George Gordon Byron
1788-1824

On the 27-th of February, 1812, the House of Lords of the British Parliament was shocked. A young aristocrat in his first speech in the House of Lords accused the government of exploiting the worked.
The orator was George Gordon Byron.
Byron was born in London on the 22 of January, 1788 in an old aristocratic family. His mother came from a rich Scottish family. His father was a poor army officer spent his wife’s money.
Scotland became his motherland. He loved its beautiful nature, the rocky coast mountains of the country. His love of his country was reflected in many of his poems.

*** *** ***
Moscow! Thou limit of his long career, Москва!
For which rude Charles had wert his frozen tear
То see in vain - he saw thee - how? With spire
And palace fuel to one common fire.
То this the soldier lent his kindling match,
То this the peasant gave his cottage thatch,
То this the merchant flung his hoarded store
The prince his hall - and Moscow was no more!
Sublimest of volcanoes! Etna's flame
Pales before thine, and quenchless Hecla's tame;
Vesuvius shows his blaze, an usual sight
For gaping tourists, from his hackneye’d height;
Thou stand'st alone unrivall’d till the fire
То come, in which all empires shall expire

*** *** ***
Adieu, adieu my native shore
Fades over the waters blue,
The night - winds sigh, the breakers roar
And shrieks the wild sea - mew.
Yon sun that sets upon the sea
We follow in his flight
Farewell awhile to him and thee
My native Land-Good Night
A few short hours and he will rise
То give the Morrow birth
And I shall hail the main and skies,
But not my Mother Earth.
Deserted is my own good Hall,
Its hearth is desolate,
Wild weeds are gathering on the wall,
My dog howls at the gate.

STANZAS
When a man hath no freedom to fight for at home,
Let him combat for that of his neighbours;
Let him think of the glories of Greece and of Rome,
And get knocked on his head for his labours.
To do good to mankind is the chivalrous plan,
And is always as nobly requited;
Then battle for freedom wherever you can,
And, if not shot or hanged, you'll get knighted.

George was sent to Harrow school where boys of aristocratic families got education. His first days at school were unhappy as he was lame the children laughed at him. But soon they liked him because he read much and knew many interesting facts from history.

At 17 Byron entered Cambridge University and literary career began. In 1808 graduated from the University and went travelling.