Read the text and do the exercises that follow it. Study the following vocabulary before reading the text:

Study the following vocabulary before reading the text:

a bubonic plague – бубонная чума

England’s greatest poet and dramatist‚ William Shakespeare‚ was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1564‚ the exact day is unknown.

Shakespeare was earning his own living by the time he was 18. He wasn’t yet 19 when he married Anne Hathaway and they had 3 children.

Not much is known about what Shakespeare did in the years just after his marriage. A few years later he appeared in London as an actor and writer of plays. They were written in poetry.

In 1592 bubonic plague‚ a terrible disease‚ swept over London. For about 2 years all London theatres were closed. During that time Shakespeare began to write poems. Besides writing some long poems‚ he wrote more than 100 sonnets.

When the plague was over‚ the playhouses were opened again. New companies of actors were formed and Shakespeare began to spend most of his time writing plays. In the late 90s a new theatre called The Globe was built on the bank of the Thames. It was there that most of Shakespeare’s plays were staged at that time. He became a part-owner in the company for which he wrote. This company‚ known as the Lord Chamberlain’s Men ‚ often put on a play to entertain royal household. Shakespeare prospered. He wrote some of his plays about early kings of England. “Henry V” and “Richard III” are 2 of these plays. They helped the English people to understand the history of their own country. Besides his historical plays Shakespeare wrote both comedies and tragedies. “Romeo and Juliet” is one of the most famous of his tragedies. Other tragedies are “Hamlet”, “Macbeth” ‚and “Othello”. Among his comedies are “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, “The Taming of the Shrew” ‚ and “The Merchant of Venice”.

At the height of his success Shakespeare returned to Stratford-upon-Avon. There he died in 1616. He was buried in Stratford-upon-Avon. Thousands of people visit his birthplace and grave each year.

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