Essay: “The cultural heritage of Shakespeare. Shakespeare's career is divided into three periods

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Many of us know about such a playwright as William Shakespeare. He wrote the famous “Romeo and Juliet”, “Hamlet”, “King Lear” and probably many of the poet’s fans went to the theater to see performances of these works. You can read about Shakespeare's literary talent in this article.

William Shakespeare was born in April 1564. He is considered one of the best playwrights in the world, the national poet of England, whose life and existence are still debated. Very little is known about Shakespeare: there are no documents left except for the crooked signature on his will, which, by the way, was not written by him. Nothing is known about his appearance: only two portraits were found, but they are extremely different from each other; and the portrait that was made on the poet’s grave was made of plaster, and now nothing remains of it. Not a single document was found about his education, which gives rise to debate: did he write his works himself, or did someone use his name? Nevertheless, for several centuries Shakespeare remains one of the most popular authors. But what did Shakespeare create, what is the secret of the popularity of his works?

Scientists divide the poet's work into four periods. The first (1590-1954) is called early: it includes chronicles, Renaissance comedies, the “tragedy of horror” Titus Andronicus and two poems. The second (1594-1600) includes the same Renaissance comedies and the first mature tragedy “Romeo and Juliet”; it also includes chronicles with elements of tragedy, the ancient tragedy “Julius Caesar” and sonnets. The third period (1601-1608) is characterized by great and ancient tragedies, as well as “dark” comedies. The fourth and final period (1609-1613) is contrasting in the playwright’s work: it contains fairy-tale dramas with a tragic beginning and a happy ending.

In the mid-1590s, Shakespeare transitioned from mocking comedies to romantic works. The poet's genius grew, his characters became more complex, more tender, and their souls became more fragile. The main theme of Shakespeare is the “black”, “demonic” feelings that live in the human soul: hatred, envy, resentment, jealousy. Through his works, the playwright showed what can happen if you don’t stop in time and suppress negative feelings, find them a humane, “bright” way out. For example, Hamlet - main character one of Shakespeare's most famous tragedies, dies in a thirst for revenge on the murderer of his father. In Othello, the villain Iago brings the protagonist's jealousy to a point, and he kills his innocent wife. In King Lear, the old king makes the fatal mistake of giving up his right to rule, which leads to terrible events. In Macbeth, uncontrollable ambition drives Macbeth and his wife to overthrow the rightful king and seize the throne; Ultimately, they are destroyed by their own feelings of guilt. In Romeo and Juliet, young lovers kill themselves, unable to let their families' hatred kill their love. Shakespeare's tragedies are dark and unhappy in plot, but they are filled with a bright idea. Light because in the end the main characters always repent of their actions, and therefore their sins are forgiven, their souls are cleansed.

Shakespeare's works seriously influenced theater and literature. The poet did not create his heroes as shells whose names the actors had to try on. He made them alive, endowed each character with a separate psychological and philosophical world, which the viewer, and even more so the actor, had to feel. Shakespeare left behind a natural poetic style, varying in emotional passages and fully revealing the soul of the character. He “played” with language in such a way that the full complexity of the narrative was revealed. Until Romeo and Juliet, romance had never been considered a worthy subject for the tragedy genre. Soliloquy (monologue) was used to narrate the events that took place; the playwright began to use this technique to reveal the character of the character, as, for example, he showed the state of Hamlet, talking about death, in the legendary “To be or not to be”:

To be or not to be - that is the question.
Should
Great soul bears the blows of doom
Or, armed against the flow of disasters,
Engage him in battle and put an end to it
Suffering...
To die is to fall asleep... and that’s all.
And end this dream forever
With the suffering of the soul and with a thousand diseases,
Grafted by nature to our weak flesh...
The ending is beautiful and quite worthy
Hot wishes...
To die is to fall asleep...

(translation by M. Zagulyaev)

Shakespeare's works evoked many emotions in society. The poet was criticized as much as he was admired. TO XVIII century all of England spoke of him as a genius. By the 19th century he had gained recognition abroad. His ideas were supported by Voltaire, Goethe, Stendhal, Hugo. Twenty thousand musical works associated with the works of Shakespeare. He also inspired many artists. Sigmund Freud drew on Shakespearean psychology, particularly Hamlet, in his theories about human nature.

Many people refuse to call Shakespeare a genius or even just a good playwright, because the fact that Shakespeare actually existed has not been proven.

-We do not know where Shakespeare got his knowledge from, and therefore we only imagine some beautiful creature who learned how literature is built, how it is built artistic image, multi-layered picture, - says the host of the program “Life wonderful people» Pavel Sanaev,

-In the past, people admired diamonds, but they knew nothing about the crystal structure, X-rays and carbon. This ignorance did not prevent them from admiring what was beautiful. So we just need to read Shakespeare and not think about whether he existed or not, - the publicist and theater critic answers Pavel Sanaev Alexander Minkin.

I completely agree with Alexander Minkin, and I myself belong to the group of people who care about what kind of work the author left behind, and not what his biography is. I went to the theater. Okhlopkova (Irkutsk) for productions of “Romeo and Juliet”, “Hamlet”, “Macbeth”. And those feelings that were on stage and in the hall were real, sharp, they even smelled; and all because Shakespeare’s work is alive. It doesn't matter who wrote these works. Let the “Shakespearean question” remain unresolved. It is much more important that in the past there was a person who managed to open up the world, theater, new poetry, and for some reason chose to hide only one thing - his own face.

William Shakespeare was born in the town of Stratford-upon-Avon (Yorkshire) in 1564, according to legend, on April 23. His father, John Shakespeare, was a wealthy artisan (glover) and moneylender, often elected to various public positions, and was once elected mayor of the city. He didn't visit church services, for which he paid large fines (it is possible that he was a secret Catholic). His mother, née Arden, belonged to one of the oldest English surnames. It is believed that Shakespeare studied at the Stratford "grammar school", where he received a serious education: a Stratford teacher Latin language and literature wrote poetry in Latin. 1568-69 are the years of greatest prosperity for the family, followed by slow ruin. Around 1580, William had to leave school, which was excellent in Stratford, and start working. It is believed that, after leaving school, William Shakespeare helped his father for some time as an apprentice.

In November 1582 he married Anne Hathaway, a local landowner 8 years his senior. Perhaps the marriage was forced: their first child, daughter Susan, was born in May of the following year. In February 1585, twins were born - son Hemnet, who died in childhood (1596), and daughter Judith.

Around 1587 Shakespeare left Stratford and moved to London.

From the late 1580s he was an actor (left the stage around 1603) and playwright in London. Since 1594, a shareholder of the theater troupe "The Lord Chamberlain's Men" (since 1603 - the king's troupe).

In 1592, Shakespeare became a member of Burbage's London acting troupe. In the fall of 1599, the Globus Theater opened. Above the entrance - winged words: “The whole world is a theater” (“Totus mundis agit histrionem”). Shakespeare is one of its co-owners, an actor of the troupe and the main playwright. In the year the Globe opened, he wrote the Roman tragedy “Julius Caesar” and the comedy “As You Like It,” which, with the development of melancholic characters, paved the way for “Hamlet,” created a year later. In 1592-94 London theaters were closed due to the plague epidemic. During an involuntary pause, Shakespeare created several plays: the chronicle "Richard III", "The Comedy of Errors" and "The Taming of the Shrew", his first tragedy (still in the prevailing style of "bloody tragedy") "Titus Andronicus", and also published for the first time under his own name the poems "Venus and Adonis" and "Lucretia". In 1594, after the opening of the theaters, Shakespeare joined the new cast of the Lord Chamberlain's troupe, so named after the position of its patron Hunsdon. The “university minds” left the stage (died or stopped writing for the theater). The era of Shakespeare begins. Here is what one of his contemporaries F. Merez wrote in 1597: “Just as Plautus and Seneca were considered the best among the Romans in terms of comedy and tragedy, so William Shakespeare among the English is the most excellent in both types of plays intended for the stage... Under James I Shakespeare's troupe received royal status (1603), and Shakespeare himself, along with other old members of the troupe, received the title of valet.For many years, Shakespeare was engaged in usury, and in 1605 he became a tax farmer of church tithes.

In 1612, Shakespeare retired and returned to his native Stratford, where his wife and daughters lived. The reason for the unexpected termination of such a successful career as a playwright and departure from the capital was, apparently, illness. Shakespeare's will, dated March 15, 1616, was signed in illegible handwriting, leading some researchers to believe that he was seriously ill at the time. Shakespeare died on April 23, 1616. Interment followed two days later in the chancel of Holy Trinity Church on the outskirts of Stratford.

The epitaph is written on his tombstone:

Good friend for Iesvs sake forbeare,

To digg the dvst encloased hear.

Blest be ye man yt spares the stones,

And cvrst be he yt moves my bones.

Friend, for God's sake, don't swarm

The remains taken by this earth;

He who is untouched is blessed for centuries,

And cursed is the one who touched my ashes.

(Translation by A. Velichansky)

During William Shakespeare's lifetime, his works were not collected. Poems and a collection of sonnets were published separately. The plays initially appeared in so-called “pirate editions” with damaged text, which were usually followed in the form of a refutation by an edition prepared by the author. The format of these publications is called quarto. After Shakespeare's death, through the efforts of his actor friends Heming and Condell, the first complete edition of his works was prepared, including 36 plays, the so-called First Folio ( The First Folio). Eighteen of them had never been published before.

The Shakespearean canon includes 37 plays; 18 appeared during Shakespeare's lifetime, 36 were published in the first collected works of Shakespeare (1623, "Pericles" was not included). Attempts to establish the chronology of Shakespeare's work have been carried out since the 2nd half of the 18th century. Below is a list of Shakespeare's plays with the dates of their writing, the periodization of creativity and the genre definitions accepted in Shakespearean criticism.

First period (1590-1594). Early chronicles: "Henry VI", part 2 (1590); "Henry VI", part 3 (1591); "Henry VI", part 1 (1592); "Richard III" (1593). Early comedies: The Comedy of Errors (1592), The Taming of the Shrew (1593). Early tragedy: Titus Andronicus (1594).

Second period (1595-1600). Chronicles close to the tragedy: "Richard II" (1595); "King John" (1596). Romantic comedies: "The Two Gentlemen of Verona" (1594); "Love's Labour's Lost" (1594); "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (1596); "The Merchant of Venice" (1596). The first mature tragedy: "Romeo and Juliet" (1595). Chronicles close to comedy: "Henry IV", part 1 (1597); "Henry IV", part 2 (1598); "Henry V" (1598). The pinnacle creations of Shakespeare as a comedian: “Much Ado About Nothing” (1598); "The Merry Wives of Windsor" (1598); "As You Like It" (1599); "Twelfth Night" (1600).

Third period (1600-1608). Tragedies that marked a turning point in Shakespeare’s work: “Julius Caesar” (1599); "Hamlet" (1601). "Dark Comedies" (or "problem plays"): "Troilus and Cressida" (1602); “The end is the crown of the matter” (1603); "Measure for Measure" (1604). The pinnacle of Shakespeare's tragedy: Othello (1604); "King Lear" (1605); "Macbeth" (1606). Ancient tragedies: "Antony and Cleopatra" (1607); "Coriolanus" (1607); "Timon of Athens" (1608).

Fourth period (1609-1613). Romantic tragicomedies: "Pericles" (1609); "Cymbeline" (1610); " Winter's Tale"(1611); "The Tempest" (1612). Later chronicle: "Henry VIII" (1613; possibly with the participation of J. Fletcher).

Outside the canon: "Edward III" (1594-1595; authorship doubtful); "Thomas More" (1594-1595; one scene); "Two Noble Kinsmen" (1613, together with Fletcher). Some Shakespeare scholars (including Soviet ones - A. A. Smirnov) divide Shakespeare's work into three periods, combining the 1st and 2nd (1590-1600) into one. Shakespeare creativity biography

Already the works of the 1st period indicate that Shakespeare keenly feels the comic and tragic incongruities of life, but depicts them in many ways traditionally: the tragic as terrible, the comic as farcical and in isolation from each other. Shakespeare is still learning, absorbing and national tradition(“bloody tragedy” by C. Marlowe), and pan-European (focusing on ancient models - Plautus in The Comedy of Errors, Seneca in Titus Andronicus - and on the Italian humanistic comedy in The Taming of the Shrew). Shakespeare’s humanistic position has not yet fully taken shape: goodies chronicles gravitate towards antiquity, the influence of patriarchal morality is noticeable in comedies.

In the 2nd period, the drama of life is still the basis of Shakespeare's work, however, the general tonality and endings of the plays speak of Shakespeare's faith in the harmonious resolution of life's contradictions. The atmosphere of the works is determined by those who affirm harmony in the state, in public and personal relations (Romeo and Juliet, Viola, Henry V). The carriers of evil (Tybalt, Shylock, Malvolio) - alone. The organic fusion of the comic and tragic in the plays of this period, the unconditional triumph of the principles of humanism, the ability to dissolve ideas in situations and complex images, the desire to embody ideals in full-fledged characters testify to the maturity and independence of Shakespeare's mastery.

In the 1590s, Shakespeare's work was dominated by chronicle plays and comedies. 8 chronicles form 2 cycles covering the history of England 1397-1485. The early cycle (3 parts "Henry VI" and "Richard II") depicts the War of the Roses and the fall of the Lancaster dynasty, showing the collapse of the state due to feudal predation. The second ("Richard II", 2 parts of "Henry IV" and "Henry V") is devoted to the previous period - the rise of the Lancastrians and the successes of England in the Hundred Years' War - and points the way from anarchy to state unity. Standing alone, "King John" and "Henry VIII" depict conflicts within the country in connection with the struggle of the English monarchy against the Roman Catholic Church. The main plot of the chronicles is the fate of the state, taken from a historical perspective; main conflict is built on the clash of state and personal interests and is revealed in the struggle of whole social groups, which are represented by individual characters, depicted more schematically in the early chronicles and as living individuals in the mature ones (Hotspur, Prince Harry, Falstaff). The main idea of ​​the chronicles - the legitimacy of the victory of centralized power (absolutism) over anarchic self-will - reflects the ideology of humanists. Humanistic views, combined with popular concepts of good and bad rulers, are also reflected in the way the ideal king Henry V and his antipode Richard III are depicted. However, the personalities of almost all the monarchs in the chronicles show that Shakespeare was aware of how far from the ideal the real bearers of power were, and the illusory nature of the ideal of an absolutist monarchy in general.

If the sphere of the chronicles is man and the state, then the sphere of Shakespeare's comedies in the 1590s is man and nature in the universal and optimistic meaning that humanists gave to nature, seeing in it an all-good and omnipotent force and considering man and society as part of it. In Shakespeare's comedies, the ideal, identical to the natural, dominates. Hence the kinship between Shakespeare's comedies and romantic literature: the plot is rich in folklore, adventurous and pastoral motifs, the main theme is love and friendship, the main group of characters are lyrical and romantic heroes and heroines. The movement of life as the movement of uninhibited nature in all its completeness and abundance is a unique source of comedy in Shakespeare, which explains why his comedy, unlike all subsequent European comedy, does not have a pronounced satirical character. Duels of wit, the antics of jesters and the amusement of simpletons (the second main group of comic characters), elements of festivity dating back to ancient rites and carnival - all this play of free nature determines the atmosphere of fun and optimism in Shakespeare's comedies. The world appears harmonious and holistic, life is a joyful holiday, people are essentially kind and noble. There are also dramatic complications in comedies (the betrayals of Proteus in The Two Gentlemen of Verona, the machinations of Shylock in The Merchant of Venice), but everything hostile to true humanity is easily overcome and, as a rule, is not associated with social reasons. Shakespeare's comedy of the 1590s is not interested in specific social relations; The picture is different in the comedies of the 1600s. Significant public and moral issues(Problems social inequality- “The end is the crown of the matter”, law and morality - “Measure for measure”); elements of satire and grotesque are more noticeable, the action is close to tragic, happy endings are formal, the cheerful tone disappears.

The gloomy flavor of “problematic comedies” reflects the mentality that prevailed in Shakespeare in the 3rd period and made tragedy the dominant genre in these years. The contradictions of bourgeois progress and the entire transitional stage of social development at the junction of feudalism and capitalism are now perceived as tragically insoluble contradictions of life as a whole, as a discrepancy with the humanistic ideals of the entire past, present and immediate future of humanity. The social basis in Shakespeare is rarely as exposed as in Timon of Athens (the essence of money) or in Coriolanus (the contradictions between the people and the ruling elite). Social conflict usually appears as a moral conflict, family ("Hamlet", "King Lear"), personal ("Othello"), as a struggle of ambitions ("Macbeth", "Antony and Cleopatra"). The main theme of Shakespeare's tragedies - man and society - is revealed primarily in the clash of individuals. But at the same time, the conflict covers the entire chain of existence: acquiring a worldwide, even cosmic character, it is simultaneously projected into the consciousness of the hero. In "King Lear", "Coriolanus" and "Timon of Athens" the emphasis is on the first, in "Othello", "Macbeth" and "Antony and Cleopatra" - on the second, in "Hamlet" the emphasis is equivalent. Regardless of this, the essence of Shakespeare's tragic humanism is most fully revealed in the image of the main character. The heroes of tragedies are titanic both in the power of their characters and in their ability to see social and world troubles in personal troubles. By giving heroes the ability to spiritual growth Shakespeare was the first in world literature to give a deep depiction of character in development, which occurs in the process of the hero's gradual awareness of the nature of society - and his own nature. At the same time, some heroes retain the integrity of their nature (Richard III, Romeo, Juliet, Coriolanus), others comprehend the duality of themselves and human nature in general (Brutus, Hamlet, Macbeth, Antony); but knowledge of reality and self-knowledge for everyone serves as a source of tragic suffering (often aggravated by the awareness of one’s own fatal mistakes - Antony, Macbeth, especially Othello, Lear) and leads to spiritual change, sometimes to a complete transformation of personality (Lear). The very grandeur of the virtues - reason (Brutus, Hamlet), feelings (Romeo, Othello), strength of character (Macbeth) - attracts the hero to death. Inevitably following from the incompatibility of the hero and the world (although the significant role of accidents leading to tragic ending, gives the manifestation of the tragic a taste of mystery), the death of the hero, like the whole action, affirms greatness human personality and does not leave a hopeless feeling. At the end of tragedies there is always a return to a certain balance that existed at the beginning. In this compositional features tragedies are reflected by Shakespeare the humanist’s confidence in the existence of a certain norm, without which life is impossible.

Associated with the deepening crisis of humanism, a new, more complex vision of the world was expressed by Shakespeare in the 4th period in the genre of romantic tragicomedy, characteristic of mannerism and baroque. The still acute perception of the tragic side of life is embodied here in tragic conflicts and ups and downs, and faith in humanistic ideals - mainly in a happy ending, however, undisguisedly utopian. The abundance of folklore and fantastic elements, the improbability and complexity of the plots, the simplification of the characters, the emphasized (especially in the finale) conventionality of the depicted - all this creates an unrealistic, romantic flavor latest plays Shakespeare.

In Russia, Shakespeare was first mentioned in 1748 by A.P. Sumarokov, however, even in the 2nd half of the 18th century, Shakespeare was still little known in Russia. Shakespeare became a fact of Russian culture in the 1st half of the 19th century: writers associated with the Decembrist movement (V.K. Kuchelbecker, K.F. Ryleev, A.S. Griboyedov, A.A. Bestuzhev, etc.) turned to him. , A. S. Pushkin, who saw the main advantages of Shakespeare in his objectivity, truth of characters and “true depiction of time” and developed the traditions of Shakespeare in the tragedy “Boris Godunov”. In the struggle for realism in Russian literature, V. G. Belinsky also relies on Shakespeare. The importance of Shakespeare especially increased in the 30-50s of the 19th century. By projecting Shakespearean images onto modern times, A. I. Herzen, I. A. Goncharov and others helped to better understand the tragedy of the time. A notable event was the production of “Hamlet” translated by N. A. Polevoy (1837) with P. S. Mochalov (Moscow) and V. A. Karatygin (St. Petersburg) in leading role. In the tragedy of Hamlet, V. G. Belinsky and other progressive people of the era saw the tragedy of their generation. The image of Hamlet attracts the attention of I. S. Turgenev, who discerned the features in him " extra people"(Article "Hamlet and Don Quixote", 1860), F. M. Dostoevsky. In the 1860s, in an acute situation social struggle, the attitude towards Shakespeare becomes, on the one hand, more academic (the works of the founder of Russian scientific Shakespeare studies N.I. Storozhenko), and on the other - more critical ("On Shakespeare and Drama" by L.N. Tolstoy, 1903-1904, published 1906).

In parallel with the understanding of Shakespeare's work in Russia, familiarity with Shakespeare's works themselves deepened and expanded. In the 18th and early 19th centuries, mainly French adaptations of Shakespeare were translated. Translations of the 1st half of the 19th century were guilty of either literalism (Hamlet, translated by M. Vronchenko, 1828) or excessive freedom (Hamlet, translated by Polevoy). In 1840-1860, translations by A. V. Druzhinin, A. A. Grigoriev, P. I. Weinberg and others discovered attempts scientific approach to solving problems of literary translation (the principle of linguistic adequacy, etc.). In 1865-1868, edited by N.V. Gerbel, the first “Complete Collection of Shakespeare’s Dramatic Works Translated by Russian Writers” was published. In 1902-1904, under the editorship of S. A. Vengerov, the second pre-revolutionary Complete Works of Shakespeare was published.

In the USSR, Shakespeare's works were published in 28 languages. In addition to many separate editions of plays and selected works, in 1936-1950 and 1957-1960 full meetings Shakespeare's works in Russian. IN Soviet time a school of translators emerged - thoughtful interpreters of Shakespeare's work (M. L. Lozinsky, B. L. Pasternak, V. V. Levik, T. G. Gnedich, S. Ya. Marshak, etc.).

Shakespeare's work as an epic and lyric poet is of great independent interest.

Shakespeare's sonnet cycle consists of 154 poems. They were first published in 1609.

This is a true masterpiece of English Renaissance poetry. Through a certain convention and artificial framework of form in these poetic works, humane thoughts broke through, as well as genuine human feelings and great passions.

Even if Shakespeare had not written a single dramatic work, he would still have gone down in the history of world literature as a talented poet of the English Renaissance.

Kuvshinnikova O.
Shakespeare and the Dark Lady: [enslaved genius] /Olga Kuvshinnikova. - Moscow: Algorithm, 2007. - 236, p. ; 20. - (Biography of love).
Code:2008-3/4599

She was lovely, charming, flirtatious, vain, insincere and treacherous, created to squander happiness and torment, to make all the strings in the poet’s soul tremble.
He dedicated his best sonnets to her, full of passionate love and furious hatred.
She was a lady-in-waiting at the court of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth and was called Mary Fitton, and her lover's name was William Shakespeare - and even then he was considered the greatest playwright and poet.

Pervushina E. A.
Shakespeare's sonnets in Russia: translation reception of the 19th-21st centuries.: monograph /E. A. Pervushina. - Vladivostok: Far Eastern University Publishing House, 2010. - 352, p.
Code:2011-7/848

The monograph presents a detailed historical and literary overview of the history of Russian translations of Shakespeare's sonnets from the 19th century to the present day, proposes a detailed periodization of Russian translations of Shakespeare's Sonnets and a periodization of Russian sonnets as a phenomenon of translated literature.
Despite the extensive Shakespearean bibliography and a whole circle of predecessors, such a detailed study of the translation history of sonnets in Russia has not yet been undertaken.
The research was conducted within the framework of comparative literature, put into context wide range problems of translated literature and translation reception of foreign language works of art.

Stepanov S. A.
Shakespeare's sonnets, or the Game within the Game/Sergey Stepanov. - St. Petersburg. : Amphora O.V. Sedov, 2003. - 549, p. : il, portrait Fax.
Code:2004-5/1955

Book by St. Petersburg translator S.A. Stepanova is devoted to the problems of Shakespearean studies. It focuses on the “Sonnets” of W. Shakespeare, which are presented in this edition translated by S. Stepanov, the problem of the authorship of the famous book, and the prototypes of the lyrical heroes.
Despite the fact that the scientific literature on “sonnets” is enormous, the author tries to give his own answers to the main questions of Shakespearean studies, abandoning the usual postulates and building his research on a different foundation.

Chupis I. E.
Two Spirits, Two Loves: Shakespeare's Sonnets. Play/Irina Chupis. - Kharkov: Fakt, 2008. - 215 p., l. portrait
Code:2012-3/25406

William Shakespeare's immortal "Sonnets" have been translated many times into all languages ​​of the world, but they continue to be translated again and again.
Irina Chupis’s translations are characterized by careful attitude to the original source, the desire to remain within the framework of the artistic techniques of the great poet.
“Sonnets” is complemented by a play by Irina Chupis, which presents a version of William Shakespeare’s relationship with his lovers, which the translator came up with after a careful reading of “Sonnets”. This version is confirmed by the texts of the Sonnets.

Shakespeare W.
Sonnets = Sonnets: all 154 sonnets translated [from English] by Felix Dymov/William Shakespeare; [art. Alexander Teplov]. - Ed. 2nd, revised.. - St. Petersburg: Buslay, 2008. - 174 p. : ill.
Code:2009-3/1319

William Shakespeare's 154 sonnets, each of which is an indissoluble fusion of philosophy and lyricism, express universal human problems that concern people to this day.
Not surprisingly, one hundred many talented translators continue to turn to Shakespearean sonnets. This book is a translation made by the St. Petersburg poet Felix Dymov in 2004.
It gives an idea of ​​both the brilliant Shakespearean sonnet heritage and the titanic work of the translator of these wonderful poems.

Shakespeare W.
Shakespeare's Sonnets: original texts. Modern translation.
Literary translation[various authors]. - Novosibirsk: b. i., 2011. - 191, p. : color ill.
Code:2011-5/6762

The book presents two versions of the English sonnet - the traditional Shakespearean one, and its adaptation to the modern one. English language, and best translations one or another sonnet by such poets as S. Stepanov, S. Trukhtanov, A. Finkel, N. Gerbel and others.

Cultural heritage W. Shakespeare

Shakespeare was England's greatest humanist playwright. His work is the pinnacle of Renaissance literature. It is not surprising that in our time Shakespeare’s plays do not leave the stage of theaters around the world. The great playwright spoke about the eternal and unchanging - about man, which is why he is always modern and in demand by the audience.
Creative path Shakespeare continues from the late 80s of the 16th century. and until 1612. Literary scholars usually divide it into three periods. In the first period - the 90s of the 16th century. - Shakespeare creates the most cheerful comedies, “historical chronicles”, as well as the tragedy “Romeo and Juliet”. At the same time, he wrote two poems and sonnets, published later - in 1609.Shakespeare's most famous tragedies belong to the second period (1601-1608). In the third period (from 1608 to 1612), Shakespeare wrote several plays, the action of which was transferred to an unusual, sometimes fairy-tale setting; Shakespeare himself and his contemporaries called them comedies.

I really love the tragedy "Romeo and Juliet". Shakespeare's famous tragedy "Romeo and Juliet" is one of the most adored and beloved by the public classical works. Shakespeare's criticism in this work is directed primarily against feudal foundations, which have become an obstacle to human love.This is a poetic play about love by free choice. The collision of lovers with feudal prejudices, tribal enmity and the arbitrariness of their parents leads to a tragic outcome. The play takes place in Italian city Verona; although its problematics are inspired by English reality, the nature and entire situation of Italy are perfectly suited to its lyrical plot. A very sad, but at the same time beautiful love story of two young, passionate and pure hearts, who could not unite due to the long-standing enmity of their families. Having met completely by chance at a ball, two young people in love realized at first sight that they could no longer exist without each other. And from the first meeting, their world turned upside down. The sudden feeling of boundless love gave them a state of sublime, endless happiness. Realizing that their parents will never meet them halfway and will not allow them to see each other, Romeo and Juliet still meet secretly. Brother Lorenzo helps them in this, who eventually secretly marries them. But fate does not give this great love a chance. The tragic end of the play is filled with irresistible sadness and pity. The two lovers loved each other so dearly that they died on the same day. Only after losing their children did the Capulet and Montague families realize what their long-term enmity had led to and what peace had cost them. The story of these two rebellious young men was absolutely commonplace for the time in which Shakespeare lived. But only thanks to his boundless talent, Shakespeare was able to make the play “Romeo and Juliet” an unsurpassed story of noble, pure and bright love, after reading which no one remains indifferent.

Shakespeare's work played an important role in cultural life subsequent centuries. His works have been translated into many languages ​​and have been staged in numerous theaters. different countries and were received with excitement by audiences centuries after his death. The best works of Shakespeare are performed on the stages of our domestic theaters. They became available to the general public. Greater fame purchased Grigory Kozintsev's films "Hamlet" and "King Lear". Sergei Prokofiev wrote music for the ballet of the same name on the theme of Romeo and Juliet. Playing the role of Juliet in Bolshoi Theater Galina Sergeevna Ulanova became famous.Shakespeare's work constitutes an entire era in the development of world drama. Therefore, his works do not lose their sharpness and are always perceived by readers and viewers with great interest and excitement.

William Shakespeare is rightfully considered one of the world's greatest playwrights. His works, which became famous during the author’s lifetime, are still popular today. The relevance of the problems of the works made them immortal. The masterpieces of Shakespeare's dramatic heritage are the tragedies "Romeo and Juliet", "King Lear", "Othello", "Hamlet, Prince of Denmark", which have become classics of world literature and stage productions.

The future playwright and lyricist William Shakespeare was born in 1568 in the small town of Stratford, located in the heart of England. William was the eldest son of eight children in the family of small merchant John Shakespeare. My father's business began to develop, and later he was a member of the city council. And in 1568 he was even elected to the position of city foreman. Temporary financial stability in the family allowed little William to attend grammar school, where he studied native language, as well as ancient Greek and Latin. However, most of the knowledge acquired future writer, was the merit of patient and careful self-study. Shakespeare read a lot, which largely shaped his worldview.

In 1582 and without that big family John Shakespeare's family grew as his eldest son William married farmer's daughter Anne Hathaway. The young family also began to grow, the couple had a daughter, Susan. John's financial condition was becoming difficult, and there was practically no way to support such a large family. He had to mortgage his house, land and sell his property. In 1585, Anne and William had twins, Judith and Hamlet, and the family's affairs became worse every day. It was necessary to look for some way out.

Many great creators find themselves facing life choice, renouncing family, loved ones, wealth in the name of art. Shakespeare faced a similar choice more than once. He could have become a merchant or taught to support his family, but William decided to devote himself to the theater. He left his family and went to London with one of the traveling troupes.

The thorny path to the stars

Of course, his theatrical career did not begin as brilliantly as young Shakespeare would have liked. His first job in London was looking after the horses and carriages of theatergoers. Over time, he was hired as a prompter, later as an actor, and finally became a playwright.

A few years later, Shakespeare co-founded the Lord Chamberlain's Men theater troupe, with which he associated himself for the rest of his life. In Shakespeare's time, theater had a slightly different meaning and form than it does now. The comic performances that were performed by traveling troupes were entertaining in nature, sometimes even featuring rude shades.

The first theater premises were opened in London in 1576. It was located on the outskirts of the city beyond the Thames. The theater was surrounded by taverns, taverns, taverns and places of popular entertainment. The building was erected by James Burbage, who led the troupe of the Lord Chamberlain's Men, where Shakespeare worked for more than 20 years. The audience of the first theater were residents of poor neighborhoods - ordinary London workers.

After Burbage's death in 1599, his sons erected a new building just outside the city's southern boundary, which became the famous Globe Theatre. The façade of the building was decorated with a poster depicting a giant holding Earth, and above the entrance there was a sign with the phrase “The whole world is acting.” All of his plays written after 1694 were staged on the stage of the Globe Theatre, where Shakespeare was the main playwright.

Noble nobles tripled their home theaters, but performances in them were accessible only to a select number of spectators. There was also a court theater. During the reign of King James I, his residence was only theater season In 1611–1612, 38 performances were staged, 28 of which were performed by Shakespeare's troupe.

The theater, which gave Shakespeare hope and disappointment, betrayal and true friendship, betrayal and love, was for him the meaning of his whole life. Shakespeare metaphorically expressed his understanding of the purpose of theater with the phrase: “Holding a mirror to nature,” which he put into the mouth of one of his immortal characters, Hamlet.

Shakespeare's talent was reflected in two literary births: lyricism and drama. He wrote 154 sonnets. According to researchers of Shakespeare's work, his sonnets are one of the brightest creations of world lyricism, which could glorify the author as outstanding poet. But the attraction to the theater gave the world in the person of Shakespeare, first of all, greatest playwright. Shakespeare authored 37 dramatic works, including famous comedies and the greatest tragedies that glorified the author throughout the world.

Researchers roughly divide Shakespeare's work into three periods. The first period, called optimistic or humanistic, includes works created in the years 1590–1600. These are early sonnets, chronicle dramas, comedies, in which love of life, faith in man and moral values. Decorates period early creativity the tragedy “Romeo and Juliet”, which belongs to the pen of an already mature playwright.

The humanists' sad insight into their ideals was reflected in the second - tragic period of Shakespeare's work. Among the works created in 1601-1608, tragedies predominate. The lowest vices come to the fore in the plays human soul, such as enmity, revenge, anger, betrayal, envy. Even the pictures of nature in the plays undergo changes: darkness, chaos, destruction - this is the picture of the world that appears in dramatic works tragic period. The masterpieces created by the playwright at the moment of collapse of hopes and loss of harmony are the tragedies “Hamlet, Prince of Denmark”, “Macbeth”, “Othello”, “King Lear”.

Last period creativity, called romantic, unites the works created by Shakespeare in the years 1609-1613. Among them the last historical chronicle"Henry VIII", as well as four plays that reflected the true reality of the English Renaissance. Researchers of Shakespeare's last plays argue over the characteristics of the genre, calling them romantic dramas or tragicomedies. Most literary scholars adhere to the second version.

Among Shakespeare's last plays, the tragicomedy "The Tempest" is especially outstanding, in which the belief in the possibility of harmony and peace in the world is most clearly felt. human relations. In the productions of plays of this period, with a minimum of scenery, an entire Universe was created on stage, where the viewer could see both the past and the present. Latest works can rightly be called dramas of ideas that the great English creator left for his descendants to think about.