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Shakespeare, William

(Encyclopedia)Shakespeare, William, 1564–1616, English dramatist and poet, b. Stratford-upon-Avon. He is widely considered the greatest playwright who ever lived. Life His father, John Shakespeare, was successful...

Shakespeare's Plays

(Encyclopedia)Shakespeare's Plays(arranged by approximate date of composition)PlayApproximate date of compositionDate of first publicationSourcesMajor charactersGenreHenry VI, Part II15901594 Edward Hall, Union o...

Jaggard, William

(Encyclopedia)Jaggard, William, c.1568–1623, London printer and publisher. Although it seems that he had previously pirated some of Shakespeare's works, he was chosen by the editors John Heming and Henry Condell ...

Shakspere, William

(Encyclopedia)Shakspere, William: see Shakespeare, William.

Painter, William

(Encyclopedia)Painter, William, 1540?–1594, English translator. His Palace of Pleasure (1566–67)—a collection of translations from Boccaccio, the Heptameron, and many other sources—was drawn upon by Shakesp...

Folger Shakespeare Library

(Encyclopedia)Folger Shakespeare Libraryfl´jr: see under Folger, Henry Clay.

Royal Shakespeare Company

(Encyclopedia)Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), a British repertory theater. The company, established in 1960, was based on the earlier Shakespeare Memorial Theatre at Stratford-upon-Avon. It is a national theater s...

Ireland, William Henry

(Encyclopedia)Ireland, William Henry, 1777–1835, English forger of Shakespearean documents and manuscripts. Besides forging deeds and signatures relating to Shakespeare, Ireland fabricated two plays, Vortigern an...

Dodd, William

(Encyclopedia)Dodd, William, 1729–77, English author. At one time king's chaplain, he ran heavily into debt, forged a bond, and was sentenced to death. Dr. Johnson led a movement to obtain clemency, but Dodd was ...

Strachey, William

(Encyclopedia)Strachey, William, 1572–1621, English colonial historian; educated at Cambridge. In 1609 he sailed to Virginia with Sir Thomas Gates. A storm wrecked his ship in the Bermudas, and the party remained...