ON THIS DAY WITH SHAUN WALLACE

April 23, 1616

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE, died aged 52. St George’s Day was an appropriate date for the man universally considered the greatest English writer of all time.

The poet and playwright was born in 1564 – while his precise birthdate is unknown he was baptised on April 26 in Stratford-uponavon, forever linked with his name.

His father John was a glovemaker and enjoyed considerable standing in the town; this makes it likely William was educated at grammar school. Although there are gaps in his known life, by 1592 he was an established writer in London. His first known printed works were the poems Venus and Adonis (1593) and The Rape of Lucrece (1594). He also helped found acting company the Lord Chamberlain’s Men and began work on two plays a year – a habit he continued for nearly two decades.

His output speaks for itself; his earliest plays are believed to have been the Henry

VI trilogy (1592) and his last The Two Noble Kinsmen (1613). In between came plays including Hamlet, Macbeth, Othello, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, King Lear, Richard III, Julius Caesar and Henry V. Each is a classic. His sonnets, too, set out within a self-contained book in 1609, are among the finest ever composed.

His success was noted, and envied, at the time. He became a wealthy man, buying the biggest house in Stratford-upon-avon, with which he maintained a solid link. He died and is buried in the Warwickshire town.

Today he remains the most towering figure in English literature.

Lines from his plays are quoted more frequently than those from the Bible.

So what made Shakespeare, a man from a comparatively modest background in the Midlands of England, into such a formidable literary figure? To answer that question is an elusive task as his work strikes at the heart of the human condition. The best place to start is by reading him.

Question: On this day in 1945, which leading Nazi made an unsuccessful bid to take over the party from Adolf Hitler?

Last week I asked: On April 6, 1942, which island was awarded the George Cross? MALTA.