William Shakespeare, Short Note

Personal Life and Education

1. William Shakespeare was born on April 23, 1564, in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire.
2. He was baptized on April 26, 1564, at Holy Trinity Church.
3. His father was John Shakespeare, a glove maker and trader.
4. His mother was Mary Arden.
5. Shakespeare attended the local Grammar School (also known as King’s New School) in Stratford.
6. Ben Jonson famously remarked that Shakespeare had "small Latin and less Greek".
7. At the age of 18, in 1582, he married Anne Hathaway, who was 26 years old (eight years his senior).
8. At the time of their marriage, Anne Hathaway was three months pregnant.
9. His first daughter, Susanna, was born six months after the marriage.
10. He had twins named Hamnet (son) and Judith (daughter).
11. His son Hamnet died at the age of 11.
12. The years between 1585 and 1592 are known as the "Lost Years" of Shakespeare’s life.
13. Legend suggests he fled Stratford to London to avoid prosecution for deer poaching in Sir Thomas Lucy's park.
14. Shakespeare died on his birthday, April 23, 1616, at the age of 52.
15. He is buried in the Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon.
16. His epitaph contains a curse for anyone who moves his bones.
17. He is often referred to as the "Bard of Avon".

Theatrical Career and Companies

18. Shakespeare was an actor, playwright, and shareholder in theatre companies.
19. He was a charter member of the Lord Chamberlain’s Men (formed in 1594).
20. In 1603, the company was renamed the King’s Men under the patronage of King James I.
21. The Globe Theatre was built in 1599 by the Burbage brothers and other shareholders, including Shakespeare.
22. The Globe was an open-air theatre with a thatched roof.
23. On June 29, 1613, the Globe Theatre caught fire and was destroyed during a performance of Henry VIII (originally titled All is True).
24. A cannon shot during the play ignited the thatched roof, causing the fire.
25. The Globe was rebuilt in 1614.
26. Shakespeare also owned a share in the Blackfriars Theatre, which was an indoor theatre.
27. He retired from active writing and public life around 1610-1613.
28. His house in Stratford, which he purchased in 1597, was called New Place.

Sonnets and Narrative Poems

29. Shakespeare wrote a total of 154 sonnets.
30. The sonnets were published in 1609 by Thomas Thorpe.
31. The Shakespearean Sonnet consists of three quatrains and a final couplet.
32. The rhyme scheme of his sonnets is ABAB CDCD EFEF GG.
33. Most sonnets are written in iambic pentameter.
34. Sonnets 1 to 126 are dedicated to a young man, often identified as Mr. W.H. (Henry Wriothesley or William Herbert).
35. Sonnets 127 to 152 are addressed to the "Dark Lady" (often identified as Mary Fitton).
36. The final two sonnets (153 and 154) are addressed to Cupid, the god of love.
37. Sonnet 145 is unique as it is written in iambic tetrameter rather than pentameter.
38. Sonnet 126 is an exception containing only 12 lines and six rhymed couplets.
39. Sonnet 99 is an exception containing 15 lines.
40. His first long narrative poem, Venus and Adonis (1593), was dedicated to Henry Wriothesley, Earl of Southampton.
41. Venus and Adonis is written in Sesta Rima (six-line stanzas).
42. The Rape of Lucrece (1594) is another long narrative poem dedicated to the Earl of Southampton.
43. The Rape of Lucrece is written in Rhyme Royal (seven-line stanzas).
44. A Lover’s Complaint (1609) was published along with the sonnets.
45. The Phoenix and the Turtle is an allegorical poem attributed to him.

The Plays and Folios

46. Shakespeare is credited with writing 37 plays.
47. The First Folio was published in 1623, seven years after his death, by his colleagues John Heminge and Henry Condell.
48. The First Folio contained 36 plays; the play Pericles was omitted.
49. Ben Jonson wrote a prefatory poem for the First Folio titled "To the Memory of My Beloved the Author, Mr. William Shakespeare".
50. The Second Folio was published in 1632.
51. The Third Folio appeared in 1663-1664, and the Fourth Folio in 1685.
52. Edward Dowden and other scholars divide Shakespeare’s career into four periods: Early Experiment, Rapid Growth, Deepening Passion (Tragedies), and Serenity (Romances).
53. His "Four Great Tragedies" are often remembered by the acronym HOKM: Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth.
54. Hamlet is his longest play.
55. The Comedy of Errors is his shortest play.
56. The Tempest is often considered his "Swan Song" or final solo masterpiece.
57. He collaborated with John Fletcher on plays like The Two Noble Kinsmen and Henry VIII.

Critical Comments and Titles

58. Robert Greene attacked Shakespeare in his pamphlet A Groatsworth of Wit (1592), calling him an "upstart crow" beautified with the feathers of the University Wits.
59. Greene also described him as a "Johannes Factotum" (Jack of all trades).
60. Ben Jonson called him the "Sweet Swan of Avon".
61. S.T. Coleridge described Shakespeare as "myriad-minded".
62. Matthew Arnold wrote a sonnet on Shakespeare, starting with the line: "Others abide our question, thou art free".
63. Milton called him "Dear son of memory, great heir of fame" in his poem On Shakespeare.
64. John Dryden praised him as the man who of all modern and ancient poets had the "largest and most comprehensive soul".
65. Francis Meres in Palladis Tamia (1598) praised Shakespeare for both comedy and tragedy.

Play Sources and Settings

66. Shakespeare's primary source for his English History plays was Holinshed's Chronicles.
67. Plutarch’s Lives (translated by Sir Thomas North) served as the primary source for his Roman Plays (Julius Caesar, Antony and Cleopatra, Coriolanus).
68. Hamlet is set in Elsinore, Denmark.
69. Macbeth is set in Scotland.
70. Othello begins in Venice and moves to Cyprus.
71. As You Like It is set in the Forest of Arden.
72. The Merchant of Venice is set in Venice and Belmont.
73. Romeo and Juliet is set in Verona, Italy.
74. The Tempest is set on a fictional island.
75. Twelfth Night is set in Illyria.

Famous Fools and Characters

76. Touchstone is the fool in As You Like It.
77. Feste is the clown/fool in Twelfth Night.
78. Puck (Robin Goodfellow) is the mischievous sprite in A Midsummer Night's Dream.
79. Bottom is a weaver who is transformed into an ass in A Midsummer Night's Dream.
80. Dogberry is the bumbling constable in Much Ado About Nothing.
81. Falstaff is a famous comic character appearing in Henry IV (Parts 1 & 2) and The Merry Wives of Windsor.
82. Yorick is the deceased court jester whose skull is famously held by Hamlet.
83. W.C. Hazlitt and other critics have written extensively on Shakespeare's characters, such as the "Characters of Shakespeare's Plays" (1817).

Additional Facts for TGT Preparation

84. Shakespeare’s imaginary sister, Judith Shakespeare, was a creation of Virginia Woolf in her essay A Room of One's Own.
85. The term "Bardolatry" refers to the excessive worship of Shakespeare.
86. Julian Calendar vs. Georgian Calendar: Shakespeare's birth on April 23 is based on the Julian calendar used in England at the time.
87. April 23 is also the feast day of St. George, the patron saint of England.
88. Shakespeare’s will famously left his wife his "second-best bed".
89. He left the bulk of his property to his eldest daughter, Susanna.
90. The University Wits (such as Marlowe, Greene, and Nashe) were contemporaries who influenced or criticized his early work.
91. Christopher Marlowe is often cited as a major influence on Shakespeare's blank verse.
92. Shakespeare often used Blank Verse (unrhymed iambic pentameter) in his plays.
93. Cymbeline, The Winter's Tale, and The Tempest are classified as his late Romances or Tragicomedies.
94. Julius Caesar was the first play likely performed at the newly built Globe Theatre in 1599.
95. Thomas Bowdler produced a "clean" version of Shakespeare's plays (removing "offensive" parts), leading to the term "bowdlerize".
96. A.C. Bradley is a famous 20th-century critic known for his book Shakespearean Tragedy (1904).
97. Wilson Knight is another major critic known for The Wheel of Fire.
98. L.C. Knights famously questioned character-based criticism in his essay "How Many Children Had Lady Macbeth?".
99. T.S. Eliot called Hamlet an "artistic failure" because of its lack of an objective correlative.
100. Despite these criticisms, Shakespeare remains the most influential figure in English literature, often called the "Father of English Drama".

John Galsworthy ,Life ,works and Biography

Life and Biography

1. Full Name: John Galsworthy Junior.
2. Date of Birth: August 14, 1867.
3. Place of Birth: Kingston Hill, Surrey, England.
4. Literary Era: Belongs to the Modern Age.
5. Historical Context: Born in the Victorian Age, but most of his writing belongs to the Modern period.
6. Father: John Galsworthy (Senior), a wealthy solicitor and company director.
7. Mother: Blanche Bailey Galsworthy, noted as being very religious.
8. Social Status: Born into an upper-middle-class family ("born with a silver spoon").
9. Early Education: Taught by tutors at home initially.
10. Schooling: Attended the prestigious Harrow School.
11. College: Attended New College, Oxford.
12. Legal Education: Studied Law and earned an honors degree in 1889.
13. Professional Qualification: Called to the Bar in 1890.
14. Legal Practice: He never seriously practiced law despite his training.
15. World Travels: Toured the world (1891–1893), visiting Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
16. Meeting Joseph Conrad: Met the Polish writer Joseph Conrad in 1893 on a ship named the Torrens.
17. Conrad's Influence: Conrad was then a sailor; their lifelong friendship influenced Galsworthy to write.
18. The Affair: Began a love affair with Ada Nemesis Cooper in 1895.
19. Ada’s First Marriage: She was the wife of his cousin, Major Arthur Galsworthy.
20. Marriage: Married Ada in 1905 after her divorce.
21. The Muse: Ada served as the inspiration for many of his female characters and his writing.
22. Knightwood Refusal: He refused a Knighthood in 1918.
23. Reason for Refusal: Believed that "no artist of letters" should be saddled with titles.
24. PEN Club: He was the first President of the PEN Club in 1921.
25. PEN Acronym: Stands for Playwrights, Essayists, and Novelists.
26. Order of Merit: Awarded the Order of Merit (OM) in 1929.
27. Nobel Prize: Awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1932.
28. Nobel Citation: Recognized for his "distinguished art of narration... in the Forsyte Saga".
29. Generosity: Donated his entire Nobel Prize money to the PEN International Club.
30. Honorary Degrees: Received honorary D.Litt degrees from Oxford, Cambridge, and other universities.
31. Humanitarianism: Member of the Humanitarian League and opposed to animal slaughter.
32. Animal Advocacy: Visited slaughterhouses in 1916 and reported on inhumane methods.
33. WWI Contribution: Too old to fight, he worked in hospitals for disabled soldiers in France.
34. Death Date: January 31, 1933.
35. Cause of Death: Brain Tumor.
36. Age at Death: 65 years old.
37. Place of Death: His home in Hampstead, London.

Early Career and Pseudonyms

38. Pseudonym: Early works were published under the pen name "John Sin John".
39. Meaning: "John Sin John" literally meant "John, son of John".
40. First Publication: From the Four Winds (1897), a collection of short stories.
41. The "First Sin": Galsworthy called From the Four Winds his "first sin" because it was a failure.
42. First Novel: Jocelyn (1898), published under his pseudonym.
43. Exam Note: Jocelyn was once mistakenly printed as Jacoline in an exam paper.
44. Other Pseudonymous Works: Villa Rubein (1900) and A Man of Devon (1901).
45. Real Name Debut: First work published under his own name was The Island Pharisees (1904).

The Major Trilogies

46. Three Trilogies: Galsworthy wrote three distinct trilogies centered on the Forsyte family.
47. Trilogy 1: The Forsyte Saga (1906–1921).
48. Novel 1: The Man of Property (1906).
49. Interlude 1: Indian Summer of a Forsyte (1918).
50. Novel 2: In Chancery (1920).
51. Interlude 2: Awakening (1920).
52. Novel 3: To Let (1921).
53. Masterpiece of Trilogy 1: Indian Summer of a Forsyte is considered the artistic peak of the saga.
54. Mnemonic for Trilogy 1: MICAT (Man of Property, Indian Summer, In Chancery, Awakening, To Let).
55. Trilogy 2: A Modern Comedy (1924–1928).
56. Sequel Status: A Modern Comedy is the direct sequel to the Forsyte Saga.
57. Novel 1: The White Monkey (1924).
58. Novel 2: The Silver Spoon (1926).
59. Novel 3: Swan Song (1928).
60. Interludes in Trilogy 2: Silent Wooing and Passerby.
61. Trilogy 3: End of the Chapter (1931–1933).
62. Novel 1: Maid in Waiting (1931).
63. Novel 2: Flowering Wilderness (1932).
64. Novel 3: One More River (1933).

Key Plays (Dramas)

65. First Successful Play: The Silver Box (1906).
66. The Silver Box Theme: Criticism of legal double standards—one law for the rich and another for the poor.
67. Joy (1907): A play focusing on family relationships.
68. Strife (1909): Focuses on the conflict between Labor and Capital.
69. Strife Setting: Trenartha Tin Plate Works.
70. Justice (1910): His most famous "social problem play".
71. Justice Impact: Prompted legal reforms regarding solitary confinement in British prisons.
72. The Eldest Son (1912): Explores the hypocrisy of the landed gentry.
73. The Pigeon (1912): A fantasy play.
74. The Fugitive (1913): Deals with a woman's struggle for independence.
75. The Mob (1914): Deals with war fever and public opinion.
76. A Bit o' Love (1915).
77. The Skin Game (1920): Represents the clash between old aristocracy and new industrial wealth.
78. Loyalties (1922): Examines racial prejudice and conflicting social loyalties.
79. Escape (1926): A play about an escaped prisoner and society's reaction to him.
80. The Roof (1929).
81. Windows (1922).
82. The Forest (1924).
83. The Show (1925).

Themes and Literary Style

84. Problem Plays: His dramas are characterized as "Problem Plays".
85. Social Realism: His works focus on the realistic portrayal of social issues.
86. Class Conflict: A recurring theme, especially the tension between upper and lower classes.
87. The "Possessive Instinct": Central to the Forsyte Saga, highlighting the upper-class obsession with property.
88. Social Justice: Critiques the failures and biases of the British legal system.
89. Naturalism: His plays are noted for their naturalistic dialogue and setting.
90. Impartiality: Galsworthy often presents both sides of a social conflict with detached objectivity .
91. Upper-Middle Class: Most of his novels focus on the lives and morals of this specific class.
92. Humanitarian Themes: Often shows deep sympathy for the "underdog" or the oppressed.
93. Marriage and Property: Critiques the view of wives as "property" (The Man of Property).
94. Hypocrisy: Exposes the moral inconsistencies of society.
95. Industrial Unrest: Portrays the futility of extremist views in labor strikes (Strife) .
96. Animal Welfare: Implicitly or explicitly advocates for the ethical treatment of animals.

Short Story Collections and Other Works

97. Short Story Collections Count: There are five main collections.
98. A Motley (1910).
99. Five Tales (1918).
100. Tatterdemalion (1920).
101. Captures (1923).
102. A Man of Devon (1901).
103. The Dark Flower (1913): A notable psychological novel.
104. Beyond (1917): Another psychological novel.
105. Saint’s Progress (1919).
106. The Burning Spear (1919).
107. The Country House (1907).
108. Fraternity (1909).
109. The Patrician (1911).
110. The Island Pharisees (1904): Satirizes English insularity.
111. First and Last (1931): A dramatic work.
112. The Little Man (1921): A play.
113. Hall-Marked (1921): A play.
114. Punch and Go (1921): A play.
115. Defeat (1921): A play.
116. The Apple Tree (1933): A story/play.

Important Characters and Details

117. Soames Forsyte: The central character of the Forsyte Saga, known as "The Man of Property".
118. Irene Heron: Soames’ wife, who represents beauty and the desire for freedom.
119. David Roberts: The fiery labor leader in Strife .
120. John Anthony: The uncompromising company chairman in Strife .
121. Falder: The protagonist of Justice, a clerk who suffers in prison.
122. Jones: The poor man in The Silver Box who is punished for a crime a rich man gets away with.
123. Jack Barthwick: The wealthy, irresponsible son in The Silver Box.
124. Setting of Justice: A law court and a prison.
125. Setting of Strife: A tin-plate factory during a strike.

Miscellaneous Facts for UP TGT

126. Literary Style: Often described as a "Social Chronicler".
127. Legal Terminology: His plays are noted for their accurate use of legal jargon due to his training.
128. Contemporary of: George Bernard Shaw and H.G. Wells.
129. Conflict of Values: His work often portrays the transition from Victorian stability to Modern uncertainty.
130. Solitary Confinement: His depiction of this in Justice is one of the most powerful scenes in English drama.
131. The Cigarette Box: The titular item in The Silver Box is made of silver.
132. Nobel Prize Year: 1932 is a crucial date for exams.
133. Refusal Year: 1918 is when he officially declined the Knighthood.
134. PEN Presidency Year: 1921.
135. Order of Merit Year: 1929.
136. Trilogy Connection: Characters in the Forsyte Saga reappear in A Modern Comedy.
137. Victorian Birth: 1867 makes him a Victorian by birth, but a Modern by output.
138. Oxford Connection: He was a student at New College.
139. Kingston upon Thames: His birthplace is specifically Kingston Hill.
140. Brain Tumor: The medical cause of his death.
141. 65 Years: His age at the time of his passing.
142. Interludes: Galsworthy is unique for using short "interludes" between the main novels of his trilogies.
143. Masterpiece: The Forsyte Saga is universally regarded as his greatest work.
144. Legal Drama: Justice and The Silver Box are his most prominent legal-themed plays.
145. Class Struggle: The Skin Game is the quintessential play for this theme.
146. Anti-War: The Mob reflects his anti-war sentiments.
147. Realism: He rejected the experimentalism of writers like James Joyce in favor of realism.
148. Art is the great and universal refreshment for art is never dogmatic ; holds no brief for itself ; you may take it , or you may leave it(Galsworthy).
149. Wife's Death: Ada died in 1956, long after him (Information not in source, for verification).
150. He is but a poor philospher who holds a view so narrow as to exclude forms not to his personal taste (Galsworthy ).

UP TGT English , Short Notes

 

Literature

1- William Shakespeare

2- John Milton

3- William Wordsworth

4- John Galsworthy

Figures of Speech

Stanza Forms

Literary Terms

One Word substitutions 

History of English Literature