William Shakespeare，1564— 1616，was born at Stratford-upon-Avon.By many （perhaps most）critics，Shakespeare is regarded as the greatest poet the world has ever produced；one calls him，“The most illustrious of the sons of men.”And yet it is a curious fact that less is really known of his life and personal characteristics than is known of almost any other famous name in history.Over one hundred years ago，a writer said，“All that is known with any degree of certainty concerning Shakespeare is——that he was born at Stratford-upon-Avon——married and had children there——went to London，where he commenced acting，and wrote poems and plays——returned to Stratford，made his will，died，and was buried.”All the research of the last one hundred years has added but very little to this meager record.He was married，very young，to Anne Hathaway，a woman eight years his senior；was joint proprietor of Blackfriar's Theater in 1589，and seems to have accumulated property，and retired three or four years before his death.He was buried in Stratford Church，where a monument has been erected to his memory；he also has a monument，in “Poet's Corner”of Westminster Abbey.His family soon became extinct.From all we can learn，he seems to have been highly respected and esteemed by his cotemporaries.
His works consist chiefly of plays and sonnets.His writings show an astonishing knowledge of human nature，expressed in language wonderful for its point and beauty.His style is chaste and pure，judged by the standard of his times，although expressions may sometimes be found that would not be considered proper in a modern writer.It has been argued by some that Shakespeare did not write the works imputed to him；but this theory seems to have little to support it.This extract is from King HenryV.，Act III，Scene I.
Once more unto the breach，dear friends，once more；
Or close the wall up with our English dead.
In peace there 's nothing so becomes a man
As modest stillness and humility:
But when the blast of war blows in our ears，
Then imitate the action of the tiger；
Stiffen the sinews，summon up the blood，
Disguise fair nature with hard-favored rage；
Then lend the eye a terrible aspect；
Let it pry through the portage of the head
Like the brass cannon；let the brow o'erwhelm it
As fearfully as doth a galled rock
O'er hang and jutty his confounded base，
Swilled with the wild and wasteful ocean.
Now set the teeth，and stretch the nostril wide，
Hold hard the breath，and bend up every spirit
To its full height！On，on，you noblest English，
Whose blood is fet from fathers of war proof！
Fathers，that，like so many Alexanders，
Have，in these parts，from morn till even，fought，
And sheathed their swords for lack of argument；
Be copy now to men of grosser blood，
And teach them how to war.
And you，good yeomen，
Whose limbs were made in England，show us here
The mettle of your pasture；let us swear
That you are worth your breeding，which I doubt not；
For there is none of you so mean and base，
That hath not noble luster in your eyes.
I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips，
Straining upon the start.The game's afoot；
Follow your spirit: and，upon this charge，
Cry——“God for Harry，England，and St.George！”
译文 TRANSLATION
威廉·莎士比亚（1564—1616）出生于埃文河畔斯特拉特福。很多甚至绝大多数批评家认为，莎士比亚是有史以来世界上最伟大的诗人。一位批评家称他为“人之子中的最杰出者”。但一个奇怪的事实是，与历史上任何其他著名人物相比，我们对莎士比亚生平和个性的了解都更少。一百多年前，一位作家写道：“关于莎士比亚我们可以肯定的只有：他出生在埃文河畔斯特拉特福；他在那里娶妻生子；然后去了伦敦；在伦敦开始演戏、写诗、写戏剧；回到斯特拉特福；立下遗嘱；去世，下葬”。而过去一百年的研究并没有给这单薄的记录增添什么。他结婚很早，妻子哈瑟维年长他八岁。1589年，他成为“黑修士剧院”的合伙人，并似已累积一些资产。莎士比亚在离世前三四年回乡隐居。他安葬在斯特拉特福教堂，在那里有他一座纪念碑；在威斯敏斯特教堂的“诗人角”也有一座他的纪念碑。他的家族很快就绝嗣了。就我们所知，莎士比亚很受同代人的尊敬和推崇。
他的作品主要包括戏剧和诗歌。他的作品展示了对人性的惊人洞察，语言优美、深刻。就其所处时代的标准而言，莎士比亚的风格纯净、纯真，尽管偶尔有些表达在现代作家中会被认为不正规。一些人认为莎士比亚没有写那些遭人诟病的作品，但这一理论似乎没有多少依据。下面的选段出自《亨利五世》第三幕第一场。
亲爱的朋友们，再一次，再一次冲上那个缺口；
用我们英吉利人的躯体堵住这城墙的缺口。
在和平时期，谦卑、文静是人无上的美德。
可当军号在我们耳畔吹响，那么，我们的行动
就该像猛虎一样；绷紧我们的肌肉，
激荡我们的热血，把美好的天性
换作严峻的愤怒，给眼睛凛凛寒光，
让这寒光像加农炮一样射向敌人，
而那紧锁的双眉则像嶙峋的岩石，
据在它向前突出的底座上，
任狂野的肆虐的海水冲刷！
那么，咬紧牙关、张大鼻孔、屏住呼吸，
打起全部精神！上，上，最高贵的英吉利人，
你们的血来自骁勇善战的先辈！
先辈们个个都像亚历山大，
他们在这里曾从早到晚战斗，
直到荡平天下，才把宝剑放回剑鞘。
现在，给那些粗鲁的人做个范本，
教教他们如何打仗！
还有你，善良的自耕农们！
你们在英格兰土生土长，给我们看看你们牧场的风采；
让我们一起发誓，你们配得上你们的家系，
这一点我毫不怀疑。你们当中没有卑鄙、下贱之人，
在你们眼中都闪耀着高贵的神采。
在我眼中，你们就像猎犬，蓄势待发！那么，狩猎开始啦！
追寻你们的勇气，去直面挑战，
让我们一起高呼：“上帝保佑哈利，保佑英格兰，保佑圣乔治！”
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