Influences of His Intellectual Mother– No Egotism and Caprice

“Shakespeare: A Life”(Oxford University Press·1998).

By Park Honan, Translated by Kim Jong-hwan

644 pages, Book Polio Publishing Co.

The Literary Luminary: William Shakespeare (1564~1616)

This critical biography is the result of a 10-year research, based on the literary materials of Shakespeare, carried out by the author who is the honorary professor of Leeds University of U.K. He methodically rules out rumors and myths about Shakespeare and wrote using the Arnal School’s way of “Categorical Intricacy.”

Elaborate descriptions highlight the social background of the Tudor regime’s, the prosperity and decay of theatre and troupes in old England, and the relatives and friends of Shakespeare. The author delves, in particular, deeply into the developmental period of Shakespeare in middle England, Stratford-upon-Avon.

Shakespeare was born in 1564, when the black plague swept off about a quarter of the entire population of London. His father, John, was a leather merchant and a glove artisan, Mary, his mother, was a very intellectual woman. As the period was rampant with the lethal plague, Mary cared earnestly for her son.

Without any egotism, Shakespeare peacefully thrived in the theatrical world, which was a “honeycomb of tension” at that time. His sonnets proficiently deal with his emotions and other sentimental themes. The author looked for the reasons of his calmness in the intensive maternal care given in his childhood.

His father was a self-made man, concerned very much with social advancement. From this point of view, Shakespeare’s interest in courtesy attracted lots of attention. Well-mannered Shakespeare described his main tragic characters, as mired in failure when they use disrespectful words or behavior ill-matched to their social status. Hamlet is lost in his world, as he does not adhere to the rules of etiquette, formality, balance and consciousness. In his famous play, “Measure for Measure”, Shakespeare wrote, “Children thrashes their nurse. Society has fallen into utter disorder. Courtesy and etiquette have been disappeared.”

No son can avoid his father’s influences. The occupation of Shakespeare’s father as a glove artisan had a great effect on the works of Shakespeare. In one of his plays, “The Merry Wives of Windsor,” Slender makes an oath by her gloved hand. In the famous play, Romeo utters an admiration to Juliet above on the high tower, “O, if I were your glove worn on your soft hand…”

The next documented event in Shakespeare`s life is his marriage to Anne Hathaway in 1582. William was 18 at the time, and Anne was 26—and pregnant. Their first daughter, Susanna, was born in 1583. The couple later had twins, Hamnet and Judith, born in 1585.

He began his working days as a coolie performing trifling jobs in a troupe in London. Around 1590, England prospered so much under the rule of Queen Elizabeth I, culture thrived. But in 1592, the black plague devastated the land for two years, locking up the theatres and troupes in London. But, it was nevertheless a golden opportunity for the rising new playwright, Shakespeare.

From that time forward, he made an enduring effort over 20 years as a playwright. Sometimes he acted on the stage as he managed the troupe and wrote plays at the same time. During the busy schedule, he sought out spare time to concentrate on his brilliant works. He was also very faithful to his family and irreproachable. When actors sent him an invitation to their parties, he lied and said that he was sick, in order to avoid debauchery with the prostitutes.

Interesting anecdotes are scattered throughout this biography: The ideas of “Hamlet” were dreamt up from a murder case when Shakespeare purchased a house. Also, when his daughter Susanna was married, he wrote down a spectacular scene in the fifth chapter of his play, “Pericles” that proved his paternal love.

Yi-Young Cho lycho@donga.com