Authors

William Blake

English poet, artist and mystic

1757 - 1827

William Blake was one of the great lyric poets. Blake's early work was written in a classical style. Later he used the romantic style made popular by Wordsworth and Coleridge.

Blake was born in London and educated at Henry Pars Drawing School. After becoming established as a graphic designer and drawing tutor, he opened a print shop in London in 1784. He lived in Sussex from 1800 to 1803, during which time he was charged with high treason but acquitted. He returned to London and staged a rather unsuccessful show of his artistic work in 1809, after which he went into obscurity and became a mystic.

As a supporter of the French Revolution, he openly criticized the social evils that he linked with the Industrial Revolution. His work is usually seen in the context of his social, political and religious beliefs. He was not really understood by his peers, but twentieth-century readers appreciate the greatness he achieved in his varied fields of interest.

Rudyard Kipling

English novelist, short story writer and poet

1865 - 1936

Rudyard Kipling is probably best known for his children's books, but he also wrote many poems and short stories.

Kipling was born in India of English parents. After his education in England, he returned to India to begin his career as a journalist and editor. On his return to London in 1889 he became a full time writer, but he travelled widely, including visits to South Africa during the Boer War.

British Imperialism is a key theme of much of Kipling's work. He also wrote many books about soldiers and school. In 1907 he became the first British writer to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

Wilfred Owen

English poet

1893 - 1918

Wilfred Owen was one of the finest English "war poets". Most of his work was written between the years 1915 and 1918 and recorded his experiences in the trenches during the First World War.

Wilfred Owen was born near Oswestry, Shropshire, the son of a railway worker. He was educated at the Birkenhead Institute, Liverpool and Shrewsbury Technical College. He hoped to study at the University of London, but a shortage of money forced him to take up a teaching post in Bordeaux, France in 1913. He was teaching in France when war was declared and enlisted shortly afterwards.

William Shakespeare

English poet and dramatist

1564 - 1616

Shakespeare is considered to be the greatest English dramatist of all time. His work influenced generations of later artists.

We know little about Shakespeare's early years. His father, John Shakespeare, was a merchant and a man of some importance in his local community. His mother, Mary Arden, was of higher social class. Although there are no records, it seems that Shakespeare attended the local grammar school at Stratford-upon-Avon, where he was born.

In 1582 Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway, who was eight years older than he was. They had three children. In 1594, Shakespeare became a leading member of the newly-formed acting company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men. This company became the King's Men when James I was made king. Shakespeare stayed with them for the rest of his career.

In 1599 the company occupied the now famous Globe theatre in London. Shakespeare lived and worked in London, while his family remained in Stratford.

Shakespeare's plays are still performed more often than those of any other playwright. Film versions appear frequently.

Percy Bysshe Shelley

1792 - 1822

English Romantic poet and essayist

Percy Bysshe Shelley was the son of a wealthy Member of Parliament. He went to University College, Oxford in 1810, but was suspected of writing a pamphlet entitled The Necessity of Atheism and was expelled.

In 1811 he met and eloped with Harriet Westbrook. By 1814, their marriage had collapsed and Shelley eloped again, this time with Mary Godwin, who was later to write Frankenstein.

In 1816 Shelley spent the summer on Lake Geneva with Byron and Mary, who had begun work on her Frankenstein. In the autumn of that year Harriet drowned herself in the Serpentine in Hyde Park.

Shelley himself was drowned in a storm at sea in 1822.