Richard II

William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon". His surviving works, including some collaborations, consist of about 38... plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and several other poems. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. Shakespeare was born and brought up in Stratford-upon-Avon. At the age of 18, he married Anne Hathaway, with whom he had three children: Susanna, and twins Hamnet and Judith. Between 1585 and 1592, he began a successful career in London as an actor, writer, and part owner of a playing company called the Lord Chamberlain's Men, later known as the King's Men. He appears to have retired to Stratford around 1613 at age 49, where he died three years later.
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Henriad is a common title used by scholars for Shakespeare's second historical tetralogy, comprising Richard II; Henry IV, Part 1; Henry IV, Part 2; and Henry V. While it is not known whether Shakespeare conceived of the plays as a cycle, these plays are often interpreted and performed in relation... to each other, since they represent a continuous period of English history using recurring characters and including direct references to previous plays. The validity of the term "Henriad", however, is up for debate. Some scholars include in the Henriad Shakespeare's first tetralogy, comprising the plays Henry VI, Part 1; Henry VI, Part 2; Henry VI, Part 3; and Richard III.
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