William Shakespeare: Interesting facts about the English playwright on his death anniversary

A stage production of `Macbeth` by English playwright William Shakespeare being rehearsed in Paris on January 20, 2018. Shakespeare’s death anniversary is also observed as World Book and Copyright Day. Photo: AFP/Jacques Demarthon

Popularly known for writing tragedies like Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Macbeth and King Lear, the works of the English playwright and poet William Shakespeare have inspired people for centuries now. Many Indian filmmakers have drawn from his stories for their movies too.

While people continue to be enamoured by the Bard's plays, there are other interesting facts associated with the world-famous author. Among the many, his very humble beginnings in Stratford-upon-Avon in England's Warwickshire.

Here are five fascinating facts about the writer on his 405th death anniversary:

World Book and Copyright Day
William Shakespeare's death anniversary is observed as World Book and Copyright Day. In 1995, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) at its General Conference held in Paris, assigned the date to celebrate and promote the enjoyment of books and reading as it was the death anniversary of not only Shakespeare but also literary figures like Miguel de Cervantes and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega.

English Language Day
Besides, the death anniversary of William Shakespeare is also marked by English Language Day. According to the United Nations (UN) website, the Department of Global Communications led the initiative in 2010 to name it as the official day of the English language. It is one among six official language days assigned by the department for the intergovernmental agency in the world.

Inspiration to Indian films
Closer home in India, Shakespeare has had a massive influence across the country, where his plays were the inspiration for several popular films. Vishal Bharadwaj's exploration of Macbeth came in the form of Irrfan Khan and Tabu-starrer ‘Maqbool' in 2003. His ‘Omkara' in 2006 was based on Othello, while ‘Haider' released in 2014 was a hat-tip to Hamlet. Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors inspired various films including the Hindi-language ‘Angoor' (1982), directed by Gulzar, and ‘Bhrantibilas' (1963) in Bengali.

Story of numbers
While Shakespeare's work like Hamlet, Macbeth, King Lear and Romeo and Juliet are famous, he has worked on many more. According to shakespeare.org.uk, an independent birthplace trust for Shakespeare's hometown, he has written 38 plays out of which 36 plays have been published in the First Folio. His other works include two narrative poems, 154 sonnets, and a variety of other poems.

Books and Shakespeare
If you've read enough, you know that Shakespeare's influence has not only been on films and other forms of text but also on other books that were written after his time. Among the many is the classic ‘Moby Dick' by Herman Melville, which was inspired by ‘King Lear' and ‘Macbeth'. Some of the others are ‘The Dogs of War' by Frederick Forsyth, which was inspired by ‘Julius Caesar', and ‘Love in Idleness' by Amanda Craig, which is inspired by ‘A Midsummer Night's Dream'.