William Shakespeare wrote plays and poems, and in fact, it was one of his poems that helped him gain popularity: "As early as 1593 he had an overnight sensation with [Venus and Adonis]," a narrative poem (Michael Dobson, director of the Shakespeare Institute). There remains just one copy of the first edition, as the other copies were worn out from over-reading.
His work often spread through word of mouth, from the common people to those in higher standing, such as the Romantic poet Keats.
In Shakespeare's time, London was a tourist destination for theater, so his location allowed his plays to be seen by travelers. His work also spread to other countries through the influence of the British Empire:
Because of the British Empire, he’s translated into different languages and adapted by many different cultures. Germany had a special affection for Shakespeare and has always had that, I think. Some of Shakespeare’s own actors went to perform in Germany in his lifetime and it’s Germany where the first translation of Shakespeare occurs in the middle of the 18th century. Such is the extent of Shakespeare’s popularity, he becomes an honorary German national poet. (Paul Edmondson, Head of Research and Knowledge here at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust)
Shakespeare's plays are frequently performed today, with directors often choosing to set the shows in different times and places. Scholars tell us this is not necessarily a new trend—the plays have been adapted and reworked for many years.
There was a period in history where the theatres were closed and then reopened in about 1660. At that time, Shakespeare’s plays were still being performed and were performed: although, were frequently amended by the next generation, sometimes quite hugely. There wasn’t at that time, any sense of reverence towards Shakespeare’s plays. They were nice blueprints that you could start with: if you wanted to add other characters, other scenes or alternate endings that was fine and up for grabs and you just did that. (Elizabeth Dollimore, Learning Manager at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust)
There are a number of factors that led to the spread of Shakespeare's work, popularity, and eventual fame.
Further Reading
How and why did William Shakespeare become famous?
William Shakespeare became famous beyond his lifetime through the publication of the First Folio containing 36 of 37 plays. Two members of Shakespeare's company felt the need to keep his works alive seeing as he was such an important person to them. John Heminges and Henry Condell had done a great service considering that most of Shakespeare's works were just kept around the theater as scripts for future use. While Shakespeare did receive reviews and commentary on his shows during his lifetime, his main success came from the performances which greatly engaged the crowd that attended such spectacles.
He remains famous for the reason that he created characters that seem to have an existence of their own; Hamlet, Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet come to mind. Their spirit and the language Shakespeare used to enable them to come to life are what drew in audiences of the day and people now. The themes are also universal and do not have boundaries in time or place. Many of his plays can be set in the time for which it was written or can be set in modern times.
Think of Romeo and Juliet, the theme of love against seemingly impossible odds translates across many cultures and points in time. This is why the more modern version of this old classic did so well. The film version of Romeo and Juliet with Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes was able to tell the same story of two lovers separated by fate and family, in modern day Verona Beach. Even though they used the language of Shakespeare's day, the audience was able to be just as engaged with the story as audiences in Shakespeare's time would have been.
Further Reading
How did William Shakespeare become a famous writer?
As far as we can tell, Shakespeare's early works were most likely collaborations with other playwrights and possibly actors. Interestingly enough, Richard III and Henry IV seem to have been some of his earliest works. Maybe he started with histories because there was less for him to make up.
How did William Shakespeare become a famous writer?
I think it's clear that Shakespeare didn't set out to become what he became--a famous writer. It was a perfect storm, of sorts, which thrust him into prominence. It was a period of great resurgence for the arts (the Renaissance), the Queen of England was committed to patronage of the arts (and Shakespeare's troupe, in particular), and Shakespeare was a writer with something to say about things people were interested in hearing. He was in the perfect environment for everything he did; despite that, he's significantly more popular today than he ever was in his own time.
How did William Shakespeare become a famous writer?
I would add that when Shakespeare got started in the London theater scene, he was trying to make money and elevate his family. The acting and, more importantly, providing plays for the Lord Chamberlain's Men, was a business. And he did well: not only was he able to buy the best house in his native Stratford, but also a coat-of-arms for his family. In Shakespeare's day, "serious" poets didn't write plays; they wrote lyric poetry (sonnets or non-dramatic poems like "Venus and Adonis").
That said, I think we can point to 1595 as a turning point. Around this year, he wrote Richard II, Romeo and Juliet, and A Midsummer Night's Dream--all masterpieces. While before this he was already popular enough to incur the jealousy of other playwrights (i.e., Robert Greene), around 1595 he started cranking out the masterpieces. While not every Shakespeare play is a masterpiece, over a dozen (at least) are.
Although there are all sorts of issues with the various texts of the plays, thankfully we have versions to peform and read, so Shakespeare's fame has not been limited to his own time, but has only increased over the years.
How did William Shakespeare become a famous writer?
Shakespeare's intentions were first to become an actor. He left Stratford-on-Avon to begin a career on stage. He worked his way up the ladder in the acting profession: first as a gopher, then a prompter, and finally an actor. Luckily, in 1593, the Bubonic plague closed the Theatres of London, and so Shakespeare turned to writing long poems and drama full-time.
According to Enotes:
The next mention of Shakespeare is in 1592, when he was an actor and playwright in London. His actions during the seven-year interim have been a matter of much curious speculation, including unproved stories of deer poaching, soldiering, and teaching. It may have taken him those seven years simply to break into and advance in the London theater. His early connections with the theater are unknown, although he was an actor before he became a playwright. He might have joined one of the touring companies that occasionally performed in Stratford-upon-Avon, or he might have gone directly to London to make his fortune, in either the theater or some other trade. Shakespeare was a venturesome and able young man who had good reasons to travel—his confining family circumstances, tinged with just enough disgrace to qualify him to join the disreputable players. The theater was his escape to freedom; he therefore had strong motivation to succeed.
See eNotes Ad-Free
Start your 48-hour free trial to get access to more than 30,000 additional guides and more than 350,000 Homework Help questions answered by our experts.
Already a member? Log in here.