William Shakespeare

The life and times of William Shakespeare is very fascinating and intriguing to the common man. He was born in April 1564 to Mr. and Mrs. John Shakespeare.

William's childhood was like any other. He went to the Stratford Grammar School in England between the ages of 6 and 13, there he enjoyed reading stories written by Latin authors and it was there he developed his love for literature. He also enjoyed learning English while he was in school. During his childhood he also spent time working for a butcher. As Shakespeare grew older, he fell in love with and eventually married Miss Anne Hathaway in 1582. She was an orphan growing up and became preganant a year later with their first child when she was 26 years old. In 1583 beautiful Susanna was born and they were overjoyed. As their marriage progressed, William and Anne, two years later in 1585, had a set of twins, named Hamnet and Judith who unfortunately died in 1596.

William had a very boisterous career, but like all writers and artistes there was a time when others blossomed. So called the "Lost Years".These were divided into two periods namely 1578-1582 and 1585-1592. After aquiring skills as an actor and playwright during these years he was ready again. In his productive years William had a career as an actor and poet in London. He went on to be a famous playwright writing Hamlet in 1602 and accumulating vast amounts of wealth. Finally William Shakespeare had much to offer in his life through his work and family, and because he was so great he will forever be remembered.

Aunt Mira and Her significance in the novel

Aunt Mira played a very crucial role in the children's upbringing. She came to the family invited by Mrs Das to take care of Baba. But as she was there she did much more than that. She not only took care of and raised Baba she raised all of the other children as well. She was the mother figure which they needed in their life and very much lacked. She taught them things, read to them, played with them and spent the most time with them. She was the closest thing the children had to a mother even though they did not know it. Aunt Mira basically mothered Baba as well she taught him everything he knew without her he would be incapable of anything.

Also, the children provided a very special thing for Aunt Mira.They were the family and children and life that she never got the oppurtunity to have. They were the little ones that she couls care for, love, teach things and raise. Also in the case of Tara, they were people that could want her, need her and love her. All of these things she was lacking.

The children contributed to her downfall because she loved them and needed them and in the end they left her. Tara, the child she adored the most left her first without acknowldgement. She never turned back and even wrote to Mira Masi. Because of this sudden neglect Aunt Mira went into a state of shock and thus began to turn crazy.

The Character of Baba Das

• Baba's character somewhat restricted Bim from realising her full potential. He prevented her from leaving home because she felt that she had to stay, devote her life and take care of him.

• Baba also gave Bim an excuse to continue being the unconventinal woman because he life's resposibilty was to take care of him and no-one expected her to get married or have children nor did she want to do any of those things.

• Baba was a character who did not change, he conplements the unchange of the Old Dehli and the house. He always does the same thing repeatedly. He represents the monotony of Old Dehli and what Tara had left behind.

• Baba was also a mentally challenged, quiet, young man. The youngest child of the Das family. He was the most neglected by his mother because he needed the most attention growing up therefore his mother sent for Aunt Mira who taught and raised him.