Question

many people consider shakespeare the greatest writer in the english language. his legions of admirers point with awe to the rhythm of his words and the wide range of human emotions he portrays and evokes. but has shakespeare always been so popular? and how did an elizabethan actor - turned - playwright become a world - famous figure?
from the start, shakespeare was popular among the english. shortly after his death, his plays were published in a collection known as the first folio (1623), with a poem by ben jonson included that featured the lines, \he was not of an age, but for all time!\ the memory of shakespeare remained strong among audiences as well, since his plays were produced regularly by many companies. but, in 1642, during the english civil war, the theaters of london were closed by order of the government and remained so for 18 years. by the time they reopened in 1660, styles had changed. the court of the new king wanted a more elegant, refined, classical world, and shakespeare struck them as coarse in his language and careless in his plots. his comedies, in particular, fell out of favor as the years passed.
by the 1700s, however, a turnaround had begun. the first new edition of his plays in nearly a century, along with the first biography ever written, appeared in 1709 and immediately sparked a shakespeare revival. despite continuing questions about his style, which led many producers to cut or alter his plays (sometimes even writing new endings for them), audiences were enthusiastic. great performances also helped. david garrick, the greatest actor of the century, and sarah siddons, the greatest actress, were both enthusiastic shakespeare supporters and starred in many of his plays at the drury lane theatre. in the 1800s, shakespeares popularity soared. multivolume editions of his plays were published, exuberant productions and extravagant sets supported stars such as fanny kemble and edmund kean, and touring companies brought small - scale versions of shakespeare to towns and villages everywhere.
in the 20th century, shakespeare remained as popular as ever, with actors such as sir laurence olivier, sir john gielgud, and kenneth branagh bringing his characters to life. students around the world now read shakespeare in literature classes, and his plays are sometimes staged in modern - day costume to emphasize his significance to todays world.

Explanation:

The text asks about Shakespeare's popularity. Option A is correct because the text says "But has Shakespeare always been so popular?" and then describes periods where his popularity changed (e.g., theaters closed in 1642 and after reopening in 1660 his style was seen as coarse). Option B is wrong as the text shows he was popular before his death (e.g., "From the start, Shakespeare was popular among the English"). Option C is incorrect as the text shows his popularity increased over time (e.g., "in the 1800s, Shakespeare's popularity soared"). Option D is wrong because of the period when his popularity decreased (theater - closure period and post - 1660 initial reaction).

Answer:

A. Shakespeare wasn't always as popular as he is today.