This article delves into the life story of William Shakespeare, specifically highlighting his celebrated plays and poems. Throughout his career, Shakespeare penned a multitude of renowned plays such as Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, and Macbeth. Alongside his theatrical works, he also crafted notable poems like the Sonnets.
Despite the passage of many decades since his death, Shakespeare's plays and poems continue to be highly regarded and taught in schools. Unfortunately, only a few people are acquainted with Shakespeare's personal life and the path that led him to become a Bard. Details about William Shakespeare's life are scarce, mostly based on speculation from court or clerical records. Nonetheless, it is confirmed that Shakespeare was born in Stratford upon Avon, England in 1564.
According to william-shakespeare.org.uk, William Shakespeare w
...as born on April 26, 1564, at the Holy Trinity parish church in Stratford. His father, John Shakespeare, was described as a yeoman - a glover and commodities merchant (source: enotes).
William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England on April 26th, 1564. He was the third child of John and Mary Shakespeare. His father was a successful businessman and his mother owned land. Among his eight siblings, William was one of the few who survived into adulthood.
William Shakespeare went to grammar school until the age of fourteen, but did not go to university for higher education.
He got married to Anne Hathaway when he was eighteen and they had their first child, Susanna, six months after getting married in 1583. Two years later, they were blessed with twins named Judith and Hamnet.
It is believed that Shakespeare came to London around 1588 and began building his reputation as both an actor an
playwright. (Source: bardweb.net)
The exact date of Shakespeare's move to London is uncertain, but it is believed to have occurred around 1588, according to bardweb.net. enotes.com speculates that legal problems involving deer poaching on private property may have prompted Shakespeare's relocation to London.
In the year he was referred to as an "upstart crow," the theater in London shut down due to the Black Death plague. In 1594, Shakespeare became a member of a theater group called the Lord Chamberlain's Men. During this period, Shakespeare had written numerous plays, but unfortunately it did not continue for long. Eventually, the law prohibited plays from being performed anywhere in London.
According to "william-shakespeare.org.uk", Shakespeare experienced significant success in 1596 when he performed before Queen Elizabeth the first. This led to him being granted permission to showcase his coat of arms and ultimately becoming wealthy from his profession. The construction of the Globe Theatre commenced in 1597 and concluded in 1598, with Shakespeare earning a 10% share of the theatre's profits.
During a performance of the play King Henry VIII on June 29, 1613, a fire erupted at the Globe Theater. The blaze was ignited by a cannon shot and swiftly consumed the wooden structure, resulting in its demise. Shakespeare had retired and gone back to Stratford upon Avon, England three years before the incident. Although he was affluent, the exact cause of his death remains undisclosed. He died on April 23, 1616 at fifty-two years old. Shortly prior to his demise, on March 25, 1616, he penned his will.
The website bardweb.net states that William Shakespeare bequeathed "his properties to his daughter Susanna" in his will. He also left
"?300" to his daughter Judith, who was alive at the time, and he gave his wife "his second best bed". The burial of William Shakespeare occurred on April 25th, 1616 at Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon as noted on william-shakespeare.org.
Three days after his death, William Shakespeare was buried beneath the church floors in the chancel, according to a website. Limited records exist about his life, but it was posthumously revealed that he authored plays performed at the Globe Theatre.
They were all written in Shakespeare's First Folio.
Work Citation
N. P, Enotes. com, eNotes Inc. 2011, 16 Nov. 2011 L.
K., Alchin, (2005, November 21). William Shakespeare info. Web.
16 Nov. 2011. Pressley, J. M.
Bardweb, the Shakespeare Resource Center, has been active from 1997 to 2011, with its last update on November 16, 2011.
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