William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon Avon, which is located in Warwickshire,England. Although his actual date of birth is not defined, Shakespeare was baptized on April 26 1564 and people typically celebrate his birthday on April 23 which is Saint George’s Day. William was one of eight children to parents John and Mary Shakespeare, and he was the eldest surviving son. There are no public records that show where William received his education, but many speculate that he attended King’s New School in Stratford, located about a quarter-mile from his childhood home. When Shakespeare was eighteen years old he married Anne Hathaway who was twenty six and already pregnant with William’s first child. After his daughter Susana was born in 1583, the couple had twins named Hamet and Judith.
William Shakespeare is often considered one of the best English writers to ever exist and his works written in the late sixteenth century and early seventeenth century are still read today. The first sign of William in the theatrical world was in 1592 when Robert Greene called him out of his death bed, but later an friend of Greene apologized. In 1594, he was a key member of the Lord Chamberlains company, known as the King’s Men and the company was socially and financially thriving. In 1599 members of this company branched out and started their own club which they called the Globe. This company took off and public records and proof of investments show that William was doing very well for himself and his family. Shakespeare had written 38 plays, 154 sonnets, and two poems during his career. On April 23 1616 William passed due to natural causes at the young age of 52. One month before, he signed his will leaving his daughters and their husbands with his investments.
Interesting Facts about William
- His son Hamet died at the age of 11 due to the plague
- In his will he referred to his wife as his “Second Best Bed”, which may be code for an affair he was having
- He owned the second largest home in his area during the time
Works Cited
Spencer, Terence John Bew, et al. “William Shakespeare.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 19 July 2017, www.britannica.com/biography/William-Shakespeare.
William Shakespeare.” WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE, 6 Nov. 2017, www.william-shakespeare.info/.