William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare was born on Stratford-upon-Avon River. His birth date is unknown as we have no records of it. His father was a farmer who worked for the Ardens. Mary Arden was the wife of John Shakespeare, whose father he worked for. Robert Arden belonged to the aristocratic family of the Ardens of Park Hall and was William Shakespeare's maternal grandfather. The Ardens were part of the noble Catholic family of the Ardens of Park Hall, whose family ancestors had been given land by William the Conqueror. John Shakespeare had eight children, although three died at young ages. William Shakespeares lineage is often questioned, and unsure. Shakespeare was brought up in the country, as his father was a farmer. He spent a lot of time playing in the fields, which made him familiar with animals and vegetation. This is often seen in some of his plays, where similes and metaphors using flowers and animals are often made. From the age of about seven to about fourteen, his mother sent him to Stratford Grammar School where he received an excellent education for a boy of his time. The schoolmasters were strict and the lessons were torturously long, as they had school from six a.m. to six p.m. for six days a week, having only Sunday off, all year round. It is sometimes said that his mother, being the daughter of an aristocrat, had a lot to do with his well-rounded education. Shakespeare started his first play, Henry VI, Part 1, in 1589, and completed it in 1590, and performed in the same year. During the next two years he also wrote and produced, Henry VI Part II, Henry VI Part III. The whole collection of Henry VI was believed to be performed at The Rose Theatre, in London. Shakespeare got notably criticized by Robert Greene, who said he had no originality and took his plays from other people. Some people take this as proof that he was in London during this time. Shakespeare wrote plays mainly for the entertainment of the public, as he did not care to dedicate them to Queen Elizabeth, which considering her firm grasp over all of London, was probably a great risk. He mainly got his inspiration and ideas from playwrights before him and was often known for borrowing ideas from them. English history plays that Shakespeare wrote rely heavily on Raphael Holinshed's "Chronicles" from 1587. Although there is not much known about William's friends, he was once poaching with them. He was poaching Sir Thomas Lucy's rabbits and he was supposed to pay a large fine. He did pay the fine. After that, he got back at Sir Thomas Lucy and wrote a nasty poem and pasted it in the middle of the town where everyone could see it. After that he left for England. Shakespeares marriage and family were seemingly not top priority to him, as he spent most of his time working.

Bibliography
http://www.stratford-upon-avon.co.uk/soawshst.htm

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