Shakespeares Life

William Shakespeare was born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon, a town in central

England, on or near April 23rd (we are not sure of the date, but we celebrate his
birthday on the 23rd). His father, John Shakespeare, made and sold gloves, and was
an important person in Stratford. His mother, Mary Arden, came from quite a rich
family. John and Mary had eight children, but three of them died young, so the young
Shakespeare grew up with four brothers and one sister.
Shakespeare went to the Grammar School in Stratford. He got quite a good education,
but he left in his early teens, before finishing school. His father had problems with
money at that time; perhaps he wanted him to start work. So, Shakespeare didnt go
to university.
In 1582, Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway. He was 18 and she was 26. They
soon had a daughter, Susanna, and in 1585 they had twins, Hamnet, and a girl,
Judith. Hamnet, however, died when he was only 11.
We are not sure what Shakespeare did between 1585 ans 1592, but we know that he
was already working in London as an actor and playwright1 in 1592. Some other

1
Playwright = a person who writes plays.

playwrights didnt like him because he wasnt from a university, but Shakespeare was
soon very successful. In 1594 he became a member of a company of other actors called
the Lord Chamberlains Men, so called because their patron2 was the Lord
Chamberlain, an important person at Queen Elizabeths court. This company became
the most successful in London. It built the Globe Theatre, south of the river Thames,
in 1599, and later changed its name to the Kings Men when James became king
in 1603. Shakespeare wrote two plays a year for this company until about 1808.

Many writers of this time were poor, but Shakespeare made a lot of money both from
writing and because he owned part of the theatre? He made at least 200 each year
(ten times as much as a schoolteacher), and in some years he even made 500. He
bought land and houses in Stratford, including one of the best houses, called New Place,
which he bought in 1597. His family, who didnt move to London, stayed there.
Shakespeare became rich, but didnt buy a house for himself in London.

2
Patron = a rich person who gives money to a writer, artist, musician, etc.

2

In his early years in London, Shakespeare wrote exciting historical dramas such as
Richard III (about 1591) and romantic comedies such as Taming of the Shrew (about
1592). From 1592 to 1594, however, the theatres in London had to close because of

the plague3 : it was dangerous for many people to be together in a small place. In
these years Shakespeare wrote poetry, and began his sonnets4. Between 1593 and 1603
he wrote 154 sonnets. More than one hundred of them describe a friendship
sometimes difficult with a young man, and 28 of them are about a woman who
the poet both loves and hates. Perhaps the man was Shakespeares patron, the Earl5
of Southampton, but we dont know who the woman was: she is only described as a
dark lady.
When the theatres opened again, Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet (about 1595).

3
Plague = this disease killed thousands of people; it passed from person to person.
4
Sonnets = a poem that has 14 lines
5
Earl = a member of a family with a high position in society.

3

His plays in the text five years include A Midsummers Nights Dream and The
Merchant of Venice.
But Shakespeare wrote his greatest plays after his company moved to the Globe Theatre
in 1599. His plays in this period include Hamlet (about 1600), Othello (about 1603),
King Lear (about 1605) and Macbeth (1606).
It seems he moved back to Stratford in about 1608. His mother died that year, and
the London theatres were closed again because of the plague. He only wrote one play
a year now, not two. These four plays are about family members coming together again
after being apart. The Tempest (about 1611) was the 36th and last paly that he wrote
on his own; after this he only wrote two other plays with other writers.
Shakespeare died in 1616, on the same day that we think he was born (April 23rd).
He is buried in Holy Trinity Church in Stratford.
From what people wrote about Shakespeare, it seems that he was honest, a good friend,
and an amusing person to be with.