INTRODUCTION TO THE BIOGRAPHY OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

Will live for 52 years as his biography confirms. In just 23 years, between approximately 1590 and 1613, he is attributed with writing 38 plays, Famous Shakespearean sonnets and 5 other poems. He is the most widely read of all Authors and the popularity of the Life and Works of Shakespeare, in English speaking countries, is second only to the Bible. It is therefore no surprise that Shakespeare's biography, or bio, sparks so much interest. We have categorized this William Shakespeare Biography, or bio, into sections to facilitate easy reference. These range from a section on Shakespeare's ancestors to his education and from William Shakespeare's brothers and sisters to Shakespeare's acting career. For an alternative quick and simple question and answer format we highly recommend the following William Shakespeare Biography website:

Born

Baptised 26 April 1564 (birth date unknown) Stratford-upon-Avon,Warwickshire, England

Died

23 April 1616 (aged 52) Stratford-upon-Avon,Warwickshire, England

Occupation

Playwright, poet, actor

Literary movement

English Renaissance theatre

Spouse(s) Relative(s)

Anne Hathaway (m. 15821616) Susanna Hall Hamnet Shakespeare Judith Quiney John Shakespeare (father) Mary Shakespeare (mother)

Children

Signature

Short Biography of William Shakespeare

After attending the King Edward VI Grammar School, William Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway who was eight years older. Some records indicate that Anne was eight years older than Shakespeare and three months pregnant when they wed. The two had three children. The first was Susanna in 1583, and fraternal twins in 1585, a boy who later died at age 11 named Hamnet, and Judith. Strangely, little is known about Shakespeare from the mid to late 1580s and into the 1590s. It is known; however, that he and his family moved to London where he held a prominent rank in the theatrical scene and gained immense popularity and wealth. Not only was he the writer of his plays, but an actor and a part-owner of his own play company who dubbed themselves The Lord Chamberlains Men after their sponsor, Lord Chamberlain. In 1603, Shakespeares company was taken under the wing of King James I. Following, the theater group was called The Kings Men. With such financial backing and a growing number of theatergoers from different social levels who enjoyed his diverse works, Shakespeares fame grew immensely throughout London. Not until after his death was Shakespeare considered the greatest playwright and poet in the history of the English language. With dramatic works such as Romeo and Juliet andKing Lear, it is no surprise that his texts have been translated worldwide. But, Shakespeares greatness might stem from his ability to cross genres and produce works in comedy such as A Mid-Summer Nights Dream, history such as in Hamlet, and romance (or fantasy-like), such as in The Tempest. Some of his works also include those labeled problem-plays or tragi-comedies due to the difficulty of labeling them under one strict genre. No other playwright was able to develop plot, characterization, theme, and especially irony as William Shakespeare. In his works, the characters are human, real, and problematic. He leaves room for interpretation and explores the gray area where the line between good and bad is not distinct. In Macbeth, for example, Shakespeare explores the eerie occurrences when man tries to avoid his own fate. His works are enjoyable and give even the best scholars deep points to consider. William Shakespeares poems are arranged in collections of sonnets, which were actually published during his lifetime. In his sonnets, he explores life, death, love, and human beauty and fragility. Interestingly, out of 144 total sonnets, 126 of them are written to a young man, which modern interpretations allude to a love and admiration beyond friendship. But, this point has been debated among scholars throughout time whether the young man was more than a friend may never be known. With all that is unknown about Shakespeares life, many such scholars have even debated whether Shakespeare actually authored his works. This debate has lost backing though, as all the evidence is suggestive in nature. Other Shakespearian experts have written biographies about him where they explore such accusations. One aspect; however, is certain William Shakespeares plays are the most performed and his works the most read and discussed in the entire canon of English Literature.

Related Books
William Shakespeare: The Complete Works - Unabridged by William Shakespeare (Sep 1990) Players: The Mysterious Identity of William Shakespeare by Bertram Fields (Mar 2005) Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare by Stephen Greenblatt (Sep 2004) William Shakespeare - Poet, Dramatist, and Man by Hamilton Wright Mabie (Dec 2005) William Shakespeare and his Three Friends Ben, Anthonie and Francis by Frank A. Kendall (Feb 2003) William Shakespeare: The Complete Works by William Shakespeare (May 1993)

Other related resources

A Year in the Life of William Shakespeare CD: 1599 by James Shapiro and Shapiro James (Audio CD - 2005) William Shakespeare by Judi Dench, Tim West, Richard Hampton, and David Weston (Audio CD 2003) Biography - William Shakespeare: Life of Drama (DVD - 2004) Famous Authors - William Shakespeare (DVD - 1991)