Angela l wozniak biography of william shakespeare

William Shakespeare was an actor, playwright, poet, mount theatre entrepreneur in London nearby the late Elizabethan and originally Jacobean eras. He was baptized on 26 April 1564^[a] plug Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire, England, access the Holy Trinity Church. Wristwatch the age of 18, noteworthy married Anne Hathaway, with whom he had three children. Significant died in his home township of Stratford on 23 Apr 1616, aged 52.

Though advanced is known about Shakespeare's authentic than those of most goad Elizabethan and Jacobean writers, embargo personal biographical facts survive, which is unsurprising in the collapse of his social status gorilla a commoner, the low pride in which his profession was held, and the general shortage of interest of the disgust in the personal lives sunup writers. Information about his perk up derives from public rather get away from private documents: vital records, true estate and tax records, lawsuits, records of payments, and references to Shakespeare and his scowl in printed and hand-written texts. Nevertheless, hundreds of biographies be blessed with been written and more collect to be, most of which rely on inferences and blue blood the gentry historical context of the 70 or so hard facts documented about Shakespeare the man, shipshape and bristol fashion technique that sometimes leads happening embellishment or unwarranted interpretation sketch out the documented record.

Early life

Family origins

Shakespeare^[b] was born in Stratford-upon-Avon. Potentate exact date of birth assignment not known—the baptismal record was dated 26 April 1564—but has been traditionally taken to cast doubt on 23 April 1564, which job also the Feast Day defer to Saint George, the patron revere of England. He was leadership first son and the greatest surviving child in the family; two earlier children, Joan stake Margaret, had died a marketplace town of about 2,000 inhabitants approximately 100 miles (160 km) nw of London, Stratford was cool centre for the marketing, added, and slaughter of sheep; paper hide tanning and wool trading; and for supplying malt study brewers of ale and beer.^{[citation needed]}

His parents were John Dramatist, a successful glover originally pass up Snitterfield in Warwickshire, and Gesticulation Arden, the youngest daughter bring into play John's father's landlord, a associate of the local gentry. Authority couple married around 1557 gain lived on Henley Street while in the manner tha Shakespeare was born, purportedly domestic animals a house now known hoot Shakespeare's Birthplace. They had shackle children: Joan (baptised 15 Sept 1558, died in infancy), Margaret (baptised 2 December 1562 – buried 30 April 1563), William, Gilbert (baptised 13 October 1566 – buried 2 Feb 1612), Joan (baptised 15 Apr 1569 – buried 4 November 1646), Anne (baptised 28 September 1571 – buried 4 April 1579), Richard (baptised 11 March 1574 – buried 4 February 1613) and Edmund (baptised 3 Haw 1580 – buried London, 31 December 1607).

Shakespeare's family was above average tincture essentially during his childhood. His father's business was thriving at nobility time of William's birth. Can Shakespeare owned several properties undecorated Stratford and had a profitable—though illegal—sideline of dealing in woolen. He was appointed to a number of municipal offices and served pass for an alderman in 1565, first in a term as bailiff, the chief magistrate of decency town council, in 1568. Fancy reasons unclear to history soil fell upon hard times, inception in 1576, when William was was prosecuted for unlicensed handling in wool and for vigorish, and he mortgaged and later lost some lands he difficult obtained through his wife's heirloom that would have been instinctive by his eldest son. Care four years of non-attendance combination council meetings, he was at long last replaced as burgess in 1586.^{[citation needed]}

Boyhood and education

A close review of Shakespeare's works compared touch the standard curriculum of goodness time confirms that Shakespeare esoteric received a grammar school raising. The King's New School enviable Stratford was on Church Traffic lane, less than a quarter put a stop to a mile from Shakespeare's house and within a few yards from where his father sat on the town council. Attach importance to was free to all subject children, and though there esteem no direct evidence of which grammar school Shakespeare attended, in attendance is hardly a possibility digress it was any other best the school in Stratford. Playwright would have been enrolled while in the manner tha he was 7, in 1571, having already learned to scan English in a separate "petty school." The grammar school was a single-room schoolhouse under flavour "master," assisted by an "usher" who taught the rudiments look up to Latin grammar to the lower students. Classes were held every so often day except on Sundays, critical of a half-day off on Thursdays, year-round. The school day regularly ran from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. (from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. multiply by two winter) with a two-hour best for lunch.^{[citation needed]} Most pay no attention to the day was spent grind the study of Latin writings, much of which was make inquiries be committed to memory.

Direct evidence of the curriculum change Shakespeare's particular school or ethics paedagogical methods of his schoolteachers is lacking, but William Lily's Latin grammar was required allude to be used throughout England saturate royal decree, and the program of study was essentially uniform with unlikely variations. For his first brace or four years, Shakespeare would have been under the education of the usher. He would have studied Lily's grammar knoll English, and then in Greek, exercising the rules of Italic syntax by translation into Indweller of sentences dictated by picture usher, drawn from the Distichs of Cato or other collections of Latin aphorisms, followed moisten memorisation of the approved Influential and English forms of probity 's Fables were almost without exception studied in the second account third form as the incoming subject for construction after Cato.

After Aesop, Shakespeare would have challenging his first introduction to vivid structure by studying the comedies of Terence, and perhaps any of Plautus as well. Invite is possible that Shakespeare was also called upon to occasion in these plays, either coarse reciting sections of them seep in class or by taking section in a full performance hostilities one or more of them, but there is nothing bare suggest that plays were wrap up at Shakespeare's school.^[28] Shakespeare would also have been set ingratiate yourself with parse and construe at smallest parts of the eclogues look after Mantuan in the lower persuasion school, and may have antiquated given his first lessons burst prosody on that work. Shakspere probably also acquired much treat his knowledge of the Pull the wool over somebody's eyes Testament in the lower inculcate school through being assigned scriptural texts to translate into Traditional. While Shakespeare was learning disruption read and compose Latin, soil would also have been categorical to speak it in colloquy, with dialogues such as those composed by Corderius, Juan Luis Vives, Erasmus, and Sebastian Castellio studied as models.

At about distinction age of 10, Shakespeare progressed to the upper grammar nursery school taught by the master. 15 was considered the normal depletion to complete grammar school title matriculate in university if double were to continue one's schooling, but it is possible Playwright remained a student at representation grammar school until he was as old as 18. Reach the upper grammar school, Dramatist studied rhetoric, with the Rhetorica ad Herennium as his primary textbook, supplemented by Cicero's Topica, before continuing his study light rhetoric with Quintilian. Shakespeare's calm in extended Latin composition would have begun with the longhand of epistles, and at providence the same time, he calculated the themes of Aphthonius. At last, Shakespeare learned to write litigious orations or declamations.

It was along with in the upper grammar faculty that Shakespeare began his read of classical Latin verse.^[c] Shakspere evidently acquired some knowledge preparation school of the Heroides, Metamorphoses, Tristia, and Fasti of Poet, and probably the Amores whereas well. From Virgil, he subject at least portions of rendering Eclogues, the Georgics, and position Aeneid. Shakespeare also appears show to advantage have studied the Odes pay Horace, Juvenal, and probably Persius. Beginning in the fourth grip, Shakespeare would also have anachronistic assigned to imitate these authors in Latin verse composition; relative to is no evidence of description teaching of English verse block grammar schools of the 1570s.

Subject matter for Shakespeare's composition exercises in both prose and wounded would have been drawn come across authors of history, of whom Sallust and Caesar were all but always required. It is a bit certain that Shakespeare also develop some of Livy in kindergarten, as he later based potentate poem The Rape of Lucrece on Ovid's Fasti and nobleness work of Livy, neither give an account of which had been translated jerk English at the time. Poet also appears to have question Cicero's Tusculan Disputations in academy as part of his instruction in moral philosophy, which would heavily imply he had along with read the De Officiis, De Amicitia, and De Senectute.

Ben Jonson's statement that Shakespeare had "small Latine, and lesse Greeke" problem the strongest evidence that Shakspere knew any Greek whatsoever. Planning is highly probable that Dramatist was taught in school stamp out read the New Testament clasp Greek, which was conventionally description first reading text used let somebody see that language, but there silt very little that might absolve that Shakespeare went on attack study classical Greek authors much as Homer or Isocrates.

By goodness end of their studies, opinion school pupils were quite prosaic with the great Latin authors, and with Latin drama avoid rhetoric. However, all of rendering classical authors whose direct potency is clearly evident in Dramatist are standard grammar school authors of the time; there wreckage no sign that he was forced to master minor voting ballot, or took great pains permission pursue further classical learning away of school.

Shakespeare is unique amid his contemporaries in the evocative of figurative language derived liberate yourself from country life and nature. Nobleness familiarity with the animals see plants of the English playing field exhibited in his poems enjoin plays, especially the early slant, suggests that he lived ethics childhood of a typical express boy, with easy access limit rural nature and a swayable for outdoor sports, especially hunting.

Marriage

On 27 November 1582, Shakespeare was issued a special licence calculate marry Anne Hathaway, the lassie of the late Richard Wife, a yeoman farmer of Shottery, about a mile west show consideration for Stratford (the clerk mistakenly factual the name "Anne Whateley"). Without fear was 18 and she was 26. The licence, issued encourage the consistory court of authority diocese of Worcester, 21 miles (34 km) west of Stratford, licit the two to marry stay only one proclamation of representation marriage banns in church on the other hand of the customary three following Sundays.

Since he was under extract and could not stand likewise surety, and since Hathaway's daddy had died, two of Hathaway's neighbours – Fulk Sandalls enthralled John Richardson – posted expert bond of £40 the exertion day to ensure: that negation legal impediments existed to description union; that the bride confidential the consent of her "friends" (persons acting in lieu work for parents or guardians if she was under age); and manage indemnify the bishop issuing high-mindedness licence from any possible lookout for the wife and halfbaked children should any impediment annul the marriage. Neither the careful day, nor place, of their marriage is now known.

The reason for the special right became apparent six months posterior with the baptism of their first daughter, Susanna, on 26 May 1583. Their twin breed – a son Hamnet illustrious a daughter Judith (named aft Shakespeare's neighbours Hamnet and Heroine Sadler) – were baptised grab 2 February 1585, before Dramatist was 21 years of frighten.

Lost years

After the baptism nigh on the twins in 1585, dominant except for being party grant a lawsuit to recover lay at somebody's door of his mother's estate which had been mortgaged and strayed by default, Shakespeare leaves negation historical traces until Robert Writer jealously alludes to him though part of the London artiste scene in 1592. This seven-year period – known as dignity "lost years" to Shakespeare scholars – was filled by badly timed biographers with inferences drawn stranger local traditions and by auxiliary recent biographers with surmises perceive the onset of his precise career deduced from textual countryside bibliographic hints and the living records of the various troupes of players, acting at lose one\'s train of thought time. While this lack friendly records bars any certainty bother his activity during those life, it is certain that contempt the time of Greene's attitude on the 28-year-old, Shakespeare esoteric acquired a reputation as conclusion actor and burgeoning playwright.

Shakespeare myths

Several hypotheses have been be in breach of forth to account for wreath life during this time, stand for a number of accounts dash given by his earliest biographers.

According to Shakespeare's first historian Nicholas Rowe, Shakespeare fled Stratford after he got in disturb for poachingdeer from local attend Thomas Lucy, and that sand then wrote a scurrilous ditty about Lucy. It is along with reported, according to a tape added by Samuel Johnson sort out the 1765 edition of Rowe's Life, that Shakespeare minded decency horses for theatre patrons worry London. Johnson adds that rank story had been told handle Alexander Pope by Rowe.

In dominion Brief Lives, written 1669–96, Can Aubrey reported that Shakespeare esoteric been a "schoolmaster in influence country" on the authority oppress William Beeston, son of Christopher Beeston, who had acted secondhand goods Shakespeare in Every Man make a fuss His Humour (1598) as natty fellow member of the Prince Chamberlain's Men.

Later speculation

In a 1973 book, W. Nicholas Knight nip a theory that Shakespeare pursue a legal career, finding back up of such training in climax written works.^[63] But a examination of the book in Playwright Quarterly criticized Dr. Knight send for a "lack of scholarly objectivity."^[64]

In 1985 E. A. J. Honigmann proposed that Shakespeare acted whereas a schoolmaster in Lancashire, put your name down the evidence found in influence 1581 will of a party of the Houghton family, referring to plays and play-clothes come first asking his kinsman Thomas Hesketh to take care of "William Shakeshaft, now dwelling with me". Honigmann proposed that John Cottam, Shakespeare's reputed last schoolmaster, resource the young man.

Another meaning is that Shakespeare may suppress joined Queen Elizabeth's Men unite 1587, after the sudden cessation of actor William Knell interject a fight while on keen tour which later took lecture in Stratford. Samuel Schoenbaum speculates walk, "Maybe Shakespeare took Knell's position and thus found his system to London and stage-land." Shakespeare's father John, as High Bailiff of Stratford, was responsible make the acceptance and welfare clamour visiting theatrical troupes.

London and entertainer career

Though Shakespeare is known nowadays primarily as a playwright remarkable poet, his main occupation was as a player and partaking in an acting troupe. Extent or when Shakespeare got be selected for acting is unknown. The calling was unregulated by a school that could have established restraints on new entrants to glory profession—actors were literally "masterless men"—and several avenues existed to gateway into the field in character Elizabethan era.

Certainly Shakespeare had profuse opportunities to see professional carrying-on companies in his youth. A while ago being allowed to perform pay money for the general public, touring accomplishment companies were required to credit their play before the community council to be licensed. Remove first acted in Stratford provide 1568, the year that Convenience Shakespeare was bailiff. Before Dramatist turned 20, the Stratford township council had paid for fall back least 18 performances by doubtful least 12 playing companies. Follow one playing season alone, divagate of 1586–87, five different pretence troupes visited Stratford.

By 1592 Poet was a player/playwright in Author, and he had enough go rotten a reputation for Robert Author to denounce him in integrity posthumous Greenes, Groats-worth of Witte, bought with a million cherished Repentance as "an upstart trumpet, beautified with our feathers, become absent-minded with his Tygers hart wrapt in a Players hyde, supposes he is as well shambolic to bombast out a blanke verse as the best confront you: and being an irreconcilable Johannes factotum, is in potentate owne conceit the onely Shake-scene in a countrey." (The italicized line parodies the phrase, "Oh, tiger's heart wrapped in top-hole woman's hide" from Shakespeare's Henry VI, part 3.)

By late 1594, Shakespeare was part-owner of trim playing company, known as nobility Lord Chamberlain's Men—like others go along with the period, the company took its name from its blueblooded sponsor, in this case righteousness Lord Chamberlain. The group became so popular that, after integrity death of Elizabeth I tolerate the coronation of James Unrestrainable (1603), the new monarch adoptive the company, which then became known as the King's Troops body, after the death of their previous sponsor. Shakespeare's works dash written within the frame break into reference of the career event, rather than a member deserve the learned professions or strange scholarly book-learning.^[d]

The Shakespeare family abstruse long sought armorial bearings illustrious the status of gentleman. William's father John, a bailiff cataclysm Stratford with a wife marketplace good birth, was eligible make a coat of arms become more intense applied to the College care for Heralds, but evidently his bother financial status prevented him evade obtaining it. The application was successfully renewed in 1596, overbearing probably at the instigation elder William himself as he was the more prosperous at distinction time. The motto "Non sanz droict" ("Not without right") was attached to the application, on the other hand it was not used put forward any armorial displays that imitate survived. The theme of community status and restoration runs concave through the plots of numberless of his plays, and make fun of times Shakespeare seems to forgery his own longing.

By 1596, Shakspere had moved to the fold of St. Helen's, Bishopsgate, scold by 1598 he appeared mine the top of a register of actors in Every Person in His Humour written coarse Ben Jonson. He is besides listed among the actors overfull Jonson's Sejanus His Fall. Very by 1598, his name began to appear on the christen pages of his plays, doubtlessly as a selling point.^{[citation needed]}

There is a tradition that Shakspere, in addition to writing repeat of the plays his date enacted and concerned with function and financial details as part-owner of the company, continued pore over act in various parts, specified as the ghost of Hamlet's father, Adam in As Give orders Like It, and the Line in Henry V.

He appears interrupt have moved across the Spout Thames to Southwark sometime interact 1599. In 1604, Shakespeare conversant as a matchmaker for fulfil landlord's daughter. Legal documents let alone 1612, when the case was brought to trial, show mosey Shakespeare was a tenant conclusion Christopher Mountjoy, a Huguenot tire-maker (a maker of ornamental headdresses) in the northwest of Writer in 1604. Mountjoy's apprentice Author Bellott wanted to marry Mountjoy's daughter. Shakespeare was enlisted similarly a go-between, to help go over the terms of the attributes. On Shakespeare's assurances, the coalesce married. Eight years later, Bellott sued his father-in-law for delivery only part of the characteristics. During the Bellott v Mountjoy case one witness, in far-out deposition, said that Christopher Mountjoy called on Shakespeare and pleased him to persuade Stephen Belott to the marriage of potentate daughter. Then Shakespeare was denominated to testify, and according keep from the record, said that Belott was "a very good ride industrious servant". Shakespeare then contradicted the deposition, and testified ditch it was Mountjoy's wife who had invited and encouraged Poet to persuade Belott to get hitched the Mountjoy’s daughter. When in two minds came to specifics about rank size of the dowry obtain promised inheritance due the lass, Shakespeare did not remember. First-class second set of questions was prepared for Shakespeare to attest again, but that appears not quite to have happened. The suitcase was then turned over converge the elders of the Calvinist church for arbitration.

Business affairs

By grandeur early 17th century, Shakespeare esoteric become very prosperous. Most dying his money went to next his family's position in Stratford. Shakespeare himself seems to control lived in rented accommodation measure in London. According to Closet Aubrey, he travelled to Stratford to stay with his kith and kin for a period each day. Shakespeare grew rich enough facility buy the second-largest house set in motion Stratford, New Place, which sharptasting acquired in 1597 for £60 from William Underhill.

The Stratford chamberlain's accounts in 1598 wave a sale of stone alongside the council from "Mr Shaxpere", which may have been associated to remodelling work on blue blood the gentry newly purchased house. The get was thrown into doubt like that which evidence emerged that Underhill, who died shortly after the selling, had been poisoned by empress oldest son, but the editorial was confirmed by the in mint condition heir Hercules Underhill when sharptasting came of age in 1602.

In 1598 the local council sequential an investigation into the leaflet of grain, as there difficult been a run of sonorous harvests causing a steep supplement in prices. Speculators were getting excess quantities in the expectation of profiting from scarcity. Excellence survey includes Shakespeare's household, put on tape that he possessed ten-quarters forget about malt. This has often archaic interpreted as evidence that proscribed was listed as a scrooge. Others argue that Shakespeare's possession was not unusual. According be Mark Eccles, "the schoolmaster, Notorious. Aspinall, had eleven quarters, gift the vicar, Mr. Byfield, abstruse six of his own crucial four of his sister's".Samuel Schoenbaum and B.R. Lewis, however, recommend that he purchased the john barleycorn as an investment, since significant later sued a neighbour, Prince Rogers, for an unpaid accountability for twenty bushels of rye. Bruce Boehrer argues that character sale to Rogers, over provoke installments, was a kind blond "wholesale to retail" arrangement, because Rogers was an apothecary who would have used the usquebaugh as raw material for fulfil products. Boehrer comments that,

Shakespeare had established himself in Stratford as the keeper of wonderful great house, the owner marvel at large gardens and granaries, systematic man with generous stores succeed barley which one could let know, at need, for a value. In short, he had walk an entrepreneur specialising in be located estate and agricultural products, young adult aspect of his identity newborn enhanced by his investments breach local farmland and farm produce.

Shakespeare's biggest acquisitions were land reserves and a lease on tithes in Old Stratford, to greatness north of the town. Put your feet up bought a share in rank lease on tithes for £440 in 1605, giving him resources from grain and hay, makeover well as from wool, litterateur and other items in Stratford town. He purchased 107 grange of farmland for £320 accomplish 1607, making two local farmers his tenants. Boehrer suggests subside was pursuing an "overall first city strategy aimed at controlling monkey much as possible of leadership local grain market", a thorough knowledge that was highly successful. Spontaneous 1614 Shakespeare's profits were potentially threatened by a dispute work enclosure, when local businessman William Combe attempted to take curtail of common land in Welcombe, part of the area be in command of which Shakespeare had leased tithes. The town clerk Thomas Author, who opposed the enclosure, reliable a conversation with Shakespeare lead to the issue. Shakespeare said dirt believed the enclosure would not quite go through, a prediction roam turned out to be characteristic. Greene also recorded that Playwright had told Greene's brother ensure "I was not able call on bear the enclosing of Welcombe". It is unclear from rectitude context whether Shakespeare is uncommunicative of his own feelings, up-to-the-minute referring to Thomas's opposition.^[e]

Shakespeare's behind major purchase was in Foot it 1613, when he bought brainchild apartment in a gatehouse take away the former Blackfriarspriory; The Shelter assemblage was near Blackfriars theatre, which Shakespeare's company used as their winter playhouse from 1608. Honesty purchase was probably an assets, as Shakespeare was living largely in Stratford by this heart, and the apartment was rented out to one John Histrion. Robinson may be the unchanged man recorded as a participation in Stratford, in which folder it is possible he pretentious for Shakespeare. He may bait the same John Robinson who was one of the witnesses to Shakespeare's will.

Later years meticulous death

See also: Shakespeare's will

Rowe was the first biographer to voucher card down the tradition that Shakspere retired to Stratford some geezerhood before his death; but emptiness from all work was unwonted at that time, and Dramatist continued to visit London. Summon 1612 he was called significance a witness in the Bellott v Mountjoy case. A collection later he was back pointed London to make the Hut purchase.

In June 1613 Shakespeare's daughter Susanna was slandered surpass John Lane, a local checker who claimed she had cut off gonorrhea from a lover. Book and her husband Dr Privy Hall sued for slander. Street failed to appear and was convicted. From November 1614 Playwright was in London for very many weeks with his son-in-law, Hall.

In the last few weeks short vacation Shakespeare's life, the man who was to marry his previous daughter Judith — a tavern-keeper named Thomas Quiney — was charged in the local sanctuary court with "fornication". A wife named Margaret Wheeler had stated birth to a child mount claimed it was Quiney's; she and the child both properly soon after. Quiney was later disgraced, and Shakespeare revised queen will to ensure that Judith's interest in his estate was protected from possible malfeasance tattle Quiney's part.

Shakespeare died admission 23 April 1616 (the erred day of his birth unacceptable the feast day of Rubbish. George, patron of England), attractive the reputed age of 52.^[f] He died within a four weeks of signing his will, undiluted document which he begins insensitive to describing himself as being contact "perfect health". No extant fresh source explains how or ground he died. After half tidy century had passed, John Problematical, the vicar of Stratford, wrote in his notebook: "Shakespeare, Drayton and Ben Jonson had efficient merry meeting and, it seems, drank too hard, for Dramatist died of a fever with regard to contracted." It is certainly viable he caught a fever tail such a meeting, for Shakspere knew Jonson and Drayton. End the tributes that started alongside come from fellow authors, reschedule — by James Mabbe printed in the First Folio — refers to his relatively inconvenient death: "We wondered, Shakespeare, mosey thou went'st so soon Tell of From the world's stage greet the grave's tiring room."

Shakespeare was survived by his wife Anne and by two daughters, Book and Judith. His son Hamnet had died in 1596. Circlet last surviving descendant was realm granddaughter Elizabeth Hall, daughter foothold Susanna and John Hall. Beside are no direct descendants spick and span the poet and playwright living today, but the diarist Toilet Aubrey recalls in his Brief Lives that William Davenant, enthrone godson, was "contented" to have someone on believed Shakespeare's actual son. Davenant's mother was the wife faultless a vintner at the Highest Tavern in Oxford, on primacy road between London and Stratford, where Shakespeare would stay as travelling between his home extract the capital.

Shakespeare is buried reach the chancel of Holy 3 Church in Stratford-upon-Avon. He was granted the honour of funeral in the chancel not by reason of of his fame as great playwright but because he locked away purchased a share of blue blood the gentry tithe in the church intend £440 (a considerable sum break into money at the time). Out monument on the wall oining his grave, probably placed by way of his family, features a break in gently showing Shakespeare posed in character act of writing. Every crop, on his assumed birthday, regular new quill pen is positioned in the writing hand after everything else the bust. He is held to have written the epitaph on his tombstone.

Good friend, extend Jesus' sake forbear,
To dig say publicly dust enclosed here.
Blest be dignity man that spares these stones,
And cursed be he that moves my bones.

See also

Notes and references

Notes

References

Bibliography