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William Shakespeare's youth

William Shakespeare was born to John Shakespeare and mother Mary Arden some time in late April 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon.

There is no record of his birth, but his baptism was recorded by the church on April 26 , so his birthday is assumed to be on April 23.

 

His father was a prominent and prosperous alderman in the town of Stratford-upon-Avon, and will be later granted a coat of arms by the College of Heralds.

 

Shakespeare's mother, Mary Arden, came from an ancient family of landed gentry.

 

The whole family was Anglican. The family's financial situation was well off.

All that is known of Shakespeare's youth is that he presumably attended the Stratford Grammar School, and did not proceed to Oxford or Cambridge.

 

 

Shakespeare was married to Anne Hathaway in 1582, when he was 18. She was 26, eight years his senior.

The exact wedding date is uncertain, but the marriage certificate was issued on November 27,1582.

 

Anne was the daughter of a respected  farmer.

The next year she bore a daughter for him, Susanna, followed by the twins Judith and Hamnet two years later.

 

Most historians believe that Shakespeare was not often around his family in Stratford after that because historical records show him in London during the following years.

 

William Shakespeare and theatre

Shakespeare's first exposure to the theatre probably occurred when he was young. As a child his father probably took him to see plays when travelling troupes of actors came to town, although that was not often.

 

The first written reference to Shakespeare's existence in London occurred in 1592, when Shakespeare was in his late twenties. He became to be  recognize as an actor, poet, and playwright.

A few years later he joined "The Lord Chamberlain's Men" , an acting company which was protected by the Queen.

When, in 1599, the troupe lost the lease of the theatre where they performed (appropriately called "The Theatre"), they were wealthy enough to build their own theatre across the Thames, south of London, which they called "The Globe."

The new theatre opened in July of 1599.

When James I came to the throne (1603) the troupe was designated by the new king as the "King's Men" (or "King's Company").

Shakespeare entertained the King and the people for another ten years until June 19, 1613, when a canon fired from the roof of the theatre for a gala performance of Henry VIII set fire to the thatch roof and burned the theatre to the ground.

 

After that, he retired from the stage to the Great House of New Place in Statford that he had purchased in 1597, and some considerable land holdings ,where he continued to write until his death in 1616 on the day of his 52nd birthday.
 

He is buried in Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon.

 

Though Shakespeare is most closely associated with the Elizabethan period, his career can be categorized as both Elizabethan and Jacobean, as several works were completed after James I became king in 1603.

 

Among William Shakespeare's famous works..