a biography on william shakespeare

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William Shakespeare

By: History.com Editors

Updated: June 7, 2019 | Original: October 3, 2011

Considered the greatest English-speaking writer in history and known as England’s national poet, William Shakespeare (1564-1616) has had more theatrical works performed than any other playwright. To this day, countless theater festivals around the world honor his work, students memorize his eloquent poems and scholars reinterpret the million words of text he composed. They also hunt for clues about the life of the man who inspires such “bardolatry” (as George Bernard Shaw derisively called it), much of which remains shrouded in mystery. Born into a family of modest means in Elizabethan England, the “Bard of Avon” wrote at least 37 plays and a collection of sonnets, established the legendary Globe theater and helped transform the English language.

Shakespeare’s Childhood and Family Life

William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, a bustling market town 100 miles northwest of London, and baptized there on April 26, 1564. His birthday is traditionally celebrated on April 23, which was the date of his death in 1616 and is the feast day of St. George, the patron saint of England. Shakespeare’s father, John, dabbled in farming, wood trading, tanning, leatherwork, money lending and other occupations; he also held a series of municipal positions before falling into debt in the late 1580s. The ambitious son of a tenant farmer, John boosted his social status by marrying Mary Arden, the daughter of an aristocratic landowner. Like John, she may have been a practicing Catholic at a time when those who rejected the newly established Church of England faced persecution.

Did you know? Sources from William Shakespeare's lifetime spell his last name in more than 80 different ways, ranging from “Shappere” to “Shaxberd.” In the handful of signatures that have survived, he himself never spelled his name “William Shakespeare,” using variations such as “Willm Shakspere” and “William Shakspeare” instead.

William was the third of eight Shakespeare children, of whom three died in childhood. Though no records of his education survive, it is likely that he attended the well-regarded local grammar school, where he would have studied Latin grammar and classics. It is unknown whether he completed his studies or abandoned them as an adolescent to apprentice with his father.

At 18 Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway (1556-1616), a woman eight years his senior, in a ceremony thought to have been hastily arranged due to her pregnancy. A daughter, Susanna, was born less than seven months later in May 1583. Twins Hamnet and Judith followed in February 1585. Susanna and Judith would live to old age, while Hamnet, Shakespeare’s only son, died at 11. As for William and Anne, it is believed that the couple lived apart for most of the year while the bard pursued his writing and theater career in London. It was not until the end of his life that Shakespeare moved back in with Anne in their Stratford home.

Shakespeare’s Lost Years and Early Career

To the dismay of his biographers, Shakespeare disappears from the historical record between 1585, when his twins’ baptism was recorded, and 1592, when the playwright Robert Greene denounced him in a pamphlet as an “upstart crow” (evidence that he had already made a name for himself on the London stage). What did the newly married father and future literary icon do during those seven “lost” years? Historians have speculated that he worked as a schoolteacher, studied law, traveled across continental Europe or joined an acting troupe that was passing through Stratford. According to one 17th-century account, he fled his hometown after poaching deer from a local politician’s estate.

Whatever the answer, by 1592 Shakespeare had begun working as an actor, penned several plays and spent enough time in London to write about its geography, culture and diverse personalities with great authority. Even his earliest works evince knowledge of European affairs and foreign countries, familiarity with the royal court and general erudition that might seem unattainable to a young man raised in the provinces by parents who were probably illiterate. For this reason, some theorists have suggested that one or several authors wishing to conceal their true identity used the person of William Shakespeare as a front. (Most scholars and literary historians dismiss this hypothesis, although many suspect Shakespeare sometimes collaborated with other playwrights.)

Shakespeare’s Plays and Poems

Shakespeare’s first plays, believed to have been written before or around 1592, encompass all three of the main dramatic genres in the bard’s oeuvre: tragedy (“Titus Andronicus”); comedy (“The Two Gentlemen of Verona,” “The Comedy of Errors” and “The Taming of the Shrew”); and history (the “Henry VI” trilogy and “Richard III”). Shakespeare was likely affiliated with several different theater companies when these early works debuted on the London stage. In 1594 he began writing and acting for a troupe known as the Lord Chamberlain’s Men (renamed the King’s Men when James I appointed himself its patron), ultimately becoming its house playwright and partnering with other members to establish the legendary Globe theater in 1599.

Between the mid-1590s and his retirement around 1612, Shakespeare penned the most famous of his 37-plus plays, including “Romeo and Juliet,” “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” “Hamlet,” “King Lear,” “Macbeth” and “The Tempest.” As a dramatist, he is known for his frequent use of iambic pentameter, meditative soliloquies (such as Hamlet’s ubiquitous “To be, or not to be” speech) and ingenious wordplay. His works weave together and reinvent theatrical conventions dating back to ancient Greece, featuring assorted casts of characters with complex psyches and profoundly human interpersonal conflicts. Some of his plays—notably “All’s Well That Ends Well,” “Measure for Measure” and “Troilus and Cressida”—are characterized by moral ambiguity and jarring shifts in tone, defying, much like life itself, classification as purely tragic or comic.

Also remembered for his non-dramatic contributions, Shakespeare published his first narrative poem—the erotic “Venus and Adonis,” intriguingly dedicated to his close friend Henry Wriothesley, Earl of Southampton—while London theaters were closed due to a plague outbreak in 1593. The many reprints of this piece and a second poem, “The Rape of Lucrece,” hint that during his lifetime the bard was chiefly renowned for his poetry. Shakespeare’s famed collection of sonnets, which address themes ranging from love and sensuality to truth and beauty, was printed in 1609, possibly without its writer’s consent. (It has been suggested that he intended them for his intimate circle only, not the general public.) Perhaps because of their explicit sexual references or dark emotional character, the sonnets did not enjoy the same success as Shakespeare’s earlier lyrical works.

Shakespeare’s Death and Legacy

Shakespeare died at age 52 of unknown causes on April 23, 1616, leaving the bulk of his estate to his daughter Susanna. (Anne Hathaway, who outlived her husband by seven years, famously received his “second-best bed.”) The slabstone over Shakespeare’s tomb, located inside a Stratford church, bears an epitaph—written, some say, by the bard himself—warding off grave robbers with a curse: “Blessed be the man that spares these stones, / And cursed be he that moves my bones.” His remains have yet to be disturbed, despite requests by archaeologists keen to reveal what killed him.

In 1623, two of Shakespeare’s former colleagues published a collection of his plays, commonly known as the First Folio. In its preface, the dramatist Ben Jonson wrote of his late contemporary, “He was not of an age, but for all time.” Indeed, Shakespeare’s plays continue to grace stages and resonate with audiences around the world, and have yielded a vast array of film, television and theatrical adaptations. Furthermore, Shakespeare is believed to have influenced the English language more than any other writer in history, coining—or, at the very least, popularizing—terms and phrases that still regularly crop up in everyday conversation. Examples include the words “fashionable” (“Troilus and Cressida”), “sanctimonious” (“Measure for Measure”), “eyeball” (“A Midsummer Night’s Dream”) and “lackluster” (“As You Like It”); and the expressions “foregone conclusion” (“Othello”), “in a pickle” (“The Tempest”), “wild goose chase” (“Romeo and Juliet”) and “one fell swoop” (“Macbeth”).

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Shakespeare's life.

19th-century portrait of Shakespeare with his family at home in Stratford

William Shakespeare: A biography

Since William Shakespeare lived more than 400 years ago, and many records from that time are lost or never existed in the first place, we don’t know everything about Shakespeare’s life. For example, we know that he was baptized in Stratford-upon-Avon, 100 miles northwest of London, on April 26, 1564. But we don’t know his exact birthdate, which must have been a few days earlier.

We do know that Shakespeare’s life revolved around two locations: Stratford and London. He grew up, had a family, and bought property in Stratford, but he worked in London, the center of English theater. As an actor, a playwright, and a partner in a leading acting company, he became both prosperous and well-known. Even without knowing everything about his life, fans of Shakespeare have imagined and reimagined him according to their own tastes.

Looking for more in-depth information? Need something you can cite? Read an essay about Shakespeare’s life from the Folger Shakespeare Editions. Read essay

Primary sources

Visit Shakespeare Documented to see primary-source materials documenting Shakespeare’s life. This online resource of items from the Folger and other institutions brings together all known manuscript and print references to Shakespeare and his works, as well as additional references to his family, in his lifetime and shortly thereafter.

Early life: Birth and childhood

William Shakespeare was probably born on about April 23, 1564, the date that is traditionally given for his birth. He was John and Mary Shakespeare’s oldest surviving child; their first two children, both girls, did not live beyond infancy. Growing up as the big brother of the family, William had three younger brothers, Gilbert, Richard, and Edmund, and two younger sisters: Anne, who died at seven, and Joan.

Their father, John Shakespeare, was a leatherworker who specialized in the soft white leather used for gloves and similar items. A prosperous businessman, he married Mary Arden, of the prominent Arden family. John rose through local offices in Stratford, becoming an alderman and eventually, when William was five, the town bailiff—much like a mayor. Not long after that, however, John Shakespeare stepped back from public life; we don’t know why.

Shakespeare, as the son of a leading Stratford citizen, almost certainly attended Stratford’s grammar school. Like all such schools, its curriculum consisted of an intense emphasis on the Latin classics, including memorization, writing, and acting classic Latin plays. Shakespeare most likely attended until about age 15.

A horn book in the Folger collection, similar to one that Shakespeare might have learned to read from

Marriage (to Anne Hathaway) and children

A few years after he left school, in late 1582, William Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway. She was already expecting their first-born child, Susanna, which was a fairly common situation at the time. When they married, Anne was 26 and William was 18. Anne grew up just outside Stratford in the village of Shottery. After marrying, she spent the rest of her life in Stratford.

In early 1585, the couple had twins, Judith and Hamnet, completing the family. In the years ahead, Anne and the children lived in Stratford while Shakespeare worked in London, although we don’t know when he moved there. Some later observers have suggested that this separation, and the couple’s relatively few children, were signs of a strained marriage, but we do not know that, either. Someone pursuing a theater career had no choice but to work in London, and many branches of the Shakespeares had small families.

Shakespeare’s only son, Hamnet, died in 1596 at the age of 11. His older daughter Susanna later married a well-to-do Stratford doctor, John Hall. Their daughter Elizabeth, Shakespeare’s first grandchild, was born in 1608. In 1616, just months before his death, Shakespeare’s daughter Judith married Thomas Quiney, a Stratford vintner. The family subsequently died out, leaving no direct descendants of Shakespeare.

London theater

For several years after the birth of Judith and Hamnet in 1585, nothing is known for certain of Shakespeare’s activities: how he earned a living, when he moved from Stratford, or how he got his start in the theater.

Following this gap in the record, the first definite mention of Shakespeare is in 1592 as an established London actor and playwright, mocked by a contemporary as a “Shake-scene.” The same writer alludes to one of Shakespeare’s earliest history plays, Henry VI, Part 3 , which must already have been performed. The next year, in 1593, Shakespeare published a long poem, Venus and Adonis . The first quarto editions of his early plays appeared in 1594.

For more than two decades, Shakespeare had multiple roles in the London theater as an actor, playwright, and, in time, a business partner in a major acting company, the Lord Chamberlain’s Men (renamed the King’s Men in 1603). Over the years, he became steadily more famous in the London theater world; his name, which was not even listed on the first quartos of his plays, became a regular feature—clearly a selling point—on later title pages.

Final years and death

Shakespeare prospered financially from his partnership in the Lord Chamberlain’s Men (later the King’s Men), as well as from his writing and acting. He invested much of his wealth in real-estate purchases in Stratford and bought the second-largest house in town, New Place, in 1597.

Among the last plays that Shakespeare worked on was The Two Noble Kinsmen , which he wrote with a frequent collaborator, John Fletcher, most likely in 1613. He died on April 23, 1616—the traditional date of his birthday, though his precise birthdate is unknown. We also do not know the cause of his death. His brother-in-law had died a week earlier, which could imply infectious disease, but Shakespeare’s health may have had a longer decline.

The memorial bust of Shakespeare at Holy Trinity Church in Stratford is considered one of two authentic likenesses, because it was approved by people who knew him. The other such likeness is the engraving by Martin Droeshout in the 1623 First Folio edition of Shakespeare’s plays, produced seven years after his death by his friends and colleagues from the King’s Men.

View a timeline of Shakespeare’s life with links to key supporting documents on Shakespeare Documented .

View timeline

The bust of Shakespeare in the Folger Reading Room is a copy of the statue at Holy Trinity Church in Stratford.

Frequently asked questions

Why did shakespeare leave his wife his “second best bed”.

William Shakespeare wrote in his last will and testament, dated March 25, 1616, “Item I gyve unto my wife my second best bed with the furniture” (furniture is used to refer to the curtains and bedcover which formed part of the complete bed).

This was not an unusual bequest, nor was it likely to have been intended as a snub. The best bed was usually regarded as an heirloom piece, to be passed to the heir rather than the spouse. It is also probable that the best bed would have been reserved for guests, meaning the “second best” was the bed that William and Anne shared.

What did Shakespeare’s son die of?

We don’t really know how Shakespeare’s young son Hamnet died. He had a twin sister named Judith, who lived to adulthood and married, but Hamnet died at the age of 11 and a half. Child mortality was high in the 16th century; there were no antibiotics and many childhood diseases might therefore prove fatal, such as scarlet fever, whooping cough, diphtheria, and even measles. He was buried on August 11, 1596.

What is the inscription on Shakespeare’s grave?

GOOD FREND FOR JESUS SAKE FORBEARE, TO DIGG THE DUST ENCLOASED HEARE: BLESTE BE Ye [the] MAN Yt [that] SPARES THES STONES, AND CURST BE HE Yt [that] MOVES MY BONES.

Did Shakespeare have a coat of arms?

Yes, William’s father, John Shakespeare, was granted a coat of arms in 1596. It was disputed in 1602 by York Herald, Ralph Brooke, saying that the arms were too similar to existing coats of arms, and that the family was unworthy. However, the challenge was unsuccessful, as the Shakespeare coat of arms appears in later heraldic collections and on William Shakespeare’s funeral monument in Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon.

Does Shakespeare have descendants?

William Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway had three children. The eldest, Susanna, was baptized on May 26, 1583, and married John Hall in 1607. They had one child, Elizabeth, in 1608. Elizabeth was married twice, to Thomas Nash in 1626, and to John Bernard in 1649. However, she had no children by either husband.

William and Anne also had twins, Judith and Hamnet, who were baptized on February 2, 1585. Hamnet died at age 11 and a half. Judith married Thomas Quiney in 1616, and the couple had three sons: Shakespeare Quiney, who died in infancy, and Richard and Thomas, who both died in 1639 within a month of each other. Since neither of the boys married, there is no possibility of any legitimate descendants from Shakespeare’s line.

It is possible, however, to claim a relationship to Shakespeare through his sister, Joan. She married William Hart some time before 1600, and there are many descendants of this marriage alive today, in both the male and female lines.

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William Shakespeare

Meet the man behind the works, william shakespeare biography.

Explore the life of the renowned English poet, playwright, and actor.

Shakespeare's Life: A Timeline

When was shakespeare born.

William Shakespeare's birthday is most commonly celebrated on 23 April.

The Authorship Question

Who wrote the plays of William Shakespeare?

Shakespeare's Family

An introduction to William Shakespeare's immediate family.

Shakespeare's School

Find out what we know about Shakespeare's school and how else he may have been educated.

Wedding and Marriage

Shakespeare coat of arms.

Find out what Shakespeare's coat of arms looks like

Shakespeare's Career

Read about William Shakespeare's early career as he built his reputation in London.

Shakespeare and Stratford

William Shakespeare's relationship with his home town of Stratford-upon-Avon

How did Shakespeare Die?

Learn about the circumstances of Shakespeare's death and the curse on his gravestone

Shakespeare's Birthplace

Anne hathaway's cottage, shakespeare's new place.

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William Shakespeare Biography

This page offers a complete biography of Shakespeare, from birth to death. Read the whole William Shakespeare biography , or skip to the section of Shakespeare’s life you’re most interested in:

Shakespeare’s Birth and Family Shakespeare’s Childhood & Education Shakespeare’s Marriage & Children Shakespeare’s Lost Years Shakespeare’s London Years Shakespeare’s Retirement Shakespeare’s Death

A Very Brief William Shakespeare Biography

• Parents: John Shakespeare & Mary Shakespeare (nee Arden).
• Date of Birth: Generally accepted as 23rd April 1564. Shakespeare was baptised on 26th April, 1564.
• Wife: Anne Hathaway (married 1582).
• Children : Susanna (born 1583), Hamnet and Judith (twins, born 1585).
• Resided: Born and raised in Stratford-Upon-Avon. Prime working years spent away from family in London. Returned to family in Stratford-Upon-Avon upon retirement.
• Career: Writer, actor, theatre owner and producer.
• Body of Work : 37 plays. 149 sonnets. 2 long narrative poems.
• Died: 23 April 1616, aged 52. Buried at Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon . Read 50 fun facts about Shakespeare

The Chandos portrait of William Shakespeare

Shakespeare’s Birth and Family

Shakespeare was the third of the eight children born to John and Mary Shakespeare of Stratford-upon-Avon on April 23rd 1564.

John Shakespeare ran his own business as a glove maker and a wool dealer. He held local public positions and was a bailiff (like a mayor) in the town council. After 1567 it is alleged that he was in financial difficulties. In 1557 John married Mary Arden who had no formal education at all.  John and Mary had lost two daughters prior to William’s birth, leaving him as their oldest surviving child. William’s younger siblings were Gilbert (born in 1566), Joan (1569), Anne (1571), Richard (1574) and Edmund (1580). Anne died at the age of eight, but William’s four other younger siblings lived into adulthoods.

Shakespeare’s family lived in a townhouse on Henley Street in the centre of Stratford-Upon-Avon. John used one of his downstairs rooms as a workshop for his glove business, displaying his gloves on his house windowsill for passers-by to peruse and buy. Read more about Shakespeare’s birthplace .

Shakespeare’s family home on Henley Street, Stratford-upon-Avon

Shakespeare’s Childhood and Education

During Shakespeare’s time it was typical for boys to start their education at grammar school at seven and be taught a curriculum with Latin at is centre. Children would be expected to learn long passages of prose and poetry. In addition, children were drilled in grammar, logic, rhetoric, arithmetic and astronomy. Children of public officials received free tuition. Girls did not receive a school education.

It is likely that William lived with his family and was taught according to the above principles at his local grammar school. This was called The King’s New School , and was just a five-minute walk from his home on Henley Street. When William was fourteen his father lost his public position, so it’s  probable that William left school and joined his father in business, making and selling gloves. There is no record of Shakespeare going to university. His contemporary Christopher Marlowe did go to Cambridge, but most playwrights, including Ben Johnson , did not.

To get a feel for Shakespeare’s childhood it’s interesting to note that when Shakespeare was a child water was not clean enough to drink. Attitudes towards hygiene differed hugley to our modern understanding of cleanliness., and tt’s believed that in Tudor times bathing occurred only once a year – probably in May. After the water had been fetched it would be boiled and poured into a large barrel or tub. The father bathed first, followed by any other men who lived in the house, then the women, and finally the children, in order of their age. Talking of such issues, the toilet facilities were quite basic with a simple pewter chamber-pot (a wide jug with a handle) serving as a toilet to be used indoors. Outside, garden privies would consist of a wooden seat with a hole cut in it, sitting over a cess-pit or open sewer.

Read more about Shakespeare’s early childhood >>

Read more about Shakespeare’s teen & school years >>

Shakespeare’s likely classroom at The King’s New School

Shakespeare’s Marriage and Children

Parish records show that when Shakespeare was 18 years old he married Anne Hathaway, a 26 year old, wealthy farmer’s daughter , in Canterbury Province, Worcester.

Anne was three months pregnant when they married, with their first daughter, Susanna, born on the 26th May 1583. William and Anne went on to have twins Hamnet (a boy) and Judith (a girl), born on the 2nd February 1585. Hamnet died of unknown causes at 11 years old, but William’s daughters and wife outlived him. Judith went on to marry Thomas Quinney in 1616 and had three sons: Shakespeare, Richard, and Thomas. Shakespeare died in infancy and Richard and Thomas both died bachelors in 1639 leaving behind no legitimate descendants. There are legitimate descendants stemming from Shakespeare’s sister Joan who married William Hart some time before 1600.

Portrait of Anne Hathaway, Shakespeare’s wife

Shakespeare’s Lost Years

The seven year period after the birth of Hamnet and Judith is known as Shakespeare’s ‘lost years’ as there are no recordings about him, other than one mention of him visiting London in 1616 to see his son-in-law, John Hall.

Speculation about this time is rife. One prominent speculative theory is that Shakespeare fled from Stratford to avoid prosecution as a poacher. This theory could explain why he left his wife and children in Stratford and reappeared 90 miles away in London. Other theories are that Shakespeare toured with an acting troupe possibly in Italy. This latter theory is given weight as 14 plus of his plays include Italian settings, and a 16th Century guest book in Rome signed by pilgrims includes three cryptic signings that some attribute to Shakespeare. This is not a watertight argument though because Italian literature would have been widely read at the time. In addition, there is speculation that Shakespeare met John Florio , an apostle of Italian culture in England and tutor to Shakespeare’s patron; Henry Wriothesley, the Earl of Southampton . The possibility that Shakespeare was a soldier has also been debated widely but there is no proof to support this claim.

The truth is though that no one actually knows where Shakespeare lived or worked. What historians are certain of is that during this time Shakespeare left behind the image of a country youth and re-emerged as a playwright and businessman, so at some point during this time he learned his trade as a writer in London.

Shakespeare in London

The late sixteenth century and early seventeenth century is referred to as the golden age of English drama, due to the popularity of theatre, and volume of plays produced at that time. There was fierce competition among the twenty or so theatres in London, keeping scores of writers busy churning out new plays. Shakespeare became one of those writers, though we are not sure exactly how this occurred.

It seems that Shakespeare did not maintain a London household, but lived in several lodgings with landlords and other lodgers during his London years. He was always within walking distance of the theatre zone, so we can imagine him walking to work every day.

By the early 1590s, court records show Shakespeare was living somewhere in Bishopsgate, London. By then he had written Two Gentlemen of Verona , Love’s Labours Lost and A Midsummer Night’s Dream , Romeo and Julie t, Richard II , and The Merchant of Venice . He seems to have been interested in writing poems: in addition to his day job of writing plays – he also wrote his two long poems, Venus and Adonis and The Rape of Lucrece . Not only that, but this is the period when he started work on his sonnets .

In 1595 documents show that Shakespeare was a shareholder in the Lord Chamberlain’s Men , along with William Kempe and Richard Burbage . Shakespeare was involved with this company of actors in London for most of his career, as actor, producer, theatre owner and, of course, a very popular playwright.

It’s evident that Shakespeare was earning good money from his theatre business, as civil records show that in 1597 he bought New Place, one of Stratford’s biggest houses, and moved his family into it. In this same year, his son Hamnet died of unknown causes, aged eleven.

By 1599 Shakespeare was living in Bankside, on the south side of The Thames near the infamous Clink Prison. It was in this area Shakespeare and his business partners Kempe and Burbage built their own theater on the south bank of The Thames river, which they called the Globe Theater . and tt’s likely Shakespeare moved to Bankside to be near to the building site. Shakespeare’s playwriting would have been a necessity to provide material to fill his company’s new theatre every day. Between 1599 and 1604 he wrote at least seven plays, including Henry IV Parts 1 and 2 , The Merry Wives of Windsor , As You Like It , Much Ado About Nothing , Henry V and Julius Caesar .

Records show that in 1604 Shakespeare moved back to the City of London and rented a room in the house in Cripplegate, near St Paul’s Cathedral. In 1605, Shakespeare purchased leases of real estate near Stratford for 440 pounds, which doubled in value and earned him an income of 60 pounds a year. This made him an entrepreneur as well as an artist, and scholars believe these investments gave him the time to write his plays uninterrupted.

Shakespeare lived in Cripplegate for about eight years writing many plays, including Twelfth Night , Hamlet , Troilus and Cressida , Alls Well That Ends Well , Measure for Measure , Othello , King Lear , Macbeth , Antony and Cleopatra , Coriolanus , Timon of Athens , Pericles , Cymbeline , The Winter’s Tale , and The Tempest .

In 1607 his older daughter, Susanna, married and his mother died the following year. His sonnets were published in 1609.

It was a four-day ride by horse from Stratford to London, so it’s believed that Shakespeare spent all of his time in London writing and acting except for the 40-day Lenten period when theatres were closed when he travelled back to stay in Stratford-upon-Avon.

A map of London in Shakespeare’s time

Shakespeare’s Retirement

After a glittering career as an actor, playwright, and theatre proprietor in London, Shakespeare ‘retired’ to Stratford sometime after 1611 whilst in his late 40s. He rejoined his wife and two surviving children. By this time he also had a granddaughter, Elizabeth, daughter of Judith.

Retirement for Shakespeare was not a matter of sitting around in slippers and letting the world pass him by. He had a portfolio of properties and many business interests, including some in the corn and malt trades. He also continued to make the occasional long journey to London. Before leaving London Shakespeare had built up a selection of plays that hadn’t yet been performed. These included The Winter’s Tale, Macbeth, The Tempest, and Cymbeline. It is likely that he visited London for some of these first performances, most probably those of The Tempest and The Winter’s Tale, which were performed to King James.

On June 29th, 1613 Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre was burnt down. It is likely that this event meant more time spent in London for Shakespeare. Shakespeare was definitely in Westminster on 11th May 1612 where he appeared as a witness in the case of Bellot v. Mountjoy . At one time Shakespeare had been a lodger in Christopher Mountjoy’s house in Cripplegate, and now Mountjoy was being sued by his son-in-law, Stephen Bellott for defaulting on a promised marriage settlement. Shakespeare had been involved in the dowry negotiations and so was called to give evidence in the case.

Shakespeare enjoyed visits from his many friends in the world of theatre, arts, and letters to his home in Stratford-upon-Avon. He continued to collaborate with younger playwrights , participating in the writing of Henry VIII , Two Noble Kinsmen , and also the lost play, Cardenio , with his friend John Webster .

Shakespeare’s Death

We aren’t sure of the exact date of his death but it is assumed, from a record of his burial two days later at Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-Upon-Avon that he died on his 52nd birthday on 23rd April 1616. His gravestone remains there and bears the following engraving:

Good frend for Jesus sake forbeare To digg the dust enclosed heare; Blese be ye man yt spares these stones And curst be he yt moves my bones

It is believed that Shakespeare’s death occurred in New House, where he would have been attended by his son-in-law, Dr John Hall, the local physician.

Most historians agree that in the 17th Century Stratford-Upon-Avon had a reputation for scandalous stories and rumours with no basis in fact. This means that we must be cautious in believing for certain the commonly held theory about the cause of Shakespeare’s death:

in 1661, many years after Shakespeare’s death John Ward, the vicar of Holy Trinity Church noted in his diary : “Shakespeare, Drayton, and Ben Jonson had a merry meeting, and it seems drank too hard; for Shakespeare died of a fever there contracted.” It is therefore often stated that Shakespeare died from a fever after a drinking binge with fellow playwrights Ben Jonson and Michael Drayton . There are other reports that Michael Drayton and Ben Johnson visited Shakespeare a week before he died and spent the evening eating and drinking together.

This may be true, but there is a further theory that Shakespeare was sick for over a month before he died. The evidence comes from the fact that on 25th March 1616 (just 4 weeks before his death) Shakespeare dictated his will – in keeping with the 17th Century tradition of drawing up wills on one’s deathbed. This points to the fact that Shakespeare was aware his life was coming to an end. Some scholars also point to his signature on his will being somewhat shaky, suggesting his frailty at the time. As an aside, there is lots of historical discussion and exploration about whether bequeathing his second-best bed to his wife Anne Hathaway was a slight against her or not. It probably wasn’t but we don’t know for sure.

Despite all of the theories, the cause of Shakespeare’s death at the age of just 52 will likely remain a mystery. Shakespeare died a grandfather after living a relatively long and healthy life where the average life expectancy was just 35.

Shakespeare was buried on 25th April, 1616, in Holy Trinity Church in Stratford.

William Shakespeare’s grave in Holy Trinity Church, complete with curse and flowers

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Read Our Favourite Shakespeare Biographies in Print

There are so many books out there about Shakespeare and his life, but these four below are our all-time favourites. Each one is readable, informative and well worth relaxing with for a few hours to get a deeper understanding about the man himself:

Author’s Notes

Despite William Shakespeare’s fame as a historical figure, there are very few hard facts known about him. Historians use the following primary sources to piece together his life:

• Shakespeare’s works — the plays, poems and sonnets.
• Official records such as church and court records ( available here ).
• Written commentary about Shakespeare and his work from contemporaries such as Robert Green and Ben Johnson.

Biographers over the years have amassed an immense amount of knowledge and information Some fact, some opinion. A key purpose of this biography of William Shakespeare has been to make clear what is supposition or assumption rather than fact. We acknowledge here our reference to the following established secondary sources:

Bill Bryson. Shakespeare. London. Wilkie Collins. 2016 Peter Ackroyd. Shakespeare the biography. London. Vintage 2006. https://www.shakespeare.org.uk/ https://www.rsc.org.uk/ https://www.folger.edu/ https://www.britannica.com/biography/William-Shakespeare/ http://theshakespeareblog.com/http://www.william-shakespeare.info/ https://www.gutenberg.org/files/ http://www.literarygenius.info/education-of-william-shakespeare.htm http://www.william-shakespeare.info/ http://www.shakespeare-online.com/biography/shakespeareeducation.html

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Read More About Shakespeare’s Life

Shakespeare’s life | Shakespeare timeline | Shakespeare biography | Shakespeare’s early childhood | Shakespeare’s teenage years | Shakespeare’s lost years | Shakespeare’s London years | Shakespeare’s final years | Shakespeare’s death

Read More About Shakespeare’s Family

Shakespeare’s family |  Shakespeare’s family tree | Shakespeare’s grandparents | Shakespeare’s parents | Mary Arden, Shakespeare’s mother | John Shakespeare, Shakespeare’s father | Anne Hathaway, Shakespeare wife | Shakespeare’s children | Judith Quiney | Hamnet Shakespeare |  Shakespeare’s grandchildren

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thanks this biography helped me with a school project!

Same Here!! lol :D

this will help me with my school project for history and i have probably gone beyond what we have learent in school

WoW! Thanks alot!! I actually had to do reasearch on william shakesphere for school!!! :)

you spelled it wrong

More process information and knowledge in terms of facts and his plays is needed otherwise, this is one of the few websites helping me to do my presentation on Shakey! Thanks for the help!

You guys can add some more stuff to it. Although this proved to be helpful for me yet I’d say that more points about Shakespeare’s life can be added.

can’t find quiz

I have very recently discovered that my Great+ grandfather, Thomas Ffoxe, Jr. lived on Silver Street, which was only a block long, and on which Shakespeare lived 1602-1612. Thomas was baptized at St. Olave’s Church, which was Hugenot, or Scandinavian, in 1618. I am still researching to see if Thomas’ father of the same name lived there before him. This church was catecorner to the Mountjoy House, a headdress maker and shop, where Shakespeare lived as a lodger during this period.

Enjoyed reading this and thank you .

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Biography of William Shakespeare, History's Most Famous Playwright

His plays and sonnets are still studied and performed to this day

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• Shakespeare's Life and World
• Best Sellers
• Classic Literature
• Plays & Drama
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• M.A., Theater Studies, Warwick University
• B.A., Drama and English, DeMontfort University

William Shakespeare (April 23, 1564–April 23, 1616) wrote at least 37 plays and 154 sonnets , which are considered among the most important and enduring ever written. Although the plays have captured the imagination of theatergoers for centuries, some historians claim that Shakespeare didn’t actually write them .

Amazingly, little is known about Shakespeare’s life. Even though he is the world’s most famous and popular playwright , historians have had to fill in the gaps between the handful of surviving records from Elizabethan times .

Fast Facts: William Shakespeare

• Known For : One of history's most famous playwrights, who wrote at least 37 plays, which are still studied and performed to this day, as well as 154 sonnets, which are also highly regarded
• Also Known As : The Bard
• Born : April 23, 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon, England
• Parents : John Shakespeare, Mary Arden
• Died : April 23, 1616 in Stratford-upon-Avon
• Published Works : " Romeo and Juliet" (1594–1595), "A Midsummer Night’s Dream" (1595–1596), " Much Ado About Nothing " (1598–1599), "Henry V" (1598–1599), " Hamlet " 1600–1601, "King Lear" (1605–1606), "Macbeth" ( 1605–1606), "The Tempest" (1611–1612)
• Awards and Honors : After Shakespeare's death, a funerary monument was erected to honor him at Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon, where he is buried. It depicts a half-effigy of The Bard in the act of writing. Numerous statues and monuments have been erected around the world to honor the playwright.
• Spouse : Anne Hathaway (m. Nov. 28, 1582–April 23, 1616)
• Children : Susanna, Judith and Hamnet (twins)
• Notable Quote : "All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages."

Early Years

Shakespeare was probably born on April 23, 1564 , but this date is an educated guess because we only have a record of his baptism three days later. His parents, John Shakespeare and Mary Arden, were successful townsfolk who moved to a large house in Henley Street, Stratford-upon-Avon, from the surrounding villages. His father became a wealthy town official and his mother was from an important, respected family.

It is widely assumed that Shakespeare attended the local grammar school where he would have studied Latin, Greek, and classical literature . His early education must have made a huge impact on him because many of his plots draw on the classics.

Shakespeare’s Family

At age 18, on November 28, 1582, Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway from Shottery, who was already pregnant with their first daughter. The wedding would have been arranged quickly to avoid the shame of having a child born out of wedlock. Shakespeare fathered three children, Susanna, born in May 1583 but conceived out of wedlock, and Judith and Hamnet, twins who were born in February 1585.

Hamnet died in 1596 at age 11. Shakespeare was devastated by the death of his only son, and it is argued that "Hamlet," written four years later, is evidence of this.

Theater Career

At some point in the late 1580s, Shakespeare made the four-day ride to London, and by 1592 had established himself as a writer. In 1594, an event occurred that changed the course of literary history: Shakespeare joined Richard Burbage’s acting company and became its chief playwright for the next two decades. Here, Shakespeare was able to hone his craft, writing for a regular group of performers.

Shakespeare also worked as an actor in the theater company , although the lead roles were always reserved for Burbage himself. The company became very successful and often performed in front of the Queen of England, Elizabeth I. In 1603, James I ascended the throne and granted his royal patronage to Shakespeare’s company, which became known as The King’s Men.

Shakespeare the Gentleman

Like his father, Shakespeare had excellent business sense. He bought the largest house in Stratford-upon-Avon by 1597, owned shares in the Globe Theater, and profited from some real estate deals near Stratford-upon-Avon in 1605. Before long, Shakespeare officially became a gentleman, partly due to his own wealth and partly due to inheriting a coat of arms from his father who died in 1601.

Later Years and Death

Shakespeare retired to Stratford in 1611 and lived comfortably off his wealth for the rest of his life. In his will, he bequeathed most of his properties to Susanna, his eldest daughter, and some actors from The King’s Men. Famously, he left his wife his “second-best bed” before he died on April 23, 1616 . (This date is an educated guess because we only have a record of his burial two days later).

If you visit Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon, you can still view his grave and read his epitaph engraved into the stone:

Good friend, for Jesus' sake forbear To dig the dust enclosed here. Blessed be the man that spares these stones, And cursed be he that moves my bones.

More than 400 years after his death, Shakespeare's plays and sonnets still hold a special place in theaters, libraries, and schools around the world. "His plays and sonnets have been performed in nearly every major language on every continent," notes Greg Timmons writing on Biography.com.

In addition to the legacy of his plays and sonnets, many of the words and phrases Shakespeare created infuse dictionaries today and are embedded in modern English, including these sayings from some of his plays:

• All that glitters isn't gold (" The Merchant of Venice ")
• All's well that ends well (" All's Well that Ends Well ")
• To be-all and the end-all (" Macbeth ")
• Break the ice (" The Taming of the Shrew )
• We have seen better days (" As You Like It ")
• Brave new world (" The Tempest ")
• Brevity is the soul of wit (" Hamlet ")
• Cruel to be kind ("Hamlet")
• It's Greek to me (" Julius Caesar ")
• Something wicked this way comes ("Macbeth")
• Star-crossed lovers (" Romeo and Juliet ")
• Wild-goose chase ("Romeo and Juliet")
• The world is my oyster (" The Merry Wives of Windsor ")

Few writers, poets, and playwrights—and Shakespeare was all three—have had the influence on culture and learning that Shakespeare has. With luck, his plays and sonnets may still be revered and studied four centuries from now.

• “ IWonder - William Shakespeare: The Life and Legacy of England's Bard. ”  BBC.
• “ Shakespeare's Words & Phrases. ”  Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.
• Timmons, Greg. “ William Shakespeare's 400th Anniversary: The Life & Legacy of The Bard. ”  Biography.com , A&E Networks Television, 2 Nov. 2018.
• “ Who Was William Shakespeare? Everything You Need to Know. ”  Childhood, Life Achievements & Timeline , thefamouspeople.com.
• “ William Shakespeare Quotes. ”  BrainyQuote , Xplore.
• Facts About Shakespeare
• A Timeline of William Shakespeare's Life
• Fun and Creative Ways to Celebrate Shakespeare's Birthday
• How Did William Shakespeare Die?
• William Shakespeare's School Life, Childhood, and Education
• Shakespeare's Brothers and Sisters
• Cervantes and Shakespeare: What They Had in Common (and Didn’t)
• The Influence of the Renaissance in Shakespeare's Work
• Was Shakespeare Gay?
• An Introduction to Shakespearean Sonnets
• William Shakespeare's Most Famous Plays
• William Shakespeare's Family
• Everything You Need to Know About Shakespeare's Plays
• Study Shakespeare
• A Complete List of Shakespeare’s Plays
• List of Phrases Shakespeare Invented

Biography Online

Short Biography William Shakespeare

Short bio of William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon on 23rd April 1564.

His father William was a successful local businessman, and his mother Mary was the daughter of a landowner. Relatively prosperous, it is likely the family paid for Williams education, although there is no evidence he attended university.

In 1582 William, aged only 18, married an older woman named Anne Hathaway. They had three children, Susanna, Hamnet and Juliet. Their only son Hamnet died aged just 11.

Due to some well-timed investments, Shakespeare was able to secure a firm financial background, leaving time for writing and acting. The best of these investments was buying some real estate near Stratford in 1605, which soon doubled in value.

It seemed Shakespeare didn’t mind being absent from his family – he only returned home during Lent when all the theatres were closed. It is thought that during the 1590s he wrote the majority of his sonnets. This was a time of prolific writing and his plays developed a good deal of interest and controversy. His early plays were mainly comedies (e.g. Much Ado about Nothing , A Midsummer’s Night Dream ) and histories (e.g. Henry V )

By the early Seventeenth Century, Shakespeare had begun to write plays in the genre of tragedy. These plays, such as Hamlet , Othello and King Lear , often hinge on some fatal error or flaw in the lead character and provide fascinating insights into the darker aspects of human nature. These later plays are considered Shakespeare’s finest achievements.

When writing an introduction to Shakespeare’s First Folio of published plays in 1623, Johnson wrote of Shakespeare:

“not of an age, but for all time”

Shakespeare the Poet

William Shakespeare wrote 154 sonnets mostly in the 1590s. These short poems, deal with issues such as lost love. His sonnets have an enduring appeal due to his formidable skill with language and words.

“Let me not to the marriage of true minds Admit impediments. Love is not love Which alters when it alteration finds, Or bends with the remover to remove:”

– Sonnet CXVI

The Plays of Shakespeare

The plays of Shakespeare have been studied more than any other writing in the English language and have been translated into numerous languages. He was rare as a play-write for excelling in tragedies, comedies and histories. He deftly combined popular entertainment with an extraordinary poetic capacity for expression which is almost mantric in quality.

 “This above all: to thine ownself be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man. Farewell: my blessing season this in thee!”

– Lord Polonius, Hamlet Act I, Scene 3

During his lifetime, Shakespeare was not without controversy, but he also received lavish praise for his plays which were very popular and commercially successful.

His plays have retained an enduring appeal throughout history and the world. Some of his most popular plays include:

• Twelfth Night
• Romeo and Juliet

“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts…”

Death of Shakespeare

Shakespeare died in 1616; it is not clear how he died, and numerous suggestions have been put forward. John Ward, the local vicar of Holy Trinity Church in Stratford (where Shakespeare is buried), writes in a diary account that:

“Shakespeare, Drayton, and Ben Jonson had a merry meeting and it seems drank too hard, for Shakespeare died of a fever there contracted.”

In 1616, there was an outbreak of typhus (“The new fever”) which may have been the cause. The average life expectancy of someone born in London, England in the Sixteenth Century was about 35 years old, Shakespeare died age 52.

Was Shakespeare really Shakespeare?

Some academics, known as the “Oxfords,” claim that Shakespeare never actually wrote any plays. They contend Shakespeare was actually just a successful businessman, and for authorship suggest names such as Edward de Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford .  Arguments have also been made for Francis Bacon . The argument that Shakespeare was actually the Earl of Oxford relies on circumstantial evidence and similarities in his writing style and relationships between his life and the play of Shakespeare. 

However, there is no hard evidence tying the Earl of Oxford to the theatre or writing the scripts.  By contrast, there is evidence of William Shakespeare working in theatres and he received a variety of criticism from people such as Ben Johnson and Robert Greene. Also, the Earl of Oxford died in 1604, and it is generally agreed there were 12 plays published after this date. (Oxfords contend these plays were finished by other writers.)

It is also hard to believe the vain Earl of Oxford (who killed one of his own servants) would write such amazing scripts and then be happy with anonymity. Also, to maintain anonymity, it would also require the co-operation of numerous family members and other figures in the theatre world. The theory of other writers to Shakespeare only emerged centuries after the publishing of the First Folio.

Shakespeare’s Epitaph

Good friend for Jesus sake forbeare To digg the dust encloased heare Blessed by y man y spares hes stones And curst be he y moves my bones

– More interesting facts on Shakespeare

Quotes on Shakespeare

“Shakespeare, no mere child of nature; no automaton of genius; no passive vehicle of inspiration possessed by the spirit, not possessing it; first studied patiently, meditated deeply, understood minutely, till knowledge became habitual and intuitive, wedded itself to his habitual feelings, and at length gave birth to that stupendous power by which he stands alone, with no equal or second in his own class; to that power which seated him on one of the two glorysmitten summits of the poetic mountain, with Milton’s his compeer, not rival.”

– Samuel Taylor Coleridge , Biographia Literaria (1817)

Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan . “Biography of William Shakespeare”, Oxford, www.biographyonline.net , 18th May 2006. Last updated 1 March 2019.

Popular quotes of Shakespeare

“This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man.”

– Polonius, giving Laertes a pep talk. ( Hamlet )

“To be, or not to be: that is the question Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them. To die: to sleep;”

– Hamlet

“There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in our philosophy.”

– Hamlet (to Horatio on seeing a ghost)

“We are such stuff As dreams are made on, and our little life Is rounded with a sleep.”

– The Tempest (Prospero)

The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, But in ourselves, that we are underlings.”

Julius Caesar (Cassius to Brutus)

“Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player That struts and frets his hour upon the stage, And then is heard no more. It is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing.”

– Macbeth (on learning of the death of Queen)

“There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.”

— Hamlet in Hamlet

“Self-love, my liege, is not so vile a sin, as self-neglecting.”

—Dauphin in Henry V

“Our doubts are traitors, And make us lose the good we oft might win, By fearing to attempt.”

—Lucio in Measure for Measure

The Oxford Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition

The Oxford Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition at Amazon

Shakespeare: The Biography

Shakespeare: The Biography at Amazon

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• Shakespeare at BBC

William Shakespeare Biography

William Shakespeare was indisputably among the top English-language poets and playwrights of all time. He was born in the village of Stratford-upon-Avon in April 1564 and died there in April 1616. His surviving body of work includes 38 plays, 154 sonnets and two narrative poems, the majority of which he penned between 1589 and 1613. While much of Shakespeare's biography is unknown, murky or subject to dispute, historians have managed to verify factual data through his own writings, the works of his contemporaries and historical documents.

Early Years: 1564 to 1585

The Bard of Avon, as William Shakespeare is also known, was the child of a leather merchant and glover, John Shakespeare. His mother was from a family of landed gentry. In the absence of records detailing Shakespeare's early education, historians guess he attended a nearby school where he learned to read and write English as well as Latin.

In 1582, when he was just 18, Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway, a woman eight years his senior. They would have three children, a daughter in 1583 and a set of twins in 1585. They lost their only son, Hamnet, when the boy was 11 years old. Daughters Susanna and Judith would live to be 66 and 77, respectively.

Middle Years: 1586 to 1599

From 1586 until 1592, very little information is available regarding the Shakespeare household or the bard himself. During this period that historians refer to as the writer's lost years, only a scant legal document or two gives evidence of Shakespeare's existence. Over the years, various biographers have speculated that he may have been a poacher on the run from a disgruntled landowner, a horse-minder at a London theater, or more probably, a local schoolmaster.

Also during his lost years, the bard was devoting a good portion of his time to playwriting. By 1592, solid evidence shows that one if not more of his plays was underway on London stages. The first of his plays in production was probably "Henry IV, Part One," an historical work which not only chronicles the active years of the monarch's reign but also introduces his son Hal and Henry Percy, or Hotspur, a rival.

The bard had established himself in London prior to 1592, as evidenced by a mention in the London Times by a fellow playwright. He completed "Henry IV, Part Two" and "Henry V" early in the 1590s. By 1594, he and a group of colleagues had formed an acting troupe they called The Lord Chamberlain's Men, in honor of their patron, which would soon grow to prominence in the London theater scene.

The 1590s were quite a prolific time for Shakespeare. He wrote additional historic plays, including "Richard II," "Richard III," and "Titus Andronicus." He also penned the comedies "Two Gentlemen of Verona," "The Taming of the Shrew" and "A Comedy of Errors," probably early in the decade.

From around 1595 to the end of the century, Shakespeare turned his sights toward more romantic comedies, including "A Midsummer Night's Dream," "The Merchant of Venice," Twelfth Night" and "Much Ado About Nothing." The bard wrote the tragedies "Romeo and Juliet," and "Julius Caesar" during this period of his life as well,

By 1597, Shakespeare had written approximately 15 of his 38 surviving plays. He had achieved enough financial success to purchase one of Stratford's nicest homes for his family. He continued to live principally in London where he wrote and acted in his plays. During periods such as Lent when theaters were closed and when outbreaks of the plague shut down the city, he likely spent time with his family in Stratford..

Shakespeare was not only writing scripts for his company, often based on stories from mythology, literature and historic accounts, but he was also acting in his own plays. The Lord Chamberlain's Men put on performances at such London venues as The Theatre and The Curtain. In 1599, the acting troupe built The Globe from the ruins of The Theater, establishing their own playhouse, which opened in 1599.

Later Years: 1600-1613

Early in the new century, the bard continued to produce great literature, penning such masterworks as "Troilus and Cressida," "Measure for Measure," "All's Well That Ends Well," and some of his most renowned tragedies, including "Hamlet," "Othello" and "King Lear." In 1603, The Lord Chamberlain's Men delivered a command performance of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" at Queen Elizabeth's Hampton court. When the Queen died later that year, the acting troupe changed its name to The King's Men in honor of the newly crowned King James I. Their first performance for the monarch was "As You Like It."

The bard was growing artistically during this era, customizing his mastery of blank verse with wit and intention to enrich his characters' dialogue and enliven the action. He employed such techniques as run-on lines and inflected phrasing to breathe life into a poetic form that tended to the monotone if used within strict parameters of ten syllables per line and alternating stressed and unstressed syllables. The dialogue of his play "Hamlet," for example, seems animated in comparison to the more strictly patterned lines of earlier works such as "Henry V." Shakespeare also provided moments of variation in his plays by inserting bits of rhymed verse in the dialogue, for example in Puck's epilogue in "A Midsummer Night's Dream."

During the first decade of the 17th century, Shakespeare published his "Sonnets," a collection of 154 14-line works that employed the same blank verse format as his plays but with the specific rhyme scheme of three quatrains and a concluding couplet. Released as a printed collection in 1609, Shakespeare's sonnets had likely been written individually over time, and those within his circle of friends were probably already familiar with some of them. The form the bard employed for his verses became known as the Shakespearean sonnet, as opposed to the traditional Petrarchan sonnet, which consists of an octet and a sestet.

In his last plays, "Cymbeline," "A Winter's Tale," and "The Tempest," the bard test-drove a hybrid genre, the tragicomedy, also known as the romance. While they take a more somber, serious tone than such comedies as "Twelfth Night," these tragicomedies end on a positive note, unlike such tragedies as "King Lear." The bard also completed two last works for theater, "Henry VIII" and "The Two Noble Kinsmen," with a collaborator, likely John Fletcher, a contemporary playwright.

Just after the completion of "Henry VIII" in 1613, The King's Men lost the Globe playhouse to a fire. By the time they reopened in 1614, Shakespeare had already retired to his family home in Stratford where he died in 1616 at the age of 52. While no verified version of the manner of his death exists today, one account, written by the vicar of Stratford 50 years later, attributes his untimely demise to drinking too hard with his friends John Drayton and Ben Johnson, and catching a fatal fever as a result.

The Controversy

Due in part to the great gaps in knowledge regarding Shakespeare's early education and the lost years, the bard has always been shrouded in mystery. In addition, not a single manuscript he wrote in his own hand survived the centuries. One scholarly explanation for this lack of historical verification is that "William Shakespeare" was the pen name of some more illustrious, well-educated figure of the Elizabethan era.

The controversy did not see the light of day until more than two centuries after the bard's death. Among the first to question the authorship of such all-time great works as "Macbeth" was a Pennsylvanian Lutheran named Samuel Schmucker, and he was merely drawing an analogy. He likened the scholarly trend of his time in using historic data to raise doubts about the existence of Christ was akin to speculating that Shakespeare never existed. An offhand remark, but that is all it took to sow the seed of controversy.

Some of the fuel for the fire included: 1. The lack of documentation for Shakespeare's existence. 2. The disputed authorship of particular works. 3. The unlikelihood that someone with the bard's background would rise to greatness.

Among the most famous doubters were Mark Twain, Henry James, Sigmund Freud and Orson Wells. Among the candidates people have mentioned as the "real" William Shakespeare are Sir Francis Bacon, Christopher Marlowe, and Earl of Oxford Edward DeVere. The controversy has even found its way into the U.S. Supreme Court as the subject of a moot debate.

The Influence of William Shakespeare Through the Centuries

One of the bard's most enduring influences is on the English language. Not only are many quotes from his plays, such as Polonius' advice to Hamlet, "Neither a borrower nor a lender be," a part of the English lexicon, but the way in which Shakespeare shaped the language to suit his own artistic purposes would influence future writers and poets throughout subsequent history, from Charles Dickens to Maya Angelou. Charles Dickens drew upon the bard's writings for many of his titles as well as numerous quotations he used within his novels.

Shakespeare also enriched the language with the addition of approximately 2,000 new words and numerous new usages of existing vocabulary. Some of the words attributed to the bard include "auspicious," "dwindle" and "sanctimonious." Phrases he originated that are still in the popular lexicon include, "break the ice" from "The Taming of the Shrew" and "in a pickle" from "The Tempest."

The bard's masterful characterizations have become archetypes for social standards. Such larger-than-life characters as Hamlet, King Lear, Othello, Romeo and Juliet, Ophelia and a host of others inform contemporary social standards in ways that are inextricably woven into the fabric of modern society. They not only appear as standard icons in the theater, movies, literature and visual arts, but also have established themselves as cultural norms, particularly in English-speaking societies. It is not even necessary to have read the works of Shakespeare to be familiar with his well-known quotations and characters.

Even the controversy surrounding the authorship of Shakespeare's plays and sonnets serves to keep the bard very much a vital figure in contemporary lore. The probability that the mystery will probably never be resolved, given the lack of hard evidence, means that Shakespearean scholars, school teachers and their students will be reading and discussing the 16th-century master far into the future.

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William Shakespeare

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William Shakespeare was born on April 23, 1564, in Stratford-upon-Avon. The son of John Shakespeare and Mary Arden, he was probably educated at the King Edward VI Grammar School in Stratford, where he learned Latin and a little Greek and read the Roman dramatists. At eighteen, he married Anne Hathaway, a woman seven or eight years his senior. Together, they raised two daughters: Susanna, who was born in 1583, and Judith (whose twin brother died in boyhood), born in 1585.

Little is known about Shakespeare’s activities between 1585 and 1592. Robert Greene’s A Groatsworth of Wit alludes to him as an actor and playwright. Shakespeare may have taught at school during this period, but it seems more probable that shortly after 1585 he went to London to begin his apprenticeship as an actor. Due to the plague, the London theaters were often closed between June 1592 and April 1594. During that period, Shakespeare probably had some income from his patron, Henry Wriothesley, earl of Southampton, to whom he dedicated his first two poems, Venus and Adonis (1593) and The Rape of Lucrece (1594). The former was a long narrative poem depicting the rejection of Venus by Adonis, his death, and the consequent disappearance of beauty from the world. Despite conservative objections to the poem’s glorification of sensuality, it was immensely popular and was reprinted six times during the nine years following its publication.

In 1594, Shakespeare joined the Lord Chamberlain’s company of actors, the most popular of the companies acting at Court. In 1599, Shakespeare joined a group of Chamberlain’s Men that would form a syndicate to build and operate a new playhouse: the Globe, which became the most famous theater of its time. With his share of the income from the Globe, Shakespeare was able to purchase New Place, his home in Stratford.

While Shakespeare was regarded as the foremost dramatist of his time, evidence indicates that both he and his contemporaries looked to poetry, not playwriting, for enduring fame. Shakespeare’s sonnets were composed between 1593 and 1601, though not published until 1609. That edition, The Sonnets of Shakespeare , consists of 154 sonnets, all written in the form of three quatrains and a couplet that is now recognized as Shakespearean . The sonnets fall into two groups: sonnets 1–126, addressed to a beloved friend, a handsome and noble young man, and sonnets 127–152, to a malignant but fascinating “Dark Lady,” who the poet loves in spite of himself. Nearly all of Shakespeare’s sonnets examine the inevitable decay of time, and the immortalization of beauty and love in poetry.

In his poems and plays, Shakespeare invented thousands of words, often combining or contorting Latin, French, and native roots. His impressive expansion of the English language, according to the Oxford English Dictionary , includes such words as: arch-villain, birthplace, bloodsucking, courtship, dewdrop, downstairs, fanged, heartsore, hunchbacked, leapfrog, misquote, pageantry, radiance, schoolboy, stillborn, watchdog, and zany.

Shakespeare wrote more than thirty plays. These are usually divided into four categories: histories, comedies, tragedies, and romances. His earliest plays were primarily comedies and histories such as Henry VI and The Comedy of Errors , but in 1596, Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet , his second tragedy, and over the next dozen years he would return to the form, writing the plays for which he is now best known: Julius Caesar , Hamlet , Othello , King Lear , Macbeth , and Antony and Cleopatra . In his final years, Shakespeare turned to the romantic with Cymbeline , A Winter’s Tale , and The Tempest .

Only eighteen of Shakespeare’s plays were published separately in quarto editions during his lifetime; a complete collection of his works did not appear until the publication of the First Folio in 1623, several years after his death. Nonetheless, his contemporaries recognized Shakespeare's achievements. Francis Meres cited “honey-tongued” Shakespeare for his plays and poems in 1598, and the Chamberlain’s Men rose to become the leading dramatic company in London, installed as members of the royal household in 1603.

Sometime after 1612, Shakespeare retired from the stage and returned to his home in Stratford. He drew up his will in January of 1616, which included his famous bequest to his wife of his “second best bed.” He died on April 23, 1616, and was buried two days later at Stratford Church.

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William Shakespeare – A Biography of William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare (1564 – 1616) once wrote, “Write till your ink be dry, and with your tears, moist it again, and frame some feeling line, that may discover such integrity.” William Shakespeare is undoubtedly the most famous name in English literature, having contributed plays, poems, and other writings which have stood the test of time, not to mention having filtered into our everyday phrases. In the following article, we will dive into discovering who this man was by discussing the biography of William Shakespeare, and what made him great.

Table of Contents

• 1 Some Quick Facts About William Shakespeare
• 2 Who Was William Shakespeare?
• 3 Early Life of William Shakespeare
• 4.1.1 Comedies
• 4.1.2 Tragedies
• 4.1.3 History
• 4.2.1 Much Ado About Nothing (c. 1589 – 1599)
• 4.2.2 Romeo and Juliet (1597)
• 4.2.3 Julius Caesar (1599)
• 4.2.4 Hamlet (1599 – 1601)
• 4.2.5 Othello (1604)
• 4.2.6 Midsummer Night’s Dream (1605)
• 4.2.7 Macbeth (1605)
• 4.2.8 King Lear (1605 – 1606)
• 5 Shakespeare’s Influence on Literature and Language
• 6.1 Shakespeare’s Authorship Controversy
• 6.2 Criticisms Against Shakespeare
• 7.1 Shakespeare in Popular Culture
• 7.2 The Globe Theatre and Its Significance
• 8.1 Who Was William Shakespeare?
• 8.2 When Was William Shakespeare Born?
• 8.3 What Was Shakespeare’s Real Name?
• 8.4 Do We Know What Shakespeare Looked Like?

Some Quick Facts About William Shakespeare

Before we dive into the details about this iconic writer in history, let us take a look at a few popular facts.

• When was William Shakespeare born? He was born on the 26th of April.
• Where was William Shakespeare born? The town of Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire was his birthplace.
• When did William Shakespeare die? He passed away in April 1616 in the same town where he was born.

• How many works did William Shakespeare write? His works include 154 sonnets, two narrative poems (as well as other poems), and 38 plays.
• What was Shakespeare’s real name? Gulielmus Shakespeare was the name recorded at Shakespeare’s baptism in 1564. Gulielmus is Latin and means William in English, and he was referred to as William Shakespeare by most of his contemporaries. In addition, ‘Will’ was what he called himself in his poems.

Who Was William Shakespeare?

An English poet, actor, and playwright during the Jacobean and Elizabethan periods of British theater, Shakespeare’s writings are his lasting legacy and millions of people around the world still enjoy his poems and plays as many of the themes are still relevant today and resonate with people. He shows a deep understanding of human nature through each of his characters and because the stories that he produced are so timeless, they have formed the basis for many movies and novels. 

Unfortunately, there is no surviving written record of William Shakespeare’s physical appearance, and there does not seem to be any evidence suggesting that a portrait was ever commissioned by him.

However, there is the Droeshout engraving (1623), which is the frontispiece for the page of the First Folio collection of plays. This engraving is a portrait of him that was produced by Martin Droeshout, and is one of two works that definitively depicts Shakespeare.

Early Life of William Shakespeare

When was William Shakespeare born? He was baptized in England in 1564 on the 26th of April. And where was William Shakespeare born? The town of Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire was his birthplace, and he passed away there in April 1616. There are surviving records that can tell us about Shakespeare’s family background. His father, John Shakespeare married his mother, Mary Arden and they had eight children together, two of whom died as infants, leaving William as the eldest. John Shakespeare had a job as a glove-maker and fulfilled civic positions in the town of Stratford, becoming an important figure in the community. Because of his position, he would have been able to send his children to the local grammar school where William studied.

When William Shakespeare turned eighteen years old, he married the 26-year old Anne Hathaway and together they had three children, the first of which, Susanna was in Anne’s belly at the wedding ceremony. The two children that came after were Hamnet and Judith, with Hamnet passing away at the age of eleven.

London is where Shakespeare’s career lifted off, however, scholars are unsure of when he went there. In 1585, his two children were baptized, and his reputation had been established in London by 1592. The years in between are a mystery.  Two of Shakespeare’s first printed works were published in there, The Rape of Lucrece (1594) and Venus and Adonis (1593), which remain two of his most famous poems today. He was also a founding member of a company of actors called, The Lord Chamberlain’s Men , for which he became their regular playwright and for almost 20 years produced about two plays each year. For the rest of his career, Shakespeare remained with the company, and with the support of their patron, King James I (b. 1566-1625), it grew to become The King’s Men . Many of Shakespeare’s most well-known romances were written while working with the company, such as The Tempest (1611), and The Winter’s Tale (1611), as well as tragedies like Macbeth (1606) and King Lear (1606).

Shakespeare’s Career as a Playwright

Shakespeare’s works include 154 sonnets, two narrative poems (as well as other poems), and 38 plays, for which no original manuscripts are known to exist. The fact that we have any works of Shakespeare at all is owed to a group of actors at the company that he worked with who collected them for publication after his death. 36 of these plays were brought together in what is called the First Folio , which did not include his poetry.

Types of Plays

Comedies, tragedies, and histories were the types of plays that Shakespeare wrote. They were all written in the style that was conventional during his time and included rhetorical phrases and detailed metaphors, but he gave an innovative flavor and was freer with his flow of words. Shakespeare mainly used a metrical pattern to write his plays, consisting of lines with iambic pentameter that did not rhyme, or blank verse. 

However, in all the plays there are sections where he strayed from this and used simple prose or other forms of poetry.

The Taming of the Shrew (c. 1589) was a comedy and also one of Shakespeare’s first plays. Other comedies that he wrote are A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1605) , Merchant of Venice (1605), Much Ado About Nothing (c. 1599) , as well as As You Like It (1600) . Comedies are a genre of drama that depict amusing events and have a humorous tone, and the characters usually triumph over misfortune or bad luck.  Shakespearean comedies are full of irony and fun, puns and witty wordplay, with complicated plots that have multiple plot lines that always straighten out at the end.

Tragedies are a genre that is centered on human suffering and the sad and dreadful events that a main character finds themselves in. Some of the best-known tragedies by Shakespeare are Romeo and Juliet (1597), Othello (1604), King Lear (1606), and Macbeth (1606). 

These plays present dramatic and realistic impressions of human nature and disposition that are universal and timeless.

Many of the first plays that Shakespeare wrote were histories, such as Richard II (1595) , Henry V (1599), as well as Henry VI (1589-1592) which all dramatize the devastating consequences of corrupt or weak rulers. Drama historians have interpreted these plays above as Shakespeare’s way of explaining the beginnings of the Tudor Dynasty. History plays are therefore written about historical events with characters set in the past, and may or may not be historically accurate as they are dramas meant to entertain.

Most Famous Plays and Their Themes

As we know by now, Shakespeare wrote many plays, however, there are some that have especially struck the human heart and have remained the most famous. Below, we will list some of Shakespeare’s most famous plays, as well as unpack their themes.

Much Ado About Nothing (c. 1589 – 1599)

This comedy follows the story of a woman who has been falsely accused of being unchaste, featuring themes of deception, love, the ways in which we could be conflicted in relationships, and the place of women in society and the necessity for them to marry. Count Claudio and Hero are the two characters around whom the plot is based, involving misunderstandings along the way. Hero is Claudio’s host’s daughter, and he falls in love with her. Beatrice, Hero’s cousin, is tricked into believing that the bachelor, Benedict, is in love with her, and vice versa. 

A malicious plot is set to deceive Claudio into thinking that Hero is unfaithful, and he, therefore, denounces her before they wed.  

As quoted by Balthasar in act two, scene three:

“Cry no more, ladies, cry no more,

Men have always been deceivers,

With one foot on a ship and one on the shore,

Never faithful to anything.

So don’t cry like that, but let them go,

And be carefree and happy,

Changing all your sad songs Into “Hey, nonny nonny.”

Sing no more laments, sing no more

Mournful tunes so sad and heavy.

Men have always been frauds

Since trees had leaves in summer.

Changing all your sad songs

Into “Hey, nonny nonny.”

Romeo and Juliet (1597)

The ultimate love story, the play Romeo and Juliet set the stage for many subsequent tales of doomed romances. It was written early in Shakespeare’s career and is about the romance between two Italian youngsters whose families are in a feud with one another. Therefore, the themes of violence, death, and passion flow throughout the story. This situation between the two families, unfortunately, leads Romeo and Juliet to take drastic measures, which ultimately leads to sorrow and both of them taking their own lives. 

Not only is this tragedy a popular favorite today, but it was one of Shakespeare’s most popular plays while he was alive.

As quoted by Friar Lawrence in act two, scene six:

“These violent delights have violent ends

And in their triumph die, like fire and powder,

Which as they kiss consume. The sweetest honey

Is loathsome in his own deliciousness

And in the taste confounds the appetite.

Therefore love moderately; long love doth so;

Too swift arrives as tardy as too slow.”

Julius Caesar (1599)

This historical play may have resonated with the audience at the time that it was produced when the Queen of England, Elizabeth I did not have a legitimate heir to the throne, which created the possibility for power struggles later down the line. The play depicts the upset in Roman politics at the time of Julies Caesar. In the play, conspirators persuade Brutus, Caesar’s friend to join in on their plot to assassinate him. 

They kill Caesar on the Ides of March and are then driven out of Rome by Mark Antony who then goes to battle against them.  

As quoted by Cassius in act one, scene two:

“Men at some time are masters of their fates.

The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars

But in ourselves, that we are underlings.”

Hamlet (1599 – 1601)

Most of us are familiar with this play which explores themes of incest, betrayal, retribution, and immorality. The twists and turns of the plot are pushed by these moral failures which tear down the hero of the story and the people he cares about. In summary, the story of Hamlet is propelled by a conversation between Hamlet and his late father, the King of Denmark’s ghost, who tells him to kill Hamlet’s uncle, the new king, to avenge his murder. 

Hamlet pretends to go mad and seeks revenge, while his scared uncle also curates plots to kill Hamlet.  

“Though this be madness, yet there is method in’t,” as quoted by Polonius in act two, scene two.

Othello (1604)

Othello is a powerful play centered around racism in Venice during the 16th-century and how destructive jealousy can be. Othello, the character who the play is titled after, is a Moor and he is judged by many characters in the play because of the color of his skin. The tragedy is centered around Othello and Iago, the latter of the two being angry about not being promoted by Othello, who is his General. Iago then plots revenge against Othello and manipulates him into thinking that Desdemona, his wife, is unfaithful. 

The jealousy this causes leads Othello to kill his wife and then himself.  

As quoted by Iago in act three, scene three:

“O, beware, my lord, of jealousy:

It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock

The meat it feeds on.”

Midsummer Night’s Dream (1605)

This exuberant comedy is a magical play about fairies that try to solve the romantic problems of four humans from Athens that run away to the forest. The fairy, Puck, makes one of the girls the focus of the two boys’ love and affection. The humans pursue each other as they run around the forest. In the meanwhile, the fairy queen is having a trick played on her by Puck to help his master. 

At the end of the play, Puck reverses the enchantment set on the two Athenian couples, and they reconcile and wed.   

As quoted by Hippolyta in act five, scene one:

“But all the story of the night told over,

And all their minds transfigured so together,

More witnesseth than fancy’s images

And grows to something of great constancy,

But, howsoever, strange and admirable.”

Macbeth (1605)

This play with supernatural elements and brutal murder is a thrilling tragedy about the extremes of the lust for power and guilt. Macbeth is told by three witches that he is destined to be king of Scotland. His wife encourages this upon hearing the idea, and he kills the king and replaces him. Macbeth becomes paranoid and kills more people, causing an uprising and resulting in a civil war to overthrow him.

This only results in more death.

As quoted by Angus in act five, scene two:

“Now does he feel his title

Hang loose about him, like a giant’s robe

Upon a dwarfish thief.”

King Lear (1605 – 1606)

This brutal play is filled with disasters, cruelty, nihilism, and reconciliation. The story begins with King Lear dividing his kingdom between his two daughters, Goneril and Regan, while he disinherits the third daughter, Cordelia who truly loves him but will not flatter him insincerely. The kingdom is taken over by the deceitful Goneril and Regan, who then turn on their father and cast him out. Lear slips into madness but eventually mends his relationship with Cordelia. She is hanged before Lear’s eyes before he himself dies. 

This play is one of Shakespeare’s most negative works but, despite all the injustice, hope is found in Cordelia’s moral strength.  

As quoted by France in act one, scene one:

“Love’s not love

When it is mingled with regards that stand

Aloof from th’ entire point.”

Shakespeare’s Influence on Literature and Language

The standardization of written English, such as spelling, grammar, and vocabulary was greatly impacted by Shakespeare’s works. Many new words were introduced into the English language by Shakespeare – 1,700 words to be exact. We continue to use many of these words today, like “frugal,” “lonely,” and “dwindle” to list a few. Not only did Shakespeare invent words, but many of the phrases we use today were originally written by him. These phrases include “good riddance,” “be all and end-all,” and “for goodness’ sake,” and many more.

For centuries, Shakespeare’s profound influence on poetry and literature has endured. The poetic blank verse was a specialty of his and it became standard. Many writers and poets have been influenced by Shakespeare, some of whom are Charles Dickens, Thomas Hardy, Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Herman Melville, and William Faulkner.

Controversies and Criticisms

Shakespeare was praised for his work during his lifetime, but he was not revered. Classical ideas were in fashion from the 1660s to the end of the 17th century, which resulted in him being rated below Ben Johnson and John Fletcher by critics at the time. However, during the 18th-century, Shakespeare received a different response from critics who praised his natural genius. By 1800, Shakespeare was revered as the national poet, and in the 18th and 19th centuries, his reputation spread overseas. His works have thrived since, even being engaged in the service of avant-garde movements. Despite the positive impact that Shakespeare’s writings have had on the world, there are a number of controversies and criticisms surrounding Shakespeare and his work. Some revolved around his authorship, and others around issues relating to discrimination towards certain cultures, religions, and sexes. We will discuss these below.

Shakespeare’s Authorship Controversy

Doubts crept in regarding his authorship during the nineteenth century, with some speculating that perhaps Shakespeare was acting as a front for another author who could not take credit for his writings publicly. The “Anti-Stratfordians” as they are called (because of the town, Stratford-upon-Avon, where Shakespeare was born and bred), doubted that someone with a humble background education and a son of a tradesman, could have written such rich, complex works. The gaps in his biographical record and the lack of original papers and manuscripts fueled their skepticism. Despite the debate, there remains no evidence of who the “real” writer could have been. A few possibilities were put forward, such as Christopher Marlowe, Sir Francis Bacon, and Edward de Vere.

Most modern scholars reject the notions put forward by the Anti-Stratfordians, citing that documentary and historical evidence is proof enough that Shakespeare wrote the plays and poems and is the real author.

In addition, no evidence has been found that shows skepticism among other writers, playwrights, and poets that lived during his time. However, although scholars accept Shakespeare as the real author of his works, recognition is increasing regarding other writers that may have contributed to the plays. During the Elizabethan era in England, writers would often collaborate to hasten the production of new plays. For example, the writing style for part one of Henry VI suggests that a group of collaborators may have written the play together, including Shakespeare and Thomas Nashe, a political satirist. At the end of Shakespeare’s career, he also adopted an apprentice named John Fletcher who helped him co-write The Two Noble Kingsmen and Henry VIII . However, this is not enough to undermine Shakespeare’s credibility.

Criticisms Against Shakespeare

There has been some criticism over the years regarding the subjects of sexism and race, amongst others when it comes to Shakespeare. For example, there have been accusations of sexism against Romeo and Juliet , as well as Hamlet , where both lead female characters are pushed to desperate measures because of men. However, in general, Shakespeare’s female characters are depicted as strong, determined, intelligent, and compassionate women. The Merchant of Venice is another play that has received criticism, but for being antisemitic, and was even banned from the curriculum in an Orthodox Jewish school. What can make Shakespeare’s plays difficult to understand is that they were written 400 years ago into poetry, with language that has layered meanings. 

Othello, a play that highlights race, arouses sentiments in us that are based in the 20th and 21st centuries. Some words that were once used in Shakespeare’s day to refer to people of Black African origin have become inappropriate or prohibited.

We need to remember that Shakespeare lived in a very different time to our own, with different societal rules, and Elizabethan society was his audience. It is also interesting to note that it is Shakespeare’s characters that speak to the audience, a character built from his observation of human behavior, not him. We do not know what he thinks. Therefore, these characters have various attitudes towards different subjects, which makes them all the more relatable and timeless.

Legacy of William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare’s enduring popularity is due to how relevant his work is to the modern reader, the great contributions he has made to the English language, and the way in which his work influences the way people think and act even today. Seen as the most extraordinary dramatist in history, the powerful themes that run through each of his works – fate, death, love, jealousy, power, ambition, and so on – still connect with audiences and readers as they are very human themes that stretch across time and cultures. His characters are relatable and people can identify with the emotions they experience. In addition, Shakespeare’s writing is masterful as it is filled with poetry, painting each scene in a vivid, atmospheric way that brings the characters and stories to life. His significant contribution to theater and literature is lasting, as he broadened the dramatic potential of genre, plot, characterization, and language. Romance would not have been considered a worthy topic for a tragedy were it not for Romeo and Juliet , for example.

Shakespeare in Popular Culture

Shakespeare is so famous today that his works have been included in popular culture. His plays have been made into movies, such as the romantic Romeo and Juliet (1996) with actors, Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes, and Macbeth (2015) with Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard, to name a few. Some television series have also been based on Shakespeare’s works. Star-Crossed (2014) for example, was a science fiction adaptation of Romeo and Juliet, and Succession (2018) gave us a comedic approach to the tragedy, King Lear, while the famous Game of Thrones (2011 – 2019) is overflowing with Shakespearean themes. Another, and very surprising, television series and popular culture phenomenon that made use of Shakespeare’s works and even quoted from them is Star Trek (c. 1960s – present). 

For example, Dagger Of The Mind is an episode title that was borrowed from Shakespeare for the original series, and also The Conscience Of The King.

What is evident in popular culture is how Shakespeare impacted cultural stereotypes. Many stereotypes that we see featured in books, movies, television series, and even music, are based on the most famous characters from his plays. Lady Macbeth, Hamlet, Romeo, and Juliet have each given us character templates and represent certain kinds of people. Hamlet is indecisive and caught between morals, Lady Macbeth is unrelenting and ambitious, while Romeo’s romantic passionate love is true until death. Many romantic comedies feature an enamored and persistent lover who would do anything for the one they love. The movie Titanic (1997) is probably a very good example of Shakespeare’s legacy of the fated lovers doomed to be derailed by bad luck.

The Globe Theatre and Its Significance

The Globe Theatre was founded by Shakespeare and some other actors, and was built in 1599 on the Thames River, on the south bank. The first production to be shown at the Globe Theatre is thought to be Julius Caesar . The open-air theater made a good profit and was a beneficial investment. Unfortunately, during a performance of Henry VIII in the year of 1613, the theater caught a light and burned down. All theaters were banned by Puritans in 1642 and this included the Globe Theater. Two years later, it was demolished. Sam Wanamaker, an American actor, sought to bring the theater to life once more, and it was reopened in 1997. The Globe Theater has attracted more than 1.25 million visitors every year since.

That concludes our article on the biography of William Shakespeare.  We hope that you enjoyed learning about his life and contributions to the world as much as we did. We hope that this encourages you to learn more facts about William Shakespeare, and piques your interest in his plays and poetry, if it has not been piqued already!

Frequently Asked Questions

William Shakespeare was an English poet, actor, and playwright during the Jacobean and Elizabethan periods of British theater, and his poems and plays are his lasting legacy with millions of people around the world still enjoying his writings today.

When Was William Shakespeare Born?

He was born on the 26th of April and was baptized in England that same day in 1564 in the town of Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, and passed away there in April 1616. His father, John Shakespeare, married his mother, Mary Arden, and they had eight children together, two of whom died as infants, leaving William as the eldest.

What Was Shakespeare’s Real Name?

Gulielmus Shakespeare was the name recorded at Shakespeare’s baptism in 1564. Gulielmus is Latin and means William in English, and he was referred to as William Shakespeare by most of his contemporaries. In addition, Will was what he called himself in his poems.

Do We Know What Shakespeare Looked Like?

There is no surviving written record of William Shakespeare’s physical appearance, and there does not seem to be any evidence suggesting that a portrait was ever commissioned by him. There is the Droeshout engraving (1623), which is the frontispiece for the page of the First Folio , a collection of 36 plays written by Shakespeare. This engraving is a portrait of him that was produced by Martin Droeshout, and is one of two works that definitively depicts Shakespeare.

Jaycene-Fay Ravenscroft is a writer, poet, and creative living in South Africa with over 6 years of experience working in a contemporary art gallery. She completed her Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in Art History and Ancient History at the University of South Africa, with additional subjects in Archaeology and Anthropology.

With a passion for learning, Jaycene-Fay is very much inspired by symbology and the connection between everything in this world. Trained to analyze and ‘critique’ art, she is passionate about exploring the meaning behind each artwork she encounters and understanding how it connects to the artist’s cultural, historical, and social background. Writing is Jaycene-Fay’s way of having a finger in every pie: to research, share knowledge, and express herself creatively.

Learn more about Jaycene-Fay Ravenscroft and the Art in Context Team .

Cite this Article

Jaycene-Fay, Ravenscroft, “William Shakespeare – A Biography of William Shakespeare.” Art in Context. July 20, 2023. URL: https://artincontext.org/william-shakespeare/

Ravenscroft, J. (2023, 20 July). William Shakespeare – A Biography of William Shakespeare. Art in Context. https://artincontext.org/william-shakespeare/

Ravenscroft, Jaycene-Fay. “William Shakespeare – A Biography of William Shakespeare.” Art in Context , July 20, 2023. https://artincontext.org/william-shakespeare/ .

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• © 1963
• William Shakespeare

A Biography

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Table of contents (17 chapters)

Front matter, elizabethan warwickshire, stratford town, family: school: church, youth and marriage, london: the armada years, apprenticeship, the early comedies, the story of the sonnets, romance and reality, england’s past, the late nineties, between two worlds, the great tragedies, the romances, back matter.

• history of literature
• British and Irish Literature

Book Title : William Shakespeare

Book Subtitle : A Biography

Authors : A. L. Rowse

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-00315-0

Publisher : Palgrave Macmillan London

eBook Packages : Palgrave Literature & Performing Arts Collection , Literature, Cultural and Media Studies (R0)

Copyright Information : A. L. Rowse 1963

Softcover ISBN : 978-1-349-00317-4 Published: 01 January 1963

eBook ISBN : 978-1-349-00315-0 Published: 18 June 1963

Edition Number : 1

Number of Pages : XIV, 485

Topics : British and Irish Literature , Early Modern/Renaissance Literature

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William Shakespeare: A Biography Hardcover – January 1, 1995

• Print length 484 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Barnes & Noble Books (NY)
• Publication date January 1, 1995
• ISBN-10 1566198046
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• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Barnes & Noble Books (NY); First Edition (January 1, 1995)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 484 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1566198046
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1566198042
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How Did Shakespeare Die? What the Few Intriguing Clues Tell Us

William Shakespeare’s will and contemporary accounts provide tantalizing hints about what led to the playwright’s demise four centuries ago.

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Or, at least the story of what might have happened. Much like fellow literary great Edgar Allan Poe more than 200 years later later, Shakespeare’s final days are shrouded by uncertainty.

With little in the way of official documentation to help them, historians have had to rely on hints from Shakespeare’s will and the accounts of his 17 th century contemporaries to piece together the mystery. Here’s a look at what they’ve been able to determine so far about how Shakespeare died and why the rest remains so enigmatic.

Shakespeare’s cause of death wasn’t recorded

Very few specifics of Shakespeare’s 1616 death are certain. We do know his writing career had slowed by this time—his last known play, The Two Noble Kinsmen , was written two to three years prior—and he had returned to his childhood home of Stratford-upon-Avon. It’s traditionally believed he died on April 23, the same day as his presumed birthday in 1564, but some scholars contend this coincidental circumstance is a myth. His precise birth and death dates are unknown, but we at least know he died before April 25, 1616, when church records show he was interred.

Although deaths were recorded at the time, causes of death weren’t . The exceptions were plague fatalities, as it would have been vitally important to track the spread of the disease. With no such reference known for Shakespeare, we can most likely rule that out.

Perhaps most frustrating for researchers is that Shakespeare’s son-in-law John Hall was a well-known physician who left extensive records about his patients. That included Shakespeare’s eldest daughter, Susanna, who was also Hall’s wife. However, he makes no mention of treating the great playwright.

Drinking and disease emerged as theories

One particular tale about Shakespeare’s demise has persisted for hundreds of years. About 50 years after his death, a story began circulating that Shakespeare died after a night of heavy drinking with fellow writers Ben Jonson and Michael Drayton. According to Stanley Wells , an emeritus professor of Shakespeare studies at the University of Birmingham, the London-based Jonson wrote a flattering tribute to Shakespeare in the First Folio, the original collection of Shakespeare’s plays that was published in 1623. Drayton spent much of his time only 1 mile away from Stratford at Clifford Chambers and was a frequent visitor to the neighboring city.

While there is a degree of feasibility to the story given Jonson’s acquaintance and Drayton’s proximity to the famed playwright, it’s much more likely that Shakespeare would have suffered a hangover from such merriment as opposed to a deadly infection that cost him his life.

A more logical hypothesis is that he suffered from some disease other than the plague. According to the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust , typhus fever was particularly common at the time, and Shakespeare lived near a water source that could have helped the malady spread.

But given the lack of records, these speculative stories will continue to remain exactly that.

Shakespeare left intriguing clues in his will

Just weeks prior to his death, Shakespeare updated his will on March 25, 1616. In the document , the Bard described himself as “in perfect health & memory, God be praised.” As it turns out, the will was a revised version of a draft completed earlier that year in January. The Folger Shakespeare Library notes that some scholars believe this was done to reflect the change in marital status of his daughter Judith. She had wed Thomas Quiney on February 10.

Such a quick change could suggest Shakespeare was dealing with some form of long-term illness—or it could mean nothing at all. Similar to today, preparing for death and organizing one’s personal affairs were common social conventions of the era. Still, Shakespeare’s three signatures on the document were made with apparently shaky pen strokes, suggesting he might have been sick and might have struggled to hold the instrument.

Shakespeare left the bulk of his possessions to his daughter Susanna. More curiously, he made little mention of his wife, Anne Hathaway —only bequeathing her his “second best bed with the furniture.” Some experts have surmised this was a deliberate slight and that their relationship had soured. But there’s little evidence to suggest this, and Shakespeare might have meant “second best” in the literal sense to ensure Hathaway would receive the correct inheritance.

Shakespeare’s remains hold their own mystery

However Shakespeare died, we know his grave is located at the Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon. Yet, what happened to his remains is the subject of even more speculation.

In March 2016, researcher Kevin Colls from the Center of Archaeology at Staffordshire University revealed he had uncovered evidence using radar technology that Shakespeare’s skull is likely missing from his grave. “These results will undoubtedly spark discussion, scholarly debate and controversial theories for years to come,” Colls said at the time. “Even now, thinking of the findings sends shivers down my spine.”

One longstanding tale posited that Shakespeare’s head was actually inside a sealed crypt at another church 15 miles away in Worcestershire. But Colls and his team debunked that story, determining those remains belonged to a woman who died in her 70s.

Another theory, according to an 1879 Argosy magazine article , is that a local doctor named Frank Chambers robbed Shakespeare’s grave in 1794. According to Colls’ research, a writer named Horace Walpole supposedly offered a £300 reward to anyone who could bring him the skull of Shakespeare.

No matter the location, or locations, where Shakespeare now rests, the uncertainty only adds to the mystique of his final days and legacy.

Tyler Piccotti first joined the Biography.com staff as an Associate News Editor in February 2023, and before that worked almost eight years as a newspaper reporter and copy editor. He is a graduate of Syracuse University. When he's not writing and researching his next story, you can find him at the nearest amusement park, catching the latest movie, or cheering on his favorite sports teams.

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Shakespeare acted in a 1598 Ben Jonson play, scholar’s analysis finds

Exclusive: lecturer finds ‘striking similarities’ between lines in Jonson’s Every Man in His Humour and later Shakespeare works

He was an actor, as well as the greatest dramatist of all time, but no one has been able to name with certainty a single role that William Shakespeare performed himself.

Now a leading scholar has concluded from linguistic analysis that Shakespeare played an obsessively jealous husband in a 1598 drama by fellow playwright Ben Jonson .

Dr Darren Freebury-Jones, a lecturer in Shakespeare studies at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust in Stratford-upon-Avon, has discovered “striking similarities” between phrases recited by Thorello in Every Man in His Humour and those in Shakespeare’s Othello, Hamlet and Twelfth Night – all written between 1600 and 1603.

He told the Guardian: “What I’ve found are some really interesting connections in terms of language, which suggest that Shakespeare was, perhaps unconsciously, remembering his own lines.”

Elizabethan actors generally did not have copies of an entire play. Instead, their scripts were limited to their particular lines and their cues – just the last few words of preceding speeches.

Freebury-Jones said: “Players like Shakespeare would therefore need to be alert during performance, relying heavily on their aural understanding. So there was a real emphasis on listening during the period …

“The grammatical patterning and likenesses of thought between his lines and those of Thorello – renamed Kitely in Jonson’s revision – suggest that Shakespeare was intimately familiar with that role. But Shakespeare, being a genius, takes another dramatist’s feathers and transforms them into a peacock.”

Singling out examples, Freebury-Jones said: “In Jonson’s play, you’ve got Bianca, unfortunate wife of the jealous Thorello, who suspects she’s having an affair. She says: ‘For God’s sake, sweetheart, come in out of the air,’ to which Thorello responds with an aside: ‘How simple and how subtle are her answers?’

“In Hamlet, Polonius asks: ‘Will you walk out of the air, my lord?’, to which Hamlet responds: ‘Into my grave.’ Polonius says: ‘Indeed, that is out o’th’ air.’ He then offers an aside: ‘How pregnant sometimes his replies are.’ The corresponding structures and similarities in context are striking. Is this a case of Shakespeare remembering one of his cue-lines and an aside?”

He added: “Shakespeare seems to have recalled another of Thorello’s asides: ‘Spite of the devil, how they sting my heart,’ for Maria’s speech in Twelfth Night: ‘La you, an you speak ill of the devil, how he takes it at heart.’

“The grammatical structure is very similar and the unique word string, ‘of the devil how’, embraces the noun ‘heart’. Are we witnessing Shakespeare’s recall of lines he delivered on stage here?

“Shakespeare also remembered Thorello’s line: ‘They would give out, because my wife is fair,’ when he depicted Othello’s destructive jealousy: ‘’Tis not to make me jealous / To say my wife is fair.’ Shakespeare inverts Thorello’s comic jealousy in his similarly named tragic protagonist Othello.”

Freebury-Jones found that other comparative phrases were “nowhere near as contextually interesting as those shared with Thorello”.

He observed that scholars had not been certain of any particular roles that Shakespeare took as an actor: “There’s oral traditions connecting him to the role of the ghost of Hamlet’s father and an old man named Adam in As You Like It.

“We know he acted in his own plays because the 1623 First Folio tells us, but it does not confirm any specific role he took.

“We also know he acted in two plays by Jonson, as a cast list printed in the 1616 Jonson Folio shows that Shakespeare was one of the principal players in Every Man in His Humour and that he was also listed among the principal tragedians in Sejanus [His Fall]. But again the documentary evidence does not specify roles.”

He said: “I can’t say that Shakespeare definitely played Thorello, but this is new evidence. No one’s ever discovered it before. I think it makes an interesting, quite compelling case.

“It’s great to bring attention to Shakespeare as an actor, as well as a playwright. Acting was absolutely crucial to his literary career.”

His discoveries will feature in his forthcoming book, titled Shakespeare’s Borrowed Feathers : How Early Modern Playwrights Shaped the World’s Greatest Writer, to be published by Manchester University Press in October. It will explore Shakespeare’s relationships with other playwrights, their influences and collaborations.

The research involved an electronic database called “Collocations and N-grams”, which compares the texts of more than 500 plays dating from 1552 to 1657, showing whether particular phrases are rare or unique.

Freebury-Jones established that “out of the air … how” is, for example, unique to Jonson and Shakespeare in that database.

Modern technology could transport us to the past, perhaps enabling us “to picture Shakespeare treading the boards”, he said.

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