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Shakespeare’s Life and Times. Childhood and Marriage. Childhood Born in Stratford-upon Avon (100 miles north of London) on April 23, 1564 Parents were John and Mary Shakespeare He never attended a university Marriage At 18 years old, he married Anne Hathaway on November 28, 1582
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Childhood and Marriage Childhood • Born in Stratford-upon Avon (100 miles north of London) on April 23, 1564 • Parents were John and Mary Shakespeare • He never attended a university Marriage • At 18 years old, he married Anne Hathaway on • November 28, 1582 • It was a rushed wedding - she was pregnant • They had 3 children: Susanna, then twins, Hamnet & Judith
Lost Years and London The Lost Years - 1586-1592: Nobody really knows for certain what Shakespeare did during this time, but we do know that he made his way from Stratford-upon-Avon to London. London -There is no evidence the Anne Hathaway was ever in London or that she ever visited William there. -His son Hamnet died at the age of 11 in 1596. -He was an actor in different acting companies and he was writing plays. (Lord Chamberlin's Men and The King's Men) -No one knows for certain the order of his plays. -He co-owned the Globe Theatre - 10% -He wrote during the late Renaissance / Elizabethan Period.
Virtual Tour of the Globe Theatre Virtual Tour (courtesy of Clemson University)
Renaissance and the “Black Death” Renaissance / Elizabethan Period -Named after the Queen Elizabeth I, the first British female monarch. -Elizabeth was the daughter of King Henry the VIII who had Elizabeth's mother beheaded for not producing a male child. -Shakespeare and his theatre friends were fortunate because Queen Elizabeth loved theatre and made sure the theatres stayed open - even during the Bubonic Plague. Bubonic Plague / "Black Death" -Killed over 20,000 people in London. -Queen Elizabeth moved to Windsor Castle in the country to escape and set up a gallows to hang anyone who came to her from London. "Ring around the rosy Pocket full of posies Ashes, Ashes We all fall down!"
Final Years Final Years • -He became wealthy enough to retire but kept writing. • -His cause of death was not recorded. He died in 1616. • -He was buried in the Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon. • -In his will he left money for his daughters, his grandaughters, his sister, and his friends. • -He left his wife his second best bed.
Important Facts Important Facts • -Shakespeare is often referred to as a "bard" which just means "poet" • -Shakespeare's 4 greatest plays were all tragedies and were written after the death of his son. (Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, MacBeth) • -Shortest Play: MacBeth • -Longest Play: Hamlet • -He wrote 37 plays • -He wrote 154 sonnets • -His comedies always end with a wedding • -His tragedies always end with a death