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William Shakespeare. Author Background. Birth and Parentage. Shakespeare was born and raised in Stratford-upon-Avon in England. He was the son of John Shakespeare, a successful glover and alderman (councilman). His mother was Mary Arden, the daughter of a rich farmer.
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William Shakespeare Author Background
Birth and Parentage • Shakespeare was born and raised in Stratford-upon-Avon in England. • He was the son of John Shakespeare, a successful glover and alderman (councilman). • His mother was Mary Arden, the daughter of a rich farmer. • Shakespeare was baptized on April 26, 1564. • His birthdate is unknown, but is traditionally observed on April 23, 1564 (it was custom to baptize babies 3 days after birth). • Shakespeare died on April 23, 1616.
School Life • Not much is known about Shakespeare’s education. • It is generally accepted that he was educated at the King’s New School in Stratford, a free school that was chartered in 1553. • Curriculum was enforced by law, and therefore we know that Shakespeare would have been educated in Latin and the Classics. • There is no evidence, however, that Shakespeare received a university education.
Marriage • At the age of 18, William Shakespeare married 26-year-old Anne Hathaway on November 27, 1582. • The marriage seemed to have been organized very quickly. • Speculation is that Anne may have been pregnant, which might have expedited the marriage.
Children • The hastiness of William and Anne’s marriage is plausible due to the fact that six months after the marriage, Anne gave birth to a daughter, Susanna. • Susanna was baptized on May 26, 1583. • Two years later, Anne gave birth to twins, a son named Hamnet and a daughter named Judith. • The twins were baptized on February 2, 1585. • Unfortunately, Hamnet, Shakespeare’s only son, died of unknown causes and was buried on August 11, 1596. • It is speculated that Hamlet was a tribute to Shakespeare’s son.
The Lost Years • After the birth of Shakespeare’s twins, very little was recorded about William until 1592, leaving a seven year gap in his life known as the “lost years.” • Speculation about these years is that Shakespeare moved to London and began working for a theater company as a horse-minder, beginning his ascension to fame. • Other thoughts are that he became a schoolmaster. • One report even suggests that Shakespeare fled Stratford to escape prosecution for poaching.
Theater Career • By 1592, Shakespeare developed a successful career in theater in London. • He was so famous that he was attacked by fellow playwrights, who felt that Shakespeare, a relatively-uneducated man, was challenging the intellect of university graduates. • Robert Greene said of Shakespeare, “there is an upstart Crow, beautified with our feathers, that with his Tiger’s heart wrapped in a Player’s hide, supposes he is as well able to bombast out a blank verse as the best of you.”
Theater Career • By 1594, Shakespeare was co-owner, actor, player, member, and principal playwright for a theatrical troupe called Lord Chamberlain’s Men. • This company quickly became the most successful and popular play company in London.
The King’s Men • When Queen Elizabeth I died in 1603, Lord Chamberlain’s Men were awarded a royal patent by the new king, James I, and its name was changed to The King’s Men. • They were so successful that in 1599, the group built their own theater on the south bank of the Thames called The Globe Theater. • Shakespeare became so wealthy that he purchased the second-largest house in Stratford.
Acting Roles • Not much is known about the roles Shakespeare performed during his theater career in London. • However, in his First Folio of 1623, it stated that Shakespeare was one of “the Principal Actors in all these plays.” • Some biographers have written that Shakespeare often played “kingly” roles, such as the ghost of Hamlet’s father (the dead king of Denmark).
The Later Years • Shakespeare retired to Stratford in 1613. • He died on April 23, 1616, and was survived by his wife, Anne, and daughters Susanna and Judith. • Most of Shakespeare’s estate was left to Susanna, while he left for his wife Anne “his second best bed.” • Shakespeare’s daughters married, but due to deaths, there are no direct descendants of Shakespeare living.
The Curse • As a final poetic gesture, Shakespeare left an inscription on the stone covering his grave that read the following: • Good frend for Iesvs sake forbeare, • To digg the dvstencloasedheare. • Blese be ye man yt spares thes stones, • And cvrst be he yt moves my bones. • So, what was Shakespeare trying to say?
Dialogue • Dialogue is a conversation between two or more characters.
Monologue • Monologue is a long speech spoken by one character to one or more other characters.
Soliloquy • Soliloquy is a speech in which a character speaks his or her thoughts aloud, usually alone on stage.
Stage Directions • Stage directions are information in the written play, not intended to be spoken by actors. They provide information about scenery, props, lighting, costumes, and actors’ movements on stage.
Other Non-Drama Terms to Know • Drama will also make use of terms related to fiction in general, such as: • Plot • Setting • Characters • Point of View • Theme
