William Shakespeare Biography: Books, Age, Wife, Works, Children, Death, Family, Poems, Plays, Quotes

Biography

William Shakespeare (born April 26, 1564 – April 23, 1616) was a and still very much a celebrated British playwright, poet, and actor. 

He has been adjudged to be the greatest writer in the English language and the world’s leading dramatist. 

William Shakespeare is regarded as the Most Influential Writer in English Language and has 39 plays, 154 sonnets, and three long narrative poems to his credit.

William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare: History ‧ Bio ‧ Photo
Wiki Facts & About Data
Full Name:	William Shakespeare
Born:	26 April 1564 (age 52 years old)
Place of Birth:	Stratford-upon-Avon, United Kingdom
Died:	23 April 1616, Stratford-upon-Avon, United Kingdom
Nationality:	British
Height:	1.7 m
Parents:	John Shakespeare, Mary Shakespeare
Siblings:	Joan Shakespeare, Edmund Shakespeare, Margaret Shakespeare, Gilbert Shakespeare, Anne Shakespeare, Richard Shakespeare
Spouse:	Anne Hathaway (m. 1582–1616)
Girlfriend • Partner:	N/A
Children:	Hamnet Shakespeare, Susanna Hall, Judith Quiney
Occupation:	Actor • Playwright
Net Worth:	$3.5 million-$4 million

Early Life & Education

William Shakespeare was born to the family of John Shakespeare and Mary Shakespeare. His father, John Shakespeare, was an alderman and a glove-maker. His mother, Mary Aden, was the daughter of a wealthy land-owning family. John Shakespeare is originally from Snitterfield in Warwickshire, England. 

William Shakespeare is an English man. He was born in Stratford-upon-Avon and was baptized on the 26th of April, 1564. Although his birth date is unknown, it is traditionally observed as the 23rd of April, Saint George’s Day. 

William Shakespeare is the third child out of eight children born to John Shakespeare and Mary Aden. He is the eldest surviving son of the family. His siblings are Joan Shakespeare, Edmund Shakespeare, Margaret Shakespeare, Gilbert Shakespeare, Anne Shakespeare, and Richard Shakespeare.

Growing up, he was educated at the King’s New School in Stratford, a public school chartered in 1553. Shakespeare‘s alma mater was about a quarter-mile (400 m) from his home.

Career

Although the exact year William Shakespeare began his writing career is unknown, historians say it was between 1585 and 1592. He soon built a successful career as a playwright, actor, and part-owner of a theater company called the Lord Chamberlain’s Men (later known as the King’s Men).

Most of William Shakespeare‘s known works were produced between 1589 and 1613. The playwright’s earliest works were mainly comedies and histories; the works are regarded as some of the best works produced in these genres. After this period, he wrote mainly tragedies until 1608. Notable tragedy plays by him include Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth. In the latter phase of his life, he wrote tragicomedies (also known as romances) and collaborated with other playwrights. 

In his lifetime, most of William Shakespeare‘s plays were published in editions of varying quality and accuracy. However, in 1623, John Heminges and Henry Condell, two fellow actors and friends of William Shakespeare, published a more definitive text known as First Folio. First Folio is a posthumous collection of his dramatic works that includes all but two of his plays. The publication’s preface was a prescient poem written by Ben Johnson, a former rival of Shakespeare. 

William Shakespeare is viewed as the most influential writer in the English language, and his works continued to be studied and re-interpreted. He was an influential figure in the English Renaissance Movement. He is often regarded as England’s national poet and the Bard of Avon. During his lifetime, William Shakespeare wrote 39 plays, 154 sonnets, three long narrative poems, and a few other verses whose authorship is uncertain. His plays have been translated into every major language in the world. Compared to other playwrights, his works have been performed the most.

Works

• Hamlet
• Othello
• Romeo and Juliet
• Macbeth
• King Lear
• Henry V
• Richard III
• Much Ado About Nothing
• Julius Ceasar 
• The Tempest
• A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Personal Life

When William Shakespeare was 18 years old, he got married to Anne Hathaway. Anne Hathaway was 26 years old when they became a married couple. The Diocese of Worcester issued a marriage license to the couple on the 27th of November, 1582. Six months after their marriage, Anne Hathaway gave birth to their first daughter, Susanna Hall. Susanna Hall was baptized on the 26th of May, 1583.

Almost two years after the birth of Susanna Hall, Anne Hathaway gave birth to twins, a son named Hamnet Shakespeare and a daughter named Judith Shakespeare. The children were baptized on the 2nd of February, 1585. Hamnet Shakespeare died at the age of eleven, with the cause of his death being unknown. He was buried on the 11th of August, 1596.

During his lifetime, William Shakespeare divided his time between London and Stratford. He died on the 23rd of April 1616 at the age of 52. William Shakespeare‘s cause of death is unknown, and he died within a month of signing his will. His wife, Anne Hathaway, and two daughters, Susanna Hall and Judith Shakespeare, survived him. 

William Shakespeare bequeathed the bulk of his large estate to his elder daughter Susanna Hall. Two days after his death, he was buried in the chancel of the Holy Trinity Church. He has four grandchildren: Elizabeth Barnard, Richard Quiney, Thomas Quiney, and Shakespeare Quiney.

Net Worth

William Shakespeare made money from the production of his works. He also received an inheritance at the death of his parents. William Shakespeare‘s estate is estimated to be worth $3.5 million to $4 million (USD).