Who was William Shakespeare?
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One of the renowned English poet and playwright of the English language is William Shakespeare. He was a great writer as well as the most famous of all playwrights of the world. Apart from this, he was also an actor and the maker of the Globe Theatre which was a historical theatre.
Shakespeare was also informally known as “The Bard of Avon ” and “The Bard”. He was also considered to be the world’s pre-eminent dramatist and is often called England’s national poet. His surviving works consist of about 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and several other poems.
William Shakespeare Birth and Death
What is William Shakespeare Date of Birth?
Although the exact date of William Shakespeare birth is unknown, his entry in the baptismal register allows us to estimate about Shakespeare date of birth somewhere in late April. This can be estimated from the tradition of the 16th century which has the procedure of baptism was performed within three days of the birth.
From his baptism entry, William Shakespeare date of birth is supposed to be in April. The year1564 is considered to be Shakespeare’s birth year. Shakespeare birth took place in Stratford-upon-Avon, a small country town located in the Warwickshire of England. His actual birth date remains unknown but is traditionally observed on 23 April, St George’s Day.
This is evident from the Shakespeare baptism record which can be now considered as William Shakespeare birth certificate as shown below
William Shakespeare Birth Chart
The following detail depicts Shakespeare’s birth chart
Gender: Male
Shakespeare Day of Birth: 23rd April 1564 -08:30h
Birth Place: Stratford-upon-Avon, England
Country: GB, United Kingdom
Age: 52 years
Death: 23rd April 1616
Sun: Tau
Moon: Lib
ASC: Can
Life path: 6
More detailed Shakespeare birth chart is as shown below
When is the Death Anniversary of Shakespeare?
Shakespeare retired and came Stratford when he reached at the age of 49. He died three years after his retirement. Likewise the tradition of baptism, the same is followed in the burial record. Hence from that, it is assumed that William Shakespeare date of birth and death are the same.
However, Shakespeare day of birth and death are different. His death anniversary is assumed to be on 23rd April 1616 at the age of 52 years. It is said that he died due to a brief illness, however, the exact cause is not known.
Who were Parents and Siblings of Shakespeare?
John Shakespeare, the father of William Shakespeare was an English businessman with a profession of a glover and a leather worker. John Shakespeare date of birth is somewhere around the year 1531 while he died in September 1601. His mother was Mary Eden ( Birth 1537- Death 1608), the daughter of local landowner there. However, Shakespeare was the eldest son of their parents but was smaller than his two sisters.
Shakespeare’s parents had eight children, namely Joan (born 1558, died in infancy), Margaret (1562-1563), William (himself, 1564-1616), Gilbert (1566-1612), Joan (1569-1646), Anne (1571-1579), Richard (1574-1613), and Edmund (1580-1607).
William Shakespeare’s Childhood
We have very little information about Shakespeare’s early life. Shakespeare is assumed to have been educated at King’s New School which still exists and is a free grammar school of Stratford. Basis knowledge of Latin text and grammar was given to him as that was standardized throughout the country.
Shakespeare finished his studies at the grammar schools there is no further record of him being in University. Also studying at University was a privilege then for the upper-class society which he could not afford. He may have spent the years 1580-82 as a teacher for the Roman Catholic Houghton family in Lancashire. It is not confirmed though.
William Shakespeare Marriage and Children
In 1582, at the age of 18, Shakespeare married a local girl, Anne Hathaway, who was eight years older. Their marriage was done in a very rush as Anne was already pregnant during their ring ceremony only.
Shakespeare was penniless during this time and even his father had difficult times falling on him. heir first child, Susannah, was born within six months, and twins Hamnet and Judith were born in 1585. He then went to London and started his theatre career in which he was highly successful. Later he was able to send money to his family and often visit them Unfortunately Hamnet, Shakespeare’s only son, died in 1596, at the age of 11.
After his twins birth, he was totally away from his public life until 1592, after which his works started to appear on the stage of London. These years are called as the 7 lost years of Shakespeare and many rumors were made about his life during these years that included escaping from the trails of Stratford prosecution for the crime of poaching of deer. However, any of these rumors do not have any proof
William Shakespeare Life
Between 1585 and 1592, he began a successful career in London as an actor and writer. During this time he is said to have written about 37 plays that revolve around the themes of histories, comedies, tragicomedies, and tragedies. Some of his most famous plays are Hamlet, Macbeth, Othello, Julius Caesar, The Tempest, Romeo and Juliet, King Lear.
Due to plague, the theatres were closed for time being from 1593 to 1594 and then Shakespeare tried his hands to write poetry. And he wrote two very popular poems during the time which were ” Venus and Adonis” and ” The Rape of Lucrece” that was dedicated to the Earl of Southampton. After this many of his poetry became equally famous as his plays
Also, a part owner of a playing company called the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, later known as the King’s Men. He retired to Stratford around 1613, where he died three years later. Few records of Shakespeare’s private life survive, and there has been considerable hearsay about such matters as his physical appearance, sexuality, religious beliefs. Also whether the works attributed to him were written by others
After his death in 1616, his widow was legally entitled to a third of the estate. Shakespeare also bequeathed his “second-best bed” to his wife – at that time the best bed was the grand prize of a forfeited estate. Anne Hathaway died seven years after her husband. It has been said that she and her daughter wished to be buried in Shakespeare’s grave.
More Info On- William Shakespeares Siblings, Tragedies, Characters, Tragedies king Lear
