Early Life

Very little is known about William Shakespeare’s childhood. He was born in the English city of Stratford-upon-Avon about 100 miles northwest of London in 1564. William’s father was a successful leather merchant who once held the public position of alderman. He was the third of six children including two older sisters and three younger brothers. Growing up in Stratford-upon-Avon William lived in a house with his big family on Henley Street. He went to the local grammar school where he learned about poetry, history, Greek, and Latin. When William turned eighteen he married Anne Hathaway. Anne was eight years older than William. They soon had a family including a daughter named Susanna and twins named Hamnet and Judith.

London and the Lost Years

After William and Anne had the twins, there are no records of the next several years of his life. Historians often refer to these years as the “lost years.” There are lots of theories and stories about what William was doing during this time. In any event, he and his family eventually ended up in London where William was working at the theatre.

The Globe Theatre

The Globe Theatre became the place to be in London. It could house up to 3,000 spectators and had a uniquely designed stage with a painted ceiling, columns, and stage wall. They had specially trained musicians who made special effects noises during the plays. They even had a cannon that fired blanks.

Legacy

Shakespeare is considered by many to be the greatest writer of the English language. He is also one of the most influential. Through his works, he is credited with introducing nearly 3,000 words to the English language. In addition, his works are the second most often quoted after the Bible.

Shakespear’s life

Interesting Facts

about

William Shakespeare

✔ The lead actor and star of many of Shakespeare’s plays was Richard Burbage.

✔ The original Globe Theatre burned down in 1613. It was rebuilt in 1614, but was then closed in 1642.

✔ A modern reconstruction of the Globe was built in London by American actor Sam Wanamaker. It opened in 1997.

✔ He wrote 37 plays in his lifetime averaging about 1.5 plays per year he was writing. Some scholars think that he wrote around 20 more plays that have been lost, which would put the total to 57!

✔His plays were performed for both Queen Elizabeth I and King James I.

✔You can take the letters from “William Shakespeare” and write “I am a weakish speller.”

William Shakespeare