English Poetry ISU - Shakespeare Bio

William Shakespeare’s Biography

William Shakespeare was baptized on April 26^th, 1564 in the church Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire England. William is the third of eight children but was the eldest surviving child of John Shakespeare and Mary Arden. Shakespeare’s exact date of birth was never known, though many people believe he was born on April 23^rd, 1564. Everything that is confirmed knowledge about him is only through court and/or church documents. William Shakespeare is said to be the greatest English poet and playwright in the English language. At the age of eighteen Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway who was twenty-six years old on November 17^th, 1582. Six months after William and Anne got married Anne gave birth to their first child, a daughter they named Susanna who was baptized on May 26^th 1583. Anne and William had two more children almost two years later, fraternal twins Hamnet and their second daughter Judith who were baptized February 2^nd, 1585. Hamnet died at the age of eleven from unknown cause and was buried August 11^th, 1596.
It was not known when Shakespeare started writing his plays or poems, but they were appearing on the London stage by 1592. By 1594 Shakespeare’s plays were being preformed but only by the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, a company owned by a group of players including Shakespeare himself. This group became the leading playing company in all of London. Due to the success of Shakespeare’s plays he became a wealthy man, buying the second largest house in Stratford in 1597. Some of his plays were published in editions of fours in 1594, and by 1598 Shakespeare’s name became a selling point. Shakespeare’s last three plays were collaboration’s, with who is unknown. He died on April 26^th, 1616 and was buried in chancel of Holy Trinity Church two days later.