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The Bard of Avon | 1564-1616
William Shakespeare (baptized April 26, 1564 – died April 23, 1616) was an English playwright, poet, and actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's greatest dramatist. His works have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright.
Born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway at age 18 and had three children. Between 1585 and 1592, he began a successful career in London as an actor, writer, and part-owner of a playing company called the Lord Chamberlain's Men, later known as the King's Men.
Shakespeare produced most of his known works between 1589 and 1613. His early plays were primarily comedies and histories and are regarded as some of the best work produced in these genres. He then wrote mainly tragedies until 1608, including Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth, all considered to be among the finest works in the English language.
Born in Stratford-upon-Avon to John Shakespeare, a glove-maker and tradesman, and Mary Arden, the daughter of a wealthy landowning farmer.
Shakespeare was baptized on April 26th at Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon. His exact birthdate is unknown but traditionally celebrated on April 23rd, which is also the date of his death.
His father John Shakespeare was a successful glovemaker and alderman who later became the mayor of Stratford. His mother Mary Arden came from a wealthy landowning family.
Marries Anne Hathaway at age 18. She was 26 and pregnant with their first child.
Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway in November 1582 when he was 18 and she was 26. The marriage was hurried because Anne was already pregnant with their first child, Susanna, who was born six months later.
In 1585, the couple had twins named Hamnet and Judith. Hamnet died at age 11 in 1596, which some scholars believe influenced Shakespeare's writing of tragedies like Hamlet.
First mentioned as a playwright in London by Robert Greene.
In 1592, Shakespeare was already well-known enough in London to be attacked by the established playwright Robert Greene, who called him an "upstart crow" in his pamphlet "Greene's Groats-Worth of Wit."
This early reference shows Shakespeare was already making his mark in London's theater scene. The years between 1585 and 1592 are known as Shakespeare's "lost years" because there are few records of his activities.
The Globe Theatre is built by Shakespeare's playing company.
In 1599, Shakespeare's company built the Globe Theatre on the south bank of the Thames River. This open-air theater became the primary venue for Shakespeare's plays.
The Globe could hold up to 3,000 spectators. It was destroyed by fire in 1613 during a performance of Henry VIII but was rebuilt the following year. A modern reconstruction opened in 1997 near the original site.
Writes Hamlet, perhaps his most famous tragedy.
Hamlet, written around 1601, is considered by many to be Shakespeare's greatest play. It explores themes of revenge, madness, moral corruption, and the complexity of action.
The play contains some of Shakespeare's most famous lines, including "To be or not to be" and "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark." The character of Hamlet has been played by nearly every major actor of the past 400 years.
Returns to Stratford after a successful career in London.
Around 1611, Shakespeare retired to Stratford-upon-Avon, where he had purchased New Place, one of the town's largest houses, in 1597.
Despite his retirement, he continued to collaborate with other playwrights. His final plays, including The Tempest, were written during this period and show a more mature, reflective style.
Dies at age 52 and is buried in Stratford.
Shakespeare died on April 23, 1616 (possibly his 52nd birthday) and was buried in the chancel of Holy Trinity Church in Stratford.
His epitaph, which he reportedly wrote himself, curses anyone who moves his bones: "Good friend, for Jesus' sake forbear, To dig the dust enclosed here. Blessed be the man that spares these stones, And cursed be he that moves my bones."
Seven years after his death, his friends and fellow actors published the First Folio, preserving 36 of his plays that might otherwise have been lost.
"To be, or not to be: that is the question."
"All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players."
"This above all: to thine own self be true."
"Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind; And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind."
"The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves."
"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet."
"Cowards die many times before their deaths; The valiant never taste of death but once."
"Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them."
"The course of true love never did run smooth."
Shakespeare's influence extends from theatre and literature to present-day movies, Western philosophy, and the English language itself. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon".
His works have shaped the development of English literature and Western culture as a whole. He introduced nearly 3,000 words to the English language and his plays continue to be performed and reinterpreted in diverse cultural and political contexts throughout the world.
Shakespeare's plays remain highly popular today and are constantly studied, performed, and reinterpreted in diverse cultural and political contexts throughout the world. The Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon produces professional productions of his works year-round.
