biography of shakespeare
...cated, mainly stemming from Oxford University with Bachelors and/or Masters. Most students already had been taught English at home. Shakespeare’s education is also hinted to in his writings. He left school at 15 years old, in 1579. The reason is unknown, but could be due to a financial setback in his family’s financial condition. As a result, although his works are studied at almost every university, he himself never attended one. On November 28, 1582, at the age of 18, he married Anne Hathaway. Six months following the wedding, Shakespeare’s eldest daughter, Susanna, was born. Two years later, Anne gave birth to twins, Hamnet and Judith. Shakespeare’s only son, Hamnet, died at the early age of eleven. Shakespeare’s family was relatively small in comparison to other families living in that period, which usually had many children to ensure parents for cared for in later years. The Shakepeare family continued to live in Stratford-on-Avon, and in 1594, moved into their own home called the “New Place”. This was one of the most important and most wanted properties in all of Stratford, since it was the second largest house. Shakespeare bought the house when he was 15 using his own money or his father’s money that was in his name. However, Shakespeare might have also been able to acquire it through the money he received from his plays. Shakespeare also purchased property near Stratford that gave him a huge financial increase. Some academics think that this allowed Shakespeare to write plays without any interruptions. Before playwriting, Shakespeare probably worked for his father in commercial trades, as a law clerk, and possibly as a sailor or soldier for England. In 1607, Susanna married Dr. John Hall. They lived in Hall’s Craft located near New Place. A year after their marriage, Elizabeth was born. Judith, his other daughter, married Thomas Quiney. Between the early years of 1590, and the second decade of the seventeenth Century, Shakespeare composed about thirty-eight plays, and influenced the literary world in a way that has never been surpassed. His first poem, Venus and Adonis was entered on April 18, 1593. The poem was dedicated to the Earl of Southampton. Following the dedication, the poem be came well known and was reprinted nine times during the next few years. In 1609, his sonnets were published without his permission. His first play, Titus Androinicus, was printed and performed in 1594. However, he only became well known as a play writer in 1598 to the public. His plays and works are divided into periods, “moving roughly from comedies to histories to tragedies and then to his final romances capped by a farewell to the stage in The Tempest.” Shakepeare left playwriting during the horrible plague years, 1592-1594, as the theater industry in general closed down, and spent those years composing sonnets and long poems. When the plague ended, theaters opened up their doors again to the public. Shakespeare became a sharer in the Lord Chamberlain’s company. During this time, Shakespeare’s rival, Kyd, died, leaving the playwright to Shakespeare. As a result, Shakespeare wrote about eleven more plays including “Romeo and Juliet” as well as “A Midsummer Nights Dream”. In 1597, the company left the theater due to arguments over a renewal of the ground lease, and went to play at the Curtain Theater. The argument was settled around Christmas time in 1598. In 1599, Shakespeare was able to fulfill his dream, and build a new theater called the Globe. The Globe is located o the South bank of the Thames, near Southward Cathedral in London. It became famous because some of Shakespeare’s greatest tragedies were performed there, including Macbeth. Shakespeare wrote plays in this theater, where he pictured exactly who would be playing which roles and what to expect of these people’s acting. The stage was about 43 by 27 feet. The audience stood on three sides around the stage. Those who were more financially comfortable would sit in balconies abo...