Shakespeare's life and iambic pentameter

When was William Shakespeare baptized?

Church records indicate that William Shakespeare was baptized at Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, on April 26, 1564.

What provides historians with a basic outline of William Shakespeare’s life?

His works (plays, poems, sonnets) and official documentation (church and court records).

When is William Shakespeare’s birth traditionally celebrated and why?

From the date of William Shakespeare’s baptizm, scholars acknowledge that he was born on or near April 23, 1564.

Who were William Shakespeare’s parents? Who were his siblings?

Shakespeare’s father was John Shakespeare, a leather merchant of some standing, who held positions as alderman and bailiff before William’s birth, and his mother was Mary Arden, a local landed heiress. William Shakespeare was the third of eight children. He had two older sisters, Joan and Judith, and three younger brothers, Gilbert, Richard, and Edmund.

Which school did William Shakespeare most likely attend?

He most likely attended the King's New School in Stratford, which taught reading, writing and the classics. Being a public official's child, William would have qualified for free tuition. He had no university education.

Who was William Shakespeare’s wife? Who were his children?

William Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway on November 28, 1582, in Worcester, in Canterbury Province. Hathaway was from Shottery, a small village a mile west of Stratford. William was 18 and Anne was 26, and pregnant with their first child, Susanna, who was born on May 26, 1583. Twins, Hamnet and Judith were born on February 2, 1585. Hamnet died of unknown causes at age 11.

What are the “lost years”

After the birth of the twins, the seven years of William Shakespeare's life where no records exist. He might have gone into hiding for poaching game from a local landlord, Thomas Lucy, or he might have been working as an assistant schoolmaster in Lancashire.

By when was Shakespeare living as an actor and playwright in London?

1592

What acting troupe was Shakespeare a principal shareholder and playwright of?

The Lord Chamberlain’s men, later called the King’s men by James I.

Who built the Globe Theatre? Where is it?

The Lord Chamberlain’s men built and occupied the Globe Theatre in Southwark near the Thames River.

How many of Shakespeare’s plays were written by 1597?

15 plays. At this time he purchased the New-House, the second largest house in Stratford.

When did Shakespeare return home to visit?

During the 40-day Lenten period.

How were Shakespeare’s early plays written? How was he innovative in his writing?

His early plays were written in the conventional style of the day. He was innovative in the sense that he adapted the traditional style and created a freer flow of words. He primarily used a metrical pattern consisted of lines of blank verse.

How many plays did he have? How many sonnets?

He had 37 plays and 154 sonnets, which were published in 1609.