Subject: The Life and work of Shakespeare. Plan: introduction biography of William Shakespeare London and theatre career

 
 

---

3 
1.Biography of William Shakespeare 
William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon (Warwickshire) in 
1564, baptised on 26 April, exact date of birth unknown. Traditionally, his birthday 
is associated with April 23: this date corresponds to the date of his death, which is 
known for sure. In addition, April 23 is St. George's day, the patron saint of England, 
and this day can coincide with the tradition, especially with the birth of the greatest 
folk poet. From English, the surname "Shakespeare" is translated as "amazing with 
a spear". 
His father was John Shakespeare 
(1530-1601), son of farmer Richard 
Shakespeare, a wealthy craftsman (glove 
maker) who was often elected to various 
important 
public 
offices. 
John 
Shakespeare was alderman in 1565, and 
priestaw (head of the town council) in 
1568. He did not attend church services, 
for which he paid large fines (he may 
have been a secret Catholic). 
Shakespeare's mother, Mary Arden 
(1537-1608), came from one of the earliest Saxon families. In total, the couple had 
8 children, William was born the third. 
It is assumed that Shakespeare attended the "grammar school" (English 
grammar school) in Stratford, where he had to be fluent in Latin: the Stratford Latin 
and literature teacher wrote poetry in Latin. Some scholars argue that Shakespeare 
attended King Edward VI's school in Stratford-apon-Avon, where he studied the 
work of poets such as Ovid and Plavt, but the school journals have not survived and 
nothing can be said now. of course. 

---

4 
In 1582, at the age of 18, he married Anne Hathaway, daughter of a local 
landowner eight years his senior. At the time of the marriage, Ann was pregnant. 
The couple had a daughter, Susan, in 1583 (baptised 23 May), and twins in 1585: a 
son, Hemnet, died in August 1596, aged 11, and a daughter, Judith (baptised 2 
February). 
There is only speculation about the next (in seven years) events of 
Shakespeare's life. The first mention of a London theatre career dates from 1592, 
and the period between 1585 and 1592 is known by scholars as Shakespeare's “lost 
years”. The attempts of biographers to learn about Shakespeare's actions during this 
time gave rise to many apocryphal accounts. Shakespeare's first biographer, 
Nicholas Rowe, believed he had left Stratford to avoid criminal prosecution for 
poaching on the property of Thomas Lucy, a local squire. It is also believed that 
Shakespeare retaliated against Lucy by writing several obscene ballads to his 
address.
According to another 18th-century version, Shakespeare began his theatrical 
career looking after the horses of London theatre patrons. John Aubrey wrote that 
Shakespeare was a schoolmaster. Some 20th-century scholars considered 
Shakespeare to be the teacher of Alexander Nogton of Lancashire, as this Catholic 
landowner had a certain "William Shekshaft". The theory has no basis other than the 
rumor that spread after Shakespeare's death, and furthermore, "Shekshaft" is a very 
common surname in Lancashire.