Alastair eykyn biography of william shakespeare

Plays such as "Hamlet," "Othello," and "A Midsummer Night's Dream" continue to be performed worldwide, adapted into countless films and productions. Through his enduring contributions, Shakespeare has cemented his status as one of history's greatest playwrights, whose works continue to resonate with and inspire generations. In the later years of his life, William Shakespeare became increasingly focused on property investments in Stratford-upon-Avon.

Following the death of his father inhe inherited the family home, and inhe bought approximately acres of land for a substantial sum. Byhe had also acquired leases for real estate near Stratford that proved to be profitable, suggesting that Shakespeare was not only a gifted playwright but also a shrewd entrepreneur. These ventures likely allowed him the leisure and financial security necessary to dedicate more of his time to writing, leading to some of his most acclaimed works.

Tradition holds that Shakespeare died on April 23,which interestingly falls on the same date as his birth. However, while church records confirm he was interred at Holy Trinity Church on April 25, the exact cause of his death remains uncertain, with speculation ranging from a sudden illness to other unforeseen health issues. In his will, Shakespeare bequeathed the bulk of his estate to his eldest daughter, Susanna, while notably leaving his wife, Anne Hathaway, his "second-best bed.

William Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway on November 28,in Worcester, while she was already pregnant. At the time, Shakespeare was just 18 years old, and Anne was Their union was somewhat unconventional, and they had their first child, Susanna, just six months later, born on May 26, Two years later, on February 2,they welcomed twins, Hamnet and Judith.

Sadly, Hamnet passed away at the young age of 11, leaving a profound impact on the family. Shakespeare's family life remains largely obscured by time, yet records indicate that his children played vital roles during and after his life. His plays have had an enduring presence on stage and film. His writings have been compiled in various iterations of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, which include all of his plays, sonnets, and other poems.

William Shakespeare continues to be one of the most important literary figures of the English language. Although his professional career was spent in London, he maintained close links with his native town.

Alastair eykyn biography of william shakespeare

This suggests he divided his time between Stratford and London a two or three-day commute. In his later years, he may have spent more time in Stratford-upon-Avon than scholars previously thought. On his father's death inWilliam Shakespeare inherited the old family home in Henley Street part of which was then leased to tenants. Further property investments in Stratford followed, including the purchase of acres of land in Shakespeare died in Stratford-upon-Avon on 23 April at the age of He is buried in the sanctuary of the parish church, Holy Trinity.

Relatively prosperous, it is likely the family paid for Williams education, although there is no evidence he attended university. In William, aged only 18, married an older woman named Anne Hathaway. They had three children, Susanna, Hamnet and Juliet. Their only son Hamnet died aged just After his marriage, information about the life of Shakespeare is sketchy, but it seems he spent most of his time in London — writing and acting in his plays.

Due to some well-timed investments, Shakespeare was able to secure a firm financial background, leaving time for writing and acting. The best of these investments was buying some real estate near Stratford inwhich soon doubled in value. It is thought that during the s he wrote the majority of his sonnets. This was a time of prolific writing and his plays developed a good deal of interest and controversy.

His early plays were mainly comedies e. Henry V. By the early Seventeenth Century, Shakespeare had begun to write plays in the genre of tragedy. The other is a memorial bust at Holy Trinity Church in Stratford. Today, there are surviving copies of the First Folio that date back tobut experts estimate roughly First Folios were printed. Scholars and literary critics began to float names like Christopher Marlowe, Edward de Vere, and Francis Bacon —men of more known backgrounds, literary accreditation, or inspiration—as the true authors of the plays.

Official records from the Holy Trinity Church and the Stratford alastair eykyn biography of william shakespeare record the existence of Shakespeare, but none of these attest to him being an actor or playwright. The most serious and intense skepticism began in the 19 th century when adoration for Shakespeare was at its highest. The detractors believed that the only hard evidence surrounding Shakespeare from Stratford-upon-Avon described a man from modest beginnings who married young and became successful in real estate.

They contend that Shakespeare had neither the education nor the literary training to write such eloquent prose and create such rich characters. However, the vast majority of Shakespearean scholars contend that Shakespeare wrote all his own plays. They point out that other playwrights of the time also had sketchy histories and came from modest backgrounds.

They point to evidence that displays his name on the title pages of published poems and plays. There is also strong circumstantial evidence of personal relationships by contemporaries who interacted with Shakespeare as an actor and a playwright. What seems to be true is that Shakespeare was a respected man of the dramatic arts who wrote plays and acted in the late 16 th and early 17 th centuries.

Beginning with the Romantic period of the early s and continuing through the Victorian period, acclaim and reverence for Shakespeare and his work reached its height. In the 20 th century, new movements in scholarship and performance rediscovered and adopted his works. Today, his plays remain highly popular and are constantly studied and reinterpreted in performances with diverse cultural and political contexts.

The Biography. We have worked as daily newspaper reporters, major national magazine editors, and as editors-in-chief of regional media publications. Among our ranks are book authors and award-winning journalists. Our staff also works with freelance writers, researchers, and other contributors to produce the smart, compelling profiles and articles you see on our site.

Adrienne directs the daily news operation and content production for Biography. Adrienne has served as editor-in-chief of two regional print magazines, and her work has won several awards, including the Best Explanatory Journalism award from the Alliance of Area Business Publishers. A Huge Shakespeare Mystery, Solved. How Did Shakespeare Die?

Shakespeare Wrote 3 Tragedies in Turbulent Times. Agatha Christie.