William was born in 1564 (we do not know the
exact date). According to church records, he was baptised Wednesday
April 26th 1564. William was the third child of John and Mary Shakespeare.
William had seven brothers and sisters but only 4 of his brothers survived
to adulthood.
John Shakespeare was a businessman. He was
a famous man in Stratford. His wife Mary worked mainly at home.
William probably went to Kings New Grammar
School where he was taught basic reading and writing. There is no record
of William ever attending a university.
When William was 15 years old he bought a
house in Stratford upon Avon. The house was one the most wanted properties
in all of Stratford and it was the second largest house in the town.
In 1582, at the age of 18, William married
the twenty-six year old and pregnant Anne Hathaway. Seven months later
they had their first daughter, Susanna. Baptism records reveal that
twins Hammond and Judith were born in February 1592. Hammet, William's
only son died in 1596, at 11 years old.
In 1593 William entered his first poem - Venus
and Adonis. By 1595 it is estimated that 15 of his 37 plays had been
written and performed. In 1560 Williams's sonnets were published without
his permission.
In 1600s William left his family and Stratford
and went to London for around 20 years. William moved to London because
he believed that there were more chances of his work being published
and promoted.
William made the most money in 1605 when he
bought more property. This investment made him a lot of money. Some
academics believe that this investment gave William the time he needed
to write his plays uninterrupted. In Stratford he was thought of as
a businessman.
William died April 23rd 1616.
Although William Shakespeare is dead he lives
on as one of the best poetry writers in the whole world. Academics study
his works when studying English literature. His plays are still now
performed in theatres all over the world. The town of Stratford on Avon
pays tribute to him by having various museums and exhibitions devoted
to the grand poet.