William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare’s birthdate is commonly assumed to be April 25, based on the date of his baptism. His father, John, was the son of a farmer who became a successful tradesman; his mother, Mary Arden, came from a gentry family. Shakespeare attended Latin-focused studies at Stratford Grammar School, leaving at around age 15. Around this time, his father experienced an unspecified financial setback, though the family retained possession of their home. He became involved with Anne Hathaway, a farmer’s daughter eight years his senior, which led to a hasty marriage in late 1582 due to her pregnancy. Their daughter Susanna was born in May 1583, followed by twins Hamnet and Judith in January 1585. By 1592, Shakespeare was an established actor and playwright in London, though the exact nature of his activities in the intervening years (including speculation about possible roles as a fugitive, butcher, soldier, or actor) remains debated. During the two-year closure of London theatres due to plague, he likely toured and also wrote the long poems "Venus and Adonis" and "The Rape of Lucrece." He may have spent this time at the estate of the Earl of Southampton. By December 1594, he was back in London as a member of the Lord Chamberlain's Men, the company with which he remained affiliated for the rest of his life. In 1596, he appears to have secured a coat of arms for his father; the same year, Hamnet died at age 11. The following year, Shakespeare purchased the grand Stratford mansion New Place. An edition of "Love's Labors" published in 1598 was the first to bear his name, though he was already considered England's leading playwright. He is thought to have written his "Sonnets" during the 1590s. In 1599, he became a partner in the new Globe Theatre, and the company joined the royal household upon James I's accession in 1603. That was the last year he appeared in a cast list. He is believed to have retired to Stratford in 1612, where he remained active in real estate. The cause of his death remains unknown.