HISTORICAL CONTEXT- Shakespeare's life and biography

Early Life

You may say the most obvious place to start this research is with Shakespeare's date of birth and yet this basic fact is unknown- to this day we can only guess. We know he was baptised on the 26th April 1564 so we assume he was born only a few days prior. He was born in Stratford Upon Avon a market town with a population of approximately 1000 people. He was born to John and Mary Shakespeare as the son of a glove maker and wool trader and their oldest surviving child as both their previous daughters died as infants. Although William became the first child to survive he was lucky to do so; the year he was born plague hit Stratford killing 200 of the town's population. William had been born into a world of danger and uncertainty.

Education

Helped by his father's station as town mayor, William attended King Edward VI grammar school being schooled in Latin, both reading, writing and speaking the language and was also taught an extensive historical syllabus. He would have most likely attended school from age 7-15. His education would stand him in good stead for his later career as a playwright, possibly gaining his love for classical plays, so often reflected in his own works, during the 9 years he attended school. 

Marriage and Children

Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway the daughter of a local farmer in 1582. She was 26 and he 18 when they married, being so eager to be wed due to the fact that Anne was already 3 months pregnant with Shakespeare's first of 3 children, Susanna. Shakespeare went on to have 2 more children; twins, Hamnet and Judith. Hamnet died at age 11, Susanna married a John Hall a doctor and had Shakespeare first grandchild, Elizabeth and Judith married just before his death in 1616 to Thomas Quiney a wine merchant. The family eventually died out, leaving no direct descendants of Shakespeare. His family life was almost non-existent as he lived most of his life in London due to work, leaving his family back home in Stratford. 

Career

Shakespeare time in London spanned from roughly 1590-1613. He had made his name as an actor by 1592 the same year his play Henry VI was performed at the Rose theatre after which he went on to write or co-write 40 plays. On top of this he was a keen poet publishing a book 154 sonnets in 1609. He co-owned The Lord Chamberlain's Men theatre company and in 1599 became the co-owner of the Globe theatre. For about 20 years he made all of his money in the arts: writing, performing and running theatres. 

Death

Shakespeare's death is shrouded in nearly as much mystery as his birth with its cause being unknown but the date, 23rd April 1616 being known. He is buried in Holy Trinity Church and he left this curse on his grave:

The bust there in his memory is meant to be the best replica of Shakespeare as it was commissioned by those who knew him personally. 

I have learnt from this that Shakespeare's life must have had a great impact on his works. Throughout his life he lived polar opposites: he knew luxury from birth and throughout his successful career and yet also knew tragedy from the loss of his son. He knew what it was to be part of a family and yet made the choice perhaps more out of duty than love and spent most of his life away from them. He had a life that can only be described as 'experienced' and I suspect this lifestyle is why his plays and sonnets were and are so powerful- Shakespeare had definitely lived a life.