William Shakespeare Baptized 23 April1564 Died 23 April 1616

Childhood & Youth Baptized April 26, Married November 28, 1582.

Stratford-upon-Avon -About 100 miles northwest of London - population around1,500 (that would be about the size of the current St. Cecilia Academy community) - The population of London in 1530 had been about 50,000, and growing.

Family & Home Home was Stratford-upon Avon. His father – John Shakespeare -- was a glover and an alderman (“village elder”). His mother – Mary Arden -- was born of gentry. Shakespeare was the 3rd of their 8 children. His two older sisters had died in infancy.

Education He probably went to the free public grammar school there, and never to university. He would have learned grammar, literature, and some Latin. Shakespeare was mocked in London for his lack of education – “smalle Latin and little Greek”

Marriage At the age of 18, on November 28, 1582, Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway. She was 26 years older and 3 months pregnant. They had three children: Susanna (born May 26, 1583, died 1649 at 66) Twins: Hamnet (baptized Feb 2, 1585, died 1596 at 11) Judith (baptized Feb 2, 1585, died 1662 at 77)

Shakespeare’s Family A nineteenth-century engraving depicting Shakespeare as a family man surrounded by his children, who listen entranced to his stories. Anne is portrayed at the right as an idealised housewife, sewing a garment.

World Events of the 1560’s Elizabeth I queen of England 1564: In Italy, Michelangelo dies & Galileo is born. 1565: pencils begin to be manufactured!!! 1566: (rebellion in Spain…) 1567: Mary Queen of Scots forced to abdicate… 1569: due to threatened rebellion in the North, Elizabeth cracks down on Catholics, including in Stratford-on-Avon

1570: In Stratford, a retainer of Sir Thomas Lucy is appointed steward of the town, and all remaining signs of Stratford's Catholic heritage are ordered removedStratfordSir Thomas LucyStratfordCatholic 1571: Battle of Lepanto; Austrians end Turkish sea power in central Mediterranean; Elizabeth I excommunicated; William Shakespeare goes to school

1580 Privy Council warns all diocese against the corruptive influence of Catholic sympathizers in schools. In towns like Stratford, where the majority of schoolmasters were old Catholics, State informers are primed to report any behavior by teachers that might be considered disloyal to the crown.CatholicStratford

Silent Years What was he doing?

Elizabethan Years

1589 Two Gentlemen of Verona The Comedy of Errors

1590 Henry VI, Part I King John

Robert Greene calls Shakespeare “"an upstart crow, beautified with our feathers, that with his Tygers hart wrapt in a Players hyde, supposes he is as well able to bombast out a blanke verse as the best of you: and being an absolute Johannes factotum, is in his owne conceit the onely Shake-scene in a countrey."factotum

1592 Henry VI, Part 2 Henry VI, Part 3

1593 [Henry IV of France becomes a Roman Catholic] "Henry VI Part 3" completed and performed at The Theatre "The Taming of the Shrew" written and performed at The Theatre "Richard III" written and performed at The Theatre "Venus and Adonis" (sonnets) printedCatholicHenry VI Part 3The Taming of the ShrewRichard III

1594 Earl of Tyrone revolts in Ireland The French painter Poussin born Rural England begins to suffer years of bad harvests "The Rape of Lucrece" (sonnets) printed "Love's Labour's Lost" written and performed at The Theatre "Romeo and Juliet" written and performed at The TheatreLove's Labour's LostRomeo and Juliet

The Lord Chamberlain’s Men In May, Shakespeare and Richard Burbage join a new company, formed by Lord Chamberlain Hunsdon. This new company, formed with many players William has worked with before, has strong connections with Warwickshire. Shakespeare will remain with this company for the rest of his life, doubtless enjoying being able to use much of the rich language of his Warwickshire youth and have it sound authentic in the delivery of players raised with the same language and accents.Richard BurbageHunsdon Together with Edward Alleyn's The Admiral's Men, who performed Christopher Marlowe's plays, the companies would dominate London theatre.Christopher MarloweLondon

Jacobean Years King James I crowned in Shakespeare retired Shakespeare died 1623.

By 1605, the population of London had grown to 225,000.

Posthumous Events