1. William Shakespeare

2. Let’s Discuss the Rumors…
1: There was NO Shakespeare. His work is written by many people.
2: Shakespeare was really Marlowe who had previously faked his own death
3:The man who we know as Shakespeare was just an actor not a writer

3. His beginnings
Born in 1564 to John and Mary Shakespeare (Arden) in their Stratford-upon-Avon home
Dad was a wool and leather merchant, trained to make fine leather for female nobility
Mom was Catholic, from old, rich, aristocratic, family
Dad gets first public office appointment as Town’s “ale-taster”

6. Education
Due to his father’s position, the Shakespeare children got a free grammar education
William is pulled out of school to help family---$ and health problems
This is why people say William had no “formal” education
His best education came from hanging out at the docks where he spoke to sailors from all over the world; he learned new languages, and was exposed to worldly ideas

8. Adult Life in Stratford
At 18 he married Anne Hathaway, a 26 year old who was already 3 months pregnant.
They had to move in with William’s parents
Will worked as a teacher, assistant to lawyer, helped father
He and Anne had 3 children. 1 died in childhood

9. Here He Is:

10. Will Leaves Home…Alone!!!
He heads to London to seek work as an actor, alone
10 year gap where he’s working as a traveling actor
1592 settled and is well known as actor/playwright in London
1594 becomes share holder(12.5%) of The Lord Chamberlain’s Men acting co.

11. Life in London He’s popular
1603 the co. is renamed the King’s Men and James I is patron
They build the Globe theatre-”wooden-O” with wood taken from a previously burned down “Theatre” that they owned.
Actors are not thought of highly

12. The Globe
Open Air
Built with trap doors, cranks, cranes, quick change rooms, stage projected into audience
Plays were on if flag was flying. No flag =plague.
Pay a penny and stand, or pay more to sit
See pictures

13. The Globe

17. His Works Writes 37 (or more) plays and 134 sonnets
Plays written in blank verse=not rhymed, and Iambic pentameter(10 syllables, stressed and unstressed)
His plays weren’t published in his lifetime so what we have isn’t exactly what he wrote

18. His Death He retires to STRATFORD and lives as a rich, respected man
Dies on his birthday, April 23, 1616