William Shakespeare Biography

William Shakespeare, Dramatist
Occup.Dramatist
FromEngland
BornApril 26, 1564
Stratford-upon-Avon, England
DiedApril 23, 1616
Stratford-upon-Avon, England
Aged51 years
Early Life and Family
William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, in 1564 to John Shakespeare, a glover and leather merchant, and Mary Arden, a landed heiress. William was the third of eight Shakespeare children, of whom 3 passed away in youth.

Though the precise date of his birth isn't known, it's traditionally observed on the 23rd of April, Saint George's Day. This date, which can be traced back to an 18th-century scholar's error, has actually caused a glamorized image of the 23rd being a symbolic date for Shakespeare.

Although the records are questionable, it appears that Shakespeare went to Edward VI Grammar School in Stratford, where he would have studied Latin literature and rhetoric.

Marital relationship and Children
At the age of 18, in November 1582, William wed Anne Hathaway, a farmer's daughter who was 8 years his senior. She was pregnant at the time of their marriage and brought to life their very first child, a daughter named Susanna, 6 months later. Two years after that, Anne brought to life twins, Judith and Hamnet, but Hamnet passed away at the age of 11.

Profession Beginnings
The years following the births of his children until his very first mention in London's theatre scene are known as Shakespeare's "lost years", as there is no clear record of what he was doing throughout this time. Nevertheless, in 1592, he made his launching on the London phase, and by the mid-1590s, his plays were very popular.

Shakespeare was a prolific writer, authoring 39 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and a handful of other verses. His work includes comedies (like 'Much Ado About Nothing'), historic dramas (like 'Henry V'), and catastrophes (like 'Hamlet', 'Othello', and 'Macbeth').

Later Years and Death
In 1611, after a souring relationship with his wife and the death of his boy, Shakespeare returned to Stratford. He bought among the largest houses in the town for himself and his English wife, Anne Hathaway.

Shakespeare passed away on April 23, 1616. The reason for his death remains unidentified. After his death, Shakespeare's family received his estate and his wife Anne got one-third while his child Susanna got two-thirds. His remains were buried in the chancel of the Holy Trinity Church in Stratford.

Shakespeare's Legacy
Through his works, Shakespeare had a significant impact on English literature. His plays and poetry's appeal and profundity have actually made him among the greatest authors in the English language. In addition, his plays stay extremely popular and are performed regularly than those of any other playwright. In spite of the secrets and controversies around his life, the substantial body of work he left continues to inspire and influence individuals around the globe.

Our collection contains 173 quotes who is written / told by William, under the main topics: Happiness - Love - Nature - Peace.

Related authors: Plutarch (Philosopher), William Hazlitt (Critic), Christopher Marlowe (Dramatist), Edward Bond (Playwright), John Webster (Playwright), Harold Bloom (Critic), Michael York (Actor), Ben Jonson (Poet), John Heywood (Dramatist), Isaac Disraeli (Writer)

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173 Famous quotes by William Shakespeare

Small: Fortune brings in some boats that are not steered
"Fortune brings in some boats that are not steered"
Small: Let me embrace thee, sour adversity, for wise men say it is the wisest course
"Let me embrace thee, sour adversity, for wise men say it is the wisest course"
Small: Its not enough to help the feeble up, but to support them after
"Its not enough to help the feeble up, but to support them after"
Small: When words are scarce they are seldom spent in vain
"When words are scarce they are seldom spent in vain"
Small: A light heart lives long
"A light heart lives long"
Small: Love to faults is always blind, always is to joy inclined. Lawless, winged, and unconfined, and breaks
"Love to faults is always blind, always is to joy inclined. Lawless, winged, and unconfined, and breaks all chains from every mind"
Small: There is a tide in the affairs of men, Which taken at the flood, leads on to fortune. Omitted, all the
"There is a tide in the affairs of men, Which taken at the flood, leads on to fortune. Omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries. On such a full sea are we now afloat. And we must take the current when it serves, or lose our ventures"
Small: Words, words, mere words, no matter from the heart
"Words, words, mere words, no matter from the heart"
Small: As flies to wanton boys, are we to the gods they kill us for their sport
"As flies to wanton boys, are we to the gods; they kill us for their sport"
Small: Children wish fathers looked but with their eyes fathers that children with their judgment looked and e
"Children wish fathers looked but with their eyes; fathers that children with their judgment looked; and either may be wrong"
Small: Listen to many, speak to a few
"Listen to many, speak to a few"
Small: Wisely, and slow. They stumble that run fast
"Wisely, and slow. They stumble that run fast"
Small: The golden age is before us, not behind us
"The golden age is before us, not behind us"
Small: Our peace shall stand as firm as rocky mountains
"Our peace shall stand as firm as rocky mountains"
Small: Maids want nothing but husbands, and when they have them, they want everything
"Maids want nothing but husbands, and when they have them, they want everything"
Small: I will praise any man that will praise me
"I will praise any man that will praise me"
Small: Come, gentlemen, I hope we shall drink down all unkindness
"Come, gentlemen, I hope we shall drink down all unkindness"
Small: It is a wise father that knows his own child
"It is a wise father that knows his own child"
Small: My pride fell with my fortunes
"My pride fell with my fortunes"
Small: Talking isnt doing. It is a kind of good deed to say well and yet words are not deeds
"Talking isn't doing. It is a kind of good deed to say well; and yet words are not deeds"
Small: A fool thinks himself to be wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool
"A fool thinks himself to be wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool"
Small: Better a witty fool than a foolish wit
"Better a witty fool than a foolish wit"
Small: The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose
"The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose"
Small: It will have blood, they say blood will have blood
"It will have blood, they say; blood will have blood"
Small: I bear a charmed life
"I bear a charmed life"
Small: Time and the hour run through the roughest day
"Time and the hour run through the roughest day"
Small: Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall
"Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall"
Small: Virtue is bold, and goodness never fearful
"Virtue is bold, and goodness never fearful"
Small: To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to an
"To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man"
Small: How oft the sight of means to do ill deeds makes ill deeds done!
"How oft the sight of means to do ill deeds makes ill deeds done!"
Small: With mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come
"With mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come"
Small: If music be the food of love, play on
"If music be the food of love, play on"
Small: How well hes read, to reason against reading!
"How well he's read, to reason against reading!"
Small: Well, if Fortune be a woman, shes a good wench for this gear
"Well, if Fortune be a woman, she's a good wench for this gear"
Small: Its better to bear the ills we have than fly to others that we know not of
"Its better to bear the ills we have than fly to others that we know not of"
Small: Is it not strange that desire should so many years outlive performance?
"Is it not strange that desire should so many years outlive performance?"
Small: The wheel is come full circle
"The wheel is come full circle"
Small: Lawless are they that make their wills their law
"Lawless are they that make their wills their law"
Small: Cowards die many times before their deaths the valiant never taste of death but once
"Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once"
Small: Faith, there hath been many great men that have flattered the people who neer loved them
"Faith, there hath been many great men that have flattered the people who ne'er loved them"
Small: I wasted time, and now doth time waste me
"I wasted time, and now doth time waste me"
Small: The course of true love never did run smooth
"The course of true love never did run smooth"
Small: Pleasure and action make the hours seem short
"Pleasure and action make the hours seem short"
Small: The fashion of the world is to avoid cost, and you encounter it
"The fashion of the world is to avoid cost, and you encounter it"
Small: The evil that men do lives after them the good is oft interred with their bones
"The evil that men do lives after them; the good is oft interred with their bones"
Small: One touch of nature makes the whole world kin
"One touch of nature makes the whole world kin"
Small: Modest doubt is called the beacon of the wise
"Modest doubt is called the beacon of the wise"
Small: Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust
"Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them"
Small: Alas, I am a woman friendless, hopeless!
"Alas, I am a woman friendless, hopeless!"
Small: Better three hours too soon than a minute too late
"Better three hours too soon than a minute too late"
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