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: When words are scarce they are seldom spent in vain
"When words are scarce they are seldom spent in vain"
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: 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: 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: Fortune brings in some boats that are not steered
"Fortune brings in some boats that are not steered"
Small: A light heart lives long
"A light heart lives long"
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: The golden age is before us, not behind us
"The golden age is before us, not behind us"
Small: Words, words, mere words, no matter from the heart
"Words, words, mere words, no matter from the heart"
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: 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: Listen to many, speak to a few
"Listen to many, speak to a few"
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: 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: Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall
"Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall"
Small: I bear a charmed life
"I bear a charmed life"
Small: The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose
"The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose"
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: Our peace shall stand as firm as rocky mountains
"Our peace shall stand as firm as rocky mountains"
Small: It is a wise father that knows his own child
"It is a wise father that knows his own child"
Small: I will praise any man that will praise me
"I will praise any man that will praise me"
Small: Wisely, and slow. They stumble that run fast
"Wisely, and slow. They stumble that run fast"
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: Virtue is bold, and goodness never fearful
"Virtue is bold, and goodness never fearful"
Small: Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt
"Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt"
Small: My pride fell with my fortunes
"My pride fell with my fortunes"
Small: Mind your speech a little lest you should mar your fortunes
"Mind your speech a little lest you should mar your fortunes"
Small: Hell is empty and all the devils are here
"Hell is empty and all the devils are here"
Small: Heat not a furnace for your foe so hot that it do singe yourself
"Heat not a furnace for your foe so hot that it do singe yourself"
Small: Lawless are they that make their wills their law
"Lawless are they that make their wills their law"
Small: Come, gentlemen, I hope we shall drink down all unkindness
"Come, gentlemen, I hope we shall drink down all unkindness"
Small: Better a witty fool than a foolish wit
"Better a witty fool than a foolish wit"
Small: Better three hours too soon than a minute too late
"Better three hours too soon than a minute too late"
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: Alas, I am a woman friendless, hopeless!
"Alas, I am a woman friendless, hopeless!"
Small: It will have blood, they say blood will have blood
"It will have blood, they say; blood will have blood"
Small: I wasted time, and now doth time waste me
"I wasted time, and now doth time waste me"
Small: We cannot conceive of matter being formed of nothing, since things require a seed to start from...
"We cannot conceive of matter being formed of nothing, since things require a seed to start from... Therefore there is not anything which returns to nothing, but all things return dissolved into their elements"
Small: How well hes read, to reason against reading!
"How well he's read, to reason against reading!"
Small: Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them
"Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them"
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: Time and the hour run through the roughest day
"Time and the hour run through the roughest day"
Small: Whats done cant be undone
"What's done can't be undone"
Small: When a father gives to his son, both laugh when a son gives to his father, both cry
"When a father gives to his son, both laugh; when a son gives to his father, both cry"
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: Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice
"Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice"
Small: If you can look into the seeds of time, and say which grain will grow and which will not, speak then un
"If you can look into the seeds of time, and say which grain will grow and which will not, speak then unto me"
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: If music be the food of love, play on
"If music be the food of love, play on"
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