Biography
Overview
A glover's son from Stratford who would become the greatest writer in the English language. Shakespeare wrote 37 plays, 154 sonnets, and invented over 1,700 words we still use today, from 'lonely' to 'assassination' to 'bedazzled.' His characters, Hamlet's indecision, Lear's madness, Juliet's passion, Falstaff's wit, feel more real than people we've met.
He understood that drama lives in the gap between what we want and what we can have, that comedy and tragedy share the same blood. Working with the Lord Chamberlain's Men at the Globe Theatre, he wrote for groundlings and royalty alike, proving that great art can also be great entertainment. Four centuries later, his plays are performed somewhere in the world every single day.
Shakespeare’s world, year by year
15641616
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Dated facts
Account · checked against Wikipedia Read the source
- 1564William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon and baptised on 26 April 1564; his birth is traditionally observed on 23 April.
- 1585Sometime between 1585 and 1592 he began a career in London as actor, writer and sharer in the Lord Chamberlain's Men.
- 1599In 1599 members of his company built their own theatre, the Globe, on the south bank of the Thames.
- 1603After James I's accession in 1603, the company received a royal patent and became the King's Men.
- 1608Until 1608 he wrote mainly tragedies, among them Hamlet, Othello, King Lear and Macbeth; his Sonnets were published in 1609.
- 1613Around 1613, at about 49, he appears to have retired to Stratford.
- 1616He died on 23 April 1616, aged 52.
Alive at the same time
Overlap Same years; not influence
Wars during this life
- Anglo-Spanish War
- Sekigahara Campaign
- Long Turkish War
- Nine Years' War in Ireland
- Imjin War (Japanese Invasions of Korea)
- Great Siege of Malta
Sources
Primary works and follow-on reading.
Primary Sources
- Plays and sonnets
- First Folio (1623)
- Reference profile for William Shakespeare
Further Reading
- Will in the World - Stephen Greenblatt
- Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human - Harold Bloom
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about William Shakespeare.
Who was William Shakespeare?
A glover's son from Stratford who would become the greatest writer in the English language. Shakespeare wrote 37 plays, 154 sonnets, and invented over 1,700 words we still use today, from 'lonely' to 'assassination' to 'bedazzled.' His characters, Hamlet's indecision, Lear's madness, Juliet's passion, Falstaff's wit, feel more real than people we've met. He understood that drama lives in the gap between what we want and what we can have, that comedy and tragedy share the same blood. Working with the Lord Chamberlain's Men at the Globe Theatre, he wrote for groundlings and royalty alike, proving that great art can also be great entertainment. Four centuries later, his plays are performed somewhere in the world every single day.
What was William Shakespeare best known for?
Shakespeare is best known as a artist. English playwright and poet whose works reshaped drama and enriched the modern English language.
When did William Shakespeare live?
Shakespeare lived 1564-1616 CE, born in 1564 and died in 1616, during the renaissance period.
Can I chat with an AI version of William Shakespeare?
Yes, free. Anyone can ask Shakespeare, and a first question needs no account. Every answer is a Simulation in character, grounded in Shakespeare’s real life, work and era. A good first question is: "My story feels flat, what's missing?"
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What Shakespeare is best at.
- Story Architecture: Designing plots around desire and turn
- Dramatic Language: Using imagery, rhythm, and subtext
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Cite this page
“William Shakespeare.” HistorIQly. https://historiqly.com/ai-historical-figures/william-shakespeare/
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