INTRODUCTION TO THE BIOGRAPHY OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

Will lived for 52 years as his biography confirms. In just 23 years, between approximately
1590 and 1613, he is attributed with writing 38 plays, Famous Shakespearean sonnets and 5
other poems. He is the most widely read of all Authors and the popularity of the Life and
Works of Shakespeare, in English speaking countries, is second only to the Bible. It is
therefore no surprise that Shakespeare's biography, or bio, sparks so much interest. We
have categorised this William Shakespeare Biography, or bio, into sections to facilitate easy
reference. These range from a section on Shakespeare's ancestors to his education and from
William Shakespeare's brothers and sisters to Shakespeare's acting career. For an
alternative quick and simple question and answer format we highly recommend the
following William Shakespeare Biography website:
William Shakespeare Biography
A COMPREHENSIVE WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE BIOGRAPHY
Due to amount of information available we have detailed the William Shakespeare
biography in to specific sections. Information about the Life and Works of Shakespeare
together with the comprehensive William Shakespeare's Biography and Timelines can be
accessed via the relevant links provided below.
THE MYSTERIES
The documented references in our William Shakespeare biography can be used as a
framework on which to build a picture of the life of Shakespeare and these can be accessed
via the Facts section of this site and the links below but this still leaves us with many
unanswered questions and mysteries surrounding...
The 'Lost Years', William Shakespeare's actual appearance, William Shakespeare's plays,
William Shakespeare's sonnets, and his breadth of knowledge and the Identity Problem to
name but a few! Difficult when compiling William Shakespeare's Biography.

What do we know about the history of William Shakespeare's ancestors? How far
can his family tree be traced ?
What was his mother, Mary Arden and father John Shakespeare like ? What
backgrounds did they come from ? Why did they live in Stratford ? Was
Shakespeare's father successful ?

Who were William Shakespeare's brothers and sisters ? How many siblings did he
have ? How long did they live ? What were their lives like ? Did they attend school ?

What was the Bard's childhood like ? What was life like for him growing up in the
Elizabethan era in Stratford ? When did he get his first taste for drama ? Were
plays performed at school ?

What sort of Education was available ? What was a Petty School ? And what was
the level of education given in the Stratford Grammar School ?

The Tudor Alphabet - Why old documents of the era can be difficult to read !

What entertainment was there in Stratford ? Which acting troupes visited Stratford
and how was Shakespeare's father involved with them ?

Why was it difficult to travel during the Elizabethan era ?

Why did the Bard have to leave school ? What likely events took place before his
marriage to Anne Hathaway - known as the Lost Years of 1578 - 1582?

What do we know of William Shakespeare's courtship and marriage to Anne

Hathaway - the older woman who was pregnant ? How would the scandal have
effected Shakespeare's family ?

And what about the life of Anne Hathaway - We have compiled a comprehensive
biography piecing together her life with William Shakespeare the great Stratford
Bard

Who were the children of William Shakespeare? What sort of lives did they lead ?
Were they literate ? What scandal was caused by one of the children and rocked the
family ?

Were there any grandchildren ? Are their any direct descendents ?

What were the rumours about an illegitimate son ? Who was the mother ? Facts are
included in this William Shakespeare biography

What events may have occurred during the second Lost Years between between
marriage to Anne Hathaway and the London Theatre from 1585 - 1592 ?