William Shakespeare

Profession: Playwright

Nationality:

Biography: William Shakespeare is often named the greatest writer in the English language and the world's greatest dramatist. His extant works consist of about 38 plays, 154 sonnets and additional poems.

His plays have been translated into every major living language and have been performed more often than any other playwright.

Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in England in 1564, the third of eight children to a prominent businessman and official. At 18 he married Anne Hathaway, probably in some hurry, their first child a daughter Susanna was born 6 months later.

It wasn't until 1592 that Shakespeare is recorded established in London as a founder member of the theatre company The Lord Chamberlain's Men. From the 1603 the company came under the patronage of King James I as The King's Men with the Globe as their theatre, which they had constructed in 1599.

It is during this time that Shakespeare wrote his most famous plays, tragedies such as "Macbeth" and "King Lear" and comedies and romances including "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and "Romeo and Juliet".

After Shakespeare's death in 1616 two of his fellow players published a collection of 36 of his plays in 1623 in the "First Folio" preserving Shakespeare's works and ensuring his legacy.

Note, Shakespeare was baptized on April 26 and this is traditionally regarded as his birthdate, although the exact date is uncertain.

Born: April 23, 1564
Birthplace: Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England
Star Sign: Taurus

Died: April 23, 1616 (aged 52)

Articles and Photos

Married Life

1582-11-28 Playwright and poet William Shakespeare (18) marries Anne Hathaway (26) (date of the marriage license)

Historical Events

1564-04-26 William Shakespeare is baptized in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England
1595-01-29 William Shakespeare's play "Romeo and Juliet" is thought to have been first performed. Officially published early 1597.
1597-04-23 William Shakespeare's "The Merry Wives of Windsor" is first performed, with Queen Elizabeth I of England in attendance
1604-11-01 William Shakespeare's tragedy "Othello" is first presented
1606-08-07 Possible first performance of Shakespeare's tragedy Macbeth, performed in the Great Hall at Hampton Court Palace for King James I
1606-12-26 First known performance of William Shakespeare's tragedy "King Lear" before the court of King James I at Whitehall, London
1609-05-20 Shakespeare's Sonnets are first published in London, perhaps illicitly, by publisher Thomas Thorpe
1611-04-20 First known performance of Shakespeare's tragedy Macbeth at the Globe Theatre, London, recorded by Simon Forman
1611-11-01 Shakespeare's romantic comedy play "Tempest" is first presented
1613-06-29 Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London, burns down during a performance of "Henry VIII"
1623-12-05 First copies purchased of William Shakespeare's First Folio, collecting his plays posthumously into one volume, bought by Edward Dering
1642-09-02 English Long Parliament issues Ordinance ordering closure of London theatres including the Globe theatre, once part-owned by William Shakespeare
1750-03-05 1st American Shakespearean production-"altered" Richard III, NYC
1761-06-10 Puritan version of Shakespeare's "Othello" opens in Newport, Rhode Island
1847-09-16 Shakespeare Birthplace Trust buys bard's birthplace in Stratford-upon-Avon
1932-04-23 Shakespeare Memorial Theatre opens at Stratford-on-Avon, England
1968-01-18 Hal Hester and Danny Appolinar's rock musical "Your Own Thing", loosely based on Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night", premieres at the Orpheum Theater, NYC; runs for 933 performances
1971-12-01 Galt MacDermot and John Guare's musical adaptation of William Shakespeare's "Two Gentlemen of Verona", starring Clifton Davis and Raul Julia, opens at St James Theater, NYC; runs for 614 performances and wins 2 Tony Awards
1973-04-26 Galt MacDermot and John Guare's musical adaptation of William Shakespeare's "The Two Gentlemen of Verona" opens at the Phoenix Theatre in London's West End, running for 237 performances
1973-05-20 Galt MacDermot and John Guare's musical adaptation of William Shakespeare's "The Two Gentlemen of Verona", starring Clifton Davis and Raul Julia, closes at St James Theater, NYC, after 614 performances and 2 Tony Award wins
1978-02-11 China lifts a ban on works of Aristotle, William Shakespeare and Charles Dickens
1993-11-04 Revival of William Shakespeare's stage drama "Timon of Athens". with incidental music by Duke Ellington, opens at Lyceum Theater, NYC; runs for 37 performances
1995-11-01 Revival of William Shakespeare's "The Tempest", starring Patrick Stewart, opens at Broadhurst Theater, NYC; runs for 71 performances
1997-05-11 Cheryl L. West and Shelden Epp's musical "Play On!", an adaptation of Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night" set in 1940s Harlem, featuring music of Duke Ellington, closes at Brooks Atkinson Theatre ,NYC. after 61 performances
1997-06-12 Shakespeare's Globe theatre opens in London, England, replica of original Globe theatre (1599-1642) with performance of Henry V, after campaign by Sam Wanamaker
1999-03-31 "10 Things I Hate About You", a modernization of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew, starring Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger, is released
2012-06-07 16th century archaeology remains of the Curtain Theatre, where some of Shakespeare's plays first performed found under a pub in London
2016-03-23 GPR investigation of Shakespeare's tomb at Holy Trinity Church in Stratford concludes the Bard's skull probably has been stolen
2019-09-09 Poet John Milton's own copy of Shakespeare's First Folio of 1623 has survived with his annotations according to scholar Jason Scott-Warren in Philadelphia library, could be world's most important modern literary discovery
2020-10-14 A copy of William Shakespeare's First Folio sells for a record $9.98 million at auction in New York