Shakespeare biography dates
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Shakespeare's Life: A Timeline
A timeline of William Shakespeare's life, all beginning at the birthplace on Henley Street in 1564
William Shakespeare's life began in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1564. Although his career as an actor, theatre manager and playwright took him to London, Shakespeare remained a country boy at heart. He returned there often to visit his family, use his library and to write in familiar surroundings. The surviving records of Shakespeare and his family can help us understand the context and chronology of his life and the lives of his family members.
Shakespeare's Birthplace
Where Shakespeare's story startedAnne Hathaway's Cottage
Relive Shakespeare's love storyShakespeare's New Place
Walk in Shakespeare's footsteps•
1564: William Shakespeare born in Stratford-upon-Avon
1582: Shakespeare marries Anne Hathaway
1583: Shakespeare’s first child, Susanna, is born
1585: Shakespeare’s twins, Judith and Hamnet, are born
1592: Shakespeare is first alluded to as a playwright, in Greene’s Groates-worth of Wit
1593: Shakespeare’s first printed poem, Venus and Adonis, appears
1594: Shakespeare’s first printed play, Titus Andronicus, appears
1596: Shakespeare’s father, John Shakespeare, is granted a coat of arms; Shakespeare’s son, Hamnet, dies
1597: Shakespeare purchases New Place in Stratford-upon-Avon
1598: Shakespeare is first mentioned as a sonneteer and author of 12 plays in Palladis Tamia
1599: Shakespeare’s father is granted a confirmation of arms; Shakespeare’s acting company takes down its old theater and uses the timber to build the Globe
1 • Since William Shakespeare lived more than 400 years ago, and many records from that time are lost or never existed in the first place, we don’t know everything about Shakespeare’s life. For example, we know that he was baptized in Stratford-upon-Avon, 100 miles northwest of London, on April 26, 1564. But we don’t know his exact birthdate, which must have been a few days earlier. We do know that Shakespeare’s life revolved around two locations: Stratford and London. He grew up, had a family, and bought property in Stratford, but he worked in London, the center of English theater. As an actor, a playwright, and a partner in a leading acting company, he became both prosperous and well-known. Even without knowing everything about his life, fans of Shakespeare have imagined and reimagined him according to their own tastes. Looking for more in-depth information? Need something you can cite? Read an essay about Shakespeare’s li
William Shakespeare: A biography