| William Shakespeare is one of the more amazing | | | | older than Shakespeare) in 1582. For the rest of |
| writers to come out of England. Here is a quick | | | | the decade, nothing about Shakespeare appears |
| guide to this amazing writer to get you up to | | | | on record, and these years are generally known |
| speed. | | | | as his lost years. |
| A Quick Guide to William Shakespeare | | | | By 1592, William Shakespeare was beginning to |
| There are many debates on who is the greatest | | | | make his name as a playwright. By 1594, he was |
| writer in history. Some scholars point to more | | | | also an actor and part owner of a production |
| recent authors such as Hemingway and | | | | company known as The King's Men. Obviously, his |
| Steinbeck, while others dismiss these writers | | | | acting career did not take off or we would be the |
| entirely. One name that comes up more than any | | | | lesser for it since it would have taken away from |
| other during this type of debate is Shakespeare. | | | | his writing. By 1598, his name started to appear |
| His writing, which encompasses the worlds of | | | | on the front pages of his plays as a selling point. |
| plays and poetry, is almost universally regarded as | | | | As things progressed, Shakespeare moved to |
| some of the best in existence. | | | | London where he was able to earn enough |
| The life of William Shakespeare starts with his | | | | money to buy a large house in Blackfriars, and |
| birth on April 23, 1564. Much about his early life is | | | | own the second largest house in Stratford, New |
| hypothesized, as there were not many records | | | | Place. His last two plays were written after 1613 |
| kept during Elizabethan era. He was born to a | | | | (and after his retirement). Shakespeare died on |
| family of comfort with a father who was a | | | | his birthday, April 23, in 1616. He was still married |
| prominent town official and was probably able to | | | | to his wife Anne and was survived by her and his |
| attend a good grammar school and had a decent | | | | two children. His daughter went on to marry, but |
| upbringing. He married Anne Hathaway at age 18 | | | | there are no direct descendants of Shakespeare |
| (she was three months pregnant and eight years | | | | alive today. |