Ndaba mhlongo biography of william shakespeare

Over the years, various biographers have speculated that he may have been a poacher on the run from a disgruntled landowner, a horse-minder at a London theater, or more probably, a local schoolmaster. He is credited with inventing or introducing more than 1,700 words to the English language, often as a result of combining words, changing usages, or blending in foreign root words.

In addition, there is speculation that Shakespeare met John Florio, an apostle of Italian culture in England and tutor to Shakespeare’s patron; Henry Wriothesley, the Earl of Southampton. Located about 100 miles northwest of London, Stratford-upon-Avon was a bustling market town along the River Avon and bisected by a country road during Shakespeare’s time.

The controversy has even found its way into the U.S. Supreme Court as the subject of a moot debate.

Some scholars believe he was in London, working as a horse attendant at some of London’s finer theaters before breaking on the scene. This is not a watertight argument though because Italian literature would have been widely read at the time. The uncertainty regarding his education has led some people question the authorship of his work.

Wife Anne Hathaway and Children

Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway in November 1852.

In addition, children were drilled in grammar, logic, rhetoric, arithmetic and astronomy. The company quickly rebuilt it, and it reopened the next year. Shakespeare died a grandfather after living a relatively long and healthy life where the average life expectancy was just 35.

Shakespeare was buried on 25th April, 1616, in Holy Trinity Church in Stratford.

William Shakespeare’s grave in Holy Trinity Church, complete with curse and flowers

Read Our Favourite Shakespeare Biographies in Print

There are so many books out there about Shakespeare and his life, but these four below are our all-time favourites.

By 1592, solid evidence shows that one if not more of his plays was underway on London stages. Scholars and literary critics began to float names like Christopher Marlowe, Edward de Vere, and Francis Bacon—men of more known backgrounds, literary accreditation, or inspiration—as the true authors of the plays.

Much of this stemmed from the sketchy details of Shakespeare’s life and the dearth of contemporary primary sources.

He also continued to make the occasional long journey to London.

Subjects of Shakespearian Plays

Another famous tragedy, Julius Caesar, written in 1599, portrays upheaval in Roman politics that might have resonated with viewers at a time when England’s aging monarch, Queen Elizabeth I, had no legitimate heir, thus creating the potential for future power struggles.

There is also strong circumstantial evidence of personal relationships by contemporaries who interacted with Shakespeare as an actor and a playwright.

Later Years and Death

Around the turn of the 17^th century, Shakespeare became a more extensive property owner in Stratford. He completed "Henry IV, Part Two" and "Henry V" early in the 1590s.

The evidence comes from the fact that on 25th March 1616 (just 4 weeks before his death) Shakespeare dictated his will – in keeping with the 17th Century tradition of drawing up wills on one’s deathbed.

The 1590s were quite a prolific time for Shakespeare. Children would be expected to learn long passages of prose and poetry.

Shakespeare died in infancy and Richard and Thomas both died bachelors in 1639 leaving behind no legitimate descendants. This made him an entrepreneur as well as an artist, and scholars believe these investments gave him uninterrupted time to write his plays. Although The Taming of the Shrew is believed to be the first play that Shakespeare wrote, his first published plays were Titus Andronicus and Henry VI Part 2.