1540 - 1608: Mary Arden - the Mother of William Shakespeare
What was her background? Who were the Ardens? 1557: Parents of William Shakespeare - Marriage of John Shakepeare and Elizabeth Arden When? Did their families approve? The Wedding? Their home in Stratford-upon-Avon 1557: What was the religion of the Shakespeare Family? Protestant or Catholic? What were the differences? Why did the religions of people frequently change? Danger? 1564: When & Where was William Shakespeare born?
Where was he baptised? Why is there confusion regarding his date of birth? 1558 - 1580: How many Brothers and Sisters did William Shakespeare have?
When were they born? What were their names? How many died during childhood? 1571 - 1578: The Education of William Shakespeare - What type of Education did he have?
When and what school did he attend? What lessons? What Punishments? University? 1578 - 1592: William Shakespeare - The Lost Years What are the ' Lost Years '? What did he do after he left school? What was his occupation? Why did he leave Stratford-upon-Avon? 1582: What mysteries surround the Marriage of William Shakespeare to Anne Hathaway?
Differences in ages? Scandal - pregnant before marrying! What was the wedding like? 1583 - 1585: Who were the Children of William Shakespeare? When were they born? Their names? Did they get married? When did they die? Scandals? Grandchildren? 1592: William Shakespeare the Actor Why did Will seek work as an actor in London? The reputation of actors? Playhouses? The Theatres? Life for an actor? 1592: William Shakespeare the ' Upstart Crow ' Why was Will called an Upstart Crow? Who was Robert Greene and what was the 'Groatsworth of Wit'? 1592: William Shakespeare the Playwright When did Will start to write plays? What was his first play? Did he act in his plays? Why was a Playwright a dangerous occupation? 1591 - 1601: William Shakespeare Poems What Poems did he write? When? Why did Wm publish his poems and not the plays? Read the poems of the great Bard of Stratford! 1593 - 1597: William Shakespeare Sonnets What is a sonnet? How many sonnets did he write? What were the themes? Dedications? Payments? What are the most popular sonnets? 1592 - 1613: Publication of William Shakespeare Plays Why didn't he publish any of his plays? Dates of Publications? Who claimed authorship? Payment? 1592 - 1613: Performances of William Shakespeare Plays Where & when were the performances? How did Actors learn their lines? Did women perform? Did other people steal his plays? 1592 - 1610: William Shakespeare in London Where did he live in London? What was London like?
What was his life like? Who were his friends? How often did he see his family? 1592 - 1610: Friends and Contempories of William Shakespeare Who were his friends? Who were his contemporaries? His rivals? Where did they meet? What was the 'Friday Club'? 1577 - 1665: Bubonic Plague and Shakespeare How did the Bubonic Plague affect his life? When were the London outbreaks ? How many died? Family deaths? Theatre closures? 1594: Shakespeare and the Chamberlain's men and King's men When did Will Shakespere act with the Chamberlain's men and King's men? Where did they perform? 1596: Shakespeare Coat-of-Arms What did the family Coat of Arms look like? When was this authorised? What did this mean to the family? 1596: Public plays banned in City of London Why were the theatres banned from the city of London? Who banned the plays? Where did the Theatres and actors move to? 1596: Shakespeare and Stratford-upon-Avon Prosperity! Fame! How did he earn his money? How much did he purchase New Place for? What was New Place like? Servants? 1597 - 1598: Shakespeare and the Globe Theatre How was he involved with the building of the First Globe Theatre? Where was the Globe situated? What was it like? Architecture, Layout? 1601: William Shakespeare and Elizabethan Politics Was the Stratford Bard involved in Politics? Were actors and playwrights involved in Politics? The Essex Rebellion? 1608: Shakespeare and the Blackfriars Theatre The King's Men buy the Blackfriars Theatre
Why buy a Playhouse? Audiences? Performances? 1613: Globe Theatre Fire Fire at the Globe Theatre! What play was being performed? How did the Globe Theatre fire start? What was the damage? 1610 - 1616: William Shakespeare and Stratford-upon-Avon Why did he retire ?
What did he do in Stratford-upon-Avon? Did he write any other plays? Family Scandals? 1616: William Shakespeare Last Will and Testament When did the Bard make his will? Who were the beneficiaries? His manuscripts? His 'Second best bed'? 1616: The Death of William Shakespeare
What words are on his tombstone? Where was he buried? Monuments to Shakespeare? We highly recommend The Complete Works of William Shakespeare for information and the text of his plays
together with additional pictures William Shakespeare Biography - More Important Facts & Information
Shakespeare Quotes from every play | 
