Information about the life of William Shakespeare is often open to doubt. Some even doubt whether he wrote all plays ascribed to him. From the best available sources it seems William Shakespeare was born in Stratford on about April 23rd 1564. His father William was a successful local businessman and his mother Mary was the daughter of a landowner. Relatively prosperous it is likely the family paid for Williams education, although there is no evidence he attended university.

In 1582 William, aged only 18, married an older woman (26) named Anne Hathaway. Soon after they had there first daughter, Susanna. They had another 2 children but William’s only son Hamnet died aged only 11. After his marriage information about the life of Shakespeare is sketchy but it seems he spent most of his time in London writing and performing in his plays. It seemed he didn’t mind being absent from his family. Only returning home during Lent when all theatres were closed. It is generally thought that during the 1590s he wrote the majority of his sonnets. This was a time of prolific writing and his plays developed a good deal of interest and controversy. Due to some well timed investments he was able to secure a firm financial background leaving time for writing and acting. The best of these investments was buying some real estate near Stratford in 1605, this soon doubled in value.

Shakespeare the Poet

William Shakespeare wrote 154 Sonnets mostly in the 1590s. Fairly short poems they deal with issues such as lost love. His sonnets have an enduring appeal with his characteristic skill with language and words.

“Let me not to the marriage of true minds

Admit impediments. Love is not love

Which alters when it alteration finds,

Or bends with the remover to remove:”

- Sonnet CXVI

The Plays of Shakespeare

The plays of Shakespeare have been studied more than any other writing in the English language and have been translated into numerous languages. He was rare as a playwrite for excelling in tragedies, comedies and histories. He deftly combined popular entertainment with a rare poetic capacity for expression which is almost mantric in quality.

This above all: to thine ownself be true,

And it must follow, as the night the day,

Thou canst not then be false to any man.

Farewell: my blessing season this in thee!"

--Lord Polonius, Hamlet Act I, Scene 3

It is true to say that each line of Shakespeare has been poured over by scholars and students; no idea or concept has been left unturned. Shakespeare has left a profound and lasting impact on literature, cinema and theater.

Richard is a member of the Sri Chinmoy Centre in Oxford and enjoys writing biographies of poets and spiritual figures at his site biography online http://www.biographyonline.net/.