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Apr 23, 1564
Birth
William Shakespeare is born in Stratford upon Avon to local tanner John and Mary Shakespeare. His actual birthday is unknown but assumed and celebrated today on April the 23rd, just three days before his baptism was recorded in the Parish register of the Holy Trinity Church on April the 26th. -
Period: Apr 23, 1564 to
LIfe
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Jan 26, 1571
Education
Shakespeare is likely to have begun his formal education. By local tradition, children in the Stratford area, entered the local grammar school at age seven. -
Mar 22, 1575
Queen Elizabeth
Queen Elizabeth pays a visit to Kenilworth Castle, just a short journey from Stratford. Legend has it that an impressionable eleven year old William saw the Queen’s procession, and recreated it several times later in his historical and dramatic plays. -
May 26, 1582
Child
Susanna, William and Anne Shakespeare’s first child who lives a full 66 years, is born just five months after Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway’s wedding (May 26th). Illegitimacy was not uncommon in the 1500s. -
Marraige
Shakespeare is in love... At age 18, he marries the considerably older Anne Hathaway (26 years old) from Shottery on November the 27th at Temple Grafton, a village just five short miles (8 km) from Stratford. -
Vanish
Shakespeare is believed to have left his family in Stratford to join a company of actors as both playwright and performer, starting his career in theatre.This lasted until 1592. -
Henry IV
Shakespeare is believed by most academics to have written his very first play, Henry VI, Part One in this year. -
Henry VI Parts II and III
Shakespeare is again believed to have written Henry VI, Part Two and Henry VI, Part III. -
Busy Boy
Shakespeare is thought to have written the poem Venus and Adonis and the plays Richard III and The Two Gentlemen of Verona. -
Comedy of Errors
The Comedy of Errors written in this time. -
Sonnets
Shakespeare begins to compose the first of what will amount to a 154 sonnet collection. His narrative poem Venus and Adonis is his first ever published. -
Busy Again
The Rape of Lucrece, Titus Andronicus and The Taming of the Shrew are thought to have been penned by Shakespeare at this time. -
Two works
Shakespeare pen’s Love Labour’s Lost. 1594-1596. King John is assumed to have been written. -
Even busier!
A busy year for Shakespeare as he is thought to have composed Richard II performed that very same year, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, thought to be composed for a wedding and the greatest love story of all time, Romeo and Juliet. -
Mary Wives of Windsor
The Merry Wives of Windsor is thought to have been written. The Lord Chamberlain’s Men lose their original patron, Henry Carey, Lord Hunsdon and Lord Chamberlain to be replaced by his brother George Carey, Second Lord Hunsdon, who succeeds his late brother. -
Venice and Henry
The Merchant of Venice and Henry IV, Part One are thought to have been written -
High Reputation
William is thought to have written the play Henry IV, Part Two and Shakespeare’s reputation as an actor is confirmed his performance in Ben Jonson’s Every Man in his Humor which clearly lists his name as a principal actor in the London play. -
Much Ado About Nothing
William writes the play Much Ado About Nothing in this year. -
Globe Theatre
The Major shareholders of the Lord Chamberlain’s Men lease land from Nicholas Brend, The Globe theatre opening later that same year. Julius Caesar is performed at the Globe Theatre for the first known time on September the 21st according to German tourist Thomas Platter’s diary. John Weever praises Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, The Rape of Lucrece and Venus Adonis in the poem Ad Guglielmum Shakespeare. -
Hamlet
Shakespeare is thought to have composed arguably his greatest play, Hamlet at this time.- The narrative poem, The Phoenix and the Turtle is thought to have been written.
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A Few More
Twelfth Night or What You Will, All Well That Ends Well and Troilus and Cressida are probably composed. -
Before her death
A Midsummer’s Night is performed at Hampton Court before Queen Elizabeth who dies later that year. James I originally James VI of Scotland proves to be an enthusiastic patron of the arts granting The Chamberlain’s Men a patent to perform. In return the Company renames itself The King’s Men to honour James I and they quickly become a favorite with the new king. As You Like It is performed by the newly named King’s Men before King James at Wilton. Acting-wise, Shakespeare is recorded as performi -
Measure for Measure
Measure for Measure is believed to have been written in this year. It is later performed at King James I Court. Othello is also penned, being performed on November the 1st at Whitehall. -
King James' Court
The Merchant of Venice is performed twice at King James’ Court earning a commendation from the King. King Lear is believed to have been composed in this year and as is Macbeth, the play’s Scottish background and kind portrayal of ancestor Malcolm being intended as a celebration and honoring of King James Scottish ancestry. -
King's Men
The King’s Men take on a twenty-one year lease of London’s first permanently enclosed theatre, the Blackfriars Theatre in this year. Notes on stage directions, suggest The Tempest was penned with a performance at this theatre in mind. The return of the plague forces a closure of all playhouses and theatres from the spring of 1608 through to early 1610. -
Two More Plays
The Winter’s Tale is written.- The Tempest was written.
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The Lost Play
The King’s men perform Othello and Julius Caesar amongst others in this year. Shakespeare is thought to have written Cardenio, his only lost play during this period and with John Fletcher as a likely contributor, composes Henry VIII. -
Burn of the Globe
The Globe Theatre burns to the ground. The Two Noble Kinsmen is penned. A 1634 entry within the Stationer’s Registry confirms that both William Shakespeare and John Fletcher composed this play. -
Reopening
The Globe Theatre reopens. -
Death
William dies on April 23rd, his burial being recorded in the Stratford Holy Church Register two days later. -
First Folio
Shakespeare’s wife, Anne Hathaway dies, the same year, and fellow actors John Hemminges and Henry Condell gather together and publish for the first time, 36 of Shakespeare’s 37 plays in a collection known as The First Folio.