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William Shakespeare

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“What’s in a name? Would not a rose by any other name smell as sweet?” William Shakespeare, a name we have all heard at some point, but who is he? William Shakespeare, the man who has influenced our culture through his various literary works. What is the truth behind the brilliant man whom penned the renowned words filling the pages of the ever significant Romeo and Juliet, Much Ado About Nothing, or The Tempest?
William Shakespeare was born William Shakspere. Aside from contemporary and popular belief, it is a common misconception that his last name included the “e” after the “k” and the “a” after the “pe”. Spelling was incredibly disorganized during the Elizabethan time period (Whalen 31). Families could have the same last name, but …show more content…

Attributable to the lack of records, there are portions of his life missing from historical accounts. No school attendance logs have ever been found. Without a doubt, researchers believe he went to school, due to his outstanding aptitude with the written word. Although that is all merely speculation due to the scarcity of surviving records from that time period (Whalen 9).
At the exceptionally youthful age of eighteen, William Shakespeare met Anne Hathaway, who was twenty-six. In 1582, no doubt due to an already pregnant Anne, they had an abrupt wedding. A short six months later, their healthy daughter was born in 1583 and they named her Susanna. Less than two years later in 1585, the couple had a boy and a girl, twins. The boy was named Hamnet and the girl Judith. Hamnet lived only a short eleven years, but both Susanna and Judith lived long lives and even survived their father.
Researchers speculate that Shakespeare most likely relocated to the metropolitan city of London to pursue the acting career shortly after the birth of his twins. In 1585, William Shakespeare’s name appeared on a record of payment for two performances in front of the queen through the acting company the Lord’s Chamberlain’s Men (Whalen 133). At the age of thirty-four, Love’s Labour Lost appeared containing Shakespeare’s name on the title page; this was the first of his works printed with his name

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