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1564
Birth
William Shakespeare was born to John and Mary Shakespeare in Stratford. He was their third child out of eight. It is not known what specific day he was born on. -
Apr 26, 1564
Baptized
He was baptized in the parish church of Stratford called Holy Trinity. This leads historians to believe that he was born on April 24, as baptisms typically took place three days after a child’s birth. -
Period: 1569 to 1571
Early School Years
Shakespeare most likely attended what was known as a “petty school” from ages five to seven, where he would have learned how to read. -
Period: 1571 to 1579
Attended Grammar School
He may have attended a grammar school known as the King’s New School in Stratford. Here, Shakespeare would have learned Latin literature and history. He might have also read many works that would be used as sources of inspiration for his own plays, including the speeches of Cicero, the comedies of Plautus and Terence, and the tragedies of Seneca -
Period: 1579 to 1582
Unknown Years
It is not recorded in historical documents what William Shakespeare did after leaving school at age fifteen. -
1582
First Pregnancy
Anne Hathaway became pregnant in the summer of 1582 with Susanna Shakespeare the summer before she married William Shakespeare -
Marriage
A marriage license to Anne Hathaway was found. Shakespeare was 18 at the time. -
Susanna Shakespeare Is Baptized
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Period: to
The Lost Years
During this time span, there are almost no records of William Shakespeare’s life. These years are famously known as the “Lost Years”. -
Hamnet and Judith Are Baptized
Anne later gives birth to twins Hamnet and Judith. -
Comedy of Errors
This is one of Shakespeare's comedies.
Two sets of twins turn the town of Ephesus upside down.
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Henry VI, Part II
This is one of Shakespeare's histories.
Peasants and the House of York rebel against King Henry.
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Henry VI, Part III
This is one of Shakespeare's histories.
The House of York deposes King Henry, despite help from France. Edward, son of the Duke of York, takes the throne as King Edward IV.
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Henry VI, Part I
This is one of Shakespeare's histories.
Joan of Arc leads the French army against England. The Houses of York and Lancaster start a spat that lasts through the next three plays.
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Richard III
This is one of Shakespeare's histories.
Edward’s brother, Richard, kills everyone in his way and seizes the throne, only to lose it and his life.
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Taming of the Shrew
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Titus Andronicus
This is one of Shakespeare's tragedies.
Bloody revenge in ancient Rome, with the emphasis on bloody.
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Venus and Adonis
His first and most popular sonnet. It was signed by Shakespeare and dedicated to Henry Wriothesley, the third Earl of Southampton.
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Love's Labour's Lost
This is one of Shakespeare's comedies.
The King of Navarre and his court try to study in seclusion but succumb to the temptations of love.
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Two Gentlemen of Verona
This is one of Shakespeare's comedies.
Nothing can come between best friends Valentine and Proteus, except a girl, Sylvia.
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Romeo and Juliet
This is one of Shakespeare's tragedies.
Forbidden love tempts and destroys a young couple from opposing families.
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Midsummer Night's Dream
This is one of Shakespeare's comedies.
Mix-and-match couples in the woods near Athens. “Lord, what fools these mortals be!”
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Richard II
This is one of Shakespeare's histories.
Henry Bolingbroke deposes King Richard and becomes King Henry IV.
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Merchant of Venice
This is one of Shakespeare's comedies.
Moneylender Shylock tries to recover his “pound of flesh” collateral for a loan.
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King John
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Burial of Hamnet Shakespeare
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Henry IV, Part I
This is one of Shakespeare's histories.
Henry wonders why his son can’t be more like that nice Hotspur boy, until Hotspur rebels against the king.
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Henry IV, Part II
This is one of Shakespeare's histories.
Henry’s son Hal continues to act up, and rebels still threaten the throne, but Hal comes out all right in the end and becomes King Henry V.
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Much Ado about Nothing
This is one of Shakespeare's comedies.
Claudio loves Hero. Benedick doesn’t like Beatrice. Then Claudio hates Hero, and Benedick loves Beatrice. Eventually, everyone gets married.
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Henry V
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As You Like It
This is one of Shakespeare's comedies.
A romp in the Forest of Arden, where everyone falls in love. -
Twelfth Night
This is one of Shakespeare's comedies.
Orsino loves Olivia. Olivia loves Cesario. Cesario is really Viola, who loves Orsino.
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Julius Caesar
This is one of Shakespeare's tragedies.
Brutus and others kill Caesar to prevent him from becoming king.
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Merry Wives of Windsor
This is one of Shakespeare's comedies.
Sir John Falstaff puts the moves on the Merry Wives, who turn the tables on him.
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Hamlet
This is one of Shakespeare's tragedies.
A young prince plans revenge against his murdering uncle to avenge his father and acts insane.
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Troilus and Cressida
This is one of Shakespeare's comedies.
In ancient Troy, Troilus and Cressida vow undying love, which dies all too quickly.
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All's Well That Ends Well
This is one of Shakespeare's comedies.
Bertie runs away to avoid his new wife, Helena, but she follows him and tricks him into being her faithful husband.
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Measure for Measure
This is one of Shakespeare's comedies.
Power corrupts Angelo, the substitute duke, who tries to seduce the sister of a condemned man.
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Othello
This is one of Shakespeare's tragedies.
Iago preys on Othello’s jealousy and drives him to murder.
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King Lear
This is one of Shakespeare's tragedies.
Lear gives up his kingdom to his daughters and then gives up his mind.
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Macbeth
This is one of Shakespeare's tragedies.
Witches’ prophecies prompt Macbeth to seize the throne of Scotland.
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Antony and Cleopatra
This is one of Shakespeare's tragedies.
Antony tries to balance love and war but sacrifices everything for love.
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Coriolanus
This is one of Shakespeare's tragedies.
Rome’s best general feels slighted, so he switches sides.
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Timon of Athens
This is one of Shakespeare's tragedies.
Overgenerous Timon learns who his true friends are when he runs out of money.
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Pericles
This is one of Shakespeare's comedies.
Pericles lives, loves, loses, and regains his family while touring the Mediterranean Sea.
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Cymbeline
This is one of Shakespeare's comedies.
A jealous husband believes a false story about his wife. She runs away and meets her long-lost brothers.
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Winter's Tale
This is one of Shakespeare's comedies.
Jealous husband Leontes drives away his wife, children, and best friend.
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Tempest
This is one of Shakespeare's comedies.
Prospero uses magic to reclaim his dukedom and find a husband for his daughter, Miranda.
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Henry VIII
This is one of Shakespeare's histories.
King Henry divorces his wife, starts a new church, remarries, and fathers a daughter who becomes Queen Elizabeth I.
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William Shakespeare Drafts His Will
He drafted his will due to the fact that his daughter, Judith, was going to marry a man who Shakespeare distrusted. -
Death
He was buried in the Holy Trinity church
