Today William Shakespeare is known as the famous writer who invented the word eyeball, or is recognized as the author of 154 different sonnets. It is for these reasons that Shakespeare is regarded as the most influential playwright of the 1500’s, however not many people know much about his upbringing or life beyond the Globe Theater. Moreover, there is a shroud of mystery that envelopes Shakespeare’s later life, along with various conspiracy theories. In order for one to truly understand his exceptional pieces of literature, one must understand his childhood, education, and personal life. The date of Shakespeare’s birth is unknown to historians. It is assumed that he was born on April 23 rd 1564, since the church recorded his baptism on the 26 th of April. He was born into the family of John Shakespeare and Mary Avon, and was their third child. He had two older sisters, Joan and Judith, and three younger brothers. He grew up in Stratford, where his father was a leather merchant. Prior to Shakespeare’s birth, his father had held the position of Alderman and Bailiff but his fortune soon slowly went down. There are no official records that show where Shakespeare attended school, which has led scholars to speculate if Shakespeare even wrote his own plays. However it is generally accepted that …show more content…
Hathaway was twenty six at the time, eight years older than Shakespeare. She was also pregnant , and gave birth to Susanna. In 1585, Shakespeare and Hathaway had twins, Hamnet and Judith. Shakespeare left for London upon the twin’s birth, leaving Anne to care for the kids in Stratford. Again, there is lack of records regarding Shakespeare’s time in London. This seven year gap in his life is called the “lost years”. In 1596 however, Hamnet died of unknown causes at age eleven. It is during the seven year gap, where Shakespeare became acquainted with theater and acting, however no one knows how he