In one of his plays, William Shakespeare wisely said “We know what we are, but know not what we may be.” As a boy born into a humble family, William knew his status, and that respect and wealth were not entitled to him. If he wanted to become well-known for his writing, he must diligently work his way to the top. Against all odds, Shakespeare slowly built a name for himself through his writing. Although there are many acknowledged unknowns of Shakespeare’s life, these uncertainties have not hindered the extreme popularity of his plays. Generations of readers have been enthralled by his tragic, heroic, and comedic plays. Shakespeare’s early experiences, writing, and later legacy paints a fascinating story.
The son of a tradesman and one of eight children, Shakespeare’s childhood could be described as anything but boring. He attended a local school until the age of 15, but could not attend a formal college because of his families financial troubles. At the age of 18, William married Anne Hathaway, and they had three children together. However, his son named Hamnet tragically died at the young age of 11, leading some scholars to believe that the tragic figure Hamlet was a tribute to his late son. After this period, historians
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However, his plays were only one outlet of his creative genius. When the Black plague went rampant and the surrounding theaters closed down, Shakespeare started to write poems, a highly valued part of entertainment at the time. When the theaters opened again, Shakespeare had established himself as a gifted writer on many different fronts. At the age of thirty three, 15 of Shakespeare’s plays had been published, and people were begging for more. Then, Shakespeare invested in a popular acting cooperation in London, called Lord Chamberlain’s Men. This marked the pinnacle of his popularity, and Shakespeare continued to write until his death in