The Chandos PortraitThe Cobbe Portrait Who was William Shakespeare?

William Shakespeare is probably the world’s most famous playwright He lived over 400 years ago … but visitors come to the UK from all over the world to see where he was born. Does anyone recognise this town?

Shakespeare’s Birthplace

Shakespeare’s Homes I was born here My wife, Anne Hathaway, lived here before we married This empty plot at New Place is all that’s left of my final home in Stratford

Shakespeare’s Brothers and Sisters Joan 1558 Margaret 1562 William 1564 Gilbert 1566 Joan 1569 Anne 1571 Richard 1574 Edmund 1580

Shakespeare’s Family John Shakespeare Mary Arden Father (Glover) Mother 3 brothers and 4 sisters Joan Margaret William Gilbert Joan Anne Richard Edmund Born Died Aged <1yr <1yr 52yrs 46yrs 77yrs 8yrs 39yrs 27yrs William and Anne’s Children Susanna Hamnet Judith Born Died Aged 66yrs 11yrs 77yrs Twins

Shakespeare at School Shakespeare’s classroom at King Edward VI school Stratford upon Avon. This classroom is still in use today.

The School Day

6.00am Morning prayers – Recited in Latin or English 6.30am Morning Lessons – Young boys learn their ABC – Older boys learn Latin grammar – Oldest boys translate Latin into English and English into Latin 8.00am Light Breakfast – Bread, cheese, apple, weak beer 9.00am Morning Lessons continue 11.00am Boys go home for dinner – Pottage (thick stew/soup) made with barley or oats, herbs and sometimes meat or fish 1.00pm Afternoon Lessons – More Latin grammar and translation – Work on Roman numerals – Testing of Catechism (religion) – Rhetoric (speaking) – Greek 5.00pm Prayers and Bible reading

Tudor Theatre The first theatre opened when William was a boy – no one knew then how important theatre would be to his future, as both an actor and playwright.

Marriage William Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway in He was only 18 years old and she was 26. Anne Hathaway’s Cottage Anne Hathaway

Shakespeare in London Shakespeare was known to have been working in London by He wrote a steady stream of plays and worked as a principal actor and manager with the Lord’s Chamberlain’s Men, an acting company. In 1599 he became a part owner of the Globe Theatre.

The Globe Theatre For a penny you could stand to watch. For two pence you could sit on a wooden seat. For three pence you could hire a cushion. For sixpence you could sit in the Lord’s Gallery at the back of the stage.

A Wealthy Man This garden is where New Place used to be. By 1598, Shakespeare had become a very prosperous man. In 1602 he bought a grand house in Stratford-upon- Avon called New Place for £340

Shakespeare died in 1616, aged 52 Good Friend, for Jesus’ sake forbear To dig the dust enclosed here: Blessed be the man that spares these stones, And cursed be he that moves my bones. Shakespeare is buried in Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon- Avon – there is a curse on the grave.

WHY IS SHAKESPEARE SO IMPORTANT TODAY? Shakespeare’s plays have been translated into many languages and are so popular that people estimate that every minute of every day, someone in the world is watching a play by Shakespeare! We still use his words and sayings today.....

Shakespeare’s Phrases good riddance tower of strength as dead as a door nail the long and short of it in a picklethe game is up as good luck would have it fair play green-eyed jealousy too much of a good thing set teeth on edge for goodness’s sake! all that glitters is not gold budge an inch melted into thin air to thine own self be true

Shakespeare’s Insults swaggering rascal!mouldy rogue! canker-blossom!cut-purse rascal! stock-fish! bottle-ale rascal! oh, you beast!filthy bung! basket-hilt stale juggler! scurvy fellow! hare-brain'd slaves! a fusty nut with no kernel! puppy-headed monster!vile standing-tuck!

Shakespeare’s Legacy Shakespeare wrote at least 37 plays and many poems between 1590 and The First Folio of Comedies, Histories and Tragedies was published in 1623, seven years after his death.

This presentation was produced by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust Registered Charity Number