WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE FACTS Biography - The Ancestors of William Shakespeare WHAT'S IN A NAME?

(DERIVATIONS OF THE NAME SHAKESPEARE) "Whats in a name? That which we call a rose By any other word would smell as sweet". Romeo and Juliet The name Shakespeare is extremely widespread, and is spelt in an astonishing variety of ways including Shakspere, Shakespere, Shakkespere, Shaxpere, Shakstaff, Sakspere,Shagspere, Shakeshafte and even Chacsper as can be seen via details of possible ancestors. The name of John Shakespeare, one of Shakespeare's ancestors occurs 166 times in the Council Book of the Stratford corporation, and appears to take 16 different forms. Shakespeare himself, in credited examples of his signature, always wrote Shakspere. However, in many formal documents and the printed signatures to the dedications of his poems and plays that bear his name it generally appears as Shakespeare. Interestingly, another derivation of the name "Shake-speare" appears on the First Folio. In Shakespeare's era a hyphen in a name was apparently used in pseudonyms or nomme de plumes by authors who wanted to keep their true identity a mystery. The name originally held a martial significance in relation to the wielding of a spear and was extremely common throughout England and possible ancestors. However, in the sixteenth century the surname is found far more frequently in Warwickshire than elsewhere. Warwickshire archives contain notices of Shakespeare families and possible ancestors in no less than twenty-four towns and villages. TIMELINE - POSSIBLE ANCESTORS OF WILLIAM There are authenticated records proving the existence of the following people and possible ancestors however there is no confirmation that they were definitely related to and ancestors of William Shakepeare of Stratford. 1279 John Shakespeare living at 'Freyndon,' perhaps Frittendon, Kent 1284 William Sakspere of Clopton, Gloucestershire, was hanged for theft. 1385 William Shakespeare served on a coroner's jury in Balsall. 1457 Isabella Shakespeare is mentioned in the Register of the Guild of St Anne at Knowle as the prioress of the Benedictine convent of Wroxall 1457 Jane Shakespeare is also mentioned in the Register of the Guild of St Anne at Knowle as a nun of the same convent. 1487 Hugh Shakspere of Merton College, Oxford, changed his name to Sawndare, because his former name was of 'vile reputatum' All of the above mentioned people are possible ancestors of the great Bard.

The Parents of William Shakespeare William Shakespeare Biography - The Parents of William Shakespeare JOHN SHAKESPEARE ( FATHER ) - THE EARLY YEARS John Shakespeare was born in 1531. His father, Richard Shakespeare, was a tenant farmer who worked on various sections of land, one of which was owned by the wealthy Robert Arden of Wilmecote. John worked as a farmer with his father but in 1551 he moved to Stratford to set up business trading in wool, malt and corn. His businesses tied in well with his father with his father producing the goods and John trading in the retail side. John was skilled in both leatherworking and the curing and processing of fine leather to make ladies gloves and purses for the nobility and traded as a Glover and Whittawer. He bought a house in Henley Street, Stratford , which was conveniently near the market. It was probable that a shop was attached as this, as was the usual practice. He also started in the dubious business of money lending. He obviously started to do very well with all of his various interests as he then purchased another house in Greenhill Street, Stratford in 1552, five years before he married Mary. MARY ARDEN ( MOTHER )- THE EARLY YEARS

Mary Arden was born in 1540 as a member of the noble Catholic family of the Ardens of Park Hall whose family forebears had been given land by William the Conqueror. The Ardens were one of Warwickshire's most prominent families, tracing its ancestry back beyond the Norman Conquest to the Doomsday Book. Mary was the favourite of eight daughters of the widowed Robert Arden. His second marriage in April 1548 to Agnes Hill, a widow of another prosperous farmer, added four stepchildren to his own family. The family home was called Glebe Farm a two-storey Wilmecote farmstead. Mary was sixteen when her father died and she was named as one of the Executers of her father's will in which he left her some money and some land in Wilmecote. THE COURTSHIP OF MARY ARDEN AND JOHN SHAKESPEARE (the Bard's Parents ) The courtship between Mary Arden ( his mother ) and John Shakespeare ( his father ) can be pieced together. John's father, Richard, was a tenant farmer who lived in Snitterfield and worked, and grazed his animals, on various sections of land. Some of this land was known to belong to Mary's father, the wealthy Robert Arden of Wilmecote. John initially started work as a farmer with his father before making the move to Stratford to pursue the retail side of the business. Mary and John, the Bard's parents, would have therefore had various opportunities to meet and start their courtship. Their courtship would not have been without problems as John was only of Yeoman stock and Mary was part of the aristocracy. It is extremely doubtful that Mary's father would have approved of such a liaison. Robert Arden died in 1556 and convention decreed that any marriage in the Arden family could take only place after the mourning period of one year. So it was that Mary Arden, the heiress, and John Shakespeare, the Yeoman, married in 1557 to become the Bard's Mother and Father. THE MARRIAGE OF SHAKESPEARES PARENTS The marriage between Mary Arden and John Shakespeare in 1557 must certainly raised a few eyebrows! John was of Yeoman stock and Mary was a member of the aristocratic Arden family. The major thing that the Bard's Mother and Father had in common was that both the Shakespeare's and the Ardens were staunch Catholics. This was extremely important as England, at the time, was fiercely Protestant and Catholics were viewed with real suspicion and often sheer hatred. John was clearly a very ambitious man and this is demonstrated not only by his choice of wife but also by his incredible rise in the community as a prominent citizen of Stratford. The reason that his rise to prominence was so amazing was that John Shakespeare ( father of the Bard ) was totally illiterate, he used glovers compasses as his signature. Mary ( mother of the Bard ) was no help to him in this quarter as she was also unable to read or write and used a running horse as her signature. John and Mary married at the ages of 26 and 17 respectively, a year after the death of Robert Arden. So John married a wealthy young lady giving the Shakespeare's a good start to married life and their role as parents. HENLEY STREET, STRATFORD - HOME TO SHAKESPEARE'S PARENTS After their marriage, in 1557, Mary moved from the country to live in John's house in Henley Street - this became home to the mother and father of the Bard. The village of Stratford had a population of 1500 people, and only 200 houses at this time. In the same year he purchased the neighbouring house and garden as well. John was a real entrepreneur and had expanded his business into trading in wool and other farm produce and the dubious, but lucrative, business of money lending. The Shakespeare's were clearly an ambitious couple and John had the clear advantage of marrying into the aristocracy which would, no doubt , have impressed the men who ran the Town Council of Stratford. JOHN SHAKESPEARE - ALE-TASTER OF THE BOROUGH OF STRATFORD John ( father of the Bard ) was making himself noticed and the same year of his marriage in 1557 was given his first public appointment as ale-taster of the Borough of Stratford. This might sound strange to us but in the Elizabethan era basic hygiene was practically unknown. People washed infrequently, men urinated in the living room and most houses had a refuse heap outside their front doors. The water was dangerous to drink at the best of times, so ale or wine depending on your class, was the safest option. The position of ale-taster was an important one and it was essential that Stratford maintained a long-reaching reputation for its brewing. THE FAMILY MAN & THE CIVIC DIGNITARY John and Mary ( mother and father of the Bard ) started their family in 1558 with the birth of their first child, Joan. Their happiness was short-lived as the baby died of the plague shortly after birth. The plague, commonly referred to as the Black Death, was rampant in England. The plague was often transmitted by the fleas that lived on animals. So farmers and the retailers of farm produce, such as animal hides, were in constant danger of contracting the Black

Death. The disease could also be air bound and transmitted from an infected person's breath. So the virulent nature of the disease resulted in frequent outbreaks of the terrible disease for the next hundred years. People must have lived in constant fear for the lives of their children and most families had many children due to the high infant mortality rate - a terrible fear for the parents. Meanwhile John's rise in the Civic world continued and he was elected as Chamberlain of the Borough of Stratford in 1661.The Town Council met daily, and had many important tasks. They heard petitions, made sure the streets were kept clear, and insured that weights and measures were accurate. Mary became pregnant again and gave birth in 1562 to a second daughter, Margaret. Once again family life for the new parents was shattered as Margaret only lived for one year. A year later William Shakespeare was born on St Georges Day (the Patron Saint of England) 23rd April 1564. This birthday is not substantiated as there was no Birth Certificate or registration during that period of English history. There is, however, a record of William's baptism in the register of the Holy Trinity Parish Church in Stratford dated 26th April 1564. Given the high mortality rate of infants it was the custom of the Elizabethan parents to have their children baptised three days after their birth and so the birthday of William has been set as April 23rd. In 1665 John became an Alderman of Stratford and with this position came the benefit of free education for his children at the local Grammar School. This was good timing as the family started to expand with the birth of Gilbert in October 1566. John's career was still rising and in 1568 he became the Mayor of Stratford. The joy of the Shakespeare's must have been great when Mary gave birth to another daughter, also called Joan, in 1569 and they became parents once more. In 1570 John became Chief Alderman of Stratford - the pinnacle of his career. Due to his important Civic duties he rightfully sought the title of gentleman and applied for his Coat-of-Arms. The right to a Coat-of-Arms was very prestigious and sought after by many people. The coat-of-arms could be displayed on their door and all their personal items. It was also quite a costly undertaking with an amount of 30 guineas (30 pounds and 30 shillings) to be paid to the College of Heralds. Mysteriously, the application was unsuccessful. Two more children were born to the parents of the Bard, Anne in 1571 and Richard in 1574. THE FAMILY EXPANDS, BUT BAD FORTUNE CONTINUES FOR THE PARENTS His wife Mary stood beside John through all of his troubles and in 1580 their last child, Edmund, was born. Life carried on with John and his sons working in the family business and then in 1582 another blow was dealt to the parents when their 18 year old son, William Shakespeare, came home with the news that 26 year old Anne Hathaway was three months pregnant. The scandal to the family and his mother and father caused by the conception of a child, by a much older woman, outside marriage must have caused immense gossip in the community and would have blackened the family name still further. The marriage between Will and Anne Hathaway must have been hastily arranged and a special licence had to be sought and issued by the Bishop of Worcester - a nightmare for his parents. The banns were only read once, instead of the conventional three times and William and Anne were married in November 1582. Due to the necessity of the swift marriage it can be assumed that William and Anne had no option but to move in with the Bard's parents. Six months after the marriage, in May 1583, John and Mary became grandparents to Susanna Shakespeare. William probably helped with his father's businesses during this time and possibly also took work as a teacher and perhaps even worked with a lawyer. William's twins Hamnet and Judith were born two years later in 1585 but despite the arrival of more children, fortune continued to go badly with William. There are indications that William might have offended Sir Richard Lucy by poaching a deer on his grounds. What with this and what with the general misfortunes of the family it was about this time that William left Stratford to seek his fortune in London. His parents struggled on but in 1586 John was finally removed from the Board of Aldermen. In 1592 he was fined for not attending church, was this perhaps the Protestant Church? THE RISE OF JOHN Things could not have been much worse for John and Mary ( mother and father of the Bard ). It was 1592, his parents were in debt and John had been stripped of all Civic duties. But this was all about to completely change. Their errant son William had started to become a success as a poet and was also making his name in the Theatres of London. By 1592 William was mixing with the elite. The aristocrats and nobles of the Realm were his friends. In 1594 he would even play before the Queen. And John's fortunes were also rising. On October 20, 1596 by permission of the Garter King of Arms, John Shakespeare, and his children, were granted permission to display a coat-of-arms. His mother and father had achieved a long ambition. The coat-of-arms was gold with a black banner bearing a silver spear. The motto was "Non sans droit" or "not without right". John and his sons were then entitled to put "gentleman" after their name, they were officially part the Gentry. This title was reserved for those who were below knights but who had been granted the right to bear arms. The coat-of-arms could be displayed on their door and all their personal items. It is probable the application was initiated by William who , like his father, was

ambitious to rise in the Elizabethan social order. By 1599 his father was reinstated on the Stratford Town Council. His father had regained his social standing, bore a Coat-of-Arms, was a member of the Gentry and he had regained his former wealth. The interpretation of the description of the Coat of Arms granted to Shakspere would have been the choice of the designer chosen by the family. It does not appear with the crest on the Shakespeare monument in Stratford church, nor does it appear anywhere else. The crest design would have not formed part of the Heraldic Documentation. As such an original crest is not in existence there are various interpretations of the Shakespeare Coat of Arms. The image below is an interpretation of the description of the Coat of Arms designed by williamshakespeare.info. John Shakespeare enjoyed his new status until 1601 when John, the father of the great Bard, died at the age of 70. His loyal wife Mary, the mother of the great Bard lived for a further seven years until her death in 1608. Elizabethan Crime and Punishment Elizabethan era - Crime and Punishment - Executions - Beheading CRIME AND PUNISHMENT DURING THE ELIZABETHAN ERA - THE NOBILITY Elizabethan England was split into two classes - the Upper Class, the nobility, and everyone else. Punishment would vary according to class. The Upper class were well educated, wealthy and associated with Royalty and high members of the clergy. They would often become involved in Political intrigue and matters of Religion. The nobility could therefore become involved in crime which were not shared by other people. The most common crimes of the Nobility included: High Treason Blasphemy Sedition Spying Rebellion Murder Witchcraft Alchemy INSTRUMENTS OF TORTURE DURING THE ELIZABETHAN ERA - THE COURTIERS Various means of tortures were use to extract confessions for crime. Women did not escape torture and punishment during this violent era - Anne Askew was put to the rack for her religious beliefs, and subsequently died, during the reign of Elizabeth's father King Henry VIII. The highest nobles were automatically exempt from torture but other courtiers were not. Instruments and means of torture, for unproven crime, included the following: The Rack The Scavenger's Daughter The Collar The Iron Maiden Branding Irons Assorted instruments designed to inflict intense pain

Click here for information regarding full details of Middle Ages Torture and Executions CRIME & PUNISHMENT - JUSTICE? Just being accused of one of the serious crimes could well result in torture. A Defendant's chances in receiving any acquittal in court extremely slim. Trials were designed in the favour of the prosecutors and defendants accused any of the above crimes were not even allowed legal counsel! PUNISHMENT DURING THE ELIZABETHAN ERA - THE COURTIERS Life in Elizabethan England was chronicled by a man called William Harrison - this included details of Elizabethan crime and punishment. The most dreadful punishment of being Hung, Drawn and Quartered was described by William Harrison as follows: "The greatest and most grievous punishment used in England for such as offend against the State is drawing from the prison to the place of execution upon an hurdle or sled, where they are hanged till they be half dead, and then taken down, and quartered alive; after that, their members and bowels are cut from their bodies, and thrown into a fire, provided near hand and within their own sight, even for the same purpose." Other punishment included death by burning and beheading. Being burnt at the stake was a punishment which was used during the reign of 'Bloody Mary' - Queen Elizabeth's elder sister. Yet another terrible death. Executioners sometimes showed mercy to their victims by placing gunpowder at the base of the stake which helped the victims to a swifter, and less painful, death. PUNISHMENT AND EXECUTIONS BY BEHEADING The punishment of Death by the axe was a terrifying prospect. The executioners often took several blows before the head was finally severed. The punishment of death by Execution were held in public and witnessed by many people . Following the execution the severed head was held up by the hair by the executioner, not as many people think to show the crowd the head, but in fact to show the head the crowd and to it's own body! Consciousness remains for at least eight seconds after beheading, until lack of oxygen causes unconsciousness, and eventually death. The punishment even continued after 'death'. Traitors Heads were placed on stakes and displayed to the everyone in public places such as London Bridge. The most feared place in England was the Tower of London CRIME AND PUNISHMENT DURING THE ELIZABETHAN ERA - THE COMMONERS Crime and Punishment for commoners during the Elizabethan era included the following: Hanging Burning The Pillory and the Stocks Whipping Branding Pressing Ducking stools The Wheel Boiling in oil water or lead (usually reserved for poisoners ) Starvation in a public place Cutting off various items of the anatomy - hands, ears etc

The Gossip's Bridle or the Brank The Drunkards Cloak The most common crimes were theft, cut purses, begging, poaching, adultery, debtors, forgers, fraud and dice coggers. Theft for stealing anything over 5 pence resulted in hanging. Taking birds eggs was also deemed to be a crime and could result in the death sentence. Punishment for poaching crimes differed according to when the crime was committed - Poaching at night resulted in the punishment of death, whereas poaching during the day time did not. MINOR CRIME AND PUNISHMENT IN SMALL TOWNS IN ENGLAND Crime and punishment in Elizabethan towns like Stratford upon Avon were dealt with by the Justice of the Peace. Many crimes during the Elizabethan era were due to a crime committed and the law broken due to the desperate acts of the poor. Every town parish was responsible for the poor and unemployed within that parish. The Justice of the Peace for each town parish was allowed to collect a tax from those who owned land in the town. This was called the Poor Rate which was used to help the poor during the Elizabethan period. BEGGING WAS A SERIOUS ELIZABETHAN CRIME - POOR BEGGARS The Tudor and Elizabethan governments made begging a crime and therefore illegal and 'poor beggars' and as their punishment they would be beaten until they reached the stones that marked the town parish boundary. The beatings given as punishment were bloody and merciless and those who were caught continually begging could be sent to prison and even hanged as their punishment. TRAVEL IN ELIZABETHAN ENGLAND - A CRIME WITHOUT A LICENCE People did not travel around a lot during the Tudor and Elizabethan era. Travelling during the Elizabethan era could be dangerous, money was necessary and a license, obtained from the Bailiff in the Guild Hall, was required by anyone who needed to travel around England - it was a crime to travel without a licence. This law ensured that the spread of disease, especially the plague, was contained as much as possible and that the poor and the homeless did not travel from one village to another village - an Elizabethan ploy to lower the crime and punishment levels in England. William Shakespeare would have required a license to travel to adhere to the law of the land and his decision to move to London would have been a serious one and no doubt worried his family who he left in Stratford upon Avon. Travel during this period in Elizabethan England era was indeed a dangerous and difficult undertaking. Actors who, by necessity, had to travel to earn their living and together with peddlers, pilgrims and soldiers were thought untrustworthy and potential law breakers. At the very least they would have been viewed as potential carriers of the Bubonic Plague. Strangers were treated with suspicion and risked being accused of a crime and suffering the appropriate punishment. Travel in Elizabethan could easily end as being viewed as a crime and punishment was inflicted accordingly. ACTING IN ELIZABETHAN ENGLAND - A CRIME WITHOUT A LICENCE Actors were treated with as much suspicion as beggars. Anyone who needed to travel to earn their living, such as actors, were treated with suspicion and could be expected to be accused of crimes. An actors standing in Elizabethan England was only slightly higher than a beggar or a thief. When plays started to become more popular rich nobles, or high ranking courtiers of the land, acted as their sponsors. It was soon decreed that licenses should be granted to legitimise certain Acting Troupes. This raised the actors status somewhat and lead to fewer accusations of criminal activities. A license also had to be granted by Town Councillors when a group of actors came to town. Many actors received punishments for real and sometimes imaginary crimes which included the punishment of branding with red hot irons. Elizabethan Wedding Customs Elizabethan Wedding Customs - Arranged Marriages and Contracts Just as today a woman's wedding was one of the most important days of her life. The major difference to Elizabethan wedding customs to a modern day Western marriage is that the woman had very little, if any, choice in

who her husband might be. Marriages were frequently arranged so that both families involved would benefit. Marriages would be arranged to bring prestige or wealth to the family. The children of landowners would be expected to marry to increase the size of the acreage. A surprising fact is that young men were treated in a similar way as to women! Many couples would meet for the very first time on their wedding day! This particular Elizabethan custom usually applied to the nobility - two famous examples of the tradition of arranged marriage were between the tragic Lady Jane Grey and Guildford Dudley and King Henry VIII and his fourth wife Anne of Cleves. An Elizabethan Wedding Custom for the wealthy was to present a miniature picture to the man to give some indication of what his prospective wife might look like. This custom was followed prior to the betrothal of King Henry and Anne of Cleves. The artist was Hans Holbein who chose to disregard the plain looks of Anne and capture her kind personality. This particular example of an Elizabethan wedding custom totally back fired. The King was misled, could not escape the marriage and called his wife "the Flanders Mare". Needless to say he quickly arranged for the marriage to be dissolved in order to marry the 17 year old Catherine Howard ! Elizabethan Wedding History - The importance of marriage to an Elizabethan woman During the Elizabethan era of history women were very much 'second class citizens'. Regardless of their social standing they were expected to marry. Single women who were thought to be witches by their neighbours... Elizabethan marriages were sometimes arranged immediately following a babies birth via a formal betrothal. Elizabethan Wedding Customs - The Age of Consent With parental permission it was legal for boys to marry at 14 and girls at 12 although it was not usual or traditional for marriages at such young ages. The age of consent was 21 and boys would generally not marry until this age. Elizabethan Wedding History - The Dowry The dowry was an Elizabethan Wedding custom which benefited the husband. A dowry was an amount of money, goods, and property that the bride would bring to the marriage. It was also referred to as her marriage portion. The law gave a husband full rights over his wife. She effectively became his property. Elizabethan Church Wedding Information Arrangements for weddings would have been with the local church. Weddings were always a religious ceremony, conducted by a minister. The religions varied but the legal process prior to the wedding was always the same. There were no Registry Office marriages or marriages conducted by a Justice of the Peace. The first stage was Crying the Banns, announcing a couples intention to marry. The same procedure still applies to Church marriages in England today. The Elizabethan Wedding custom dictated that the couple's intention to marry had to be announced in the church three times on three consecutive Sundays or Holy days. This allowed time for any objections to be raised or pre-contracts to be discovered. Any marriage not published beforehand was considered clandestine and illegal. Elizabethan Wedding Contracts Should a couple need to marry in haste an alternative, faster, route to legalising a marriage required a Marriage Bond which acted as a contract, security and proof to a Bishop that the issue of a Marriage Licence was lawful. The Marriage Bond was accompanied with a sworn statement that there were no pre-contract. The issue of a Marriage Bond would require only one reading of the Banns - thus saving a couple of weeks. Such a Marriage Bond was required by Anne Hathaway and William Shakespeare - Anne was 26 years old and pregnant. William Shakespeare was only 18 and under the age of consent. Elizabethan wedding customs and contracts would have required that his father would have had to agree to the marriage. Elizabethan Wedding Reception & Food Wedding invitations were not issued. People lived in small communities and knew what was happening in common life. If there was an Elizabethan wedding then people would just attend. Gifts were occasionally given to the Bride and Groom. It was an Elizabethan Wedding custom to celebrate the marriage with a wedding feast. The special feast had to be carefully planned. The menu was discussed and arrangements for acquiring the content of the more exotic dishes, such a peacock, had to be made. The Elizabethans were keen on presenting dishes as attractively as possible - in the case of the peacock its colorful feathers would adorn the dish. Bread and sweetmeats would also be prepared. The staple drink of the Elizabethans was ale (water was unclean) but wine was also available and would

have been ordered for the wedding feast. Elizabethan Wedding Customs - The Wedding Dresses The bride did not wear a white wedding dress, this was a later tradition. Instead she would wear her best gown and kirtle , or even a new gown if the money was available. The gown would cover most of the body and would be full length. A cloak was used as an outer garment. Velvet, Satins and Corduroy were costly and therefore worn by the nobility. The wedding garments belonging to the majority of brides were generally made from Flax, Cotton and wool. Colours came in a variety of different shades: red, blue, greens, yellow, white, grey, black, orange and tan .Corsets were occasionally worn but any additional undergarments were rarely heard of. A shift, or chemise, would also be worn beneath the gown. Although the vast majority of the body was covered it was permissible for dresses to have plunging necklines. A necklace was often worn which drew even more attention to a woman's breasts. The necks and cuffs of gowns were decorated with silk or linen ruffs. Fresh flowers were central to the clothing. The bride would wear flowers in her hair and they would also adorn her gown. Unmarried girls were allowed to wear there hair loose but once married it had to be hid beneath a bonnet. Wealthy brides had garments which were adorned with jewels and gold and silver thread. It was also traditional to carry a bouquet. A bride would have bridesmaids and these would be similarly attired. Elizabethan Wedding Customs - The Bridegrooms Wedding Clothes The Bridegroom wore his best clothes which consisted of a doublet, breeches, hose, box pleated neck ruff and a cod piece. A cloak might also be worn and a pair of boots. Elizabethan men usually wore a short shift as an undergarment. Velvet, Satins and Corduroy were costly and therefore worn by the nobility. The garments belonging to the common man were generally made from Flax, Cotton and wool. Colours came in a variety of different shades: red, blue, greens, yellow, white, grey, black, orange and tan . Th e colour of yellow would not be chosen for a wedding - it was a sign of mourning. A bridal procession would move from the family's house to the church. This was a particularly festive event and the procession would be accompanied by musicians. Elizabethan Wedding Customs - The ceremony Once at the church the ceremony would be a solemn one. In Elizabethan times everyone would stand as there were no pews in the churches. When the marriage ceremony was over the wedding procession would return to their homes. The families of the couple would sometimes enjoy a wedding feast and were wished a long and happy life. Elizabethan Women The Role of Elizabethan Women - Education - The Nobility The Elizabethan era brought the Renaissance, new thinking to England. Elizabethan women from wealthy and noble families were sometimes allowed the privilege of an. Education. The girls of Noble birth were invariably taught by tutors at home and Elizabethan women were taught from the age of five, or even younger. Various languages were taught including Latin, Italian, Greek and French. Music and dancing skills were essential for Elizabethan women. Elizabethan women were not allowed to go to university. Click here for information regarding full details of Famous Women of the Middle Ages The Role of Elizabethan Women - Education - The Commoners The Elizabethan women who were commoners would not have attended school or received any formal type of education. Elizabethan women would have had to learn how to govern a household and become skilled in all housewifely duties. Her education would have been purely of the domestic nature in preparation for the only real career option for a girl - marriage! Single Elizabethan women were sometimes looked upon with suspicion. It was often the single women who were thought to be witches by their neighbours. All Elizabethan women would be expected to marry, and would be dependant on her male relatives throughout her life. The Role of Unmarried Elizabethan Women in Society At one time single women might spend their life in a convent or nunnery but due to the dissolution of the monasteries this was no longer an option. The only alternative to marriage for Elizabethan women from the lower classes was therefore domestic service. The married state was seen as highly desirable by all women of the lower classes. With parental permission it was legal for Elizabethan girls to marry at 12 although it was not usual for

marriages at such young ages. The Role of Elizabethan Women in Marriage Elizabethan women were expected to bring a dowry to the marriage. A dowry was an amount of money, goods, and property that the bride would bring to the marriage. It was also referred to as her marriage portion. After marriage Elizabethan women were expected to run the households and provide children. Large families were the norm as the mortality rate for children and babies was so high. Many Elizabethan woman made arrangement for the care of their children in case they themselves died during childbirth.

The Role of Elizabethan Women in Society Elizabethan woman were raised to believe that they were inferior to men. The Church believed this and quoted the Bible in order to ensure the continued adherence to this principle. The protestant leader John Knox wrote: "Women in her greatest perfection was made to serve and obey man." Elizabethan Woman were totally dominated by the male members of their family. They were expected to instantly obey not only their father but also their brothers and any other male members of the family. The punishment for disobey was the whipping stool - the Elizabethan girls were beaten into submission and disobedience was seen as a crime against their religion. Elizabethan Women could not be heirs to their father's titles. All titles would pass from father to son or brother to brother, depending on the circumstances. The only exception was the monarchy. The Roles of Famous Elizabethan Women in Society Queen Elizabeth I 1533-1603- never married. An independent and dominant woman who would not share her throne with a man. She would have also been required to show total obedience to her husband Lettice Knollys 1540-1634 - Lady in Waiting to Queen Elizabeth - married the Queen's favourite, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, in secret Mary Sidney Herbert, Countess of Pembroke - 1561-1621 referred to as the Swan of Avon. The second most important woman in England next to the Queen Amy Robsart - Robert Dudley's first wife who died in mysterious circumstances Kat Ashley - Faithful servant of Queen Elizabeth from a small, neglected child to the most powerful woman in England Mary Queen of Scots 1542-1587- Elizabeth's cousin who was kept prisoner in England until her execution for treason - conspired with Roman Catholics culminating in the Babington Plot The Four Mary's - the Ladies in Waiting to Mary Queen of Scots - Mary Beaton, Mary Seaton, Mary Fleming and Mary Livingstone Levina Teerlinc - female painter of the Elizabethan era Life in Elizabethan Stratford upon Avon William Shakespeare - Life - History - Stratford upon Avon - Elizabethan era - Tudor period - Town Life - Bubonic Plague - Crime and Punishment - Travel - Entertainment THE HISTORY AND LOCATION OF STRATFORD UPON AVON, ENGLAND There are many Stratfords and Stretfords in England and these towns and villages are all located at points where old Roman roads cross rivers. The biography of William Shakespeare relates to the town of Stratford upon Avon - the Stratford upon the River Avon. The Roman road that crossed the Avon at Stratford-upon-Avon was the Salt Road to

Alcester. LIFE IN ELIZABETHAN STRATFORD UPON AVON, ENGLAND William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, a small country town in Warwickshire which was a little bigger than a village and boasted a weekly market. The main market cross, the medieval High Cross, stood at the junction of Stratford High Street and Bridge Street in the centre of the town. The Elizabethan market town of Stratford-on-Avon consisted of half - timbered buildings and was situated in rural England and surrounded by countryside and woodlands. Stratford town is situated approximately one hundred miles northwest of London, a journey of four days walking in Elizabethan England. The population of Elizabethan England was less than five million, London had a population of 200,000 and Stratford upon Avon had about 1,500 inhabitants. Towns grew in size throughout the Elizabethan era , as changes in agriculture during the period led to people leaving the countryside to search for employment in the town. MOVING FROM THE COUNTRYSIDE TO THE ELIZABETHAN TOWN OF STRATFORD The wool trade became increasingly popular during the Elizabethan age, which meant that land which had been farmed by peasants was now dedicated to rearing sheep and a process known as land enclosure meant that the traditional open field system ended in favour of creating larger and more profitable farming units which required fewer people to work on them. This helps to explain why John Shakespeare, William's father, moved to the growing town of Stratford upon Avon to work, amongst other things, as a wool trader. Most of the citizens of the market town Stratford earned their living by farming or by supplying farmers with the goods they needed. The family life of William Shakespeare was centred around the Elizabethan town and commerce of Stratford-upon-avon. THE BLACK DEATH / BUBONIC PLAGUE IN THE ELIZABETHAN TOWN OF STRATFORD The life of William Shakespeare and his family was devastated by the Black Death ( also known as the Bubonic Plague and Black Plague ). The Biography of William Shakespeare provides full details of the effect of the Bubonic Plague on his family in the small English town of Stratford. It is no wonder that William Shakespeare was known to be terrified of the Bubonic Plague throughout his lifetime. This terrible disease was not confined to the main English town of London, it stretched out all over Elizabethan England claiming the lives of countless victims in the small towns and villages such as Stratford upon Avon. In 1564 alone, the black death aka the bubonic plague killed one out of seven of the 1,500 inhabitants of Stratford upon Avon. Please click the following link for more information on the subject of the Black Death / Bubonic Plague - Symptoms, effects, cures and treatments in Elizabethan England TRAVEL FOR WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE IN ELIZABETHAN ENGLAND People did not travel around a lot during the Tudor and Elizabethan age. Travelling could be dangerous, money was necessary and a license, obtained from the Bailiff in the Guild Hall, was required by anyone who needed to travel around England. This ensured that the spread of disease, especially the plague, was contained as much as possible and that the poor and the homeless did not move from one village to another village. William Shakespeare would have required a license to travel to adhere to the law of the land and his decision to move to London would not have been a serious one and no doubt worried his family who he left in Stratford. CRIME AND PUNISHMENT AND THE LAW IN ELIZABETHAN STRATFORD Law, crime and punishment in the town of Stratford was dealt with by the Justice of the Peace for Stratford. Many crimes during the Elizabethan era were due to crimes committed and the law broken due to the desperate acts of the poor. Every town parish was responsible for the poor and unemployed within that parish. The Justice of the Peace for each town parish was allowed to collect a tax from those who owned land in the town. This was called the Poor Rate which was used to help the poor during the Elizabethan period. The Tudor and Elizabethan governments made begging a crime and therefore illegal and 'poor beggars' would be beaten until they reached the stones that marked the town parish boundary. The beatings were bloody and merciless and those who were caught continually begging could be sent to prison and even hanged as their punishment. Those few peddlers, pilgrims, soldiers and actors, who actually preferred the travelling life were thought untrustworthy and potential law breakers. At the very least they would have been viewed as potential carriers of the Bubonic Plague. Strangers were treated with suspicion and risked being accused of a crime and suffering the appropriate punishment. An interesting piece of information to

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consider as William Shakespeare made the decision to leave Stratford to become an actor. WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE FAMILY TIES IN ELIZABETHAN STRATFORD Although there was a move towards town life people in a world of limited mobility people did not venture far away. For example, John Shakespeare moved to Stratford but still remained close to his father and family and although William and his brothers moved to London they still remained in close contact with the family in Stratford. It was quite unusual for the Shakespeare brothers to move from the security and roots in Stratford to a relatively uncertain life in London. In Stratford everyone knew everyone else. There were close family ties, brothers, sisters, uncles, cousins and marriages between other local people. This provided a good support mechanism if people fell on to hard times. The noble families also tended to stay static. Lands, titles and property were handed down from generation to generation and the same families would remain in the same homes just as the Shakespeare family did with their property in Henley Street in Stratford. LIFE IN ELIZABETHAN STRATFORD FOR THE SHAKESPEARE FAMILY Life in Stratford was pretty much self-sufficient. There was no reason for the average person to ever travel further than half a day's walk. Everything was available from the people who lived in the town of Stratford. Water was not clean so people drank ale which was brewed and sold in Stratford. John Shakespeare's first civic duty was Ale-taster. He also owned a shop and traded in wool and farm produce and worked as a glover. His life was not so very different from his neighbours and so all sorts of trades were engaged in and a variety of provisions were available in the small town. Money was is short supply so the people would barter to obtain their requirements, it was therefore unnecessary to take dangerous journeys amongst strange people. There were, however, local market fairs when trade was brisk to obtain items in short supply by the exchange of surplus provisions. FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT IN WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE'S STRATFORD Life changed with the seasons and the market fairs were not the only form of distraction or entertainment available to the folk of Stratford. It was the custom of the reigning monarch to go on ' progresses ' throughout the land. Royalty would progress from town to town stopping at various castles and manor houses throughout England. The Ardens of Park Hall (the family of William Shakespeare's mother, Mary Arden) might well have played host to royalty. Although this would be viewed as an honour the cost of entertaining royalty, together with all their accompanying households and retinues, had been known to bring families to near ruin due to the enormous expense incurred. Queen Elizabeth I was known to have visited Kenilworth Castle, near Stratford, when William Shakespeare was eleven years old. The Shakespeare family would have travelled to Kenilworth castle to see the Queen and the colourful scenes, sports and jousting which would have been arranged for her amusement. Stratford was often visited by travelling troupes of professional actors. Stratford was quiet after sundown and evenings were spent in talk and games. On Sunday there was some free time. The townsmen met for church in the morning, with time to gossip, play games and enjoy a few pints of ale after the service was over. Women worked communally at sewing or spinning whilst men bowled, played skittles or ball games. Many enjoyed board games like nine man's morris, chess or draughts (checkers). This is a good reflection of what family life was like for William Shakespeare in Elizabethan Stratford. Please click here to for the section on the connection between William Shakespeare and the Acting troupes who visited Elizabethan Stratford . The Effect of his father's downfall on William Shakespeare and the First Lost Years The major effect on William was that he was forced to end his education. Boys of William's age and with his family's social standing would normally leave school at the age of 14 and then go on to further their education at University. Due to his father's poor financial state this was not an option for William. He had to leave school and it seem logical to assume that he would have to help support his family. Thus we enter the period of the First Lost Years. William Shakespeare - What work did he take up during the First Lost Years? At this point the conjecture has to start. We have no documented evidence to link William with any specific job or trade. There are several options and views: He helped his father in the family business (leathers and grains)

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He took a job as a law clerk He worked as a schoolmaster He worked work as a scrivener He travelled to Italy He served as a soldier or sailor for an England threatened by Spain The reason for this diverse selection of opinions was that the content of his plays required a significant knowledge of the law, astronomy, the sea and of Italy. Scholars have rationalised that some of this experience might have been acquired during his first ' lost years' . William Shakespeare - Links to Acting It is possible that William Shakespeare first became involved with acting during his schooldays and during the First Lost Years. Entertainment in Stratford during the Elizabethan era was somewhat limited. But we do know that various acting troupes visited Stratford during this period and that William Shakepeare would have been acquainted with them. Acting Troupes required venue licenses to put on their plays and, in Stratford, these were obtained from Stratford Guild Hall via the Bailiff would have been responsible for this task. In 1568 William Shakespeare' s father, John, was elected Bailiff or Mayor of Stratford! So William Shakespeare's father would most certainly have met the actors in the various troupes which visited Stratford. And William would have come into close contact with the acting fraternity from a very young age continuing in to the first lost years. William Shakespeare - The end of the ' First Lost Years ' 1585 - 1592 The period of uncertainty regarding the life of Shakespeare' s and the First Lost Years end with the documented records of his hasty marriage to Anne Hathaway. The section relating to the marriage of Anne Hathaway includes a comprehensive biography based on documented evidence and life in Elizabethan England. This logically leads on to the Children of William Shakespeare. THE COURTSHIP OF ANNE HATHAWAY AND WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE The hamlet of Shottery was only a mile from the town of Stratford where William Shakespeare lived with his family. Anne Hathaway would have often visited the town and would have therefore had the opportunity to meet William Shakespeare. At this time Anne would have been 26 and William 18. A considerable age difference, with William Shakespeare still under the age of consent (21). It is apparent that Anne Hathaway became pregnant prior to marriage which would have no doubt caused a scandal for both of the families. Not an auspicious start for a marriage or a perfect choice of a wife for the son of an ambitious family. William Shakespeare's father John, in particular, would not have been pleased at the detrimental effect that the gossip would have had on his own social standing in Stratford. A hasty affair would have been arranged. ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE WEDDING From the will of her late father it seems that Anne Hathaway brought a dowry to the marriage. A dowry was an amount of money, goods, and property that the bride would bring to the marriage. It was also referred to as her marriage portion. The arrangements for the wedding of Anne Hathaway and William Shakespeare would have been with the local church. Weddings were always a religious ceremony, conducted by a minister. There were no Registry Office marriages or marriages conducted by a Justice of the Peace. The first stage was Crying the Banns, announcing a couples intention to marry. The same procedure still applies to Church marriages in England today. The intention to marry must be announced in the church three times on three consecutive Sundays or holy days. This allows time for any objections to be raised or pre-contracts to be discovered. Any marriage not published before hand was considered clandestine and illegal. An alternative, faster, route to legalising a ceremony required a marriage bond which acted as security and proof to a bishop that the issue of a marriage licence was lawful with a sworn statement that there were no pre-contracts. The existence of such a marriage bond would require only one reading of the Banns, thus speeding the marriage process.

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THE MARRIAGE OF MISS HATHAWAY AND WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE William Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway were granted a marriage licence by the Bishop of Worcester. They were married at Temple Grafton, a village approximately five miles (8 km) from Stratford. After their marriage , as was the custom, Anne Hathaway Shakespeare would have left her home at Hewland Farm to live with William Shakespeare in his father, John Shakespeare's house on Henley Street in Stratford. Six months after the wedding and marriage, in May 1583, Anne and William became the parents of Susanna, the reason for Will and Anne Hathaway having to marry with such haste. The baptism of Susanna was conducted on May 26, in Stratford Parish Church. Will and his wife Anne Hathaway started their married life in Stratford. WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE'S CHILDREN William Shakespeare had three children. Susanna was born in May 1583, six months after the wedding of her parents Anne Hathaway and William Shakespeare. The baptism of Susanna Shakespeare took place in Stratford Parish Church on May 26th 1583. Two years later in 1585 Anne and William's twins, Hamnet and Judith Shakespeare, were born. The baptism of Hamnet and Judith Shakespeare took place in Stratford Parish Church on February 2nd 1585.The twins were named after two very close friends of William and Anne, the baker Hamnet Sadler and his wife, Judith. These were the three legitimate children of the Bard. WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE'S SON, HAMNET Little is known about the life of William Shakespeare's son Hamnet. He was raised in his grandfather's house predominantly by his mother Anne as his father's work in the theatre was based in London. There are no records that show that Hamnet Shakespeare ever attended a school although it was customary for a boy from Hamnet's background to have had an education. Neither of Hamnet's sisters had an education and neither of them were able to read or write. There were constant outbreaks of the Bubonic Plague, otherwise known as the Black Death or the Black Plague, during Elizabethan times and in 1596 Hamnet contracted the deadly disease and died at the age of eleven. Shakespeare's son Hamnet was buried in Stratford on August 11, 1596. WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE'S DAUGHTER, SUSANNA Anne raised all of her children including her daughters in Stratford. The first we hear of Susanna is in 1606 when on May 5th Susanna was named as a recusant for not attending an Easter Day Church service. When Susanna was 24 years old she announced her betrothal to Dr. John Hall. Hall had settled in Stratford around 1600, where he founded a prosperous medical practice and became one of the town's leading citizens. The wedding took place on June 5th 1607. Susanna's marriage to the noted physician must have pleased Anne and William enormously. Evidence of the esteem that Shakespeare held for Dr. John Hall and his marriage to his daughter was that Shakespeare appointed John and Susanna executors of his will. (Dr. Hall and Susanna inherited and moved into New Place after Shakespeare's death). Susanna gave birth to a baby girl eight months after her wedding to Dr. John Hall. Anne and William's granddaughter, Elizabeth, was baptized February 21, 1608 at Holy Trinity Church in Stratford. William and Dr. Hall also had mutual business interests as they were known to have travelled to London on business concerning Stratford tithes. WILLIAM AND ANNE'S DAUGHTER, JUDITH Anne and William's younger daughter, Judith, the youngest of the Bard's children was betrothed to Richard Quiney. Anne and William would have initially approved of the betrothal of Judith and Thomas as Quiney came from a good family. In view of the changes in his family's circumstances, and his own advancing years and possibly declining health, William Shakepeare prudently drafts his will on January 25th 1616, a few days before Judith and Quiney's marriage. Judith married Thomas Quiney, a vintner and tavern owner from Stratford, on February 10th 1616. Judith was 31 and Thomas Quiney was 27 years of age. The initial approval of the marriage quickly changed with the scandalous news that Thomas Quiney had made another girl pregnant. Anne must have been desperately worried about Judith. The scandal would have spread through Stratford. It then appeared that Quiney did not receive the special licence necessary for a wedding during lent before his marriage. The situation was really serious and on March 12th Judith and Thomas were excommunicated. William must have been mortified with the turn of events. He summoned his lawyer and promptly modifies and signs his will on March 25th 1616. The modification of the will was to ensure that Judith would receive a sum of money (300) inherited in her own name. Shakespeare leaves the bulk of his fortune to his daughter, Susanna. On March 26th Quiney was prosecuted for 'carnal copulation' with a woman named Margaret Wheeler, who had died in childbirth that month along with her baby by Quiney. He confessed and was sentenced to perform public penance. His penalty, however, was commuted to a small fine of five

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shillings and private penance. Information provided about the plays The "Bard" William Shakespeare never published any of his plays and therefore none of the original manuscripts have survived. Eighteen unauthorised versions of William Shakespeare's plays were, however, published during his lifetime in quarto editions by unscrupulous publishers (there were no copyright laws protecting Shakespeare and his works during the Elizabethan era). A collection of William Shakespear's works did not appear until 1623 (a full seven years after William Shakespeare's death on April 23, 1616) when two of his fellow actors, John Hemminges and Henry Condell, posthumously recorded his work and published 36 of William Shakespeare's plays in the First Folio. Some dates are therefore approximate other dates are substantiated by historical events, records of performances and the dates plays appeared in print. The Characters and Scripts These enduring works feature many famous and well loved characters. The text and scripts convey vivid impressions. The language used today is, in many ways, different to that used in the 16th century Elizabethan era and this is often reflected in the script and text used in the plays. It is therefore not surprising that we have no experience or understanding of some of the words contained in the text / script of the various works. We have therefore included a Shakespearean Dictionary for most of the more obscure words used in the script of his plays, some of which are obsolete in modern language or Dictionaries. Make a note of any unusual words that you encounter whilst reading the scripts and check their definition in the Dictionary by clicking Dictionary at the top of the page to access Elizabethan Dictionary - Guide to language and words used in the Elizabethan era. FAMOUS QUOTATIONS A Shakespearean quote such as "To be, or not to be" and the famous "O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo?" quote form some of literature's most celebrated lines and if asked to recite one of Shakespeare's most famous quotations the majority of people would choose one of these. However, many expressions that we use every day originated in Shakespeare's plays. We use the Bard's words all of the time in everyday speech, however, we are often totally unaware that we are 'borrowing' sayings from his work - we frequently quote Shakespeare! Will Shakespeare is attributed with writing 38 plays, Famous Shakespearean sonnets and 5 other poems and used about 21,000 different words. Shake-speare is credited by the Oxford English Dictionary with the introduction of nearly 3,000 words into the language. It's no wonder that expressions from his works are an 'anonymous' part of the English language. Famous Quotes from Hamlet -madness and revenge "To be, or not to be: that is the question". Hamlet quote (Act III, Sc. I). "Neither a borrower nor a lender be; For loan oft loses both itself and friend, and borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry". Hamlet quote Act I, Sc. III). "This above all: to thine own self be true" Hamlet quote (Act I, Sc. III). "Though this be madness, yet there is method in 't." Hamlet quote (Act II, Scene II). "That it should come to this!". Hamlet quote (Act I, Scene II). "There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so" Hamlet quote (Act II, Sc. II). "What a piece of work is man! how noble in reason! how infinite in faculty! in form and moving how express and admirable! in action how like an angel! in apprehension how like a god! the beauty of the world, the paragon of animals! " Hamlet quote (Act II, Sc. II). "The lady doth protest too much, methinks". Hamlet ( Quote Act III, Sc. II).

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"In my mind's eye". Hamlet quotation (Quote Act I, Scene II). "A little more than kin, and less than kind". (Hamlet Quote Act I, Scene II). "The play 's the thing wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king". Hamlet Quote (Act II, Scene II). "And it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man". (Hamlet Quote Act I, Scene III)." "This is the very ecstasy of love". - ( Hamlet Quote Act II, Sc I). "Brevity is the soul of wit". - Hamlet Quote (Act II, Scene II). "Doubt that the sun doth move, doubt truth to be a liar, but never doubt I love". Hamlet Quote (Act II, Sc. II). "Rich gifts wax poor when givers prove unkind". - (Hamlet Quote Act III, Scene I). "Do you think I am easier to be played on than a pipe?" Hamlet Quote (Act III, Sc. II). "I will speak daggers to her, but use none". - (Hamlet Quote Act III, Sc. II). "When sorrows come, they come not single spies, but in battalions". - (Hamlet Quote Act IV, Scene V). Famous Quotes from Julius Caesar - political "Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears; I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him". Quote (Act III, Scene II). "But, for my own part, it was Greek to me". - Julius Caesar Quote (Act I, Scene II). "A dish fit for the gods". Quote (Act II, Scene I). "Cry "Havoc," and let slip the dogs of war". Julius Caesar Quote (Act III, Sc. I). "Et tu, Brute!" Quote (Act III, Scene I). "Men at some time are masters of their fates: The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are underlings". - (Quote Act I, Scene II). "Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more". Quote (Act III, Scene II). "Beware the ides of March". - (Quote Act I, Scene II). "This was the noblest Roman of them all". - (Quote Act V, Sc. V). "When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept: Ambition should be made of sterner stuff". - (Quote Act III, Sc. II). "Yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look; He thinks too much: such men are dangerous" Julius Quote (Act I, Scene II). "For Brutus is an honourable man; So are they all, all honourable men". - (Quote Act III, Sc. II). "As he was valiant, I honour him; but, as he was ambitious, I slew him" . Quote (Act III, Sc. II). "Cowards die many times before their deaths; The valiant never taste of death but once.

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Of all the wonders that I yet have heard, it seems to me most strange that men should fear; Seeing that death, a necessary end, will come when it will come". Julius Caesar Quote (Act II, Scene II). ROMEO AND JULIET -love " It is the east, and Juliet is the sun" Romeo and Juliet ( Quote Act II, Scene II). "Good Night, Good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow, that I shall say good night till it be morrow." Romeo and Juliet ( Quote Act II, Scene II). "What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet". Romeo and Juliet ( Quote Act II, Sc. II). "Wisely and slow; they stumble that run fast". ( Quote Act II, Scene III). "Tempt not a desperate man" Romeo and Juliet Quote (Act V, Sc. III). "For you and I are past our dancing days" . Romeo and Juliet ( Quote Act I, Scene V). "O! she doth teach the torches to burn bright" Romeo and Juliet Quote (Act I, Sc. V). "It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night like a rich jewel in an Ethiope's ear" . ( Quote Act I, Scene V). "See, how she leans her cheek upon her hand! O that I were a glove upon that hand, that I might touch that cheek!" Romeo and Juliet Quote (Act II, Sc. II). Famous Quotations from Othello -envy and jealousy I will wear my heart upon my sleeve for daws to peck at". Othello Quote (Act I, Scene I). "To mourn a mischief that is past and gone is the next way to draw new mischief on". Quote (Act I, Scene III). "The robbed that smiles steals something from the thief". Othello Quote (Act I, Scene III). "It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock". Othello Quote (Act III) William Shakespeare Sonnets William Shakespeare Sonnets Sonnets are fourteen-line lyric poems, traditionally written in iambic pentameter - that is, in lines ten syllables long, with accents falling on every second syllable, as in: "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?". Sonnets originated in Italy and were introduced to England during the Tudor period by Sir Thomas Wyatt. Shake-speare followed the more idiomatic rhyme scheme of sonnets that Sir Philip Sydney used in the first great Elizabethan sonnets cycle, Astrophel and Stella (these sonnets were published posthumously in 1591). Sonnets are formal poems and consist of 14 lines (3 quatrains and a couplet) Poems may be accessed by clicking the above Poems link for texts of the poems of William Shakespeare - Venus and Adonis, Rape of Lucrece, Lover's Complaint and Phoenix and the Turtle The Most Popular William Shakespeare Sonnets! The most popular sonnets are: 126 William Shakespeare Sonnet - O thou my lovely boy 130 William Shakespeare Sonnet - My Mistress' eyes

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029 William Shakespeare Sonnet - When in disgrace with fortune 116 William Shakespeare Sonnet - Let me not to the marriage of true minds 18 William Shakespeare Sonnet - Shall I compare thee to a Summer's day? Sonnet 116 Let me not to the marriage of true minds Let me not to the marriage of true minds Admit impediments. Love is not love Which alters when it alteration finds, Or bends with the remover to remove: O no! it is an ever-fixed mark That looks on tempests and is never shaken; It is the star to every wandering bark, Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken. Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks Within his bending sickle's compass come: Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks, But bears it out even to the edge of doom. If this be error and upon me proved, I never writ, nor no man ever loved. THE POEMS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE William Shakespeare is referred to as a Literary Genius and much of this praise is due to the wonderful words of his short sonnet poems and his extended poems as detailed on this page. He is the most widely read author in the whole of the Western World - his poems and quotes from poems are familiar to everyone. And yet when we think about Shakespear we immediately we think of his famous plays and not his less famous poems. During the Bard's lifetime dramatists were not considered 'serious' authors with 'serious' talent - but it was highly fashionable to write poems. Plays were for entertainment poems were for the elite! There was not even such a thing as a custom built theatre until 1576! Actors were common folk. Poets of the era such as Christopher Marlowe, Sir Philip Sydney, Sir Walter Raleigh were of the nobility and there poems are still enjoyed today. These poets had credibility and so did their poetry. William Shakespeare came from Yeoman stock - he lacked credibility - his poems would have helped with this poblem !. The Bard did not give permission for one of his plays or his sonnets to be published. He was, however, happy to have his poems published. William Shake-speare has been attributed with the following poems: William Shakespeare Poem - A Lover's Complaint William Shakespeare Poem - Phoenix and the Turtle William Shakespeare Poem - Rape of Lucrece William Shakespeare poem - Venus and Adonis Famous Speeches from Shakespeare's plays Julius Caesar - Mark Anthony's funeral speech Julius Caesar was ruling Rome. The conspirators, who included Brutus, were afraid that Caesar was going to become a tyrant, so they killed him. Mark Antony, a friend of Caesar, asked if he could speak at Caesar's public funeral. Brutus said he could on certain conditions. These were: that Brutus would speak first, that Mark Anthony would speak immediately afterwards, that he wouldn't blame the conspirators and that he would admit he spoke with the conspirators' permission. Brutus does speak first to the people of Rome and explains simply why he killed Caesar - "Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more." The crowd approve of his speech. Then Antony

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starts to speak. Antony: Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears; I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him. The evil that men do lives after them; The good is oft interred with their bones; So let it be with Caesar. The noble Brutus Hath told you Caesar was ambitious: If it were so, it was a grievous fault, And grievously hath Caesar answer'd it. Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest-For Brutus is an honourable man; So are they all, all honourable men-Come I to speak in Caesar's funeral. Mark Antony starts carefully, as the crowd is hostile. He explains that he is talking by permission (leave) of the conspirators, as was agreed, and he calls the conspirators "honorable men". He was my friend, faithful and just to me: But Brutus says he was ambitious; And Brutus is an honourable man. He hath brought many captives home to Rome Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill: Did this in Caesar seem ambitious? When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept: Ambition should be made of sterner stuff: Yet Brutus says he was ambitious; And Brutus is an honourable man. You all did see that on the Lupercal I thrice presented him a kingly crown, Which he did thrice refuse: was this ambition? Yet Brutus says he was ambitious; And, sure, he is an honourable man. I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke, But here I am to speak what I do know. Slowly Mark Antony starts to list the good qualities of Caesar, and asks people to mourn for him. He is asking whether Brutus is right to call Caesar ambitious, but not, perhaps quite blaming him, yet! You all did love him once, not without cause: What cause withholds you then, to mourn for him? O judgment! thou art fled to brutish beasts, And men have lost their reason. Bear with me; My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar, And I must pause till it come back to me. Mark Antony is becoming more passionate about Caesar. He is pretending to be overcome with grief. First Citizen: Methinks there is much reason in his sayings. The crowd begin to change their minds. Second Citizen: If thou consider rightly of the matter, Caesar has had great wrong. Third Citizen: Has he, masters? I fear there will a worse come in his place. This quiet statement is perceptive. Unfortunately no-one else notices it. Fourth Citizen: Mark'd ye his words? He would not take the crown; Therefore 'tis certain he was not ambitious. First Citizen: If it be found so, some will dear abide it. Second Citizen: Poor soul! his eyes are red as fire with weeping. Third Citizen: There's not a nobler man in Rome than Antony. Fourth Citizen: Now mark him, he begins again to speak. Antony: But yesterday the word of Caesar might

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Have stood against the world; now lies he there. And none so poor to do him reverence. O masters, if I were disposed to stir Your hearts and minds to mutiny and rage, I should do Brutus wrong, and Cassius wrong, Who, you all know, are honourable men: I will not do them wrong; I rather choose To wrong the dead, to wrong myself and you, Than I will wrong such honourable men. But here's a parchment with the seal of Caesar; I found it in his closet, 'tis his will: Let but the commons hear this testament-Which, pardon me, I do not mean to read-And they would go and kiss dead Caesar's wounds And dip their napkins in his sacred blood, Yea, beg a hair of him for memory, And, dying, mention it within their wills, Bequeathing it as a rich legacy Unto their issue. Mark Antony is still calling the conspirators "honourable men" but his language is becoming more violent. He hints that Caesar's will is worth hearing. But he can't read it because that would wrong the conspirators (who he promised not to blame). Of course, he knows perfectly well what effect this will have on the crowd! Fourth Citizen: We'll hear the will: read it, Mark Antony. All: The will, the will! we will hear Caesar's will. Antony: Have patience, gentle friends, I must not read it; It is not meet you know how Caesar loved you. You are not wood, you are not stones, but men; And, being men, bearing the will of Caesar, It will inflame you, it will make you mad: 'Tis good you know not that you are his heirs; For, if you should, O, what would come of it! Now Mark Antony is calling the crowd the heirs of Caesar, which means that they will gain something from the will. Fourth Citizen: Read the will; we'll hear it, Antony; You shall read us the will, Caesar's will. Antony: Will you be patient? will you stay awhile? I have o'ershot myself to tell you of it: I fear I wrong the honourable men Whose daggers have stabb'd Caesar; I do fear it. The crowd is getting worked up. Mark Antony still calls the conspirators "honourable men", and after all, their daggers did stab Caesar! Fourth Citizen: They were traitors: honourable men! Someone in the crowd is the first to say "traitors". All: The will! the testament! Second Citizen: They were villains, murderers: the will! read the will. Antony: You will compel me, then, to read the will? Then make a ring about the corpse of Caesar, And let me show you him that made the will. Shall I descend? and will you give me leave? Caesar's body is below Antony. He is going to show the body with its stab wounds to the crowd. Several Citizens: Come down. Second Citizen: Descend. Third Citizen: You shall have leave. [Antony comes down] Fourth Citizen: A ring; stand round. First Citizen: Stand from the hearse, stand from the body. Second Citizen: Room for Antony, most noble Antony.

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Antony: Nay, press not so upon me; stand far off. Several Citizens: Stand back; room; bear back. Antony: If you have tears, prepare to shed them now. You all do know this mantle: I remember The first time ever Caesar put it on; 'Twas on a summer's evening, in his tent, That day he overcame the Nervii: Look, in this place ran Cassius' dagger through: See what a rent the envious Casca made: Through this the well-beloved Brutus stabb'd; And as he pluck'd his cursed steel away, Mark how the blood of Caesar follow'd it, As rushing out of doors, to be resolved If Brutus so unkindly knock'd, or no; For Brutus, as you know, was Caesar's angel: Judge, O you gods, how dearly Caesar loved him! This was the most unkindest cut of all; For when the noble Caesar saw him stab, Ingratitude, more strong than traitors' arms, Quite vanquish'd him: then burst his mighty heart; And, in his mantle muffling up his face, Even at the base of Pompey's statua, Which all the while ran blood, great Caesar fell. O, what a fall was there, my countrymen! Then I, and you, and all of us fell down, Whilst bloody treason flourish'd over us. O, now you weep; and, I perceive, you feel The dint of pity: these are gracious drops. Kind souls, what, weep you when you but behold Our Caesar's vesture wounded? Look you here, Here is himself, marr'd, as you see, with traitors. Mark Antony is now making the crowd see and feel the full horror of Caesar's murder. In fact, Antony wasn't there when Caesar was stabbed, so pointing out which wound was made by who is pure drama! The sight and description makes the crowd grieve, then become angry. First Citizen: O piteous spectacle! Second Citizen: O noble Caesar! Third Citizen: O woful day! Fourth Citizen: O traitors, villains! First Citizen: O most bloody sight! Second Citizen: We will be revenged. All: Revenge! About! Seek! Burn! Fire! Kill! Slay! Let not a traitor live! Antony: Stay, countrymen. First Citizen: Peace there! hear the noble Antony. Second Citizen: We'll hear him, we'll follow him, we'll die with him. Antony: Good friends, sweet friends, let me not stir you up To such a sudden flood of mutiny. They that have done this deed are honourable: What private griefs they have, alas, I know not, That made them do it: they are wise and honourable, And will, no doubt, with reasons answer you. I come not, friends, to steal away your hearts: I am no orator, as Brutus is; But, as you know me all, a plain blunt man, That love my friend; and that they know full well That gave me public leave to speak of him:

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For I have neither wit, nor words, nor worth, Action, nor utterance, nor the power of speech, To stir men's blood: I only speak right on; I tell you that which you yourselves do know; Show you sweet Caesar's wounds, poor poor dumb mouths, And bid them speak for me: but were I Brutus, And Brutus Antony, there were an Antony Would ruffle up your spirits and put a tongue In every wound of Caesar that should move The stones of Rome to rise and mutiny. Mark Antony isn't finished with the crowd yet. He is still pretending not to criticise the conspirators, and claims that he is just speaking the truth. He hints that the conspirators may have had private grudges against Caesar, as opposed to the public reasons that they gave. Mark Antony also claims not to be such an orator as Brutus is, which is an obvious fib! All: We'll mutiny. First Citizen: We'll burn the house of Brutus. Third Citizen: Away, then! come, seek the conspirators. Antony: Yet hear me, countrymen; yet hear me speak. All: Peace, ho! Hear Antony. Most noble Antony! Antony: Why, friends, you go to do you know not what: Wherein hath Caesar thus deserved your loves? Alas, you know not: I must tell you then: You have forgot the will I told you of. The crowd have forgotten all about the will, which was what made them angry in the first place. All: Most true. The will! Let's stay and hear the will. Antony: Here is the will, and under Caesar's seal. To every Roman citizen he gives, To every several man, seventy-five drachmas. Second Citizen: Most noble Caesar! We'll revenge his death. Third Citizen: O royal Caesar! Antony: Hear me with patience. All: Peace, ho! Antony: Moreover, he hath left you all his walks, His private arbours and new-planted orchards, On this side Tiber; he hath left them you, And to your heirs for ever, common pleasures, To walk abroad, and recreate yourselves. Here was a Caesar! when comes such another? First Citizen: Never, never. Come, away, away! We'll burn his body in the holy place, And with the brands fire the traitors' houses. Take up the body. The crowd are now out of control. By the way, they never got this inheritance! Second Citizen: Go fetch fire. Third Citizen: Pluck down benches. Fourth Citizen: Pluck down forms, windows, any thing. [Exeunt Citizens with the body] Antony: Now let it work. Mischief, thou art afoot, Take thou what course thou wilt! Macbeth - His speech after hearing of the death of his wife Macbeth became king of Scotland after murdering the previous king. He has held the crown through violence and more murder. His wife supported him, then went mad, and he has just learned that she has died. However, he knows that he must shortly fight a battle for his crown, and his life, and he knows that he will lose. These are the reflections of an evil man who realises that he has lost everything. Macbeth: She should have died hereafter;

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There would have been a time for such a word. To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow, Creeps in this petty pace from day to day To the last syllable of recorded time, And all our yesterdays have lighted fools The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player That struts and frets his hour upon the stage And then is heard no more: it is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing. Hamlet ponders suicide Hamlet finds out that his uncle, current king of Denmark, has killed his father, the previous king. Hamlet has been urged by the ghost of his death to revenge this death, but Hamlet hestitates. Hamlet: To be, or not to be: that is the question: Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, Hamlet doesn't want to kill his uncle. He wonders whether to put up with the situation, or kill himself in despair. And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep; No more; and by a sleep to say we end The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to, 'tis a consummation Devoutly to be wish'd. To die, to sleep; He imagines that dying is like falling asleep, a pleasant ending to his troubles. To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub; For in that sleep of death what dreams may come When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause: there's the respect That makes calamity of so long life; But what happens after you die? For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despised love, the law's delay, The insolence of office and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin? who would fardels bear, To grunt and sweat under a weary life, But that the dread of something after death, The undiscover'd country from whose bourn No traveller returns, puzzles the will And makes us rather bear those ills we have Than fly to others that we know not of? Hamlet thinks that people put up with life, however unpleasant, rather than find out what happens after death. Thus conscience does make cowards of us all; And thus the native hue of resolution Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought, And enterprises of great pith and moment With this regard their currents turn awry, And lose the name of action. He feels that if you think too much about what to do, then you don't do anything. This is not necessarily so, but it is certainly true of Hamlet. He does not, by the way, kill himself!

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Romeo and Juliet part after a night of love Their families are feuding, but Romeo and Juliet have fallen in love. They married, but afterwards, Romeo killed Juliet's cousin in a duel, and must go into exile. There is just time for one night of love, but here they must say goodbye. Juliet: Wilt thou be gone? it is not yet near day: It was the nightingale, and not the lark, That pierced the fearful hollow of thine ear; Nightly she sings on yon pomegranate-tree: Believe me, love, it was the nightingale. Romeo: It was the lark, the herald of the morn, No nightingale: look, love, what envious streaks Do lace the severing clouds in yonder east: Night's candles are burnt out, and jocund day Stands tiptoe on the misty mountain tops. I must be gone and live, or stay and die. Juliet: Yon light is not day-light, I know it, I: It is some meteor that the sun exhales, To be to thee this night a torch-bearer, And light thee on thy way to Mantua: Therefore stay yet; thou need'st not to be gone. Romeo: Let me be ta'en, let me be put to death; I am content, so thou wilt have it so. I'll say yon grey is not the morning's eye, 'Tis but the pale reflex of Cynthia's brow; Nor that is not the lark, whose notes do beat The vaulty heaven so high above our heads: I have more care to stay than will to go: Come, death, and welcome! Juliet wills it so. How is't, my soul? let's talk; it is not day. Juliet: It is, it is: hie hence, be gone, away! It is the lark that sings so out of tune, Straining harsh discords and unpleasing sharps. Some say the lark makes sweet division; This doth not so, for she divideth us: Some say the lark and loathed toad change eyes, O, now I would they had changed voices too! Since arm from arm that voice doth us affray, Hunting thee hence with hunt's-up to the day, O, now be gone; more light and light it grows. Romeo: More light and light; more dark and dark our woes!

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