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Shakespeare's Life

Find out more about the man behind the works with our home learning resources.

  • In this section

While schools are closed, we’re pleased to offer our high-quality, curriculum-linked educational resources for free to anyone who needs them. If you’re in a position to  make a donation  to support our work now and into the future we would really appreciate it. Thank you.

Shakespeare's Life

Find out more about the man behind the works.

Timeline of Shakespeare's Life

Timeline of Shakespeare's Life and Times

A one page visual representation of the major events in Shakespeare’s life and Elizabethan England. Designed for printout on A3/Legal paper.

Shakespeare WANTED

Shakespeare WANTED

This poster offers a quick introduction to Shakespeare: who was he, what we know about him (and what not), and what is he famous for. Ideal with the accompanying Shakespeare WANTED worksheet that uses information from the poster for some activities.

Cobbe portrait square crop

William Shakespeare Biography

Explore the articles we've written all about William Shakespeare's life, including where he lived, who he was related to and what work he produced during his life.

Shakespeare's Family

Anne Hathaway Pregnant

Fun Facts About Shakespeare's Family

This fact sheet gives you more details about the Shakespeare family, featuring ten facts you might find surprising. Try using this new knowledge to write your very own Shakespeare quiz and put your family and friends to the test!

Tudor Times Journalist

Become a Tudor Journalist

Inhabit the role of a Tudor journalist and come up with headlines and news stories about the Shakespeare family in Stratford! Use our special newspaper template and don’t forget to choose the right picture to illustrate your story!

Family Tree

Shakespeare Family Tree

Meet the Shakespeares! This family tree introduces Shakespeare’s immediate family: his parents and siblings, his own children, and grandchildren.

Shakespeare's Family

Shakespeare's family

Did you know that William was the eldest surviving son of John and Mary Shakespeare, but they'd actually had two children before him?This resource introduces the most famous family in Stratford-upon-Avon. Find out what Shakespeare’s father did for a living, who Shakespeare married, and what happened to his own children.

See our other teaching activities

Help keep shakespeare's story alive, shakespeare's birthplace, anne hathaway's cottage, shakespeare's new place.

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IMAGES

  1. Click on: WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE'S BIOGRAPHY (400th ANNIVERSARY OF HIS DEATH)

    biography of william shakespeare's life

  2. William Shakespeare

    biography of william shakespeare's life

  3. William Shakespeare

    biography of william shakespeare's life

  4. William Shakespeare Biography

    biography of william shakespeare's life

  5. William Shakespeare's Life and Work

    biography of william shakespeare's life

  6. (DOC) Biography William Shakespeare

    biography of william shakespeare's life

COMMENTS

  1. William Shakespeare Biography

    William Shakespeare continues to be one of the most important literary figures of the English language. New Place; a home in Stratford-upon-Avon. Shakespeares success in the London theatres made him considerably wealthy, and by 1597 he was able to purchase New Place, the largest house in the borough of Stratford-upon-Avon. Although his ...

  2. William Shakespeare Biography

    William Shakespeare Biography Explore the life of the renowned English poet, playwright, and actor.

  3. Shakespeare's Life: A Timeline - Shakespeare Birthplace Trust

    William Shakespeare's life began in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1564. Although his career as an actor, theatre manager and playwright took him to London, Shakespeare remained a country boy at heart. He returned there often to visit his family, use his library and to write in familiar surroundings.

  4. William Shakespeare's Life Story - Shakespeare Birthplace Trust

    Burial register recording the death of William Shakespeare. 35,0 $5< W i l l i a m Sh a k e s p e a r e ' s. l i f e s t o r y. A ct i vi t y. U s i n g i n f o r m at i o n i n c l u de d abo v e , as we l l as t h at o n Sh ak e s pe ar e ' s T i m e l i n e ( s e e. s e par at e r e s o u r c e s h e e t ) , c r e at e yo u r o wn pr e s e n ...

  5. William Shakespeare’s Family - Shakespeare Birthplace Trust

    Read about William Shakespeare's immediate family, including his parents, siblings and descendants.

  6. William Shakespeare

    Shakespeare's Works Find out more about the works of William Shakespeare, heralded as the world's greatest playwright and poet

  7. Shakespeare's Career

    For almost twenty years William Shakespeare was its regular dramatist, producing on average two plays a year. Shakespeare stayed with the Chamberlain’s Men, which would later evolve into the King’s Men under the patronage of King James I, for the rest of his career.

  8. Shakespeare's 'Lost Years' - Shakespeare Birthplace Trust

    'The Lost Years' refers to the period of Shakespeare's life between the baptism of his twins, Hamnet and Judith in 1585 and his apparent arrival on the London theatre scene in 1592. We do not know when or why William Shakespeare left Stratford-upon-Avon for London, or what he was doing before becoming a professional actor and dramatist in the ...

  9. Shakespeare's Wedding and Marriage - Shakespeare Birthplace Trust

    William Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway in November 1582 and they remained married until Shakespeare's death. At the time of their marriage William was 18, while Anne was 26—and pregnant with their first child.

  10. Shakespeare's Life

    William Shakespeare Biography. Explore the articles we've written all about William Shakespeare's life, including where he lived, who he was related to and what work he produced during his life. Shakespeare's Family