This Day in History: 23 April 2020
23 April 1564
456 years ago, today, William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon. Although it is impossible to know his exact date of birth, his baptism took place on April 26, and three days was a traditional amount of time to wait before baptising a new-born. Shakespeare is widely recognised as one of the greatest writers in the English language, gaining the nickname of England's national poet. Throughout his life, he wrote 38 plays, 154 sonnets, a few verses and two long narrative poems. Despite this, the authorship of some remains uncertain. His plays have since been translated into every major language and are performed more often than those of any playwright.
At 18, Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway, who was 8 years older than him. Together, they had three children, named Susanna, Hamnet and Judith. After his marriage, he is thought to have spent most of his time in London, as he wrote and performed in his plays, although information about his life became very rare. Around 1613, he retired to Stratford, at the age of 49, where he died three years later, on April 23, the same presumed day of his birth. Most of his best-known work was produced between 1589 and his retirement. His earlier plays were mainly comedies and histories, whereas his works afterwards consisted largely of tragedies, including 'Othello' and 'Macbeth'. In his last years, he wrote romances, and collaborated with many other playwrights. He remains highly popular today, as he is constantly studied and reinterpreted in cultures and contexts around the world.
Want to find out more about the life and legacy of William Shakespeare? Click here for more information, or here for a video.
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