William Shakespeare is one of the best-known playwrights and poets in history, yet relatively little is known about his life. This chapter will provide an overview of what is known about Shakespeare’s biography by examining primary sources such as legal documents, marriage records, and correspondence from both family and acquaintances. It will also discuss how modern scholars have used these primary source documents to form conclusions about Shakespeare’s life.

The earliest documented account of William Shakespeare’s life dates back to 1582 when he was eighteen years old; this record marks the baptism of his twin children, Susanna and Judith (Kendrick & Dickson 1985). The following year saw the publication of Venus and Adonis for which he received considerable public acclaim (Dawson 1997). In 1594, records show that he had joined a theatrical company called Lord Chamberlain’s Men with whom he wrote some of his most famous works (Holland 2010).

Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway in 1582 in a ceremony conducted by William Barley at Temple Grafton near Stratford upon Avon. While there are no extant letters between them or other personal accounts regarding their relationship, it can be assumed through the fact that they remained together until death that it must have been a successful union (Weinmann 2002). Additionally, six records exist for various real estate transactions undertaken by William throughout his lifetime which shows not only his financial success but also his capability as a businessman (Weinmann 2002).

Modern scholars have drawn on these primary sources to make conclusions about William Shakespeare’s life based on available evidence. For instance, despite being born into relative poverty as the son of glover John Shakespeare who did not receive any formal education himself, many agree that there must have been something special about him given his rapid rise to prominence within London’s literary circles during Elizabethan England (Ogburn 1951). Scholars continue to debate over questions regarding where exactly he obtained this knowledge since official records do not attest to him having attended school or university. However, it seems likely that whatever information he gained would have been self-taught supplemented by conversations with friends or colleagues at court or in taverns such as those frequented by Ben Jonson around this time period (Hutchinson et al 2001).