William Shakespeare is one of the most famous writers ever! He was baptized on April 26, 1564, in a place called Stratford-upon-Avon in England. We don’t know the exact day he was born, but people like to celebrate his birthday on April 23rd. William was the third child out of eight in his family, and he was the first one to survive past being a baby. His dad, John, made gloves, and his mom’s name was Mary Arden. William probably went to a school called the King’s New School, which was close to his home.
When William was 18 years old, he married Anne Hathaway, who was 26. They had three children together. Their first child was a daughter named Susanna, and then they had twins named Judith and Hamnet. Sadly, Hamnet died when he was just 11 years old, possibly because of a disease called the bubonic plague.
We don’t know much about what William did right after his children were born, but by the late 1580s, he had moved to London. There, he started writing plays and acting in them. By 1592, people in London were watching his plays. However, a plague outbreak caused theaters to close, so William focused on writing poetry during that time.
In 1594, theaters opened again, and William joined an acting group called Lord Chamberlain’s Men. He acted in their plays and wrote for them too. During this time, he wrote some of his most famous plays like “Romeo and Juliet,” “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” and “The Merchant of Venice.”
In 1599, the group built the Globe Theatre, which became the special place for William’s plays. After the Globe was built, he wrote amazing plays like “Hamlet,” “Macbeth,” “King Lear,” and “Othello.” The group became the top theater group in London, and when King James became king in 1603, they changed their name to the King’s Men.
Even though the plague kept causing problems for theaters, William kept writing. Around 1610, he moved back to Stratford and continued his work. Some of his later plays include “The Winter’s Tale,” “The Tempest,” and “Henry VIII.”
William Shakespeare died on April 23, 1616, when he was 52 years old. He was buried in Holy Trinity Church, and there’s a stone over his grave with a warning not to move his bones. A monument was built to honor him, and it’s still there today.
People think of Shakespeare as the greatest writer in the English language. He came up with at least 1,700 new words! He wrote 39 plays, 154 sonnets, and many other things. His plays have been translated into every major language and are performed more than any other playwright’s works. Shakespeare’s influence is still strong in books, movies, and theater, making him one of the most important figures in English literary history.
Shakespeare’s Word Hunt: Shakespeare invented many words that we still use today. Go on a word hunt in your home or classroom! Find objects or things that have names you think might have been invented by Shakespeare. Write them down and then ask an adult to help you look up if Shakespeare really did invent those words. You might be surprised by what you find!
Create Your Own Play: Shakespeare wrote many famous plays. Now it’s your turn! Gather some friends or family members and create a short play about something fun or interesting. You can use puppets, toys, or even dress up as characters. Think about what the characters might say and how they would act. Perform your play for others and see if they enjoy your story as much as people enjoy Shakespeare’s!
Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre Model: Shakespeare’s plays were performed at the Globe Theatre. Try making a simple model of the Globe Theatre using materials like cardboard, paper, and markers. Think about what the theatre might have looked like and how it was different from theatres today. Once your model is complete, imagine where the actors would stand and where the audience would sit. Share your model with your class or family and explain what you learned about this special place.
