In Search of Shakespeare Flashcards
Who were Shakespeare’s parents?
Shakespeare’s mother was Mary Shakespeare (Arden), daugther of a wealthy landowner (Robert Arden)(Catholic)
Father was John Shakespeare, a glove maker and politican, was on town council and had been mayor
When was Shakespeare baptized?
Shakespeare was baptized at Holy Trinity in Stratford upon Avon on April 26th 1564
Did Shakespeare have siblings?
William’s parents had 2 daughters before him that both died, he was their first surviving child but had 5 younger siblings
What was William’s fathers business on the side?
William’s father was a “Broger” he illegally bought and sold wool, could make 100s on one deal
What happened to William that made him have to drop out of school?
1576 father’s business collapses has to sell lots of things, gives up being mayor, takes William out of school at 14, can no longer go to college
What kind of plays was William taken to see as a child?
Bible stories, banned when he was 15
Where did the Shakespeare’s live and what was their class?
Shakespeare grew up in rural England as kind of a country kid and they were middle class
When did Shakespeare start school?
At 7 in 1571
What were the conditions of school?
6 days a week, breakfast through dinner
What did kids learn in school?
Did plays (taught lesson, sung song to queen), poetry (loved ovid), Latin (main focous) etc.
What were the teachers like in William’s time?
Chosen by town council, two of them were Catholic
What was the religious shift happening between the rule of Mary to Elizabeth
Went from Catholic with Mary to Protestant with Elizabeth
What was John Shakespeare instructed to do at the local church?
Lightly paint over the Catholic murals in the church
Why is it believed that John Shakespeare was a Catholic?
Found Catholic testament in attic with his name, could have gone to London for Catholic pilgrimage
Who was William Shakespeare’s wife?
Anne Hathway, 8 or 9 years old them him, daugther of father’s business partner
What were the circumstances of William and Anne’s wedding?
Anne was pregnant so they needed to be married fast, got married November 27 1582, couldn’t marry during Christmas season got in just before
Who is the “other Anne” in Shakespeare’s life?
On the marriage license of Anne and William it reads Anne Whatleley, likely a clerical error bc they clerk had married Whateleys earlier that day
What is unusual about the priest that married them?
John Frith, he was known for holding Catholic weddings, could have wanted to be married by a Catholic priest
What did William write for their wedding?
Wrote a sonnet, first known poem
Who is Will and Anne’s first child?
Susanna
What did Shakespeare’s cousin do that got a lot of the family arrested?
Shakespeare’s cousin (mom’s side) announced in a hotel that he was on his way to London to kill the Queen, Elizabeth’s friend Thomas Lucy arrests William Shakespeare
