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Book of
Anniversary Edition
HIS LIFE HIS LOVES HIS WORKS HIS LEGACY
ShakespeareAll you need to know about one of thegreatest playwrights & poets of all time
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“To be or not to be:that is the question.”W illiam Shakespeare has unden iably left behind him a legacy of
plays and poe ms that have not only bee n enjoyed by millions but
shaped the English language into wh at we know today.Th is book
delves into the works of this legendary playwright from his
histories comedies and tragedies to his thought-provoking
sonne ts.D iscover the life and time s of Shakespeare Elizabethan
England and the theatre best known for showcasing his works:
The G lobe.T his book w ill also explore the impact that his works
have had on today’s world from the stage to the glitz of the silver
scree n.Also inside are a number of copies of original documents
from Shakespe are’s time including Shakespe are’s w ill an extract
from the First Folio and posters for his plays.
h ak e s p eare
B o o k o f
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bookazine series
art of the
ak e s p e are
B o o k o f
Imagine Publishing LtdRichmond House33 Richmond HillBournemouthDorset BH2 6EZ
+44 (0) 1202 586200Website: www.imagine-publishing.co.uk
Twitter: @Books_ImagineFacebook: www.facebook.com/ImagineBookazines
Publishing DirectorAaron Asadi
Head of DesignRoss Andrews
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Written byCatherine M S Alexander
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Printed byWilliam Gibbons, 26 Planetary Road, Willenhall, West Midlands, WV13 3XT
Distributed in the UK, Eire & the Rest of the World by Marketforce, 5 Churchill Place, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5HU
Tel 0203 787 9060 www.marketforce.co.uk
Distributed in Australia by Gordon Gotch Australia Pty Ltd, 26 Rodborough Road, Frenchs Forest, NSW, 2086 Australia
Tel: +61 2 9972 8800 Web: www.gordongotch.com.au
DisclaimerThe publisher cannot accept responsibility for any unsolicited material lost or damaged in thepost. All text and layout is the copyright of Imagine Publishing Ltd. Nothing in this bookazine maybe reproduced in whole or part without the written permission of the publisher. All copyrights arerecognised and used specifically for the purpose of criticism and review. Although the bookazine hasendeavoured to ensure all information is correct at time of print, prices and availability may change.This bookazine is fully independent and not affiliated in any way with the companies mentioned herein.
This bookazine is published under licence from Carlton Publishing Group Limited.All rights in the licensed material belong to Carlton Publishing Limited and itmay not be reproduced, whether in whole or in part, without the prior writtenconsent of Carlton Publishing Limited. ©2016 Carlton Publishing Limited.
The content in this book previously appeared in the Carltonbook The Treasure s of William Shakespeare
All About History Book of Shakespeare Second Edition © 2016 Imagine Publishing Ltd
ISBN 978 1785 462 955
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8 In t r o d u c t io nC at h e rin e M . S . Ae x a nd e r in tro d u c e sW ill ia m S h a k e s p e are
T h e E liz a b e t h a n
Ag e : T h e c o u r tF in d o u t a b o u t th e w o rk in g o f t h ec o u rt w h ils t Eiz a b e t h I w a s re ig n in g
4 T h e E liz a b e t h a nAg e : T h e c o u n t r yF in d o u t m o re a b o u t th e n at io n al t u rm o il t h at S h ak e s p e a re w it n e s s e d
8
E liz a b e t h a nS tr a t fo r dT h e h o m e to w n o f t h e w o rld ’s g re ate s tp lay w rig h t e x p lo re d
22 S h a k e s p e a r e inS tr a t fo r dD is c o ve r S h a k e s p e are ’s h o m e t h ro u g hh is l if e t h e re
26 S h a k e s p e a r e ’sL o n d o nF ro m a s m a ll to w n to t h e b ig c i t y
w h at w a s L o n d o n lik e in t h e 1 5 0 0 s ?
3 S h a k e s p e a r e ’s
c o n t e m p o r a r ie sL e arn ab o u t s o m e o f t h e w rite rs w h ow e re w rit in g at t h e s am e t im e
38 T h e E liz a b e t h a ns t a g eW h at d if fe re n c e s w e re t h e re c o m p are d to w h at w e k n o w to d ay?
42 S h a k e s p e a r e ’s t e x t sW rit in g in an ag e b e f o re c o p y rig h tw h at w a s it lik e t o w rite b ac k t h e n ?
46 “ T h e p la y ’st h e t h in g ”S h a k e s p e are is m o s t f a m o u s fo r h isp lay s l e a rn ab o u t w h y t h e y re s o n at e s o m u c h
5 T h e Co m e d ie s :
Ha p p ily e v e r a f te rG re at lau g h s w e re h ad ; e x p lo reS h a k e s p e are ’s w o rld o f c o m e d y
54 T h e Co m e d ie s :
D is to r tin g t h ec o n v e n t io n sM e n d re s s e d a s w o m e n d is g u is e d a s
m e n ; h is p lay s p u s h e d t h e b o u n d arie s
58 T h e His t o r ie s :T h e f ir s t t e t r a lo g yT h e t h re e p a rt s o f H e n ry V I an d
R ic h a rd I II fo rm t h e f irs t t e tra lo g y
62 T h e His t o r ie s :T h e s e c o n d t e t r a lo g y
F ro m H e n ry V I to H e n ry V h is s e c o nd s e t o f h is t o rie s are e x p la in e d
66 T h e T r a g e d ie s :T h e ill-fa t e d h e r o e sE p lo re w h y S h a k e s p e a re o f te n e nd e d
h is p lay s c a th a rt ic a lly
7 T h e T r a g e d ie s :
T h e f a t e o f n a t io n sF in d o u t m o re ab o u t h o w h e e x p lo re d
m o re t h a n p e rs o n a l d e v as t at io n
74 T h e T r a g e d ie s :T h e Ro m a n p la y sL e a rn ab o u t th e p lay s th at ta k e o n a
f ar m o re v i o le n t a nd b lo o d y to n e
78 La t e p la y sa n d c o lla b o r a t io n sF in d o u t w h ic h o f h is p lays w e re a
w o rk o f m o re t h an on e g re at m in d
92 S h a k e s p e a r e ’sp o e m sS h a k e s p e are ’s p o e m s o p e n e d u p
q u e s t io n s a b o u t h is p e rs o n al lif e
96 T h e J a c o b e a n s t a g eT h e re ig n o f Ja m e s I b ro u g h t ab o u t a
w h o le ne w lif e to t h e s t ag e
S h a k e s p e a r e ’s
r e t u r n t o S tr a t fo r dF in d o u t w h y S h a k e s p e a re re t u rn e d to
h is h o m e a nd w h at h ap p e ne d
8
4
7
o n t n t s
6
S e e E x h i b i t s e c t i o ns
t h r o u g h o u t t h e b o o k
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73
32
o n te n ts
1 0 4 h a k e s p e a r e
d u r i n g t h e R e s t o r a t i o n
How did his work fare after his death
in 1616?
1 0 8 h a k e s p e a r e i n t h e
E i g h t e e n t h C e n t u r y
Discover how the 18th Century saw a
boom in the interest in Shakespeare
1 1 2 h a k e s p e a r e i n t h e
N i n e t e e n t h C e n t u r y
Learn how the performance style
changed with new bigger theatres
1 1 6 h a k e s p e a r e t o d a yRebuilding the Globe to the RSC learn
how he has as big an impact as ever
1 2 8 h a k e s p e a r e
a r o u n d t h e w o r l d
Explore how Shakespeare has become
a worldwide phenomenon
1 3 2 h a k e s p e a r e o n
f i l m F r o m c u r t a i n
c a l l s t o c e l l u l o i d
Take the first step into the world of
Shakespeare beyond the stage
1 3 6 h a k e s p e a r e o n
f i l m S t r e t c h i n g t h e
b o u n d a r i e s
Read as his plays are transported from
their usual settings into a new world
1 4 0 h a k e s p e a r e i n
o t h e r m e d i aLearn how Shakespeare’s works have
been utilised by opera art and more
1 4 8 h a k e s p e a r e
R e b e l w i t h a c a u s e
Did Shakespeare hide codes and
double meanings in his work?
1 5 6 i m e l i n eShakespeare his contemporaries and
the nation during his lifetime
7
26
66
8
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ntrodu tion
IN T ROD U CIN G
T HE B ARDWilliam Shakespeare is the best-known dramatist in the worldand his plays, plots, characters and language have outlived their original
context of the Elizabethan and Jacobean playhouses
he playwright Ben Jonson, writing a
memorial verse for his friend in the First
Folio of 1623, declared that Shakespeare
was “The applause, delight, the wonder of
our stage”, but added, “He was not of an
age, but for all time”. He cannot have imagined,
however, that almost 400 years later Shakespeare’s
words would be read and performed in countries
unknown to sixteenth- and seventeenth-century
England and accessed through electronic media
that communicate even faster than Robin
Goodfellow’s “girdle round the earth in 40
minutes”. Di erent ages have recognized di erent
strengths and skills in Shakespeare’s work: his
plays have been appreciated, in Hamlet’s words, for
their capacity to “hold… the mirror up to nature” in
the creation of character; many find Shakespeare’s
memorable and original use of language his
most remarkable skill; others have pointed to the
timeless quality of the narratives, and it is theplots which have crossed cultures to transfer so
successfully into films, ballets, operas, musicals
and cartoons. I was recently sent a postcard from
a colleague in Australia: a picture of a koala, eyes
closed and chewing a eucalyptus leaf, that had
the caption “‘To eat or to sleep, that is the question’,
William Shakesbear” – a fine example
of the distance that Hamlet, and Shakespeare,
has travelled.
Di erent ages, too, have sought to account
for Shakespeare’s dominance and endurance
using their own cultural preoccupations: he has
been praised as a “natural genius”, upheld as the
representative figure of English cultural superiority
(the “national poet”), interrogated as a source of
commercial capital, explored as a site of special –
almost mystical – meaning and appropriated
to support a range of political positions.
Academics have subjected the works to a
remarkable variety of theoretical readings: new
and old historicism, feminism, Marxism,
formalism, structuralism, psychoanalysis, cultural
materialism and so on. The Book of Shakespeare:
The Life, The Works, The Performances is less
concerned with the “why” of the Shakespeare
phenomenon or an analysis of its causes and
e ects than with providing an illustrated and
documented chronological record of his life
and work, beginning in sixteenth-century
Stratford and London and progressing to
the present day, charting developments in
performance and proliferation over the ages and
throughout the world.
Shakespeare has inspired artists as diverse as
William Blake and Pablo Picasso and influenced
the fiction of Jane Austen, Anton Chekhov, CharlesDickens, Henrik Ibsen, Wole Soyinke and Oscar
Wilde among many other great figures. Sigmund
Freud and Karl Marx wrote about Shakespeare
and Winston Churchill quoted him. But for most
people with an interest in Shakespeare, “the play’s
the thing” (to borrow Hamlet again) and much of
this book is concerned with performance. It draws
extensively on the work of the Royal Shakespeare
Company, the unique group of actors, directors
and practitioners, whose high quality productions,
education and outreach activity aim to “keep
modern audiences in touch with Shakespeare as
our contemporary”.
C a t h e r i n e M S A l e x a n d e r
BELOW A
ninteenth-
century fr ieze,
attribu ted to the
Irish artist Daniel
M aclise, of som e
of Shakespeare’s
characters.Am ong
them are Ham let,
Tam ora, Q ueen
of the G oths,
Bottom (with ass’s
head) and Titania,
Petruccio and
Katherine, Rom eo
and Juliet, Juliet’s
N urse, Falstaff,
and Desdem ona
and O thello
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hakespeare
Eliz a b e t h , a P ro te s ta n t, n e e d e d to
c a lm th e s itu a tio n d o w n , e s ta b lis h
a r e lig io u s p e a c e a n d c r e a te p u b lic
c o n fid e n c e in h e r a b ility t o g o v e r n t h e
c o u n t ry . A s k ilf u l p o lit ic ia n , o n e o f h e r
w e a p o n s w a s a th e a tric a l e x a g g e r a tio n o f h e r
o w n p e rs o n a .
Fro m h e r c o ro n a tio n in 1 5 5 8 o n w a rd s
Q u e e n E liz a b e th w a s a re m a rk a b ly th e a tric a l
m o n a rc h . Sh e re s p o n d e d v e r b a lly to t h e fi v e
p a g e a n ts p r e s e n t e d b y Lo n d o n e rs a s p a r t o f
h e r p r o g re s s fro m th e T o w e r o f Lo n d o n t o t h e
c e re m o n y , s o t h a t th e y b e c a m e , u n iq u e ly , a
s e rie s o f d ia lo g u e s b e tw e e n Q u e e n a n d
p e r fo r m e r s th a t w a s re c o rd e d lik e a p la y t e x t .
T h e c o r o n a tio n its e lf w a s p e r fo r m e d o n a
r a is e d s ta g e in We s t m in s te r Ab b e y a c t u a lly
E liz a b e t h I c a m e to th e th ro n e a t a t im e o f g re a t tu r m o il. He r fa t h e r, He n r y VIII,
h a d b ro k e n fro m th e Ro m a n Ca th o lic Ch u rc h , la rg e ly s o t h a t h e c o u ld m a r ry
An n e B o le y n , E liz a b e t h ’s m o th e r. His s o n a n d s u c c e s s o r, Ed w a r d VI, p ro g re s s e d
P ro te s ta n tis m rig o ro u s ly , b u t d ie d y o u n g a n d w a s s u c c e e d e d b y h is h a lf s is te r
M a r y , w h o a tte m p te d , o fte n w ith g re a t c r u e lty , to re s to re Ca th o lic is m
The Elizabethan
Age The Court
c a lle d “t h e th e a t re ”. B u t th e h e ig h t o f h e r s k ill
a s a p e r fo r m e r c a m e 3 0 y e a r s la te r in th e
s p e e c h to h e r tro o p s a t T ilb u ry o n 9 Au g u s t
1 5 8 8 – a m a g n ifi c e n t s o lilo q u y , in th e fa c e o f
th e t h r e a t fro m th e S p a n is h Arm a d a :
“Wh e r e fo re I a m c o m e a m o n g y o u a t th is
tim e b u t fo r m y r e c re a tio n a n d p le a s u re , b e in g
re s o lv e d in th e m id s t a n d h e a t o f th e b a ttle to
liv e a n d d ie a m o n g s t y o u a ll, to la y d o w n fo r
m y Go d a n d m y k in g d o m a n d fo r m y p e o p le
m in e h o n o u r a n d m y b lo o d e v e n in th e d u s t. I
“ h e c o r o n a t i o n i t s e l f w a s p e r f o r m e d
o n a r a i s e d s t a g e i n W e s t m i n s t e r
b b e y a c t u a l l y c a l l e d ‘ t h e t h e a t r e ’ ”
ABOVE The
Q ueen watches
the lavish
entertainm ents
devised by Robert
Dudley, Earl
of L eicester, at
Kenilworth Castle
in 1575
ABOVE N icholas Hilliard was
responsible for som e of the m ost
influential im ages of the Q ueen
N icholasH illiard
c.15471618/19
Although Elizabeth
never appointed an
offi cial court painter,
Hil liard was
associated with
Q ueen Elizabeth 1
from his fi rst portrait
of her in 1572.He was
a fi ne goldsm ith as
well as a m iniaturist
and produced jewels
and a locket adorned
with her im age.The
precision – the
carefu lly crafted skill
of his work and the
sym bolic im agery
that he em ployed,
which he described
in h is treatise The
Arte of Lim ning,
c.160 0 – has been
com pared with the
art that Shakespeare
dem onstrated in
his sonnets.
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The lizabethan Age
IN S ET N ic h o la s
Hillia r d ’s P h o e n ix
P o r t ra it w it h t h e
m a g n i fi c e n tly
d r e s se d Q u e e n
The lizabethan Age
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hakespeare
k n o w I h a v e t h e b o d y b u t o f a w e a k a n d fe e b le
w o m a n , b u t I h a v e t h e h e a rt a n d s to m a c h o f a
k in g a n d a k in g o f E n g la n d to o .”
Eliz a b e t h u n d o u b te d ly u n d e rs to o d th e
im p o r ta n c e o f n o n -v e rb a l v is u a l d is p la y in
p ro je c t in g r o y a l m a je s t y , a n d a s h e r re ig n
p r o g r e s s e d , w it h a ll it s d iffi c u lt ie s o f
re lig io u s a n d p o lit ic a l d is s e n t, s h e a n d
h e r m in is te rs m a n ip u la te d h e r im a g e ,
p a r t ic u la r ly in p o r tr a it u re , fo r
p r o p a g a n d a p u rp o s e s . Co s tu m e ,
lig h tin g , s e ts , p r o p s a n d e m b le m s w e re
c a re fu lly e m p lo y e d to d e m o n s tra te h e r
w is d o m , p o w e r a n d s in g u la r ity .
P ro t e s ta n t re fu g e e s fro m F ra n c e a n d t h e
N e t h e rla n d s , s u c h a s J o r is Ho e f n a g e la n d Lu c a s d e He e re , p a in te d h e r a s th e ir
re l ig io u s s a v io u r, re in fo rc in g th e im a g e
o n th e t itle p a g e o f th e B is h o p s ’ B ib le o f
1 5 6 9 . T h e ic o n o g ra p h y o f N ic h o la s
Hillia r d ’s fa m o u s p o r tr a it s o f t h e 1 5 7 0 s
– o n e h a s Eliz a b e th w e a r in g a p e lic a n
p e n d a n t (s y m b o liz in g h e r s e lfl e s s re la t io n s h ip
w ith h e r s u b je c t s (th e p e lic a n d re w b lo o d
fro m its o w n b r e a s t to s u c c o u r its y o u n g ) a n d
th e o th e r w ith a p h o e n ix p e n d a n t
(re p re s e n t in g a p e rs o n u n iq u e a n d c h a s te a s
w e ll a s th e e n d u ra n c e o f a n h e re d ita r y
m o n a rc h y ) – w a s e x te n d e d to la rg e r d o m a in s ,
s u c h a s Jo h n Lu m le y ’s g a rd e n s a t N o n s u c h in
Su r re y , w h e re th e s y m b o ls w e re g iv e n
c o n c re te fo r m a s te m p le s , s ta tu a r y a n d
to p ia r y a n im a ls . Im a g e s w e re c r a fte d o n
m e d a ls a n d p e n d a n t s a n d th e f a s h io n fo r
w e a r in g th e Q u e e n ’s p o r tra it b e c a m e
a l m o s t c u lt-lik e .
E q u a l ly t h e a tr ic a l w e r e th e la v is h
e n te r ta in m e n ts p r o v id e d b y h e r c o u rtie r s. In
1 5 7 5 , h e r fa v o u r ite , Ro b e r t D u d le y , E a r l o f
ABOVE
With
the Spanish
Armada gathering
force in the
background, the
Queen rallies her
troops at Tilbury
BELOW Elizabeth’s
double-sided Great Seal,
engraved by Nicholas
Hilliard, was used
on important public
documents. The front
shows the Queen holding
a sceptre and orb, symbols
of royal power, and on
the reverse she is on
horseback riding across a
fi eld of owers
ABOVE Nicholas
Hilliard’s miniature shows
the Queen, a talented
musician, playing the lute
Le ic e s te r , p re s e n te d a s e r ie s o f m a s q u e s a n d
p a g e a n ts , w h ic h in c lu d e d re m a rk a b le a q u a tic
e ff e c t s a n d la s t e d fo r 18 d a y s , a t h is c a s t le a t
Ke n ilw o r th , o n ly 1 2 m ile s f ro m S tra t fo rd . It h a s
b e e n s u g g e s te d th a t Sh a k e s p e a re ’s fa th e r m a y
h a v e ta k e n h im to t h e e v e n t a n d t h a t
re f e re n c e s to t h e p re s e n ta t io n o f Ar io n in t h e
e x tra v a g a n t w a te r p a g e a n t m a y b e fo u n d in A
M id s u m m e r N ig h t’s D re a m (Ac t 2 , Sc e n e 1)
a n d T w e l ft h N ig h t (Ac t 1, S c e n e 2 ).
U n til 1 5 9 1 it w a s E liz a b e t h ’s o w n p la y in g
c o m p a n y , th e Q u e e n ’s M e n , w h o d o m in a te d
p e r fo r m a n c e s in L o n d o n a n d t h e c o u rt, b u t
s u b s e q u e n tly t h e m a jo r p a t ro n s o f th e th e a tre
w e re h e r s e n io r o ffi c ia ls – fro m 15 9 4 t h e Lo r d
Ch a m b e rla in ’s M e n (w h o in c lu d e d
Sh a k e s p e a re ) a n d t h e L o rd Ad m ira l’s M e n
w e re t h e m a jo r p e rfo r m e r s. Wh ile it m a y b e
a s s u m e d t h a t m a n y o f Sh a k e s p e a re ’s p la y s
w e re p re s e n t e d fo r th e Q u e e n , th e o n ly
s u r v iv in g c o u rt re c o rd is o f a p e r fo r m a n c e o f
L o v e ’s L a b o u r ’s L o s t in 1 5 9 8 . As Yo u Lik e It
m a y h a v e re c e iv e d a ro y a l p e r fo r m a n c e in
1 5 9 9 a n d th e title p a g e o f th e 16 0 2 q u a r to o f
T h e M e r ry Wiv e s o f Win d s o r in d ic a te s t h a t th e
p la y w a s p e rfo r m e d fo r th e Q u e e n . A le g e n d
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The lizabethan Age
th a t fi rs t s u r fa c e d i n t h e e a rly e ig h te e n t h
c e n tu r y s u g g e s ts th a t th e p la y w a s w ritte n a t
ro y a l c o m m a n d b e c a u s e E liz a b e th w is h e d to
s e e m o r e o f Fa ls ta ff – a n d to s e e h im in lo v e .
E q u a l ly c o n je c t u r a l, b u t r a th e r a p p e a lin g , is
th e s u g g e s tio n th a t s o m e o f Sh a k e s p e a re ’s
w itty , p o w e r fu l h e r o in e s , s u c h a s B e a t ric e ,
re fl e c t t h e Q u e e n ’s th e a t r ic a l p e r s o n a l ity .S h a k e s p e a re ’s He n r y VIII, w r itte n a r o u n d
16 13 , c o n c lu d e s w ith th e c h ris te n in g o f th e
in fa n t E liz a b e t h I. T h o m a s Cra n m e r, th e
Arc h b is h o p o f Ca n te r b u r y , g lo w in g ly p re d ic t s
h e r g lo r io u s fu tu re (u s in g th e p h o e n ix im a g e
a g a in ), a n d s p e a k s o f h e r d e a t h :
“But she must die –
She must, the saints must have her – yet
a virgin,
A most unspotted lily shall she pass
o th’ ground, and all the world shall
mourn her.”
(Act 5, Scene 4)
Sh a k e s p e a re m a y w e ll h a v e w itn e s s e d t h e
“m o u r n in g ” th a t h e d e s c r ib e d a t E liz a b e t h ’s
fu n e r a l in Lo n d o n o n 2 8 Ap r il 16 0 3 . T h e fo r m a l
p r o c e s s io n o f o v e r 1,0 0 0 m o u rn e rs
a c c o m p a n y in g th e c o ffi n a n d a c o s tu m e d
e ffi g y o f th e Q u e e n w a s th e fi n a l th e a tric a l a c t
o f th is m o s t th e a tric a l m o n a rc h , a n d w a s
w a tc h e d b y a n a u d ie n c e o f te n s o f th o u s a n d s
o f Lo n d o n e rs .
“ U n t i l 1 5 9 1 i t w a s E l i z a b e t h ’ s
c o m p a n y t h e Q u e e n ’ s M e n
w h o d o m i n a t e d p e r f o r m a n c e s
i n L o n d o n a n d t h e c o u r t
Robert Dud ley,
Ear l of Leicester, c.153288
Dudley’s popularity with the Queen is evident in
the Earldom and lands that she gifted him and in
his position as one of her senior Councillors.
Often described as one of Elizabeth’s suitors, he
was as interested in the arts as in politics and was
patron of his own group of players – Leicester’s
Men – who performed in Stratford in the 1570s
and ’80s. Some of Leicester’s Men eventually
formed the Queen’s Men.
BELOW
Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, is shown as a Knight of
the Order of the Garter, an honour he received from the Queen
in 1559
ABOVE
The gardens at
Nonsuch in Surrey were
laid out as an allegorical
compliment to the
Queen’s virtues
BELOW
Elizabeth’s funeral procession. Her bodyguards have their pole-axes
pointing downwards and the barons and earls display banners showing the
emblems of Wales, England, France and the Tudors
ABOVE
Nicholas Hilliard
was responsible for some of
the most in uential images of
the Queen
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T h e p o litic a l a n d re lig io u s c o m p le x itie s o f th e p e r io d re q u ire d c a re f u l
m a n a g e m e n t b y e x p e r ie n c e d p e rs o n n e l. On e s u c h c o u rt p ro fe s s io n a l
w a s Sir He n ry U n to n , w h o w a s tw ic e Q u e e n E liz a b e th ’s Am b a s sa d o r in
Fra n c e . His life w a s re c o rd e d in a p ic tu re c o m m is s io n e d a t h is d e a th b y
h is w id o w , La d y D o ro th y , a n d w h ile t h e im a g e its e lf is u n iq u e , it re c o rd s
m a n y fe a t u re s t y p ic a l o f th e life o f a w e ll-c o n n e c te d , title d g e n tle m a n
The Elizabethan
Age The Country
C
le a r ly s h o w n a re t h e ric h
c irc u m s ta n c e s o f h is b ir th ; h is
e d u c a t io n a t Orie l Co lle g e , Ox fo r d ;
t ra v e llin g w it h h is t u to r in It a ly ;
life in h is c o u n tr y h o u s e a t Wa d le y ,
n e a r Fa r in g d o n , w h e re h e is se e n s tu d y in g ,
m a k in g m u s ic , e n jo y in g a b a n q u e t a n d a
m a s q u e ; a t w a r in t h e N e th e rla n d s a n d fi n a lly
h is d e a th in F ra n c e , th e r e tu r n o f h is b o d y t o
E n g la n d a n d t h e la v is h f u n e r a l.
A h o u s e h o ld s u c h a s Wa d le y w a s la r g e ly
s e lf-s u p p o r tin g w ith its o w n b r e w e r y , d a ir y ,
b a k e r y , b u tte r y , a r m o u r y a n d s p e c ia lis t la r d e r s
in a d d itio n to t h e b a r n s a n d s ta b lin g o n th e
e s ta te . T h e r e is s o m e in d ic a t io n in th e p ic t u r e
I N S T T h e u n i q u e
m e m o r i a l p i c t u r e o f S i r
H e n r y U n t o n s h o w i n g h i s
l i f e f r o m b i r t h t o b u r i a l
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The lizabethan Age
“It w a s d u rin g th is p e rio d th a tm a n y la rg e c o u n try h o u s e s lik e SirHe n ry ’s w e re fre q u e n tly b u ilt”
of the sta required to support such a lifestyle
– the “middling sort” who were servants,
stewards, nurses and musicians – the
characters who people Shakespeare’s plays.
The households of Twelfth Night, the masques
of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Love’s
Labour’s Lost, the nurse of Romeo and Juliet,
and the servants from a range of dramas come
from Unton’s stratifi ed world.
It was during this period that many large
country houses like Sir Henry’s were
frequently built, on prime sites that had been
vacated at the dissolution of the monasteries,
and were richly furnished and decorated. But
this was not the experience of many. It was a
period of signifi cant social di erentiation and,
put simply, the rich were getting richer and the
poor were getting poorer at a faster rate than
B E L O W b l i n d
m a n a n d h i s
d o g f r o m T h e
R o x b u r g h e B a l l a d s
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e v e r b e fo r e . E ig h ty o r s o m ile s a w a y fro m th e
c ity a n d th e c o u r t o f Lo n d o n , a n d n o r th o f Sir
He n r y ’s e s t a t e s in Wad le y , life in S tr a t fo r d in
th e h e a r t o f th e M id la n d s w a s v e r y d iff e re n t,
a s in d e e d it w a s fo r th e m a jo r ity – p e rh a p s a s
m u c h a s 9 0 p e r c e n t o f th e p o p u la tio n – w h o
w e re c o u n t ry d w e lle rs a n d w o r k e rs .
T h e c o u n try s id e a r o u n d v illa g e s a n d t o w n s
w o u ld b e u n re c o g n iz a b le to d a y . B e fo r e th e
e n c lo s u re s t h a t c r e a t e d p a r c e ls o f p r iv a te ly
o w n e d la n d it w a s c h a r a c te r iz e d b y g r e a t,
o p e n , u n h e d g e d fi e ld s a n d c o m m o n p a s tu re s .
B e fo r e th e m e c h a n iz a tio n o f a g r ic u ltu re , w h o le
fa m ilie s a n d c o m m u n itie s w o r k e d in th e fi e ld s .
T h e p a tte r n o f th e ir w o r k in g d a y w a s re g u la te d
b y th e s u n (th e h o u rs o f d a y lig h t); th e ir
w o r k in g y e a r b y t h e c h u rc h , w ith 2 3
d e s ig n a te d fe a s t d a y s (“h o ly ” d a y s ) a n d
BELOW Farm
labourers clear the
soil and prepare it
for planting
ABOVE In this woodcut, also
from The Roxburghe Ballads,
a family is shown enjoying
the feasting that frequently
occurred throughout
Shake speare’s plays
d u c a t i o n
In 2 Henry IV, Justice Shallow’s young
cousin William is to progress from
university to an Inn of Court, an
educational experience that parallels Sir
Henry Unton’s. Young gentlemen went to
one of the universities – Oxford or
Cambridge – when they were 15 or 16 (like
Christopher Marlowe, but not
Shakespeare or his friend Ben Jonson)
mainly to study theology, law or
medicine. The four Inns of Court – Gray’s
Inn, Lincoln’s Inn, Middle Temple and
Inner Temple – in London also taught lawand wider accomplishments, such as
music and dancing, and their halls were
used for performances. It is estimated
that 50 per cent of London men were
literate, but the national gure was much
lower and away from the city and large
houses few women were educated.
Shakespeare’s wife and his daughter
Judith, for example, used a mark rather
than a signature to sign their names.
a d d itio n a l b re a k s a t E a s te r , Wh its u n a n d
Ch r is tm a s . M o s t im p o r ta n tly , life w a s
re g u la te d b y a n d d e p e n d e n t o n th e fa r m in g
y e a r , w ith p o o r h a r v e s ts a n d d is e a s e a d d in g
p r o b le m s o f fa m in e a n d p o v e r ty to w o rk t h a t
w a s a lre a d y p h y s ic a lly a r d u o u s . T h e s e
c o u n t ry c o m m u n itie s w e re la rg e ly s e lf-
s u ffi c ie n t, w ith th e m a n u fa c tu r in g o f te x tile s
a n d h o u s e h o ld g o o d s still b e in g c a r rie d o u t o n
a d o m e s t ic b a s is ra t h e r th a n a s la r g e r s c a le
in d u s t r ia l a c t iv it ie s .
“M ost im portantly, life wasregulated by and dependenton the farm ing year”
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The lizabethan Age
M a n y p o p u la r p a s tim e s o f t h e p e r io d a r e e v id e n t in
S h a k e s p e a r e ’s p la y s : t h e h u n t in g i n As Yo u Lik e It, t h e fa lc o n r y
th a t p r o v id e s th e “ ta m in g ” a n a lo g ie s o f Sh r e w , a n d t h e fe n c in g
th a t is e s s e n t ia l to th e t ra g ic p lo t o f Ro m e o a n d J u lie t o r u s e d
c o m ic a lly in T h e M e r r y Wiv e s o f Win d s o r. M o r e c o m m o n
a c t iv itie s , s h a r e d b y w o m e n a n d c h ild r e n , w e r e t h e fe a s tin g ,
d r in k i n g , d a n c in g a n d m u s ic th a t o c c u r t h r o u g h o u t t h e c a n o n ,
o f te n in c o d ifi e d fo r m s , a n d m a r k e d t h e c h u r c h , c iv ic a n d
fa r m in g c a le n d a r s .
astimes
S o m e e l e m e n t s o f t h i s a g r i c u l t u r a l l i f e ,
w h e r e s h e e p o u t n u m b e r e d p e o p l e b y t h r e e t o
o n e , m a y b e s e e n i n t h e “ p a s t o r a l ” s c e n e s o f
T h e W i n t e r ’ s T a l e a n d t h e A r d e n s c e n e s i n A s
Y o u L i k e I t , t h e f o r m e r c e l e b r a t i n g c o u n t r y l i f e
w i t h s h e e p - s h e a r i n g f e a s t s a n d t h e l a t t e r ,
w h i l e h u m o r o u s a n d r o m a n t i c , w e l l a w a r e o f
t h e d a n g e r s a n d t h r e a t s t o r u r a l l i v e l i h o o d s .
T h e s h e p h e r d C o r i n ’ s d e s c r i p t i o n o f h i s r u r a l
l i f e , i n r e s p o n s e t o t h e g o a d i n g o f t h e c o u r t -
d w e l l e r T o u c h s t o n e , w a s t y p i c a l o f m a n y :
“ Sir, I a m a t r u e l a b o u r e r . I e a r n t h a t I e a t ,
g e t t h a t I w e a r; o w e n o m a n h a te , e n v y n o
m a n ’s h a p p in e s s ; g la d o f o th e r m e n ’s
g o o d , c o n te n t w ith m y h a r m ; a n d t h e
g r e a te s t o f m y p r id e is to s e e m y e w e ’s
g r a z e a n d m y la m b ’s s u c k .”
(Ac t 3 , S c e n e 2 )
W h i l e w r i t i n g h i s p l a y s i n t h e c i t y S h a k e s p e a r e
w a s n e v e r t h e l e s s r e e c t i n g t h e e x p e r i e n c e s o f
t h e m a j o r i t y w h o , l i k e h i m , h a d g r o w n u p i n
r u r a l r a t h e r t h a n u r b a n E n g l a n d .
B ELOW Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, is shown as a Knight of the
O rder of the Garter, an honou r he received from the Queen in 1559
AB OVE As th is w o o d c u t s h o w s , h u n t in g w a s a v e r y p o p u la r r u ra l p u r s u it a n d
a ls o a g o o d s o u r c e o f fo o d
AB OVE Ch ri s t
Ch u r c h , fo u n d e db y Ca r d i n a l
Wo ls e y in 1 5 2 5 ,
w a s th e f o r e m o s t
t h e a t r ic a l c o l le g e
o f s ix t e e n th -
c e n t u r y Ox f o r d .
Its h a l l w a s u s e d
fo r p e r fo r m a n c e s
f o r r o y a l v is it o r s
to th e c ity a n d th e
d r a m a t is t Ge o r g e
P e e le s tu d i e d
t h e r e , r e tu r n i n g
in 1 5 8 3 t o d ir e c t
Will ia m Ga g e r ’s
L a tin p la y s
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Wh e n th e a n tiq u a r y J o h n Le la n d v is ite d Wa r w ic k s h ire in th e 1 5 4 0 s
h e t ra v e lle d s o u th fro m Wa r w ic k to B a r fo rd a n d Ch a rle c o te a n d th e n
a r riv e d in Stra tfo rd , w h ic h h e d e s c r ib e d c a re f u lly :
“T h e to w n o f Stra tfo rd o c c u p ie s a le v e l s ite o n th e r ig h t b a n k o r s id e
o f th e Av o n , a s o n e g o e s d o w n s tre a m . It h a s tw o o r th re e v e r y la rg e
s tre e ts , a n d b a c k la n e s b e s id e s . Of th e m a in s tre e ts o n e le a d s fro m e a s t
to w e s t a n d a n o t h e r fro m s o u th to n o r th . T h e b u ild in g s a re tim b e r, a n do f re a s o n a b le q u a lity . T h e to w n b e lo n g s to th e B is h o p o f Wo rc e s te r. On
Ho ly Ro o d D a y , 14 Se p te m b e r, e a c h y e a r a g re a t fa ir is h e ld . T h e la r g e
p a r is h c h u rc h , w h ic h s ta n d s a t th e s o u th e n d o f th e to w n , is a fin e p ie c e
o f a r c h ite c t u re .”
lizabethan
Stratford
T
h e n h e lis te d th e m o s t im p o s in g
fe a tu re s o f th e t o w n : th e T r in ity (m o r e
a c c u r a te l y t h e Gu ild ) Ch a p e l t h a t
w a s b u ilt b y Hu g h Clo p to n , a L o rd
M a y o r o f Lo n d o n ; Clo p to n ’s g r a n d
h o u s e ; th e g r a m m a r s c h o o l o n th e s o u th
s id e o f th e Ch a p e l t h a t w a s e s ta b lis h e d b y
T h o m a s J o lliff e , a u n iv e rs ity te a c h e r b o r n
in Stra tfo r d ; th e a lm s h o u s e s a n d th e b rid g e
a c r o s s th e Av o n th a t w a s a ls o b u ilt b y
Hu g h Clo p to n . So it w a s a s m a ll to w n w ith
s o m e d is tin g u is h e d b u ild in g s a n d s o m e
d is tin g u is h e d in h a b ita n ts . T h e re w e re a b o u t
2 0 0 fa m ilie s in a ll – a p o p u la tio n o f p e rh a p s
1,0 0 0 p e o p le – a lth o u g h it is d iffi c u lt to b e
p re c is e a t th is p e r io d . T h e r e w a s a g e n e r a lm o v e fro m c o u n t ry to to w n , b u t d is e a se w a s
p re v a le n t: it is e s t im a te d t h a t 10 p e r c e n t o f
Stra t fo rd ’s in h a b ita n ts d ie d o f fl u o r ty p h u s
in 1 5 5 8 9 , a n d a b o u t 16 p e r c e n t d ie d o f th e
p la g u e in 1 5 6 4 , th e y e a r o f S h a k e s p e a re ’s
B E L O W T h e g a t e h o u s e
o f C o u g h t o n C o u r t
w h e r e o n 5 N o v e m b e r
1 6 0 5 S i r E v e r a r d D i g b y
a n d J e s u i t p r i e s t s
w a i t e d f o r n e w s o f t h e
G u n p o w d e r P l o t
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lizabethan Stratford
b ir th . In th e w h o le o f E n g la n d , th e r e w e re
a b o u t th re e m illio n p e o p le , fe w e r th a n th e re
h a d b e e n b e fo r e th e B la c k D e a th 2 0 0 y e a r s
b e fo r e , b u t th e p o p u la tio n w a s ju s t b e g in n in g
to g ro w a n d m o re c h ild re n w e re s u r v iv in g
th e p e r ils o f in fa n c y .
T h e Av o n w a s a n im p o r ta n t p a rt o f
S tr a tfo r d ’s p ro s p e r it y . L e la n d w r o t e th a t u n t il
Clo p to n b u ilt h is s to n e b r id g e “th e r e w a s o n ly
a p o o r w o o d e n b r id g e w ith n o c a u s e w a yle a d in g u p t o it. Co n s e q u e n tly m a n y p o o r
p e o p le a n d o th e r s re f u s e d to v is it Stra t fo rd
w h e n th e Av o n w a s in s p a te , o r if th e y d id
c o m e t h e y h a d to r is k t h e i r liv e s ”. T r a v e llin g
e a s t a n d w e s t h a d a lw a y s b e e n p o s sib le o n
John Leland
1506 52
I n t h e 1 5 3 0 s a n d ’ 4 0 s
H e n r y V I I I ’ s l i b r a r y k e e p e r
a n d a n t i q u a r y J o h n
L e l a n d u n d e r t o o k a
r e s e a r c h t o u r t h r o u g h o u t
E n g l a n d w h i c h h e p l a n n e d
t o f o r m t h e b a s i s o f a g r e a t
o r i g i n a l w o r k H i s t o r i e s
a n d A n t i q u i t i e s o f t h i s
N a t i o n . A l t h o u g h h e n e v e r
c o m p l e t e d t h e w o r k h i s
n o t e s f o r m e d t h e b a s i s
o f L e l a n d ’ s I t i n e r a r y
w h i c h w a s p u b l i s h e d i n
O x f o r d i n 1 7 1 0 a n d
p r o v i d e s s o m e o f t h e
e a r l i e s t d e s c r i p t i o n s
o f T u d o r E n g l a n d .
“The Avon was anim portant part ofStratford’s prosperity”
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B ELOWHo l y T r in it y Ch u r c h w h e r e Willia m
S h a k e s p e a r e w a s b a p tis e d in 1 5 6 4 a n d b u r ie d i n 1 6 1 6
the river, connecting all the way to the port
of Bristol in the west, but was less easy going
north to south. After the new bridge was
built, Stratford became an important post on
the route that transported salt from Cheshire
to London. So the small town became
the centre for trades, such as tailoring,
shoemaking, carpentry and blacksmithing,
and markets that served local villages, and
began to acquire a national signi cance. Itlacked the prominence of the ancient cities of
Coventry to the north or Oxford to the south,
but still had regular contacts with the capital.
“ o r t h o f t h e r i v e r w a s t h e a r e a
k n o w n a s A r d e n a n d p e r h a p s t h e
s e t t i n g f o r A s Y o u L i k e I t ”
The Avon bisects Warwickshire into two
distinct areas. North of the river was the area
known as Arden, the hillier, wooded part of
the county and perhaps the setting for As
You Like It. In Shakespeare’s day, it had a
reputation as a rather dangerous or suspect
place: there were wild animals, rumours of
bandits or outlaws, and it was also where
some of the Catholic, recusant families hid
out. Nearby, Baddesley Clinton had “priest-holes” to hide its Catholic celebrants and
Coughton Court was heavily implicated
in the Gunpowder Plot (in fact, the main
conspirators of 1605 – Catesby, Tresham and
Winter – all had Stratford connections).
South of the river was Felden, a fl atter
and more prosperous, fertile area where
B ELOWT h e h o u s e in He n le y S tr e e t w h e r e Willia m
Sh a k e s p e a r e w a s b o r n
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T h e Clo p t o nfa m ily
Hugh Clopton, Lord Mayor of
London in 1491, built
Stratford’s grandest house,
New Place, which Shakespeare
bought in 1597. Shakespeare’s
father, John, was a tenant of
land owned by Sir William
Clopton in Hampton Lucy.
Clopton House, the family
home on the outskirts of
Stratford, was used as a base
by Ambrose Rookwood, one
of the Gunpowder Plot
conspirators in 1605. He
was eventually captured
and executed.
ABOVEA nineteenth-century view of Shakespeare’s school King
Edward VI’s Grammar School) with the Guild Chapel to its left
ABOVE Baddesley Clinton, to the north of Stratford, still has
three priest-holes where Catholics hid from persecution
BELOWThe Clopton Bridge, over the Avon, improved travel and
contributed to the prosperity of Stratford
BELOW Hugh Clopton, who came
from a prominent Stratford family,
is remembered in stained glass as a
benefactor of the Guild Chapel
a g r i c u l t u r e b e n e t e d f r o m t h e A v o n ’ s r e g u l a r
fl o o d i n g . P r e d o m i n a n t l y P r o t e s t a n t , w e a l t h y ,
l a n d o w n i n g f a m i l i e s h a d h o m e s i n t h i s a r e a
a n d i t w a s h e r e t h a t t h e g r a i n , t h e b a s i s o f
S t r a t f o r d ’ s s u c c e s s f u l m a l t i n g a n d b r e w i n g
i n d u s t r y , w a s g r o w n .
T h e 1 5 5 3 C h a r t e r o f I n c o r p o r a t i o n
e s t a b l i s h e d t h e a d m i n i s t r a t i o n o f S t r a t f o r d ,
c r e a t i n g a C o r p o r a t i o n o f a l d e r m e n a n d
b u r g e s s e s – l a r g e l y t h e s e n i o r t r a d e s m e n –
w h o s e r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s i n c l u d e d t h e g r a m m a r
s c h o o l a n d t h e G u i l d C h a p e l . I n 1 5 6 4 ,
t h e C o r p o r a t i o n o r d e r e d t h e d e f a c e m e n t
o f i m a g e s i n t h e C h a p e l , p r o b a b l y t o
d e m o n s t r a t e t h e P r o t e s t a n t a l l e g i a n c e o f
t h e t o w n .
T h i s w a s t h e y e a r o f S h a k e s p e a r e ’ s b i r t h –
i n a s m a l l m a r k e t t o w n i n t h e M i d l a n d s n o t
i n i t s e l f o f g r e a t s i g n i c a n c e y e t n o n e t h e l e s s
r e fl e c t i n g n a t i o n a l e v e n t s .
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IN S ET Ch a r le c o t e P a r k
w a s th e h o m e o f th e L u c y
fa m ily . T h e h o u s e t h a t
s till s ta n d s to d a y w a s
b u ilt b y S ir T h o m a s Lu c y
in 1 5 5 1 . Le g e n d s u g g e s t s
th a t S h a k e s p e a r e w a s
c a u g h t p o a c h in g d e e r in
th e g r o u n d s
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hakespeare in tratford
W illiam S h a k e s p e are , t h e t h ird o f e ig h t c h ild re n an d t h e f irs t b o y, w as b o rn
in 1 5 6 4 an d b ap t is e d o n 2 6 Aril in H o ly T rin it y C h u rc h . H is b irt h d ay is
t rad it io n ally s e t t h re e d ay s e arlie r, as s u m in g t h e u s u a l d e lay b e t w e e n b irt h
an d b ap t is m . Aril 2 3 is a ls o , c o n ve n ie n t ly, S t G e o rg e ’s D ay, t h u s c re at in g a
p at rio t ic e l is i o n b e t w e e n n at io n a l s a in t an d n at io n a l p lay w rig h t
Sh a k e s p e a re
in Stra tfo rd
H
is m o t h e r, M a ry Ard e n , w a s f ro m a p ro s p e ro u s farm in g fa m ily at
W il m c o t e , a v illa g e j u s t o u t s id e
S t ra tf o rd , a n d h is f at h e r, J o h n , w a s
a g lo v e r, t an n e r a n d w o o l- d e a le r i n
t h e to w n . J o h n w a s a ls o a m e m b e r o f t h e
C o rp o rat io n , b e c o m in g B a ili (t h e e q u iv ale n t
o f M ay o r) in 1 5 6 8 . I t w a s w h il e h e h e ld t h is
o ffi c e , w h ic h in c lu d e d t h e re s p o n s ib il it y fo r
lic e n s in g v is it in g ac t o rs , t h at th e Q u e e n ’s M e n
an d W o rc e s te r’s M e n p e rf o rm e d in S t rat fo rd
fo r t h e fi rs t t im e .
J o h n S h a k e s p e a re ’s p o s it io n w o u ld als o
h av e e n ab le d W illia m to at te n d t h e g ra m m a r
s c h o o l, p ro b ab ly w h e n h e w as ab o u t e ig h t ,
h av in g fi rs t g o n e to a “p e t t y s c h o o l” fo r h isb a s ic e d u c at io n . At th e K in g ’s N e w S c h o o l ,
h e w o u ld h av e le a rn e d L at in , e n c o u n te re d
c la s s i c a l p la ys a n d s t o r ie s a n d le a rn t to w rit e
le t te rs , s p e e c h e s an d arg u m e n ts . T h e s c e n e
in T h e M e rry W iv e s o f W in d s o r, w h e n t h e
yo u n g W il lia m re c it e s h is L at in le s s o n , m ay
w e l l re fl e c t p e rs o n a l e x p e rie n c e .
T h e fa m ily h o m e in H e n le y S t re e t (n o w
k n o w n as S h a k e s p e are ’s B irt h p lac e ) w a s
a ls o t h e c e n t re o f h is fat h e r’s b u s in e s s w it h
w o rk s h o p s o n t h e g ro u n d fl o o r fo r p re p a rin g
an d w o rk in g an im a l s k in s . T h e h yg ie n ic
d is p o s a l o f d o m e s t ic an d c o m m e rc ia l w a s t e
w as f re q u e n tly a p ro b le m at t h is t im e an d
“ H e w o u l d h a v e l e a r n e d
L a t i n e n c o u n t e r e d
c l a s s i c a l p l a y s a n d s t o r i e s ”
Shakespeare’s sevenbrothers and sisters
Joan 1558–?60
M argaret 15623
G ilbert 15661612
(became a haberdasher)
Joan,1569 1646 |
(survived her husband, William Hart, a
hatter, by 30 years and lived in the
“Birthplace” in Henley Street)
A nn,15719
R ichard 15741613
Edmond 1580 160 7
(an actor who was buried in Southwark,
where there is a fine memorial in
the Cathedral)
B EL OW “Hew lands”,
now know n as A nne
H athaw ay’s Cottage,w as
the childh ood h ome of
Sh akespeare’s w ife
B EL O W The memorial tablet to
Shakespeare’s actor broth er Edmond that can
be found in So uthw ark C athedral
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re c o rd s s h o w th a t Jo h n w a s fi n e d fo r m a k in g
a d u n g h ill in th e s tre e t ra t h e r th a n u s in g t h e
a u t h o r iz e d fa c ilit ie s .
It is lik e ly t h a t Sh a k e s p e a r e le f t s c h o o l
w h e n h e w a s 1 5 , a n d p e r h a p s h e th e n h e lp e d
in h is fa t h e r ’s b u s in e s s , b u t it is t h e a b s e n c e
o f e v id e n c e d u r in g t h is p e r io d – s o m e tim e s
c a lle d “t h e lo s t y e a r s ” – th a t h a s c o n t rib u te d
to a n u m b e r o f m y th s a n d c o n tro v e rs ie s .
It h a s b e e n s u g g e s te d th a t h e w o r k e d a s
a s c h o o lm a s te r in th e c o u n tr y , th a t h e
w a s w ith a Ca t h o lic fa m ily in La n c a s h ire ,
th a t h e h a d jo in e d a n a c tin g c o m p a n y o r
tra v e lle d a b ro a d , a n d th a t h e h a d to le a v e
Stra tfo r d in a h u rry h a v in g b e e n c a u g h t
d e e r-p o a c h in g in Ch a r le c o te P a r k . He w a s ,
h o w e v e r, b a c k in to w n in N o v e m b e r 1 5 8 2 .
On 2 7 N o v e m b e r, a lic e n c e fro m th e B is h o p
o f Wo rc e s te r p e r m itte d h is m a r ria g e a n d
w a s fo llo w e d b y a s p e c ia l b o n d th e n e x t d a y .
T h e re is so m e c o n fu s io n o r e v e n irre g u la r ity
h e r e : An n e is n a m e d “Wh a te ly ” ra t h e r th a n
“Ha th a w a y ” in th e lic e n c e t h a t a ls o a llo w e d
a s p e e d y m a r ria g e a fte r ju s t o n e re a d in g o f
th e b a n n s . T h e w ro n g n a m e m a y b e a s im p le
e r ro r, w h ile th e h a s te m a y r e fl e c t th e fa c t
th a t An n e Ha t h a w a y (b o r n in 1 5 5 5 o r ’5 6 ,
The Earl of Oxford
1550 1604A p r o m i n e n t s t a t e s m a n
a n d l a w y e r . T h e d a t e s
w o r k , b u t n o t h i n g a b o u t
t h e s t y l e o f h i s e s s a y s a n d
o t h e r w r i t i n g s i s a t a l l l i k e
S h a k e s p e a r e ’ s p l a y s .
Christopher Marlowe
1564 93
The authorship contenders
Sir Francis Bacon
1561 1626A g r e a t p l a y w r i g h t , b u t
h i s w e l l - d o c u m e n t e d
m u r d e r s u r e l y
p r e v e n t e d h i m w r i t i n g
t h e b u l k o f t h e
S h a k e s p e a r e c a n o n .
a n d o n e o f s e v e n c h ild re n fro m a fa rm in g
fa m ily i n S h o tte r y ju s t o u t sid e S tra t fo rd ) w a s
p re g n a n t. S h a k e s p e a re , a t 18 , w a s te c h n ic a lly
a m in o r a n d An n e w a s e ig h t y e a rs o ld e r.
T h e ir d a u g h te r Su s a n n a w a s b o rn in M a y th e
fo llo w in g y e a r a n d th e ir tw in s , J u d ith a n d
Ha m n e t , e a rly in 1 5 8 5 .
D e s p ite t h e q u a n tity o f c o n te m p o r a ry
e v id e n c e t h a t Sh a k e s p e a re w ro t e h is p la y s ,
it is th e la c k o f h a r d in fo r m a t io n a b o u t th e
m is sin g y e a r s , c o u p le d w ith th e a p p a re n t
o rd in a r in e s s o f h is life , t h a t h a s f u e lle d t h e
c o n tro v e r s y a b o u t a u t h o rs h ip . A d e s ire t o
m a k e th e p la y w rig h t e x c e p tio n a l, p re fe r a b ly
m e t ro p o lita n a n d u p p e r c la s s o r, a t th e v e r y
le a s t , u n iv e rs ity e d u c a te d , h a s le d s o m e
to p r o p o s e a v a s t c o n s p ira c y a n d s u g g e s t
a lte r n a t iv e a u t h o r s fo r t h e p la y s : S ir F ra n c is
B a c o n , Ch r is to p h e r M a r lo w e , th e 1 7 th E a rl
o f Ox fo rd a n d e v e n Q u e e n E liz a b e t h I.
Su c h c la im s te n d t o re v e a l m o r e a b o u t th e
p ro p o s e r s o f th e s e th e o rie s th a n th e y d o
a b o u t Sh a k e s p e a re .
B E L O W S h a k e s p e a r e ’ s f a t h e r , J o h n , w e a r i n g h i s r o b e s
o f o c e a n d s t a n d i n g i n f r o n t o f h i s h o u s e i n H e n l e y
S t r e e t ( S h a k e s p e a r e ’ s b i r t h p l a c e ) , i s r e m e m b e r e d i n
s t a i n e d g l a s s i n t h e G u i l d C h a p e l
“A desire to m ake him exceptional,led som e to propose a conspiracy”
A s w i t h M a r l o w e , t h e d a t e o f
h i s d e a t h p r e c l u d e s O x f o r d
f r o m t h e a u t h o r s h i p o f p l a y s
t h a t c a n b e d a t e d , w i t h
c e r t a i n t y , l a t e r i n t h e r e i g n
o f K i n g J a m e s .
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S h a k e s p e a r e ’s a p t i s m R e c o rd
T h e r e g is tr a t io n o f Willia m S h a k e s p e a r e ’s
b a p tis m in t h e p a r is h r e g i s te r , w h ic h t o o k p la c e
o n 2 6 Ap r il 1 5 6 4 in Ho ly T r in ity Ch u rc h
IT E M 1
T h e x h i b i t s
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hakespeare
H
e liv e d a n d w o r k e d o n t h e s o u t h
b a n k o f th e T h a m e s in th e Lib e rty
o f t h e Clin k . T h e L ib e r t ie s w e r e a
c u r io u s a d m in is tra tiv e a n o m a ly : o n c e
m o n a s t ic la n d s , a t th e D is s o lu tio n
o f t h e M o n a s t e r ie s u n d e r He n r y VIII,
th e y c e a s e d to h a v e a n y c le a r ju r is d ic t io n
a n d r e m a in e d fre e o f th e c o n tro l o f th e
c iv il a u th o r itie s . T h e y b e c a m e th e c ity ’s
p la y g ro u n d s , a re a s o f s o m e w h a t d u b io u s
re p u ta tio n , a n d t h e s ite o f h u n d re d s o f
in n s , b o w lin g a lle y s , p it s fo r b u ll-b a it in g ,
b e a r-b a itin g a n d c o c k fi g h tin g , b r o t h e ls a n d
p u rp o s e -b u ilt th e a tre s . T h e s o u th b a n k a re a
T h e w r ite r Ro b e r t Gre e n e ’s fa m o u s ly d is p a r a g in g re fe r e n c e to
Sh a k e s p e a re a s “ th e u p s ta r t c ro w ” in A Gro a ts w o rth o f Wit h e lp s p la c e
th e p la y w rig h t firm ly in Lo n d o n b y 15 9 2 , b u t it is lik e ly th a t h e h a d
a r riv e d a c o u p le o f y e a r s e a rlie r a n d w h ile h e w o u ld e v e n tu a lly p e r fo r m
a t c o u r t it w a s n o t th e c ity o f th e ro y a l p a la c e s o f We s t m in s te r, Wh ite h a ll
a n d St Ja m e s th a t h e firs t e n c o u n te re d
Shakespeare’sondon
R o b e r t G r e e n e
c . 1 5 6 0 9 2
G reene was a profi cient wr iter in
m any styles and genres, with a
colourful private life, who m ay have
collaborated w ith Shakespeare onthe early Henry V I plays.His prose
work Pandosto is the source story for
The Winter’s Tale, although it has an
elem ent of incest that is m ore
salacious than in Shakespeare’s play.
His autobiographical wr itings tell of
London’s lowlife and he was said by
his contem porary, Gabriel Harvey, to
have died from a surfeit of pickled
herrings and Rhenish wine.
ABOVE Robert Greene was notorious for his
appearance as well as his writing.In thi s
posthum ously published picture he is shown
in h is wind ing sheet, still writing after death
a ls o c o n ta in e d th e p r is o n s a n d th e s m e llie s t
tra d e s – ta n n in g , s o a p -m a k in g a n d b re w in g .
T h e w h o le c ity w a s b u s y a n d g ro w in g fa s t; it
w a s c ro w d e d a n d fre q u e n t ly u n ru ly . T h e
o r ig in a l w a lle d c it y , w it h it s We s t m in s te r
p o w e r b a s e , w a s fi llin g u p a n d o v e r sp illin g
w ith v a g r a n t s , v a g a b o n d s , fo r m e r s o ld ie r s a n d
s a ilo r s , d is c h a r g e d s e r v a n ts , o r p h a n s a n d
re fu g e e s . T h e re w e r e fre q u e n t a tte m p ts a t
p o p u la t io n c o n tro l, in c lu d in g re s t ric t io n s o n
n e w b u ild in g a n d th e c o n v e r sio n o f o ld
b u ild in g s in to te n e m e n t d w e llin g s . Sh o r ta g e s
o f fu e l, b r e a d a n d w a te r, a n d o u tb r e a k s o f
b u b o n ic p la g u e , a d d e d to th e te n s io n , b u t a t
hakespeare
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Shakespeare’s ondon
“T h e w h o lec ity w a s b u s ya n d g ro w in g
fa s t; it w a sc ro w d e d a n d
fre q u e n tly u n ru ly ”
LEFTA map
of the Cities of
London and
Westminster,
drawn
in 1563 by
William Darton
RIGHT Philip Herbert, 4th
Earl of Pembroke, like his
brother William above) was
a great patron of the arts.
The First Folio is dedicated
to them both
ABOVE William Herbert,
3rd Earl of Pembroke, was
an important patron of
Shakespeare and possibly
the “Mr W. H.” to whom the
Sonnets are dedicated
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th e s a m e tim e life w a s e x c itin g a n d , fo r s o m e ,
p r o s p e r o u s . T h e tra d e b y riv e r a n d s e a w a s
th e b a s is o f th e c ity ’s g r o w th a n d a t tra c t e d
m e rc h a n ts (th e fo u n d in g o f Gre s h a m ’s Ro y a l
Ex c h a n g e b o th re g u la te d a n d m a d e t h e ir
tra n s a c t io n s m o re s e c u re ). In th e t a v e r n s ,
t ra v e lle r s to ld ta le s n o t o n ly o f E u ro p e , b u t
a ls o o f Ru s s ia , T u rk e y a n d th e N e w Wo rld . A
s m a ll g r o u p o f Ita lia n s liv e d in th e c ity a n d
th e re w a s a ls o a b la c k p re s e n c e – m a in ly
s e r v a n ts a n d e n te r ta in e r s , b u t siz e a b le
e n o u g h fo r th e Q u e e n to e x p r e s s h e r
d is p le a s u re a n d fo r p la n s o f re p a tr ia tio n to b e
c o n s id e r e d . As p ir in g p o lit ic ia n s a n d a r t is t s ,
k e e n fo r ro y a l p a tro n a g e a n d s o c ia l a n d
e c o n o m ic a d v a n c e m e n t , w e re d r a w n to t h ec ity a n d t h e c o u r t, a s w e re m a n y y o u n g
n o b le m e n h o p in g to c a tc h t h e Q u e e n ’s
a tte n tio n th ro u g h th e ir o w n p a tro n a g e o f
t h e a r ts .
Sh a k e s p e a re ’s d e d ic a tio n o f h is lo n g p o e m s
Ve n u s a n d Ad o n is a n d T h e Ra p e o f Lu c re c e to
He n r y Wr io th e s le y , th e E a rl o f S o u th a m p to n ,
s u g g e s ts t h e id e n tit y o f h is fi rs t p a t ro n .
So u th a m p t o n w a s w e ll b o rn a n d r ic h , a n d it
w a s k n o w n th a t, a s a n o r p h a n , h e s to o d t o
in h e r it a la rg e fo r tu n e w h e n h e c a m e o f a g e .
Wr ite r s w e r e q u e u in g u p f o r h is p a t ro n a g e a n d ,
a k e e n t h e a tre -g o e r, h e s u p p o r te d B a r n e s , Jo h n
ABOVE“Wedding
at Horsleydown in
Bermondsey” by
the Antwerp-born
Joris Hoefnagel
(15421600)shows marriage
celebrations
in what is
now part of south-
east London
ABOVE
Thomas Nashe
(1567–c.1601), was frequently
in trouble with the church
and best remembered for his
prose writing
BELOW An arena for
cock ghting: the observers
are betting on the outcomeof the ght
Flo r io a n d T h o m a s N a s h e a s w e ll a s
S h a k e s p e a re . T h e d e d ic a t io n o f th e F irs t Fo lio
o f S h a k e s p e a re ’s w o rk s t o t h e He r b e r t
b ro t h e r s (Willia m a n d P h ilip , th e 3 r d a n d 4 th
E a rls o f P e m b r o k e re s p e c t iv e ly ), w h o w e re
b o th k n o w n a s g e n e r o u s p a tro n s , s u g g e s ts
th a t Sh a k e s p e a re r e c e iv e d fu r th e r s u p p o r t
fro m th e m . Wh a t is c e r ta in , h o w e v e r , is t h a t
b y 15 9 4 Sh a k e s p e a re h a d n e w c o n n e c t io n s .
He n r y Ca r e y , th e fi rs t B a r o n Hu n s d o n a n d th e
th e n Lo r d Ch a m b e rla in , s e t u p tw o n e w
p la y in g c o m p a n ie s , la r g e ly a s a n a tte m p t to
re g u la te s t a g e p e r fo r m a n c e s . On e ,
h is o w n Lo r d Ch a m b e rla in ’s M e n , w a s to
p e r fo r m a t th e T h e a tre a n d th e o th e r, th e Lo r d
Ad m ira l’s M e n (h e a d e d b y h is so n -in -la w ,
Ch a r le s Ho w a r d ) a t th e Ro s e . S h a k e s p e a re ,
a lre a d y k n o w n a s a n a c to r a n d a n e s ta b lis h e d
p la y w r ig h t, w a s , w ith o th e r a c t o r-s h a r e rs su c h
a s Ric h a r d B u r b a g e a n d Will Ke m p e , a
fo u n d e r m e m b e r o f th e Lo r d Ch a m b e rla in ’s
M e n a n d re m a in e d w ith t h e c o m p a n y fo r th e
re s t o f h is w o r k in g life . T h e y m o v e d to t h e
Glo b e t h e a t re in 1 5 9 9 , a n d a f te r E liz a b e t h ’s
d e a th in 1 6 0 3 th e n e w m o n a rc h , Kin g Ja m e s ,
b e c a m e th e ir p a tro n a n d th e ir n a m e c h a n g e d
to t h e Kin g ’s M e n .
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Shakespeare’s ondon
“Afte r E liz a b e th ’s d e a th in16 0 3 , Kin g J a m e s b e c a m eth e ir p a tro n a n d th e ir n a m ec h a n g e d to th e Kin g ’s M e n ”
Henry Wriothesley,
Earl of Southampton, c1573 1624
S o u t h a m p t o n a l l i e d h i m s e l f t o t h e E a r l o f E s s e x ’ s
i n s u r r e c t i o n i n 1 6 0 1 , p a y i n g S h a k e s p e a r e ’ s c o m p a n y
4 0 s h i l l i n g s t o p e r f o r m R i c h a r d I I , a p l a y t h a t d e p i c t s
t h e s u c c e s s f u l u s u r p a t i o n o f a m o n a r c h .
W h e n t h e r e b e l l i o n f a i l e d , E s s e x w a s e x e c u t e d a n d
S o u t h a m p t o n j a i l e d f o r l i f e a n d s t r i p p e d o f h i s t i t l e s ,
b u t h e w a s r e l e a s e d a n d r e h a b i l i t a t e d w h e n J a m e s
c a m e t o t h e t h r o n e i n 1 6 0 3 .
H e i s s o m e t i m e s p r o p o s e d a s t h e y o u n g m a n
t o w h o m t h e r s t o f S h a k e s p e a r e ’ s s o n n e t s
a r e a d d r e s s e d .
L E F T o h n F l o r i o
a l s o b e n e t e d
f r o m t h e E a r l o f
S o u t h a m p t o n ’ s
p a t r o n a g e .
H e o w n e d a
f a m o u s l i b r a r y
a n d t r a n s l a t e d
M o n t a i g n e ’ s
E s s a y s
B E L O W h a k e s p e a r e ’ s p a t r o n , t h e E a r l o f S o u t h a m p t o n , w a s
p a i n t e d m a n y t i m e s , f r e q u e n t l y w i t h l o n g h a i r , f o r w h i c h h e
w a s f a m o u s , c a r e f u l l y a r r a n g e d o v e r h i s s h o u l d e r s . H e i s s e e n
h e r e , i m p r i s o n e d i n t h e T o w e r , w i t h h i s c a t
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hakespeare
It d o e s a d is s e rv ic e to th e w rite r s o f th e E liz a b e th a n a g e to id e n tify th e m
s im p ly a s Sh a k e s p e a re ’s c o n te m p o r a r ie s a n d in s o m e w a y ju s t a n a d ju n c t
to th e Gre a t M a n . In th is re m a r k a b le p e r io d o f lite r a r y t a le n t, th e r e w e r e
d ra m a tis ts , p o e ts a n d p ro s e w rite r s w h o w e re a s p ro lific a n d a s s k ille d
a s Sh a k e s p e a re a n d w h o s e re p u ta tio n s e q u a lle d o r e x c e e d e d h is . Of
th is g r o u p o f e m in e n t w rite r s, th e liv e s o f th e fo llo w in g in d iv id u a ls c a n
b e c o n n e c te d m o s t e x p lic itly w ith Sh a k e s p e a r e ’s . He m a y a ls o h a v e
b o rro w e d o r a d a p te d th e ir w o rk , w h ic h w a s q u ite n o r m a l fo r th e t im e
Shakespeare’sontemporaries
T h o m a s L o d g e ( ? 1 5 5 7 1 6 2 5 )
Shakespeare’s source for As You Like It
was the hugely popu lar prose rom ance
Rosalynde by Thom as Lodge that was
published in 1590 .Lodge was one of
the influential “University Wits”
(Lodge, Lyly and Peele from O xford;
G reene, M arlowe and Nash from
Cam bridge) who are credited with the
introduction of a sophisticated,
versatile style of dram a dur ing the
1590 s.Shakespeare’s addition of the
characters Touchstone, Cor in and
Jaques to Lodge’s pastoral plot gives
the play a tougher, contem porary edgeas well as com edic range.
BELOW Ben Jonson’s cross section of
London life gather in Sm ithfield for
Bartholom ew Fair in the RSC’s 1969
production with Helen M irren (left)
as Doll Tearsheet
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hakespeare’s contemporaries
T h o m a s Ky d (1 5 5 8 9 4 )
While less is known of Kyd’s life than of
his contemporaries’, his in uence is clear.
He is thought to have written a play
called Hamlet (known now as the
“ur-Hamlet”), which although lost is
reckoned to be a source for Shakespeare’s
play. Shakespeare may have been
responding, too, to Kyd’s The Spanish
Tragedy of 1592, the most popular play of
the period, when he incorporated
revenge, a ghost, delay, madness, a range
of deaths and a “play within a play” into
his great work. In 1593, Kyd wasimprisoned and tortured, dying soon
after his release, and in 1602 (perhaps in
response to the popularity of the new
play, Shakespeare’s Hamlet) Ben Jonson
was employed to write additional “mad”
scenes for The Spanish Tragedy.
“ e m a y a l s o h a v e b o r r o w e d o r a d a p t e d t h e i r w o r k
w h i c h w a s q u i t e n o r m a l f o r t h e t i m e ”
LEFTThe original title page of Thomas
Kyd’s play The Spanish Tragedy.T he Spanish T ragedie
O R
H ieronimo is mad againe.C ontaining the lamentable end ofDon H oratio ,andB el-imperia ;w ith the pittifull death ofH ieronimo .
N ewly corrected,amended,and enlarged with newA dditions of thePainters part,and others,as
it hath of late been divers times acted.
L O N D O N ,Printed by W .W hite,and are to be sold by I.W hite
and T .Langley at their Shop over against theSarazens head without N ew-gate.1615
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hakespeare
AB OVE
Shake speare’s
friend Michael
Drayton in an
eighteenth-century
engraving that has awarded him
the laurel crown of a great poet
B ELOW Christopher Marlowe: some believe
that had he lived he might have outmatched
Shakespeare in range and skill
C h r i s t o p h e r M a r l o w e
( 1 5 6 4 9 3 )
Marlowe’s life has excited as much
speculation and controversy as
Shakespeare’s and their early lives were
similar. Born in Canterbury to the son of
a shoemaker and freeman of the city,
Marlowe attended the King’s School and
in 1580 went to Corpus Christi College,
Cambridge on a scholarship. His
subsequent life and career is less clear:
he was certainly a soldier, probably a
counterfeiter, spy and murderer,
possibly a heretic, and was stabbed to
death in a brawl in a Deptford tavern in
1593. It is clear that from the late 1580s
he was writing some of the greatest
plays in the English language –
Tamburlaine, Doctor Faustus, The Jew
of Malta, Edward II and The Massacre atParis – that infl uenced Shakespeare’s
Titus Andronicus, Richard II and The
Merchant of Venice. Like Shakespeare,
he drew on Ovid particularly in his
narrative poem Hero and Leander,
which is similar to Shakespeare’s Venus
and Adonis, and Shakespeare quotes the
poem directly in Phoebe’s speech in As
You Like It (Act 3, Scene 5).
M i c h a e l D r a y t o n ( 1 5 6 3 1 6 3 1 )
Drayton’s life overlaps with Shakespeare’s in a number of tantalizing ways. Their
backgrounds were similar: Drayton was also born in Warwickshire, in Hartshill,
and was the son of a butcher. He stayed regularly with Lady Rainsford, the daughter
of his former patron, at Cli ord Chambers, just south of Stratford-upon-Avon,
where his medical needs were met by John Hall, Shakespeare’s son-in-law. Legend
identifi es Drayton and Shakespeare as drinking buddies. Best known as a
professional poet, he also wrote plays for the Admiral’s Men – the only one that
survives, Sir John Oldcastle, was wrongly attributed to Shakespeare in 1619. His
greatest work, the topographical verse tour of Britain, Poly-Olbion, includes a
description of the Forest of Arden as it is encroached by enclosures and buildings.
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hakespeare’s contemporaries
AB OVE Av a r ic io u s le g a c y h u n t e rs
g a t h e r a t th e b e d s id e o f th e
w e a lt h y Vo l p o n e i n t h e RS C’s 1 9 9 9
p r o d u c tio n o f B e n J o n s o n ’s sa t ir e
o n J a c o b e a n Lo n d o n
B ELOW
B e n J o n s o n w a s
h o n o u r e d b y b u r ia l in
We s tm in s te r Ab b e y , w h e r e t h e
in s c rip tio n o n h is to m b s t o n e ,
“ O r a re B e n J o n s o n ” , r e fl e c t s t h e
r e s p e c t a n d a ff e c t io n o f
h is c o n te m p o ra r ie s
B e n J o n s o n ( 1 5 7 2 1 6 3 7 )
B r o u g h t u p b y h is s te p fa t h e r , a m a s te r
b u ild e r , J o n s o n w a s a p p r e n tic e d to a
b r ic k l a y e r, b u t le f t th e w o r k t o b e c o m e
a s o ld ie r fi g h t in g in T h e N e t h e rla n d s .
On h is re t u r n , h e b e c a m e a n a c to r a n d
b e g a n w r itin g p la y s f o r th e t h e a t r e
b u ild e r a n d o w n e r P h ilip He n s lo w e .
U n lik e Sh a k e s p e a r e , th e s e t t in g a n d
p lo t s fo r Jo n s o n ’s p o p u la r c o m e d ie s
– E v e r y M a n in h is Hu m o u r, E v e r y M a n
Ou t o f His Hu m o u r, Vo lp o n e , E p ic o e n e ,
T h e Alc h e m is t a n d B a r th o lo m e w F a ir
– w e r e c o n te m p o r a r y c it y life , b u t h e
h a d a g r e a t r a n g e a n d th e c o u r tm a s q u e s th a t h e w r o t e fo r Kin g J a m e s
w e r e im a g i n a t iv e a n d s o p h is tic a te d .
T h e r e s p e c t th a t J o n s o n h a d fo r
Sh a k e s p e a r e a n d t h e f rie n d s h ip
b e t w e e n t h e t w o m e n is e v id e n c e d in
h is g r e a t m e m o r ia l v e r s e “ T o th e
m e m o r y o f m y b e lo v e d , t h e a u t h o r M r
Willia m Sh a k e s p e a r e : a n d w h a t h e
h a t h le f t u s ” in t h e in t r o d u c t io n o f th e
F ir s t F o lio . S h a k e s p e a r e is “ t h e
a p p la u s e , th e d e lig h t, t h e w o n d e r o f
o u r s ta g e … He w a s n o t o f a n a g e b u t fo r
a l l t im e ” , a n d it is in t h is v e r s e t h a t h e i s
c a lle d “ Sw e e t s w a n o f Av o n ”.
“ ”The respect that Jonson hadfor Shakespeare and the
friendship between the twom en is evidenced in his
great m em orial verse”
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Shakespeare
[ En g l is h t ra n s l at io n o f t h e L a t in ]
L e t a l l m e n k n o w b y t h e s e p re s e nt s t h at w e
F u l k e S a nd e l ls o f S t rat fo rd in t h e C o u n ty o f
W a rw ic k , h u s b an d m an , an d J o h n R ic h a rd s o n
t h e re h u s b an d m an , a re h e ld an d rm ly b o u n d
b y R ic h ard C o s in g e n tle m an an d R o b e rt
W a rm s t ry p u b l ic n o t ary t o p ay f o rt y p o u n d s o f
g o o d a nd law f u l m o n e y o f En g l an d t o t h e s a m e
R ic h a rd a nd R o b e r t, t h e i r h e i rs , e x e c u t o rs , o r
a s s ig n s : t o m a k e w ic h p ay m e n t w e ll an d
f ait h f u l ly w e b in d o u rs e lv e s an d e ac h o f u s
s e v e ra ll y f o r t h e w h o le an d t o t a l a m o u n t , o u r
h e i rs , e x e c u t o rs , a nd ad m in is t rat o rs rm ly b y
t h e s e p re s e n t e s s e a le d w it h o u r s e a ls . G iv e n t h is d ay o f N o v e m b e r in t h e 2 5 t h ye ar o f t h e re ig n o f
o u r L ad y E iz ab e t h , b y t h e G ra c e o f G o d Q u e e n
o f En g la n d , F ran c e an d I re la n d , D e f e n d e r o f t h e
F a it h . & c
T h e c o n d ic [ i] o n o f t h is o b l ig ac [ i] o n y s s u c h e
t h at it h e ra f t e r t h e re s h a l l n o t ap p e re an y
L aw f u l l L e t t o r im p e d im e n t b y re a s o n o f an y
p [re ] c o n t ra c t c o n s a n g [u i] n it ie a ffi n it e o r b y an y
o t h e r la w f u ll m e an s w h at s o e u [e r] b u t t h at
w i l l[ ia] m S h a g s p e re o n e t h ro n e p [a r] tie , a nd
An n e h at h w e y o f S t rat fo rd in th e D io c e s o f
W o rc e s t e r m a id e n m ay law f u l ly s o le n n iz e m [at ]
ri[ m ] o n y t o g e t h e r an d in t h e s a m e a f t e rw a rd [e s ]
re m a in e an d c o n t in e w li k e m an an d w if e
ac c o rd in g v n t o t h e la w e s in t h at b e h a lf p ro u id e d
an d m o re o u [e r] i f t h e re b e n o t at t h is p [re ] s e n t
t im e an y a c t io n s u t e q u a rre l o r d e m au n d m o v e d
o r d e p e n d in g b e f o r a n y j u d g e e c c l[ e s ] ia s t ic a ll o r
t e m p o ra l l f o r a n d c o n c e rn in g an y s u c h e la w f u l l
le t t o r im p e d i m e n t . An d m o re o u [e r] if t h e s a id
w il l[ ia] m S h a g s p e re d o n o t p [ro ] c e e d to
s o le n n iz ac [ i] o n o f m a rri ad g w it h t h e s a id An n e
h at h w e y w it h o u t th e c o n s e n t o f h ir f rin d [e s ] .
An d als o i f t h e s a id w i l l[ ia] m d o v p o n h is o w n ep [ro ] p e r c o s t e a nd e x p e n s e d e fe n d & s au e
h a rm le s s t h e rig h t R e v e re n d fat h e r in g o d lo rd
J o h n b u s h o p o f W o rc e s t e r an d h is o ffi c e rs f o r
L ic e n c i ng t h e m t h e s a id w il l[ ia] m a nd An n e to
b e m arrie d to g e t h e r w it h o n c e a s k i n g o f t h e
b an ne s o f m [at] ri[m ] o n y b e t w e e n t h e m an d fo r
a l l o t h e r c au s e s w c h m ay e n s u e b y r e a s o n o r
o c c a s io n t h e ro f t h at t h e n t h e s a id o b li g ac [ i] o n t o
b e v o y d an d o f no n e e ff e c t o r e l s t o s t a nd a nd
ab id e in f u ll f o rc e an d v e rt u e
S h a k e s p e a r e ’s m a r r ia g e b o n d
The bond issued by the Bishop of Worcester on 28 November 1582 to William
Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway granting them permission to marry. A licence had
been issued the day before to William Shakespeare and a woman called Anne Whateley,
but no one knows whether this was a mistake that was recti ed in the marriage bond or
if there were two women, both called Anne, with whom Shakespeare had been involved.
ITEM 2
Shakespeare The Exhibits
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L o ve in g e C o n t re y m an I a m b o ld e o f
yo w a s o f a re n d e , c rav e in g e yo w r
h e lp e w t h x x x l i v p p o n m r B u s h e ll s &
m y s e c u ry t e e o r m r m y t t o ns w t h m e
m r R o s s w e ll is no t t c o m e to L o n d o n
a s ye at e & I h av e e s p e c ia l l c aw s e ,
yo w s h a l l re n d e m e m u c h e in
h e lp in g m e o u t o f a l l t h e d e b e t t[e s ] I
o w e in L o n d o n I t h an c k e g o d an d
m u c h e q u i e t m y m y n d e w c h w o ld e
n o t t b e in d e b e t e d I a m n o w e
t o w a rd [e s ] t h e C o w rt e in h o p e o f
an s w e r f o r t h e d is p at c h e o f m y
B u y s e n e s yo w s h a l l n e t h e r lo a s e
c re d d yt t n o r m o n e y b y m e t h e L o rd
w y l l in g e & n o w e b u t t p [e r] s w ad e
yo w rs e lf e s o e a s I h o p e & yo w s h a ll
n o t t n e e d t o f e a re b u t t w t h a ll h a rt ie
t h an c k e f u ll e n e s I w yl l h o ld e m y
t y m e an d c o n t e n t yo w r re n d e & y f
w e B a rg a in e f a rt h e r yo w s h a lb e t h e
p a ie m r yo w rs e l f e , m y t ym e b id d [e s ]
m e h a s te n t o an e nd e & s o e I c o m [m ]
it t t h ys [t o ] yo w r c a re & h o p e o f yo w r
h e l p e I fe a re I s h a ll n o tt b e b ac k e t h y s
n ig h t ro m t h e C o w rt e . h a s t e t h e
L o rd b e w t h yo w & w t h u s al l a m e n/
ro m t h e B e ll in C a rt e r L an e t h e 2 5
o c t o b r 1 5 9 8 /.
Y o w rs in al l k y nd e n e s
Ric h a r d Q u in e y ’s l e t t e r t o
Willia m S h a k e s p e a r e a s k in g fo r a l o a n
A letter dated 25 October 1598 from his friend Richard Quiney to
William Shakespeare which asks for help with a loan. Quiney’s father
had been friends with Shakespeare’s father John and so the two would
have known each other all their lives. Richard Quiney’s son Thomas
eventually married Shakespeare’s younger daughter Judith.
ITEM 3
T h e x h i b i t s
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a p t i s m r e g i s t ra t i o n o f H a m n e t a n d J u d i t h S h a k e s p e a r e
T h e r e g is tra t io n o f t h e b a p tis m s o f Willia m a n d An n e S h a k e s p e a r e ’s tw in s , Ha m n e t a n d
J u d it h . T h e b a p tis m s to o k p la c e o n 2 F e b r u a r y , 1 5 8 5 .
The xhibits
IT E M 5
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hakespeare
W
h ile re c o rd s in d e n tify th e
b u s in e s s m e n , s u c h a s P h ilip
He n s lo w e , w h o b u ilt a n d
o w n e d t h e n e w th e a t re s a n d ,
to a le s s e r e x te n t, t h e a c t o r s
w h o p e r fo r m e d in th e m , th e re is lim ite d
e v id e n c e a b o u t th e ir s iz e , s h a p e a n dc a p a c ity , o r th e s ty le o f p e r fo r m a n c e s t h a t
to o k p la c e t h e re . U n til th e re m a in s o f th e
Ro s e T h e a t re w e re d is c o v e re d in 19 8 9 ,
fo llo w e d s h o rtly b y t h e fo u n d a tio n s o f th e
Glo b e , a lm o s t th e o n ly r e s o u rc e w a s th e
s k e tc h o f th e S w a n m a d e b y a D u tc h v is ito r ,
J o h a n n e s d e Witt, in a b o u t 1 5 9 6 a n d c o p ie d
b y h is frie n d Ae r n o u t v a n B u c h e l.
T h e s t a g e , p ro b a b ly a b o u t 1 .7 m (5 f t) h ig h ,
p ro je c t e d in to th e a lm o s t c irc u la r th e a t re
w ith th e “g r o u n d lin g s ”, w h o p a id 1 d
a d m is s io n , s ta n d in g o n th re e s id e s a n d th e
re s t o f th e a u d ie n c e , w h o p a id 3 d , s e a te d in
th re e tie r s o f w o o d e n s e a tin g . T w o d o o rs a t
th e re a r o f th e s ta g e p ro v id e d e n tra n c e s a n d
e x its fo r t h e a c t o r s a n d th e r e is lik e ly t o h a v e
b e e n a n a re a b e tw e e n th e d o o rs – th e
c u rta in e d d is c lo s in g s p a c e – th a t m a y h a v e
b e e n a n a d d itio n a l a c t in g s p a c e o r a s to re .
P o lo n iu s m a y h a v e b e e n m u r d e re d b e h in d
th e a r ra s h e re o r D e s d e m o n a ’s b e d re v e a le d .
Ab o v e t h e s ta g e w a s a g a lle r y , b u t its p u r p o s e
is u n c e r ta in . So m e s u g g e s t th a t it w a s a n
a u d ie n c e s e a tin g a r e a , s o m e th a t it w a s a
m u s ic ia n s ’ g a lle r y , o th e r s th a t it w a s p a r t o f
th e p e r fo r m a n c e s p a c e . T h e d e Witt s k e tc h o f
th e S w a n s h o w s a fi g u re a b o v e th e c a n o p y
o v e r th e s ta g e : p e r h a p s h e is to u tin g fo r
c u s to m (“Ro l l u p , ro ll u p !”) o r h e m a y b e p a r t
o f t h e a c tio n . S ta g e d ire c t io n s in 1 He n r y I V
a n d T h e T e m p e s t in d ic a te t h a t a c h a ra c te r
a p p e a r s “o n th e to p ”. T h e a r e a b e n e a th th e
s ta g e , a c c e s s e d b y a t ra p , p ro v id e d a n
a d d itio n a l e n tra n c e – fo r th e g h o s t in Ha m le t ,
s a y – o r a n e x it fo r a d e s c e n t in to h e l l.
P la y s w e re c o m m o n ly p e rfo r m e d in o p e n s p a c e s , s u c h a s m a rk e t p la c e s a