Fast Facts About Shakespeare

William Shakespeare, who was born 443 years ago, shaped language and life immeasurably. Lines from his plays and sonnets still spill from tongues in everyday chitchat. Today we celebrate his birthday and in honor of his enduring legacy list a few notable facts about this extraordinary communicator.

1. Stratford-upon-Avon: William Shakespeare was born April 23, 1564, in Stratford-upon-Avon, a middle-class town in Elizabethan England. He was the third of eight children. His father John was a glove maker and his mother Mary was the daughter of a farmer. However, he did have family with high social standing in the community, which may have provided him insights about the aristocracy.

2. Did Shakespeare have children? Shakespeare and his wife, Anne Hathaway, had three children: Susanna, the eldest, and twins Judith and Hamnet. Hamnet, Shakespeare’s only son, died in childhood.

3. The Play's the Thing: Shakespeare wrote 39 plays; a few were collaborations with other playwrights. Generally, they are broken into three categories: comedies, histories and tragedies.

4. Did Shakespeare have a "ghost" writer? There has been continued specualtion and debate as to the authenticity of the body of work credited to Shakespeare. Some argue that Christopher Marlowe, another 16th-century writer, actually wrote the plays, but most all scholars agree that Shakespeare was the author.

5. 'Venus and Adonis': - Plague outbreaks in the late 1590s prompted London authorities to close public theaters. It was during this period that Shakespeare began writing poems and sonnets sonnets. Note: The Elizabethans considered poetry writing a more prestigious effort than writing plays. Shakespeare dedicated 'Venus and Adonis,' his first poem, to the Earl of Southampton, perhaps a political move to gain support.

6. Quotables: "Oh what a tangled web we weave..." Believe it or not, this frequently quoted line is not Shakespeare, but Sir Walter Scott, taken from his poem 'Marmion.' However, the line "Parting is such sweet sorrow," taken from 'Romeo and Juliet,' is one of the most frequently quoted of Shakespeare's works.

7. Word Play: Shakespeare loved word play and scholars say that his experimentation helped give new life to English literature. The Oxford English Dictionary credits him with contributing to the creation of more than 500 words. Some notable words and phrases are: "fair play," "a foregone conclusion," "catch cold," and the words "assassination," "eventful," "lackluster" and "rival."

8. Notables: Shakespeare's earliest play was 'King Henry VI.' His last play was 'The Two Noble Kinsmen.' His longest play is 'Hamlet' (4,042 lines). His shortest play is 'The Comedy of Errors (1,787 lines). (Source: Folger Shakespeare Library FAQs)

Sources:

Wadsworth, Frank W. "Shakespeare, William." World Book Online Reference Center. 2006. World Book Online, April 20, 2006. http://www.aolsvc.worldbook.aol.com/wb/Article?id=ar504520.

Folger Shakespeare Library: http://www.folger.edu

http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/people/A0861048.html