74-) English Literature

74- ) English Literature

William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare Timeline

April 26, 1564

William Shakespeare is baptized at the Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The exact date of his birth is not known. The standard of the time was to baptize an infant three days after birth, so Shakespeare’s birthday is traditionally celebrated on April 23. He is the son of John and Mary Arden Shakespeare.

1582

Shakespeare marries Anne Hathaway, also of Stratford. The pair have three children: Susanna (baptized May 26, 1583) and twins Hamnet and Judith (baptized February 2, 1585). Hamnet, Shakespeare’s only son, dies at age 11.

c. 1589–92

Shakespeare composes his first full-length tragedy, Titus Andronicus, a violent story of revenge and political strife in ancient Rome. The exact date range of its composition has never been determined, but he likely wrote it after relocating to London sometime in the late 1580s.

1592

The first reference to Shakespeare as a part of the literary world of London comes from a pamphlet written by Robert Greene, a fellow dramatist. In the pamphlet Greene insults the young Shakespeare as an “upstart crow.”

c. 1592–94

During a pause in his theatrical career that was caused by an outbreak of plague in London, Shakespeare begins writing poetry. The work produced during this period includes the poems Venus and Adonis (1593) and The Rape of Lucrece (1594) and his sonnet sequence (published 1609).

1594

Shakespeare joins the Lord Chamberlain’s Men theatrical company (later called the King’s Men), with whom he works for the remainder of his career as a dramatist. The company features actor Richard Burbage, who was widely acclaimed as the best English actor of the era.

Autumn 1599

Construction of the Globe Theatre, home of the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, is completed. It is the first theater to be specifically built for an existing acting company. Most of Shakespeare’s greatest plays were first performed at the open-air Globe. The theater was destroyed in 1644 but its lasting fame, because of its connection with Shakespeare, led to a replica being constructed near the original site in 1997.

April 23, 1616

Shakespeare dies in his hometown of Stratford. Knowing that his end was near, he had made his will the previous month, bequeathing his property to the male heirs of his elder daughter, Susanna. Historians have long puzzled over his decision to leave his wife, Anne (who would die in 1623), his “second-best bed.” Shakespeare is buried on the grounds of the parish church of Stratford.

Early Plays:

The Two Gentlemen of Verona (1590-91)

Henry VI, Part I (1592)

Henry VI, Part II (1592)

Henry VI, Part III (1592)

Titus Andronicus (1592)

The Taming of the Shrew (1593)

The Comedy of Errors (1594)

Love’s Labour’s Lost (1594-95)

Romeo and Juliet (1595)

Histories:

Richard III (1592)

Richard II (1595)

King John (1595-96)

Henry IV, Part I (1596-97)

Henry IV, Part II (1596-97)

Henry V (1598-99)

Later Comedies:

A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1595-96)

The Merchant of Venice (1596-97)

The Merry Wives of Windsor (1597-98)

Much Ado about Nothing (1598)

As You Like It (1599-1600)

Twelfth Night, or What You Will (1601)

Troilus and Cressida (1602)

Measure for Measure (1601)

All’s well that Ends Well (1604-05)

Roman Plays:

Julius Caesar (1599)

Antony and Cleopatra (1606)

Coriolanus (1608)

Later Tragedies:

Hamlet (1600-01)

Othello (1603-04)

Timon of Athens (1605)

King Lear (1605-06)

Macbeth (1606)

Late Plays:

Pericles, Prince of Tyre (1607)

The Winter’s Tale (1609)

Cymbeline (1610)

The Tempest

Chronology of Shakespeare’s plays

A chronology of Shakespeare’s plays is provided in the table.

Chronology of Shakespeare's plays

date of composition  ,  title of play	date of composition , title of play
1588–97	Love's Labour's Lost
1589–92	Henry VI, Part 1; Titus Andronicus
1589–94	The Comedy of Errors
1590–92	Henry VI, Part 2
1590–93	Henry VI, Part 3
1590–94	The Taming of the Shrew; The Two Gentlemen of Verona
1590–95	Edward III
1592–94	Richard III
1594–96	King John; Romeo and Juliet
1595–96	A Midsummer Night's Dream; Richard II
1596–97	The Merchant of Venice;Henry IV, Part 1
1597–98	Henry IV, Part 2
1597–1601	The Merry Wives of Windsor
1598–99	Much Ado About Nothing
1598–1600	As You Like It
1599	Henry V
1599–1600	Julius Caesar
1599–1601	Hamlet
1600–02	Twelfth Night
1601–02	Troilus and Cressida
1601–05	All's Well That Ends Well
1603–04	Measure for Measure; Othello
1605–06	King Lear
1605–08	Timon of Athens
1606–07	Macbeth; Antony and Cleopatra
1606–08	Pericles
1608	Coriolanus
1608–10	Cymbeline
1609–11	The Winter's Tale
1611	The Tempest
1612–14	The Two Noble Kinsmen
1613	Henry VIII;Cardenio (now lost; presumed basis for Double Falsehood)