The Author

William Shakespeare was born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon, England. He attended grammar school as a boy, married Anne Hathaway (no not that one, the other one) when he was 18, then left her and their three children around eight years later to seek his fortune as an actor and playwright in London. Over the next 26 years, Shakespeare penned at least 37 plays and 154 sonnets, became part owner of the Globe Theatre, and won the favour of both Queen Elizabeth I and King James I. He died in 1616 aged 52.