ShakespearesFamily3

WHO WAS SHAKESPEARE'S FAMILY? WHO WAS SHAKESPEARE'S WIFE? WHAT WAS SHAKESPEARE'S RELATIONSHIP LIKE WITH HER? WHO WERE HIS CHILDREN? WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE WOMEN AND CHILDREN BEHIND SHAKESPEARE? WHAT WERE THEIR LIVES LIKE IN STRATFORD-UPON-AVON? **** Prepared By: Madeline J. ** Shakespeare came from a large family which was considered normal back then. His father, John Shakespeare, was a skilled leather worker and later started a business loaning money. William’s mother, Mary Arden, came from a wealthy family and was a member of the Nobel Catholic Family. They got married in 1557 and had a total of eight children. Joan was their first daughter, born in 1558, but had a tragic death two months after birth due to the Black Death. Their second daughter, born in 1562, Margret, also only lived a year; her cause of death is unknown though. The family had gone through a lot and was traumatized from what they had happened with their past two daughters. Then William was born, the fourth child. Which was a miracle to the family, He lived a full and healthy life. After William came Gilbert in 1566. He survived the plague and moved to London with will. In 1569 Joan was born as the fifth Shakespeare; she spend her life close to her mother doing chores. Anne, the sixth child, born in 1571, died at the age of eight during the family’s financial trouble. Richard was the families’ seventh family and was born in 1574. It is said that Richard could most likely not read or write. It is said that he did not have the time to go to school; he had to help his family though the tough times. Edmond was their last child; he was named after his uncle, Edmond Lambert. The Shakespeare family went through many tragedies and hard times, but little did they know one of their sons would be a legend.

William grew older and decided to settle down with the lovely Anne Hathaway. Anne was the eldest of seven childr en, but some of the children were from her fathers second marriage. She came from a wealthy family and was a member of the Noble Catholic Family. According to Peter Holland their families had known each other for the Shakespeares loaned out money to the Hathaways. William got married to Anne Hathaway on November 27, 1582. He was eighteen and she was eight years his senior. At the time Anne was pregnant; that is most likely the reason that they got married in a d ifferent town with a quick mass. Six months later their first daughter was born, Susanna S. When she was older she married Doctor John Hall who had a practice in Stratford. In February of 1585 Anne gave birth to twins, Hamnet and Judith. Shortly after they were born, Will left for London to pursue his career. Hamnet lived with his grandparents with no education and died of the plague at age eleven. Their daughter Judith had a scandalous marriage. Her husband got another girl pregnant and they filed divorce. On the other hand, Judith received most of Shakespeare’s wealth Joseph Pearce says historians think that because they only had three children it could show that they had an unhappy marriage, but no one can prove that for sure. Stratford- Upon- Avon according to Shakespeare’s birthplace trust was a small town of only 1,500 people to 2500 residences. It was a little bigger than a village though. London is about one hundred miles south. Woodlands and countryside surrounded it. The town was completely self sufficient; an average person should h ave no reason to walk  more than a half a day away. At the center of town there would be a weekly market. It was usually held on Thursdays. Everything was available in town. Money was short so bartering almost always took place; one good or service for another. In town there was no clean water so their beverage was home brewed beer. It was in this quaint town that Shakespeare later bought a substantially large house called New Place.

**Work cited** Holland, Peter. //William Shakespeare//. Oxford: Oxford Press, 2007. 7-11. Print.

"Life in Elizabethan Stratford upon Avon." //William Shakespeare Info//. William Shakespeare Info, 2005. Web. 3 Apr 2010. . Pearce, Joseph. //The Quest for Shakespeare//. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2008. 13,14,80-89. Print. "Shakespeare's Stratford." //Shakespeare Birthplace Trust//. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, 2010. Web. 3 Apr 2010. . "William Shakespeare Family Timeline." //William Shakespeare Info//. William Shakespeare Info, 2005. Web. 3 Apr 2010. .