William Shakespeare was born in the Shakespeare family house in Henley Street, Stratford-Upon-Avon, England. His actual date of birth cannot be known as at this time in England birth certificates were not produced, however his birth date can be guessed due to high mortality rate of infants. It is believed that he was born on the same day that he died. Shakespeare had two daughters and one son. The daughter’s names were Judith Quiney and Susanna Hall. His sons name was Hamnet Shakespeare who unfortunately died quite early being 11. He also had two grandsons and one granddaughter. His granddaughter was named Elizabeth Barnard and his two grandsons were named Thomas Quieny and Richard Quiney.

Little is known about Shakespeare’s early life. His father was a tradesman who became an alderman and bailiff, and Shakespeare was baptized in Stratford-upon-Avon on April 26, 1564. Sometime after the birth of his own children, Shakespeare set off for London to become an actor and by 1592 was well known and was quite famous in London’s theatrical world as an actor and playwright. His earliest plays, including The Comedy of Errors and The Taming of the Shrew, were written in the early 1590s. Later in the decade, he wrote tragedies like Romeo and Juliet (1594-1595) and comedies including The Merchant of Venice (1596-1597). His greatest tragedies were written after 1600, including Hamlet (1600-01), Othello (1604-05), King Lear (1605-06), and Macbeth (1605-1606).

As William Shakespeare is regarded as one of the greatest writers in the English language it doesn’t surprise me that all the things he wrote and acted are very popular reading materials around the globe. Much of his work is used in schools as part of the curriculum as learning as there are many text books explaining his work in modern English. Also lots of his amazing work has been turned into films even children’s films such as the lion king which is based on Hamlet.