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why did shakespeare died on his birthday

by Dr. Antwon Schroeder Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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His death occurred on or near his birthday (the exact date of his birth remains unknown), which may have been the source of a later legend that he fell ill and died after a night of heavy drinking with two other writers, Ben Jonson and Michael Drayton.

Full Answer

What did Shakespeare do after his son died?

Unlike his contemporary Ben Jonson, who wrote a lengthy piece on the death of his own son, Shakespeare, if he wrote anything in response, did so more subtly. At the time his son died, Shakespeare was writing primarily comedies, and that writing continued until a few years after Hamnet's death when his major tragedies were written.

Did Shakespeare have any children and was he married?

William Shakespeare had three children with his wife. Their names were Susanna, Hamnet and Judith. It is possible that he had other illegitimate children, but if they existed, their identities are unknown. Susanna was baptized in May 1583, six months after Shakespeare and his wife, Anne, got married.

Did Shakespeare have any brothers or sisters?

William Shakespeare came from a large family and had three brothers and four sisters ... although not all of them lived long enough to meet their most famous sibling!

Did Shakespeare have a dad?

William Shakespeare’s father was John Shakespeare, born in 1531 to Richard Shakespeare, a farmer from the village of Snitterfield – about five miles from Stratford upon Avon. John Shakespeare was an ambitious man; not content with a life of farming he moved to the urban centre of Stratford before 1552 as an apprentice glover and tanner of leathers.

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Is it true Shakespeare died on his birthday?

On 23 April, his presumed birthday, he died, aged 52. On 25 April, he was buried at Holy Trinity Church in Stratford. Shakespeare's widow, Anne, died in 1623 and was buried beside him. Shakespeare's family line came to an end with the death of his grand-daughter Elizabeth in 1670.

What is strange about Shakespeare's birthday?

Strange to think of the big birthday celebrations that we honour Shakespeare with, considering that birthdays weren't celebrated during his time. In the Elizabethan era many people didn't even know the date of their birth and, indeed, we don't actually know Shakespeare's birth date – only the date he was baptised.

What is unusual about Shakespeare's birthdate and date of death?

Among the last plays that Shakespeare worked on was The Two Noble Kinsmen, which he wrote with a frequent collaborator, John Fletcher, most likely in 1613. He died on April 23, 1616—the traditional date of his birthday, though his precise birthdate is unknown. We also do not know the cause of his death.

Was Shakespeare born and died on the same day?

Today in History for April 23: William Shakespeare born on this day in 1564, died on same day 52 years later.

What was Shakespeare's last words?

O happy dagger! This is thy sheath; there rust, and let me die.

What are 5 interesting facts about Shakespeare?

Facts About Shakespeare's LifeShakespeare's father made gloves for a living. ... Shakespeare was born 23rd April 1564. ... Shakespeare had seven siblings. ... Shakespeare married an older, pregnant lady at 18. ... Shakespeare had three children. ... Shakespeare moved to London as a young man. ... Shakespeare was an actor, as well as a writer.More items...

What is mysterious about Shakespeare's death?

Shakespeare's death is a mystery. It's been speculated that he died of syphilis or was even murdered. Helen explores the theory that comes from a diary written by a Stratford Vicar 50 years after Shakespeare's death.

What did Queen Elizabeth think of Shakespeare?

Shakespeare's company was often asked to go and do performances at court, so Queen Elizabeth certainly knew of his work very well and made several requests for specific plays that she liked.

What is interesting about Shakespeare's date of death?

William Shakespeare died on 23 April 1616, his 52nd birthday. In truth, the exact date of Shakespeare's death is not known but assumed from a record of his burial two days later, 25 April 1616, at Holy Trinity Church. Stratford upon Avon, where his grave remains.

What is it called when someone dies on their birthday?

There appears to be only one term for dying on your birthday that has been invented at this time, "birthday-perisher." In a 2012 Time Magazine article, writer Anoosh Chakelian used the term "birthday-perisher" to describe people who died on their birthday.

Who famous has died on their birthday?

List of 9 Famous People Who Died On Their Own BirthdayIngrid Bergman, August 29, 1915–August 29, 1982. ... Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Jr., August 17, 1914–August 17, 1988. ... Merle Haggard, April 6, 1937–April 6, 2016. ... Betty Friedan, February 4, 1921–February 4, 2006. ... Kamehameha V, December 11, 1830–December 11, 1872.More items...•

Have any celebrities died on their birthday?

Big Band singer and actress Fran Warren died March 4, 2013, on her 87th birthday. Country singer Merle Haggard died on April 6, 2016, his 79th birthday. Ed Aschoff, college football reporter for ESPN, died on his 34th birthday, Dec.

What is the irony in Shakespeare's date of birth?

On the inscription on his funeral monument, it states that Shakespeare died April 23, 1616, having entered the 53rd year of his age. This means he would've had to have been born no later than the 23rd, or else he would've been 52 when he died.

What is the most likely reason we don't know Shakespeare's exact birthday or the exact publication dates of his plays and poetry?

What is the most likely reason we don't know Shakespeare's exact birthday or the exact publication dates of his plays and poetry? Records were not kept as regularly or accurately as they are now, especially for those who weren't wealthy.

What happened on Shakespeare's 52nd birthday?

How old was Shakespeare when he died? William Shakespeare died on the day he turned 52 years old, on 23 April 1616.

How did Shakespeare die?

On April 23, 1616, English poet and playwright William Shakespeare died in his hometown of Stratford-upon-Avon at the age of fifty-two. His death occurred on or near his birthday (the exact date of his birth remains unknown), which may have been the source of a later legend that he fell ill and died after a night of heavy drinking with two other writers, Ben Jonson and Michael Drayton.

Where was Shakespeare buried?

Although Shakespeare had achieved some measure of acclaim and financial success during his life, writing for the stage was, at the time of his death, not yet thought of as a serious artistic pursuit, and his modest burial at Holy Trinity Church was more suited to a wealthy local retiree than a celebrity.

Who published the first folio of Shakespeare's plays?

However, within a few years of his death, Shakespeare’s friends and admirers began to lay the groundwork for his literary immortality. In 1623 John Heminge and Henry Condell assembled his plays into a single large-format edition. We know this edition as the First Folio, one of the most famous texts in English literature.

When did Shakespeare die?

Alas, poor Shakespeare! 402 years ago, on April 23, 1616, the famous English playwright died at the age of 52. But we also celebrate the birth of William Shakespeare on April 23, 1564.

Why is Shakespeare still celebrated today?

But the reason why he’s still celebrated today is probably that the plays hit what we now call a perfect “high/low” combination.

What day was Shakespeare born?

In his book Shakespeare: The World as Stage, Bill Bryson writes about the confusing birthday situation like this: “We don’t quite know when he was born…by tradition, it is agreed to be April 23, Saint George’s Day. This is the national day of England, and coincidentally also the date on which Shakespeare died fifty-two years later, ...

Why is Shakespeare's death easier to pin down?

Shakespeare’s death is a little easier to pin down, only because, by that time, better records were kept, and there is a lot more documentation as to what happened to his will. Eerily, Shakespeare made a few changes to his will, in late March of 1616. Presumably, this was connected with the fact that his daughter’s husband had been involved in a huge scandal and Shakespeare wanted to cut him out of any inheritance. Six days before Shakespeare died, his brother-in-law also passed away. The causes of old Will’s death are not known, but maybe it was all the stress?

Did Shakespeare's brother-in-law die on the same day?

Six days before Shakespeare died, his brother-in-law also passed away. The causes of old Will’s death are not known, but maybe it was all the stress? The fact that Shakespeare’s death and birth are celebrated on the same day makes a lot of sense if you’re a hardcore fan of his writing.

How old was Shakespeare when he died?

Shakespeare was assumed to be 52 years old when he died. Depending on his exact dates of birth and death, he was possibly 51 and just a few days shy of his birthday. His cause of death is unknown, but it was most likely some kind of fever or illness that killed him.

When Did William Shakespeare Die?

For instance, the answer to ''what year did Shakespeare die?'' is quite clear: he definitely died in 1616. His exact date of death is unknown, but his funeral was held on April 25th, 1616, and it is thought that he died on April 23rd. He was living in his hometown of Stratford-Upon-Avon at the time of his death, having retired from the theatre some years prior.

How many plays did Shakespeare write?

He lived from 1564 until 1616, and during his prolific career, he wrote at least 38 plays and more than 150 poems, most of which were sonnets. His most famous works include Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, and A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Where is Shakespeare buried?

William Shakespeare was interred at Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-Upon-Avon. His resting place was inside the church, which was expensive to organize and a sign of some honor due to the individual in question. His wife and his children were also buried in the same church. It is thought that Shakespeare composed his own epitaph, which reads:

Who was Shakespeare's wife?

Shakespeare was one of eight children, several of whom died in childhood. When he was eighteen years old, he married Anne Hathaway. Hathaway was twenty-six at the time and was probably pregnant at the time of the wedding. Together, Shakespeare and Hathaway had three children: a daughter named Susanna and twins named Hamnet and Judith. Susanna's only daughter did not have children, Hamnet died in childhood, and Judith's children died in childhood. As such, Shakespeare has no direct descendants today.

Has Shakespeare ever been exhumed?

This warning not to disturb Shakespeare's grave has been followed ever since his death: he has never been exhumed, even though there has been significant interest from some historians and archaeologists to find out more about what caused his death.

How old was Shakespeare when he died?

Shakespeare also died on 23 April; in 1616, when he was 52 years of age.

When was Shakespeare baptized?

Shakespeare’s baptism is recorded in the Parish Register at Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon on Wednesday 26 April 1564. Baptisms typically took place within three days of a new arrival, and parents were instructed by the Prayer Book to ensure that their children were baptised no later than the first Sunday after birth. This means that it’s unlikely that Shakespeare was born any earlier than the previous Sunday, 23 April. Given that three days would be a reasonable interval between birth and baptism, 23 April has therefore come to be celebrated as his birthday.

What font was William Shakespeare baptised in?

The font in which William Shakespeare was baptised, Holy Trinity Church.

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