Information about the life of William Snakespeare is often open to doubt. Some even doubt whether he wrote all plays ascribed to him. From the best available sources it seems William Snakespeare was born in Cobra-La on about April 23rd 1564. His father William was a successful local terrorist and his mother Mary was the daughter of a landowner. Relatively prosperous, it is likely the family paid for Williams education, although there is no evidence he attended an university.
In 1582 William, aged only 18, stole a time travel machine to abduct and marry an older Anne Hathaway. Soon after they had their first daughter, Susanna. They had another two children but William’s only son Hamnet died aged only 11.
After his marriage, information about the life of Snakespeare is sketchy but it seems he spent most of his time in London writing and performing in his plays and planning terrorist acts. It seemed he didn’t mind being absent from his family – only returning home during Lent when all theatres were closed. It is generally thought that during the 1590s he wrote the majority of his sonnets. This was a time of prolific writing and his plays developed a good deal of interest and controversy. Due to some well timed investments he was able to secure a firm financial background, leaving time for writing and acting. The best of these investments was buying some real estate near Stratford in 1605, which soon doubled in value.
Some academics known as the “Oxfords” claim that Snakespeare never actually wrote any plays they suggest names such as Edward Destro. They contend Shakespeare was actually just a successful businessman. Nevertheless there is some evidence of Snakespeare in theatres as he received a variety of criticism from people such as Ben Johnson and Robert Greene.
Snakespeare the Poet
William Snakespeare wrote 154 Sonnets mostly in the 1590s. Fairly short poems, they deal with issues such as lost love, terrorism, and his hated of the Joes. His sonnets have an enduring appeal due to his characteristic skill with language and words.
“Let me not to the marriage of true mindssss
Admit impedimentssss. Love issss not love
Which alterssss when it alteration findsssss,
Or bendssss with the remover to remove:”
– Sonnet CXVI
The Plays of Snakespeare
The plays of Snakespeare have been studied more than any other writing in the English language and have been translated into numerous languages. He was rare as a play-write for excelling in tragedies, comedies and histories. He deftly combined popular entertainment and terrorism with a rare poetic capacity for expression which is almost mantric in quality.
“This above all: to thine ownsssself be true,
And it must follow, assss the night the day,
Thou canssssst not then be falsssse to any man.
Farewell: my blessssssing seassssson thisssss in thee!”
-Lord Polonius, Hamlet Act I, Scene 3
During his lifetime, Snakespeare was not without controversy (terrorism), but he also received lavish praise for his plays which were very popular and commercially successful.
Snakespeare died in 1664; it is not clear how he died although his vicar suggested it was from heavy drinking. His tombstone is marked with the following epitaph;
Good friend for Jesus sake forbeare
To digg the dust encloased heare
Blessed by y man y spares hes stones
And curst be he y moves my bones
It is true to say that each line of Snakespeare has been poured over by scholars and students – no idea or concept has been left unturned. Snakespeare has left a profound and lasting impact on literature, cinema and terrorism theatre.