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The Effectiveness of the Modernization of Shakespeare

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William Shakespeare was thought to have been born on April 23, 1564. At the time of his birth, babies were not formally registered and birth certificates were not produced but we do know that children were to be baptized three days after their birth and his baptism was the 26th, therefore, that is where the date comes from (Literary Genius). Shakespeare was one of eight children, which was actually quite small for a family of his time since families lived in fear of the child mortality rate (“Shakespeare Facts”). The only one of Shakespeare’s siblings to survive him was Joan II. She was named after her older sister, who died after only two months of life. She loved William wholeheartedly and was proud to see him become even more famous in the years that followed his lifetime. William’s family lived in a subdued market town in Britain, known as Stratford. William, specifically, lived on Henley Street where his father had lived for year’s prior (“Shakespeare Facts”). His childhood home is now restored and transformed into a museum for all to see and enjoy.
John Shakespeare and Mary Arden are the parents of William Shakespeare. John was a maker of gloves and leather goods but also sold wool and barley to make a living. He was also once elected to the council of the town but was voted out because of his debts (BBC News). Mary was the daughter of a wealthy landowner and had numerous children with John. William’s childhood was seemingly ordinary. He attended King Edward VI Grammar School only until the age of 15. He was sent to this school because his parents could afford to not send him out into the real world to help provide for their family (“Shakespeare Facts”). After he left at 15, he didn’t attend college but that didn’t stop hi...

... middle of paper ...

...to be heard by this slowly decaying world.

Works Cited

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Shakespeare, William, and G. Blakemore Evans. Romeo and Juliet. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge UP, 2003. Print.
"When & Where Was William Shakespeare Born?" When & Where Was William Shakespeare
Born. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2014.
"William Shakespeare." EBSCOhost. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2014.
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