Top 10 Most Amazing Facts About William Shakespeare – Famous Play “Romeo and Juliet” Author
William Shakespeare is widely known as the most elegant English poets, playwright, and actor. William Shakespeare plays a crucial and unique role in the world of literature.
Not only on literature, but he has a profound influence on languages, theater, and other elements of culture as well.
The plays, which Shakespeare wrote in the 16th and 17th centuries, are performed and read for centuries and even today.
Ben Jonson (Great poet and dramatist) said that “Shakespeare was not of an age, but for all time.”
Good night, good night! parting is such sweet sorrow, That I shall say good night till it be morrow.
William Shakespeare
Here are the some mind blowing facts about Willam Shakespeare.
10. Unknown Story About William Shakespeare
There is no specific evidence that tells us when Shakespeare made his way from his childhood home in Stratford-upon-Avon to London and playhouse glory.
There are some stories and assumptions about him, how he first arrived in the capital, the most famous story is that he worked as a kind of valet – looking after playgoers’ horses while they enjoyed the show.
But there is no proof about it, that how William Shakespeare first introduced into theatrical society? And why he left Stratford?
9. William Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway Who is 8 Years Older than Him
On November 28, 1582, William Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway at a time Shakespeare was 18 years old while Anne is 26 years old.
At a time, Anne was pregnant by three months because he was minor by law; they needed the license of Bishop’s Court in Worcester.
The license permits the marriage but outside of the ordinary residents, i.e., outside of the Stratford-upon-Avon.
William Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway had three children, first daughter, Susanna, was born six months after their marriage, and a few years later, Anne gives birth to the twins named Judith and Hamnet.
There is no documented evidence available about their relationship.
On 25 March 1616, Shakespeare signed a will in which he leaves his second-best bed to Anne Hathaway. The second-best bed would have been their marriage bed, and it’s reserved for guests.
8. William Shakespeare‘s Brother Edmund Shakespeare
Not only William Shakespeare but his younger brother Edmund Shakespeare also worked in the playhouses of London.
Edmund Shakespeare was born after 16 years of William Shakespeare in the year 1580. He lived in the Cripplegate area of London.
There is no record found that William and Edmund worked together. Edmund Shakespeare’s profession is the actor.
In the year 1607, Edmund Shakespeare became a father, an illegitimate son, baptized Edward, but unfortunately, the infant died, and Edmund followed him to the grave months later.
William Shakespeare ensured he buried with dignity at the church of St Saviour’s, but the reason for Edmund Shakespeare is a mystery.
7. Willam Shakespeare’s Work Translated In Almost Every Language
If William Shakespeare is in heaven now, then he is more then happy to know that his works have translated into 80 languages, including Esperanto and Klingon.
Shakespeare’s audiences are not limited by some generations or some group of people but people from all walks of life like his work.
His work has also translated into Reĝo Lear, Rikardo Tria, and La Komedio de Eraroj (the artificial language based on the structure of major European tongues.)
William Shakespeare also enjoyed to write in multiple languages and wrote a whole scene in French for the play Henry V.
Andrew Dickson ( author of Journeys around Shakespeare’s Globe) quoted that “People tend to say he is a universal writer. It is more complex than that.”
6. William Shakespeare Doesn’t Know The Right Spelling Of Their Name
There is documented evidence of six autographs of William Shakespeare, all of them are different.
There are some varieties in spelling in his name, such as Shappere”, “Shaxberd,” “Willm Shakp,” “Willm Shakspere.” He never spelled his name, “William Shakespeare.”
But It’s prevalent in those times Elizabeth era a spelling was very erratic, as per twentieth-century standards, though it was not totally without rules. Every name spelled in various ways.
5. William Shakespeare‘s Birth and Death
William Shakespeare was born on April 23, 1564, in Stratford-upon-Avon, according to the Tradition. But there is no proof about it, in which day he was born.
According to church records, William Shakespeare was baptized on 26 April.
While the death date of William Shakespeare was April 23, 1616, which is assumed from the record at a time he was 52 years old and retire from Stratford in 1613.
Consequently, his birth date and death date are the same. Shakespeare buried in the Holy Trinity Church in Stratford.
Where the Vicar, John ward wrote in his diary that Shakespeare, Drayton, and Ben Jonson had a merry meeting and it seems drunk too hard, and Shakespeare died of a fever.”
No one knows actual cause of William Shakespeare’s death.
4. Famous Words Invented by Willam Shakespeare.
Few useful words invented by William Shakespeare which we use often are:
- Manager
- Elbow
- Fashionable
- Eyeball
- Laughable
- Gloomy or lonely
- Uncomfortable
- Unaware
- Unreal
- Swagger
Undoubtedly, William Shakespeare had a significant influence on the English language. Not only the above words, but there are thousands of words invented by him that we use today in our daily life.
The introduction of new words and phrases by him, provide enrichment to the English language, which made it more colorful and expressive compared to other languages in the world.
One famous assumption is that he had 1,700 words created by borrowing from other languages.
He invented several phrases that are part of today’s language and use in the day to day conversation like seen better days, full circle, a sorry sight, strange bedfellows, and many more.
William Shakespeare knew seven languages and usually made direct quotes in other languages. He has a vibrant vocabulary which 24,000 words, the most for any writer, not only then and but even today.
3. The Longest Word By William Shakespeare is “Honorificabilitudinitatibus”
“Honorificabilitudinitatibus” is a Latin word that means “a state of being able to achieve honors.” One of his early comedies, “Love’s Labour’s Lost,” Shakespeare used it, which is the longest word he ever used.
According to history, this play was penned in the mid-1590s for a performance at the Inns of Court before Elizabeth I.
The scene is something like this: Holofernes, a pedantic schoolmaster and his friend, Sir Nathaniel, are discussing a mixture of Latin and Florid English.
When Moth, a young servant, enters, Costard says of the two pendants: “O, They have lived long on the alms-basket of words, I marvel thy master hath not eaten thee for a word; for thou art not so Honorificabilitudinitatibus: thou art easier swallowed than a flap-dragon.
Honorificabilitudinitatibus word has 27 letters. It is also the longest word in English language featuring alternating consonants and vowels: a long word with 13 vowels 14 consonants lined up alternatively.
2. The Lost Years Of William Shakespeare
This happened 2 times when Shakespeare lost for years in his life in which there was no information available about his life.
The first lost years are between 1578 to 1582. In 1578, William Shakespeare left the school at the age of 14; the reason assumed that he had to help his father and family in business because his father (John) became behind with his taxes.
The second lost years are between 1585 to 1592. After marrying Anne Hathaway in 1582, the couple blessed with a baby girl in 1583 now, it’s evident that he had responsibilities towards his family. Still, there is no clear documented evidence to indicate what Shakespeare was doing at this time.
So these years are known as the second lost year. But there are some assumptions such as Shakespeare was doing a job as a law clerk, he took the job as a schoolmaster, he traveled to Italy, or he might serve as a soldier or sailor for England.
1. Shakespeare’s Poetry Has Become a Major Nuisance in North America.
William Shakespeare features many kinds of birds in his poetry and plays. It’s not overwhelming to say that he writes more about birds than any other poet.
It’s also surprising that he not only mentioned some birds but many such as:
- Eagle
- Kite
- Nightingales
- Goose
- Cock
- Dove
- Pigeon
- Duck
- Blackbird
- Crow
- Sparrow
- Mallard
- Kingfisher
- Owl
- Parrot
- Peacock
- Popinjay, etc.
These references is inspiring bird lovers even today.
In 1890, a person named Eugene Schieffelin inspired by Shakespeare’s poetry and decided to introduce as many of Shakespeare’s birds as possible to North America.
And one day, he released 60 starlings into New York’s Central Park, which is never seen before in North America. Today, more than 200 million European Starlings are present in North America.
These European starlings are among the few birds who live in barren industrial urban wastelands and eat a wide variety of foods and use a wide variety of places to nest and roost.
These starlings have also had negative impact on the US economy and ecosystem.
These are the top 10 most amazing facts about William Shakespeare that you might not know.
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