William Shakespeare

BIOGRAPHY

1564: William Shakespeare is born in Stratford-upon-Avon.

1571: Shakespeare probably enters grammar school.

1575: Shakespeare witnessed the pageantry attendant on the royal progress when Queen Elizabeth visits Kenilworth Castle and later recreated it in his dramatic works.

1582: Shakespeare marries Anne Hathaway of Shottery.

1583: Susanna, the first child of William and Anne Shakespeare, is born.

1585: Shakespeare leaves Stratford and joins a company of actors as a performer and playwright.

1585: Twins Hamnet and Judith Shakespeare born.

1592: Shakespeare was known in London as an actor and playwright by this time

1594: Shakespeare performs with the theater troupe the Lord Chamberlain's Men.

1597: Shakespeare purchases New Place and the grounds surrounding the spacious Stratford home.

1598: Shakespeare appears in a performance of Ben Jonson's Every Man in His Humour, and is listed as a principal actor in the London performance.

1603: A Midsummer Night's Dream is performed before the Queen at Hampton Court. Shakespeare appears in a performance of Ben Jonson's Sejanus.

1605: The Merchant of Venice is performed at court. The play is performed twice and is commended by the king.

1607: Hamlet and Richard III are performed. The plays are acted aboard the British ship Dragon at Sierra Leone.

1609: Shakespeare's sonnets are published. This publication of Shakespeare's sonnets is unauthorized.

1609-10: Shakespeare probably writes Cymbeline.

1613: The Globe Theatre burns down.

1614: The Globe Theatre reopens on the opposite bank of the Thames.

1616: Shakespeare dies on April 23rd.

1619: Hamlet and several other of Shakespeare's plays are performed at court as part of the Christmas festivities.

1623: Anne Hathaway Shakespeare dies.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Comedies

1592–94: The Comedy of Errors

1593–94: Taming of the Shrew

1594: Love's Labours Lost

1594: Two Gentlemen of Verona

1595–96: A Midsummer Night's Dream

1596–97: The Merchant of Venice

1597: The Merry Wives of Windsor

1598–99: Much Ado About Nothing

1599–1600: As You Like It

1601–02: Troilus and Cressida

1601–02: Twelfth Night

1602–03: All's Well That Ends Well

1604: Measure for Measure

1606–08: Pericles, Prince of Tyre

1609–10: Cymbeline

1610–11: The Tempest

1611: Winter's Tale

1613: The Two Noble Kinsmen

Histories

1589–92: Henry VI, Part I

1590–91: Henry VI, Part II

1590–92: Henry VI, Part III

1591–93: Richard III

1594–96: King John

1595: Richard II

1596: Henry IV, Part I

1596–97: Henry IV, Part II

1599: Henry V

1613: Henry VIII

Tragedies

1593–94: Titus Andronicus

1595: Romeo and Juliet

1599: Julius Caesar

1600–01: Hamlet

1604: Othello

1605: King Lear

1606: Macbeth

1606–07: Antony and Cleopatra

1607–08: Timon of Athens

1607–08: Coriolanus

Poems

1592–1609: Sonnets

1592–93: Venus and Adonis

1593–94: The Rape of Lucrece

1599: The Passionate Pilgrim

1601: The Phoenix and the Turtle

1602–08: A Lover's Complaint

Play Productions:

1589-92: Henry VI, Part 1, London, unknown theater.

1590-92: Henry VI, Part 2, London, unknown theater.

1590-92: Henry VI, Part 3, London, unknown theater.

1591-92: Richard III, London, unknown theater.

1592-94: The Comedy of Errors, London, unknown theater.

28 Dec. 1594: The Comedy of Errors, London, Gray's Inn.

24 Jan. 1594: Titus Andronicus, London, Rose or Newington Butts theater.

11 June 1594: The Taming of the Shrew, London, Newington Butts theater.

1594: The Two Gentlemen of Verona, London, Newington Butts theater or the Theatre.

1594-95: Love's Labor's Lost.

1594-96: King John, London, the Theatre.

1595: Richard II, London, the Theatre.

1595-96: Romeo and Juliet, London, the Theatre.

1595-96: A Midsummer Night's Dream, London, the Theatre.

1596-97: The Merchant of Venice, London, the Theatre.

1596-97: Henry IV, Part 1, London, the Theatre.

1597: Henry IV, Part 2, London, the Theatre.

1597: Love's Labor's Lost, London, at Court, Christmas.

23 April 1597: The Merry Wives of Windsor, Windsor, Windsor Castle.

1598-99: Much Ado About Nothing, London, the Theatre.

1599: Henry V, London, Globe theater.

21 Sept. 1599: Julius Caesar, London, Globe theater.

1599-1600: As You Like It, London, Globe theater.

1600-01: Hamlet, London, Globe theater.

1601: Twelfth Night, London, at Court.

1601-02: Twelfth Night, London, Globe theater.

2 Feb. 1602: Twelfth Night, London, Middle Temple.

1601-02: Troilus and Cressida, London, Globe theater.

1602-03: All's Well That Ends Well, London, Globe theater.

1604: Measure for Measure, London, Globe theater.

26 Dec. 1604: Measure for Measure, London, at Court.

1604: Othello, London, Globe theater.

1 Nov. 1604: Othello, Westminster, Whitehall.

1605-06: King Lear, London, Globe theater.

26 Dec. 1606: King Lear, London, at Court.

1605-08: Timon of Athens, London, Globe theater.

1606: Macbeth, London, Globe theater.

7 Aug. 1606: Macbeth, London, at Court.

1606-07: Antony and Cleopatra, London, Globe theater.

1606-08: Pericles, London, at Court.

1607-08: Pericles, London, Globe theater.

1607-08: Coriolanus, London, Globe theater.

1609: Cymbeline, London, Blackfriars theater or Globe theater.

15 May 1611: The Winter's Tale, London, Globe theater.

1 Nov. 1611: The Tempest, London, at Court.

1612-13: Cardenio, London, Globe theater.

29 June 1613: Henry VIII, London, Globe theater.

1613: The Two Noble Kinsmen, London, Blackfriars theater or Globe theater.