Discrepancies of Shakespeare

A detailed Summary of Discrepancies of Shakespeare

Shakespeare is a world renowned playwright. Most people could describe at least of one of his plays, poems, or sonnets. However, not many people can recall the details of his personal life. Some may know that he was married, while others believe that he gay. Since there are so many discrepancies concerning William Shakespeare, it can no longer be determined what the facts are and what is fiction.

The discrepancies that involve Shakespeare start with his father. John Shakespeare had come to live in Stratford-upon-Avon, working as a glove maker. However, John had a long line of jobs. He was a wool dealer and was involved in money-lending (www.shakespeare.org). Besides these he was a whittawer, which is a white-leather worker, and a general agricultural dealer (Hunter WP). According to John Aubrey, an English writer from Shakespeare's time, John was a butcher. To add to all of this, research shows that John was a prominent citizen, and a "highly successful and respected man of high status" (http:168.216.219.18). John held many public official positions. He served on the town council for many years, maintained the position of justice of the peace, and became Bailiff, the equivalent of a modern day

William Shakespeare was the third child that Mary bore John, but he was the first to live past early childhood. Shakespeare was born in April of 1564, but the exact date of his arrival is not known. Since the rate of infant mortality was high, babies were baptized within two or three days of their birth. Shakespeare was baptized on the 26th of April (Epstein, 22). So, it is assumed that Shakespeare was born on April 23, 1564. However, he could have been born on the 24th or the 22nd. In fact, he could have been born on the 25th and there just happened to be a baptismal on the 26th. There are so many possibilities that one must wonder if it is right to assume a date.

And for a woman wert thou first created,

But since she pricked thee out for women's pleasure,

mayor, in 1568, (www.shakespeare.org). Now, how could a man who couldn't write, (http:168.216.219.18), hold so many different positions? From butcher to a glove maker to being involved with money-lending to Bailiff, how can one tell what is true and which is made up to improve the story of where William Shakespeare came from?

Till Nature as she wrought thee fell a-doting,

Mine be thy love, and thy love's use their treasure.

The next known record of Shakespeare explains the rush the couple had to get to the altar. On May 26, six months after their marriage, Susanna Shakespeare was christened, (Epstein, 23). Two years later, in February, twins, Judith and Hamnet, were born. William was not yet twenty-one. (Hunter, WP)

William had the example of his father's success and the standing of his mother as a gentlewoman to ignite his own ambition, and it was while he was young that his father was at the height of his influence.

Then, the fortunes of his father mysteriously failed as he appeared to fall into financial difficulties which led him to default on his attendance at council meetings. As for William, it is very likely that he became apprenticed to his father's business. This is because it was the custom for young men, in those days, to follow in their father's footsteps. The best way for a young man to learn his father's trade was to become an apprentice to his father. John's business was in Stratford, which was a thrivin

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Approximate Word count = 1488
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English