23rd April is Shakespeare’s Birthday! To celebrate here are some fascinating facts about the Bard himself!
We probably don’t spell Shakespeare’s name correctly
Sources from William Shakespeare’s lifetime spell his last name in more than 80 different ways, ranging from “Shappere” to “Shaxberd.” And Shakespeare himself never wrote his full name, usually using abbreviation. So we don’t even know how he spelt it himself!
Shakespeare warded off grave-robbers by writing a curse on the epitaph over his tomb
“To dig the dust enclosed here. Blessed be the man that spares these stones, and cursed be he that moves my bones.”
Shakespeare was also an actor
Many people don’t realise Shakespeare was an actor as well as a playwright; he performed in many of his own plays and those of other playwrights as well!
Shakespeare died on his birthday!
William Shakespeare’s burial is documented as happening on the 25th April 1616. The tradition at the time was to be buried 2 days after death, meaning he died on the 23rd April- his 52nd birthday!.
Shakespeare wrote poems whilst the theatres were closed
During the plague all London theatres were closed between 1592 and 1594. With no demand for plays, Shakespeare wrote poetry. He completed his first set of poems in 1593.
Shakespeare is quoted almost as often as the bible
According to the Literature Encyclopaedia, Shakespeare is the second most quoted English writer after the writers of the bible. According to the Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, William Shakespeare wrote close to a tenth of the most quoted lines ever written or spoken in English.
Shakespeare couldn’t spell very well
Shakespeare lived before the time of the printed dictionary, which meant many people did not know the correct spelling of worlds. The early prints of his works are said of have contained many mistakes.
A special effect set fire to the Globe Theatre
Special effects were often used in the Globe Theatre including trap doors, actors lifted with wires and the firing of a canon! The canon set fire to the roof and burnt the whole theatre to the ground.
Check out our excellent range of accessible workshops based on the works of Shakespeare!
