Despite being one of the most well-known figures in the history of Western literature, there is a tremendous degree of mystery surrounding the life of William Shakespeare. Fortunately, much of what we do know about the Bard is fascinating. From his wedding to his will to one unusual way his name lives on, here are nine tidbits you might not know about one of the most amazing creators of all time.
No One Knows What Shakespeare Was Doing for Seven Years
There is no historical record of Shakespeare’s life between 1585 and 1592, after which he became established as a dramatist and playwright. The Bard would have been about 21 years old at the beginning of that period. What was he up to? Nobody really knows, though some theories hypothesize that he was a law clerk, a soldier, a schoolmaster, or an actor.
Shakespeare Had a Shotgun Wedding
Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway in 1582, when he was 18 years old and she was 26. They remained together until his death in 1616. Their courtship began with a rather abrupt start, as Hathaway was several months pregnant at the time of their marriage.
“Shakespeare” Is Just One Way to Spell His Name
Unlike many other aspects of life in Elizabethan England, spelling was a rather liberal endeavor. Proper names were spelled in a wide variety of different ways, and "Shakespeare" was no exception. There are 14 different spellings across various sources referring to Shakespeare the playwright, including “Shaxberd,” “Shake-speare,” and “Shaskpe.”
Shakespeare Lived Through the Plague
Though it is only rarely mentioned in his plays, Shakespeare lived through several outbreaks of the Bubonic plague in England. He was lucky to have survived it, but lost several of his loved ones to it, including three sisters, his brother Edmund, and possibly his son Hamnet (although Hamnet’s precise cause of death is unclear).
Shakespeare’s Death Is Mysterious
Though the time of his passing has been documented, Shakespeare’s cause of death remains a mystery. An anecdote from a clergyman's diary, written decades after, claims that the writer died from a severe fever, possibly related to typhus, but that has never been proven.
He Gave His Wife His “Second-Best Bed”
By the time of his death, Shakespeare was a wealthy man. The lion’s share of his estate went to his daughter, Susannah Hall. His wife, on the other hand, received slightly less: his second-best bed. This is not a metaphor; it was a common practice at the time to give the best of one’s goods to children and goods of a slightly lower quality to one’s spouse.
He Put a Curse on His Grave
It’s perhaps a modest request that a great playwright wished for his remains to be left in peace, but Shakespeare wasn’t taking any chances. His gravestone at the Church of the Holy Trinity in Stratford-upon-Avon reads:
"Good friend for Jesus’ sake forbear, To dig the dust enclosed here. Blessed be the man that spares these stones, And cursed be he that moves my bones."
The Curse Didn’t Work
In 2016, a team of scientists used radar scans to investigate the burial site of William Shakespeare and uncovered signs of disturbances around the remains. The evidence suggests that his skull was likely removed from his grave at some point in history.
His Name Lives On in the Stars
Several moons of Uranus (Titania, Oberon, Ariel, Miranda, and Puck) are named after characters from Shakespeare’s plays "A Midsummer Night’s Dream" and "The Tempest." And so the Bard’s legacy shines brightly in the night sky — provided you have a good telescope.