She lived for over a decade with Shakespeare's family in their house on Henley Street, then afterward in New Place when Shakespeare purchased it in She outlived her husband, dying in August of , and is buried in the chancel of Stratford's Holy Trinity church next to Shakespeare. It's important to understand how truly little we know about Anne Shakespeare because there is simply so much conjecture about her. Scholars and authors over the centuries have attempted to paint various portraits of Anne.
Some suggest a cuckolded, bumpkin wife left behind in Stratford. Others draw a more favorable caricature, such as the love that inspired Shakespeare's muse. Two of the most recent contributions to the field, Stephen Greenblatt's Will in the World and Germaine Greer's Shakespeare's Wife , offer diametrically opposed viewpoints on the subject.
To Greenblatt, Shakespeare hated his wife. To Greer, Anne is a heroine systematically wronged by history. Both viewpoints, whatever their authors' best intentions, must ultimately be recognized for what they are: pure speculation. Learned speculation, perhaps, but speculation nonetheless.
For facts, we can only rely on two references: Shakespeare's marriage license and his will. On November 27, , the diocese records in Worcester show a license issued for the marriage of William Shakespeare and one Anne Whately of Temple Grafton. The next day, friends of the recently deceased Richard Hathaway of Shottery posted a surety bond for the marriage of William Shakespeare to Richard's daughter, Anne Hathaway.
Critical consensus is that "Whateley" was simply a clerical error. However, some suggest that the two records refer to different marriages, or even that Shakespeare meant to marry Anne Whateley but was forced to marry Anne Hathaway due to her pregnancy.
Much more ink has been spilled, however, about the timing of the marriage license. What we do know is that Anne was three months pregnant at the time of their marriage. Following their wedding, Anne would have moved in with Shakespeare and his parents to live in the family home on Henley Street.
Anne Shakespeare died in Help keep Shakespeare's story alive. Shake-speare never published any of his plays during his lifetime. And William comes in for some criticism as a writer. Robert Greene, the author, complains about Shakespeare as an "upstart crow" in the Groatsworth of Wit. This must have been most unsettling for Anne. Being illiterate, Anne and the rest of Shakespeare's family, would have held the written word in some esteem.
They would have been appalled that a criticism of William had been put into print. His first play had just been produced and the family would have been concerned that William might get involved with political and religious propaganda. They would have been only too aware that this particular road could lead to the Tower of London. An exciting time for William but a worrying time for Anne. The aristocrats, courtiers and nobles of the Realm were his friends.
In he would even play before the Queen in the banqueting hall at Whitehall. So William's success in Theatre was getting well underway when in there was a setback. A devastating outbreak of the plague hit London and all of Theatres were shut. It is possible that William and his acting troupe moved out of the city to produce plays in the provinces.
It seems reasonable to assume that William would have visited Anne and the children at this time. William and Anne did not have any more children. It was very unusual for couples only to have 3 children during the Elizabethan era as there was such a high mortality rate amongst children. Large families were the norm. William Shakepeare was enjoying the life of a single man in London and the time spent with Anne would have been minimal.
The marriage between Anne and William might have suffered. William however was making his name as a poet and in his poem, Venus and Adonis, was registered. Poets, as opposed to playwrights, were held in high esteem. And by the outbreak of the plague had subsided and the London theatres re-opened.
William also registered another poem, the Rape of Lucrece. His reputation as an actor and writer was increasing. Anne had a successful husband.
The popularity of plays continued but the reputation of Theatres received a blow. In the London authorities banned the public presentation of plays within the city limits of London. New theatres were built just outside the city limits. The authorities may have disliked this new form of entertainment but the people of London loved it. But the good fortune came to an untimely and abrupt end when, in August, their son Hamnet died at the age of just eleven years. There is no documentation which records the cause of Hamnet's death but it is highly likely that he died of the plague, which had wreaked so much devastation in London 6 months before.
Hamnet was buried in Stratford. His rise in fortunes were no doubt effected by the success of his son William. John Shakespeare had again applied to the College of Heralds for a Coat-of-Arms and this time it was granted. The Coat-of-Arms and crest would have brought considerable prestige to the whole of the Shakespeare family.
The motto was "Non sans droit" or "not without right". This description would have been used to design a crest. John and his sons were then entitled to put "gentleman" after their name, they were officially part the Gentry. This title was reserved for those who were below knights but who had been granted the right to bear arms. The coat-of-arms could be displayed on their door and all their personal items. This right would have therefore also provided Anne with a considerable amount of prestige in the community.
Although William continued with his life based in London he clearly saw Stratford as his home. Anne at last had her own household. The house was impressive building, the only house that was made of brick, with a courtyard at the front, and barns, spacious gardens and orchards at the rear. Also in William is mentioned as among the chief holders of corn and malt in Stratford. He was clearly a man of considerable importance in the Stratford community. He extended his business in London as a member of the company who financed the building of the Globe Theatre.
He therefore became entitled to a 'cut' of the profits. His plays continued to be produced and his personal wealth increased. It was an estate consisting of acres in the open fields of Old Stratford, together with a farm-house, garden and orchard, 20 acres of pasture and common rights.
The standing of Anne Shakespeare in the town and surrounding districts of Stratford continued to increase. The properties owned by her husband would have required servants including a gardener. Her responsibilities as the wife of Shakespeare would have substantially increased.
The Essex rebellion fails, leaving Essex and Shakespeare's patron Southampton condemned to death in the tower. A sad time for William. In yet again the plague ravages London in The death toll is frightening and 33, people die. Another great tragedy strikes the nation when Queen Elizabeth dies on the 24th March Her husband's wealth was increasing due to his activities in Theater in London and the patronage of the King but he continued to invest in his businesses in Stratford.
The country was unsettled and Anne, together with the rest of the nation would have received news of The Gunpowder Plot with the arrest and gruesome execution of Guy Fawkes. John Hall. Anne would have been making preparations for the wedding. Hall had settled in Stratford around , where he had founded a prosperous medical practice and became one of the town's leading citizens.
The wedding would have been the talk of Stratford and most of the town would have attended the wedding. The wedding took place on June 5th Eight months later Susanna gave birth to a daughter. Elizabeth Hall, Shakespeare's granddaughter, was baptised on February 21, Mary Shakespeare, Anne's mother-in-law, lived to see the birth of her great-grandchild but died in September at the grand age of sixty-eight.
The burial of William Shakespeare's mother took place on September 9th William was successful and had provided a wonderful home for her. His reputation was continuously being enhanced by the production of plays such as The Winter's Tale, Macbeth, and The Tempest and performing before King James I and his court.
Anne was enjoying the status of being a member of the wealthiest family in Stratford. And she was also able to enjoy sharing in the upbringing of her granddaughter, Elizabeth.
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