Happy 457th Birthday Will!

Today is Shakespeare’s birthday! William Shakespeare, an English poet, playwright and actor, was born on April 23rd 1564* and he died April 23rd 1616** at the ripe old age of 52 (pretty good for his time!).
*There is no surviving official proof of his exact birthdate but they baptised him on the 26th April 1616, which suggests that today was his actual birthday.
**Shakespeare’s burial is registered as the 27th April, which also implies that today was the day we lost our greatest writer.

Silver Street

William Shakespeare lived in London at lodgings in Silver Street—which is close to where I live! It’s inspiring to know he was so nearby.

For England and St George!

Today is also St George’s Day—so I thought a quote from one of Shakespeare’s speeches from Henry V would be appropriate.

Henry V

Whose limbs were made in England, show us here
The mettle of your pasture; let us swear
That you are worth your breeding; which I doubt not;
For there is none of you so mean and base,
That hath not noble lustre in your eyes.
I see you standing like greyhounds I n the slips,
Straining upon the start. The game’s afoot:
Follow your spirit, and upon this charge
Cry ‘God for Harry, England and Saint George!’


William Shakespeare – Henry V

Outbreak

While Will Shakespeare lodged with the Mountjoys in Silver Street, there was a virulent outbreak of the Plague. The theatres closed, and just like we must do today with the Covid pandemic, Shakespeare had to stay indoors in quarantine to prevent getting the disease.

During this Shakespearean Lockdown, was when he wrote some of his best works. Such as King Lear.
Mary Mountjoy, his landlady, died of the Plague during this period and Shakespeare left Silver Street a short while after her death.

Happy Birthday

A very Happy Birthday to all who share William Shakespeare’s birthday on this day, St George’s Day!