Above: William Shakespeare portrait from the front cover of a 1623 folio of his works.
10 Facts About Shakespeare
Read on for some of the fascinating facts and figures you’ll find on the life, work and legacy of the Bard of Stratford, William Shakespeare…
Shakespeare’s Childhood
3 months – William Shakespeare’s age when the plague arrived in Stratford upon Avon.
+ More about Shakespeare’s childhood
Shakespeare’s Biography
17 feet – The depth at which Shakespeare’s body is believed to have been buried.
+ More from Shakespeare’s biography
Anne Hathaway
12 – The total number of Anne Hathaway’s siblings.
+ More about Anne Hathaway
Shakespeare’s Timeline
18 – William Shakespeare’s age on the day he married the 26 year old Anne Hathaway.
+ View the Shakespeare timeline
Shakespeare’s Family
7 – The number of years that William’s father John spent as an apprentice glover, just the first of a number of careers he would hold in his lifetime.
+ More about Shakespeare’s family
Shakespeare’s Plays
60 – The number of different species of bird mentioned in Shakespeare’s plays.
+ Full list of Shakespeare plays
Shakespeare’s Comedies
16 – The number of times the word ‘dream’ appears in the text of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
+ More about the Comedies
Shakespeare’s Histories
6 – The number of characters to become involved in swordfights in Henry IV, Part I.
+ More about the Histories
Shakespeare’s Tragedies
150 – The number of times the word ‘love’ appears in the play Romeo and Juliet.
+ More about the Tragedies
Shakespeare’s Sonnets
154 – the number of sonnets that Shakespeare wrote.
+ Full list of Shakespeare Sonnets
