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Shakespeare
came from good middle-class parentage on both sides. His
mother, Mary Arden, was one of the eight daughters of
Robert Arden, a substancial yeoman (property-owning
farmer) of Wilmcote. His father, John Shakespeare, was a
successful tradesman. He worked with soft leather,
making belts, purses, aprons and gloves and he also sold
wool and barley.
William
Shakespeare went to the local Grammar school in
Stratford-upon-Avon. The grammar schools were the most
common form of education and they were free.
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A
view of the Grammar school |
In
spite of a busy life William still found time for
romance. He married Anne Hathaway in November 1582. Anne
was the daughter of John Hathaway, a farmer who lived at
Shottery, a mile outside Strtford-upon-Avon. When they
married ; William took Anne to live with him at his
father's house; It wasn't unusual for two families to
live together.
William
was only eighteen and a half, Anne was eight years
older. The marriage was rushed as Anne was three months
pregnant. William and Anne had three children; Susanna
was born six months after their marriage. Two years
later, in 1585, the twins were born - a boy, Hamnet, and
a girl, Judith. In spite of his love for his family, he
had to move to London in 1587, so that he could provide
his family with better living conditions.
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