8-4BirthplaceTrust

What is the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust? What is its history and mission? //Answer Prepared By Maddy Ecker// According to the book __Shakespeare's Houses and Gardens__, the website __The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust__, and the webpage "Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire, UK” the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust is considered to be the most important Shakespeare charity. It formed in 1847 when it purchased the house where Shakespeare was born. The charity also has four other houses they maintain which are directly related to Shakespeare’s life. On the charity’s website, shakespeare.org the organization says, “We have three core objectives, which are: to promote in the every part of the world the appreciation and study of the plays and other works of William Shakespeare and general advancements of Shakespearian knowledge, to maintain and preserve the Shakespeare Birthplace properties for the benefit of the nation, and to provide and maintain for the benefit of the nation a museum and library of books, manuscripts, records of historic interest, pictures, photographs and objects of antiquity with particular, but not exclusive reference to William Shakespeare, his life, works and times.” This charity cares for the Shakespeare related houses for the betterment of the nation. In the acknowledgments section of __Richard III__ by William Shakespeare and edited by Jonathan Bate and Eric Rasmussen, it thanks the charity multiple times for maintaining libraries, helping with research, and other such things. This is just one example of Shakespeare’s Birthplace Trust encouraging learning about Shakespeare. It strives to promote Shakespeare around the world. Anne Hathaway's Cottage is one of the houses that the Shakespeare's Birthplace Trust preserves. I found this picture at []. There are five house’s related to Shakespeare which are Mary Arden’s, Shakespeare’s Birthplace, Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, Hall’s Croft, and Nash’s House and New Place. Mary Arden’s was the home of Shakespeare’s grandparents and his mother’s childhood home. Shakespeare’s Birthplace was where Shakespeare was born and grew up. Anne Hathaway, Shakespeare’s wife grew up in the house that is now called Anne Hathaway’s Cottage. Hall’s Croft is where Shakespeare’s daughter and her husband lived. Nash's house was where Thomas Nash, the first husband of Shakespeare's granddaughter lived. Thomas was a rich landowner. New Place is the house in which Shakespeare died. He had lived in the house previously. New Place was eventually destroyed but there is a garden standing in memory of it. All of these houses are under the control of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust and they attract large crowds from around the world dying to understand Shakespeare’s life. This is a picture of the Cobbe Portrait. It is considered to be one of the few portraits of Shakespeare that were drawn in his lifetime. I found this picture at [] Shakespeare’s Birthplace Trust is proud to present a new exhibit of the Cobbe portrait from April 23 to September 6, 2009. Shakespeare’s Birthplace Trust said on the website [], “ This exhibition marks a defining moment in the history of Shakespeare’s posthumous reputation. Over the centuries a number of images have been put forward as life portraits of our greatest writer, but at present none of them is generally accepted as such. Up until now, the only two likenesses with strong claims to authenticity have been the engraving in the First Folio, of 1623, by Droeshout, and the bust in Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon. Now, with the emergence of the Cobbe portrait, we are presented with a contemporary portrait that has strong claims to represent the dramatist as he appeared to his contemporaries.” The charity marvels that after such a long time that another portrait of Shakespeare is unveiled. Which portrait is the real Shakespeare? We may just never know. Works Cited __The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust__. The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. 12 Mar 2009 <[]>. "Shakespeare Found. A Life Portrait." __The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust__. The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. 4 Apr 2009 <[]>.

"Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire, UK." __Waymarking__. 12 Mar 2009 <[]>.

__Shakespeare's Houses and Gardens__. Stratford-upon-Avon: Jarrold Publishing.