8-5EarlyLife&Education

//Answer prepared by Chloe K.// William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-Upon-Avon allegedly on April 23, 1564, as said by J.M. Pressley on //__Shakespeare Resource Center__// in “Shakespeare’s Biography”. Also from Pressley, his biography states William was born into a large family of eight siblings and to his illiterate mot her-Mary and his prosperous business-man father-John Shakespeare. During the time of his birth and throughout childhood there were many diseases and plagues that infected the country. The most common of which was the Black plague or also known as the Bubonic plague. This killed many people in England, and hit hardest on vulnerable, young children. In fact, three of the eight Shakespeare children died before adulthood. Also during this time in Stratford-Upon-Avon, money was scarce and many families couldn’t afford education, not to mention healthcare. A common form of payment was the barter system; people traded what they had for anything they needed: medicine, a doctor’s visit, or food for the family.

According to //__Elizabethan England__// on “Elizabethan Education-The Childhood and Education of William Shakespeare”, Shakespeare’s father’s place in society and his career allowed him to receive free education for all his children. Although there is no evidence that William ever attended school, we know that most children went to Petty school. This is the schooling before Grammar school and educates the children from age’s five to seven. It teaches them to read, write, and speak proper English. They were also taught their place in society, proper decorum, and manners. At the age of ten they would proceed on to Grammar school. Scholars assume that William attended the free Grammar school-King Edward the IV. Evidence based on his writings displayed his extensive Greek and Latin vocabulary which was vigorously taught in Grammar school. His word choice and common knowledge was broad. In his writings it is evident that he had a solid education. =  =   Grammar school was extremely challenging for even the brightest of students. The school days would begin at 6 am and dismiss at 5 pm. //__Shakespeare Online__,// Amanda Mabillard states under “Shakespeare’s Education and Childhood”, that the teachers were very strict and would require them to speak Latin at all times. The punishments were brutal; it wasn’t uncommon to receive fifty strikes with a cane. By the end of term, the children were jubilant for their break in which the students were encouraged to perform classical drama and other arts for enjoyment. This may have been where William obtained his interest in plays and acting. In 1571, William stopped all formal education. Most scholars believe that because of his father’s fallout in society, his large amount of debt, and his questioned Catholic beliefs, that William never attended University level of schooling or college. 

__ Work Cited __    “Elizabethan Education.” __WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE__. 2005. 06 Apr. 2009 < [|http://www.william-shakespeare.info/william-shakespeare- biography-childhoodand-education] >.  

Mabillard, Amanda. “Shakespeare Online” __Shakespeare’s Education and Childhood__. 15 May. 2007. 15 Apr. 2009   < [] >

Pressley, J.M. “Shakespeare’s Biography”. __Shakespeare__ __Resource Center__. 8 Feb. 2009. 12 Mar. 2009 < [] >    Pritchard, R. E. __Shakespeare’s England life in Elizabethan and Jacobean Times__. Stroud: Sutto n, 1999. <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">