Accomplishments
By 1592, there is evidence William Shakespeare earned a living as an actor
and a playwright in London and possibly had several plays produced. The
September 20, 1592 edition of the Stationers' Register (a guild
publication) includes an article by London playwright Robert Greene that takes
a few jabs at William Shakespeare: "...There is an upstart Crow, beautified with
our feathers, that with his Tiger's heart wrapped in a Player's hide, supposes
he is as well able to bombast out a blank verse as the best of you: and being
an absolute Johannes factotum, is in his own conceit the only Shake-scene in a
country," Greene wrote of Shakespeare.Scholars differ on the interpretation of this criticism, but most agree that it was Greene's way of saying Shakespeare was reaching above his rank, trying to match better known and educated playwrights like Christopher Marlowe, Thomas Nashe or Greene himself.By the early 1590s, documents show William Shakespeare was a managing
partner in the Lord Chamberlain's Men, an acting company in London. After the
crowning of King James I, in 1603, the company changed its name to the King's
Men. From all accounts, the King's Men company was very popular, and records
show that Shakespeare had works published and sold as popular literature. The
theater culture in 16th century England was not highly admired by people of
high rank. However, many of the nobility were good patrons of the performing
arts and friends of the actors. Early in his career, Shakespeare was able to
attract the attention of Henry Wriothesley, the Earl of Southampton, to whom he
dedicated his first- and second-published poems: "Venus and Adonis" (1593) and
"The Rape of Lucrece" (1594).By 1597, William Shakespeare had published 15 of the 37 plays attributed to
him. Civil records show that at this time he purchased the second largest house
in Stratford, called New House, for his family. It was a four-day ride by horse
from Stratford to London, so it is believed that Shakespeare spent most of his
time in the city writing and acting and came home once a year during the 40-day
Lenten period, when the theaters were closed.By 1599, William Shakespeare and his business partners built their own
theater on the south bank of the Thames River, which they called the Globe. In
1605, Shakespeare purchased leases of real estate near Stratford for 440 pounds,
which doubled in value and earned him 60 pounds a year.
and a playwright in London and possibly had several plays produced. The
September 20, 1592 edition of the Stationers' Register (a guild
publication) includes an article by London playwright Robert Greene that takes
a few jabs at William Shakespeare: "...There is an upstart Crow, beautified with
our feathers, that with his Tiger's heart wrapped in a Player's hide, supposes
he is as well able to bombast out a blank verse as the best of you: and being
an absolute Johannes factotum, is in his own conceit the only Shake-scene in a
country," Greene wrote of Shakespeare.Scholars differ on the interpretation of this criticism, but most agree that it was Greene's way of saying Shakespeare was reaching above his rank, trying to match better known and educated playwrights like Christopher Marlowe, Thomas Nashe or Greene himself.By the early 1590s, documents show William Shakespeare was a managing
partner in the Lord Chamberlain's Men, an acting company in London. After the
crowning of King James I, in 1603, the company changed its name to the King's
Men. From all accounts, the King's Men company was very popular, and records
show that Shakespeare had works published and sold as popular literature. The
theater culture in 16th century England was not highly admired by people of
high rank. However, many of the nobility were good patrons of the performing
arts and friends of the actors. Early in his career, Shakespeare was able to
attract the attention of Henry Wriothesley, the Earl of Southampton, to whom he
dedicated his first- and second-published poems: "Venus and Adonis" (1593) and
"The Rape of Lucrece" (1594).By 1597, William Shakespeare had published 15 of the 37 plays attributed to
him. Civil records show that at this time he purchased the second largest house
in Stratford, called New House, for his family. It was a four-day ride by horse
from Stratford to London, so it is believed that Shakespeare spent most of his
time in the city writing and acting and came home once a year during the 40-day
Lenten period, when the theaters were closed.By 1599, William Shakespeare and his business partners built their own
theater on the south bank of the Thames River, which they called the Globe. In
1605, Shakespeare purchased leases of real estate near Stratford for 440 pounds,
which doubled in value and earned him 60 pounds a year.