.. am attended Kings new Grammar school in Stratford ( Gray 8 ). In this school, and with most schools throughout England at this time, language was extensively taught thoroughly and to children at an early age. The children from around age 4 to 7 would begin to learn the language of Latin and would rarely be spoken to in English at school, so that they had to learn Latin. Shakespeare often had to write letters using the Latin text. In school he was also taught how to speak and write his old English text which is basically the language in many of his plays.
Shakespeare was taught how to read the Aesops fables in Latin. During his school career he had many teachers who based their teaching style on the famous educators of the era. The system was based off of the teachings of Sir Thomas Elyot, Roger Ascham, Juan Luis Vives, Richard Mulcaster, John Brinsle, Edward Coote, and James Cleland. The Educational system Shakespeare was brought up on, in these times, was of the views and opinions of these extremely powerful popular educators.
The material Shakespeare was supposed to learn varied but mostly just English and Bible type studys. He was to learn the A-B-Cs in English, the Catechism, the Book of Prayer, the New Testament, the Queens Grammar, Latin, Aesops Fables, in Latin and in Greek, and wide variety of books and history ( Plimpton 3-45 ). He was also to learn the physical education of swimming, tennis, how to throw spheres and bars, hunting, wrestling, and riding ( Plimpton 5 ). Amazingly William Shakespeare had to drop out of school at the age of 13 ( Gray 9 ) and is quoted by a friend in school, Ben Johnson to have only learned, Greek and Latin ( Fido 11 ). This was due to the Shakespeare Families financial difficulties.
In 1586, John, Williams Father, was kicked out of the Stratford council for not attending meetings, and he later was reprimanded for not going to church for the fear of receiving his debt to the church ( Gray 2 ). Williams father, for an unknown reason, withdrew from public life, whereas a prosperous merchant, he was now forced to live off of the sale, leasing and mortgaging of much of his wives property ( Wright 22 ). By no means did the family go poor, just they they lost respect and most of their money and social status, thus putting up William to quit school and most likely support his family by working. Little is known about William during this time.
Some biographers think Shakespeare was arrested for stealing and selling deer, and some think that he was a butchers apprentice ( Wright 22 ) Still others think he helped his father with the glovemaking business. The Following years after many years of darkness and mystery, William would emerge a married man and begin writing the most popular well liked poems and plays that would be passed down from generation to generation. A persons childhood, many people think, generally will effect the way their life will be in the future, or as they would be as adults. Sometimes a childhood can be a surprise to many and sometimes they arent.
Whether it be Einstiens childhood of being a poor student and eventually dropping out of school to have become one of the worlds most prominent remembered scientists, or the childhood of Tiger Woods, of him being a golf prodigy who ended up fulfilling the same expectations as he was given when he was a little boy. Generally speaking, a childhood is just a time for discovery, imagination and wonder. When we think about a famous persons childhood we always assume many things. Things in your childhood may or may not accentuate the results of your adult life. A childhood is the basic part in which all men start, and Shakespeares was in the town of Stratford. Without the childhood we wouldnt have the adulthood of Shakespeare, thus making Shakespeares childhood, equally as important as he was when he was an adult.
Bibliography Fido, Martin,. Shakespeare. New York: Hamlyn Publishing, 1978 p.(8-14) (P 8) Father was a successful glove maker (P 11 ) Ben Johnson a friend of Shakespeare claimed he learned Greek and Latin (P 11 ) April 1564 was the month William was baptized (P 12 ) Father John Inspected bread and ale Gray, Terry A.,. William Shakespeare, The Birth and Early Years of Shakespeare 1998 http:// ( paragraphs 2-9 ) (para 2) In 1586 John was replaced as alderman fo not going to meetings and in 1592 was reprimanded for not coming to church for a fear of process of debt. (para 3 ) Mary, the daughter of Robert Arden, had in all, eight children with John Shakespeare.
Kay, Dennis,. William Shakespeare:His Life and Times,. New York: Twayne Punlishers 1995 (p 1-11, 17 ) (17 ) In 1568 father John is elected town bailiff and by 1577 due to offenses and debts the title is withdrawn, prmarily with financial difficulties Lee, Sidney,. Life of William Shakespeare. New York: The Macmillan Company 1909 (p 4-19) (4) About 1551, John shakespeare left Snitterfield which was his birthplace to seek a career in the neighbooring bourough of Stratford-Upon-Avon. (10) When william was three monthes old, the plague raged in Stratford, killing one out of every seven, but luckily the disease escaped the Shakespeare family.
Levi, Peter,. The Life and Times of William Shakespeare. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1988 (1-7, 17 ) (17) He is not only the greatest but also the most interesting of all the English Poets (5) Men and boys spent most of their time outside and working Loxton, Howard,. Shakespeare Country., New York: Regency House Publishing, 1995 (p. 10-13 ) (10) Williams birthday has been ascribed to the 23rd of april, St.
georges birthday. (13) Stratford was a relatively prosperous market town in middle England of Warwickshire. Plimpton, George A., The Education of Shakespeare., New York: Oxford University Press, 1933 ( P 3-45 ) (45) The Courses taught in Shakespeares day were A-B-Cs in English, the Catechism, the Book of common prayer, Aesops fables as will a having to read Cicero, Sallust and Ceaser. Wright, Louis B.
and Editors. Shakespeares England. New York: American Heritage Publishing ( P 11-22) (11) Some houses in Stratford, with projecting second stories and small windows are medieval and still look much as they did in Shakespeares day. (15) No doubt Shakespeare had the best seat in the house, for he was the towns more important official. Son William had to have seen many performances. (19) A Bladder of animal blood might be concealed in the actors costume to spurt forth at the crirtical moment in an axing or stabbing.
(22) Father carrer took a downward turn in 1576. He ceased attending meetings to the town council and for an unknown reason withdrew from public life, whereas a prosperous merchant, he was now forced to live off the sale, leasing and mortgaging of much of his wives property.
