He famously wrote of ‘starcrossed lovers’ in his play Romeo and Juliet.
But for years it was assumed that William Shakespeare’s own marriage was an unhappy one, with the pair spending most of their time apart.
Now, new evidence suggests that it wasn’t so miserable after all, after experts unearthed a lost letter addressed to ‘Good Mrs Shakespeare’ in London.
And it leaves biographers with a ‘horrible problem’ – as everything they understood about the relationship could be wrong.
Until now, it has been believed that Shakespeare left Anne, whose maiden name was Hathaway, in Stratford-upon-Avon so he could spend all his time in London without her.
This has led scholars to infer that their marriage could have been an unhappy one with the couple living apart – William in London, Anne in Warwickshire.
There is also a widespread consensus that she was probably illiterate and uncultured.
The playwright’s apparent bitterness towards her is reflected in his refusal to leave her anything in his will – apart from the ‘second-best’ bed.
Addressed to ‘Good Mrs Shakspaire’, the letter mentions the death of a Mr Butts and a son, John, who is left ‘fatherles’
Until now, it has been believed that Shakespeare left Anne, whose maiden name was Hathaway, in Stratford-upon-Avon so he could spend all his time in London without her. Pictured: Judi Dench as Anne Shakespeare and Kenneth Branagh as William Shakespeare in the 2019 film ‘All Is True’
Now Professor Matthew Steggle from the University of Bristol’s Department of English, has examined a fragment of letter, preserved by accident in the binding of a book in Hereford, which is addressed to ‘good Mrs Shakespeare’.
It appears to show both of the Shakespeares living together in central London at some point in the decade 1600-1610.
Prior to this discovery there is no written evidence that ever puts Anne in the capital with her husband.
Addressed to ‘Good Mrs Shakspaire’, the letter mentions the death of a Mr Butts and a son, John, who is left ‘fatherles’.
It appears to suggest that Shakespeare is withholding money from the boy – and implores his wife to ‘paye your husbands debt’.
A bit of writing on the back of the letter – which could have been a reply from Anne – tells the writer that it’s their problem to find the money.
The discovery indicates that Anne Shakespeare spent a significant amount of time with her playwright husband – and was heavily involved with his monetary affairs and social networks.
Professor Steggle said: ‘First discovered in 1978, the letter’s been known for a while, but no-one could identify the names or places involved or see any reason to think that the Mr Shakespeare in the letter was necessarily William rather than anyone else of the same name in the general period.
A portrait of Ann Hathaway, which was found in the Collection of Colgate University Libraries, dated 1708 – 85 years after her death
Until now, it has been believed that Shakespeare left Anne, whose maiden name was Hathaway, in Stratford-upon-Avon so he could spend all his time in London without her. Pictured: A colour illustration showing William Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway
‘So, it’s a story about the Shakespeares’ marriage, really, as well as about Shakespeare’s London contacts.
‘And if the writing of the back of the letter is a reply, then it’s also a story about the first ever bit of writing which can be attributed to Anne Hathaway.’
The letter refers to the young apprentice living in a London settlement which contained – at that date – a place called Trinity Lane.
Professor Steggle searched for records of a fatherless apprentice of that name across the whole period, identifying only one viable candidate – a boy who finished his apprenticeship around 1607.
He then made a list of known married couples called ‘Shakspaire’ recorded in London in the 30 years leading up to 1607.
In centuries of looking, scholars have only turned up four married couples of that surname in the city in this date range.
None of the other three look at all likely to have lived in Trinity Lane, a moderately prosperous part of the city near Queenhithe – a small and ancient ward situated by the River Thames and to the south of St Paul’s Cathedral – at the right date.
‘In short – it’s two steps,’ Professor Steggle explained.
The English playwright, poet, and actor William Shakespeare, portrayed here in an illustration taken from Meyers Lexicon, is widely believed to have been the greatest dramatist of all time
A dictionary published by Bloomsbury compiles the words used by William Shakespeare in his works as well as their meanings
‘You identify the boy involved and given that it’s him and that fixes the date, then Shakespeare is much the best recorded candidate to be the London-based ‘Mr Shakspaire’.
‘It at least doubles the number of letters known to be addressed to or sent from Shakespeare and his family.
‘Currently, there’s only one known. It also shows a side of Shakespeare’s London life that’s not been known before, giving him a new address in Trinity Lane and a whole new sphere of activity for him.’
He said that since the letter is the first reference of any sort to Anne Shakespeare in London, it ‘opens the door to considering the possibility that she did indeed spend significant time with her husband in London’.
It seems to show her being involved with her husband’s money affairs and social networks, he said.
‘So, it’s a game-changer in terms of thinking about the Shakespeares’ marriage. And, if the material on the back is – as it may well be – a fragment of a reply from Mrs Shakspaire, then these would be the first recorded words ever to have come from Shakespeare’s wife.’
The research is being published in Shakespeare, the journal of the British Shakespeare Association.
In it, Mr Steggle writes: ‘For Shakespeare biographers who favour the narrative of the ‘disastrous marriage’ – in fact, for all Shakespeare biographers – the Hereford document should be a horrible, difficult problem.’
William Shakespeare: The playwright, poet and actor whose reputation transcends all other writers
William Shakespeare (baptised April 26, 1564 – died April 23, 1616) was an English playwright, poet, and actor who is widely believed to have been the greatest dramatist of all time.
The playwright continues to occupy a position unique in world literature as someone whose reputation transcends that of all other popular writers.
He is credited with producing 39 plays, 154 sonnets and three long poems.
His plays, the most famous of which include Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet and Othello, have been translated into every major language.
They are performed thousands of times a year by actors all across the world and are studied by millions of students across the UK and elsewhere.
William Shakespeare (baptised April 26, 1564 – died April 23, 1616) was an English playwright, poet, and actor who is widely believed to have been the greatest dramatist of all time
Shakespeare was born and raised in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire.
He married Anne Hathaway at the age of 18 and had three children with her: Susanna and twins Hamnet and Judith.
At some point between 1585 and 1592, Shakespeare began a career in London as an actor and writer.
He was the part owner of a playing company called the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, who later became known as the King’s Men.
They built the Globe Theatre, in Southwark, South London, at which they performed many of Shakespeare’s plays.
The theatre was destroyed by fire in 1613 but rebuilt the following year before being closed in 1642 and then pulled down.
A modern reconstruction of the Globe, named ‘Shakespeare’s Globe’, was built less than 800 feet from the site of the original theatre and opened in 1997.
At the age of 49, Shakespeare is believed to have retired back to Stratford, before he died three years later.
However, there are scant records of his private life and considerable speculation continues about his exact physical appearance.
Some questions have also been raised about whether all the works attributed to him were in fact written by others.
This article was originally published by a www.dailymail.co.uk . Read the Original article here. .