The Tudor Society

  • Happy birthday William Shakespeare and RIP

    6 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    As you probably already know, the 23rd April is the traditional date for celebrating the birth of William Shakespeare, playwright, poet and actor. We don’t know his actual birthdate, as it was not recorded, but we know that he was baptised on 26th April 1564 and baptisms usually took place within a few days of birth. St George’s Day seems a good day to celebrate the Bard’s birthday.

    23rd April is also, sadly, the anniversary of Shakespeare’s death. He died on 23rd April 1616 and was laid to rest in the chancel of Holy Trinity Church, in his hometown of Stratford-upon-Avon

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  • William Shakespeare’s grave at Holy Trinity Church

    7 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon

    As Philippa and I are visiting Holy Trinity Church, the resting place of William Shakespeare and members of his family, as part of the Discover the Tudors tour in September, I dug out the talk I did on it for the Tudor Society a couple of years ago. New members might not have had a chance to see it as the archives are huge, so here’s the version Tim has just edited up for the tour. I hope you enjoy it.

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  • Anne Hathaway, wife of William Shakespeare

    7 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    Today is the anniversary of the death of Anne Hathaway, wife of William Shakespeare, the Bard, in 1623. She was laid to rest next to her husband in the Church of the Holy Trinity, Stratford-upon-Avon.

    Anne married Shakespeare in November 1582 when she was twenty-six and he was eighteen. She was pregnant at the time and gave birth to their daughter, Susannah, in May 1583. The couple went on to have twins, Hamnet and Judith, in February 1585. Anne outlived her husband, who died on 23rd April 1616.

    Here is a video about Anne Hathaway:

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  • Shakespeare Wordsearch

    7 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    To commemorate William Shakespeare’s death on this day in 1616, and also possibly his birth in 1564, I’ve devised this wordsearch for you to puzzle over and enjoy. Be warned, the words can go any way – across, down, backwards, diagonally… Have fun!

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  • William Shakespeare

    7 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    Sunday is the anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare in 1616 and possibly his birth in 1564, so is seems fitting for Claire to do a talk on him and to also share other resources on the Bard.

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  • Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare and Brooke

    7 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    In today’s Claire Chats video, I talk about Arthur Brooke and his work “The tragicall historye of Romeus and Juliet, written first in Italian by Bandell, and nowe in Englishe by Ar. Br.” which was used as a source by William Shakespeare for his play “Romeo and Juliet”.

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  • A Midsummer Night’s Dream

    8 years ago Author: ADMIN Tim
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    A big thank you to Tudor Society member Nancy Mortensen Volgamore for sharing this thesis on William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream with us. With it having been the 400th anniversary of the Bard’s death recently, it seems fitting to share this now.

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  • It is Not in the Stars to Hold Our Destiny, but in Ourselves by Heather R. Darsie

    8 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    Around 23 April 1564, a great mind was born in a small English market town. Such an immortal mind was baptised on 26 April 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire. With inauspicious beginnings as the third of six children born, first to survive infancy, to a leather merchant and landed heiress, William Shakespeare would go on to lead the life of an intellectual lion, whose roar can still be heard throughout the world today.

    Shakespeare’s first poems, “The Rape of Lucrece” and “Venus and Adonis” were dedicated to his patron, Henry Wriothesley, Earl of Southampton, in the early 1590s. Beginning around 1594, Shakespeare joined a theatrical company known as the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, with the name changing to the King’s Men upon the accession of James I in 1603. Shakespeare is credited with writing more than 154 sonnets and 37 plays.

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  • 23 April 2016 – Shakespeare 400

    8 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    Today, 23rd April 2016, is the 400th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare on 23rd April 1616, a day which is also traditionally his birthday.

    Now I’m fond of Shakespeare, not only because I grew up just 12 miles from Stratford-upon-Avon, bis birthplace, but also because I love his work. I studied his plays at school and university, and I was fortunate to see a few of his plays being performed by the RSC. I have vivid memories of seeing Jonathan Pryce and Sinead Cusack in Macbeth and Jerome Flynn and Sophie Thompson in As You Like It. To this day, I can still recite Macbeth Act 1 Scene 1 by heart and a fair few lines of Hamlet’s To be or not to be soliloquy. And one of my favourite films is Baz Luhrmann’s version of Romeo and Juliet. Yes, it’s safe to say that I love the Bard!

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  • Exploring English: Shakespeare – Free online course

    8 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    As part of the celebrations for Shakespeare 400, the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death on 23rd April 2016, Shakespeare Lives, FutureLearn and the British Council are running a six-week online course – Exploring English: Shakespeare.

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  • Scientific analysis of Shakespeare’s will

    8 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    The National Archives have “carried out innovative archival and scientific research into the will of one of the world’s greatest ever playwrights: William Shakespeare” and you can read all about it on their website.

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  • By me William Shakespeare: A Life in Writing – Exhibition

    9 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    An exhibition telling the story of Shakespeare’s life in London through the paper trail left behind.

    Discover the stories behind key moments in Shakespeare’s life, from the birth of the Globe theatre in London to his last days in Stratford-upon-Avon, 400 years ago.

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  • William Shakespeare Quiz

    9 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    As this week has been the anniversary of William Shakespeare’s marriage I thought I’d test your knowledge of the Bard. Have fun with this quiz and good luck!

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  • Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon – Shakespeare’s Resting Place

    9 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon

    In today’s Claire Chats, I share with you some information on Holy Trinity Church, where Shakespeare was baptised and buried, along with photos Tim took on our recent visit.

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  • 11 July 1564 – The Plague hits Stratford-upon-Avon

    9 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    On this day in history, 11th July 1564, the plague hit Stratford-upon-Avon, birthplace of William Shakespeare, in Warwickshire, or rather the first death from the disease was recorded in the parish.

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