William Shakespeare

Much more is known about Shakespeare the playwright than Shakespeare the man. His birth and marriage to Anne Hathaway in 1582 are known, as are the births of his three children, Susanna in 1583 and the twins Hamnet and Judith in 1585. From that point, he vanishes until 1592, by which point he was already known in the London theatrical scene. As a partner in the Lord Chamberlains, and later the King’s, Men, he was a successful actor and playwright and became a wealthy man. By 1606 he had largely retired, and completely by 1613. His work remains his true epitaph.