A Trying Relationship Essay, Research Paper

The history of William Shakespeare, poet and dramatist, is anything but one free of contention. There are several statements disputing his very being. Over the old ages, every facet of his life has been studied and researched comprehensively. One of the most challenging facets of his life doubtless is his relationship with his married woman and his assorted love personal businesss. This essay aims to foreground and analyse the environment environing his matrimony and effort to compare it with information presented in the screenplay.

The assorted bookmans who have involved themselves in conveying to life his yesteryear have come up with stirring grounds about his matrimony. What is for certain is the fact that Shakespeare did get married a certain Anne Hathaway. & # 8220 ; On November 28, 1582 the Bishop of Worcester issued the matrimony bond for & # 8216 ; William Shagspere & # 8217 ; and & # 8216 ; Ann Hathwey of Stratford & # 8217 ; This was about beyond uncertainty, Anne Hathaway, girl of Richard Hathaway of Shottery & # 8221 ; ( 1582 Marriage ) . This quotation mark non merely confirms this fact, but besides gives us the most accurate known day of the month of Shakespeare & # 8217 ; s nuptials. However, some records have changed the whole narrative environing Shakespeare & # 8217 ; s matrimony. Ivor Brown, in his book Shakespeare, traces the fortunes that led up to the matrimony. William Shakespeare may non hold married Anne Hathaway out of pick. & # 8220 ; On November 27, 1582, an entry was made in the Episcopal registry at Worcester. This set down the issue of a matrimony licence to William Shaxpere and Anne Whatley of Temple Grafton. On the following twenty-four hours, two beefeaters of Stratford, Fulk Sandells and John Richardson, agreed to pay 40 lbs should any legal consideration arise to forestall the matrimony of William Shagspere and Anne Hathway of Worcester. & # 8221 ; ( Brown 45 )

The first theory that can be proposed after reading the extract is that an mistake occurred in the recording of the nuptials and was quickly taken attention of the following twenty-four hours. But, what if Anne Whatley truly did be? After all, the extract does claim that the two Annes were from different towns. It isn & # 8217 ; t difficult to tribute an matter to Shakespeare at all. Shakespeare didn & # 8217 ; t need looks to capture a lady & # 8217 ; s bosom. Over the old ages, he has captured the Black Marias of 1000000s worldwide with his calligraphy. Arguably, such a adult male could, at that immature an age, have easy seduced several adult females with the thaumaturgy of his words. And, even though he is some 10 old ages older in the screenplay, Norman and Stoppard have done a superb occupation of portraying Will as an single brimming with passion and lecherousness in the screenplay.

Though a mix up in names was platitude of that clip, it is improbable that it took topographic point in this case. Hathaway and Whatley are entirely different names and Temple Grafton could surely non hold been penned down as Stratford. & # 8220 ; Now nevertheless sleepy a clerk may hold become during the class of his twenty-four hours & # 8217 ; s calligraphy and its refreshment intervals, it is highly improbable that he would transcribe Temple Grafton into Stratford & # 8221 ; ( Brown 48 ) . This spot o

f grounds may be the hint that suggests the possibility of Anne Whatley’s being. Had there been an Anne Whatley from Temple Grafton and an Anne Hathaway, from Stratford, it would give a juicy turn to the narrative of William Shakespeare, the lover!

But, we can merely theorize as to what the truth really was. Possibly, Shakespeare had intended to get married Whatley all the manner and an resistless Hathaway had all of a sudden walked into his life. Another possibility could be that the dramatist was holding an matter with both adult females at the same clip and had made false promises to both. And, the ground he ended up get marrieding Hathaway was that she was three months pregnant. & # 8221 ; . . . because the bride was some three months pregnant and there was ground for hastiness in reasoning the matrimony & # 8221 ; ( 1582 Marriage ) . This corresponds with what Will tells Dr. Moth in the screenplay. So, we arrive at the decision that Shakespeare did non get married Anne Hathaway by pick. This would evidently connote that the relationship would non be a happy one and would in fact be ephemeral. Hence, we return to Will & # 8217 ; s statement in the screenplay about the degage relationship between him and his married woman. & # 8220 ; WILL: Four old ages and a 100 stat mis off in Stratford. A cold bed excessively, since the twins were born. Banishment was a approval & # 8221 ; ( 12 ) . This statement non merely describes the emptiness between the twosome, but besides runs analogue with the possibility that Will so ne’er wanted Hathaway as his married woman. Another strong pillar back uping this theory is a statement from Shakespeare & # 8217 ; s will. & # 8220 ; In his will, Shakespeare left Anne merely his second-best bed. The exact significance of this is unsure. Sometimes it has been interpreted as a derisory gesture. & # 8221 ; ( Wells 69 ) This may propose that another adult female ( possibly an unknown kept woman ) was Shakespeare & # 8217 ; s first pick in bed. Any feelings beyond that can non be inferred from this little piece of information.

This would take us to believe that a really powerful theory about the history of Shakespeare & # 8217 ; s matrimony may be proposed utilizing these extracts. Right from the given that he was an fervent immature adult male caught by the worst kind of trap ( the life-time bond of matrimony ) to the guess that he chose to interrupt free from the relationship because his nature forbade him to accept such a finding of fact. William Shakespeare, I believe, was a lover. The fact that he would hold to pass the remainder of his life with a adult female who would non maintain their relationship brisk for long did non appeal to him. And, that is when Norman and Stoppard & # 8217 ; s Will was born.

Bibliography

Brown, Ivor Shakespeare

New York: Time Incorporated, 1962

Norman, Marc and Tom Stoppard Shakespeare in Love

New York: Miramax Films and Universal Studios, 1998

Terry A. Gray & # 8220 ; 1582 Marriage & # 8221 ; Shakespeare Timeline.

hypertext transfer protocol: //daphne.palomar.edu/shakespeare/timeline/marriage.html. ( 9/14/99 )

Wells, Stanley Shakespeare, An Illustrated Dictionary

New York: Oxford University Press, 1978