The Seven Ages of Shakespeare's Life

By permission of the Folger Shakespeare Library.

Chapters in this book:

1. Shakespeare's childhood: "The infant, mewling and puking in the nurse's arms"
2. Shakespeare's schooling: "The whining schoolboy with shining morning face"
3. Shakespeare's youth: "The lover sighing like furnace"
4. Success:"Seeking the bubble reputation"
5. Maturity: "Full of wise saws and modern instances"
6. Last years in London: "The lean and slippered pantaloon"
7. Shakespeare in retirement: "Mere oblivion"

Quick links:

• Jacques' speech on the seven ages of man.
• Some fast facts about Shakespeare's life.

Thanks are due to David Kathman, who has contributed to this section of the site.

InfoWeb, Stratford-upon-Avon, provides an account of Shakespeare's life. The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust maintains a useful site, with up-to-date information about what is known of Shakespeare's life: follow the link "Study Materials".