ENGLISH LITERATURE (CBSE/UGC NET)

Detailed explanation-1: -’The Lost Years’ refers to the period of Shakespeare’s life between the baptism of his twins, Hamnet and Judith in 1585 and his apparent arrival on the London theatre scene in 1592.

Detailed explanation-2: -From 1585 until 1592, very little is known about Shakespeare. These are generally referred to as ‘The Lost Years’. But by 1592 we know that he was in London where he was singled out by a rival dramatist, Robert Greene in his bitter deathbed pamphlet, A Groats-worth of Witte.

Detailed explanation-3: -On November 28, 1582, William Shakespeare, 18, and Anne Hathaway, 26, pay a 40-pound bond for their marriage license in Stratford-upon-Avon. Six months later, Anne gives birth to their daughter, Susanna, and two years later, to twins. Little is known about Shakespeare’s early life.

Detailed explanation-4: -The turning point in Shakespeare’s career came in 1593. Although most theatres had been closed since 1592 due to an outbreak of the plague, the bard by then had left the theatre to work on his non-dramatic poetry. His work paid off. By the end of 1593, his writing had caught the attention of the Earl of Southampton.

Detailed explanation-5: -An Introduction. William Shakespeare was a renowned English poet, playwright, and actor born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon. His birthday is most commonly celebrated on 23 April (see When was Shakespeare born), which is also believed to be the date he died in 1616.