Timeline of Shakespeare and His Work (draft to test formating). Background notes:
Until the 1592 “Groatsworth of Wit” railing against Shakespeare, allegedly by then-deceased Robert Greene,
our Bard was quite obscure - invisible even. Yet he was embarking on Western civilization’s greatest-ever writing project.
How? Why? Where? Biographers don't know what to make of the previous decade of “lost years” — and so generally
offer filler traditionally qualified with “we may suppose that” and “it is reasonable to believe that...” As the present
timeline evolves it will display some hints from 1590 onward that put his creative explosion into spiritual perspective.
Prior to 1590: After his 1582 shotgun marriage (at age 18) to a neighbor seven years older, we have record from
Stratford only that a daughter was born in early 1583 and twins in early 1585. The rest is silence... until masterpieces
began to appear about eight years later. May this timeline help you make something of it!  ©2003, Richard Pinneau.

______________	1590 Spr ______________	1590 Sum ______________	1590 Fall ______________	1591 Win ______________	1591 Spr ______________	1591 Sum ______________	1591 Fall ______________	1592 Win ______________	1592 Spr ______________	1592 Sum ______________	1592 Fall ______________	1593 Win ______________	1593 Spr ______________	1593 Sum ______________	1593 Fall ______________	1594 Win ______________	1594 Spr ______________	1594 Sum ______________	1594 Fall ______________	1595 Win ______________	1595 Spr ______________	1595 Sum ______________	1595 Fall ______________	1596 Win ______________	1596 Spr ______________	1596 Sum ______________	1596 Fall ______________	1597 Win ______________	1597 Spr ______________	1597 Sum ______________	1597 Fall ______________	1598 Win ______________	1598 Spr ______________	1598 Sum ______________	1598 Fall ______________	1599 Win ______________	1599 Spr ______________	1599 Sum ______________	1599 Fall ______________	1600 Win ______________	1600 Spr ______________	1600 Sum ______________	1600 Fall ______________
allusions to works -->								Henry VI - “ne” —perf. noted in diary of Philip Henslowe	“Brave Talbot” Thomas Nashe ref. to Henry VI-1	“Tiger’s heart...” Greene’s Groatsworth ref. to Henry VI-3			Reg. by Richard Field of “a booke intituled, Venus and Adonis”	Printing of Venus with ded. by William Shakespeare		Titus perf. by Henslowe	Contention (Henry VI-2) printed in March. Tamynge of a Shrew reg in May.	Reg. of “a booke called the Ravyshement of Lucrece” Printing of Lucrece with ded. by William Shakespeare	Comedy of Errors - Dec. perf at Gray’s Inn				Edward III registered						1597/04 Merry Wives performed.	1597 (sometime) Romeo (Q1) pr.							Passionate Pilgrim	Romeo printing of Q2
Behind scenes & Hypothesized dynamics-->	Enlightenment (Although not a concept recognized as fit for scholarly study, it is quite congruent with the sudden onset of inspired productivity)	Retreat to silence/solitude; Invocation to muse. (i.e., Sonnets)		Earl of Essex becomes patron of and student of Francis Bacon				Francis Bacon’s letter to uncle Burgley, “I have taken all knowledge as my province...”	Poet Thomas Nashe refs to Talbot and echoes H-VI-1 phrases.	Death of Robert Greene and Groatsworth’s disparagement of an actor “beautified with our feathers” in publication from Henry Chettle.	Nashe’s vehement denial of involvement with Groatsworth; Chettle’s apology & denial of responsibility.	Bacon makes politically fatal opposition to Queen’s subsidies.	Barnabe Barnes’ Parthenophil and Parthenophe - obscene sonnets; ded. to young aristocrats, incl. Southhampton; mimicking of Venus & Adonis. No further printings.		Nashe sent to prison for seditious Christ’s Teares over Jerusalem.											Ms. dated 1596 at Northumberland with refs to works by Bacon & Shakespeare - abbreviations of honorifica- bilitatinitudibus								First listing of works attributable to Shakespeare, according to Francis Meres. How he obtained all this insider information is quite unclear.		’09/01/28 Richard Bonion & Henry Walleys reg. Troilus “Written by William Shakespeare Some printings suggesting living author. —Michell p 188	1599: Printer Wm Jaggard pirated poems as The Passionate Pilgrim presenting entire vol as by W.S. Included 2 sonnets actually among 1609 Q of WS (#138 ,144) plus three from LLL		John Weever (of a circle of friends with Francis Meres acc. to Honigmann, 1987) wrote Epigrammes from 1597-1599, inclusion mention of WS:
Site of allusion to “Shakespeare”-->										“Greene’s Groatsworth” ranting about an “upstart crow beautified with our feathers”			Venus & Adonis printed				Lucrece		“Willobie his Avisa” says...	?94-95? Spenser in Colin Clouts makes ref to Aetion “whose muse, full of high thoughts invention, doth like himself heroically sound.’	Locrine printed. “overseen” by...													Palladis Tamia reg’d & printed	Richard Barnfield in his Remembrance of Some English Poets	Troilus Cressida registered			Epigrammes of John Weever (friend of Meres?) include sonnet comparing WS verses to Apollo’s. Refers to...	Returne from Parnassus, Part I play derides actors, including ref. to...
Allusions-->										shake-scene			by William Shakespeare				by William Shakespeare		“Shake-speare paints poor Lucrece rape.”	Thought by some to be ref to Shakespeare	W.S.													Plays & poetry listed as by Shakespeare	Shakespeare, whose Venus... Lucrece...	Written by William Shakespeare			“Honey-tongued Shakespeare”	“Shakspeare”
Writing likely to be in progress -->		Sonnets	Sonnets	Sonnets	Henry VI-2	Henry VI-3	Henry VI-1	Taming Shrew	Richard III			Venus & Adonis		Two Gentlemen	Titus Andronicus	Rape of Lucrece		Comedy Errors	Love's Labour's	Richard II	King John	Edward III		Romeo & Juliet	Midsummer	Henry IV-1	Merry Wives		Henry IV-2				Merchant Venice		Much Ado		Henry V		AYLI		Julius Caesar		Twelfth Night
actor's activity										Theatres closed from June 23 because of plague.	Susanna S. marries Dr. John Hall in Stratford	Theatres closed again from February because of plague.							Dec. 1594 Will. Shakespeare, Burbage, and Kempe named as payees for court performance.							August burial in Stratford of “Hamnet filius William Shakspere.”	Coat of arms granted to father: John Shakespere Bishopsgate tax listing for William Shackspere Sureties of peace against William Shakspere		New Place home purchased for £60 by Willielmus Shakespeare			Abraham Sturley letter to Richard Quiney mentions Mr. Shaksper (Jan 24)		Shakespeare heads principle actors of Jonson’s Humour, according to 1616 Folio of BJ.	Bishopsgate again lists William Shakespeare Richard Quiney wrote (if not sent) letter to Shackespere for £30 loan.		Stratford burial of Mayry Shaxpere, wydowe. (Will’s mother) Globe Theatre complelted (June)	1599~ Attempt to quarter the Shakespere coat of arms with the Arden coat — which seems to have been unsuccessful. —K. Duncan-Jones, p. 102	Thomas Kyd excecuted for some playwriting?