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
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______________		 1591 Win
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______________		 1592 Spr
______________		 1592 Sum
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______________		 1594 Win
______________		 1594 Spr
______________		 1594 Sum
______________		 1594 Fall
______________		 1595 Win
______________		 1595 Spr
______________		 1595 Sum
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______________		 1596 Win
______________		 1596 Spr
______________		 1596 Sum
______________		 1596 Fall
______________		 1597 Win
______________		 1597 Spr
______________		 1597 Sum
______________		 1597 Fall
______________		 1598 Win
______________		 1598 Spr
______________		 1598 Sum
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______________		 1599 Win
______________		 1599 Spr
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______________		 1600 Win
______________		 1600 Spr
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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?        

© Richard Pinneau, 2003
Feedback appreciated: rp (at) richardpinneau (dot) com
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