1556–1623
Who Was Anne Hathaway?
Anne Hathaway was the wife of English poet, playwright, and actor William Shakespeare. Together, they had three children: Susanna, Hamnet, and Judith. Hathaway and her children lived in the town of Straftord-upon-Avon while her husband worked in London. The couple were married for 34 years until Shakespeare’s death in 1616. Hathaway died seven years later in 1623. Details about her early life are limited, and her relationship with Shakespeare has been the subject of much speculation from historians.
Quick Facts
FULL NAME: Anne Hathaway
BORN: 1556
DIED: August 6, 1623
BIRTHPLACE: Shottery, England
SPOUSE: William Shakespeare (1582–1616)
CHILDREN: Susanna, Judith, and Hamnet
Early Life
Anne Hathaway was likely born in 1556 in Shottery, a village near Stratford-upon-Avon, England. Her exact date of birth is unknown. Her father, Richard Hathaway, was a yeoman, or small landowning farmer. The eldest of seven surviving children, Anne grew up in a farmhouse cottage. Her father died in 1581, leaving her an ample dowry in his will, which she received on her wedding day.
Marriage to William Shakespeare
Hathaway married poet and playwright William Shakespeare in November 1582. At the time, she was 26 years old, and he was 18. Hathaway was already pregnant with the couple’s first child when they wed. While many have likened the timing of their marriage and Anne’s pregnancy to an Elizabethan shotgun wedding, some historians have pushed back on this assumption. In the 16th century, around 30 percent of brides were pregnant when they got married, many of whom were informally betrothed in “handfasting” ceremonies prior to their legal nuptials.
Six months after their wedding, Hathaway gave birth to their daughter Susanna in May 1583. The couple then welcomed twins in 1585, a girl named Judith and a boy named Hamnet. After the birth of their twins, however, Shakespeare moved to London for his work, leaving Hathaway and the children behind in Stratford-upon-Avon.
In 1596, Hamnet died at just 11 years old. While his exact cause of death is unknown, historians believe he might have died from the bubonic plague. The couple’s relationship and loss of their son inspired the best-selling historical fiction novel Hamnet (2020) by Maggie O’Farrell.
In 1597, Hathaway and her two daughters moved to New Place, the largest residence in town, where she remained as mistress of the house for 19 years. In 1613, Shakespeare retired from writing and permanently moved back to New Place, where he died three years later.
Shakespeare’s Will
In his last will and testament, Shakespeare left Hathaway his “second-best bed with the furniture.” While some have interpreted this as a slight, this language was apparently not uncommon to describe the quality of items bequeathed in wills. The “best” bed of the house was typically reserved for guests.
Regardless, this is the only mention of Hathaway in the will. Under English common law, a widow was guaranteed one third of her husband’s estate, no matter the text of the will. Still, most wives were mentioned in a more affectionate manner. Nevertheless, Hathaway retained one-third ownership of New Place, where she remained until her death seven years later.
Death and Burial
Hathaway died in her home on August 6, 1632, at 67 years old. Her cause of death is unknown. Two days later, she was buried next to her husband at Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon. The Latin epitaph on her grave, likely written by her daughters, describes her as “so great a gift” and a woman who will “rise again and seek the stars.”
Fact Check: We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn’t look right, contact us!
Catherine Caruso joined the Biography.com staff in August 2024, having previously worked as a freelance journalist for several years. She is a graduate of Syracuse University, where she studied English literature. When she’s not working on a new story, you can find her reading, hitting the gym, or watching too much TV.
