Sexuality of William Shakespeare

The sexuality of William Shakespeare has been the subject of recurring debate. It is known from public records that he married Anne Hathaway and they had three children; scholars have analyzed their relationship through these documents, in particular through the bequests to her in Shakespeare's will. There has been speculation that he had affairs with other women, based on contemporary writings of others anecdotally recounting such affairs and possibly on the "Dark Lady" figure in his sonnets. Scholars have also speculated that he was bisexual, based on an analysis of the sonnets, many of which, including Sonnet 18 "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day", are love poems addressed to a man, the "Fair Lord", and which contain plays on words relating to sexual desire between men.

Read more about Sexuality Of William Shakespeare:  Marriage, Possible Affairs With Women, Possible Homoeroticism, See Also

Famous quotes containing the words william shakespeare and/or shakespeare:

    “Barnes are blessings.”
    —William Shakespeare (1564–1616)

    “Methought I heard a voice cry “Sleep no more!
    Macbeth does murder sleep,” the innocent sleep,
    Sleep that knits up the ravelled sleave of care,
    The death of each day’s life, sore labor’s bath,
    Balm of hurt minds, great nature’s second course,
    Chief nourisher in life’s feast.”
    —William Shakespeare (1564–1616)