Letter indicates Shakespeare may not have deserted his wife in Stratford
Shake Things Up: Shakespeare's Marriage History Rewritten
The conventional narrative of William Shakespeare's marriage to Anne Hathaway could be getting a major overhaul, according to a groundbreaking study led by Professor Matthew Steggle from the University of Bristol.
Historically, it was assumed that the playwright abandoned his wife and moved to London, leaving Anne behind in Stratford-upon-Avon. However, recent findings propose a different story - that the couple spent time together in London between 1600 and 1610.
This new chapter in the Shakespeare-Hathaway saga started with the discovery of an old letter hidden away in the binding of a hefty religious book in Hereford, about 50 miles from Stratford-upon-Avon.
The undeciphered letter, addressed to "good Mrs Shakspare" (the spelling at the time), refers to a fatherless apprentice named John Butts. Researchers believe they may have found the only John Butts living in London, who fits the timeline and circumstances, suggesting a potential connection to the famous couple.
The letter alleges a case of financial impropriety by "Mrs Shakspare'"'s husband and seeks reparation from Anne. In a fascinating twist, the suspected recipient seems to defend her husband against the accusations.
Furthermore, the letter refers to a "Shakspaire" couple residing in Trinity Lane. Out of the four families with this surname in London, Professor Steggle argues that only William and Anne could have afforded to live in this relatively affluent neighborhood.
If the letter is confirmed to correspond to Anne Hathaway, it would mark the first tangible evidence placing her within the bustling capital city during the husband's career in London.
The letter's discovery paves the way for further revelations about the Bard's life. "We know so little about exactly where Shakespeare lives in London, so it's another sort of data point for that," explains Professor Steggle. "It's another kind of anchor on where he might have been living, how he might have been, and how he might have been living in his London career."
This discovery presents an opportunity to question long-held notions about Shakespeare's relationship with his wife. As Professor Steggle points out, "There's this narrative, like the film 'Shakespeare in Love,' where he’s got this wife who's this kind of distant encumbrance in Stratford, and [Shakespeare] is having all these romantic love affairs in London separately."
The unearthed letter suggests Anne Hathaway was not just a distant figure, but an active participant in her husband's London life, involved in his financial and social networks. Though there's much work to be done, this discovery challenges the notion of a distant wife and an extramarital love story.
"The reason it's gone unnoticed for so long is that it's not in London...where there's been a lot of intense searching for Shakespeare," Steggle shares. "Looking outside the city – and in the bindings of books printed by the Bard’s old friend – could point the way towards the possibility of more discoveries."
- The discovery of an old letter in a religious book in Hereford, England, suggests a new narrative about William Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway, as it refers to their residence in London during the time between 1600 and 1610.
- If confirmed to be from Anne Hathaway, the undeciphered letter could be the first tangible evidence placing her in the bustling capital city during her husband's career in London, adding a new data point to where the Bard was living.
- Researchers believe they may have uncovered a potential connection to the famous couple through the letters' references to John Butts, a fatherless apprentice living in London.
- The discovery of the letter challenges the long-held notion of Anne Hathaway as a distant figure in Shakespeare's life, as it suggests she was an active participant in his financial and social networks during his time in London.
