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Is It True That Shakespeare Was Born And Died On St George's Day?

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Will Martin Profile
Will Martin answered
It is certainly true that he died on this day: 23 April, 1616, aged 52. This is stated in a memorial on the wall of Holy Trinity Church in his birthplace of Stratford-Upon-Avon.
As for his birth, all we know for sure is that he was baptised on 26 April, 1564 – this is in the parish records. Christenings were usually held very soon after the birth because so many babies died, so Shakespeare is unlikely to have been born more than a few days before this date. Therefore the date of 23 April is perfectly possible – even quite probable – but not certain.
The tradition probably arose because St George is the patron saint of England, and Shakespeare is generally regarded as the quintessential English writer, exemplifying all that is best in the national culture. The idea that his life both began and ended on the saint's day is so attractive that everybody wants to believe it, although we will never be sure.
thanked the writer.
Robert Williams
Robert Williams commented
Shakespeare's birthdate will forever be a bone of contention.
It is assumed he was born on 23 April 1564.
Children born in Shakespeare's time, were, by tradition, christened two days later, in this case 25 April.
25 April, for the English, was a bad day.
Should you sit in the porch of your church,at 11 at night, on 24 April (St Mark's Eve), you would see, coming towards you, all those who were to die that year in your parish.
From midnight to one AM, you would see all those who were to die in the later part of the year.
You would also see their cofffins and their rotting corpses!
Conversely, if you were a young woman, should you hold your apron up to the fire, the features of your husband to be, would appear through the cloth!
It is for the former reason, that no body was christened on 25 April St Mark's Day.
Therefore, if he was christened on the 26 April, could he not have been born on the 24th?

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