What We Know—And Don't—About Shakespeare's Wife

Many details of Shakespeare’s life are shrouded in mystery, from whether he wrote all his plays to whether he was even human. But another enduring mystery attached to the Bard is his relationship with his wife.

Shakespeare’s spouse is also the subject of the Oscar-nominated film Hamnet, which stars Jessie Buckley as Agnes, the herbalist daughter of a forest witch who captures Shakespeare’s heart in this fictionalized retelling. In that story, Agnes’s sensitivity allows her to better understand Shakespeare’s depths and helps her support his artistic endeavors. 

In reality, we know very little for certain about Shakespeare’s actual wife, let alone how she felt about her husband’s fame and brilliance. But there are some facts and theories that have made their way across time that do shed some light on who the Bard’s partner in love and life might have been.

What We Know About Shakespeare’s Marriage and Family

According to historical records, Shakespeare married a woman named Anne Hathaway in 1582. At the time, Shakespeare was 18 and Hathaway was 26, and she is believed to have been three months pregnant with the couple’s first child, Susanna. 

Shakespeare seems to have rushed the wedding by obtaining a marriage license from the Bishop’s Court in Worcester, which sped up the process and allowed them to marry in a parish away from their home. This may have been an effort to avoid a scandal.

The pair went on to have twins named Judith and Hamnet three years later, though Hamnet died at the age of 11. The film Hamnet theorizes that Shakespeare’s son’s death may have inspired him to write the legendary tragedy Hamlet, which premiered four years after Hamnet passed away.

It is not known whether Shakespeare felt pressured to marry Hathaway because she was pregnant. We do know that the pair remained together until Shakespeare’s death. 

Who Was Anne Hathaway?

According to some historians, Hathaway may have been born in Shottery, England near Stratford-upon-Avon, and is thought to have been the eldest of eight children. She also may have lost her mother at 10 years old.

Her father died in 1581 and left her a will containing a dowry intended for her marriage, which she used to marry Shakespeare around a year later. Anne may not even have been her real name—in her father’s will, he addressed her as Agnes. 

What Was Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway’s Relationship Like?

At some point in their marriage, Shakespeare may have left for London, leaving the family in Stratford-upon-Avon. It’s believed that Shakespeare may have brought his family to live with him in London at some point between 1600 to 1610, though Hathaway spent most of her life living in a large house in Stratford-upon-Avon.

In his will, Shakespeare left his “second-best-bed” to Hathaway, which some have interpreted as a slight or a sign of lack of love between the two. Others have noted that the “second-best-bed” may have been the bed that the two of them shared, as the best bed was often reserved for guests during this time.

It’s also not known whether Hathaway inspired any of Shakespeare’s characters or passionate romantic sonnets, such as those addressed to a so-called “dark lady.” Some believe that this woman may have been a mistress, though it’s entirely possible that Hathaway inspired these works or that they were entirely fictional.

It’s also impossible to tell what being married to someone like Shakespeare would have been like, though many have theorized that Shakespeare must have been an absent or distracted partner due to his intense professional life. However, a letter publicized in 2025 has led some scholars to think that the pair may have shared a more collaborative relationship than some previously thought. 

The letter, addressed to a “Mrs Shakspaire,” is a request for money for a poor child, and it implies that Shakespeare may have promised to give money to the youth. A response was also discovered that seemingly came from Hathaway, and it sounds “organized, businesslike and rather sarcastic,” said Matthew Steggle, the scholar who rediscovered the fragments, per The New York Times. 

The response suggests that Shakespeare and Hathaway might have been partners in business and correspondence, and gives heft to the idea that Shakespeare’s wife may have indeed been strong-willed, intelligent, and present in the marriage—just like Agnes in Hamnet, and just like many of Shakespeare’s female characters, who often lend themselves well to feminist readings and reinterpretations.

We may never know much about Shakespeare’s wife, but just like all aspects of the Bard’s life—from his sister to his inventive vocabulary—she certainly will continue providing fodder for new stories for many years to come.