List of Illustrations vi
Preface and Acknowledgments vii
List of Abbreviations x
The Shakespeare Family Tree xii
1 Born into the World: 1564-1571 1
2 Nemo SibiNascitur: 1571-1578 21
3 Hic et Ubique: 1578-1588 40
4 This Man's Art and That Man's Scope: 1588-1592 64
5 Tigers' Hearts: 1592-1593 86
6 The Dangerous Year: 1593-1594 106
7 Our Usual Manager of Mirth: 1594-1595 134
8 The Strong'st and Surest Way to Get: Histories, 1595-1596 162
9 When Love Speaks: Tragedy and Comedy, 1595-1596 181
10 You Had a Father; Let Your Son Say So: 1596-1598 201
11 Unworthy Scaffold: 1598-1599 231
12 These Words Are Not Mine: 1599-1601 258
13 Looking Before and After: 1600-1603 277
14 This Most Balmy Time: 1603-1605 300
15 Past the Size of Dreaming: 1606-1609 330
16 Like an Old Tale: 1609-1611 360
17 The Second Burden: 1612-1616 384
18 In the Mouths of Men: 1616 and After 414
Bibliography 443
Index 475