The Private Life of William Shakespeare tells the story of Shakespeare as a family man in Stratford-upon-Avon. Cowen Orlin offers close readings of key archival documents associated with Shakespeare and develops a contextual understanding of the genres from which these documents emerge, reconsidering clusters of evidence that have been held to prove some persistent biographical fables. Cowen Orlin argues, too, that the histories of some of Shakespeare's
neighbours illuminate aspects of his own life.This new biography explores Shakespeare's private life in Stratford-upon-Avon, from his personal aspirations and self-determination, to his
relations with his family members and neighbours. We learn that his early wedding freed him from craft training to pursue a literary career, and that his wife's work enabled him to make the first of the property purchases that grounded his life as a gentleman.Throughout, we encounter a Shakespeare who consciously and purposefully designed his life — a Shakespeare who, having witnessed the business failures of his merchant father, determined not to follow the same path.
Industry Reviews
The great and lasting result of [Orlin's] labors is how punishingly she demolishes shoddy claims and biased inferences that have distorted our understanding of Shakespeare's life... it reads like a detective story in which a skilled investigator returns to a cold case... detailed and dazzling... [an] impressive and valuable book, a biography that will lead many to revise their classroom lectures. * James Shapiro, New York Times *
Lena Cowen Orlin's The Private Life of William Shakespeare sets a new standard for literary biography. Comparing the key documents of Shakespeare's biography to a wide array of similar documents from Shakespeare's contemporaries, Cowen Orlin manages to separate what is fact and what is probable about the life of England's most influential writer from what is mere speculation. Employing the most rigorous archival methodologies, her book challenges the shibboleths that have accumulated around the religion of Shakespeare's parents, his early marriage to the older Anne Hathaway, his life as a property owner, his will, and his death and monument... Early modern scholars will likely be reading and re-reading this book decades from now, perhaps arguing over this or that detail, but Cowen Orlin's approach will remain uncontested - a new benchmark for the field. * Brian Lockey, on behalf of the Committee for the Roland Bainton Prize in Literature *
After more than three hundred years of research on Shakespeare we are unlikely to find more documents relating to the monument, and the question of authorship may never be fully resolved. What could be done, however, is to conduct a full physical and technical examination, which would certainly help with questions of authenticity and alterations. This would involve dismantling the memorial and removing at least some of the later paintwork which now obscures its history. It would be an expensive process, requiring the services of fully qualified conservators, but it would surely not be beyond the resources of Shakespeare devotees around the world. Professor Orlin's highly valuable book would serve as inspiration for the project. * Adam White, Church Monuments *
Lena Cowen Orlin examines a series of seminal moments in the writer's private life... [a] painstakingly detailed recontextualisation of evidence * David McInnis, Australian Book Review *
...Orlin has made the simple point that there will always be novel discoveries to be found within the broader depths of Warwickshire archives. Hers is a methodology that should arm researchers when approaching any historical figure, and any archival record. * Francesca Rhodes, Midland History journal *
