William Shakespeare died on April 23, 1616, in Stratford-upon-Avon, leaving behind tantalizing questions about the cause of his death.
While the world debates his authorship and religious beliefs, his demise at just over 50 years old draws significant intrigue.
The well-known detail that Shakespeare left his wife his “second best bed” in his will adds a layer of curiosity, but the will itself offers crucial insights.
Theories & Speculations
One prominent theory suggests that a night of revelry with fellow playwrights suddenly led to Shakespeare’s death, based on a diary entry from John Ward, the vicar of Stratford.
He described a gathering where “Shakespeare, Drayton, and Ben Jonson had a merry meeting” and speculated that drinking too much caused Shakespeare to contract a fever.
However, this anecdote emerged decades later and scholars largely dismiss it as apocryphal. Opinions on the nature of Shakespeare’s death vary.
Supporters of the “sudden death” theory reference a tribute from contemporary poet James Mabbe, which hints at an abrupt end: “We wondered, Shakespeare, that thou went’st so soon.”
Furthermore, Shakespeare’s will, which he penned weeks before his death, claimed he was “in perfect health & memory, God be praised.”
Though this statement could reflect legal conventions of the time, the quick succession of the will’s drafting and his passing suggests he may have grappled with a serious illness.
Speculations about the illness abound, as the era plagued people with infectious diseases such as the bubonic plague and typhus.
Some have even posited that Shakespeare could have suffered from tertiary syphilis, a rampant ailment of the time.
C. Martin Mitchell argued for a cerebral hemorrhage based on observations from the well-known Droeshout portrait, while Andrew Stirling explored the idea of foul play, proposing that secret Catholic beliefs may have made him a target.
Though the exact cause of Shakespeare’s death remains shrouded in mystery, the theories reflect the ongoing fascination with the playwright and the enigmatic circumstances surrounding his life and legacy.