Summary

In "Will in the World," Stephen Greenblatt embarks on a biographical journey to illuminate how William Shakespeare, a man of seemingly modest origins, ascended to become the most celebrated playwright in the English language. Greenblatt meticulously sifts through historical records and literary analysis to construct a narrative that bridges the known facts of Shakespeare’s life with the profound themes and characters that populate his plays.

The book delves into Shakespeare’s formative years in Stratford-upon-Avon, exploring the influence of his family’s social standing and the religious tensions of the time. Greenblatt examines Shakespeare’s education, his exposure to the classics, and the possible impact of local traditions and events on his burgeoning imagination. The narrative then transitions to Shakespeare’s arrival in London, a bustling metropolis teeming with opportunity and fraught with social and economic challenges.

Greenblatt explores Shakespeare’s early career, highlighting the competitive environment of the London theater scene and the playwright’s engagement with the works of his contemporaries, particularly Christopher Marlowe. The book also examines Shakespeare's complex relationship with religion, his possible links to Catholicism, and the influence of these factors on his dramatic works. Greenblatt also investigates the intriguing possibility of a sojourn in Lancashire and how that might have shaped Shakespeare's views.

As Shakespeare’s career progresses, Greenblatt traces the evolution of his artistry, focusing on key themes such as power, ambition, love, and loss. He illuminates how personal experiences, including the death of his son Hamnet, might have influenced the depth and emotional resonance of his plays. Greenblatt also studies Shakespeare’s complex marriage to Anne Hathaway, dissecting their relationship through textual analysis of the plays. Greenblatt navigates the landscape of the London stage, illuminating the playwright's life in theater, his shrewd business sense, and the complex realities of an artist in Elizabethan England.

In later years, Greenblatt writes that as Shakespeare accumulated wealth and pondered his legacy, he may have reflected on his life's journey, marked by the loss of youthful illusions and the acceptance of human limitations. Delving deeply into Shakespeare's works, Greenblatt paints a portrait of an artist who transformed his own life, with its share of triumphs and tragedies, into timeless art that continues to resonate with audiences worldwide. The exploration of Shakespeare’s final years further enriches the understanding of the personal journey that shaped his creative genius.