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Shakespeare's Will
Anne Hathaway enjoys her friendship with the young William Shakespeare, who entertains her with his poems and his dreams of fame in the London theatres. But in the course of one country summer friendship becomes something more. Anne is pregnant and they must marry, and be stuck in Stratford and poverty forever. Or so William thinks. Hard-headed, intelligent Anne realises that if they are to be happy she must make his dreams come true. He must try his luck in London while she stays home to raise their children in boredom and loneliness. Five years later her gamble has paid off. With William becoming rich and increasingly famous, Anne can join him in his London world of actors, spies, dangerous politics and wily aristocrats. It is other dangers that now threaten their marriage and Anne's love - a beautiful boy, and a dark, dangerous woman, both of whom want her husband. And he seems to want them. Now Anne must gamble again. If she leaves her husband, will he ever return to her? Will Shakespeare, in fact, love his wife? A sublime historical novel. It flows, it's real, the characters are honest, and their actions are consistent with their belief systems and their deepest feelings... a joy. Whitford's writing is impeccable. Historical fact melds seamlessly with historical fiction. - The Historical Novel Society . Fiction made deep with scholarship and references, but also, in itself, a terrific story that evokes the streets of both London and Stratford in the sixteenth century while providing a timeless tale of love, betrayal, genius and redemption. - Magdalena Ball , www.compulsivereader.com
254 pages, Paperback
First published November 23, 2010
About the author
Meredith Whitford
6 books28 followersMeredith Whitford lives in South Australia. She has a BA from the University of Adelaide and a Master's degree in Creative Writing from Flinders University. Her four published books are TREASON, fiction about Richard III; SHAKESPEARE'S WILL (also fiction,about WS's marriage) and MISSING CHRISTINA, a novel which draws on her experiences as an adopted child and includes a South Australian mystery, and the biography CHURCHIILL'S REBELS: JESSICA MITFORD & ESMOND ROMILLY. She won readers awards for TREASON and the biography. She has just finished another historical novel and is working on a family biography. She is a freelance editor, and as director of Between Us Manuscript Assessment Service has worked on several prize-winning books. Her interests are reading, history, and sleeping.
http://meredithwh.wixsite.com/home
www.betweenusmanuscripts.com .
She can be contacted at meredithwh@yahoo.com
http://meredithwh.wixsite.com/home
www.betweenusmanuscripts.com .
She can be contacted at meredithwh@yahoo.com
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
February 24, 2022
The author gathers the few known facts about Shakespeare to fashion a literate and entertaining story of his life from an 18-year-old glover’s son to an acclaimed playwright and poet. It is the story of his loves, and, more particularly, of his marriage to Anne Hathaway. The Anne Hathaway here is far from the carping, illiterate farmer’s daughter so often depicted. She is a handsome, intelligent countrywoman to whom the young Shakespeare reads his poems and confides his dream of going to London and working in the theatre. His dreams must be put on hold as he marries a pregnant Anne. The couple agree that they will be partners and friends, a true marriage, even if it seems to lack passion. After several years and the birth of three children, they are still living in a room in Will’s parents’ house, and their relationship shows the strain. Anne pushes her husband to go to London to pursue his dreams, knowing that is the only way to keep his love.
Shakespeare achieves enough success so that Anne and the children are able to join him in London and she is involved in the world of actors as well as spies and political intrigue. Their marriage suffers its ups and downs due Shakespeare’s philandering. Shakespeare’s love affair with the Earl of Southampton is a blow to Anne, but it is his obsession with a woman—the mysterious “Dark Lady of the Sonnets” that threatens to destroy their marriage. Anne leaves and returns to Stratford, but Will’s love for her proves to be an abiding one.
The writing is bright and lively. In the opening scene Anne is buying gloves from Will and they play on the words “glove” and “love.” And then his father gives Will some Polonius-type advice as he sets off to make his fortune in London.
I decided to read this novel because its author has written what has become one of my favorite Ricardian novels Treason, and so I was gratified to read this exchange:
“‘They say King Richard was a wicked man but tell me, do you believe a hunchback could ride into battle and fight as manfully as the records tell us he did?’ ‘My lord, speaking after three hours laced into that hunchback costume, I doubt it. But then, I doubt he really was a hunchback. People still remember him, you know. Perhaps Will should give him some different deformity to prove his mind’s wickedness?’ ‘What do you want of me, Dick? A good play or a history lesson?’”
Shakespeare achieves enough success so that Anne and the children are able to join him in London and she is involved in the world of actors as well as spies and political intrigue. Their marriage suffers its ups and downs due Shakespeare’s philandering. Shakespeare’s love affair with the Earl of Southampton is a blow to Anne, but it is his obsession with a woman—the mysterious “Dark Lady of the Sonnets” that threatens to destroy their marriage. Anne leaves and returns to Stratford, but Will’s love for her proves to be an abiding one.
The writing is bright and lively. In the opening scene Anne is buying gloves from Will and they play on the words “glove” and “love.” And then his father gives Will some Polonius-type advice as he sets off to make his fortune in London.
I decided to read this novel because its author has written what has become one of my favorite Ricardian novels Treason, and so I was gratified to read this exchange:
“‘They say King Richard was a wicked man but tell me, do you believe a hunchback could ride into battle and fight as manfully as the records tell us he did?’ ‘My lord, speaking after three hours laced into that hunchback costume, I doubt it. But then, I doubt he really was a hunchback. People still remember him, you know. Perhaps Will should give him some different deformity to prove his mind’s wickedness?’ ‘What do you want of me, Dick? A good play or a history lesson?’”
June 15, 2025
If you are a lover of Shakespeare's work, this book is great fun. Scattered throughout the dialogue, famous lines from various plays emerge. Best of all, in this novel, Anne Hathaway is not a brainless drudge hidden away in Stratford while Will whoops it up in London. Although little is known about Shakespeare's wife, I've always thought that a man with Will's wit wouldn't have been involved with a dull woman to begin with. Shakespeare's Will is a fascinating story that's filled with the famous people of the time, both politicians and players, in the last years of Elizabeth I. This is a well-researched, artfully written tale of William Shakespeare and those who loved him.
July 22, 2021
Good book
I think it was really just me - the writing and story line was clever and one I truly appreciated. I just became tired and stopped reading about three-quarters of the way through it.
I think it was really just me - the writing and story line was clever and one I truly appreciated. I just became tired and stopped reading about three-quarters of the way through it.
December 2, 2010
By Australian author, Meredith Whitford. My review.
Where there’s a will.
Much of William Shakespeare’s life is unknown apart from a few dates that chronicle his birth, marriage and death but Meredith Whitford has gathered these facts, along with other tantalizing Shakespearian bits and pieces that have come down to us, to fashion the personal life of the greatest poet in the English language. Told largely through the eyes of his wife, Anne Hathaway it chronicles the rise of William from country glove-maker to the London stage, success and acclaim.
William’s passion and desire to create will be recognizable to those who burn with similar ambitions and who, along with Will, are tortured by the challenges of combining a home life with a career. The uncertainties, and sometimes sense of isolation, experienced by those surrounding a creative talent are portrayed in their frustrating realities.
The isolation of the writer is another form of loneliness when the outside world must to be cut off to allow the phantom characters that inhabit the writer’s mind, be permitted their space to grow and develop flesh.
All of this is contained in Shakespeare’s Will; in a style and language that brings 16th century England alive for us and the realisation that things are not so different today. Many contemporary artists will recognise the necessity of seeking patronage, not from an Earl or Monarch, but Arts bodies that dish out money provided the artist has jumped through their endless flaming hoops.
The emotional lives of Anne, Will and Harry, the beautiful Earl of Southampton, who was literary minded, bisexual, and from a long Catholic dynasty, all are explored as well as Will’s fascination with the mysterious and carnal lady with the dark eyes. The steadfast emphasis is on love and the many variations on the meaning of that word.
In a world of intrigue, political dangers and confusion, the marriage of William Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway must face up to all challenges, from long separations, mistrust, disappointments and the loss of a child.
As Shakespeare brought his characters life, so does Meredith Whitford in what is an exciting and absorbing tale that will stay with you and, I believe, find you returning to it time and time again.
Recommended.
Brian Kavanagh.
Author of Belinda Lawrence Mysteries.
Where there’s a will.
Much of William Shakespeare’s life is unknown apart from a few dates that chronicle his birth, marriage and death but Meredith Whitford has gathered these facts, along with other tantalizing Shakespearian bits and pieces that have come down to us, to fashion the personal life of the greatest poet in the English language. Told largely through the eyes of his wife, Anne Hathaway it chronicles the rise of William from country glove-maker to the London stage, success and acclaim.
William’s passion and desire to create will be recognizable to those who burn with similar ambitions and who, along with Will, are tortured by the challenges of combining a home life with a career. The uncertainties, and sometimes sense of isolation, experienced by those surrounding a creative talent are portrayed in their frustrating realities.
The isolation of the writer is another form of loneliness when the outside world must to be cut off to allow the phantom characters that inhabit the writer’s mind, be permitted their space to grow and develop flesh.
All of this is contained in Shakespeare’s Will; in a style and language that brings 16th century England alive for us and the realisation that things are not so different today. Many contemporary artists will recognise the necessity of seeking patronage, not from an Earl or Monarch, but Arts bodies that dish out money provided the artist has jumped through their endless flaming hoops.
The emotional lives of Anne, Will and Harry, the beautiful Earl of Southampton, who was literary minded, bisexual, and from a long Catholic dynasty, all are explored as well as Will’s fascination with the mysterious and carnal lady with the dark eyes. The steadfast emphasis is on love and the many variations on the meaning of that word.
In a world of intrigue, political dangers and confusion, the marriage of William Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway must face up to all challenges, from long separations, mistrust, disappointments and the loss of a child.
As Shakespeare brought his characters life, so does Meredith Whitford in what is an exciting and absorbing tale that will stay with you and, I believe, find you returning to it time and time again.
Recommended.
Brian Kavanagh.
Author of Belinda Lawrence Mysteries.
November 29, 2010
Where there's a will. A review.
Much of William Shakespeare's life is unknown apart from a few dates that chronicle his birth, marriage and death, but Meredith Whitford has gathered these facts, along with other tantalizing Shakespearian bits and pieces that have come down to us, to fashion the personal life of the greatest poet in the English language. Told largely through the eyes of his wife, Anne Hathaway, it chronicles the rise of William from country glove-maker to the London stage, success and acclaim.
William's passion and desire to create will be recognizable to those who burn with similar ambitions and who, along with Will, are tortured by the challenges of combining a home life with a career. The uncertainties, and sometimes sense of isolation, experienced by those surrounding a creative talent are portrayed in their frustrating realities.
The isolation of the writer is another form of loneliness when the outside world must to be cut off to allow the phantom characters that inhabit the writer's mind, be permitted their space to grow and develop flesh.
All of this is contained in Shakespeare's Will, in a style and language that brings 16th century England alive for us and the realisation that things are not so different today. Many contemporary artists will recognise the necessity of seeking patronage, not from an Earl or Monarch, but Arts bodies that dish out money provided the artist has jumped through their endless flaming hoops.
The emotional lives of Anne, Will and Harry, the beautiful Earl of Southampton, who was literary minded, bisexual, and from a long Catholic dynasty, all are explored as well as Will's fascination with the mysterious and carnal lady with the dark eyes. The steadfast emphasis is on love and the many variations on the meaning of that word.
In a world of intrigue, political dangers and confusion, the marriage of William Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway must face up to all challenges, from long separations, mistrust, disappointments and the loss of a child.
As Shakespeare brought his characters life, so does Meredith Whitford in what is an exciting and absorbing tale that will stay with you and, I believe, find you returning to it time and time again.
Recommended.
Brian Kavanagh.
Author of Belinda Lawrence Mysteries
Much of William Shakespeare's life is unknown apart from a few dates that chronicle his birth, marriage and death, but Meredith Whitford has gathered these facts, along with other tantalizing Shakespearian bits and pieces that have come down to us, to fashion the personal life of the greatest poet in the English language. Told largely through the eyes of his wife, Anne Hathaway, it chronicles the rise of William from country glove-maker to the London stage, success and acclaim.
William's passion and desire to create will be recognizable to those who burn with similar ambitions and who, along with Will, are tortured by the challenges of combining a home life with a career. The uncertainties, and sometimes sense of isolation, experienced by those surrounding a creative talent are portrayed in their frustrating realities.
The isolation of the writer is another form of loneliness when the outside world must to be cut off to allow the phantom characters that inhabit the writer's mind, be permitted their space to grow and develop flesh.
All of this is contained in Shakespeare's Will, in a style and language that brings 16th century England alive for us and the realisation that things are not so different today. Many contemporary artists will recognise the necessity of seeking patronage, not from an Earl or Monarch, but Arts bodies that dish out money provided the artist has jumped through their endless flaming hoops.
The emotional lives of Anne, Will and Harry, the beautiful Earl of Southampton, who was literary minded, bisexual, and from a long Catholic dynasty, all are explored as well as Will's fascination with the mysterious and carnal lady with the dark eyes. The steadfast emphasis is on love and the many variations on the meaning of that word.
In a world of intrigue, political dangers and confusion, the marriage of William Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway must face up to all challenges, from long separations, mistrust, disappointments and the loss of a child.
As Shakespeare brought his characters life, so does Meredith Whitford in what is an exciting and absorbing tale that will stay with you and, I believe, find you returning to it time and time again.
Recommended.
Brian Kavanagh.
Author of Belinda Lawrence Mysteries
January 20, 2012
Fittingly, the title is a multi-layered pun, a game much loved by Shakespeare and the wits of the Elizabethan Court. So much about the great man’s life will never be discovered that the author of any fiction about him has plenty of room to maneuver.
I was delighted to open the book and step straight into a sunny day in the country town of Stratford. A handsome spinster, Anne Hathaway, shops for gloves. Not only is she eight years older than Will, but her family is on their way up, while his is on the way down. Anne falls for the young man anyway, and shares his early struggles and his secret ambitions. Pregnant on the day she’s married, there are plenty of trials to come. Three children are born in the first five years but William’s earning power is limited. He soon leaves Stratford for London, an early commuter marriage. Anne is the one who pushes her husband to pursue his dreams, for she’s wise enough to know that to keep his love, she’ll have to let him go. Her life thereafter is often lonely and anxious. There are dangers to their marriage in London, too, not just of the flesh, but political dangers as well, and these are skillfully drawn. There’s plenty of research behind this novel, but it’s smoothly incorporated. The characters and their dialog are absolutely true to time and place, which is important to me. (I especially loved the author’s notion about the origin of the Earl of Southampton’s beautiful gloves—check out his picture sometime) A fast, fun read.
I was delighted to open the book and step straight into a sunny day in the country town of Stratford. A handsome spinster, Anne Hathaway, shops for gloves. Not only is she eight years older than Will, but her family is on their way up, while his is on the way down. Anne falls for the young man anyway, and shares his early struggles and his secret ambitions. Pregnant on the day she’s married, there are plenty of trials to come. Three children are born in the first five years but William’s earning power is limited. He soon leaves Stratford for London, an early commuter marriage. Anne is the one who pushes her husband to pursue his dreams, for she’s wise enough to know that to keep his love, she’ll have to let him go. Her life thereafter is often lonely and anxious. There are dangers to their marriage in London, too, not just of the flesh, but political dangers as well, and these are skillfully drawn. There’s plenty of research behind this novel, but it’s smoothly incorporated. The characters and their dialog are absolutely true to time and place, which is important to me. (I especially loved the author’s notion about the origin of the Earl of Southampton’s beautiful gloves—check out his picture sometime) A fast, fun read.
November 30, 2015
Poignant. Honest. Evocative. Add those to ‘powerful’ and the description fits. The little that we really know (and can document) about William Shakespeare’s life provides the anchor points for this novel that centers on the relationship between Anne Hathaway and Will Shakspere, encapsulating their first encounters, their affair, their marriage, the birth of their children, their sacrifices, Will’s slowly burgeoning career, the trials besetting a long-distance marriage, all wrapped up in the context of the turmoil – religious and political – of the last twenty or so years of the reign of Elizabeth I. Whitford so skillfully winds into her tapestry lines from the plays and poetry that we are provided with skillful portraits, as well, of the persons inspiring the great writer’s most poignant poems, honest characters, and evocative scenes from his plays.
October 25, 2015
This was an intriguing historical fiction/speculative biography of William Shakespeare, focusing on the relationship with his wife and spiraling out through the rest of his wider life from there.
I thought the word craft by the author was superbly done. I enjoyed her command and use of the language, in the telling of her tale, as much as the tale itself. Fitting, for the life of The Bard. Highly recommended.
I thought the word craft by the author was superbly done. I enjoyed her command and use of the language, in the telling of her tale, as much as the tale itself. Fitting, for the life of The Bard. Highly recommended.
September 21, 2015
Read this as an e-book entitled "Love's Will." If you like historical fiction, you may enjoy this. Most of what is known about Shakespeare is in this book, no new insights. However, the author takes dramatic license with the fiction part. What threw me was the modern language used (although it made it a much easier read). Overall, I did enjoy it.
March 24, 2012
It's no "Hamlet," but at least it doesn't claim the Earl of Oxford wrote the plays...
April 19, 2013
Loved this book. I already knew quite a lot about Shakespeare's life from my research but Meredith Whitford really brings it to life. If you are interested in Shakespeare, read this book!
May 20, 2013
I really loved this book. Being a fan of Shakespeare's works, I had never thought about what his life actually was like so this book was a great idea. Very well written and thoroughly enjoyable.
May 11, 2016
Not too bad
Enjoyed the twist of a classic storyline. Why I there a mandatory word limit. If I don't have more to say
Enjoyed the twist of a classic storyline. Why I there a mandatory word limit. If I don't have more to say
July 29, 2016
Interesting take on the Bards life.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews