The Shakespeare courtship in the millennium

This article focuses on how the Shakespeare courtship and marriage are interpreted in a number of recent biographies. This small piece of Shakespeare's life story can serve as a microcosm, both for biographical studies of Shakespeare, and for the way his relationship with his wife affects interpretation of his life, and (perhaps) his work. The various configurations of the Shakespeare courtship help determine how the Stratford parts of Shakespeare's life fit into the larger biographical design. A glimpse into the window of 'Shakespeare as lover' may reveal how biographers and readers around the millennium would like him to be as a wooer, lover, and husband.