A Warwickshire Lad: The Story of the Boyhood of
The Warwickshire Lad is the story of the boyhood of William Shakespeare, the greatest playwright of all time. It follows the young Shakespeare from his birth in Stratford-upon-Avon to his departure for London at the age of eighteen. Along the way, we learn about his family, his education, his love of the theater, and his early attempts at writing. We also get a glimpse into the world of Elizabethan England, with its superstitions, customs, and beliefs. Through it all, we see how Shakespeare's early life shaped the man he would become, and how his genius was nurtured by the people and places of his youth.
By George Madden Martin · First published 1916 · Genre: Biography, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction · 13 chapters · 9,632 words
First lines
Little Will Shakespeare was going homeward through the dusk from Gammer Gurton's fireside. He had no timorous fears, not he. He would walk proudly and deliberately as becomes a man. Men are not afraid. Yet Gammer had told of strange happenings at her home. A magpie had flown screaming over the roof, the butter would not come in the churn, an' a strange cat had slipped out afore the maid at daybreak -- a cat without a tail, Gammer said --
Little Will quickened his pace.
What this Textopian page supports
A Warwickshire Lad: The Story of the Boyhood of William Shakespeare is listed on Textopian as a novella by George Madden Martin, dated 1916 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novella
- Author: George Madden Martin
- Date: 1916 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Biography, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Romance
- Length: 9,632 words
- Structure: 13 chapters, 142 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for A Warwickshire Lad: The Story of the Boyhood of William Shakespeare by George Madden Martin
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering A Warwickshire Lad: The Story of the Boyhood of William Shakespeare?
- How does this novella by George Madden Martin fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Biography first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Biography — The book is a biography of William Shakespeare's boyhood.
- Historical Fiction — The book is set in the Warwickshire region of England during the 16th century, and is based on historical events.
- Literary Fiction — The book is written in a literary style, and explores themes of identity, family, and coming of age.
- Romance — The book includes romantic elements, such as William's relationship with Anne Hathaway.
Tags
1564-1616 · 1616 · Childhood and youth · Juvenile fiction · Shakespeare · William · ann · away · back · boy · child · come
Contents
- Chapter 1
- Chapter 2
- Chapter 3
- Chapter 4
- Chapter 5
- Chapter 6
- Chapter 7
- Chapter 8
- Chapter 9
- Chapter 10
- Chapter 11
- Chapter 12
- Chapter 13