What things inspired Shakespeare?

From great classical authors like Ovid and Seneca, to English historians like Holinshed, Shakespeare's greatest influences were the works of other great writers. He also found nature an inspiration (for example, no other playwright mentions birds more than Shakespeare!). When did Shakespeare retire from the theatre? Shakespeare's last appearance on the stage was in late 1603. In 1603, what did Shakespeare's theatre company become known as? In 1603, James I took the throne of England, and so, Shakespeare's company became known as the King's Men. Was Shakespeare really the one who wrote all those plays and sonnets or was it really a member of Queen Elizabeth's court? As you probably know, a debate currently rages over whether Shakespeare was really Shakespeare. Some think he might have been Sir Francis Bacon, and others believe he was the Earl of Oxford. No concrete proof has ever been given to show that Shakespeare was anyone but himself, and I personally think that the authorship ...  more