flemmings: (Default)
flemmings ([personal profile] flemmings) wrote2014-04-24 07:55 am
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I saw people wishing Shakespeare a happy birthday yesterday. Wikipedia says he was born on April 26 and died on April 23. Is wikipedia wrong?

[identity profile] occasionalhope.livejournal.com 2014-04-24 06:00 pm (UTC)(link)
Yes, but other people aren't necessarily right either.

We don't really know when he was born. He was *baptised* on 26 April, and was probably born soon before that, but the date of 23rd seems to have been sdopted as his official birthday by those who liked the fact that that was his death day.

[identity profile] flemmings.livejournal.com 2014-04-24 06:08 pm (UTC)(link)
This explains much. My reflex is to say 'Of course he wouldn't have been baptised the day he was born, all registered-like': but well, he might have and he might not.

April 23 has a symmetry that's probably too nice for fact, but it will do. Happy birthday then, Will.