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Anne Hathaway (Shakespeare's Wife)

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Celebrity's Relative

The Resume

    (1556-August 6, 1623)
    Born in Shottery, England, United Kingdom
    Married to William Shakespeare (1582-1616)

Why she might be annoying:

    Few facts are known about her, leaving her life and relationship with Shakespeare open to rampant speculation.
    She was pregnant when she married Shakespeare.
    Shortly before their marriage, a wedding license was issued for 'Wm Shaxpere' and 'Ann Whatley,' leading some biographers to claim that Whatley was Shakespeare's true love who he had to leave for a shotgun wedding to the woman he knocked up.
    Several scholars suggest Shakespeare left Stratford for London to get away from a loveless marriage.
    Her only mention in Shakespeare's will is a bequest of the 'second-best bed.'

Why she might not be annoying:

    Most scholars think 'Whatley' is simply a clerical butchering of 'Hathaway.'
    The marriage survived Shakespeare's frequent long absences in London.
    Germaine Greer suggested she was the inspiration for many Shakespearean heroines who are 'constant in love through months and years of separation.'
    Some scholars suggest the best bed in the household would have been reserved for guests and that the 'second best' bed left to Anne was the couple's marriage bed.

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 3 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 12 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 4 Votes: 25.00% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 4 Votes: 25.00% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 40 Votes: 82.50% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 8 Votes: 87.50% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 6 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 10 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 40 Votes: 85.00% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 8 Votes: 12.50% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 16 Votes: 31.25% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 101 Votes: 62.38% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 27 Votes: 37.04% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 23 Votes: 34.78% Annoying