William Shakespeare was born on April 23, 1564 in (a) — village of Stratford-on-Avon in (b) – country of Warwickshire. His father John Shakespeare was (c) — farmer’s son who came to (d) — Stratford about 1531and began to prosper as (e) — trader in corn, wheat, leather and agricultural products. His mother Mary Arden was (f) — daughter of (g) — prosperous farmer, descended from (h) — old family of mixed Anglo-Saxon and Norman blood. It is generally believed that neither (i) — poet’s mother nor his father could read or write. In 1582, Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway, the daughter of (j) — peasant family. She was eight years older than Shakespeare.