There is very little information about Shakespeare's early life. He grew up in the English countryside and received a typical rudimentary or simple education for that time. Such an education would include the study of the Latin language as well as the reading of numerous works of Greek and Roman literature, many of which were available in English translations in the late 16th century.
Sometime before 1590 Shakespeare moved to London. Although he may have acted in a few minor roles on the stage, Shakespeare predominantly made his living in the business end of the theater (like a stage manager or producer). Even a great writer like William Shakespeare could not earn a sufficient income by his writing alone. In Shakespeare's time, actors always performed together in acting troupes. An actor in one troupe would practically never perform with the actors of another troupe. Like individual writers, an acting troupe might also seek the patronage of a wealthy aristocrat for financial support. By the early 1600's Shakespeare's troupe became so widely known and so respected that they received the patronage of the highest aristocrat in the land, King James I. From that time on, Shakespeare's acting troupe became known as the King's Men.
Shakespeare, however, was actually financially successful before that time. In 1597 he bought New Place, a fine and expensive house in his country hometown of Stratford-on-Avon. Nevertheless, Shakespeare continued to write plays