Anne Hathaway

Anne Hathaway is the speaker of the poem. Historically, Anne Hathaway was married to William Shakespeare, though surprisingly little is known about her life. In the poem, Carol Ann Duffy gives voice to Anne Hathway as she attempts to upend the interpretation of Shakespeare's will that many consider to be a slight toward her and their marriage. The Anne Hathaway that Duffy presents to the reader is reflective and loving, acknowledging Shakespeare's talents and even equating their marriage with the poetry he wrote. By the end of the poem, the speaker has inverted the perception that Shakespeare's "second-best bed" was an insult to her role in his life.

William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare was Anne Hathaway's husband, and one of the most famous writers in the history of the English language. He started out as an actor, performing in plays during the reign of Elizabeth I. Eventually, he...