Shakespeare the Boy With Sketches of the Home and School Life, Games and Sports, Manners, Customs and Folk-lore of the Time

"Shakespeare the Boy" by W. J. Rolfe is a late 19th-century exploration of William Shakespeare's youth, looking at the world that shaped him. The book looks at his childhood in Stratford-on-Avon, covering his home, schooling, and the traditions of the time, hoping to show how these things affected his later work. It begins with a view of Warwickshire, highlighting its important places and people. Rolfe creates a clear image of Shakespeare’s town, explaining how its location and past might have helped him become a writer, as he was exposed to local stories at a young age, inspiring his brilliance.

William James Rolfe, Litt.D. was an American educator and Shakespearean scholar.