All Is True (2018) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Shakespeare returned to Stratford-upon-Avon after the Globe Theatre burned down during a performance of Henry VIII in 1613. At age 49, he sought to reconnect with his estranged wife Anne Hathaway after years of separation, particularly strained since the death of their son Hamnet.

Foreshadowing: Earlier references to the Globe fire and Shakespeare's weariness hint at his need for escape from London.

• globe theatre fire
• return to stratford
• 1613
• william shakespeare

Their marriage suffered from years of separation, Shakespeare spent most of their marriage in London while Anne remained in Stratford. The distance was deepened by the tragic loss of their son Hamnet, who died of the plague at age 11 while Shakespeare was away, leaving both parents grief-stricken and emotionally distant from each other.

Foreshadowing: The opening scenes establish their cold greeting and separate bedrooms.

• anne hathaway
• marriage strain
• hamnet death
• separation

Hamnet, Shakespeare's only son, died at age 11 from the plague while his father was in London. His death occurred roughly seven years before the film begins, and the loss haunts both Shakespeare and Anne throughout the movie, affecting their ability to reconnect.

Foreshadowing: The film opens with Shakespeare's grief and references to Hamnet throughout.

• hamnet
• son died
• plague
• shakespeare son

Susanna Hall, Shakespeare's elder daughter, was accused of committing adultery with a man named Roderick. The accusation threatened her reputation in their strict Puritan community, where her husband John Hall was a prominent doctor known for his moral standards.

Foreshadowing: Susanna's suppressed personality and uneasy marriage to John Hall hint at her vulnerability.

• susanna hall
• adultery accusation
• john hall
• puritan

Shakespeare confronted Susanna's accuser by fabricating a story about an African actor who would fiercely defend her honor. The ruse worked, the accuser failed to appear in court, and Susanna was exonerated, earning admiration from Anne despite Shakespeare's embellishments.

Foreshadowing: This scene demonstrates Shakespeare's skill with words and theater even in domestic settings.

• defend daughter
• african actor
• court
• exoneration

Judith, Shakespeare's younger daughter, revealed that she was the true author of the poems attributed to Hamnet. Unable to write herself, she had dictated the poems in her brother's handwriting. She confessed this to explain her bitterness toward her brother, feeling unloved compared to him.

Foreshadowing: Judith's resentment toward Hamnet is evident throughout the film before this revelation.

• judith
• poems
• hamnet
• secret author
• authorship

The Earl of Southampton was Shakespeare's former patron and the rumored muse behind his 154 sonnets. Anne suspected a romantic relationship between them. During his visit, Shakespeare recited Sonnet 29 to express his feelings, receiving an ambiguous response that hinted at mutual sentiment.

Foreshadowing: Anne's unease about Southampton's visit foreshadows the romantic subtext.

• earl of southampton
• sonnets
• patron
• sonnet 29

When Shakespeare and Anne reconciled, she chose to share their second-best bed with him, a symbolic gesture representing their renewed intimacy and love. In Shakespeare's household, the best bed was reserved for guests, making the second-best bed the marital bed, signifying their return to each other.

Foreshadowing: Earlier scenes show them in separate beds, emphasizing their estrangement.

• second best bed
• reconciliation
• anne
• intimacy
• marriage

Shakespeare investigated Hamnet's death, questioning whether his son died from the plague as believed. He discovered Hamnet drowned while trying to escape learning the truth about Judith's secret, the fact that she, not Hamnet, was the true author of the poems. Judith's confession to Hamnet about claiming authorship may have driven him to flee, leading to his drowning, raising suspicions of suicide.

Foreshadowing: The investigation begins after Judith's secret is revealed, connecting her guilt to Hamnet's fate.

• hamnet drowned
• truth about death
• investigation
• suicide
• poems secret

Shakespeare died on his birthday in April 1616, after a reflective conversation with fellow playwright Ben Jonson. His death occurred on the same day Susanna taught Anne and Judith to read and write, with Anne triumphantly signing her marriage certificate for the first time, a bittersweet ending where personal growth and loss coincided.

Foreshadowing: Earlier scenes show Shakespeare feeling unwell during his birthday gathering with Jonson.

• death
• april 1616
• birthday
• ben jonson
• funeral

Susanna surprised Anne and Judith by teaching them to read and write, a transformative moment for the family. On that same day, Anne discovered her marriage certificate and signed her name for the first time, symbolizing her newfound independence and the family's growth in literacy and understanding.

Foreshadowing: Anne's struggles with literacy were established earlier in the film.

• read and write
• anne
• susanna
• literacy
• marriage certificate

Despite Thomas Quiney's past scandal involving another woman, Shakespeare supported Judith's decision to marry him. The marriage brought Shakespeare joy because Judith became pregnant, representing hope and continuation for the family after years of loss and tragedy.

Foreshadowing: Quiney's problematic past was mentioned earlier, creating tension about the marriage.

• judith
• thomas quiney
• marriage
• pregnancy
• hope