Anne Hathaway (wife of Shakespeare) leave Stratford and pursue a career in the theatre. However, according to Stanley Wells, writing in the "Oxford Companion to Shakespeare", most modern scholars take the view that the name Whateley was "almost certainly the result of clerical error". Germaine Greer argues that the age difference between Shakespeare and Hathaway is not evidence that he was forced to marry her, but that he was the one who pursued her. Women such as the orphaned Hathaway often stayed at home to care for younger siblings and married in their late twenties. As a husband Shakespeare offered few prospects; his family had
Anne Hathaway industry, Hathaway has advocated for greater professional opportunities for women and criticized Hollywood as not being a place for equality. In 2018, she collaborated with 300 women in Hollywood to set up the Time's Up initiative to protect women from harassment and discrimination. Hathaway has also spoken out against the issues of bullying of gay students, discrimination toward transgender children and white supremacy. John Hiscock of "The Daily Telegraph" finds Hathaway a "well-grounded, friendly young woman with a good sense of humour, a wide smile and an easy-going attitude". He says that despite considerable success Hathaway has never "gone Hollywood",