Final answer:
Shakespeare made money by acting in his own plays (option b), through his partnership with the Lord Chamberlain's Men playing company, which included responsibilities like producing and possibly directing, not just acting.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to the essay, one recorded way that Shakespeare made money was by acting in his own plays. Shakespeare was known to be a partner in the Lord Chamberlain's Men, which was a playing company. This partnership not only included writing plays but also producing and acting in them. Furthermore, his involvement in the theater likely involved multiple roles, potentially including being a producer, actor, and a director-like figure of his time, though direct evidence of ticket sales as a source of income is not provided.
From the information provided, it does not indicate that Shakespeare inherited wealth or sold manuscripts. It is also not explicitly mentioned that he made money through selling theater tickets. However, the nature of his partnership in the playing company might indirectly involve financial benefits from ticket sales, but his acting role is the aspect specifically recorded as a source of income.