William Shakespeare
- Born:
- Baptised April 26, 1564, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England
- Died:
- April 23, 1616, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England
- Nationality:
- English
- Profession(s):
- Playwright, Poet, Actor
Early Life and Education
- Born and raised in Stratford-upon-Avon.
- Attended Stratford Grammar School; education likely focused on Latin grammar, literature, and rhetoric.
- Married Anne Hathaway in 1582.
Career and Major Achievements
- Rose to prominence as a playwright and actor in London.
- Became a shareholder in the Lord Chamberlain's Men, later known as the King's Men.
- Wrote approximately 39 plays, spanning comedies, tragedies, histories, and romances.
- Wrote 154 sonnets and several long narrative poems.
- The globe Theatre was constructed in 1599, for which the King's Men performed.
Notable Works
Plays
| Category | Title |
|---|---|
| Tragedy | Hamlet |
| Tragedy | Othello |
| Tragedy | King Lear |
| Tragedy | Macbeth |
| Comedy | A Midsummer Night's Dream |
| Comedy | Twelfth Night |
| History | Richard III |
| History | Henry IV, Part 1 |
| Romance | The Tempest |
Poetry
- Sonnets
- Venus and Adonis
- The Rape of Lucrece
Legacy and Impact
William Shakespeare is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's greatest dramatist. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are constantly studied, performed, and reinterpreted in diverse cultural and political contexts throughout the world. Many books about many famous people have been written, for example, one might read a walesa lech biography of william shakespeare to gain insight into a specific aspect of his life.