William Shakespeare
April 23, 1564 — April 23, 1616 — Stratford-upon-Avon, England
William Shakespeare is the most influential writer in the English language — playwright, poet, and actor whose 37 plays and 154 sonnets have shaped literature, theater, and language for four centuries.
Early Life & The Globe
Born on April 23, 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, Shakespeare moved to London in the 1580s, joining the Chamberlain's Men — later the King's Men — as actor, playwright, and part-owner. The Globe Theatre, co-built in 1599, became his primary stage. Writing quickly and prolifically, he transformed classical and historical source material into endlessly resonant drama.
The Plays
His range spans the compressed menace of Macbeth, the political tragedy of Hamlet and King Lear, the romantic comedy of A Midsummer Night's Dream, and the late-career wonder of The Tempest. His complete works introduced over 1,700 words into English — "bedroom," "eyeball," "lonely," "generous" — and countless phrases long since detached from any author.
Did You Know?
In his will, Shakespeare left his wife Anne Hathaway only “the second best bed with the furniture.” Scholars have argued about this for four centuries — was it a slight, or the couple's cherished marriage bed (the best being reserved for guests)? He offered no explanation.
Legacy
Shakespeare retired to Stratford around 1613. He died on April 23, 1616 — reputedly on his fifty-second birthday, the same calendar date he was baptized in 1564. The First Folio, published posthumously in 1623, preserved eighteen plays that might otherwise have been lost. His works remain the most performed in the world, translated into every major language.