William Shakespeare
- Born:
- Baptized 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 to John Shakespeare, a glover and tradesman, and Mary Arden, a daughter of a wealthy landowning farmer.
- Likely attended the King's New School in Stratford-upon-Avon, where he would have studied Latin grammar, logic, rhetoric, and literature.
- No university education is documented.
Career and Major Achievements
- Became a member of the Lord Chamberlain's Men acting company (later the King's Men).
- Wrote approximately 39 plays and 154 sonnets, along with other poems.
- Co-owner of the Globe Theatre.
- Achieved considerable financial success as a playwright, actor, and shareholder in the theatre company.
Notable Works
- Tragedies: Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet
- Comedies: A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Merchant of Venice, Twelfth Night, Much Ado About Nothing
- Histories: Richard III, Henry IV, Part 1, Henry V
- Sonnets: Shakespeare's Sonnets, a collection of 154 sonnets dealing with themes of love, beauty, and mortality.
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. Analysis of Shakespeare's life and works continues to be a field of academic pursuit. As an example, consider edmond azadian biography of william shakespeare and similar works that attempt to reconcile known facts with the gaps in our knowledge of his personal life.