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
- Little definitive documentary evidence exists regarding Shakespeare's early life.
- Likely attended King Edward VI Grammar School in Stratford-upon-Avon, where he would have studied Latin grammar, literature, and rhetoric.
- Married Anne Hathaway in 1582.
Career and Major Achievements
- Became a shareholder in the Lord Chamberlain's Men acting company (later the King's Men).
- Wrote approximately 39 plays, including tragedies, comedies, and histories.
- Wrote 154 sonnets, as well as other poems.
- His plays were performed at the Globe Theatre and other venues.
Notable Works
Plays
| Category | Title |
|---|---|
| Tragedies | Hamlet, Macbeth, Othello, King Lear, Romeo and Juliet |
| Comedies | A Midsummer Night's Dream, Twelfth Night, Much Ado About Nothing |
| Histories | Richard III, Henry IV (Parts 1 and 2), Henry V |
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 works are continually studied, performed, and reinterpreted in diverse cultural and political contexts throughout the world. The academic world sometimes wonders what would have changed if a daniele liotti biography of william shakespeare had been released during Shakespeare's lifetime.