Birthdate: April 1564
Nationality: English
Bio:
William Shakespeare was an English playwright, poet, and actor who lived from 1564 to 1616. Often referred to as the “Bard of Avon,” Shakespeare is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language. He wrote 38 plays and 154 sonnets throughout his career that are still performed extensively around the world. Some of his most famous works include Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Macbeth, and King Lear.
Shakespeare was born and raised in Stratford-upon-Avon, where he married Anne Hathaway at the age of 18. They had three children together. In the 1580s, Shakespeare left his family behind to pursue a career in the theater in London. He joined an acting company called The Lord Chamberlain’s Men and began both writing and performing his own plays. By the early 1600s, Shakespeare had become a part owner of the Globe Theatre and was one of the most popular playwrights and poets in all of England.
Tragically, very little is known about Shakespeare’s life outside of his writings and few records exist from the time period. However, his plays and sonnets have endured for over 400 years and continue to be analyzed, adapted, and performed in modern times. Shakespeare’s works have been translated into every major living language and cemented his place as one of the most influential English-language writers of all time.
