Shakespeare, William

William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616) wrote about thirty eight plays, one hundred and fifty four sonnets, two long narrative poems, and several other poems. As a dramatist, he is largely known for his tragedies, especially Hamlet (1599 - 1601), King Lear (1603 - 1606), and Macbeth (1603 - 1606).

One of the most widely known English poets and playwrights of the Elizabethan and Jacobean period. Shakespeare is the most quoted author in history of English literature.