William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare (1564–1616) was born in Stratford-upon-Avon and became the most influential playwright of the English Renaissance. He wrote approximately 39 plays, 154 sonnets, and two long narrative poems. His major tragedies—Hamlet, Macbeth, King Lear, and Romeo and Juliet—probe the depths of human ambition, madness, and fate. His comedies, such as A Midsummer Night's Dream, blend romance with magical whimsy, while his histories and Roman plays like Julius Caesar examine political power and moral conflict. Shakespeare’s innovative use of blank verse, complex characters, and psychological insight transformed drama. His works have been translated into every major language and remain central to global literary study, performed more often than those of any other playwright.