Other meanings of William Shakespeare
English playwright and poet
William Shakespeare (1564–1616) was an English playwright, poet, and actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon". His extant works, including collaborations, consist of approximately 39 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and a few other verses. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright.1
Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, and baptized on 26 April 1564. His father, John Shakespeare, was a glover and alderman; his mother, Mary Arden, came from a landed family. By 1592, Shakespeare had established himself in London as an actor and playwright. He was a member of the Lord Chamberlain's Men, later the King's Men, the leading acting company. His earliest plays include Henry VI and Titus Andronicus. He retired to Stratford around 1613 and died on 23 April 1616, aged 52.1
Shakespeare's canon includes tragedies (Hamlet, Othello, King Lear), comedies (A Midsummer Night's Dream, Twelfth Night), histories (Henry V, Richard III), and romances (The Tempest). His sonnets address themes of love, beauty, mortality, and time. His works have profoundly influenced literature, theatre, and the English language, introducing many phrases still in use. The First Folio, published in 1623, preserved 18 plays that might otherwise have been lost.2
Despite his fame, some have questioned the authorship of Shakespeare's works, proposing alternative candidates such as the Earl of Oxford or Francis Bacon. However, mainstream academic consensus strongly supports Shakespeare of Stratford as the author. The documentary record shows his contemporaries, including Ben Jonson and John Heminges, credited him. Recent stylometric studies further confirm his authorship. The Shakespeare authorship question is often considered a fringe theory.3
Shakespeare's will mentions his wife Anne Hathaway only by bequeathing his "second-best bed," leading to speculation about their relationship. He was a shareholder in the Globe Theatre and the Blackfriars Theatre. He co-wrote The Two Noble Kinsmen with John Fletcher. The lost play Love's Labour's Won is mentioned in contemporary sources but has never been found. Shakespeare's father applied for a coat of arms in 1576, which was granted posthumously, allowing Shakespeare to style himself a gentleman.
All dates are given in the Julian calendar, then in use in England.
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