William Shakespeare was an English poet, playwright, and actor who was born on April 26, 1564 (the day of his baptism), and who is recognized as the world's greatest dramatist and the finest writer in the English language. He died on April 23, 1616. He is referred to be the "Bard of Avon" and the national poet of England. His known compositions, which include some joint efforts, comprise approximately 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two elongated narrative poems, and a handful of other verses, some of which are unclearly attributed to him. More plays by him than by any other author have been presented, and they have been translated into every major language spoken today.Shakespeare was raised at Stratford-upon-Avon, where he was born. He had three children with Anne Hathaway, twins Hamnet and Judith, and Susanna, whom he married at the age of 18. He started a prosperous career in London between 1585 and 1592 as an actor, writer, and co-owner of a theatrical group known as the Lord Chamberlain's Men, which would later become the King's Men. At the age of 49, he seems to have retired to Stratford, where he passed away three years later. The majority of Shakespeare's known works were written between 1589 and 1613. His early plays were primarily comedies and histories, and they are still regarded as among the best in their genres. He subsequently primarily created tragedies until around 1608, including Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth, which are regarded as some of the best works in the English language. In his final phase, he composed tragicomedies (also known as romances) and cooperated with other playwrights. Throughout his life, many of his plays were published in varied degrees of quality and accuracy. In 1623, John Heminges and Henry Condell, two friends and fellow performers of Shakespeare, released the First Folio, a collected collection of his dramatic works that comprised all but two of the now recognized plays.

Royal Shakespeare CompanyRSC-Donate-button_V4: AccountBASKET. WHAT'S ON AND BOOK TICKETS Your Visit and Access Membership and Support About Shakespeare Shop Learn about us. About Shakespeare Shakespeare's Life and Times Shakespeare's Life and Times. Who was William Shakespeare? What was it like to live in Stratford-upon-Avon and London during his lifetime? Shakespeare before Sir Thomas Lucy by Thomas Brooks in 1857. Shakespeare appeared before Sir Thomas Lucy in the Charlecote Hall. Thomas Brooks painted oil on canvas in 1857. © RSC Theater Collection. Browse and license our photos. SHAKESPEAR'S LIFE There is very little known for certain about William Shakespeare. What we know about his life comes from registrar and court records, wills, marriage certificates, and his tombstone at Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon. William Shakespeare was baptized on April 26, 1564, at Holy Trinity.