William Shakespeare was an English poet, playwright, and actor born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and one of the world's pre-eminent dramatists, often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"

. Shakespeare's works include approximately 39 plays, 154 sonnets, and several narrative poems. His plays, which cover a wide range of human emotions and conflicts, have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. He was active during the Elizabethan and Jacobean periods of British theatre and was a key member of the theatrical company known as the Lord Chamberlain's Men, later the King's Men

. He married Anne Hathaway at age 18 and had three children: Susanna, and twins Hamnet and Judith. Shakespeare retired to Stratford around 1613 and died there in 1616, with his birthday and death date commonly celebrated on April 23

. His legacy endures through his influential works, which continue to be studied, performed, and celebrated globally for their intellectual depth, poetic power, and vivid portrayal of human nature