English Language and Literature

William Shakespeare
(bapt. 26[a] April 1564 – 23 April 1616)[b] was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist.[3][4][5] He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon" (or simply "the Bard").[6][c] His extant works, including collaborations, consist of some 39 plays, 154 sonnets, three long narrative poems, and a few other verses, some of uncertain authorship. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright.[8] He remains arguably the most influential writer in the English language, and his works continue to be studied and reinterpreted.