History week 27.

William Shakespeare, often referred to as the “Bard of Avon”, 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 was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1564 and produced most of his known works between 1589 and 1613. Shakespeare wrote 39 plays, which are traditionally divided into comedies, tragedies, and histories. Some of his most famous works include “Hamlet,” “Othello,” “King Lear,” “Macbeth,” “Romeo and Juliet,” and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. He also wrote 154 sonnets and several long narrative poems, such as “Venus and Adonis” and “The Rape of Lucrece”. Shakespeare was a part-owner of the Globe Theatre in London, where many of his plays were performed. Shakespeare’s works have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. His influence on English literature and language is profound, with many phrases and words he coined still in use today.