William Shakespeare
AUTHOR

William Shakespeare

Tap the gear icon above to manage new release emails.
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's preeminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon". His surviving works, including some collaborations, consist of 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and several other poems. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire and was baptised on 26 April 1564. Thought to have been educated at the local grammar school, he married Anne Hathaway, with whom he went on to have three children, at the age of eighteen, before moving to London to work in the theatre. Two erotic poems, Venus and Adonis and The Rape of Lucrece were published in 1593 and 1594 and records of his plays begin to appear in 1594 for Richard III and the three parts of Henry VI. Shakespeare's tragic period lasted from around 1600 to 1608, during which period he wrote plays including Hamlet and Othello. The first editions of the sonnets were published in 1609 but evidence suggests that Shakespeare had been writing them for years for a private readership. Shakespeare spent the last five years of his life in Stratford, by now a wealthy man. He died on 23 April 1616 and was buried in Holy Trinity Church in Stratford. The first collected edition of his works was published in 1623. (The portrait details: The Chandos portrait, artist and authenticity unconfirmed. NPG1, © National Portrait Gallery, London)
Read more Read less
You're getting a free audiobook


You're getting a free audiobook.

$14.95 per month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Featured Article: 50+ Timeless Shakespeare Quotes


From knock-knock jokes to the wild goose chase, we owe many of our most-used and best-loved phrases to the talent of the Bard. His words are timeless in their direct wisdom, their witty humor, and their surprising applicability to modern life: its nature, its purpose, and its pitfalls. We’ve collected some of our favorite William Shakespeare quotes for when you want to think about life’s big questions, wax poetic on the nature of love, or just need a good laugh. Immerse yourself in these Shakespeare quotes to dive into the comedies and tragedies penned by the Bard of Avon.

Best Sellers

Product List
  • Regular price: $46.46 or 1 credit

    Sale price: $46.46 or 1 credit

  • Regular price: $6.95 or 1 credit

    Sale price: $6.95 or 1 credit

    Included in Plus membership
  • Regular price: $5.42 or 1 credit

    Sale price: $5.42 or 1 credit

    Included in Plus membership
  • Regular price: $14.95 or 1 credit

    Sale price: $14.95 or 1 credit

  • Regular price: $19.09 or 1 credit

    Sale price: $19.09 or 1 credit

  • Regular price: $23.24 or 1 credit

    Sale price: $23.24 or 1 credit

  • Regular price: $9.36 or 1 credit

    Sale price: $9.36 or 1 credit

  • Regular price: $8.99 or 1 credit

    Sale price: $8.99 or 1 credit

  • Regular price: $8.99 or 1 credit

    Sale price: $8.99 or 1 credit

  • Regular price: $9.93 or 1 credit

    Sale price: $9.93 or 1 credit

  • Regular price: $11.66 or 1 credit

    Sale price: $11.66 or 1 credit

    Included in Plus membership
  • Regular price: $19.09 or 1 credit

    Sale price: $19.09 or 1 credit

  • Regular price: $19.24 or 1 credit

    Sale price: $19.24 or 1 credit

  • Regular price: $14.95 or 1 credit

    Sale price: $14.95 or 1 credit

    Included in Plus membership
  • Regular price: $7.96 or 1 credit

    Sale price: $7.96 or 1 credit

  • Regular price: $23.24 or 1 credit

    Sale price: $23.24 or 1 credit

  • Regular price: $9.36 or 1 credit

    Sale price: $9.36 or 1 credit

  • Regular price: $11.66 or 1 credit

    Sale price: $11.66 or 1 credit

  • Regular price: $22.40 or 1 credit

    Sale price: $22.40 or 1 credit

  • Regular price: $7.79 or 1 credit

    Sale price: $7.79 or 1 credit

    Included in Plus membership

Are you an author?

Help us improve our Author Pages by updating your bibliography and submitting a new or current image and biography.