William Shakespeare was born around April 26, 1564, and died around April 23, 1616. Shakespeare was an English playwright, poet, and actor. Many refer to him as the greatest writer in the English language and he’s also widely regarded as the world’s pre-eminent dramatist. He wrote some 39 plays, 154 sonnets, three long narrative poems, and a few other verses, some of which it’s unclear whether or not he wrote them. Some of his famous plays are Hamlet, Macbeth, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. His works are still studied heavily today throughout the world.