William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare, often referred to as the national poet of England, is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's preeminent dramatist. He was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, in 1564 and was baptized on April 26th of that year. Although not much is known about his education, it is believed that he attended the local grammar school. In 1582, at the age of eighteen, he married Anne Hathaway with whom he had three children: Susanna, and twins Hamnet and Judith. Sometime after his marriage, Shakespeare moved to London to work in the theater.

Shakespeare's works are divided into several categories, including comedies, histories, and tragedies. His comedies, such as "Much Ado about Nothing," are known for their wit and humor, while his histories, such as "Richard II," provide a dramatic interpretation of English history. His tragedies, including "Hamlet," "Othello," and "King Lear," are considered some of the finest examples of the genre in the English language. In addition to his plays, Shakespeare also composed 154 sonnets and several other poems.

Shakespeare's works were published in various editions during his lifetime, but the first collected edition of his works was not published until 1623, seven years after his death. This edition, known as the First Folio, was edited by two of Shakespeare's fellow actors and friends, Henry Condell and John Heminges. It contained 36 of Shakespeare's plays, with several of them being published for the first time. The First Folio is considered an important milestone in Shakespeare scholarship, as it preserves many of the plays in a form as close to the original as possible.

Shakespeare's reputation rose to its present heights not until the nineteenth century. The romantics in particular acclaimed his genius, and the Victorians hero-worshiped him with a reverence that George Bernard Shaw called "bardolatry." In the 20th century, new movements in scholarship and performance repeatedly adopted and rediscovered his dramas. People consistently perform and reinterpret his highly popular dramas today in diverse cultural and political contexts throughout the world.