William Shakespeare, a renowned English poet, playwright, and actor, was born on April 26, 1564, and baptized soon after. He is widely considered the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. Nicknamed England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon," Shakespeare's extensive body of work includes approximately 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and a few other verses, with some authorship remaining uncertain.
His plays have been translated into every major living language, making him the most performed playwright in the world.
