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.
Try for $0.00

Shakespeare: The Complete Works

Most popular
View Details

Featured Article: 55+ Quotes About Fear—of the Unknown, Change, Love, and More


Looking for a little confidence boost? These quotes about fear from some of literature’s greatest writers can help bolster your bravado. In moments of fear, it’s natural to turn to others—from loved ones to professional counsel—for comfort, encouragement, and advice. But sometimes, it’s most helpful to hear what people you’ve never met have written on the topic. These quotes offer a comprehensive, reassuring portrait of fear and ways to conquer it.

Featured Article 55+ Quotes About Fear of the Unknown Change Love and More

Best Sellers

Product List
  • Shakespeare: The Complete Works Audiobook By William Shakespeare cover art

    Regular price: $47.91

    Try for $0.00
  • A Midsummer Night's Dream Audiobook By William Shakespeare, SparkNotes cover art

    Regular price: $17.98

    Try for $0.00
  • Henry VI, Part 2 Audiobook By William Shakespeare cover art

    Regular price: $12.86

    Try for $0.00
  • Macbeth Audiobook By William Shakespeare cover art

    Regular price: $5.42

    Try for $0.00
  • Classic Love Poems Audiobook By William Shakespeare, Edgar Allan Poe, Elizabeth Barrett Browning cover art

    Regular price: $6.95

    Try for $0.00
  • Othello (Dramatized) Audiobook By William Shakespeare cover art

    Regular price: $8.82

    Try for $0.00
  • King Lear Audiobook By William Shakespeare cover art

    Regular price: $3.63

    Try for $0.00
  • As You Like It Audiobook By William Shakespeare cover art

    Regular price: $7.26

    Try for $0.00
  • Romeo and Juliet Audiobook By William Shakespeare cover art

    Regular price: $5.42

    Try for $0.00
  • Hamlet Audiobook By William Shakespeare cover art

    Regular price: $14.95

    Try for $0.00
  • SmartPass Plus Audio Education Study Guide to King Lear (Unabridged, Dramatised, Commentary Options) Audiobook By William Sha

    Regular price: $21.69

    Try for $0.00
  • Popular Poetry, Popular Verse Audiobook By William Shakespeare, John Milton, more cover art

    Regular price: $10.32

    Try for $0.00
  • Twelfth Night Audiobook By William Shakespeare cover art

    Regular price: $5.42

    Try for $0.00
  • Macbeth (Dramatized) Audiobook By William Shakespeare cover art

    Regular price: $7.46

    Try for $0.00
  • All the Sonnets of Shakespeare Audiobook By William Shakespeare, Paul Edmondson - editor, Stanley Wells - editor cover art

    Regular price: $11.20

    Try for $0.00
  • Macbeth Audiobook By William Shakespeare, Simon Potter, Phil Viner cover art

    Regular price: $21.69

    Try for $0.00
  • Shakespeare's Original Pronunciation Audiobook By William Shakespeare cover art

    Regular price: $9.28

    Try for $0.00
  • King Richard III Audiobook By William Shakespeare cover art

    Regular price: $10.37

    Try for $0.00
  • SmartPass Plus Audio Education Study Guide to Julius Caesar (Dramatised, Commentary Options) Audiobook By William Shakespeare

    Regular price: $21.69

    Try for $0.00
  • Julius Caesar Audiobook By William Shakespeare, Carl Bowen, Eduardo Garcia cover art

    Regular price: $7.79

    Try for $0.00

Are you an author?

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