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William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare made an impact on English literature like no other. His works are revered and upheld as some of the best literary pieces of all time. The characters and memorable quotes in his plays have become ubiquitous allusions in popular culture. Through his writing, Shakespeare had undoubtedly achieved a level of immortality that few can surpass.
Shakespeare was born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon, England. We don't know for sure the exact date of his birthdate but he was baptized on April 26. According to tradition in those times, a baby is baptized three days after birth so the closest historians can pinpoint is April 23, which is now adapted as the date of Shakespeare's birth.
At 18, Shakespeare married 26-year-old Anne Hathaway who was then pregnant with their firstborn, Susanna. The couple later had two more children: fraternal twins Hamnet and Judith.
In the course of his lifetime, Shakespeare wrote 38 plays, 154 sonnets, and a number of poems. His early works consisted of history plays and comedies such as Richard III, the three parts of Henry VI, The Comedy of Errors, Taming of the Shrew, and Two Gentlemen of Verona. In the mid-1590s, Shakespeare penned some of his most popular comedies: Much Ado About Nothing, As You Like It, and A Midsummer Night's Dream. Perhaps the most famous Shakespeare tragedy play, Romeo and Juliet, was also written on this period.