William Shakespeare was an English playwright, poet, and actor widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. Born and raised in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, he married Anne Hathaway at age 18 and later established a successful career in London. There, he worked as an actor, writer, and part-owner of the playing company known as the Lord Chamberlain's Men, which was later renamed the King's Men following the ascension of King James VI of Scotland to the English throne.
Shakespeare's writing career spanned from approximately 1589 to 1613, during which he produced around 39 plays, 154 sonnets, and several narrative poems. His dramatic work is typically divided into distinct phases: his early plays were primarily comedies and histories, while his middle period yielded his most famous tragedies, including Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth. In his final years, he turned toward tragicomedies, also known as romances, such as The Tempest and The Winter's Tale, often collaborating with other playwrights.
After retiring to Stratford around 1613, Shakespeare died in 1616. While many of his plays were published in editions of varying quality during his lifetime, his legacy was secured in 1623 when his colleagues John Heminges and Henry Condell compiled the First Folio. This definitive collection of 36 plays ensured the survival of his dramatic works, which continue to be performed, translated, and studied globally.