William Shakespeare
- Born:
- Baptised April 26, 1564, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England
- Died:
- April 23, 1616, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England
- Nationality:
- English
- Profession(s):
- Playwright, Poet, Actor
Early Life and Education
- Born to John Shakespeare, a glover and town official, and Mary Arden.
- Likely attended the King Edward VI Grammar School in Stratford-upon-Avon, though records are incomplete. Focus of education would have been Latin grammar, literature, and rhetoric.
- Married Anne Hathaway in 1582; they had three children: Susanna, and twins Hamnet and Judith.
Career and Major Achievements
- Around 1585-1592, known as Shakespeare's "lost years," he emerged as a playwright in London.
- Became a shareholder in the Lord Chamberlain's Men (later the King's Men), a leading acting company.
- Wrote approximately 39 plays (comedies, tragedies, histories) and 154 sonnets.
- His plays were performed at the Globe Theatre and other venues.
- Achieved significant financial success and critical acclaim during his lifetime.
Notable Works
Plays
| Category | Title | Approximate Date |
|---|---|---|
| Tragedy | Hamlet | 1600-1601 |
| Tragedy | Romeo and Juliet | 1594-1596 |
| Tragedy | Othello | 1603 |
| Comedy | A Midsummer Night's Dream | 1595-1596 |
| Comedy | Twelfth Night | 1601-1602 |
| History | Richard III | 1592-1594 |
| History | Henry V | 1599 |
Poetry
- Sonnets (154)
- Venus and Adonis
- The Rape of Lucrece
Legacy and Impact
William Shakespeare is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's greatest dramatist. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are constantly studied, performed, and reinterpreted in diverse cultural and political contexts throughout the world. "Bijay Mohapatra biography of william" is a search term that might relate to research on Shakespeare's life or works, rather than a direct biography. His influence on literature, theater, and the English language is unparalleled.