More than 400 years ago, a man from a little English town wrote plays so wonderful that we still watch them today. William Shakespeare is often called the greatest writer in the English language — the "Bard of Avon."
Quick facts
- Born
- 1564, Stratford-upon-Avon, England
- Died
- 23 April 1616
- Famous for
- About 37 plays and 154 sonnets (poems)
- Nickname
- "The Bard of Avon"
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From a small town to the big stage
Shakespeare grew up in Stratford-upon-Avon and later went to busy London to work in the theatre as a writer and actor. His acting company performed at the famous round, open-roofed Globe Theatre, where hundreds of people — rich and poor — packed in to watch.
Stories for every feeling
- Tragedies (sad and powerful): Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Macbeth.
- Comedies (funny and magical): A Midsummer Night's Dream, Twelfth Night.
- Histories about kings and battles, like Henry V.
He understood people so well that his characters still feel real today — brave, silly, jealous, in love, or afraid.
He gave us new words!
Shakespeare loved playing with language and helped invent or popularise hundreds of words and phrases we still use — like "eyeball," "lonely," and "break the ice." When you say "it's Greek to me," you're quoting Shakespeare!
"All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players." — from As You Like It
Why we remember him
Shakespeare's plays have been performed in almost every country and language on Earth. He shows us that a good story — full of feelings and surprises — can travel across centuries and still make us laugh, cry, and wonder.