William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world’s greatest dramatist. He is popularly known as England’s national poet and the Bard. Shakespeare’s works, including collaborations, consist of 39 plays, 154 sonnets, and two long narrative poems.
Shakespeare wrote most of his known works between 1589-1613. Till 1608, he wrote mainly tragedies, among them Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth, all considered to be among the finest works in the English language. During the last phase of his life, Shakespeare wrote tragicomedies and collaborated with other playwrights.
John Heminges and Henry Condell were friends and fellow actors of Shakespeare. In 1623 they published the First Folio, a posthumous collected edition of Shakespeare’s dramatic works that included all but two of his plays.
Shakespeare’s works have withstood the test of time and remain popular till date. His plays have been translated into numerous languages and are performed more often than those of any other playwright.