Although William Shakespeare is probably the most famous.

English playwright who ever lived, the details of his life are vague and incomplete. William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon on St. George's Day, April 23rd, 1564. He attended the local grammar school. At the age of 18 he married Anne Hathaway. Their first daughter, Susanna, was born six month later and twins Judith and Hamnet were born in 1585.

Shakespeare left school at 15, which was normal then and started work. It was when he went to London that he become involved in the world of the theatre. He began his career with a London theatrical company in 1589, writing and acting for Pembroke's Men. He also worked for the Chamberlain's Men, with whom he remained for the rest of his career.

Drama at that time was very important and all classes of society enjoyed the plays by Shakespeare and other Elizabethan dramatists. He quickly became very popular as a writer. His plays can be divided into three main categories:
- History plays: Henry V, Richard III….
- Tragedies: Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, Othello…..
- Comedies: Twelfth Night, Midsummer Night's Dream……

When, in 1592, the Plague closed the theatres for about two years, Shakespeare turned to writing poetry. Most famous were "Venus and Adonis" and "The Rape of Lucrece". During this same period, Shakespeare was writing his sonnets. He returned to play-writing when theatres reopened in 1594 and published no more poetry.

In London in 1599, he became one of the partners in the new Globe Theatre. The theatre was built by the Chamberlain's Men, who were renamed the King's Men after the death of Queen Elizabeth I.
His final play was Henry VIII, two years before he died on April 23, 1616.

He was the first person to write what is obvious to us today: that Shakespeare's genius meant that "he was not of an age, but for all time". Although it is now over four hundred years since he wrote his plays, they are still being performed, read and studied all over the world.