William Shakespeare was born in England 1564 and he died in 1616. He is often thought of as the greatest playwright who ever wrote in English. He wrote 38 plays, all of which are still performed across the world.

Shakespeare was born and spent his early life in Stratford-upon-Avon in the English Midlands. He married his wife, Anne Hathaway, when he was just 18. They had three children, Susanna, Hamnet and Judith.

His acting career began in 1585, and he was part owner of a playing company. To provide them with material to act, he also wrote many of the plays they performed. The company of actors was at first called the Lord Chamberlain's Men and later the King's Men. The Globe Theatre on the South Bank of the Thames in London, was a famous place where the plays were performed.

Writing plays had made him wealthy. In 1597, he bought the second-largest house in Stratford-upon-Avon and planned for his retirement. In 1613 he retired from the London theatres and went back to Stratford-upon-Avon. He was 49. He died three years later.

William Shakespeare lived in an age when it was common to write plays that referred back to events that were important in history, as well as those that poked fun at others. He was Queen Elizabeth's favourite playwright. His early plays were comedies and histories. Later he wrote tragedies including Hamlet, and Macbeth. Most were based on historical fact or accepted myths.