Whose Plays Shaped English Literature?

William Shakespeare (1564-1616), born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language. His plays — including Hamlet, Macbeth, Othello, Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night Dream, and The Tempest — span tragedy, comedy, and history with unmatched psychological insight and poetic brilliance. Shakespeare invented or popularised over 1,700 English words (including "assassination," "lonely," "generous") and hundreds of phrases still in everyday use ("break the ice," "wild-goose chase"). His works have been translated into every major language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright.