Who is Shakespeare?
William Shakespeare (1564-1616) is considered by many to be one of the finest playwrights in history. The influence of his work extends to the modern day, and his stories are often reworked into modern plots. It is not that his plots were particularly unique, rather that his language and characters are fascinating. Despite our respect of what many term the “master” of English Literature, there is only sketchy biographical information regarding Shakespeare. As well, there is dispute about the authorship of several of his plays, and whether some of the plays may have been collaborative. Most information about the life of Shakespeare is taken from church records. We know, for example, that he was born in 1564, and most date his birthday as April 23. It is certain that Shakespeare was baptized on April 26. The death of Shakespeare is often dated as April 23, 1616, but this may as well be inaccurate. He probably attended a local school, and was married to Anne Hathaway, with whom he had thr
