William Shakespeare, undoubtedly one of the most influential literary figures in the Western canon, was an English playwright, poet, and actor, whose life spanned from 1564 to 1616. Frequently referred to as the Bard of Avon, Shakespeare's work includes 39 plays, 154 sonnets, and two long narrative poems. His body of work is divided into the genres of tragedy, comedy, and history, and it has been ...