Widely esteemed as the greatest writer in the English language, William Shakespeare (1564-1616) was an actor and theatrical producer in addition to writing plays and sonnets. Dubbed "The Bard of Avon," Shakespeare oversaw the building of the Globe Theatre in London, where a number of his plays were staged, the best-known of which include Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, and Macbeth. The First Folio, a printed book of 36 of his comedies, tragedies, and history plays, was published in 1623.
![Title: The Harvard Classics & Fiction Collection [180 Books], Author: Benjamin Franklin](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/9782291082347_p0_v1_s192x300.jpg)
