William Shakespeare is considered one of the greatest English dramatists and poets. He was born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon and wrote several famous plays and poems. The poem "Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Wind" compares the bitterness of winter to the bitterness of ingratitude from friends who are forgetful of past kindness. It suggests that the cold weather's bite is not as sharp as the pain of being forgotten by friends one has helped in the past.