William Shakespeare was an English playwright and poet from Stratford-upon-Avon. He wrote at least 17 comedies, 10 histories, 11 tragedies, and 154 sonnets over the course of his career. Some of his most famous works include Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, King Lear, Macbeth, and A Midsummer Night's Dream. Shakespeare died in 1616 at the age of 52 and was buried in Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon. He is widely considered one of the greatest writers in the English language.