William Shakespeare is considered one of the most influential writers of all time. His works such as Romeo and Juliet, Venus and Adonis, and The Rape of Lucrece explored themes of love, tragedy, and death. Romeo and Juliet tells the story of two young lovers from feuding families who fall in love and ultimately die to be together. Venus and Adonis depicts the love and seduction between Venus and the young Adonis, who is killed while hunting. The Rape of Lucrece focuses on the rape and suicide of Lucretia, which led to the downfall of the royal family. Shakespeare used these works to profoundly examine the human condition through profound poetry and literature.