William Shakespeare was a renowned English playwright, poet and actor born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon. He wrote 38 plays, 154 sonnets, and several long narrative poems over the course of his career. Some of his most famous works include Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, and Macbeth. Shakespeare began his career in London in the 1590s as an actor and part owner of the Lord Chamberlain's Men theatre company. He became very successful writing both comedies and tragedies, which have been translated into every major language and are still frequently performed today. Shakespeare is considered one of the greatest writers in the English language.