William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616) was an English poet and playwright whose work has arguably had more influence on the world--certainly the English-speaking part of it--than any other writer. Popular enough during his lifetime, William's reputation and renown began to flourish in the 1800s and he is today considered one of the greatest writers of all times. While we don't know how much of his work may have been lost over the centuries, nearly 40 plays, 154 sonnets, and a handful of other poems are currently identified as the work of "The Bard of Avon." His humor has withstood the test of time and virtually every great actor includes a Shakespearean monologue in his or her repertoire.