William Shakespeare is often regarded as the greatest dramatist of all time. In the late 16th and early 17th centuries, he authored comedies, tragedies, and historical plays in England. Shakespeare was born in the English town of Stratford-upon-Avon in 1564. He died in London on April 23, 1616, at the age of 50. Although there is no direct evidence that Shakespeare wrote comedies in France, they may have been written by someone else using his name. Shakespeare traveled to London when he was young. There are no records of him working as a lawyer or doctor, so he must have made a living by writing plays. It's estimated that he wrote about 20 poems and eight plays during his lifetime. His works include comedies such as A Comedy of Errors, The Merchant of Venice, and As You Like It; tragedies such as Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, and Macbeth; and histories such as Julius Caesar, Henry V, and Richard III. He also wrote other kinds of plays such as fairy tales (for example, The Winter's Tale) and even scenes for other people's plays (for example, those written by Thomas Knyvet). Shakespeare used the names of famous figures from history and literature to write about their lives.