Why is William Shakespeare famous?

William Shakespeare is famous for being one of the greatest English writers in history. He was a playwright, poet and actor who lived in the late 16th and early 17th century.

While Shakespeare has been appreciated in the modern era as a writing genius, he did not receive such acclimation during his lifetime. He did receive praise, notably from Francis Meres, but was not regarded as the best, or even one of the best, writers at the time. His most popular works in the present are "Hamlet," "King Lear," "Macbeth," "Othello" and "Romeo and Juliet." His plays are often studied in English literature classes and they have been recreated in the theater for generations.