Shakespeare’s earliest plays would only foreshadow what was to come. “The English dramatist and poet William Shakespeare was the author of the most widely admired and influential body of literature by any individual in the history of Western civilization.” He would end up writing 36 plays, 154 sonnets, and 2 narrative poems. While in London, Shakespeare had become an actor and a writer. He also attracted the jealousy of a university-trained poet and won the respect of …showed first 75 words of 263 total…

…showed last 75 words of 263 total…tier seats that seated about 2,000 to 3,000 people. On most nights that a play was being performed, the Globe Theatre was packed. After about fifteen years of living and breathing the life of a poet and a playwright, Shakespeare retired from active service as the leading playwright of the King’s Men. He then returned to Stratford in 1616. A couple of short months later he ironically died on April 23, which is suspected to be his birthday.