Born in April 26, 1564 in Stratford upon Avon, England, William Shakespeare in considered one of the most influential English writers in history. Though not much is known about his daily life, or even his appearance, Shakespeare is credited with writing 154 famous sonnets as well as 10 tragic plays, 10 historical plays and 17 comedies. (Please see list below)

'''Tragedies'''

Titus Andronicus first performed in 1594 (printed in 1594),
Romeo and Juliet 1594-95 (1597),
Hamlet 1600-01 (1603),
Julius Caesar 1600-01 (1623),
Othello 1604-05 (1622),
Antony and Cleopatra 1606-07 (1623),
King Lear 1606 (1608),
Coriolanus 1607-08 (1623), derived from Plutarch
Timon of Athens 1607-08 (1623), and
Macbeth 1611-1612 (1623).

'''Histories'''

King Henry VI Part 1 1592 (printed in 1594);
King Henry VI Part 2 1592-93 (1594);
King Henry VI Part 3 1592-93 (1623);
King John 1596-97 (1623);
King Henry IV Part 1 1597-98 (1598);
King Henry IV Part 2 1597-98 (1600);
King Henry V 1598-99 (1600);
Richard II 1600-01 (1597);
Richard III 1601 (1597); and
King Henry VIII 1612-13 (1623)

'''Comedies'''

Taming of the Shrew first performed 1593-94 (1623),
Comedy of Errors 1594 (1623),
Two Gentlemen of Verona 1594-95 (1623),
Love's Labour's Lost 1594-95 (1598),
Midsummer Night's Dream 1595-96 (1600),
Merchant of Venice 1596-1597 (1600),
Much Ado About Nothing 1598-1599 (1600),
As You Like It 1599-00 (1623),
Merry Wives of Windsor 1600-01 (1602),
Troilus and Cressida 1602 (1609),
Twelfth Night 1602 (1623),
All's Well That Ends Well 1602-03 (1623),
Measure for Measure 1604 (1623),
Pericles, Prince of Tyre 1608-09 (1609),
Tempest (1611),
Cymbeline 1611-12 (1623),
Winter's Tale 1611-12 (1623).

Shakespeare was married (to Anne) and she and their children lived in Stratford while the playwright traveled between there and London, dealing with business affairs and writing and acting. Shakespeare's plays are produced by acting companies around the world, to this day. Famous Shakespearean quotes include (but are not limited too):

"We burn daylight."
The Merry Wives of Windsor. ACT II Scene 1.

"Ships are but boards, sailors but men: there be land-rats and water-rats, water-thieves and land-thieves."
The Merchant of Venice. ACT I Scene 3.

"He jests at scars that never felt a wound.
But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks?
It is the east, and Juliet is the sun."
Romeo and Juliet. ACT II Scene 2.

"O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo?"
Romeo and Juliet. ACT II Scene 2.

"Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn, and cauldron bubble."
Macbeth. ACT IV Scene 1.

"Neither a borrower nor a lender be;
For loan oft loses both itself and friend,
And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.
This above all: to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to a"
Hamlet. ACT I Scene 3.

"Et tu, Brute!"
Julius Cæsar. ACT III Scene 1.

William Shakespeare was born in England in the 15th century and wrote plays for common and rich alike. Though many people say that William Shakespeare didn't write the plays he is given credit for. Some say it was a group of writers at the time that simply use Shakespeare as a front man and others say it was an earl that William Shakespeare may have been romantically involved with that wrote the plays. Either way Shakespeare is known as "The Bard" and the plays credited to him changed dramatically by who was ruling England at the time. King James 1 for example liked historical plays and this is when many of Shakespeare's histories were written and preformed.
There were a few times in his life where it is unknown as to what Shakespeare was doing. One thought was that he joined the military and this is where he learned the things he later wrote about in plays like Twelfth Night.
His marriage to Ann Hathaway is subject to a few different thoughts. She was with child when they married and before they married he was engaged to someone else. In many of his sonnets he speaks of other lovers, both male and female. He died in 1623 for unclear reasons and though little is really known about his wife or their relationship she is buried beside him in Stratford upon Avon where he was born.

William Shakespeare is perhaps the most famous English poet and playwright that has ever lived. He's written such plays as Macbeth, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet. Many of his plays have been adapted into movies (for instance, Taming of the Shrew -> 10 things I hate about you) or even t.v. shows.

Find out more information on some of the sources I've listed: