Who was William Shakespeare?

William Shakespeare was an English playwright and poet who greatly influenced the English language. Despite his lack of extensive formal education, Shakespeare had a strong grasp on the English language. His plays, now classics, are both read and performed today. Shakespeare also performed in his own plays and in the plays of others. In addition, he played a role in establishing the Globe Theater, which influenced modern drama. Since no biographies of Shakespeare were ever written when he was alive, there is much that is not known about Shakespeare. As a result, a mystery surrounds Shakespeare.