William Shakespeare (26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English poet, playwright, and actor who is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world’s most celebrated playwright. He is often called England's national poet and nicknamed the Bard of Avon. He was born on 26 April 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon and produced most of his known works between 1589 and 1613. His surviving works consist of 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and several other poems. His plays remain immensely popular and have been translated into every major living language, they continue to be studied, performed, and reinterpreted through various cultural and political contexts around the world. His early plays were primarily comedies and histories and are regarded as some of the best work produced in these genres. His tragedies include Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth, all considered to be among the finest works in the English language.