William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616) is the most influential writer in English history. Shakespeare has been called The Barb of Avon and England's national poet. There are 2 narrative poems, 154 sonnets and 38 plays in his collected works. He began work as an actor and writer in London first writing comedies and historic plays and later tragedies. Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth and Othello are some of his more famous plays. Shakespeare's sonnets are some of the most beautiful poetry in the English language.