William Shakespeare (baptized on April 26, 1564 – April 23, 1616) stands as a colossus in the realm of English literature. His prodigious body of work laid the foundations for much of modern English language and literature. Shakespeare's oeuvre encompasses 39 plays, 154 sonnets, and two long narrative poems. His writing spans a plethora of genres, including comedies, tragedies, histories, and romances, characterized by its rich language, complex characters, and perennial themes of love, power, and fate. A quintessential figure of the English Renaissance, Shakespeare's influence persists through his masterpieces like 'Hamlet,' 'Macbeth,' 'Othello,' 'King Lear,' 'Romeo and Juliet,' 'A Midsummer Night's Dream,' and 'The Tempest', all of which are included in 'The Ultimate Shakespeare Collection: Complete Plays & Poems'. His plays are unparalleled in their understanding of the human condition, and his sonnets are esteemed for their lyrical beauty and depth of emotion. The Bard of Avon, as he is often called, was not only a playwright and poet but also an actor and shareholder in the Lord Chamberlain's Men, later known as the King's Men, an acting company. Shakespeare's literary legacy is immortal, with his works being continually studied, performed, and reinterpreted to this day across the globe.