William Shakespeare (1564-1616) was an English playwright, poet, actor, and one of the central figures of world literature. Born in Stratford-upon-Avon, he became a leading dramatist in London during the reigns of Elizabeth I and James I, writing comedies, histories, tragedies, romances, and poems that transformed English drama and helped shape the modern literary imagination. His plays are known for their verbal brilliance, dramatic structure, psychological depth, memorable characters, and extraordinary range of tone, from farce and romantic comedy to political history, philosophical tragedy, and moral ambiguity.Shakespeare's major works include Hamlet, Macbeth, Othello, King Lear, Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Twelfth Night, The Tempest, Julius Caesar, and Measure for Measure. Written around 1603-1604 and first published in the 1623 First Folio, Measure for Measure belongs to the group often called the problem plays, works that contain comic structures but confront unusually dark ethical and social questions. Shakespeare remains essential for readers of classic drama, English literature, Renaissance theatre, poetry, tragedy, comedy, and the enduring study of human character.