Ten fun facts about William Shakespeare

Fact 1
He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist.

Fact 2
He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon".

Fact 3
At 18, he married a 26-year-old woman named Anne Hathaway.

Fact 4
Shakespeare's family members were all illiterate.

Fact 5
His extant works, including some collaborations, consist of about 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and a few other verses, the authorship of some of which is uncertain.

Fact 6
His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright.

Fact 7
All Uranus’ satellites are named after Shakespearean characters.

Fact 8
He is believed to have died on his birthday.

Fact 9
Shakespeare was a respected poet and playwright in his own day, but his reputation did not rise to its present heights until the 19th century.

Fact 10
His plays remain highly popular today and are constantly studied, performed, and reinterpreted in diverse cultural and political contexts throughout the world.