17th-century English dramatists and playwrights

William Shakespeare was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon" or simply "the Bard". His extant works, including collaborations, consist of some 39 plays, 154 sonnets, three long narrative poems and a few other verses, some of uncertain authorship. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. Shakespeare remains arguably the most influential writer in the English language, and his works continue to be studied and reinterpreted.

English poet and civil servant (1608–1674)

17th-century English poet and playwright (1631–1700)

English playwright, poet, and actor (1572-1637)

British playwright, poet and spy (1640–1689)

British writer (1670-1729)

English Jacobean playwright (1579–1625)

English dramatist (1578-1634)

16th/17th-century English dramatist, poet, and translator

English architect and dramatist (1664–1726)

English playwright (1584–1616)

English playwright and poet

English playwright, poet and dramatist (c.1553/4-1606)

English dramatist and pamphleteer

English poet and playwright

English playwright (1583–1640)

British poet laureate (1671–1757)

English Caroline dramatist and poet

English poet and playwright (1642-1692)

English writer 1575?-1634

16th/17th-century English playwright, actor, and author (1574–1641)

Anglo-Irish poet and playwright (1652–1715)

Poet and historian

English dramatist of the Restoration period

English poet

English writer and dramatist (1652-1685)

English actor, poet, playwright (c. 1667/70 – 1723)

English novelist, dramatist, philosopher (1674-1749)

English writer 1635-1691

English writer, poet, politician and ambassador (1568-1639)

English writer (1596–1666)

English playwright and miscellaneous writer

English Jacobean dramatist (1585-1626)

Anglo-Welsh poet and translator (1632–1664)

English writer

English poet, writer (1674-1718)

English dramatist and theatre manager; (1612-1683)

English writer, editor

English poet and courtier

British actor (1587-1620)

British writer, 1585-1639

English politician (1621-1679)

English politician (1639-1701)

English writer (1569–1609)

17th-century English dramatist

English writer

English poet, dramatist and historian 1595-1650

English dramatist and clergyman

British writer

English dramatist

British writer

British poet and playwright

English playwright and politician

Irish writer, playwright and bookseller

English dramatist

English dramatist

English writer

English satirist

17th-century English dramatist and actor

English playwright