William Shakespeare was an English playwright born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon, where he also died in 1616. He is famous for his plays and poems, including Romeo and Juliet. Romeo and Juliet is about two young lovers from feuding families in Verona, Italy. They fall in love but cannot be together due to their families' hatred of each other. They secretly marry but many tragic events unfold that ultimately lead to their deaths. The play highlights the power of love despite family conflict and social pressures. It remains one of Shakespeare's most famous and influential plays nearly 500 years after it was written.