威廉·莎士比亞（1564—1616），英國文藝復興時期最偉大的戲劇家和詩人。莎士比亞（Shakespeare）的代表作有四大悲劇：《哈姆雷特》（英：Hamlet)、《奧賽羅》（英：Othello)、《李爾王》（英：King Lear）、《麥克白》（英：Macbeth）。四大喜劇：《仲夏夜之夢》、《威尼斯商人》、《第十二夜》、《皆大歡喜》（《As you like it》）。歷史劇：《亨利四世》、《亨利五世》、《理查二世》等。還寫過154首十四行詩，二首長詩。本·瓊生稱他為“時代的靈魂”，馬克思稱他和古希臘的埃斯庫羅斯為“人類最偉大的戲劇天才”。雖然莎士比亞只用英文寫作，但他卻是世界著名作家。他的大部分作品都已被譯成多種文字，其劇作也在許多國家上演。1616年4月23日病逝。莎士比亞和義大利著名數學家、物理學家、天文學家和哲學家、近代實驗科學的先軀者伽利略同一年出生。
Let me not to the marriage of true mindsAdmit impediments. Love is not love，Which alters when it alteration finds,Or bends with the remover to remove:Oh, no! it is an ever-fixed mark,That looks on tempests and is never shaken;It is the star to every wand'ring bark,Whose worth's un-known, although his heighth be taken. Love's not Time's fool, though r-osy lips and cheeks.Within his bending sickle's compass come;Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,But bears it out even to the edge of doom:If this be error and upon me proved,I never write, nor no man ever loved.
In faith I do not love thee with mine eyes,For they in thee a thousand errors note;But `tis my heart that loves what they despise,Who in despite of view is pleased to dote.Nor are mine ears with thy tongue`s tune delighted;Nor tender feeling to base touches prone,Nor taste, nor smell, desire to be invitedTo any sensual feast with thee alone.But my five wits, nor my five senses canDissuade one foolish heart from serving thee,Who leaves unswayed the likeness of a man,Thy proud heart`s slave and vassal wretch to be.Only my plague thus far I count my gain,That she that makes me sin awards me pain.
