William Shakespeare (1564–1616) was an English playwright, poet, and actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language. Born in Stratford-upon-Avon, he moved to London where he worked with a theatre company known as the Lord Chamberlain’s Men (later the King’s Men), for whom he wrote most of his 39 plays.

Romeo and Juliet was written around 1594–1596, early in his career, during a period when Shakespeare was also writing comedies like A Midsummer Night’s Dream. It draws on an existing Italian tale (via an English poem by Arthur Brooke) rather than being an entirely original plot — what Shakespeare added was the poetry, the psychological depth of the characters, and the compression of the story into a matter of days.

Understanding that Shakespeare was writing for a live, mixed audience — nobles in galleries and commoners standing in the yard — helps explain why the play mixes high poetry with bawdy jokes, sword fights, and fast pacing.