Shakespeare Turns 450 Years Young in Stratford-Upon-Avon

This William Shakespeare character is supposed to be a big deal, so the entirety of England – and especially his birthplace and ancestral home of Stratford-Upon-Avon – is making a very special occasion of his 450th birthday.

I’ve done some research, and I know for a fact that he’s never written for any of the magazines or online publications I’ve contributed to — ever. And, he never wrote any episodes of Seinfeld or Friends. So, how good can he be?

Still, he seems to be the consensus pick for “Greatest Writer in the History of the English Language.” Some people would just as soon name him the best scribe in the history of the planet — though they didn’t even ask me if I wanted to be nominated.

I guess it’s worth making a fuss for a writer who wrote 37 plays and 154 sonnets. He single-handedly invented more than 1700 words and more than 150 common phrases used in English to this very day. In fact, Shakespeare is the second most quoted author of any language in history, behind only the author of The Bible (and HE couldn’t even manage a second book).

Incidentally, the third most quoted author? Obviously, that’s William Shatner. After him? You’d be surprised, but it’s Roger Hargreaves. But, I digress.

To celebrate Shakespeare’s landmark anniversary, Stratford-Upon-Avon and the Royal Shakespeare Company based therein are mounting a yearlong celebration with activities and productions scheduled to honor The Bard for tourists and literary fans from around the world.

Thou may sample yon gallery of Shakespearian imagery beloweth. Hark:

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