William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare was born in 1564 in England. He is often praised as the
greatest playwright of the world. Though he lived 400 years ago, his plays are still studied
and enjoyed today. Shakespeare wrote 37 plays in 20 years. His plays generally fall into three
categories: tragedies, comedies, and histories. Tragedies are plays that describe the downfall
of the main character. Shakespeare’s most famous tragedies include Hamlet, King Lear,
and Macbeth. Comedies are humorous plays that end happily. Shakespeare’s comedies
include A Midsummer Night’s Dream, As You Like It, and The Taming of the Shrew.
Shakespeare’s histories are dramas about some of England’s powerful kings, including Henry
IV and Richard II. Shakespeare retired from the theatre in about 1610. He returned to his
hometown of Stratford-upon-Avon. He died there on April 23, 1616.

Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens was born in England on February 7, 1812. when Charles was just 12 years
old, his father was sent to prison for debt in 1824. After his father's imprisonment, Charles
Dickens left school to work in a factory. Despite his lack of formal education, he edited a
weekly journal for 20 years and wrote 15 novels. His 1859 novel, A Tale of Two Cities, set in
London and Paris, is his best-known work of historical fiction. He died on June 9, 1870.