William Shakespeare (1564-1616) [HISTORICAL ch.2 p.88] is an English playwright and poet based in London, best known for his many comedic and tragic plays as well as his poetry, especially in sonnet form. Shakespeare, also known as the "Bard of Avon" of the "English national poet", is often considered the greatest dramatist of all time. In many ways, Shakespeare revolutionized theater with his sense of wit as well as his ability to grasp the emotions of the audience. He grew up in Stratford upon Avon and received a good education at the local grammar school which is thought to have ignited his love of writing and literature. At age 18 he married Anne Hathaway, with whom he had 3 children, a daughter named Sussana and later twins, Hamnet and Judith. Throughout the course of his life, he wrote a total of 37 plays, both comedy and tragedy, as well as 4 poems, and a collection of sonnets; the structure of which became a standard in the English language, and continues to be to this day. His best-known comedies include A Midsummer Night's Dream (1600) and Much Ado About Nothing  (c.1598), while his best-known tragedies include Macbeth (1623), Hamlet (c.1599), and Othello (c. 1603). He also wrote several historical plays including Richard III (c.1592-94) and Henry V (c.1599). He was quite successful during the course of his life, performing for Queen Elizabeth I as part of the Lord Chamberlain's Men in the now iconic Globe Theater. In 1613, the Globe burned down and subsequently Shakespeare retired; he then died 3 years later in 1616. 

Within the context of Orlando, Shakespeare first serves as a literary hero for Orlando and an inspiration in his own writing of plays and poetry. Because Orlando's story begins in the Elizabethan era, it makes sense that Shakespeare would be brought up as he was an incredibly relevant figure during this time and would have been an inspiration to any young wordsmith, but for Orlando in particular, he becomes a symbol of the past as her life progresses. In one particular instance, he is brought up by Nick Greene, an author, and friend of Orlando's who might have been inspired by Robert Greene, a peer and avid critic of Shakespeare. In Orlando, Greene criticizes Shakespeare, accusing him of simply copying Christopher Marlowe's work and using his talents to make money rather than write good literature (p.88-89). He then hypothesizes that the works of Shakespeare will be lost to time, and he will fade into obscurity, which is disproven a few centuries later when Orlando and Greene reunite (p.278), and Greene says that with Shakespeare's passing, the great era of literature is over. In many ways, Shakespeare's immortality through the legacy of his work mimics the immortality of Orlando as they both endure the ever-changing and challenging conditions of the world. (480 words)

Woolf, Virginia. Orlando: A Biography. Mariner Books, an Imprint of Harper Collins Publishers, 2022.

Bevington, David, et al. “William Shakespeare.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 9 Mar. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/biography/William-Shakespeare.

“William Shakespeare.” British Library, https://www.bl.uk/people/william-shakespeare.