William Shakespeare only lived from 1564 to 1616, but his works have lived on the stage and on the page for four centuries. Several authors in this anthology examine the biographical evidence and the continuing controversy over Shakespeare's authorship of the works attributed to him; others focus on why Shakespeare's works have proven relevant and inspiring to so many generations of readers, writers, scholars, and artists. The words Shakespeare coined, the characters he created, his plays and poems are his legacy, which permeates our language and culture today.