William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616) is the most influential writer in English history. Shakespeare has been called The Barb of Avon and England's national poet. There are 2 narrative poems, 154 sonnets and 38 plays in his collected works. He began work as an actor and writer in London first writing comedies and historic plays. He later wrote tragedies. Romeo and Juliet, MacBeth and Othello are some of his more famous plays. Shakespeare wrote a tetralogy covering the successive reigns of Richard II, Henry IV, ( 2 plays) Henry V. The tetralogy is often referred to as the "Henriad," alluding to the 'epic' nature of the story and its similarity to the Iliad by Homer. Henry V covers the events around the Battle of Agincourt. Henry V first appeared in Henry IV as Prince Hal who was an undisciplined youth at the time. By the time Henry became king he was a man beginning his attempt to dominate France.