Who was Shakespeare, what did he write, and why does his work still matter four centuries after his death?

Four hundred years after his death, Shakespeare's words are still quoted daily by people who have never read a single play. Phrases like "break the ice", "wild goose chase", "heart of gold", and "all that glitters is not gold" all came from one man writing in Elizabethan England in the late 1500s. Who was William Shakespeare, and how did the son of a glove maker from Stratford-upon-Avon with no university degree become the most influential writer in the history of the English language? What are his most important works across tragedies, comedies, and histories, and what does each reveal about human nature that still feels urgently relevant today? How did Shakespeare invent or first record over 1,700 words that are still in everyday use, and what does this tell us about his relationship with language? What is the enduring debate about whether Shakespeare actually wrote his own plays, and what are the strongest arguments on each side? Why should someone who finds Shakespeare intimidating or old-fashioned bother reading or watching his work today, and what is the most practical way to approach his plays without suffering through the archaic language? And which of his works is the best starting point for a complete beginner who wants to understand why the world has never stopped talking about him?