William Shakespeare is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language, but contrary to popular opinion, he has a rival for that title. It's not Chaucer, Milton or Wordsworth.
What made Shakespeare so great? In short, it was his influence on all that came after him. Shakespeare was not just a great poet, with a great understanding of human nature (he was), but he was also foundational to the way English was written and spoken for the next 400 years.
Shakespeare is a dominating force in language, which presupposes forms such as prose and poetry. His mastery of blank verse, plot, imagery, and human nature is also formidable. But it’s his towering influence that puts him above all contenders.
Except…Shakespeare has a competitor that was possibly even more influential in English literature than him. Who or what could possibly have had more influence than the Bard?
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