Was William Shakespeare a well respected man?

Yes, William Shakespeare was a well respected man. He was admired by his contemporaries for his literary talents and was often referred to as the "darling of the age". He was patronized by members of the royal court and his works were performed at court and in public theaters. Shakespeare's plays were printed in quarto editions during his lifetime and a first folio edition of his collected plays was published in 1623, seven years after his death. Shakespeare's works have been translated into many languages and are performed around the world.