Even though William Faulkner, Robert Browning and William Shakespeare came from different backgrounds and were born centuries apart, these three well-known literary men known had a lot in common. Shakespeare was a poet, actor and playwright born in Stratford-Upon-Avon in 1564. Throughout his life he wrote several sonnets and poems and was the creator of many words still used today ("William Shakespeare" ). Shakespeare remained one of the most popular men of letters in the world. Browning was born in 1812 in London and wrote many poems and had them published in several volumes. Faulkner was not a playwright but he was a famous novelist, poet and short story writer. He grew up in Mississippi where he based all of his workplaces. “A Rose for Emily,” “Porphyria’s Lover,” and Hamlet are hauntingly beautiful and tragic plays. All of them are different but the only thing that connects them is the character's fascination with death and whether it affects them psychologically or not. The first character who may have been fascinated by death is Mrs. Emily Grierson in William's "A Rose for Emily." Faulkner; published in 1931. “A Rose for Emily” has been called a Southern Gothic short story (“William Faulkner”). The short story recounts the aftermath of Grier's death. Residents want to know why she always stayed in her house, never went out and what the smell was coming from inside. To their horror and surprise, Miss Emily had killed her husband and was sleeping next to the corpse. Everything fell into place once the residents went inside. The reason why Emily slept near a dead body after murdering it could stem from childhood issues or events that happened. The people in his life could have been a key part of the paper... or not, it affects them psychologically. Works Cited Barnet, Sylvan, William Burto and William E. Cain. “A rose for Emily.” Literature for Composition: An Introduction to Literature. 10th ed. New Jersey: Pearson, 2014. 249-56. Print.Barnet, Sylvan, William Burto, and William E. Cain. “Hamlet” literature for composition: an introduction to literature. 10th ed. New Jersey: Pearson, 2014. 249-56. Print.Best, JT “Porphyria’s Lover” – Widely Misunderstood Poetry. “Porphyria’s Lover” – Widely misunderstood poetry. The Victorian Web, June 8, 2007. Web. April 21, 2014 Browning, Robert. “Porphyria’s Lover.” Poetry Foundation. Poetry Foundation, 2014. Web. April 21, 2014 « William Faulkner-Biography. » William Faulkner. The European Graduate School, nd Web. April 22, 2014 “William Shakespeare”. Poets.org. Academy of American Poets, 1997. Web. April 21. 2014.