Indian · 350–450
Kalidasa perfected Sanskrit poetry and drama during the Gupta Empire's golden age, earning recognition as India's greatest classical writer. Almost nothing is known of his life, though legend makes him court poet to King Vikramaditya. His play Shakuntala, based on an episode from the Mahabharata, enchanted Goethe, who declared he could find no higher tribute than praising it. His lyrics in Meghaduta, describing a cloud messenger crossing India's landscape, established conventions of nature poetry. His epic Kumarasambhava celebrates Shiva's marriage with rich sensuality and spiritual aspiration. For Sanskrit literature, Kalidasa occupies the position Shakespeare holds in English.