English theater has a long history dating back to ancient Greek and Roman eras. Notable developments include William Shakespeare becoming one of the most influential playwrights in the English language in the 16th century. The theater genre was used to reflect society and culture through different periods. Key periods in the evolution of English theater include the Elizabethan era featuring playwrights like Christopher Marlowe, the Restoration period in the late 17th century bringing back moral comedies and heroic plays, and modern developments with playwrights like Harold Pinter, Tom Stoppard, and Caryl Churchill.