Which figure had a significant influence on the development and evolution of the English language?

William Shakespeare, writing primarily between the late 16th and early 17th centuries, had a massive impact on the English language. Before Shakespeare, English was still evolving, with less standardized spelling and grammar. Shakespeare's plays and sonnets weren't just great stories; they introduced thousands of new words and phrases into the language. He coined terms like "eyeball," "swagger," and "bedroom," and popularized existing words, giving them new meanings. His influence is so profound that many common phrases we use today, like "break the ice" or "heart of gold," originated in his works. While Oliver Cromwell was a significant political figure, David Lean a famous film director, and Wilfred Owen a war poet, none of them had the same linguistic impact as Shakespeare. His contribution was in actively shaping the vocabulary and idioms of the English language itself, which is why he's the correct answer.