William shakespeare was among the most important writers of the northern renaissance. he gained popularity as a poet and ,playwriter, painter) . his prominent works include plays such as romeo and juliet, the merchant of venice, ,utopia, the prince) . shakespeare’s works are well known for exploring the renaissance ideals of humanism ,classicism, realism) .

1.  He gained popularity as a poet and playwright. Apart from writing poems (mostly sonnets), Shakespeare was most famous for writing numerous plays which are often performed at theaters even today. He is perhaps the world's most famous playwright ever.
2. His prominent works include plays such as Romeo and Juliet, The Merchant of Venice, and Macbeth. Romeo and Juliet, as well as Macbeth, are two of his four most famous tragedies (along with King Lear and Hamlet), whereas The Merchant of Venice is one of his most popular comedies.
3. The correct answer is Classicism. Shakespeare didn't write a lot about religion, so Catholicism is definitely incorrect. Realism wasn't created yet as a literary era, which is why that is incorrect as well. However, he did explore Classicism a lot, especially the culture of ancient Greece.