Did William Shakespeare exist?

[GrandizerII]

b) it has been altered so often and so thoroughly over the intervening 1700 years that we cannot even be sure what is hearsay and what is outright fabrication.

But we have copies of various NT books dating back to at least the fourth century (if not earlier).

[Edwardo Piet]

I don't think Shakespeare existed.

I forget what the writer of the story that the movie Bedazzled was based on, but whoever that writer is, some think he was Shakespeare.

[Pat Mustard]

b) it has been altered so often and so thoroughly over the intervening 1700 years that we cannot even be sure what is hearsay and what is outright fabrication.

But we have copies of various NT books dating back to at least the fourth century (if not earlier).

The oldest we have is the codex Vaticanus, dated to sometime between 301 and 350 CE, and is significantly different from modern catholic bibles (it is lacking 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, and Revelation en toto not to mention significant alterations to parts of each of the four gospels e.g. it ends at Mark 16:8 so no resurrection), never mind the protestant ones. So my point stands, the bible has been altered massively over the years.

[Minimalist]

and here the word would appear to take on special meaning among actual scholars though not for you internet types

Once again, "actual scholars" are the ones you think are right and any one else is a fringe lunatic.

Fuck off.  You've been sold a bill of good by the holy horseshitters and you have lost the ability to think outside the box.  BTW, you didn't answer the question.  Why did the scribes who were supposedly saving the holy horseshit not do a better job?

Do you suppose it is because the tale they told was too embarrassing to the power-structure to be left laying around?


Probably not.  I don't think your mind is capable of considering such possibilities.

[rexbeccarox]

you internet types

Uh... what are you if not an "internet type"? You're here too.

How insulting.

[CapnAwesome]

I think it's highly likely Shakespeare existed. That there is little written about him (or that little written about him survived to this day) is not very unusual for people in that time period.

[thesummerqueen]

Shakespeare's plays are also far from perfect, or all 'brilliant' so his 'lack of education' isn't an argument for saying that he didn't exist. He had a few utterly brilliant plays, and several boring shits and several mediocre to good ones. This is what we call "life's work" for musicians. Not all of Elton John's stuff was a win, or the Beatles. Or the Rolling Stones.

[Mudhammam]

you internet types

Uh... what are you if not an "internet type"? You're here too.

How insulting.

Nor do I pretend to be a historian. (read: that was the point of "you internet types" as opposed to "actual scholars").

That is, like Min, whose only credible voice outside of the 19th century (the tools and methods that historians employ to construct an accurate narrative of the past have sort of, like, progressed since then, ya know) is Richard Carrier, and even he admits that out of thousands of experts only about 5 or 6 (not 5 or 6 dozen... only 5 or 6...lol) buy into the illogical horseshit that illogical horseshitters like Min and other "internet types" (read: self-proclaimed, amateur "historians) buy into. Which might explain his emotional outbursts whenever anyone presses him on his methodology and sources... he knows his conspiracies amount to shit as practically everybody acknowledges--not among here, of course--among those whose career is to actually understand the culture and the texts.

[c172]

will.i.am shakes.peare? Of course!

[LastPoet]

Shakespeare the guy that wrote some plays.

--OR--

Jesus the son of god that was also god and rose from the dead.


Wich of these need more evidence?