Did William Shakespeare exist?

[Mudhammam]

Did Shakespeare really exist? 

The lack of information about the early part of Shakespeare's life has led to theories that he never actually existed.

Some people say his plays were written by his rival Christopher Marlowe, who was murdered in May 1593.

Others believe he was the poet and politician Francis Bacon.

Another theory suggests he was the Earl of Oxford.

Serious historians, however, say documents about the later years of Shakespeare's life strongly suggest he did exist.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/find_o...538936.stm

Unfortunately, there is scant evidence to satisfy our curiosity about the historical Shakespeare of Stratford upon Avon. Did he really exist? I voted for the first option, "Yes, absolutely."

[Alex K]

It's a little known fact that all those works were not written by Shakespeare himself, but by another man by the same name.

[Mudhammam]

So, in other words, the body of work attributed to "Shakespeare" perhaps represents a number of unknown individuals? As it turns out, "Shakespeare" was a common name in Warwickshire during that period.

[Alex K]

So, in other words, the body of work attributed to "Shakespeare" perhaps represents a number of unknown individuals? As it turns out, "Shakespeare" was a common name in Warwickshire during that period.

It was a joke, but actually I think it is not so likely. There was a mathematical analysis of his writings done, looking for subtle clues, and they claimed to statistically exclude several famous men as candidates for impersonating Shakespeare via their respective styles. I guess they would have noticed if "Shakespeare"'s works were by different individuals. This is speculation, but I don't find it so absurd that the historical Shakespeare collaborated closely with friends and colleagues, and that some of his works were partly a team effort. One of the reasons some people doubt that the historical Shakespeare from Stratford really wrote all that stuff by himself is his lack of formal education. To me it at least suggests that he was probably strongly influenced by others and absorbed a lot of ideas about literature and society from the writers around him.

[Minimalist]

Shakespeare did not invent these stories in most cases.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leir_of_Britain

http://www.veronissima.com/sito_inglese/...erona.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamlet#Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Othello_%2...29#Sources


So Shakespeare took existing tales and wrote his characters into them.  Sort of like what was done with the fucking bible.

[downbeatplumb]

I've been to his house and been made to learn his unfunny comedies at school. Men dressing as girls is not funny.

[Minimalist]

Pervert priests think it is a riot.

[Aegon]

Oh look, another historical figure with little evidence of their existence that everyone just accepts as existing. But just replace the name with "Jesus"...

[ApeNotKillApe]

No one has been tortured and killed over the existence of Shakespeare. No one is attempting to impose authoritarian rule in the name of Shakespeare or traumatize children with the threat of eternal torture for not believing Shakespeare existed.

[Aegon]

No one has been tortured and killed over the existence of Shakespeare. No one is attempting to impose authoritarian rule in the name of Shakespeare or traumatize children with the threat of eternal torture for not believing Shakespeare existed.

All of that would have happened whether Jesus existed or not. It's irrelevant to his historicity.