William Shakespeare is widely regarded as the greatest English-speaking writer in history and the world's greatest dramatist. But in an authorship debate that dates back to the Victorian Era, some people believe Shakespeare did not write the plays and poems accredited to him. So who did?
The case for Shakespeare being the author
There is a lot of evidence suggesting Shakespeare wrote the plays attributed to him.
Shakespeare's name is on the plays and poems attributed to him
During a time when it wasn't common practice for an author to include a name on a play or poem, Shakespeare is named as the author on the work attributed to him.
Shakespeare was too common and uneducated to understand the complexities of his writing. Someone else must have written his plays and poems.
Oxfordian theory of Shakespeare authorship
The Oxfordian theory of Shakespeare authorship believes the Earl of Oxford, Edward de Vere, used a pseudonym to write the plays attributed to William Shakespeare.