conspiracy theory And the beat goes on.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Did he or didn't he?

On such trivia many doctorates hang.

[mrbisonm 1,620]

It wouldn't surprise me at all that Shakespeare had several (more than one) co-writers. It happened before, elsewhere, that one person received the credit for several ideas (etc) and the "second-row genies" never got to be known to the public. Since Shakespeare was more than 450 years ago (or something like this, if I remember right) it was long forgotten how exactly he and his "co-writers" functioned.

It happened many times before that one took, or was given, the whole credit for an achievement, and it will happen again many times in the future to come.

It's a shame for those who have been set aside and forgotten.

mrb

  Edited April 25, 2012 by mrbisonm  

[Duke87 1,070]

There are other potential considerations here. Does an original manuscript survive, and if so, how does the handwriting match to any others? What is the earliest surviving copy and who does it credit?

With anything that old, most of what we know is going to be what the people in charge of it wanted to be known. A lesser co-author could easily have been not given credit and had no means of contesting that (copyright law and whatnot didn't exist at the time).

But, that it's someone whose name is otherwise known is odd - you'd think another prominent figure would command enough respect to be given credit. Unless, of course, he was just as obscure then as he is now.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Christopher Marlowe has been bandied about as one of Shakespeare's coterie of ghosts. These works will keep scholars (?) going for a long time yet. As more and more forensic tools become available, things will be more roiled up. There will be mud and silt in the water of this little lake for a long time to come.

[Merlin of Flyote 8]

Christopher Marlowe has been bandied about as one of Shakespeare's coterie of ghosts. These works will keep scholars (?) going for a long time yet. As more and more forensic tools become available, things will be more roiled up. There will be mud and silt in the water of this little lake for a long time to come.

There is a rumour that a young Lord from Suffolk may have been the writer of Shakespere's plays.

  Edited April 28, 2012 by Merlin of Flyote  

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Christopher Marlowe has been bandied about as one of Shakespeare's coterie of ghosts. These works will keep scholars (?) going for a long time yet. As more and more forensic tools become available, things will be more roiled up. There will be mud and silt in the water of this little lake for a long time to come.

There is a rumour that a young Lord from Suffolk may have been the writer of Shakesperes plays.

Considering the volume and the quality, I am more likely to believe in a staff of writers.

[Merlin of Flyote 8]

Just to clear another muddied water, the entry in Stratford upon Avon's parish record for Shakespear's baptism is:-

1564, April 26, Guilemus filius Johannes Shakspere(sic)

It is pure speculation and fancy to think that he was born on St. George's day (April 23rd) as his date of birth isn't recorded. The idea comes from an "old wives tale" that people were baptised 3 days after birth, although there is no evidence of any truth in this tale.