Shakespeares canon is unrivalled within the English language. As well as been one of the best prose stylists to ever walk upon this mortal coil, he also penned dozens of timeless plays covering everything from comedies and tragedies to biographies of historical figures. He wrote about exotic, faraway lands with the authority of a man far more travelled than he ever was. His knowledge of politics and royal courts appear unparalleled. And therein lays the problem, as legions of doubters ask how could a man of such humble origins write so expertly on matters he should rightly have no knowledge of? Like with many historical figures, there is a shortage of verifiable biographical information on Shakespeares early life. What is known is he was born to a glove-maker, in a household likely illiterate. There are no records of Shakespeare attaining an education, nor any other documentation such as personal letters or manuscripts that would either confirm or deny the mystery of Shakespeares authorship. So who really wrote the Bards words, if not Shakespeare himself? Numerous names have been put forward over the years, ranging from Sir Francis Bacon and Christopher Marlowe to Sir Walter Raleigh. Yet too often the chronologies dont match. Perhaps the most interesting (and bizarre) name put forward is that of Queen Elizabeth I, who at least would have her fair share of experience in royal and political circles. Maybe her majesty was just very humble. As unfair as it may feel to question the potential genius of a man too dead to defend his authorship, content yourself in the knowledge youre in good company. Mark Twain and Charles Dickens are just two in a long line of famous Shakespeare doubters.
