7 Famous Writers Who May Not Have Actually Existed

2. William Shakespeare

Out of all the €œwriters who might not have actually existed€ theories, the authorship of William Shakespeare is probably the most famous. Considered one of the greatest writers ever to have lived, Shakespeare's influence on modern literature and storytelling in general is practically unparalleled, and cannot be overstated. From Romeo & Juliet, Macbeth and King Lear to Hamlet and Othello, listing the Bard's masterful contributions would take multiple lists of its own. Which is why the fact that there's a legitimate question as to whether or not Shakespeare was a real person €“ or indeed the author of all those plays €“ is so shocking. In fact, there's a prominent theory known as the €œShakespeare authorship question€ that states that William Shakespeare was nothing more than a front used to shield the identity of multiple other real authors. Other theories point to the name William Shakespeare being used as an alias by other prominent figures of the age. The most notable of these include Sir Francis Bacon, one of the great intellectual thinkers of Jacobean England. There's also Christopher Marlowe, himself a very well-known dramatist, who is believed to have died under incredibly mysterious circumstances very early in life. Curiously, Marlowe was considered a great influence on Shakespeare too.