[LibertarianInExile]

As you like it, I suppose. Frankly, I'm bard with the whole subject.

But I've always assumed it was a priest who was a much lesser known playwright, Father Benedictus--Inky Holmes, before he took up the robe--who wrote all "Shakespeare's" works. He was well known for his Church festival one-act stuff even after he joined the priesthood. Of course, the Anglican church couldn't let worldly stuff be performed under a priest's name. Sadly, few know of him today, and everyone ought to, because it's trickled down in a cliche you hear all the time (though few folks know its origin, of course)...

..."there's no plays like Holmes' for the holy days."

Freeper Freepun' PING!

[Brian Allen]

<< " ..... I have not seen a convincing argument that he was capable of writing the plays."

There are .... um ... how shall I put this so as to not offend ... um .. the plays?

[ran15]

I also believe Bacon was the writer of the plays. Unfortunately the English literature establishment will not question Shakespeare, for the exact reasons they stated right away in this article. It is to them about equality and class struggle, so its an emotional issue.

[Khurkris]

...(in my best Spartacus voice)...I AM WILL SHAKESPEARE!

[snarks_when_bored]

Shakespeare was ill-educated and relatively unlettered. It's easy to see him as frontman for Bacon and/or Marlowe at the Globe. He probably would have made such a deal because he was fond of money (so it's said); no doubt, he would have been handsomely compensated for being the frontman. Indeed, he did retire a wealthy man (by the standards of his locale).

But if Bacon or Marlowe or anybody else wrote those plays and allowed Shakespeare to claim authorship, he played a supreme trick on himself, cheating himself out of the reputation of having been the greatest playwright of all time in any language. What a price to pay for observing the social niceties of the day!

[FatherofFive]

Most people cannot accept the extraordinary.

They think their kid can play in the NBA because he scored 18 points in a 3rd grade game.

The talent at the ends of the bell curve is rare and extraordinary. No amount of "schooling" will ever get you there. I think it is a combination of envy and snobbery that prevents people from accepting great things from a commoner.

[Plutarch]

He believes that supporters of Francis Bacon, Christopher Marlowe and Edward de Vere, the Earl of Oxford, are motivated by snobbery.

You know you've won the argument when they call you a bigot.

[RightWhale]

It wasn't Bacon. Not his style.