Does it matter who wrote Shakespeare?

Who was the author of the works attributed to Shakespeare? No one knows who the author of the Shakespearean plays is. This does not change the meaning or outlook of the plays or sonnets, and furthermore, the naming of the author is not necessary. Many people believe that we must determine who the author was, so that he/she may claim their due recognition. There are two reasons for the desired naming. One of the reasons is the sentiment of literary supporters and the other is the pure greed of relatives and tourist agents. One reason to abandon the search for the lost identity of the author is the fact that never will all persons agree on who is the best candidate. Both the major candidates each have large problems with their qualifications. One of the favorite candidates died before all the plays were published, and with the other candidate there is a large debate as to whether he could even write his own name. The largest question posed by this name game is whether the author wanted to remain nameless. There are several supporting reasons for this theory. It is apparent the author went to great lengths to avoid identification. This issue should be closed, both out of respect for the author's wishes and because an identification would change nothing as far as what the plays mean to us as a society that reads and uses these literary works as an example of life.

--John B. Turner

Sources:

"Frontline: The Shakespeare Mystery." PBS Video, 1989.

Matus Irvin Leigh. Shakespeare, In Fact. New York: Continuum, 1994.

Ogburn, Charlton. The Mysterious William Shakespeare: The Myth and the Reality. McLean, VA: EPM Publications, 1992.

"Uncovering Shakespeare: An Update." PBS Video, 1992.

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