Literary historians have long thought that William Shakespeare could not have written all the plays attributed to him. The theory generally advanced is that his writings display in-depth knowledge of such a wide range of topics that someone of his humble origins simply couldn't have accomplished the feat.
His writings have variously been attributed by scholars to Francis Bacon, Edward de Vere (Earl of Oxford), William Stanley (Earl of Derby), Roger Manners (Earl of Rutland), and Christopher Marlowe.
Suggestions that Robin Hood wrote the plays have gained little credence.
The debate over the authorship of the plays, written four centuries ago, has rekindled by a determination that Shakespeare was actually illiterate.
Viscount Moresby of Brinch, reader in lexicography at the University of Mudbury, has analyzed Shakespeare's writings, and found them 'illiterate to the point of incomprehensibility'.
'He (Shakespeare) could barely spell,' said Moresby. 'If you consider random groupings of letters and numbers to be spelling at all.'
Who, then, wrote Shakespeare's plays?
'Having carefully examined all the historical evidence, including the plays themselves, I can conclusively answer that question', Moresby said.
'The plays were written by another fellow who stole William Shakespeare's identity. This is actually the first instance of identity theft in recorded history.'
