A Declaration of Doubt

Recently I stumbled upon something that I found quite interesting given that I have recently been enjoying several of Shakespeare’s works (one of his finest I believe to be "Twelfth Night") To me he is a staple of what greatness a simple man can achieve, his writing represents what is internationally regarded to be some of the best plays, sonnets, and dialogues ever written. He is a legend, and has had his life and writings meticulously analyzed and recorded in countless biographies. I, myself, had the chance to attend a four-hour performance of King Lear by the Royal Shakespeare Company in Shakespeare’s hometown of Stratford Upon-Avon several years back. He is and will remain one of the most esteemed writers and playwrights of all time.

Which is why I was so surprised to learn that there is a theory with quite a large and educated following that believes that Shakespeare was not the one who wrote the majority of the material attributed to him. I knew that this theory existed and had for some time, but until now I had no idea what the details of this theory consisted of. This theory boasts believers such as Mark Twain, Orson Welles, Sigmund Freud, Walt Whitman, Charles Dickens, R.W. Emerson, and others. Well anyway, it turns out that their theory has recently been put onto paper by several educated Brits, many of whom have called upon other intellectuals and scholars to sign on to what they call a "Declaration of Reasonable Doubt." Thought you all might find it interesting. Check it out here: http://www.doubtaboutwill.org/declaration