In England, do people take much stock in the idea that other people wrote Shakespeare's plays?

Gnomon

No. They may have been written by someone other than the historical person called William Shakespeare, but it is generally accepted that they were all written by the one writer, so who cares what his actual name was. Jun 28 02, 9:50 AM

Jack Flash

This argument has been running for years, and the people whose names have been put forward as the true author include Christopher Marlowe, Francis Bacon, Edward De Vere (Earl of Oxford) and even Queen Elizabeth the First. It's all a bit silly really as the point is that the plays are there for all to enjoy and appreciate no matter who wrote them. Jun 28 02, 3:04 PM