I’m not a Shakespeare scholar. I probably know more than
most people but I certainly can’t claim any intimate knowledge of his life and
work. I know enough to say that the alleged controversial question of
authorship of his works is complete and utter bunk, in spite of what
Shakespearean actor Derek Jacobi believes. The issue strikes me as little more
than the common disbelief among those who have spent lots of time and money on
formal education that someone with a lesser education could possibly possess
such genius. A major part of the argument has been that Shakespeare’s education
was insufficient to prepare him for works containing classical allusions and
such. As far as I’m concerned this is no different to any modern day conspiracy
theory that suggests for instance that we never really went to the moon and
that George W. Bush personally flew airplanes into the World Trade towers.
