Since the mid-nineteenth century, one of the most bitterly debated topics in the realm of Shakespearean studies is: Did William Shakespeare of Stratford-on-Avon write the works attributed to him, or were they written by someone else?

If you're new to Shakespeare, the question might seem odd, but since we're talking about people who lived four centuries ago, before photo IDs, thumbprints, and databases, the actual identity of this author is open to debate (or not, depending on whom in the authorship debate you listen to.)

While the "Stratfordians" claim that the plays were indeed written by William Shakespeare of Stratford-on-Avon, the "anti-Stratfordians" over the years have nominated nearly sixty candidates - including Christopher Marlowe, Francis Bacon, Walter Raleigh, Roger Manners (the Earl of Rutland), Ben Jonson, Queen Elizabeth, Anne Hathaway, some combination thereof, etc. - as the true author (or authors).

The most popular alternate candidate now is Edward de Vere, Earl of Oxford, championed by the "Oxfordians". Advocates of Christopher Marlowe (known as "Marlovians"), maintain that Marlowe survived his supposed death in a 1593 tavern brawl, and went on to write the Shakespearean canon under surreptitious circumstances.

On HLAS, the authorship issue was originally an almost strictly Stratford vs. Oxford debate; in the last several months, however, a vigorous Marlovian faction has since joined the fray. Advocates for other candidates are rarely heard from, but always welcome to participate.

At any given moment, there are sure to be several threads on HLAS debating some aspect of the authorship controversy. This is the one topic on this newsgroup which regularly gets a bit hot, and sometimes results in flames. You're welcome to take part in this discussion, but make sure that you're well-armed with arguments and that you don't mind receiving a little "constructive" criticism from the opposition!

This FAQ is not the place to take sides in this question. Here are some links - see and judge for yourself:

• The most authoritative defense of the Stratfordian position on the Web is The Shakespeare Authorship Page, maintained by HLAS regulars Terry Ross and David Kathman.
• The Oxfordian viewpoint is advanced by HLAS regular Mark Alexander at The Shakespeare Authorship Sourcebook. Many historical documents, as well as original source material pertaining to the controversy can be downloaded at this address.
• Another Oxfordian resource is the Shakespeare-Oxford Society.
• PBS examined the controversy in The Mystery of Shakespeare.
• Francis Bacon is identified as the real author at Sir Francis Bacon's New Advancement of Knowledge.
• Penn Leary's site gives especial emphasis to the hidden cryptographic messages which many Baconians point to as further evidence of Bacon's authorship.
• HLAS regular Peter Farey offers the Web's most definitive argument for Marlowe's "posthumous" career as Shakespeare, A Deception at Deptford.

In the section on books about Shakespeare, you will also find a short list of books on the authorship question.