William Shakespeare Engraved portrait of William Shakespeare by Martin Droeshout, from the frontispiece of the First Folio edition of Shakespeare's plays, 1623. (more) The Shakespeare Authorship Question: Much Ado About Who Wrote the Plays The truth Will out Written by Gitanjali Roy Gitanjali Roy is senior editor, Encyclopaedia Britannica. She has over two decades of editorial experience across digital and broadcast media. Gitanjali Roy Fact-checked by Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Britannica Editors Last updated Apr. 23, 2026 •History “I am not what I am,” wrote William Shakespeare (1564–1616) in not one but two plays. These words are spoken by the scheming Iago in Othello (1603–04) and by the disguised Viola in Twelfth Night (1600–02). For some, the implications of duplicity and obscured identity in the line could well apply to its author—and thereby hangs a tale. Skepticism about Shakespeare having actually written the plays attributed to him has persisted for more than a...

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