00:00 The podcast episode explores the question of whether or not William Shakespeare was the sole author of all of his works.

05:33 The question of whether or not William Shakespeare was the sole author of his works is being explored, with some people arguing that there is a lack of biographical documentation and others pointing to his education and background as evidence that he could have written the plays.

10:50 There is limited biographical documentation on Shakespeare, but there is evidence of his marriage, children, and some records of his activities in London, including a pamphlet referencing him.

16:35 The lack of documentation and personal possessions related to Shakespeare's writing, as well as the short period of time between his death and the end of his family line, provide evidence for why there is limited proof of his writing.

22:44 The different spellings of Shakespeare's name throughout history are likely due to the era and lack of easily accessible records, and do not hold much weight in the Shakespeare authorship argument.

27:56 The argument against Shakespeare's authorship is that the plays are so good that it's hard to believe they were written by someone with Shakespeare's background, but in reality, the plays are relatable and still hold up today.

33:05 Some people believe that the bust of Shakespeare was commissioned by him and altered to cover up a conspiracy, while others argue that it was actually his father depicted in the bust or that it represents a pillow rather than a sack of grain. Additionally, there is debate over whether Ben Johnson's praise of Shakespeare in the forward of the first folio proves his authorship or if he was just providing cover for a larger conspiracy. Delia Bacon, an American writer, was one of the first public doubters of Shakespeare's authorship and proposed that Francis Bacon and Walter Raleigh were the true authors.

38:34 The plays attributed to Shakespeare were actually biting criticisms of various social issues that these gentlemen, such as Francis Bacon, could not openly put their name on due to the risk of execution or damage to their social reputation, and there are theories that suggest they may have used pseudonyms or hidden their true identities to publish their works.

44:07 Delia Bacon's examination of Shakespeare's plays led to the idea of literary criticism, and there are theories that suggest the 17th Earl of Oxford, Edward DeVere, may have been the true author of Shakespeare's works.

49:54 There are theories that suggest Christopher Marlowe faked his death and used Shakespeare as a front to continue writing, while others propose that women, who were not allowed to write plays at the time, may have been the true authors of Shakespeare's works.

55:05 Theories about Shakespeare's authorship include the possibility that women wrote his plays, a mock trial held by Supreme Court justices in 1987, evidence of his authorship in contemporaneous writings, and his efforts to restore his family's reputation by obtaining a coat of arms.

01:00:28 There are various hints and clues that suggest Shakespeare's authorship, such as regional slang and Latin phrases from a book used at his school, but ultimately the point is to just love the plays.