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An '''Oxfordian''' is someone who believes in the Oxfordian Theory of Shakespeare Authorship - ie.: that the plays traditionally attributed to [[Shakespeare]] of Stratford - the greatest plays in the English language -- were actually written by Edward de Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford, who lived between 1550 and 1604.  Mainstream Shakespeare scholars discount the Oxfordian theory, noting that, according to their own chronology, several of Shakespeare's works postdate the death of this Earl.<ref>Schoenbaum, S. (1991). Shakespeare's Lives (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press. pp 433-4. ISBN 978-0-19-818618-2.</ref> Oxfordians, however, maintain that none of Shakespeare's works have been proven to have been written after 1604.<ref>Anderson, Mark. "Shakespeare" by Another Name: The Life of Edward de Vere, Earl of Oxford, The Man Who Was Shakespeare. Gotham, 2005 (expanded paperback edition 2006). pp. 400-405</ref> The debate continues into the 21st century.

An '''Oxfordian''' is someone who supports the Oxfordian Theory of Shakespeare Authorship - ie.: that the plays and poems traditionally attributed to [[Shakespeare]] of Stratford - including some of the greatest plays in the English language -- were actually written by Edward de Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford, an elizabethan nobleman who lived between 1550 and 1604.   

 

Mainstream Shakespeare scholars discount the Oxfordian theory, noting that, according to their own chronology, several of Shakespeare's works postdate the death of the Earl in 1604.<ref>Schoenbaum, S. (1991). Shakespeare's Lives (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press. pp 433-4. ISBN 978-0-19-818618-2.</ref> Oxfordians, however, maintain that none of Shakespeare's works have been proven to have been written after 1604, and note that the standard chronology was developed to match the years of the Stratford man.<ref>Anderson, Mark. "Shakespeare" by Another Name: The Life of Edward de Vere, Earl of Oxford, The Man Who Was Shakespeare. Gotham, 2005 (expanded paperback edition 2006). pp. 400-405</ref> The debate continues into the 21st century.

Like most issues having to do with the debate over Shakespeare's authorship, documenting the history of the Shakespeare authorship question is often contentious. There is no agreement, academic or otherwise, as to when the debate was first proposed or alluded to. Stratfordians (those who follow the standard attribution) assert that during the life of William Shakespeare and for more than 200 years after his death, no one suggested that anyone other than Shakespeare wrote the works.<ref>Bate, Jonathan (1998). The Genius of Shakespeare. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-512823-9. p. 73; </ref>   

Like most issues having to do with the debate over Shakespeare's authorship, documenting the history of the Shakespeare authorship question is often contentious. There is no agreement, academic or otherwise, as to when the debate was first proposed or alluded to. Stratfordians (those who follow the standard attribution) assert that during the life of William Shakespeare and for more than 200 years after his death, no one suggested that anyone other than Shakespeare wrote the works.<ref>Bate, Jonathan (1998). The Genius of Shakespeare. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-512823-9. p. 73; </ref>   

However, Authorship doubters, also known as anti-Stratfordians, believe that several 16th and 17th century Elizabethan works hint that the Shakespearean canon was written by someone else,<ref>Price, Diana. ''Shakespeare's Unorthodox Biography'' (2001), 224-26.</ref> and note that the first possible allusions to doubts about Shakespearean authorship arose in certain 18th century satirical and allegorical works.<ref>Friedman, William F. and Elizebeth S. ''The Shakespearean Ciphers Examined'' (1957), pp. 1-4, quoted in ''Shakespeare and His Rivals'', George McMichael, Edward M. Glenn, eds. (1962) pg. 56</ref>  

However, most Oxfordians believe that several 16th and 17th century Elizabethan works hint that the Shakespearean canon was written by someone else,<ref>Price, Diana. ''Shakespeare's Unorthodox Biography'' (2001), 224-26.</ref> and note that the first generally accepted allusions to Shakespearean authorship arose in several 18th century satirical and allegorical works.<ref>Friedman, William F. and Elizebeth S. ''The Shakespearean Ciphers Examined'' (1957), pp. 1-4, quoted in ''Shakespeare and His Rivals'', George McMichael, Edward M. Glenn, eds. (1962) pg. 56</ref>  

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