Beginning of Essay
There is some controversy about who wrote the plays attributed to William Shakespeare. Two names that come up often with skeptics are Edward de Vere and Francis Bacon. During the mid 19th century, Bacon was the most popular candidate. Now it is Edward de Vere. ....

Middle of Essay
.... for authorship is de Vere, Earl of Oxford. There are many verbal parallels between the plays and letters written by Oxford. William Plumer Fowler gave numerous examples in his book, Shakespeare Revealed in Oxford's Poetry. The plays also reflect Oxford's background and events in his life. The plays include political intrigue, and Oxford served in an Elizabethan court. And Hamlet is a reflection of events related to Oxford's life. His predecessor as candidate for authorship is Francis Bacon. In Penn Leary's book, Are There Ciphers in Shakespeare? He shows that text in plays or poems arranged to attract attention can be ciphered into man ....