Shakespeare's works are among the most respected in English literature. They set the standard for all great writers who followed. Although these works have been attributed to William Shakespeare of Stratford, they could have been written by anyone. The definitive authorship of a work is always uncertain, but these works are particularly contested. Some believe that someone other than Shakespeare of Stratford wrote these works, while others believe that his identity, as a whole, is a conspiracy. Certainly, the author of a work is important, but some wonder if knowing their identity is really worth the effort. Shakespeare's works will always reign at the pinnacle of English literature, regardless of who wrote them. Therefore, the question of authorship may not even be relevant. Before delving further into the question of authorship, it may be helpful to define what an author is. According to Focault, the real identity of an author does not matter. He believes that the author is a concept and not an individual. Indeed, when works are attributed to an author, some may be left out if the writing style, wording, subject matter or historical period are radically different from others. This makes the author specific to a certain style, and outside of that style the author must be someone else. He uses the example that if it was discovered that someone other than the man from Stratford wrote the works of Shakespeare, it would not change the function. Regardless, the works will always be called works of Shakespeare. So, fundamentally, Shakespeare is no longer the identity of an individual; it’s an ideal for a certain form of writing. This loss of identity is seen in the raging debate over author...... middle of paper ...... objectivity in Barthes, Focault and Derrida. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 1992. Print. Focault, Michael. Language, Counter-Memory, Practice. Selected essays and interviews. New York: Cornell University Press, 1980. Print. Heller, S. In a centuries-old debate, Shakespeare skeptics point to new evidence. The Chronicle of Higher Education v. 45 no. 39 (June 4, 1999) p. A22-3Howard, JA Shakespeare Scholar tackles a “taboo” subject. The Chronicle of Higher Education v. 56 no. 29 (April 2, 2010) p. B11-12Lye, John. The “death of the author” as an example of theory. Brocku.ca. Department of English Language and Literature, April 30, 2008. Web. February 14. 2011. McDonald, Russ. Shakespeare's Bedford Companion. Bedford: St. Martins, 2001. Print. Shapiro, James. Contested will: who wrote Shakespeare? New York: Simon and Schuster, 2010. Print.