Who art thou, William? 4 Shakespearean mysteries unsolved after 450 years


Definitely not the definitive portrait of William Shakespeare: On the 450th anniversary of his birth, we're still no closer to uncovering the most enigmatic of Shakespearean characters, Shakespeare himself.

Go, Shakespeare, it's your birthday! For a man who would've been 450 years old today, it’s shocking how little we know of the Bard from Stratford-upon-Avon.

Every year, Shakespeare’s literary legacy is performed and adapted, discussed and criticised, celebrated and satirised, published and republished all over the globe. Case in point: The World Shakespeare Bibliography, which has maintained a global database of various stuff written about or inspired by the playwright since 1960, boasts a list that currently tallies at 136,494 entries – far more than the 38 plays and 154 poems attributed to him.

Get 20% OFF The Star Digital Access

Monthly Plan

RM 13.90/month

RM 11.12/month

Billed as RM 11.12 for the 1st month, RM 13.90 thereafter.

Best Value

Annual Plan

RM 12.33/month

RM 9.87/month

Billed as RM 118.40 for the 1st year, RM 148 thereafter.

Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!

Next In People

68YO Kelantanese batik crafter named Malaysia's Master Crafter 2026
Renowned Malaysian architect Prof Dr Jimmy Lim passes away aged 82
Malaysian broadcast journalist wins Emmy, reflects on journey far from home
Malaysian luthiers win 2 golds, 1 silver at international violin-making competition in Italy
On screen or in business, Daiyan Trisha gives her all
Miss Malaysia Taanusiya Chetty on finishing Top 3 at Miss World, and what comes next
Sarawak's tikar bergerang custodian Ngot Bi dies at 94
Malaysian content creator shares his journey living with Tourette syndrome
South Korean adoptees longing for their birth mothers leave names on a park wall
Malaysia's Taanusiya Chetty finishes third in Miss World 2026

Others Also Read