William Shakespeare

This article serves to supplement the information found on Wikipedia and Memory Alpha about Shakespeare (wiki)||Shakespeare (MA) from an in game perspective.

Since the era where Human and Klingon scholars started sharing written works between the two cultures, an overlap between the two have been noted. There is a playwright known on Earth as Shakespeare, his collected works appear to have been present in both cultures. Ever since that time, there has been long and involved debates about where this man actually came from and further debate about the source of his writings.

The popular theories are as follows:

1. The similarity of the works between the two cultures is simply a coincidence. The tales told feature themes common between the two cultures, and as it is said... give a thousand monkeys a thousand typewriters and they can recreate the works of Shakespeare. This is the theory that is most commonly accepted among those who don't look very deeply.
2. That Shakespeare was indeed human, but as scholars had long debated that he might have had some outside influence (even long before the Klingon aspect of the story was suggested), those who believe Klingon culture to be the source of the works believe that Shakespeare may have somehow been given the stories and translated them into his own language, or simply transcribed them from someone who translated them for him.
3. That Shakespeare was a Klingon who found himself stranded on Earth, and decided to tell these stories in the local tongue.

Though scholars are largely divided on what explanation is correct, or if there's another explanation still hidden, one thing that all can agree upon is there is a large overlap between the two cultures in the form of these plays and sonnets. Multiple groups have formed where their academic efforts are focused singularly upon the comparison of the two bodies of work, the discussion of the cultural implications of the similarities and difference, and the study of the language used in an effort to unravel the true origin of the works.

As an extension of this, acting troupes have formed that specialize in performing the works in both languages, often with people who are fluent in both languages being the star talent. It is a popular practice to stage both versions of a given play either back to back, or one night after another, to allow audiences to compare and contrast them. Staging and costuming will vary from troupe to troupe in preference, ranging from the cast wearing modern clothing and presenting the works on a bare stage to allow the dialog to paint the scenes and be the focus, to lush and detailed costumes and settings as accurately matched to the plays as possible, and everything in between.