John Thomas Looney

John Thomas Looney was a British scholar best known for proposing a theory about William Shakespeare’s true identity. In the early 20th century, Looney argued that the works attributed to Shakespeare were actually written by Edward de Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford, a nobleman and poet. He believed that de Vere's background better explained the depth and knowledge in the plays. Looney’s theory challenged the traditional view that William Shakespeare of Stratford-upon-Avon was the author, sparking ongoing debate about authorship in literature.