Who discovered Shakespeare's plays?

Question: Who discovered Shakespeare's plays!?

You know, Romeo and Juliet and all that!.

Who was the person who found the plays after Shakespeare died and thought, "I'll make lots of English kids study these!."Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

LOL! Not a fan then I take it!

They weren't "discovered", they've been in constant use both during and after his death!. The books are plays which were meant to be performed and have been ever since they were written!.

If you look beyond the slightly difficult language and listen to what is actually being said and meant, these books are as relevant today as they were then!. Books aren't dry "lesson fodder" they're alive and open to interpretation!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

They were never lost but considered as good entertainment by a great but flawed writer!.
It was Coleridge who began the doctrine that he never made mistakes!. Matthew Arnold spread the idea that kids should study his plays at school!. Maybe they are your villains!.
PS the response below this is a true masterpiece of irrelevancy!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

No one needed to discover them!. Shakespeare's plays were performed regularly and printed, in various editions, during his lifetime!. The plays continued to be performed and published after his death!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

As people have said, they were never lost!. He was the most successful playwright of his time!. Shakespeare never wrote them with the intention of making generations of kids suffer by having to study them!Www@QuestionHome@Com

Shakespeare's plays were successful during his lifetime, and have been performed and published continually to the present day!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Shakespeare,but the lousy yank insist on whats called the 'Baconian Theory' to spoil our greatest play write and which they dont have one besides Arthur Miller!lolWww@QuestionHome@Com

they were never lost!. shakeapeare was successful in his own life time and his works continued to be played and studied from then on!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I think it was a guy called!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.SHAKESPEAREWww@QuestionHome@Com

They were never lostWww@QuestionHome@Com

Shakespeare's sonnets were published during his own life-time by publisher/printer Mister Thomas Thorpe, of London!.

William Shakespeare Sonnets with text of each sonnet
On May 20, 1609, Thomas Thorpe was granted a license to publish "a Booke called !.!.!. so despite Shakespeare's reticence in publishing any of his works, !.!.!.
http://www!.william-shakespeare!.info/will!.!.!.

Thomas Thorpe (English printer) -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia contribution to publishing, publication of Shakespeares works!.
http://www!.britannica!.com/eb/topic-59342!.!.!.

Thomas Thorpe - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Thomas Thorpe (c!. 1569 or 1570 – 1635!?) was an English publisher, most famous for publishing Shakespeare's sonnets and several works by Christopher Marlowe !.!.!.
http://en!.wikipedia!.org/wiki/Thomas_Thor!.!.!.

Thomas Thorpe Biography
Thorpe!. Thomas Thorpe!. Who was he!? And how was he connected with Shakespeare!? !.!.!. The following year saw Thorpe publishing two more major dramatic texts: !.!.!.
http://www!.marlovian!.com/essays/thorpe_c!.!.!.

The Library of Congress have a lot of original Shakespeare publications!. Unfortunately the printers back in the 16thC did not think Shakespeares original manuscripts were worth anything and simply threw them away after printing them up!. Maybe, just maybe, there's one out there so far unpublished - an original manuscript - keep looking!.

Richard III
http://www!.youtube!.com/watch!?v=thz2EUizC!.!.!.

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

Library to Participate in Shakespeare Festival with Display - The !.!.!. 18 in the "American Treasures of the Library of Congress" exhibition, !.!.!. Reflecting America’s long interest in William Shakespeare, the Library’s !.!.!.
http://www!.loc!.gov/today/pr/2007/07-006!.!.!.!.

BRITISH LIBRARY LONDON and others

Hamlet bibliographic descriptions - Shakespeare in quarto
By William Shakespeare!. Newly imprinted and enlarged to almost as much againe as it was, !.!.!. There is no copy of this quarto in the British Library!. !.!.!.
http://www!.bl!.uk/treasures/shakespeare/p!.!.!. - Cached

Peicles: bibliographic descriptions - Shakespeare in quarto
British Library · Treasures in full: Shakespeare in quarto !.!.!. By William Shakespeare!. Imprinted at London: [by William White and Thomas Creede] for Henry !.!.!.
http://www!.bl!.uk/treasures/shakespeare/p!.!.!. - Cached

Book Facsimiles: Internet Shakespeare Editions
Written by William Shakespeare!. Publication Information: London: Thomas Walkley, 1622 Book Copy: Unknown [view this copy] Owned By: British Library, London !.!.!.
http://internetshakespeare!.uvic!.ca/Libra!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com