I Revere Shakespeare, But...

[poliphilo]

I dreamed I was in a poky little office. On the other side of the table was a man sitting on a high stool- like a Dickensian clerk- with the Complete Works of Shakespeare open in front of him. Shakespeare, he was explaining, knew everything about everything and- furthermore- was totally in agreement with the teachings of the Catholic Church.

But, I protested, Shakespeare was writing 500 years ago- and knowledge advances- and how could he possibly have the answers to questions that weren't even being asked in his time?