Borsook: I am honoured to have seemed to present a wild theory on Will. Hand me my tweed jacket - the patches are de riguer. Will I have to smoke a pipe?
Shakespeare did use the formula for play structures of his time, in common with other writers. I don't know enough about Marlowe, Johnson et al to make comparisons between them and WS, but I have thought the reason WS is still read in schools now is not only the beauty of his language, but his characters are very human - they make mistakes, they are vain, they do not see what is before them, they are hard-hearted, etc - but we still like them, because they also have admirable qualities.
Is this complexity of character a feature of other writers of the time, or are their characters clearly divided into Good and Bad? WS certainly didn't invent a new form of theatre - but he made it compelling and immediate. It may not be revolutionary - but it's great.
Just for you, BR I am refraining from making any OT references to llamas and coffee, and NightmareMyDarling's inability to say oops.