Robert Greene

 was an English dramatist and a contemporary of William Shakespeare. He fell victim to a plague and began dying in the shadow of the great playright. Two Shadeys from a separate dimension appeared before him, an uncle and nephew, deciding to manipulate him out of cruel amusement. They allowed him to travel to 2005 and used his feelings of anger toward Shakespeare and his fear of being forgotten after death against him, causing Greene to revolt and decide to murder the playright, and then beseige the Earth in revenge for his ultimate fate.

However, the Ninth Doctor and Rose Tyler convinced him to cast out the Shadeys by pledging to remember him after he died. Robert decided to comply and then returned to the house of a poor shoemaker, where he finally passed, but not in feelings of ill will toward Shakespeare. Instead, his last thoughts were of being remembered by the Doctor and Rose as "bigger than Shakespeare." (COMIC: A Groatsworth of Wit)