“No legacy is as rich as honesty.” William Shakespeare wrote this famous saying; however, did he apply these wise words to his life? William Shakespeare, an English playwright and poet, is considered the greatest dramatist of all time (Biography). However, a great deal of controversy circulates as to whether Shakespeare actually authored all of the work that under his name. Many believe he acted as a pseudonym for other authors and did not write his own literature, plays, or poetry, nevertheless not enough reliable evidence exists to support this theory. Some do not believe William Shakespeare originally composed his work because some of his creations contain possible plagiarism, his compositions remain extremely advanced for his education …show more content…
Firstly, no known record of William attending school as a boy exists. Even if he did attend grammar school, Shakespeare did not have a university education, yet his literature shows a deep knowledge of the great classics that he would have to know in order to write about them (The Week). Secondly, most of the great writers have libraries filled with thousands of books, so they can constantly learn new things, but no known traces of books from Shakespeare’s libraries exist (The Week). Maybe Shakespeare did not own any books, but how then would he learn all the information he needed to know in order to write his books? Though not enough evidence subsists to fully support this theory, it still raises many eyebrows as to how Shakespeare knew so …show more content…
Numerous times, throughout some of Shakespeare’s sonnets it is hinted he would often battle with a drinking and drug problem (The Week). Shakespeare drank a lot of ale, beer, and wine and it remains very possible this could distract him from the more important things he needed to accomplish. Shakespeare’s father tasted ale for a living, so this might have made Shakespeare subject to drinking at a young age, which would later influence his life (Mabillard). Not much evidence exists to back up this claim, however in 2001 scientists conducted a study and discovered cannabis and cocaine residue on Shakespeare’s pipes in his garden (The Week). If Shakespeare really smoked these drugs and drank constantly, how would he have time to write all of his famous compositions? Though there is not much proof to back up this theory, it makes many suspicious as to whether or not Shakespeare really authored his
In another attempt to find evidence to confirm or deny that Shakespeare authored his plays, who else could have written the plays must be considered. To illustrate, Steven Dutch writes, “Bacon Fra...
Wheeler, Kip L. “Did Shakespeare Really Write Shakespeare?” Http://web.cn.edu/kwheeler/shake_did_Write_plays.html. N.p. 14 Mar. 2014. Web. 29 Apr. 2014. .
There seems to be a great discussion on whether or not Shakespeare is the true author of the plays associated with his name. The internet seems to be full of essays, discussion boards and book reviews all dealing with this particular topic and most of the people submitting them are very forceful and definitive about their positions. In just a few hours of searching I found well over a thousand pages dealing with the original source of the works of art assigned to Shakespeare's name. The most disappointing part was that none of the essays I read even suggested the possibility of Shakespeare just "borrowing" information and topics from other playwrights and authors. They were all mainly interested in the man who actually put the words on paper. Not only did this decrease their usefulness for this particular paper but also they made it seem like the person who wrote the plays down on paper had some particular lawful ownership over them. This was not true though.
In 1564, a man was born by the name of William Shakespeare. He was born to a poor family, was given little education, and had no interaction with sophisticated society. Thirty-eight plays and over 150 sonnets are not attributed to this ignorant man. Those who believe that Shakespeare was the author have no definitive proof but instead point to Hamlet’s declaration: "The play’s the thing(Satchell 71)." The true author, however, lies hidden behind he name of Shakespeare. Edward de Vere the premier Earl of Oxford is not only considered a great poet in history, but he may also be the great playwright who concocted the sonnets and plays which are now attributed to William Shakespeare of Stratford, England.
Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets are big contributors to today's literature, but we still don't know the truth about who actually wrote them. There is many conspiracy theories that suggest William Shakespeare didn't actually write his plays, some believe William Stanley, Christopher Marlowe, or Edward de Vere may have have just used William Shakespeare as a pen name. Each theory has good points but they also all have parts that are not possible and don't make sense. What theory is true may never be answered due to the fact that the events happened so many years ago and there isn't much documentation from shakespeare's time.
One of the largest mysteries of current time is the debate over who the author of the plays commonly attributed to William Shakespeare really is. Commonly termed as the “authorship problem,” many skeptics believe that the William Shaksper of Stratford (the spelling of his name originally) could not have been the true composer of the plays he is traditionally attributed with. Although the thought of someone besides Shakespeare composing the plays is not popular with the American and European world, there are excessive theories concerning the truth behind the possibility of the works being authentically his.
This set of attitudes prevents scholars, students, and average citizens alike from understanding Shakespeare's play as dramatic
William Shakespeare is widely regarded as on the of the best playwrights and poets to have ever existed. “It is a widely speculated topic that William Shakespeare did not write the poems and that up to about 50 other poets could have writen them.”("Shakespeare facts: Read," 2011) “William Shakespeare is the second most quoted writer in the english language.” ("Shakespeare facts: Read," 2011) It is widely speculated that the true Shakespeare is actually Edward De Vere. I firmlybelieve Shakespeare was not the true playwright because of his lack of education, lack of upper class etiquette, and the different penmanship over time.
“Oxford Authorship Argument.” Absolute Shakespeare. 2000-2005. The Oxford arguments: Why Shakespeare could not have authored his works. http://absoluteshakespeare.com/trivia/authorship/authorship_oxford_arguments.htm
So to conclude, we can safely agree with most academics that William Shakespeare did exist and that he did indeed write the 37 plays and 154 sonnets credited to him.
The works of Shakespeare are some of the most respected in English literature. They have set the standard for all the great writers who followed. Although these works have been attributed to William Shakespeare of Stratford, they could have been written by anyone. The definite authorship of a work is always uncertain, but these works are particularly contested. There are those who believe someone besides Shakespeare of Stratford wrote the works, while others believe his identity, as a whole, is a conspiracy. Clearly the author of a work is important, but some wonder if knowing the author’s identity is really worth all the fuss. The works of Shakespeare will still reign at the top of English literature no matter who wrote them. Therefore, the question of authorship may not even be relevant.
Ever since the author's background has been questioned, scholars and other people have debated over who wrote the famous plays and sonnets that have the name William Shakespeare signed on them. Many alternative candidates have been presented, such as Edward de Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford. However, these people do not have strong or valid arguments to support their theories. Based on biographical evidence, Shakespeare, not Edward de Vere, most likely wrote Shakespearean works. The arguments for other candidates like de Vere are not strong enough to show that Shakespeare did not write Shakespearean works.
“William Shakespeare (26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was and English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world’s preeminent dramatist” (vodppl.upm.edu 2). He was born in Stratford-Upon-Avon, UK, he also passed away in his hometown. “When Shakespeare died in 1616 the event was barely noticed” (Epstein 7). “Shakespeare’s family was initially prosperous but began having financial difficulties in the 1570’s” (Allen 325). “Shakespeare gained his education by attending the local grammar school, King’s New School, where the curriculum stressed a classic education of Greek mythology and roman comedy”(shakespeareinamericancomunites.org 1). He never carried his educational career to a higher level as in a university. “William Shakespeare was not recognized as an actor, poet, and playwright until 1592” (Allen 346).
Many of the stories we read, movies and Television we watch pull some inspiration from the well known playwright, William Shakespeare. But, what if Shakespeare didn’t write his plays or, what if Shakespeare wasn’t even real? Most people if not everyone know who William Shakespeare is. We all know his works.
William Shakespeare’s life has brought much curiosity to many. This is natural as he is considered to be the greatest figure of English Literature. William Shakespeare, in terms of his life and work, is the most written-about author in the history of Western civilization. His works include 38 plays, 154 sonnets, and 2 epic narrative poems, the First of which was published after his death in 1623 by two of Shakespeare's acting companions, John Heminges and Henry Condell. Since then, the works of Shakespeare have been studied, analyzed, and enjoyed as some of the finest work of art in the English language.