For centuries, the question of whether William Shakespeare of Stratford-upon-Avon truly wrote the plays and poems attributed to him, continues to be a subject of intense debate. Known as the "Shakespeare authorship controversy," this longstanding debate pits traditional Shakespeare scholars against a group of doubters, known as "anti-Stratfordians," who argue that the Bard of Avon could not have been the true author of these literary masterpieces. The Anti-Stratfordian Argument The anti-Stratfordian supporters make several key arguments against Shakespeare's authorship. First, they claim the biographical details of Shakespeare's life considering his relatively humble origins, lack of formal education, and limited travel outside of England do …show more content…
They believe all of these individuals, with their elite backgrounds and connections to the royal court, are more likely to have produced the plays and poems. The Scholarly Consensus However, Shakespeare scholars have responded to these claims hold that biographical interpretations of literature are unreliable, and that the convergence of documentary evidence used to support Shakespeare's authorship is the same used for all other authorial attributions of his era. This evidence is included in title pages, testimony by other contemporary poets, historians, and official records that relate directly to the works of Shakespeare. Moreover, as Patrick Cheney, a professor of English, argues, Shakespeare had a superior education, was a great reader, and as a member of a royal acting company had ample opportunity to experience the courts of sovereign firsthand. Cheney dismisses the argument claiming a provincial commoner could not have been familiar with royalty or international settings, stating that "neither royalty nor international travel has ever been a prerequisite for good
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.
William Shakespeare, an illustrious and eminent playwright from the Elizabethan Age (16th Century) and part owner of the Globe theatre wrote A Midsummer Night’s Dream in which he portrays the theme of love in many different ways. These include the paternal love seen in the troubled times for Egeus and his rebellious daughter Hermia, true Love displayed with the valiant acts of Lysander and Hermia and the destructive love present in the agonizing acts of Titania towards her desperate lover Oberon. Through the highs and lows of love, the first love we clasp is the paternal love from our family.
Over the past few decades, there's been controversy over whether or not Shakespeare is the real author of his plays. Shakespeare is famously known for his work including, Romeo and Juliet and Julius Caesar. Throughout his work it is clear to see his originality and his extensive education. Some people may use this against him and say that it is impossible for someone of his status to write so greatly about politics and be able to use such character. Through stylometry, proof of his education, the actors, and the death of one of the alleged authors, it is proven that Shakespeare is, in fact, the real and rightful owner of his work.
Abstract: The debate over the legitimacy of the authorship of Shakespearean works has been disputed for centuries. While many scholars have held beliefs that Shakespeare's works have been written by figures such as Christopher Marlowe, Francis Bacon, William Stanley, and others, the most heated debate today is between William Shakespeare and Edward DeVere, the Earl of Oxford. Each side of this debate has many followers, the Stratfordians, or those who claim Shakespeare to be the true author, and the Oxfordians who believe that true credit should go to DeVere. My paper, far from being a complete analysis of the possibilities of Shakespearean authorship, attempts to summarize and rationalize the arguments of these two groups. It would be impossible to include all arguments and evidence in a paper such as this. Full books have been written on aspects of the debate I will not even mention, or may just barely touch on. Hopefully after reading this paper, however, you will have a little better understanding of the debate of authorship. As I am not in any respect a scholar on the subject I shall not attempt to make a conclusion as to which of these men is the author, but rather to inform and explain the many arguments on both sides of this debate in the hopes that the reader can learn a little more about the ongoing debate and form an opinion of his or her own.
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.
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.
“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
Bethell, Tom. "Looking for Shakespeare: Two Partisans Explain and Debate the Authorship Question." The Atlantic Monthly 268.4 (Oct. 1991): 43-61. Rpt. in Shakespearean Criticism. Ed. Michelle Lee and Dana Ramel Barnes. Vol. 41. Detroit: Gale Research, 1998. Literature Resource Center. Web. 16 Jan. 2014.
The city of Stratford-on-Avon was founded in 1832. The settlement was named after the birthplace of English playwright, William Shakespeare (Stratford-upon-Avon, England), by Thomas Mercer Jones. The population of the city consisted of English, German, Irish and Scottish settlers (cite). Located in Perth County, Southwestern Ontario on the banks of the Avon River (formerly known as Little Thames River a tributary of the Thames River), Stratford is north of London and east of Toronto. Before the 1950s, Stratford, Ontario was an industrial city. The city was a hub for furniture making and the railway industry. The Grand Trunk known widely as Canadian National Railway (CNR) set up steam shops and a large steam engine repair building. Before
William Shakespeare was a very talented man known for his various works of literature. His works include poems, plays, and sonnets. His works are then broken down into tragedies, comedies, and histories. Shakespeare left this world centuries ago, but his writings continue to live throughout the world today. He has greatly impacted the world of literature and his existence will forever be remembered.
From what can be learned about Shakespeare, it is evident that he did not have direct exposure to the places and contexts he so passionately wrote about. His plays do not appropriately reflect the experiences, or lack of thereof, that he allegedly encountered in life. Whether due to the basic errors in logic and fact or simply because of the coincidences and similarities in his work to others of his time, Shakespeare has been a subject of many arguments that debate the authenticity of his work (Decker). Any work of Shakespeare’s clearly displays a distinguished level of brilliance to it. From his immaculate vocabulary of 20,000 words to his impressive references to philosophy, politics, travel, and more, Shakespeare has proven to be a man of great intelligence and wisdom (Decker).
England's most talented and well know poet and dramatist was born on April 23, 1564, at Stratford-upon-Avon, located in the cetre of England. His father, John, was a glove-maker and wool dealer involved with money lending. His mother Mary Arden was the daughter of a Farmer. William was the third out of eight children whom all died young. His father became Mayor in 1568, after serving on the town council for many years.
Throughout the United States and the entire world people are aware of Shakespeare; however, many people wonder why society wants their citizens to continue to read William Shakespeare’s plays and poems. Shakespeare continues to influence today’s environment and brings people together by speaking of a common author that most people know. All across the world, students must read at least one of Shakespeare’s works; which often develop those children who read his works into better writers. During the Elizabethan Era, William Shakespeare experienced an uneventful childhood and had a basic education; however, his life still seems to be shrouded with mystery and raises the argument that he was not only the most successful, but also the most mysterious playwright, actor, and poet from that time period.
Oltea Shahini Mr.Cohan Honors English 10 19 March 2014 Break Down of Literature During the Elizabethan Era Many periods of time throughout history have developed their own forms of literature. From 1558 to 1603, Queen Elizabeth I reigned during the golden age of English history. The Elizabethan Era had a large growth in literature because Queen Elizabeth supported and encouraged the fine arts more than any monarch in England’s history did. The literature of the time was characterized by a new energy, originality, and confidence based on Renaissance humanism.
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.