Questioning the Existance of William Shakespeare
It is part of every person's education to be taught that William Shakespeare is one of the greatest writers of all time. Shakespeare was a man who began life from in modest family, with virtually no education early on, in the16th century town of Stratford-upon-Avon, England, and who later wrote plays and poetry that were to win praise throughout the world. It is an inherited belief that has been passed own from generation to generation.
With the increase in learning of the present day, and a growth of research opportunities, more and more people have become dissatisfied with this inherited teaching. Substantial inconsistencies and illogicalities have been detected within its content. This is the cause for extensive examinations that have contradicted what people had before now believed in without question. As a result, a number of different ideas to be considered about Shakespeare and who he really was.
The authorship debate is about the conflict it has caused. On the one hand, there are those who refuse to abandon the inherited teaching. Instead they devote themselves to explaining, if they can, and excusing, if they cannot, the inconsistencies of Shakespeare's story. On the other hand, there are those who have abandoned the inherited teachings. They see the ideas of the literary scholars to be unproved; and as more and more information comes to light, their ideas become almost naïve.
~ Questioning W. Shakespeare's Existence Using the Stratford Monument's Clues ~
Although students of literature are taught to believe that the great poet and playwright, William Shakespeare, was the same man that bought and sold property and dealt in farm produce within his native Stratford...
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...ges actually being a coincidence are about one in 200 billion (1:200,000,000,000).
One final reason the Monument is proof Shakespeare was in fact not the author of the Shakespearean plays is of the error written in the epitaph for all to see. The final words of his epitaph read: OBIIT ANO DO 1616 ÆTATIS 53 DIE 23 AP. (The year of death given 1616, of age 53 the day 23 April). The age is incorrect. Shakespeare died on, or shortly after, his birthday, aged 52; not 53 as the monument states. This is yet further supporting evidence that whoever authorized and paid for the monument did not intend it as a serious and lasting tribute to the man it is suppose to be honouring.
After all, the year of Shakespeare's birth was easily obtainable in the Church Register nearby. However, by inserting the incorrect age, it does signal curiosity to those alert to the correct date.
In this collection of essays, David Scott Kastan addresses Shakespeare studies in what he deems a “post-theoretical moment.” According to Chapter 1, theory is institutionally singular but intellectually plural, theory is always theories. While agreeing with the notion that the age of theory is over, Kastan does not devalue theory. Rather, he suggests that instead of producing new theories we must address the controversies in already existing ones. Since theory showed us that meaning was not inherent but rather dependent upon the situation, action, and context of the piece. These reliances are otherwise known as history. Kastan emphasizes the importance of theory and history and their relation to one another. He asserts that, “what [he is] arguing
William Shakespeare has become landmark in English literature. One must be familiar with the early days of English literature in order to comprehend the foundation of much of more modern literature’s basis. Shakespeare’s modern influence is still seen clearly in many ways. The success of Shakespeare’s works helped to set the example for the development of modern dramas and plays. He is also acknowledged for being one of the first writers to use any modern prose in his writings.
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 is Important William Shakespeare’s plays are being made into box office film hits at an incredible rate. Films such as Much Ado About Nothing with Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson, Hamlet with Mel Gibson and Glenn Close, Othello with Laurence Fishbourne and Henry V with Kenneth Branagh have been seen by a surprising number of teenagers. Often they have not understood it all, or even half of it, but they have been affected by the powerful characters and by the Shakespearean magic which has affected audiences around the world for centuries. They want to know more, they want to understand, and what better motivation can any teacher ask for than that students WANT? That alone is sufficient reason for any English teacher to start a course in Shakespeare.
Thatcher, David. Begging to Differ: Modes of Discrepancy in Shakespeare. New York: Peter Lang, 1999.
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.
Although William Shakespeare is considered to be one of the most revered and well-renowned authors of all time, controversy surrounds the belief that he actually produced his own literary works. Some rumors even go so far as to question the reality of such a one, William Shakespeare, brought on by paralleling the quality of his pieces with his personal background and education. With such farfetched allegations, it persuaded others to peek into the person we all are taught to learn as “Shakespeare”, but who is actually the person behind these genius works of literary promise and enlightenment? To some, Shakespeare is as much accredited to his works as frequently as you see his name placed. To others, Shakespeare is a complex enigma into which we the people are supposed to unravel; the true author behind a falsely-given pseudonym. The debate pertaining to the true authorship of William Shakespeare’s works are still questioned in today’s society.
Greenhill, Wendy, and Wignall, Paul. Shakespeare: A Life. Chicago IL: Reed Educational & Professional Publishing, 2000. Print.
“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).
The study will encompass the compare and contrast of two great writers’ literary works. It will take comprehensive discussion on “Ben Jonson’s The Alchemist” and “William Shakespeare’s The Tempest”. Jonson and Shakespeare were contemporaries with more immediately recognizable common ground between them than difference. They shared the same profession and brought forth their works from the matrix of common intellectual property. They appealed to the same audience and both gained popularity and esteem as accomplished playwrights. At the more social level, they were both 'struggling' artists conscious of the need for patronage and support from their wealthier and more powerful peers. Both Jonson and Shakespeare experienced the trials and thrills of social mobility, as they traversed the rocky ground from humble beginnings to intellectual, professional, and financial independence. All this is quite obvious. Less easy to define and pin down is the palpable difference that seems to have delineated two distinct theoretical and practical paradigms. This was noted by Jonson himself, in his somewhat patronizing critique of Shakespeare's methodology. One gets a clear impression from this passage that Jonson deemed Shakespeare a nice enough guy with a good enough talent, but that there was certainly room for improvement.
William Shakespeare's Relevance Today For as long as formal education has existed in Britain it has been a largely standard assumption that teaching the works of William Shakespeare is relevant and necessary. Perhaps the relevance of his writing is taken for granted, perhaps it is necessary to re-examine the role of Shakespeare for the modern audience. There are indeed many people who question the relevance of this 440 year old playwright to a 21st century audience, taking it even as far as perhaps the greatest heresy of all, questioning the necessity of GCSE pupils learning Shakespeare at all.
James, D.G. (Excerpt from a series of lectures delivered in 1965 at University College, London.) The Shakespeare Criticism Volume 8. Gale Research Inc., Detroit. 1989: 429-434.
Shakespeare Studies 11 (1978): 53-76. MLA International Bibliography. Web. The Web. The Web.
After overcoming the troubles of becoming an actor and a playwright, William Shakespeare has become well renowned. His works reach to people all around the world despite the language barriers and different races and cultures. For centuries, the popularity of his work...
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.