Shakespeare: Fact or Fiction?

“Will the real Shakespeare please stand up, please stand up, please stand up…’ Shakespeare: Fact or Fiction? Long thought to be the most famous writer in history, there has been much debate as to whether Shakespeare ever wrote a single word…

Shakespeare was born on the 23rd of April, 1564 There is no record of anyone with this name having lived in Stratford-Upon-Avon- There is a single document, dated 26th April, 1564, that records the Christening of a Gulielmusfilius Johannes Shakspere-No first ‘e’ or second ‘a’ The Belief • Because it was customary in those days to wait three days to see if the child would survive, it is assumed that Shakespeare was born on April 23rd.

Shakespeare was born in Stratford-Upon-Avon, which is in ENGLAND!!! Stratford was a densely illiterate settlement, where 13 of 19 officials had to “make their mark” (an ‘X’) on important documents The Belief…

Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway, who was 8 years older than him One day earlier, 27 November, 1582, William Shakespeare took out a license to marry a Miss Anne Whateley 6 months after his marriage to Hathaway, Shakespeare and she had a child, Susanna. They later had Judith and Hamnet, twins Hamnet died in childhood The Belief…

Shakespeare wrote 37 plays and 154 sonnets, not counting “The Apocrypha”, a group of plays and poems that could have been written by Shakespeare, but it’s not certain that they were. The Sonnets were mostly addressed to: A “dark lady” A rival poet A young MAN!!! Aside from 6 signatures on legal documents, NOTHING exists in his own handwriting! No notes, notebooks, diaries, not even a single personal letter to anyone! The Belief

FURTHERMORE… • There are no existing admission or attendance records for Shakespeare at any grammar school, university, or college! (How would someone with no known education be able to write the most highly regarded works of literature of all time?)

Shakespeare is generally acknowledged as the greatest author who ever lived… Shakspere’s parents, wife and children were all completely illiterate!!! No one in Stratford ever referred to Shakspere as an author, playwright, poet, or literary figure of any kind! The Belief…

"The Princesse, hearing of her mother's statue, a piece many yeeres in doing, and now newly perform'd by that rare Italian Master, Julio Romano."- Winter’s Tale,Act 5, Scene 2 The author Vasari, in 1550 and again in 1568, described Romano as a sculptor-- on both occasions in Italian, not in English. No evidence exists that Will Shakspere could read Italian or had ever travelled abroad. The Belief…

There are numerous mentions of Richard Burbage, a primary actor for Shakespeare’s works Although Shakespeare spent 20 years in London, England, there is NOT A SINGLE MENTION of ANYONE EVER seeing Shakespeare in the flesh!!! Shakespeare was an actor…

Was burnt down in 1613 during a performance of Henry VIII A spark from a cannon shot during the performance set fire to the roof! Was rebuilt in 1614 Was closed in 1642 by Puritans who felt the theatre promoted sinful living Most of Shakespeare’s works were performed in the GLOBE theatre…

On the same day that he was born, 23rd April, in 1616 He left his wife his “second-best” bed… His will never mentioned ANYTHING about BOOKS, PLAYS, POEMS, or WRITTEN WORK OF ANY KIND!!! Will’s will- get it? Shakespeare died… • Shakespeare’s first printed work, or folio, wasn’t printed until 1623-7 years after he was dead!

Uumm..Mr. Healy, why did you misspell Shaxspere’s name, like, a million times? Because there exist more than 20 variations of the name, including two different spellings- On his own tombstone!

So if Shakespearedidn’t write the works attributed to him, who did?

Robert Devereaux(The Earl of Essex)? • Tried to organize a rebellion against Queen Elizabeth • Did so at the same time Richard II was being performed- it’s a play about a weak, aging monarch with bad advisors who is removed from office

Francis Bacon? • Wrote “Poetry is nothing else but feigned history” • Lawyer • Shakespeare once wrote, “Truest poetry is most feigning” • Was legal counselor to Queen Elizabeth and served as attorney general • There are many legal terms and references in Shakespeare’s works • Shakespeare used the Latin word honorificabilitudinitatibus in Love’s Labour Lost • Could be an anagram for “Hi ludi F. Baconis nati tuiti,” translated to “These plays, the offspring of F. Bacon, are preserved to the world.”

Christopher Marlowe? • Attended Cambridge University for 6 years • May have faked his own death in 1593 to avoid trial and execution for Atheism • A talented and famous playwright of the time • Could Shakespeare have been a front to allow Marlowe to continue writing plays?

Ben Jonson? • Leading “wit” (scholar) of his time • Wrote the introduction for the First Folio of Shakespeare's works • Called Shakespeare “The soul of the Age” • However, in other written works, he referred to Shakespeare as a “poet-ape” • Mocked Shakespeare's motto, • “Not Without Right” • by writing “Not Without Mustard”

Edward de Vere, The 17th Earl of Oxford? • Soldier- (wars play a big part in many of Shakespeare’s plays) • Scholar • World traveler (many of Shakespeare’s plays demonstrate knowledge of other countries and cultures) • Playwright and a poet • Champion jouster

Henry Wriothesley, the Earl of Southampton? • Generous supporter of the arts • Shakespeare dedicated works to him • Could he be the “fair youth” of Shakespeare’s sonnets?

So What Do YOU Believe? I have given you factual information regarding the life of the reputed author, William Shakespeare, based on OXFORDIAN belief. It is not the only belief, however. Many STRADFORDIAN scholars believe that Billy Shakes was Billy Shakes, and that all that I’ve told you can be easily explained away. But the choice is yours to make, and not mine to tell you. Be an ACTIVE learner, who questions and develops your own understanding of the information teachers give you. Don’t be a PASSIVE learner who blindly accepts what you are told without applying any thought to it!

Shakespeare: Fact or Fiction?