The riddle of Shakespeare's authorship remains one of the great mysteries of the modern world. Was the famous writer and poet a fraud and a plagarist? Was Shakespeare the "upstart crow" described by Greene as strutting in borrowed feathers, or Johnson's "Poet-Ape" who patched together plays from other's work? Was his name merely a pseudonym for a well known contemporary figure. The orthodox view is that the author of the works of Shakespeare was the actor and businessman of Stratford-upon-Avon. But the known facts about ...
Read More
The riddle of Shakespeare's authorship remains one of the great mysteries of the modern world. Was the famous writer and poet a fraud and a plagarist? Was Shakespeare the "upstart crow" described by Greene as strutting in borrowed feathers, or Johnson's "Poet-Ape" who patched together plays from other's work? Was his name merely a pseudonym for a well known contemporary figure. The orthodox view is that the author of the works of Shakespeare was the actor and businessman of Stratford-upon-Avon. But the known facts about this man are suprisingly meagre and contrast puzzlingly with the learned courtly philosopher revealed in the Sonnets and plays. Scholars and eccentrics have devoted years to the search for evidence and many different theories have been put forward. Some believe that Francis Bacon may have used the name of an obscure actor to disseminate his philosophy; others thought that Hamlet mirrored the psyche of the Earl of Oxford; and yet others suggest that Marlowe was not killed, as thought, in a drunken brawl but lived on secretly to write as Shakespeare. This book investigates the many claims and counter-claims of Shakespeare's identity. It lays out the evidence and arguments for various candidates, not forgetting Shakespeare himself, and provides a dry commentary on the research.
Read Less
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Fair. PLEASE NOTE, WE DO NOT SHIP TO DENMARK. Used Book. Shipped from UK in 4 to 14 days. Established seller since 2000. Please note we cannot offer an expedited shipping service from the UK.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Very good. Simply Brit – welcome to our online used book store, where affordability meets great quality. Dive into a world of captivating reads without breaking the bank. We take pride in offering a wide selection of used books, from classics to hidden gems, ensuring there's something for every literary palate. All orders are shipped within 24 hours and our lightning fast-delivery within 48 hours coupled with our prompt customer service ensures a smooth journey from ordering to delivery. Discover the joy of reading with us, your trusted source for affordable books that do not compromise on quality.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Fair. PLEASE NOTE, WE DO NOT SHIP TO DENMARK. Used Book. Shipped from UK in 4 to 14 days. Established seller since 2000. Please note we cannot offer an expedited shipping service from the UK.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Good. Good condition. Very Good dust jacket. A copy that has been read but remains intact. May contain markings such as bookplates, stamps, limited notes and highlighting, or a few light stains. Bundled media such as CDs, DVDs, floppy disks or access codes may not be included.
?Who Wrote Shakespeare?? is a wonderful little paperback that invigorates the mind with great speculation on the actual identity of William Shakespeare, and after the last page is turned the reader not only has as little idea of the actual identity of ?Romeo and Juliet?, and ?Hamlet?, but is even more puzzled as to where the truth lies.
John Michell has stuck to the absolute available facts here and has also turned over some lost speculation as to the possible authorship question that today is being fought by the Oxford society and the group of followers who believe that the humble William Shaksper, the bard of Avon, was just, plain and simple, a genius.
The real crux of the matter stems from back in London when William Shaksper, or Shacksper, moved to the big city and started making a name for himself as a dramatist and actor. The fact that, or rather the lack of facts, that there are no books signed with Shakespeare?s name, no one who talks about him as if he existed, and also a charge of plagiarism that was brought against him early in his career, leads to more and more speculation that he was some writer using a pen name, or even a collective of writers using the name William Shakespeare.
Adding to this is the long gap of unrecorded biographical information about Shakespeare and his education makes one wonder even more how he could have written such emotionally informed theatre pieces, with such a vast vocabulary in such a short period of time.
The author brings evidence forward that point to the authorship belonging to Francis Bacon, Edward De Vere, Christopher Marlowe, Ben Johnson, and even Queen Elizabeth. He also theorizes that considering how the language in the Shakespeare plays changed at a certain point in time, Christopher Marlowe perhaps didn?t die from a blade knife to the eye socket, but actually lived on and wrote under the name William Shakespeare.
There are also more than a few pages given to the Oxford theory or that the Earl of Oxford, Edward De Vere was the true identity of William Shakespeare and the author points to the fact that there are plays that show a certain high class life style that only De Vere could have known.
There?s even speculation that Shakespeare may have been the identity and functionary of a central intelligence operative in an agency in Queen Elizabeth?s England and that his plays are riddled, indeed are codified documents containing messages to other secret agents working in the country.
But this book cannot determine the puzzle of the true person that Shakespeare is and was. It remains a Chinese box of cul de sacs, and riddles, and other dead ends. Any theory picked up by the author and explicated is eventually proved only heresay, and we return to the plain and simple fact that William Shaksper went to London and became William Shakespeare, and later moved back to where he came from a wealthy man. He is credited with the authorship of some of the greatest dramatic writing we have ever known.
It is a wonderful mystery story and will guarantee good reading and fuel some good arguments with Shakespeare aficionados.
Scout
Jun 24, 2007
Shakespeare's mystery
The mystery of who actually wrote Shakespeare's masterful works has long been debated. Michell makes a delightful case for a number of possibilities including Christopher Marlowe and a handful of others including actors, writers and noblemen. One of histories mysteries and great whodunits. A fun read through and through. Will leave the reader crying for more.