Does Shakespeare Exist?

Since the 18th century, there has been doubts regarding whether William Shakespeare really is the author of the works of literature that he has been credited for. The debate has been going on for years and a few candidates, like Edward De Vere and Christopher Marlowe, have been brought up to the spotlight of the argument. However, the research that has been done so far demonstrates that Edward De Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, is the top contender. There is a fair amount of evidence that supports the theory that this man is the real ‘‘Shakespeare’’. Because he was a nobleman, he had the opportunity to obtain a high education and travel. Only someone with such education could write about the complex and detailed topics of these works. Another very

Throughout the last century, a raging phenomenon known as the “Authorship Debate”, has come to light. It disputes whether Shakespeare himself wrote the plays and sonnets or if it was someone else writing under a pseudonym. There are countless theories of who the writer might actually be but the main suspects are Shakespeare himself, Edward de Vere, Sir Francis Bacon, Christopher Marlowe, William Stanley, Roger Manners, Sir Walter Raleigh and Mary Sidney Herbert (Pressley).

To start from the beginning of the controversy, the earliest actual documentation of such findings began in 1785 by an oxford scholar named James Wilmot. It was here that when James came up “empty-handed” of any evidence of Shakespeare’s plays did he come to the conclusion that it had to have been someone else and that someone was Sir Francis Bacon. James however never reported anything and on his deathbed actually destroyed his writings, but not before telling a fellow scholar, James Corton Cowell, his findings. Cowell would leave and make a presentation to the Ipswich Philosophic Society, and so began the greatest mystery of whether William Shakespeare was a famous playwright or a fraud taking credit for the work of someone else.

The Bloody Root of Titus Andronicus: An Argument of Intent and Origin There are have been many arguments throughout the history of Shakespearean academia regarding the validity of Shakespeare’s authorship to Titus Andronicus, and the critics have not been shy to express their discontent of its seemingly endless violent montage. As

DeVere or Shakespeare?       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

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 was a playwright from Stratford who had arguably the most influential affect on English literature and the English language. His works are still praised to this day for their divine superiority, however, controversy in exceeding amounts has risen over the dispute of his authorship. This controversy has been the topic of many arguments between differently opinionated scholars who support opposing theories and beliefs (Friedman XV). "A difficult dilemma confronts biographers who tell the story of the glove maker's son from Stratford-on-Avon who is supposed to have become the world's greatest poet and dramatist" (Whalen 3). It may seem odd that this confusion and doubt had come to light in the first place, as the origin of

Neoplatonism in Shakespeare and its Effect on Modern Literature Few writers have managed to enter the world-wide public consciousness as well as Shakespeare; everyone knows his name and can terribly misquote his plays. Yet, for all his popularity, many of his critics have called him unlearned, saying his plays are entertaining but shallow. These same critics often point at the many inconsistencies of his writing, claiming that Shakespeare was not trying to convey anything but witticisms and beautiful sounds. Of course, even his harshest detractors acknowledge his plays and sonnets have influenced the world's literature on a scale that is intimidating; every writer of his era stood in his shadow, and modern literature stands on his

Shakespeare was real though he was not just one person, but a group of different writers. There have been other theories that state that Shakespeare was a penname for another writer. The theory that Shakespeare was not a person, but a group of men was first posed by the New York lawyer and journalist named Joseph C Hart in 1848. In Hart’s book, The Romance of Yachting, he asks, “the enquiry will be, who were the able literary men who wrote the dramas imputed to him?” (Hart). Hart believed in this theory, but he did not dig deeper to find out more about who the group was. In contrast, the woman named Delia Bacon wrote an article supporting the same theory. Bacon discusses in depth how she thinks the group of men are prophets of republican America.

Shakespeare is a figure shrouded in mystery. In this paper, the title of “Shakespeare” will refer to the author of the works currently credited to William Shakespeare of Stratford-upon-Avon. Shakespeare is undoubtedly one of the most famous writers of all time. He created masterpieces like Hamlet, Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet,

There has been many disputes in the past regarding the roots of Shakespearean writing. Although many believe that William Shakespeare of Stratford was the writer of his own work, others suggest the possibility of another authorship. For the past decades, opposite groups have gathered clues as to who is the true author of the notable plays supposedly written by Shakespeare. The anti-Stratfordians, who do not support Shakespeare’s authorship, have coalesced to believe that a man named Edward de Vere, the seventeenth Earl of Oxford, to be the legitimate writer of Shakespeare’s plays/sonnets. On the other hand, anti-Oxfordians argue that Shakespeare is indeed the author. One of the anti-Stratfordians, Tom Bethell, persuades his audience that Edward

Shakespeare, one of the most influential playwrights of the Elizabethan Era, yet little is known about the man behind the words. In fact, so little is know that a centuries old debate has taken place as to who the true author of the 154 sonnets and 34 plays truly is. Due to lack of a sound evidence, and the inability to narrow down any other personal reasons for which someone would develop the persona of the Bard, the Stratfordian side is distinguishably the correct camp.

Students all over the world read Shakespeare’s iconic and well known dramas. As they are seated in the classrooms, they interpret the stories differently and read each line with anticipation on what’s going to happen next. They continue relating to Shakespeare’s works in their own ways and are, overall, effected positively by his dramas. Schools should continue including Shakespeare in their curriculum because the dramas are timeless and beneficial to students.

The Marlovian Authorship Question So much has been said about Shakespeare, and his story so mythic in its sweep, that it is difficult to understand the amount of mystery surrounding his life. For the genius of Stratford-on-Avon, whose works are quoted only less frequently than the bible and whose vocabulary is

William Shakespeare has been a mystery to literature lovers for centuries. There is actually very little known about the life of William Shakespeare; nonetheless, he has been inspiring literature and theater for over 400 years. There is no record of an exact birth date for Shakespeare, however, he, “was baptized