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Who was Shakespeare? Who was Shakespeare?
The Stratfordian position The Stratfordian position
The Post-Stratfordian position The Post-Stratfordian position
William Shakespeare was a woman William Shakespeare was a woman
William Shakespeare was part of a collective William Shakespeare was part of a collective
Edward de Vere, the 17th earl of Oxford was Shakespeare Edward de Vere, the 17th earl of Oxford was Shakespeare
It is there in black and white It is there in black and white
Shakespeare was a common man from Warwickshire Shakespeare was a common man from Warwickshire
Where is the documentation? Where is the documentation?
There were rumors during Shakespeare's life There were rumors during Shakespeare's life
An education gap An education gap
Shakespeare’s detailed will makes no mention of books or literature Shakespeare’s detailed will makes no mention of books or literature
Not all of Shakespeare's plays were published in his lifetime Not all of Shakespeare's plays were published in his lifetime
The two Shakespeares The two Shakespeares
The case for Francis Bacon The case for Francis Bacon
The case for Christopher Marlowe The case for Christopher Marlowe
The case for Edward de Vere The case for Edward de Vere
The case for Walter Raleigh The case for Walter Raleigh
The feminization of Shakespeare The feminization of Shakespeare
There is sufficient motive There is sufficient motive
William Shakespeare was an 'excellent gentlewoman' William Shakespeare was an 'excellent gentlewoman'
Shakespeare had a hidden code Shakespeare had a hidden code
The case for Emilia Bassano The case for Emilia Bassano
Several of Shakespeare's plays are collaborative efforts Several of Shakespeare's plays are collaborative efforts
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Who was Shakespeare?
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The Post-Stratfordian position

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The two Shakespeares

Shakespeare the playwright and Shakespeare the man are vastly different.
Vanessa Redgrave
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Context

Shakespeare the playwright and Shakespeare have almost nothing in common. One is a petty criminal, mean spirited and a persistent tax evader, the other was an innovate literary genius capable of immense amounts of human empathy.[1]

The Argument

We know that William Shakespeare from Stratford-upon-Avon had several run-ins with the law for offences like illegal poaching and tax evasion. He hoarded grain during a famine when others were starving. He also only saw fit to leave his wife his “second-best bed” following his death. On the other hand, the Shakespeare present in his literary works displays a deeply empathetic streak. He appears to hold a deep appreciation for and understanding of the best and worst aspects of human nature and finds beauty in human relationships. It is impossible to reconcile the Shakespeare we see in historical documentation with the Shakespeare visible in his literary works. Therefore, the only likely conclusion is that the two were not the same person.

Counter arguments

Many literary and artistic geniuses displayed traits in their personal lives that run counter to their creative works. Caravaggio was convicted of murder following a brawl. Wagner was a ferocious anti-Semite. It is possible to produce profound art without being a good person. Therefore, the disconnect between Shakespeare’s creative work and his character is not sufficient evidence for asserting Stratford’s Shakespeare was not the author of the literary works.

Proponents

Premises

[P1] The Shakespeare of his work does not resemble the Shakespeare we see in historical documents. [P2] Therefore, they are not the same person.

Rejecting the premises

[Rejecting P2] This does not mean they are not the same person.

References

  1. https://theunredacted.com/shakespeare-conspiracy-the-fraud-of-avon/
This page was last edited on Monday, 27 May 2019 at 20:16 UTC

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