William Shakespeare was born in 1564 and died in 1616 in Stratford-upon-Avon farther writing plays like "Romeo and Juliet", "Othello", "Macbeth", "A Midsummer Night’s Dream" and others. He was a brilliant playwright creating nearly 40 productions and 154 sonnets, while dwelling in London. This is at least the majority opinion taught in schools.
There is however reason for doubt. While dealing a bit deeper with Shakespeare you unavoidably will come to the point that opinions differ in the question if he truly was who he pretended to be. Imagine the magnificent bard was not the author of all the dramas, comedies, history plays and poems. Or could it be possible that this famous name was just a pseudonym? And if it was, then the question is why? Which clues for and against are existing?
In the English lessons we learned the prevailing aspects along with the common view about the grand composer and his plays. After a rough contribution into the authorship debate more questions emerged and the foundation of this term paper was laid.
To come to one of many answers, this work will be structured at first in a short biography of Shakespeare and an overview of his time concerning the theatre and authorship in general. Afterwards I would like to explore positions that assume Shakespeare not to be the man who is thought to be the drafter Shakespeare. On the other hand also the opposing view will be presented and explained. To forge an own profound opinion it is significant to have a review about this complex of themes.
A detailed presentation of my own view regarding arguments for and against Shakespeare from Stratford as the writer will be followed by a final synopsis and prospect of the issue.
So the focus in this work is more on investigate the Stratford-man than on other theories, even though these will come up for discussion. Because of their multifacetedness it would go beyond the scopes of this term paper.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Overviews of Shakespeare and his time
2.1 Short biography of Shakespeare
2.2 Theatre and authorship in the Elizabethan and Jacobean time
3 Theories about his authorship
3.1 Christopher Marlowe
3.2 Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford
3.3 Francis Bacon
3.4 William Stanley, 6th Earl of Derby
3.5 Group theory
3.6 William Shak(e)spe(a)re
4 Own argumentation
4.1 Contra Shakespeare
4.2 Pro Shakespeare
4.3 Summary
5 Conclusion and prospect
Objectives & Topics
This term paper explores the long-standing authorship debate surrounding William Shakespeare. It examines the validity of attributing the iconic plays and sonnets to the man from Stratford-upon-Avon by contrasting the traditional view with alternative theories that suggest the works were penned by other historical figures or groups.
- Historical biography and context of William Shakespeare
- Examination of alternative candidates for the authorship (Marlowe, Bacon, de Vere, Stanley)
- Critical analysis of arguments regarding education, social class, and historical evidence
- Evaluation of the "Group Theory" and "Stratfordian" perspectives
- Personal synthesis and conclusion on the historical uncertainty of the authorship
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 Christopher Marlowe
First of all, this theory strictly makes a distinction between the author Shakespeare and the (business)man from Stratford-upon-Avon most time written as “Shakspere” (or Shexpere, Shackspere, Shaxper,…17) with a phonetically short first syllable. Even if the orthography, spelling and grammar in general was not fixed at this time, it has to be noticed that the names were written how it was pronounced18. So Shak- and Shakespeare are most probably different names/ names of different persons.
This confidence is based on the assumption that Christopher Marlowe used the name Shakespeare as a pseudonym because he got into dire straits when writing against the church. Marlowe feigned his death in 1593 and engaged William Shakespeare to be his “face” in public.
Also it is explained that the artistic pursuit of Shakespeare would have begun too late. The life expectancy in the 16th/17th century was short with around 40 years, but he started his literary activity at the age of 26 and moreover there was no parallel activity of Shakespeare and Marlowe even though both were born in the same year. That also would mean that Shakespeare never had a development and training in writing before his first opus Venus and Adonis. Marlowe already had worked as a dramatist and as a translator when he was 30 years old. 19
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: This chapter introduces the authorship controversy and outlines the structure of the paper, focusing on the investigation into the Stratford-man.
2 Overviews of Shakespeare and his time: It provides a biographical background of William Shakespeare and a contextual overview of theatrical conditions and writing conventions in the Elizabethan and Jacobean eras.
3 Theories about his authorship: This section details various alternative candidates for the authorship of the works, including Christopher Marlowe, Edward de Vere, Francis Bacon, and others, as well as the group theory.
4 Own argumentation: The author presents a critical debate, weighing the arguments against the Stratfordian authorship ("Contra Shakespeare") against the arguments in favor ("Pro Shakespeare") and summarizes the findings.
5 Conclusion and prospect: The paper concludes that the authorship debate remains unsolved, advocating for a more critical approach to historical "truths" taught in schools.
Keywords
Shakespeare, Authorship question, Stratford-upon-Avon, Elizabethan era, Christopher Marlowe, Edward de Vere, Francis Bacon, Anti-Stratfordian, Stratfordian, Literary history, Pseudonym, First Folio, Playwright, Sonnets, Historical debate
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this term paper?
The paper investigates the "Shakespeare authorship question," specifically the historical debate over whether William Shakespeare of Stratford-upon-Avon was the true author of the plays and poems attributed to him.
Which candidates are analyzed as alternative authors?
The primary candidates examined are Christopher Marlowe, Edward de Vere (17th Earl of Oxford), Francis Bacon, and William Stanley (6th Earl of Derby), alongside the possibility of a "group theory" of multiple authors.
What is the main research question?
The paper asks whether it is plausible that the man from Stratford was the true author, given the lack of contemporary evidence regarding his education, literary connections, and authorial activity.
What methodology does the author employ?
The work utilizes a literature-based comparative analysis, examining biographical records, historical documentation from the Elizabethan era, and existing theoretical arguments from both the "Stratfordian" and "Anti-Stratfordian" schools of thought.
What does the main body cover?
The main body covers the biographical background, an explanation of the theatre world of the time, a detailed breakdown of different authorship theories, and a critical argumentation section that weighs the evidence for and against the traditional authorship.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include Shakespeare, Authorship question, Stratford-upon-Avon, Elizabethan era, Pseudonym, and Literary history.
What is the significance of the "lost years" of Shakespeare?
The "lost years" (1585-1593) are highlighted as a period of missing documentation, which proponents of alternative theories use to suggest that Shakespeare could have been engaged in activities or training elsewhere, while skeptics use it to argue against his established public record.
Why does the author support the Christopher Marlowe theory?
The author argues that the Marlowe theory is compelling because it provides a motive for a pseudonym (fleeing execution for sedition) and points to stylistic statistical similarities and a high level of literary development that the author finds consistent with Marlowe’s background.
How does the author view the "Stratfordian" defense regarding schooling?
The author acknowledges the argument that a Grammar school education might have been sufficient, but remains skeptical due to the immense breadth of specialized knowledge (law, court etiquette, foreign cultures) present in the plays.
What final lesson does the author suggest for students?
The author concludes that students should not blindly accept historical narratives taught in schools and encourages them to conduct their own research and maintain a critical perspective on established "facts."
- Arbeit zitieren
- Lore Li (Autor:in), 2015, Shakespeare’s Authorship Question. A Short Input to a Long Discussion, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/302077
