Wanted Shakespeare: Dead Or Alive

The argument over whether or not Shakespeare actually existed has raged amongst a sizable minority of scholars for well over a century. Were all (or, indeed, any) of the plays, sonnets and poems traditionally attributed to a William Shakespeare in fact written by him? There were (and are) many who have opposed the conventional belief that Shakespeare wrote all of the works bearing his name; moreover, there are many (including Twain) who believed that Shakespeare wrote absolutely nothing! (with the exception of his modestly written epitaph and a few articles bearing his signature).

In one of Twain's most skeptical works, IS SHAKESPEARE DEAD? examines the subject of Shakespeare's authenticity with vigorous logic. How did this one man, from the most humble origins, rise to such artistic and intellectual heights? How did he manage his vast education, business acumen, legalistic savvy, travel experience, etc., etc., and still have the time for his enormous literary output (in and of itself, an almost impossible feat)? However, the real "kick in the head" (and this puzzles Twain the most) is how Shakespeare's amazing achievements were virtually unknown to his contemporaries!...and not only his achievements, but Shakespeare himself lived and died unknown and unremembered. The life of the greatest and most famed writer is, in actuality, a blank space in history!!!

Personally, I never gave much consideration to this issue. The reading and studying of his plays was more than enough to keep me occupied while in school and beyond, down to the present. But Twain's IS SHAKESPEARE DEAD? is an intriguing and thought-provoking work. The only complaint I have is that while he posits the possible Whats, Ifs and Hows of Shakespeare's non-authenticity with analytical precision, Twain never gets to the Why of the matter. Indeed, WHY did this alleged Shakespeare ruse occur? If there's someone out there with an answer or opinion, your comments are urgently requested.

I thought i would revive this thread because i would like to know more about this suject.

I've read that there is a theory that was first proposed by J. Thomas Looney, which holds that Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, wrote the plays and poems attributed to William Shakespeare, a claim that most historians and literary scholars reject.

I is a legend, there is enough documentation included his last will of him.
People just can not accept a genius would one day just stop writing.

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Originally Posted by Moira

I thought i would revive this thread because i would like to know more about this suject.

I've read that there is a theory that was first proposed by J. Thomas Looney, which holds that Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, wrote the plays and poems attributed to William Shakespeare, a claim that most historians and literary scholars reject.

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I like how the guy's name is Looney: I can imagine the terrible puns made against him :)

I've never believed in any of these accusations myself. I also find it funny how (and I'm not turning this into a religious debate so please don't take it as that and respond in kind) a good many people will say "I don't believe this guy with no evident literary education can suddenly become the great William Shakespeare" but will hold a firm belief that a Carpenter can die and come back to life and be the son of God.

What I'm trying to say here is there is no need to publcally question something like this. We have Shakespeare's work, they are amazing - would not a Romeo and Juliet by any other name smell as sweet?

Looney's assertion that Edward deVere was the actual author of Shakespeare's works first appeared in 1920 and was quickly dismissed by 1921. The origin for most of this contention is the Baconian Theory of the mid-19th.C. which explores the possibility that Francis Bacon was the true author, and it's from this source material that Twain formed his views. Samuel Schoenbaum's SHAKESPEARE LIVES (1970) is one of the best works on this matter (I read it, MANY years ago, in college and it's a clear rational study of all this business).
Personally, I just enjoy Shakespeare...and leave the rest to researchers and philosophers.

Truth is, Shakespeare being someone without education, etc is also an exageration to make part of his myth.

An example of one of the merrily whimsical pranks of Shakespearean literary analyis is the following word (?): "honorificabilitudinitatibus"-chew on that for a spell. This is a nonceword from LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST (5.1) and is rendered, via Latin, "These plays of F. Bacon's offspring are preserved for the World." The Baconian Theory makes use of this word as further "evidence" that Bacon is the author of the works attributed to Shakespeare. If anything, it merely served to further confuse everyone concerned with this kind of research down to the present day (including Twain, who was already in a state of confusion).

I read somewhere ( Virginia woolf? i forgot) that it is even possible that the plays had been written by a woman or that Shakespeare had a sister.For the woman characters are so powerful like Viola, Portia or Rosalind which was rather unusual at that time.And even the dialogues where women revealing their mind and the portray of so many disguised character led the researchers to think whether Shakespeare was himself wrote the plays or there was a woman behind it for there is not any historical evident that Shakespeare was really exist.Am i right?

One of the underrated points of argument for the man from Avon being the true Willy is the amount of detailed folklore and agricultural references that are found in nearly every play. The plays also show an in depth knowledge of the glover's trade which John Shakespeare was known to practice. I doubt de Vere or any noble would know much these fields.

Much of the skepticism about William Shakespeare from Avon stems from his class of birth, I think many make the mistake of thinking he was necessarily uneducated like some onion eating French peasant from the middle ages - not so.

Mark Twain is a lousy Baconoid! Is Shakespeare Dead? is the stupidest work i have ever read!