Was William Shakespeare Actually Real?
Different theories debating who in actuality was the greatest playwright and poet.
Shakespeare wrote at least 38 plays and over 150 poems. He is one of the most well-known writers. Widely admired and criticized. However, many historians and skeptics argue that William Shakespeare was not a real man.
Shakespeare was illiterate
Some skeptics argue that Shakespeare did not actually have any formal education after primary school, suggesting that he wouldn’t have known the proper grammar, the vast vocabulary, or how to write, especially considering the complexity of his works.
They argue that there is not enough evidence to prove that Shakespeare was a real man, rather than someone working under a pseudonym.
Some say that his parents and his surviving children were illiterate, which can be considered to be unusual for such a seemingly educated man.
His plays included political, legal, and social matters. For an individual who has no records of education, he had extensive knowledge, which helped him create complex and intriguing plays.
However, other playwrights and poets like Ben Johnson also came from modest backgrounds and there were no claims throughout his life that he is working under a pseudonym.
Oxfordian Theory
The Earl of Oxford, Edward de Vere is argued to be the real Shakespeare, who used the name to conceal his real identity because of how provocative, politically and otherwise, some of the plays were.
He was an English peer, lyric poet, and theater patron.
J. Thomas Looney in ‘Shakespeare’ Identified argued that some of Oxford’s work was similar to Shakespeare’s. He also states that there is a biographical similarity between Oxford, Bertram (in All’s Well That Ends Well), and Hamlet.
Also, after de Vere stopped publishing his work, Shakespeare’s works started to appear. He traveled Europe and loved Italian culture. A lot of Shakespeare’s plays have Italian settings.
Similarly, Oxford was interested in history, which could explain plays such as Julius Caesar and the complex political situations in Hamlet and Coriolanus.
Furthermore, de Vere studied with Arthur Golding who translated Ovid’s Metamorphoses. Most of Shakespeare’s plays have been influenced by myths and history that were mentioned in the poems.
However, Oxford died in 1604 and Shakespeare’s arguably best works like Macbeth were published after de Vere’s death, meaning he probably wasn’t England’s national poet.
Marlovian Theory
Christopher Marlowe was a playwright, poet, and translator, writing at the same time as Shakespeare.
Some skeptics argue that the writing styles of the two writers were similar. However, unlike Shakespeare Marlowe graduated from Cambridge with a Bachelor and Master’s degree.
Many supporters of this theory also note his suspicious death. There were many inconsistencies in witness testimonials and explanations of his death, which led many to believe that he didn’t die.
Marlovians believe that Marlowe’s death was fake and in actuality he continued to exist as William Shakespeare.
Shakespeare’s first work appeared two weeks after Marlowe’s death, which some see as a clear confirmation of the fact that Marlovian theory is true.
Marlowe supposedly died on 30 May 1593. Shakespeare first printed works, two poems Venus and Adonis and The Rape of Lucrece, were published after Marlowe’s death in 1593 and 1594.
Shakespeare was a woman
Some argue that during the Shakesperean period, many women were inspired by Queen Elizabeth I and began to challenge the patriarchal society and beliefs.
Although education for women was still rare, more and more women strived to be educated.
Many of Shakespeare’s female characters are strong, determined, and unconventional. They challenge authority, have agency, and don’t let men control them.
Gilbert Slater believed that a possible candidate was Mary Sidney, sister of poet Philip Sidney.
She was educated and was exposed to royal politics as she spent some time at the court of Elizabeth I. She was one of the first Englishwomen to be noticed for her poetry and literary patronage.
Another candidate for a female Shakespeare was one of the first women to publish a volume of poetry — Emilia Bassano.
The Italian setting in many of Shakespeare’s plays can also be explained by Bassano’s parentage as she was the daughter of Venetian merchants.
Whether Shakespeare was a real man or a pseudonym is still debated to this day as many question how someone with a background of almost no education and illiterate parentage was able to become the greatest writer ever known.
Personally, all theories seem possible to me, however, I believe that the need to look for explanations for Shakespeare’s talent due to his background is snobbish.
I believe that any individual can achieve whatever they want, regardless of their background.
