The Shakespeare Authorship

The Shakespeare Authorship Question

“Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.” This is a quote from the remarkable William Shakespeare. Many would say this quote defines Shakespeare’s work as a whole. William Shakespeare is said to have written some of the most romantic sonnets of his time. He paved the way for many playwrights, authors, and poets. Shakespeare has thirty-seven plays, one-hundred and fifty-four sonnets, and five poems attributed to him. William Shakespeare is one of the most influential writers in history, however did Shakespeare really say this quote or exist at all? There is much evidence that suggests Shakespeare did not, in fact, write his work and

Many renowned authors have also questioned Shakespeare’s identity; these authors include Henry James, Sigmund Freud, Helen Keller, Charlie Chaplain, and even Mark Twain! Mark Twain is quoted as saying “So far as anybody actually knows and can prove, Shakespeare of Stratford-on-Avon never wrote a play in his life.” There is a lack of evidence and records that questions the authorship of Shakespeare’s works. There are also close to no records on William Shakespeare’s education or work as a playwright. Not only that, but there are very few portraits of William Shakespeare himself painted in his lifetime. Keep in mind, photographs were not around in the 1500’s. It is thought that William Shakespeare grew up in an illiterate home and evidence suggests he to could’ve been illiterate himself. In addition, it is also to be noted that William Shakespeare’s children were illiterate as well. There are only seven known signatures signed by William Shakespeare and all are said by handwriting experts to be written in a hand that suggests he did not know how to write or had little experience holding a pen (Matus 33). Some scholars even go as far as saying it looks like chicken scrawl. After Shakespeare’s death, his three-page will did not mention any of his literary works. All thirty-seven plays, one hundred and fifty-four sonnets, and five poems went unmentioned. Furthermore, one of the main parts of his will gives his “second-best bed” to his wife yet no mention of his vastly important literature (Filin). Many scholars suggest that William Shakespeare was merely just an actor and someone else wrote his works under his name. Even then, it is questioned if William Shakespeare even existed due to his name missing from Henslowe’s Diary, a document naming nearly all the famous playwrights and actors of the current time (Matus 36). Some that