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4.06 AVERAGE
4.06 AVERAGE
An excellent study of the "authorship controversy," as it's often called. Who wrote the works of William Shakespeare? Shapiro quite rightly believes William Shakespeare wrote the works attributed to him, but he tells a fascinating history of the many people (some of them quite famous) who have doubted the "man from Stratford" over the past couple centuries. Excellent work.
informative
medium-paced
This book has very little to do with evidence for or against the actual authorship of Shakespeare's plays. It is simply a list of famous people who came to believe that someone other than Shakespeare wrote under his name. The book barely discusses the reasons those people came to believe what they did. It does mention some of the books that convinced them, so I guess I could read those instead, but I was hoping for some kind of compilation of evidence for or against the different possibilities. Nope. Not here.
This was completely enjoyable - just scholarly enough, but still plenty readable. Shapiro is more interested in why people have persisted in speculating about the "real" author of Shakespeare's writings more than the details and theories themselves. There were lots of little funny ironic bits, which I really enjoyed - plus some insight into some of the background and thinking of some of the more prominent theorists. He methodically proves that most of the denialists know little to nothing about how that particular detail worked in Elizabethan society. I found this compelling and believable. I guess that makes me a Stratfordian. :)
For anyone interested in the conspiracy theories surrounding Shakespeare and his authorship.
Shapiro clearly and concisely strips down and destroys the two main contenders that have been put forward in the past century; the 17th Earl of Oxford and Francis Bacon, as possible "Shakespeare's in disguise".
Shapiro uses his knowledge of Shakespeare's relationship with fellow playwrights, his intimate associations with his actors and the way the two unique playhouses he used in his lifetime affected the style of plays he wrote to bolster our belief that Shakespeare was a real man. He explains how spelling mistakes when recording his name was natural - the dictionary didn't exist yet and therefore uniform spelling didn't, that it's perfectly reasonable that we don't have much recorded evidence of the man himself bar a few court papers - we have the same limited information on Marlowe but nobody questions his existence and how it's our incapability of believing a man of such "lowly stature" could have such education and understanding on the "upper echelons".
An absolutely brilliant book.
Shapiro clearly and concisely strips down and destroys the two main contenders that have been put forward in the past century; the 17th Earl of Oxford and Francis Bacon, as possible "Shakespeare's in disguise".
Shapiro uses his knowledge of Shakespeare's relationship with fellow playwrights, his intimate associations with his actors and the way the two unique playhouses he used in his lifetime affected the style of plays he wrote to bolster our belief that Shakespeare was a real man. He explains how spelling mistakes when recording his name was natural - the dictionary didn't exist yet and therefore uniform spelling didn't, that it's perfectly reasonable that we don't have much recorded evidence of the man himself bar a few court papers - we have the same limited information on Marlowe but nobody questions his existence and how it's our incapability of believing a man of such "lowly stature" could have such education and understanding on the "upper echelons".
An absolutely brilliant book.
I would never have read this if someone hadn't recommended it as thoroughly anti all those ludicrous, classist, and ultimately antisemitic (as they all inevitably are) conspiracy theories that Shakespeare, a glover's son and moneylender (see?), couldn't have produced one if not the greatest bodies of work in the English language. But it is! Shapiro retains a measured, academic tone that still takes no prisoners with the twisted logic of Bacon cipher adherents -- including people whose work I love and respect, such as Mark Twain* and Henry James -- and the odious Oxfordians (Freud, others). Basically, all of these people would rather believe in elaborate incestuous conspiracies than that a great artist may have also written for money. It's basically QAnon in an intellectual hat. Maybe slightly more benign... but it still represents a troubling willingness to hold to any pet, in-group theory over clear facts.
Anyway, after all that, the final third of this book is a brief account of much of what we do know of Shakespeare's life, and what his contemporaries wrote about him, and honestly it was like taking a cool, refreshing swim after a long, sweaty walk. Great artistic ability is not contingent on noble birth. If you think otherwise...please unpack that. (But maybe skip consulting a Freudian.)
*He also thought Queen Elizabeth was secretly a man and hated Jane Austen, so... Not every thought's a winner, Sam.
Anyway, after all that, the final third of this book is a brief account of much of what we do know of Shakespeare's life, and what his contemporaries wrote about him, and honestly it was like taking a cool, refreshing swim after a long, sweaty walk. Great artistic ability is not contingent on noble birth. If you think otherwise...please unpack that. (But maybe skip consulting a Freudian.)
*He also thought Queen Elizabeth was secretly a man and hated Jane Austen, so... Not every thought's a winner, Sam.
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Interesting and really informative exploration of a topic I had never pondered. THE book to read on the authorship question, apparently! My favorite parts were when he explained how people misinterpret(ed) modern literature and how it is a mistake to view it through a modern lens—wish that section had been a bit longer.
informative
slow-paced