The Shakespearean Ciphers Examined: An analysis of cryptographic systems used as evidence that some author other than William Shakespeare wrote the plays commonly attributed to him

by William F. Friedman, Elizabeth S. Friedman

William and Elizebeth Friedman were both researchers in cryptography at The Riverbank Laboratories. This 1957 book is the result of an insightful report that won the Friedmans the Folger Shakespeare Library literary prize. Within it, the Friedmans address theories, which, through the identification of hidden codes, call the authorship of Shakespeare's plays into question. As ciphers were abundantly used in the sixteenth century, such coding is far from impossible. Accordingly, this work gives a fair and scientific hearing to those anti-Stratfordians whose theories were often dismissed completely. The Friedmans document the history and foundations of such theories, before thoroughly examining and critiquing a great number of them. Indeed, it has even been suggested that this text itself contains ciphers, making it of even greater interest to scholars of literary codes and cryptography, as well as those wishing to discover more about the various debates surrounding the authorship of Shakespeare's plays.

Genres: Nonfiction, Mathematics

334 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1958

Reviews

[Emmanuel Gustin · Rating 4 out of 5]

When the United States entered World War I in 1917, the best established code-breaking organization in the USA was located at Riverbank, where George Fabyan had established a research group to prove that Francis Bacon had written the works attributed to William Shakespeare. From this highly unlikely place, William Friedman emerged as one of the leading cryptanalysts of the century, and his wife Elizebeth gained professional success and fame as well. In their retirement, 39 years later, the Friedmans returned to the subject on which they had started their careers.

It is said that they disliked the title The Shakespearean Ciphers Examined because it suggests that there are such ciphers to be found in the texts of Shakespeare. The Friedmans take the many suggested secret messages and codes that were "discovered" by gullible enthusiasts, and demolish them one by one, using cold logic and dry humor. It is an amusing stroll through a bewildering landscape of enthusiastic invention, self-delusion and wild leaps of logic.

Of course, the book now betrays its age. The long refutation of the work of Mrs. Gallup, the original inspirator of George Fabyan's efforts, lacks relevance to the present-day reader, although it tells us something about the practices of 16-th century English printers. But it remains an entertaining work.

[Selena]

I wrote a paper in high school about how Shakespeare didn't write his plays, sonnets etc. I forget who I attributed them to. Interesting to see this from a cryptography perspective.

[Elisabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I discovered this book at the National Spy Museum in Washington DC, in the cryptology exhibit. Its authors were big-shot cryptologists who for some reason decided to take on the popular myth that Shakespeare plays are riddled with encrypted messages about the plays' true (ie non-Shakespeare) authorship.

This is an entertaining read: two scientists destroy the 'science' of cultists with science and a tiny bit of snark. They don't take sides, they just lay out the facts. It's very refreshing. It's also a tiny bit depressing, given how little people listen to science in any given age. But still, it's always fun to watch a takedown.

I found some of the actual cryptology tough to follow, but definitely recommend the book for people who are into that.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like academic works written by math geeks. A 1957 book that should be read by every programmer and analyst. It will sit on my desk at work because of it's significance. It took me a long time to get through because it is so meaty and crypto is hard. We owe the Friedmans so much, I gladly stand on their shoulders and push the academic bubble ever outward.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I became a big fan of Elizebeth Friedman while reading Jason Fagone's The Woman Who Smashed Codes. So this book was a lot of fun, getting to read the Friedmans handily and sassily disprove the hidden messages claiming Francis Bacon wrote Shakespeare's works (and depending on who you ask, everyone else's writings, as well - "a group of anti-Stratfordians who claim that not only did Bacon, or some other contender, write Shakespeare, but that he produced a good portion of the rest of Elizabethan literature as well" pg. 9). It was incredible to see all of the convoluted, inconsistent, very passionate, and very confident pseudo-science that was published, supported, and built upon. The Shakespearean Ciphers Examined is dense and definitely requires some effort to get through (I quit reading it and didn't finish it until more than a year and half later); also I found some of the cryptography difficult to understand.

Some of my favorite parts:
◘ the snark: "This is the kind of remark which may well reduce the reader to a silence more stunned than admiring." or "To deduce from these enormous breathless cadences any straightforward procedure for decipherment is almost itself an exercise in cryptanalysis, and one from which any cryptologist might be expected to turn with a shudder."
◘ whenever the Friedmans found their own, equally likely solution using someone else's methods, such as the message they "found" in Julius Caesar, "Dear Reader: Theodore Roosevelt is the true author of this play but I, Bacon, stole it from him and have the credit. Friedman can prove that this is so by this cock-eyed cypher invented by Doctor C" (pg. 161) or "Cartier invit[es] the reader to examine all the solutions grammatically possible...We accepted this invitation, and found, with some dismay, this: in her damp pub[es]" (pg. 258)
◘ Marie Bauer's search for the 'Great Virginia Vault' underneath the Bruton Parish Church in Williamsburg, VA (Ch. 11).
◘ Bacon's cipher is fun and straightforward (here's the Friedmans' tombstone's cryptogram).
◘ my copy has that old book smell, which is very exciting
◘ ewld ld ike ewy bnaki aluwyc, byangdy l ucyfyc n xkik npuwnbyela dgbdelegelki, bge l qnie ek mikq lf fgegcy mnewcti ani dkpry ewld qlewkge ewy myt. npdk upyndy cynj dliow'd ewy akjy bkkm dkxyelxy dkki.