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Who Wrote Shakespeare?
Was the most famous poet and writer of all time a fraud and a plagiarist? Was Shakespeare the 'upstart crow' described by Greene as strutting in borrowed feathers, or Jonson's 'Poet-Ape' who patched plays together from others' work? Was his name merely a pseudonym for a well-known contemporary figure?
These questions have been furiously debated ever since the eighteenth century, when the writing styles of Marlowe and other playwrights were discerned in plays such as Titus Andronicus. The orthodox view is that the author of the works of Shakespeare was, of course, the actor and businessman of Stratford-upon-Avon. But the known facts about this man are surprisingly meagre, and contrast puzzlingly with the learned, courtly philosopher revealed in the Sonnets and plays - the universal genius and supreme stylist.
Respected scholars and obsessive eccentrics have devoted years to the search for evidence, and many different theories have been put forward. Some believe that the great lawyer Francis Bacon may have used the name of an obscure actor to disseminate his philosophy. Many others, including Freud, see the Earl of Oxford mirrored in Hamlet. Yet others suggest that Marlowe was not killed, as thought, in a drunken brawl, nor even in a secret service execution, but lived on to write secretly as Shakespeare.
John Michell's enthralling investigation of the many claims and counter-claims reads like a series of detective stories. He lays out the evidence and the arguments for the various candidates, not forgetting Shakespeare himself, and provides a drily humorous commentary on the research and prejudices of their champions while adding new insights of his own. By the end of the book, even the most faithful disciples of the Bard will find themselves questioning 'Who Wrote Shakespeare?'
These questions have been furiously debated ever since the eighteenth century, when the writing styles of Marlowe and other playwrights were discerned in plays such as Titus Andronicus. The orthodox view is that the author of the works of Shakespeare was, of course, the actor and businessman of Stratford-upon-Avon. But the known facts about this man are surprisingly meagre, and contrast puzzlingly with the learned, courtly philosopher revealed in the Sonnets and plays - the universal genius and supreme stylist.
Respected scholars and obsessive eccentrics have devoted years to the search for evidence, and many different theories have been put forward. Some believe that the great lawyer Francis Bacon may have used the name of an obscure actor to disseminate his philosophy. Many others, including Freud, see the Earl of Oxford mirrored in Hamlet. Yet others suggest that Marlowe was not killed, as thought, in a drunken brawl, nor even in a secret service execution, but lived on to write secretly as Shakespeare.
John Michell's enthralling investigation of the many claims and counter-claims reads like a series of detective stories. He lays out the evidence and the arguments for the various candidates, not forgetting Shakespeare himself, and provides a drily humorous commentary on the research and prejudices of their champions while adding new insights of his own. By the end of the book, even the most faithful disciples of the Bard will find themselves questioning 'Who Wrote Shakespeare?'
Hardcover
First published September 1, 1996
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About the author
John Michell
126 books70 followersJohn Frederick Carden Michell was an English writer whose key sources of inspiration were Plato and Charles Fort. His 1969 volume The View Over Atlantis has been described as probably the most influential book in the history of the hippy/underground movement and one that had far-reaching effects on the study of strange phenomena: it "put ley lines on the map, re-enchanted the British landscape and made Glastonbury the capital of the New Age."
In some 40-odd titles over five decades he examined, often in pioneering style, such topics as sacred geometry, earth mysteries, geomancy, gematria, archaeoastronomy, metrology, euphonics, simulacra and sacred sites, as well as Fortean phenomena. An abiding preoccupation was the Shakespeare authorship question. His Who Wrote Shakespeare? (1996) was reckoned by The Washington Post "the best overview yet of the authorship question."
In some 40-odd titles over five decades he examined, often in pioneering style, such topics as sacred geometry, earth mysteries, geomancy, gematria, archaeoastronomy, metrology, euphonics, simulacra and sacred sites, as well as Fortean phenomena. An abiding preoccupation was the Shakespeare authorship question. His Who Wrote Shakespeare? (1996) was reckoned by The Washington Post "the best overview yet of the authorship question."
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
March 20, 2008
Okay, as an English major/Shakespeare and History lover, I was skeptical. I had always been told that the authorship controversy "just isn't worth talking about". But this book TOTALLY changed my mind -- what a fun and fascinating mystery! At first I felt robbed of my happy little Shakespeare-idol worship; this book really wrenched my perspective out of place, and just when I had moved to Shakespeare Country, too! Nonetheless, I am very happy to have read this book and had my eyes opened to a great mystery that is a miracle and wonder in itself! I love this book.
April 9, 2024
With my background in Classics, I’m used to knowing little and less about the authors I study, only the scant mentions given by themselves and contemporaries. If the life of Shakespeare fits on a side of A4 paper, the lives of Virgil or Ovid would fit on a postcard.
Therefore, though only having a GCSE in English Lit and having only read one other biography of Shakespeare (Bill Bryson) and a single YouTube video on the authorship, this book was my (re-)introduction to the authorship controversy.
As a summary of the debate as it stood at the time of publication, it serves its purpose giving the cases for (and against) the man from Stratford, Bacon, Oxford, Marlowe and others.
One LARGE warning: some of Shakespeare’s sonnets were undoubtedly addressed to a man “the Fair Youth” and the author’s consideration of whether each candidate would have written such poets is awkward, both in trying to figure out what evidence we have of each candidate’s sexuality as well as the idea that the relationship with the Fair Youth must be pederasty, a conflation which should not be been considered even in 1996.
Therefore, though only having a GCSE in English Lit and having only read one other biography of Shakespeare (Bill Bryson) and a single YouTube video on the authorship, this book was my (re-)introduction to the authorship controversy.
As a summary of the debate as it stood at the time of publication, it serves its purpose giving the cases for (and against) the man from Stratford, Bacon, Oxford, Marlowe and others.
One LARGE warning: some of Shakespeare’s sonnets were undoubtedly addressed to a man “the Fair Youth” and the author’s consideration of whether each candidate would have written such poets is awkward, both in trying to figure out what evidence we have of each candidate’s sexuality as well as the idea that the relationship with the Fair Youth must be pederasty, a conflation which should not be been considered even in 1996.
February 21, 2016
42 WORD REVIEW:
Notwithstanding Wikipedia’s cursory dismissal of the authorship problem, Michell in this overview makes a compelling case for at least questioning the conventional attribution of Shakespeare’s works to the actor from Stratford-upon-Avon, presenting evidence for and against him and the other major candidates.
Notwithstanding Wikipedia’s cursory dismissal of the authorship problem, Michell in this overview makes a compelling case for at least questioning the conventional attribution of Shakespeare’s works to the actor from Stratford-upon-Avon, presenting evidence for and against him and the other major candidates.
November 5, 2008
Excellent presentation on the theories of Shakespeare. Written in a witty, detective style.
August 1, 2012
A good overview of the authorship question. A primer on the subject. Amusing and informative.
July 4, 2023
Absolutely fascinating. I knew the very rough outline of the controversy but never put much stock in it. But this books condenses all the different theories about the true authorship and, damn, it seems pretty unlikely it was Will Shakspeare—or at least not entirely the man from Stratford. I'm not going to summarize—read it. You won't be disappointed.
February 14, 2023
One of the best books about this controversy, presented fairly and comprehensively. As John Michell said himself, this is a beautiful subject to ponder, once you are open to it.
March 22, 2013
Ahhh, the authorship debate. So much fun (conspiracy theories are just fun to discuss are they not?). Yet not so scholarly.
I loved this book in high school, I loved challenging my teachers and saying "but the imbecile who lived in Stastford and couldn't even sign his own name the same couldn't have penned these works, sir!"
My current take on the authorship debate is a bit different. The debate rises not out of an uncertainty regarding the facts about the man born in Stastford (because historical records from the time are sparse on everyone), but rather from the fact that Shakespeare's works are so extraordinary that it's hard to fathom that ANY MIND could create them.
Does that make sense? Shakespeare is so so so good that we have a hard time comprehending how any person could write about such a wide range of topics, give life to so many extraordinary characters, and use language so eloquently. Due to this, how the hell did you do that, kind of thinking, the authorship debate was born.
I think the debate says a lot about Shakespare, but your time is better spent reading the plays than debating grassy knolls or authorship controversy. I got real caught up in it.
I loved this book in high school, I loved challenging my teachers and saying "but the imbecile who lived in Stastford and couldn't even sign his own name the same couldn't have penned these works, sir!"
My current take on the authorship debate is a bit different. The debate rises not out of an uncertainty regarding the facts about the man born in Stastford (because historical records from the time are sparse on everyone), but rather from the fact that Shakespeare's works are so extraordinary that it's hard to fathom that ANY MIND could create them.
Does that make sense? Shakespeare is so so so good that we have a hard time comprehending how any person could write about such a wide range of topics, give life to so many extraordinary characters, and use language so eloquently. Due to this, how the hell did you do that, kind of thinking, the authorship debate was born.
I think the debate says a lot about Shakespare, but your time is better spent reading the plays than debating grassy knolls or authorship controversy. I got real caught up in it.
November 10, 2020
On reading the thriller The Shakespeare Secret, I became aware of the controversy surrounding the works attributed to Shakespeare and whether they were actually written by him. Michell's book was recommended in the bibliography as the most open-minded examination of the major claimants, from Francis Bacon to the Earl of Derby, and Michell does lay out the evidence dispassionately.
December 22, 2012
Helpful overview of the different theories, this is an interesting read. But I have to agree with the author when he says unless new information turns up, we will probably never know the true identity of Shakespeare.
September 1, 2007
I enjoyed this summing up of all the major theories about the authorship of the Shakespeare plays.
November 16, 2008
Great overview of the authorship controversy. Perfect place for the uninitiated to get a quick look at the subject of Shakespearean authorship.
March 28, 2016
Shakespeare wrote Shakespeare. Duh.
May 14, 2010
Check out "Last Will. & Testament" on PBS for an excellent hour on the issue.
August 3, 2018
I love books that challenge the consensus. Blew my mind.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews