Use the Internet information linked below to answer the basic questions of who? what? where? when? why? and how? Be creative in exploring the information so that you answer these questions as fully and insightfully as you can.
1. What is the Shakespeare authorship problem?
The problem is that it is highly unlikely that Shakespeare's works could have been composed by the person to whom they are traditionally assigned. The other problem is that the qualifications necessary for the true author of these works are more adequately realized in the person of Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, than in the many other candidates proposed in the last two hundred years.
2. What literary, cultural, and political figures doubt that Shakespeare was the sole author of the work?
Charles Francis Topham de Vere Beauclerk, the Earl of Burford and direct descendant of Edward de Vere (1550-1604), the 17th Earl of Oxford are doubters that Shakespeare is the sole author of the work.
3. Make a chronological history of the doubts that surround the authorship of the Shakespearean canon.
0. Titus Andronicus - Q1 1594, Q2 1600, Q3 1611, all with the author unnamed.
0. Henry VI Part 2 - Q1 1594, Q2 1600, both with the author unnamed, Q3 1619 by William Shakespeare, Gent.
0. Henry VI Part 3 - Q1 1595, Q2 1600, both with the author unnamed.
0. Romeo and Juliet - Q1 1597, Q2 1599, Q3 1609, all with the author unnamed.
0. Richard II - Q1 1597 with the author unnamed, Q2 1598, Q3 1598, Q4 1608, Q5 1615, all by William Shake-speare.
0. Richard III - Q1 1597 with the author unnamed, Q2 1598 by William Shake-speare, Q3 1602 by William Shakespeare, Q4 1605, Q5 1612, Q6 1622, all by William Shake-speare.
0. Love's Labor's Lost - Q1 1598 by W. Shakespeare.
0. Henry IV Part 1 - Q1 1598 with the author unnamed, Q2 1599, Q3 1604, Q4 1608, Q5 1613, all by W. Shake-speare.
0. Midsummer Night's Dream - Q1 1600, Q2 1619, both by William Shakespeare.
0. Merchant of Venice - Q1 1600 by William Shakespeare, Q2 1619 by W. Shakespeare.
0. Henry IV Part 2 - Q1 1600 by William Shakespeare.
0. Much Ado About Nothing - Q1 1600 by William Shakespeare.
0. Henry V - Q1 1600, Q2 1602, Q3 1619, all with the author unnamed.
0. Merry Wives of Windsor - Q1 1602 by William Shakespeare, Q2 1619 by W. Shakespeare.
0. Hamlet - Q1 1603 by William Shake-speare, Q2 by William Shakespeare.
0. King Lear - Q1 1608 by M. William Shak-speare, Q2 1619 by M. William Shake-speare.
0. Pericles - Q1 1609, Q2 1609, Q3 1611, all by William Shakespeare, Q4 1619 by W. Shakespeare.
0. Troilus and Cressida - Q1 1609 by William Shakespeare.
- Most of these plays and sonnets that are written have unnamed authors. This is disproving the fact that Shakespeare wrote the plays because there is no proof that he wrote anything. It could be him or it could be someone else.
4. Now do the same for the doubts surrounding the Stratfordian attribution.
(1564-1616)- There is no reference during the lifetime of Shakepere of Stratford.
(1605)- In the list of Stratford Worthies of 1605 Camden omits the Stratford man's name, even though Camden had previously passed on Shakspere's application for a family coat of arms.
(1623)-The first memorial verse to "Shakespeare" appears in the 1623 Folio.
(1623)- The 1623 Folio lists 'William Shakespeare" at the head of "...the Principall Actors in all these Playes."
5. Consider the logic/illogic of each position and evaluate the effectiveness of each argument.
De Vere- The events in Hamlet are similar to the events that occurred I his actual life. In some the plays there were no known authors, so saying that he wrote or didn�t write it would be an Appeal to Ignorance fallacy.
Marlowe- He was an atheist so there for he couldn�t have written the plays due to the fact that all of the plays involved god. Marlowe and the Shakespearean had a common vocabulary but this doesn�t prove that he writer the writings.
Shakespeare- His name was signed on a majority of the plays and sonnets. His name was misspelled a couple of times so this doesn�t mean that he didn�t write them.
6. Make a list of the six contenders for the authorship question. Then add to each as much significant evidence that is presented.
Francis Bacon, Christopher Marlowe, Edward De Vere, William Stanley, Earl of Derby; Ben Johnson; Thomas Middleton; Sir Walter Raleigh (with or without collaboration by Francis Bacon); and even Queen Elizabeth I herself.
PHASE 2
Shakespeare wrote Shakespeare
1. How is the spelling and pronunciation of Shakespeare's name important to investigate?
The spelling and pronunciation is extremely important in order to claim that Shakespeare wrote Shakespeare. If someone other than Shakespeare were to write his name, he would most likely spell it differently and/or pronounce it differently.
2. What are the Oxfordian claims that Shakespeare is responsible for everything he produced? Can these claims be refuted?
Oxfordians claim that there is an active conspiracy among orthodox scholars to suppress pro-Oxford evidence and keep it from the attention of the general public.
3. Why is it important to preserve the authorship status of William Shakespeare?
It is important to preserve the authorship status of William Shakespeare because, in my opinion, there is enough evidence to show that he wrote he own plays / stories, and one should be credited for his or her accomplishments.
4. What is the most convincing evidence that leads us to believe that Shakespeare, did in fact, write Shakespeare?
One of the most obvious facts that Shakespeare wrote his own works was that, simply enough, his name is signed on his plays and poems. Also, he was an actor in the company that performed these plays. Lastly, William Shakespeare of Statford-upon-Avon, the actor and Globe-sharer, was the playwright and poet of William Shakespeare. Also, no one in his era ever doubted that someone else would even think of writing his work.
5. What type of logic/illogic is used to support the claims you investigated?
Most of the claims I propose are very logical. It is a simple fact that Shakespeare signed his own work. It is illogical to think that someone else would do this for him. Most evidence is quite simple, and thusly very logical.