The Shakespeare Authorship Controversy

Could William Shakespeare, the country bumpkin from Stratford-upon-Avon, really be the man behind the World’s greatest ever literary texts? 400 years after his death, the Shakespeare authorship controversy continues. Many scholars simply can’t believe that William Shakespeare could have had the necessary education or life experiences to have written such complex texts–he was, after all, just the son of a glove maker in a rural town! Perhaps at the heart of the Shakespeare authorship controversy is a more philosophical debate: can you be born a genius? If you subscribe to the idea that genius is acquired, then believing that this little man from Stratford could acquire the necessary understanding of the classics, law, philosophy, and dramaturgy from a brief stint at grammar school is a stretch. Shakespeare Was Not Clever Enough! Before we begin this attack on Shakespeare, we should clearly state at the outset that there is no evidence to support these claims–in fact, the Shakespeare authorship conspiracy theories are largely based on â€Å"lack of evidence†. Shakespeare was not intelligent enough: The plays contain a deep knowledge of the classics, yet Shakespeare did not have a university education. Although he would have been introduced to the classics at grammar school, there is no official record of him attending.Where are his books?: If Shakespeare did amass knowledge independently, he would have had a large collection of books. Where are they? Where did they go? They certainly were not itemized in his will. Whilst the above may be a convincing argument, it is based on lack of evidence: records of pupils at Stratford-upon-Avon Grammar School have not survived or were not kept and the inventory part of Shakespeare’s will has been lost. Enter Edward de Vere It was not until 1920 that it was suggested that Edward de Vere was the real genius behind Shakespeare’s plays and poems. This art-loving Earl carried favor in the Royal Court, and so may have needed to use a pseudonym when writing these politically charged plays. It was also deemed socially unacceptable for a noble man to be involved with the lowly world of theater. The case for de Vere is largely circumstantial, but there are many parallels to be drawn: 14 of Shakespeare’s plays are set in Italy – the country De Vere traveled in 1575.The early poems are dedicated to Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton, who was considering marrying De Vere’s daughter.When De Vere stopped writing under his own name, Shakespeare’s texts soon appeared in print.Shakespeare was heavily influenced by Arthur Golding’s translation of Ovids Metamorphoses – and Golding lived with De Vere for a while. In The De Vere Code, Jonathan Bond reveals ciphers at work in the mysterious dedication that prefaces Shakespeare’s sonnets. In an interview with this website, Bond said, â€Å"I suggest that Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, wrote the sonnets – and the dedication at the beginning of the sonnets was a puzzle created for the recipient of the collection of poems. The ciphers fit the pattern of wordplay that was widely in evidence amongst writers during the Elizabethan era: they are simple in construction and all of immediate significance to the recipient †¦ My contention is that Edward de Vere was simply entertaining the recipient while avoiding explicitly naming himself in order to prevent a possible embarrassment over the intensely personal nature of the poems.† Marlowe and Bacon Edward de Vere is perhaps the most well-known, but not the only candidate in the Shakespeare authorship controversy. Two of the other leading candidates are Christopher Marlowe and Francis Bacon – both have strong, dedicated followers. Christopher Marlowe: When Shakespeare started writing his plays, Marlowe was killed in a brawl in a tavern. Up until that point, Marlowe was regarded as England’s best playwright. The theory is that Marlowe was a spy for the government, and his death was choreographed for political reasons. Marlowe would then have required a pseudonym to continue writing and developing his craft.Sir Francis Bacon: Cryptic ciphers were hugely popular at this time and supporters of Bacon have found many ciphers in Shakespeare’s texts concealing the identity of Bacon as the true author of Shakespeare’s plays and poems.

Literary And Social Law What Makes A Symbol Of The Human...

When one introduces themselves the first thing they tend to disclose is their name. Names are important facets of who we are; names are bestowed upon us in the first moments of our time on Earth and provide us with a sense of identity. That is why when an author decides to defy literary and social law by employing the use of a nameless protagonist, they do so with the intent to make an impact. Namelessness strips the character of the idea of individuality and makes them more of the likes of a symbol of the human experience. The lack of a name intensifies the character s quest to find an identity in a world that has denied them of one or that has tried to control who they are. Without a name the character is presented to us as nobody or†¦show more content†¦God was named, and yet was not named, for the title given could not be said. Sacks explains the reasoning behind this: â€Å"If God had a commonplace proper name, He would merely be distinguished from other deities. Being the one true God, His name is sacred and unutterable.† (Sacks). While a name incapable of being said is used to display holiness in the case of the early Bible, a different kind of â€Å"none name† is used in the original forms of fairy tales in order to display the unique situations each protagonist is in. Before Walt Disney, Sleeping Beauty was referred to as just Sleeping Beauty, The Little Mermaid as just the Little Mermaid, and so on, â€Å"...thus facilitating projections and identification.† explains Sacks. Today, works use namelessness for a wide array of reasons. The technique is often used to â€Å"when modern writers wish to set their tales outside of time† and is â€Å"an increasingly familiar trait in the fiction of exile, in which immigrants acquire new titles to suit new lives.†(Sacks). The use of nameless characters has been found throughout time and within various genres because of the fluidity of the technique. Namelessness can be molded to fit so many situations and reinforce the meaning of a work that it is almost definitive and will continue to be. In How To Read Literature Like a Professor, Thomas C.Show MoreRelatedHawthorne s The Scarlet Letter872 Words   |  4 Pages Hawthorne’s novel, The Scarlet Letter, is a wonderful piece of writing that thoroughly analyzes the critiques and flaws of early Puritan society. Many enjoyable factors are present, including the heavy and enlightening use of symbols to develop Hawthorne’s revolutionary viewpoint as well as the strong portrayal of the characters that challenges ideas of the time. However, the book also has some flaws; most notable including the fact that the writing is an archaic writing style and thus is difficultRead MoreYolo1583 Words   |  7 PagesSan Beda College, a Catholic educational institution, is committed to the Christian formation of the Bedan Community as its service to the Church, the Philippine society, and the world. 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Civil War Gettysburg Essay Example For Students

Civil War Gettysburg Essay By late afternoon, on the 2nd July, 1863, after fierce hand to hand fighting, Major General John B. Hoods 3rd Divisions flanking attack on Big Round Top had been successful. Meade realising the lack of troops on the Round Tops had rushed the 1st Maine to try to thwart Jackson who having let Hood bypass Sickles force in the Peach Orchard caught way out in front of the main Union lines and seize the Top (s). Sickle was outflanked and held by Laws Brigade leaving only the 1st Maine to take the brunt of the killing power of the massed Confederate infantry. Colonel Chamberlain, commanding was killed in the first volley and whatever morale the Union troops retained was soon broken. It was over in less than ten minutes, the remnants of the Federal forces streamed back to the relative safety of their main line on Cemetery Ridge. Hood sent reports of the securing of the Tops to Jackson.ThomasStonewall Jackson had assumed command of the Army of Northern Virginia after Robert E.Lee was wounded by a stray shell late on the afternoon of the 1st. Though not serious, General Lee had shrapnel wounds to both legs and concussion and command had passed to his deputy, Jackson. Jackson sent for Lieutenant-General Longstreet and ordered him to get his artillery onto the Tops and commence bombardment of Meades forces. Cabells Battalion of Artillery is despatched to Big Round Top and commences an immediate cannonade. Alexander has despatched half his cannon to assist and by 7.00pm 67 cannon are belching their deadly breath down on Cemetery Ridge. In the pitch dark lit only by the shell bursts of the Confederate fire the Union troops mill about in panic. Orders are countermandered , duplicated and totally confused as officers try to keep their various charges in check. The casualty toll is becoming horrendous and more and more troops are trying to flee the field. Unfortunately, in the dark they have little sense of direction and hundreds are going from one field of slaughter to another as Ewell has his men on battle stations on the right flank. Those fleeing forward rush into Picketts command . At 10 pm the bombardment ceases as the Rebel artillerists realise they are running low on ready supplies of shells. Though they would not realise until morning that the battle was won, they had done the damage with their evening fusilade. Stuart coming back with his cavalry from wherever early on the morning of the 3rd realised he was riding into a Union rabble instead of an army raised his hat high, cheered and ordered his men to charg e . For the retreating , shattered Federal forces the sight of Rebel cavalry was too much. Throwing arms, equipment and anything else that hindered they broke and ran in every direction . The Yankee High Command watched in horror as from seemingly out of nowhere the wild, whooping Confederate cavalry bore down on them before they could react. Meade, Sickles, Sykes, Sedgewick, Slocum, Warren and a host of lesser generals were prisoners inside an hour along with several thousand of the Federal Army of the Potomac. The only leading Union players to escape capture were Hancock (wounded on the 1st and already back in Washington, Howard who had kept his nerve had organised his retreating x1 Corps in good order with Pleasantons remaining cavalry including Gregg and Kilpatrick and thereby saved half of his artillery as well. Buford whose troopers had borne the brunt on the 1st and had been on the road to Washington when the disaster began was already clear of the debacle. .ueb7b1823b763babe3c9122d1d0ba72f5 , .ueb7b1823b763babe3c9122d1d0ba72f5 .postImageUrl , .ueb7b1823b763babe3c9122d1d0ba72f5 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ueb7b1823b763babe3c9122d1d0ba72f5 , .ueb7b1823b763babe3c9122d1d0ba72f5:hover , .ueb7b1823b763babe3c9122d1d0ba72f5:visited , .ueb7b1823b763babe3c9122d1d0ba72f5:active { border:0!important; } .ueb7b1823b763babe3c9122d1d0ba72f5 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ueb7b1823b763babe3c9122d1d0ba72f5 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ueb7b1823b763babe3c9122d1d0ba72f5:active , .ueb7b1823b763babe3c9122d1d0ba72f5:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ueb7b1823b763babe3c9122d1d0ba72f5 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ueb7b1823b763babe3c9122d1d0ba72f5 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ueb7b1823b763babe3c9122d1d0ba72f5 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ueb7b1823b763babe3c9122d1d0ba72f5 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ueb7b1823b763babe3c9122d1d0ba72f5:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ueb7b1823b763babe3c9122d1d0ba72f5 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ueb7b1823b763babe3c9122d1d0ba72f5 .ueb7b1823b763babe3c9122d1d0ba72f5-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ueb7b1823b763babe3c9122d1d0ba72f5:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Herbert George Wells English Author And Political Philosopher, Most Fa EssayMajor-General Oliver Howard had surpassed himself in leadership and had gathered several lesser luminaries plus their commands and had reached the Pipe-Line Creek with 10,000 troops and was leading an unmolested, orderly retreat towards Washington. This was the only bright light for the Union, news had already reached Washington and the Government was in a frenzy as they tried to pack and flee the Capital all at the same time with the SPECTRE of Lee, Jackson and their bloodythirsty hordes on everyones lips and minds. At that moment back in Gettysburg Jackson sitting beside Robert E. Lees sickbed was reporting on the actions of the 2nd and the overwhelming victory thay had achieved. Jackson had ordered Longstreet to organise the army with the intention of following the Union hordes into Washington. Lee was attempting to advise caution but Jackson smelled blood and would not be swayed. By midday the Army of Northern Virginia was ready to march on Washington, Jackson in his battered faray cap and threadbare uniform looking like any of his ragtag, starving, weary army at their head began the march on the Federal Capital.

Judicial Activism free essay sample

6 Judicial Activism in India Chief Justice P. N. Bhagwat Last fall the Law School was honored by a visit (rom Indian Chief]ustice Praiullachand Natwarlal Bhagwat. Justice Bhagwat came as the guest of Prof Marc Galanter, himself an expert on Indian law and a consultant to the Indian government in the Bhopal disaster. Bhagwati is the 17th chief Justice of the Indian Supreme court, and follows his father as a Justice of that court. India Today called Bhagwati, †conscious disciple of Felix Frankfurter, Learned Hand and the whole galaxy of activist Judges who helped fght color bar and segregation laws in the US. uring the 30s. In this article, adapted (rom a speech he gave while here, Justice Bhagwat discusses his concept of Judicial activism, with its implications for this country as well as India. I have the privilege to speak to you on the subject of Judicial activism in India. XLll, April-June 1997, p. 9. 7. Dey, Bata K. , Defining Good Governance, Indian Journal of Public Administration , Vol. 44, July-Sept 1998, p. 412. 8. lyer, V. R. Krishna, Judicial Activism and Administrative Autonomy, The Administrator, Vol. XLll, April-June 1997, p. l . 9. Madon, D. P. , Conference Paper, the Third International Conference of Appellate Judges, p. 207 at p. 209. 10. MaJeed, Akhtar, Grey Areas of Indian Federalism, Indian Journal of Federal Studies, Vol. l of 2005, p. 152. 11 . Menon, N. R. Madhava, Can Judicial Activism Contribute to a Responsive and Responsible Administration? , The Administrator, Vol. XLll, April-June 1997, p. 25. 12. Mishra, Yatish, Extra governmental organizations and good governance, Indian Journal of Public Administration, Vol. 44, July-Sept 1998, p. 609. 13. Nair, Chettur Sankaran, Judicial Activism: Its Relevancy, Administrator, Vol. XLII, April-June, p. 141. 14. Palkhiwala, Nan, Role of Judiciary: Government by the Judiciary, CMLJ, vol. 31, oct-Dec 1995, P193. 1 5. Prasad, P. S. V. , Judicial Activism: Its Implications for Public Administration, Administrator, Vol. XLII, April-June, p. 3. 16. Rao, V. Nageswara, Judicial Activism and Administrative Authorities in India in Retrospect and Prospect,