8-5Authorship

WHAT IS THE AUTHORSHIP CONTROVERSY? //Answer prepared by: John S// The authorship controversy is the question of whether or not Shakespeare wrote his plays. What if he didn’t actually write the plays? One of the problems about Shakespeare that might be controversy is that “ he lacks the background, and education to write such astounding lyrics.” The Elizabethan Authors Group. “His plays have a depth and a magnitude so great that only a university-educated man of high status could have.” As a matter of fact, his parents and daughters were probably illiterate, let alone able to send him to a university. So how would he be able to write such great poems and plays? Did he have some sort of assistant that took Shakespeare’s words and twisted then and gave them meaning? There is actually more evidence that said Shakespeare didn’t write his work then there is that he did.  Very little biographical information exists about him and, although much has been inferred from his writings, this lack of solid information leaves a mysterious figure. So we don’t know if he did belong to a higher class with better education or if he just had magnificent natural talent. Enotes.com stats “While some scholar’s reject all alternative candidates, interest in the authorship debate has grown, particularly among independent scholars, theatre professionals and some academicians.”   Works Cited Brazil, Robert. "The Shakespeare Problem ." //Elizabethan Authors//. 2002. Web.16 Apr 2009. .

Lee, Michelle. "The Authorship Controversy." //enotes//. 2006. Web.20 Apr 2009. .