Does de Vere's biography support the notion that he was Shakespeare?
Does de Vere's biography support the notion that he was Shakespeare?
Great amounts of proof exist explaining why de Vere couldn't possibly be
the "mysterious author" of the Shakespearean literature. For
example, to be labeled an actor or playwright in Elizabethan times was
socially inappropriate and embarrassing to the high social elite. In the
17th Century, skills and knowledge possessed by theatrical workers were
spectacular, even when to compared to dramas today. On the other hand,
the royalty and upper classes viewed the people in theatres as inferior
and essential only for entertainment. Therefore, it would be a disgrace
to write plays and would eventually jeopardize de Vere's family name.
Oxfordians state chances are that de Vere used "William Shakespeare"
as a pen name for the plays and sonnets. If possible, de Vere did this
to conceal his real name with a pseudonym. Thus, de Vere preserved his
family's reputation and gained the wide acceptance of audiences across
Europe for his material without anyone knowing about his talent. On the
contrary, this theory is incorrect due to one particular reason. Unbeknownst
to many, de Vere wrote and published several poems in his name. Oxfordians
will forget to mention this fact in order to persuade and coerce believers
into their nonsense. So why would de Vere attach his names to these poems
and not the works of "William Shakespeare"? If people knew de
Vere wrote several poems already, then surely he wouldn't care what their
opinion of him was. Thus, he should have attached his name to the Shakespearean
works like Hamlet and King Lear, too.
Furthermore, de Vere spent all of his life among the royalty and upper
classes. de Vere held numerous positions in the courts and government ranks.
Early in his life de Vere served in the courts of London and soon was proclaimed
Governor of Jersey. Shortly thereafter he became the President of Wales.
Finally, one year before his death in 1603, de Vere was awarded a seat
in the Royal Privy Council. Many of the plays attributed to "Shakespeare"
concern court life and the lives of royalty. However, there is no way de
Vere could have written the many plays with all of the time he served in
the courts and working in the government for his constituents. de Vere
did know a lot about royal life, but the real William Shakespeare of Stratford-upon-Avon
didn't need the knowledge of royalty and court: all playwrights of day
wrote of them because they played before them. Hence, William Shakspere
is the real "William Shakespeare." Although he didn't lead a
life among royalty he performed for them at plays. Consequently, Shakespeare
had the potential to be a master playwright since he worked for famous
theatre companies like Lord Chamberlain's Men and the King's Men.
--Jason M. Whitaker
Sources:
Michell, John F. Who Wrote Shakespeare? New York: Thames &
Hudson, 1996. 27, 163-165.
Matus, Irvin Leigh. Shakespeare, In Fact. New York: Continuum, 1994.
82-83.
"Uncovering William Shakespeare: An Update." PBS Video, 1992.
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