Edward de Vere: The Real Greatest Writer of the English Language
Time shall unfold what plighted cunning hides:
Who cover faults, at last shame them derides
- King Lear.
The Shakespeare authorship debate has been questioned since the mid 19th
century. It is a theory that has been put forward by many, challenging that
William Shakespeare (see figure 1) may not be the bard that truly wrote all 37
plays and 154 sonnets supposedly authored by him. Numerous speculations and
candidates have been suggested as the true authors; these include Francis
Bacon, Christopher Marlowe, William Stanley, Ben Jonson, Thomas Middleton,
Sir Walter Raleigh, Mary Sidney Herbert, even Queen Elizabeth I. However the
two most probable contenders of the authorship remain to be William
Shakespeare himself and Edward De Vere (see figure 2). De Vere was the 17th
Earl of Oxford, and since the 1920’s been the most favored anti-Stratfordian
nominee proposed. If what Oxfordians believe is true, then as a society we have
been denied the truth since the Elizabethan Era. There is substantial evidence to
prove that De Vere is the true Bard and deny William Shakespeare the write to
the title of the Greatest Writer of the English Language.
Discovery of the Oxford Theory:
The Oxfordian Theory was first established by an English
school teacher named John Thomas Looney. Looney
wrote a book entitled ‘Shakespeare Identified’ (see figure
3), which claims that Edward De Vere was the true author
of Shakespeare’s works. He also proposes that
Shakespeare’s education and literacy were not of the
standard of that of a successful writer. The teacher has
since been supported by many, and has lead to numerous
books confirming the Oxfordian Theory. For example,
Joseph Sobran’s book ‘Alias Shakespeare: Solving the
Greatest Literary Mystery of All Time’. who puts forward
parallel’s between De Vere and the characters of the plays and sonnets.
Education and Illiteracy:
William Shakespeare was not part of the Aristocracy, and it is doubtful that as a
child he received a level of education high enough to produce the plays of the
standard that he did and that contained knowledge of the royal courts and how
they worked. Furthermore there are no specific records relating to education or
his attendance at school for William Shakespeare. It is also known that
Shakespeare’s own father was illiterate as well as his daughter Judith.
Confirming Judith Quincey’s illiteracy, for her marriage certificate the priest wrote
her name for her having her only initial it (see figure 4). This speculates
Shakespeare’s ability to write and provide information on the stories and
historical events that occurred in his plays.
Therefore, it is more likely for someone to write these plays if they were highly
educated and new the workings and histories of the royal court. A person who
grew up in a family line of Earls and Countess. Someone who received education
in the household of none other than the Principal Secretary of the Queen
Elizabeth I (see figure 5) herself and who graduated from Cambridge University
at the age of 14. Someone who studied law and own an extensive library.
Someone like Edward De Vere.
Parallels Between De Vere’s life and Shakespeare’s Plays:
William Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets contain many similarities to Edward De
Vere’s biography and his own poems. Within the 37 plays of Shakespeare, there
are a profound amount of correspondences that occur between the characters of
the plays and sonnets to the people of De Vere’s life. Hamlet, for example, is an
autobiographical character of Edward De Vere himself - Close studies have
discovered that when De Vere’s father died his mother married to his father’s
rival similar to Hamlet’s storyline. Furthermore, Edward De Vere’s own father-inlaw, William Cecil, is said to be parodied in Hamlet as Polonius - in the play
Hamlet calls Polonius ‘a tedious old fool’.
The events of Shakespeare’s play can also be related to the events of De Vere’s
life. An example of this is in the play Henry IV, which has a section with Prince
Hal playing practical jokes on unlucky travelers on the same road that De Vere
and his friends did routinely. Also De Vere’s secret meetings with Anne
Vavasour resulted in many street fights between De Vere’s men and the Knyvet
clan - similar to the street fights between the Montagues and the Capulets in
Romeo and Juliet. Another event includes the marriage of his sister, Mary De
Vere (known for her high temper and snarky attitude), to Peregrine Bertie (a hard
talking and renown drinker. Whose relationship has been supposedly ridiculed in
Taming of the Shrew and Twelfth Night.
Travels
Moreover, It has been proven that Edward De Vere has travelled around Italy
during the 1570s.He had lived there and taken a year long tour of Italy. It is from
there that he would have gained the knowledge about the scenery and ways of
living in foreign countries. Furthermore, creating a strong setting for plays such
as The Merchant of Venice, Romeo and Juliet, and Othello.
De Vere’s Bible
Roger Stritmatter conducted a study in the late 1990s on the notes found in De
Vere’s Geneva Bible. Stritmatter discovered that the passages pointed out had
been referenced in Shakespeare’s plays either as quotes, themes, or allusions.
He found about 260 marked passages relating to the plays and sonnets.
De Vere’s Family Connections to People Involved in Shakespeare’s Works
 Lord Burghley (William Cecil) was his father-in-law - who is said to have the
character of Polonius from Hamlet based upon him.
 His daughter was engaged to the Earl of Southampton, Henry Wriothesley the inspiration for the ‘Fair Youth’ within the Sonnets.
 His uncle was Arthur Golding - the Ovid translator
 His other uncle was Henry Howard, the Earl of Surrey - the inventor of the
Shakespearian sonnet form.
 The Earl of Southampton, Montgomery, and Pembroke - All received
dedications from Shakespeare’s works, proposed to his three daughters.
Arguments Against Other Candidates:
Francis Bacon He had no time to write plays.
 His own writings had a lower standard than
Shakespeare’s works.
 He did not understand legal concepts well
enough.
Christopher Marlowe He died in 1593 - all the plays were wrote and
published after his death.
 He had little in common with William
Shakespeare.
William Stanley There are only two documents that make his claim
to the title of the authorship and they are weak
and irrelevant.
 Also he lived past the date of Shakespeare’s
death and the publishing of the First Folio.
Other Facts:
 Edward De Vere was a lease holder to the Blackfriars Theatre - a rival to
the Globe Theatre (see figure 6).
 Many believe that De Vere hired Shakespeare to take credit for his work
due to the fact that as part of the Aristocracy he would be looked down
upon for writing.
 Others believe that De Vere took on the name William Shakespeare as a
pen name.
 There was a movie created to support the Orford Theory, called
Anonymous (see figure 7).
In Conclusion, in answer to the Shakespeare Authorship Question I believe that
Edward De Vere is the obvious true author. The substantial evidence proving his
higher education level and connections of similarities in events and people in his
life and the plays and sonnets. Moreover, I believe that William Shakespeare was
not the true author of his works due to his illiteracy and low education.
Additionally, I am convinced that all other candidates for this debate have been
proven to not be involved in the authorship. Furthermore, if I were to investigate
the Oxfordian Theory more extensively, I would find out more reasons as to why
De Vere had Shakespeare to credit for his work. I would also investigate more
into Shakespeare and De Vere’s relationships with the Queen and the histories.
References
>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_de_Vere,_17th_Earl_of_Oxford< (20 May
2012)
>http://www.william-shakespeare.org.uk/< (20 May 2012)
>http://shakespeareauthorship.com/< (27 May 2012)
>http://www.bardweb.net/debates.html< (28 May 2012)
>http://www.absoluteshakespeare.com< (28 May 2012)
>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxfordian_theory_of_Shakespeare_authorship< (1
June 2012)
>http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/436467/Edward-de-Vere-17th-earlof-Oxford< (3 June 2012)
>http://www.shakespeare-oxford.com/?p=10< (3 June 2012)
>http://www.luminarium.org/renlit/devere.htm< (3 June 2012)
>http://www.shakespearefellowship.org/etexts/si/00.htm< (3 June 2012)
>http://www.biography.com/people/edward-de-vere-38777< (3 June 2012)
Looney, J. T. (1920). Shakespeare Identified. London: Stokes Co.
Sobran M. J. (1997). Alias Shakespeare: Solving the Greatest Literary Mystery of
All Time. America: Free Press.
Anonymous. DVD. Directed by Roland Emmerich. 28 October 2011: Columbia
Pictures.