The Great Authorship Debate Premise: William Shakespeare is arguably the most celebrated and studied author of all time. He has been praised for creating timeless plot lines (although often copied), complex and interesting characters, and for exhibiting an unparalleled gift for language. However, some argue that it would have been impossible for the man from Stratford-upon-Avon to accomplish such literary feats. One argument against the Shakespeare we have come to know is that a man of relatively low social standing would not have had the experiences necessary in areas such as courtly practices, military strategy, language(s), and travel. (Shakespeare’s father was a glover). However, someone wrote the works that are considered, by some, the jewel of the literary canon, and scholarly groups have been making conjectures as to the real author’s identity for hundreds of years. You will now become one of these scholars. Tasks: 1. You will choose one of the people below who are reputed as possibly responsible for Shakespeare’s works. Keep in mind that if one of these people wrote the works, it was under a pen name. Please use the websites provided to research the scholarly information/studies that have been done for your “suspect.” Upon completion of your research you must make a determination as to whether or not this person, was indeed, responsible for writing Shakespeare’s works. This will become your thesis. You will be responsible for properly citing all research, so make notations as necessary throughout your research process. 2. Write a five paragraph essay based on the determination obtained through your research. The essay should contain all of the structural elements found in a five paragraph essay: intro with hook and thesis (no author, title), 3 paragraphs, properly organized, which prove your thesis, and a conclusion paragraph. 3. A works cited page giving credit to which of the provided sites you chose to use. Possible Suspects: Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford: This contemporary of Shakespeare has been strongly advanced since the 1930s as the true author of Shakespeare's plays. A welleducated and well-traveled nobleman of Queen Elizabeth I's court, de Vere has been championed by the author Charlton Ogburn using parallels of the Earl's life with material from the plays—for instance, noting similarities between Polonius of Hamlet and the Earl's guardian, William Cecil. The Earl of Oxford apparently stopped his literary pursuits at an early age—unless, as Ogburn postulates, the Earl continued writing under the pen name of William Shakespeare. Francis Bacon, Philosopher and Writer: Bacon has been a traditional favorite of the anti-Stratford camp, and retains a high place on the list of potential candidates. Bacon proponents point toward Bacon's learning, his correspondences and memoirs (most notably, his notebook, Promus), as well as ciphers and other coincidences. Although Bacon was an undisputed man of letters, his style and expression vary greatly from that of Shakespeare's works. Bacon also produced such a voluminous output of his own, it's hard to conceive of him finding spare time enough to produce the quality output of work attributed to the Bard. Christopher Marlowe, Playwright: Marlowe would be the ultimate ghost writer, as he was stabbed to death in a tavern brawl in 1593. However, there are those that say Marlowe really didn't die; according to some, he was actually an occasional spy in the employ of the Crown. This eventually necessitated a fake death, after which Marlowe went on for an undetermined number of years penning poetry and plays under the nom de plume of Shakespeare. The Man from Stratford-upon-Avon: Although some argue that there is no possible way that this man could have been responsible for the works due to the issues presented above, there is also a strong camp that vehemently defends that he is the true author. There are large parts of this man’s life which remain a mystery, and these scholars propose that the necessary knowledge to write the works was obtained during these lost years. Research: Please go to htpp://del.icio.us/linkasaurus/Shakespeare You will find links that you will use for your research. Please note that if there is a link off of one provided, that too IS acceptable. If you want to use resources other than the ones provided, you must fill out the attached submission sheet prior to the due date to receive approval. The new resource must be included in your works cited. The approved submission sheet must also be turned in with your final draft. Submission Sheet Date: The web resource I want to use is: The print resource I want to use is: Approval: