Infographic Template Galleries

Created with Fabric.js 1.4.5 7 2 4 3 5 8 Parents were illiterate Moved to London No explanation 6 different authors No mention of unpublished plays Death will Without consent Including children The Authorship of William Shakespeare By: Asael Nunez 6 Copied plots from authors Entire family was illterate Plays still published Born into illiterate family Never earned education No supporting evidence 1 Variance in signatures 6 differenent names 1 3 4 5 6 2 7 William Shakespeare is accredited with writing one of the most famous plays in English literature, The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. However, the play was originally written by Luigi da Porto and modified by four different authors before it was ever published by Shakespeare. Luigi da Porto, an Italian writer, published a play in 1535 entitled La Giuletta, which translates into The Juliet in English. Another Italian writer, Matteo Bandello modified the general plot of da Porto’s play and published his version in 1554 (Shakespeare & Hudson, 1887, p. 3). Bandello inserted the role of the humorous nurse. He also enhanced the romance of the play by adding kissing and marriage (Lehmann, 2014, p. 17). Although Bandello added a few modifications, his play was still very similar to da Porto’s play (Lehmann, 2014, p. 18). The play was then met by French author, Francois de Belleforest. Belleforest’s version was almost an exact replica of Bandello’s. In 1562, Arthur Brooke published the earliest English version, The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet. However, he informs the readers in the play’s introduction that the play had already been performed on stage. William Paynter then published Palace of Pleasure in 1567. Paynter’s play was merely a direct translation of Belleforest’s French into English (Shakespeare & Hudson, 1887, p. 4). The final version of the play was written by none other than William Shakespeare. His famous play, The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, was published in 1597 and copies most of the general elements of Brooke’s play (Shakespeare & Hudson, 1887, p. 5). He slightly modified the play and received all of the credit for its success, leaving no mention of the original authors. 8 William Shakespeare is accredited with writing one of the most famous plays in English literature, The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. However, the play was originally written by Luigi da Porto and modified by four different authors before it was ever published by Shakespeare. Luigi da Porto, an Italian writer, published a play in 1535 entitled La Giuletta, which translates into The Juliet in English. Another Italian writer, Matteo Bandello modified the general plot of da Porto’s play and published his version in 1554 (Shakespeare & Hudson, 1887, p. 3). Bandello inserted the role of the humorous nurse. He also enhanced the romance of the play by adding kissing and marriage (Lehmann, 2014, p. 17). Although Bandello added a few modifications, his play was still very similar to da Porto’s play (Lehmann, 2014, p. 18). The play was then met by French author, Francois de Belleforest. Belleforest’s version was almost an exact replica of Bandello’s. In 1562, Arthur Brooke published the earliest English version, The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet. However, he informs the readers in the play’s introduction that the play had already been performed on stage. William Paynter then published Palace of Pleasure in 1567. Paynter’s play was merely a direct translation of Belleforest’s French into English (Shakespeare & Hudson, 1887, p. 4). The final version of the play was written by none other than William Shakespeare. His famous play, The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, was published in 1597 and copies most of the general elements of Brooke’s play (Shakespeare & Hudson, 1887, p. 5). He slightly modified the play and received all of the credit for its success, leaving no mention of the original authors. "Romeo and Juliet" was actually published by five otherauthors, Luigi da Porto, Matteo Bandello, Francois de Belleforest, Arthur Brooke, and William Paynter before Shakespeare ever published his version (Shakespeare & Hudson, 1887; Lehmann, 2014).As Burrow (2013) has noted, Enobarbus’s description of Cleopatra’s meeting with Antony “… is, famously, a very close versification of North’s Plutarch, and takes many phrases directly from its source” (p. 208). William Shakespeare is accredited with writing one of the most famous plays in English literature, "The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet". However, the play was originally written by Luigi da Porto and modified by four different authors before it was ever published by Shakespeare. ""The Lives" provide the main sources for Julius Caesar in 1599 … through Antony and Cleopatra (1606 -7), and Coriolanus (1608)” (p. 202). As Burrow (2013) has noted, Enobarbus’s description of Cleopatra’s meeting with Antony “… is, famously, a very close versification of North’s Plutarch, and takes many phrases directly from its source” (p. 208). His father and mother were illiterate. Therefore, Shakespeare could have also been illiterate (Dobson & Wells (Eds.), 2001; Hauser, 1959). The wife of Shakespeare, Anne Hathaway, was illiterate as well. In fact, it is quite possible that she never read any of Shakespeare’s work (Callaghan, 2012, Writing section).His own two daughters were illiterate too. Despite being raised in Stratford by Anne Hathaway and William Shakespeare, Judith and Susanna Shakespeare never learned how to read or write. No documents or records have been found to prove Shakespeare’s attendance at Oxford University, Cambridge University, or any other education system in general (Hauser, 1959, p. 705). His death will referenced monetary and physical gifts that were to be given to his family, but nowhere did it mention his unpublished plays (“William Shakespeare - source 1 - The National Archives,” n.d.). In the middle of the 1580’s, Shakespeare embarked on a suspicious relocation from Stratford to London. The motives for Shakespeare’s move are unknown. The precise date of his move is uncertain, but it is predicted to have occurred during his later teenage years or early twenties. His means of transportation are unknown as well (Greenblatt, 2010, p. 150). Intriguingly, he also deserted his whole family just to live in London. Shakespeare would eventually write all of his works in London. On 15 of 32 title pages of his plays, Shakespeare is hyphenated “Shake-speare”. This hyphenated name is believed to be a pseudonym for the real author of the plays (Matus, 2012, p.28). His six different signatures included: Willm Shakp, William Shaksper, Wm Shakspe, William Shakspere, Willm Shakspere, and William Shakspeare (Thompson & More, 1916, p. 4). *each claim expalined in detail below In the middle of the 1580’s, Shakespeare embarked on a suspicious relocation from Stratford to London. The motives for Shakespeare’s move are unknown. The precise date of his move is uncertain, but it is predicted to have occurred during his later teenage years or early twenties. His means of transportation are unknown as well (Greenblatt, 2010, p. 150). Intriguingly, he also deserted his whole family just to live in London. Shakespeare would eventually write all of his works in London. Bate, J. (1998). "The Genius of Shakespeare". London, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press.Burrow, C. (2013). "Shakespeare and Classical Antiquity". Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press.Callaghan, D. (2012). "Who Was William Shakespeare: An Introduction to the Life and Works". Chichester, United Kingdom: John Wiley & Sons.Dobson, M., & Wells, S. (Eds.). (2001). "The Oxford Companion to Shakespeare". New York, NY: Oxford University Press.Greenblatt, S. (2010). "Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare". United States of America: W. W. Norton & Company.Greg, W. (1903). "The Bibliographical History of the First Folio". Cambridge, MA: Harvard University.Hauser, J. (1959). "The Shakespearean Controversy: A Stratfordian Rejoiner". ABA Journal, 45(7), 124-124.Lehmann, C. (2014). "Screen Adaptations: Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet: The Relationship between Text and Film". New York, NY: Bloomsbury Publishing.Matus, I. (2012). "Shakespeare, in Fact" (T. Mann, Ed.). Courier Dover Publications.Shakespeare, W., & Hudson, H. (1887). "Romeo and Juliet: With Introduction, and Notes Explanatory and Critical for Use in Schools and Families". Boston, MA: Ginn & Company.Thompson, E., & More, T. (1916). "Shakespeare's Handwriting: A Study". Clarendon Press.William Shakespeare - source 1 - The National Archives. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/william-shakespeare/source-1/ References Shakespeare never said he wanted to publish his plays. However, many of Shakespeare’s unpublished plays were still published after his death. "The First Folio" was published in 1623, seven years after the death of Shakespeare in 1616. It contained 16 plays that had been previously published and 20 plays that were never published by anyone (Greg, 1903, p. 274).16 plays accredited with being written by Shakespeare were actually published without the name of author (Mann, 2012, p. 28). Was Shakespeare really who we think he was?
Create Your Free Infographic!