The Authorship Question: María Inés Figueroa K #13

The Authorship Question
Mara Ins Figueroa K #13
William Shakespeare is said to be a universal genius; his plays are known and
read throughout the entire world. Nevertheless, anti- Stratfordians believe that such
a genius could have never existed, or that he was someone other than William
Shakespeare. Even though there is little information of Shakespeare and his life as a
writer, there is enough to prove anti-Stratfordians wrong. Each fact is like a piece in
a puzzle. When put together, the theory that William Shakespeare is the author of
the plays attributed to him becomes a fact.
The first piece of the puzzle is the fact that William Shakespeare was an actor in
the company which performed the plays of William Shakespeare. (It is important to
note that the word fellows refers to actors in the King's Men Theater.) (Tom) As an
actor, he had many co-workers, one of them, Augustine Phillips, who bequest 30
shillings to his "Fellow" Shakespeare. (Tom) He was also paid for his performance;
as it is stated in a legal document in which the Treasurer of the Queen's Chamber
paid William Shakespeare for performances at court in Greenwich. (Tom)
Furthermore, his name appears in several cast lists such as the one for Jonson's
Sejanus, performed in 1603. (Tom) William Shakespeare was, without a doubt, a
prominent member of the acting company.
The second piece of the puzzle is the fact that William Shakespeare, the
actor, was William Shakespeare of Stratford-upon-Avon. This is shown by a series of
legal documents. In 1613 Shakespeare bought the Blackfriars Gatehoue in London.

John Hemmyng, his fellows, acted as trustees for the buyer: "William Shakespeare
of Stratford-upon-Avon. (Tom) In his will, William Shakespeare of Stratford-upon-
Avon left a bequest "to his fellow actors: John Hemynge, Richard Burbage, and
Henry Condell.
The puzzle begins to take shape; for with the memories his
contemporaries and followers have of him and his work, it can be proven that
William Shakespeare of Stratford-upon-Avon, the actor, was the playwright and
poet William Shakespeare. In 1638, Sir William Davenant wrote a poem entitled "In
Remembrance of Master William Shakespeare" which he published in his book
Madagascar. (Tom) Like Davenant, Ben Jonson wrote a poem entitled "To the memory
of my beloved, The Author Mr. William Shakespeare." (Tom) His fellows, John
Heminges and Henry Condell, mentioned previously, also showed their admiration
for Shakespeare by publishing a volume known as the First Folio.
The volume known as the First Folio is entitled Mr. William Shakespeare's
Comedies, Histories, and Tragedie, and it contains many of Shakespeares plays and
poems. Heminges and Condell's dedication says that they organized the volume
"only to keep the memory of so worthy a Friend, & Fellow alive, as was our
Shakespeare" (Francois) Furthermore, in the last page of the volume, the words
The Works of William Shakespeare" are written. (Downer) The First Folio is proof
that William Shakespeare was a fellow in the acting company. It also proves that
William Shakespeare, the actor, was William Shakespeare, the writer, because his
good friends and fellows, John Heminges and Henry Condell, published his work in
this volume which is attributed to William Shakespeare.
The name William Shakespeare appears on several other
plays and poems. (Tom) The volume published in 1609, by Thomas Thorpe,
attributes the works to Shakespeare in the title itself: Shake-speares Sonnets. (Tom)
Some of his works are not only attributed to him but have his signature. Such is the
case with Venus and Adonis and The Rape of Lucrece, which were published with a
dedication to the Earl of Southampton signed "William Shakespeare." Good
evidence that William Shakespeare wrote the plays and poems bearing his name is
the fact that his name appears on them as the author. (Tom)
The historical facts and documents, though scarce, have
helped connect the pieces of the puzzle. The evidence is cumulative and
interconnected, and taken as a hole, it leaves no doubt that a single man was actor,
author, and Stratford property owner. (Downer) William Shakespeare, the actor,
was William Shakespeare of Stratford-upon-Avon, and this same man is the
renowned playwright and poet, William Shakespeare. The First Folio, as well as
many other historical records, tells us, strongly and unequivocally (Dutsch) that
the author of William Shakespeare's plays was William Shakespeare.
Bibliography:
Downer, Leslie Dunton. Essential Shakespeare Handbook. New York: DK
Publishing, Inc. , n.d.
Dutsch, Steven. Who Wrote Shakespeares Plays? Who Wrote Shakespeares

Plays? 5 Feb. 1998. 15 May 2006 <http://www.uwgb.edu/dutchs/
pseudosc/hidncode.htm>.
Francois, Larque. Shakespeare Court, Crowd and Playhouse. New York: Thames
and Hudson,1993.
Tom, Reedy. How We Know That Shakespeare Wrote Shakespeare: The

Historical Facts. Shakespeare Authorship. 15 May 2006
http://shakespereauthorship.com/howdowe.html.

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The Authorship Question

Mara Ins Figueroa K #13

the plays attributed to him becomes a fact.

as it is stated in a legal document in which the Treasurer of the Queen's Chamber

paid William Shakespeare for performances at court in Greenwich. (Tom)

Sejanus, performed in 1603. (Tom) William Shakespeare was, without a doubt, a

prominent member of the acting company.

actor, was William Shakespeare of Stratford-upon-Avon. This is shown by a series of

legal documents. In 1613 Shakespeare bought the Blackfriars Gatehoue in London.

of Stratford-upon-Avon. (Tom) In his will, William Shakespeare of Stratford-upon-

William Shakespeare of Stratford-upon-Avon, the actor, was the playwright and

Remembrance of Master William Shakespeare" which he published in his book

for Shakespeare by publishing a volume known as the First Folio.

The name William Shakespeare appears on several other

dedication to the Earl of Southampton signed "William Shakespeare." Good

The historical facts and documents, though scarce, have

was William Shakespeare of Stratford-upon-Avon, and this same man is the

the author of William Shakespeare's plays was William Shakespeare.

Dutsch, Steven. Who Wrote Shakespeares Plays? Who Wrote Shakespeares

Tom, Reedy. How We Know That Shakespeare Wrote Shakespeare: The

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