0
What are four reasons some scholars give for concluding that Shakespeare would not have written the plays?
Wiki User
∙ 10y ago
There are no reasons Shakespeare did not write the play Macbeth. Shakespeare wrote the play Macbeth. At a point prior to publication a selection of scenes from Thomas Middleton's The Witch were added; these scenes were not written by Shakespeare and could be behind your confusion.
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
Wiki User
∙ 10y agoNo scholars believe that Shakespeare could not have written his plays. The people who do so are not scholars.
Their arguments are some variation on the following: "In order to write such great plays, the author must have had certain qualities, qualities that William Shakespeare, the well-known Stratford native, actor and theatrical businessman did not have."
E.g.
"In order to write about nobles, the author must have been a noble, and Shakespeare wasn't"
"In order to write about women, the author must have been a woman, and Shakespeare wasn't"
"In order to write about foreign countries, the author must have been well-travelled, and Shakespeare wasn't"
"In order to understand legal issues dealt with in the plays, the author must have been a lawyer, and Shakespeare wasn't."
"In order to use such great language, the author had to be a university graduate, and Shakespeare wasn't"
"In order to have read all the books he is supposed to have, the author must have been someone who owned a huge library, and Shakespeare wasn't"
"In order to have written such uplifting stuff, the author must have been someone far divorced from grubby business matters, and Shakespeare wasn't"
Unfortunately, the history of literature shows that this kind of reasoning does not hold water. J.K. Rowling did not have to be a boy to write about the problems of teenaged boys. Agatha Christie did not know the first thing about detectives when she started writing detective stories. Stephen Crane wrote The Red Badge of Courage without any war experience about a war that took place before he was born. Nobody seriously doubts that Rowling wrote Harry Potter, Crane wrote The Red Badge of Courage or Christie wrote a lot of detective stories.
One argument which does hold water is that in order to have written something you need to have been alive at the time. Shakespeare was. Oxford wasn't.
Add your answer:
Earn +20 pts
When did Shakespeare write Troilus and Cressida?
Scholars think the play was written around 1602.
How old was Shakespeare when he wrote to be or not to be?
The line "To be or not to be..." is from Hamlet. Dating of Shakespeare's plays is an uncertain science but most scholars consider it was written sometime between 1598 and 1603. Shakespeare was born in 1564 so he would have been aged 36 to 39 when Hamlet was written.
When was romeo and juleit written?
Romeo and Juliet was written by William Shakespeare some time early in his career. No one knows for sure when it was written but most scholars believe it was written around 1591-1595.
Were Shakespeare's plays written to educate scholars or to entertainment?
All of Shakespeare's plays were written exclusively to entertain his audiences, although the history plays did inform them (and also misinform them) incidentally. Shakespeare did not have a moral or intellectual agenda in his plays, which is why they are so good.
When was King John by William Shakespeare written?
The play King John appears on a list of Shakespeare plays dated 1598, so it is no later than that. Another similar play is dated 1589, and although it is difficult to tell which came first, most scholars guess that Shakespeare's was later. Therefore it must have been written between 1589 and 1598
When did Shakespeare write Troilus and Cressida?
Scholars think the play was written around 1602.
How old was Shakespeare when he wrote to be or not to be?
The line "To be or not to be..." is from Hamlet. Dating of Shakespeare's plays is an uncertain science but most scholars consider it was written sometime between 1598 and 1603. Shakespeare was born in 1564 so he would have been aged 36 to 39 when Hamlet was written.
Who was the main individual many scholars believe was actually William Shakespeare?
Francis Bacon was the main contender in the 19th century. The current leader is Edward de Vere, Earl of Oxford. There are dozens of others. However, there are not "many scholars" who believe that the works of Shakespeare were written by anyone other than William Shakespeare of Stratford.
When was romeo and juleit written?
Romeo and Juliet was written by William Shakespeare some time early in his career. No one knows for sure when it was written but most scholars believe it was written around 1591-1595.
Were Shakespeare's plays written to educate scholars or to entertainment?
All of Shakespeare's plays were written exclusively to entertain his audiences, although the history plays did inform them (and also misinform them) incidentally. Shakespeare did not have a moral or intellectual agenda in his plays, which is why they are so good.
Is the word 'thy' common in modern English language?
No, the word "thy" is not commonly used in modern English language. It is considered archaic and is rarely used in contemporary speech or writing.
How long ago was the original Romeo and Juliet preformed?
Scholars believe that Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet was written and first performed in 1594 or 1595.
When was the play 'Measure for Measure' written?
Measure for Measure is a play written by William Shakespeare. Scholars believe that this play was written in 1603 or 1604. The first recorded performance of the play was in December of 1604.
Name William Shakespeare's last novel?
William Shakespeare did not write novels.The novel, as we understand it today, did not appear until the 18th Century, some 150 years after Shakespeare's death.Most scholars believe that Shakespeare's last play - not written as a collboration - was The Tempest dated to around 1611.
When was King John by William Shakespeare written?
The play King John appears on a list of Shakespeare plays dated 1598, so it is no later than that. Another similar play is dated 1589, and although it is difficult to tell which came first, most scholars guess that Shakespeare's was later. Therefore it must have been written between 1589 and 1598
Why do scholars guess that shakespeare wrote in the pubs?
It's just a guess. It's one of the places Shakespeare might have written, including in his room or in the tiring house of the theatre. There's really no evidence supporting any one of those places.
What is a concluding sentence for the movie american president?
You'll have to write your own concluding sentence. A conclusion is based on what you have written so far. Write down the summary of what you've written in your essay.
