Who Wrote Shakespeare?

by John Michell

Book Overview

Was the most famous poet and writer of all time a fraud and a plagiarist? Was Shakespeare the "upstart crow" described by Greene as strutting in borrowed feathers, or Jonson's "Poet-Ape" who patched plays together from others' work? These questions have been debated ever since the eighteenth century, when the writing styles of Marlowe and other playwrights were discerned in such plays as Titus Andronicus. The orthodox view is that the author of the...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0500281130
• ISBN13: 9780500281130
• Release Date: July 1999
• Publisher: Thames & Hudson
• Length: 274 Pages
• Weight: 1.12 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.6" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Brilliant, cogent piece.

Just finished reading this... what a wonderful overview of the 'authorship question'. Any Shakespeare student/afionado should read this. Michell takes you through all the stages of authorship scholarship with no bias whatsoever, and presents the cases so clearly studied, that one moves from one personna to another, saying, 'yes, this must be the one.' Brilliant scholary study presented in absolutely clear style, accessible to the lay reader. At the end, the conclusions are your own. Certainly Will. S. was a player, but only that.... I am buying two copies for friends and family who will love it. What more can one say?

Title???

This book is a good one if you are new to the Authorship controversy. It outlines the most popular views without much bias (until the end) so it's easy to form your own opinions. Although, some of the candiates for writing Shakespeare, understandably got more attention than others (Bacon, Marlowe, etc.). If you are looking for something interesting to read and have a little cash in your wallet, get this book. It gives you a good way to kill some time on the weekend and fill up your brain with good conversation pieces.

Will the Real Shakespeare(s) Please Step Forward!

When it comes to the authorship of Shakespeare's plays and sonnets, the passions run high and the lines are rigid. John Mitchell's "Who Wrote Shakespeare" is a delightful departure. If you are expecting a definitive answer at the conclusion, you will be disappointed. Mr. Mitchell lays out a case for each of the main proponents in clear, non-academic (thank you Lord!) prose. He presents his modest open-minded conclusion, and lets the reader do the same.The book is for the non-specialist who has a passing knowledge of Shakespeare's work and times. It led this reader many to other books; in other words, I was hooked. It is loaded with illustrations, many of which I'd never seen before. I read Ben Jonson's "Ode to Shakespeare" with fresh eyes. When I kept in mind that Jonson was a satirist, punster and humorist as well as a poet, I saw his Ode as less than straightforward.Kit Marlowe is a constant thread through Shakespeare's early writing period. As always, Kit is mysterious, elusive and roguish. At the very least, he and Will collaborated and perhaps much more.If you like a mystery, with as many red herrings as there are clues, this is your book. I don't think you will be disappointed. Grade A

Fascinating reading [the book, not the review! ]

I was given the book two years ago by someone who knew I was interested in Shakespeare, being an inhabitant of Stratford-upon-Avon. The book inspired me. Never before had it occured to me to question the authorship as it was discouraged by my teachers. It opened up a whole new world to me and I couldn't understand why the authorship problem is not on the school syllabus to English Lit students. It makes excellent, unbiased and brilliantly detailed reading and I recomend it to anyone interested as a good starting point for studying the Shakespeare Authorship Question. I have re-read it over and over and am constantly amazed by the subject and the way the Michell explains it.

The Mysterious Bard (or Whomever)

I read Michell's book just before embarking on a 3 week Shakespeare workshop at the reconstructed Globe in London this past summer; intriguing, infuriating, thought-provoking, insightful, Michell's historical and cultural tour of England through authorship gives the reader a chance to make us his own mind, quite unlike most other authorship books. A bit tedious at times, but certainly not lacking details and impeccable research.