Who Wrote Shakespeare? | Sir Jonathan Bate & Alexander Waugh

TL;DR

Scholars Jonathan Bate and Alexander Waugh debate whether William Shakespeare of Stratford-upon-Avon was the true author of the plays and poems attributed to him.

Transcript

[Applause] hello and welcome we're here tonight to debate the question of Shakespeare's authorship and a question which is so explosive and potentially radical that it's very rare for the academia the groves of a khadeem to discuss it at all so we are very honored to have with us sir jonathan bait the preeminent Shakespeare scholar who will be maki... Read More

Key Insights

• 🫵 Both Bate and Waugh provide contrasting views on the authorship of Shakespeare's works, with Bate defending Shakespeare of Stratford and Waugh proposing Edward de Vere as the true author.
• 🎁 Bate presents historical evidence and references to support Shakespeare of Stratford's authorship.
• 😒 Waugh argues for the use of a pseudonym and points to contemporary references suggesting that Shakespeare's works were written by someone else, such as the Earl of Oxford.

Questions & Answers

Q: What evidence is there that William Shakespeare of Stratford wrote the plays and poems attributed to him?

Bate presents evidence such as Shakespeare's tomb, references to him as a writer by his contemporaries, and his associations with other playwrights to support his claim that Shakespeare was the true author.

Q: Why do some scholars believe that Shakespeare used a pseudonym?

Waugh argues that contemporaries of Shakespeare made allusions to his use of a pseudonym, citing various examples from their writings. He also highlights the lack of evidence tying Shakespeare of Stratford directly to the plays and poems.

Q: Is there any evidence suggesting that an aristocrat like the Earl of Oxford might have written Shakespeare's works?

Bate indicates that there is no evidence to support this claim. He argues that Shakespeare's plays were admired in their time and that other playwrights, such as Ben Jonson and John Fletcher, collaborated with Shakespeare, sharing their writing styles.

Q: What information do the sonnets provide about Shakespeare's authorship?

Bate suggests that the sonnets reflect Shakespeare's complex understanding of love and that they may not necessarily be autobiographical. Waugh suggests that Shakespeare refers to himself with a pseudonym in the sonnets, further supporting the idea that he used a pen name.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Scholars Jonathan Bate and Alexander Waugh debate the authorship of Shakespeare's works, with Bate arguing for Shakespeare of Stratford and Waugh arguing for Edward de Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford.

• Bate highlights historical evidence, such as Shakespeare's tomb and references to him as a writer by his contemporaries, as proof of his authorship.

• Waugh argues that there is a lack of evidence supporting Shakespeare of Stratford as the author and points to contemporary references alluding to the use of a pseudonym.