Who Was the Real William Shakespeare?

Who was the real Shakespeare? Who wrote theSkeptics about Gulielmus Shakspere being the
38 plays, two long poems, and 154 sonnetstrue bard range from Walt Whitman, Ralph Waldo
attributed to William Shakespeare. I will give youEmerson, Sigmund Freud, Mark Twain, Henry
the details, but the conclusion is up to you.James, Orson Welles, and John Gielgud to current
The Stratford merchant baptized Gulielmusentertainment luminaries such leading
Shakspere:Shakespearean actors Michael York, Kenneth
In the 1780's Rev. James Wilmot spent fourBranagh, and Derek Jacobi.
years trying to link William Shakespeare to theSix years after the death of Shakspere, The
literary works.Compleat Gentleman was published, listing the
Skeptics about Gulielmus Shakspere being theElizabethan era's greatest poets and first on the
true bard range from Walt Whitman, Ralph Waldolist was Edward de Vere. In this edition and the
Emerson, Sigmund Freud, Mark Twain, Henrynext three, there is no mention of Shakespere,
James, Orson Welles, and John Gielgud to currentShakespeare, or anything close to this name.
entertainment luminaries such leadingEdward de Vere died in 1604, before one-third of
Shakespearean actors Michael York, Kenneththe plays were published.
Branagh, and Derek Jacobi.Edward de Vere earned two masters degrees,
There isn't even the slightest piece ofstudied law for three years, traveled throughout
documentation that Shakspere, the merchant,Italy, and had first-hand experience with court life
ever wrote anything in his life. No scratches ofand politics.
poems or diary and no mention of his literaryThe Edward de Vere was a playwright and
work in his will.stopped using his own name the same year that
Shakspere had a grammer school education andShake-speare's name began to appear, which is
was not known to have traveled further thanprobably a pseudonym since hypens were rarely
London and Stratford, which is significant becauseused.
a great knowledge of several disiplines, court life,The de Vere family crest was of a lion shaking a
and foreign countries, especially Italy, would bespear and Edward de Vere was known as spear
necessary.shaker in the courts.
Shakspere was known to have acted in WilliamA pseudonym was commly used because
Shakespeare's plays.playwrights could be imprisoned for going against
There isn't even the slightest piece ofthe norm, being too radical, and not conforming to
documentation that Shakspere, the merchant,the political and religious practices of the day.
ever wrote anything in his life. No scratches ofIn 1999, an eight year study was completed on
poems or diary and no mention of poems orthe Geneva Bible, owned by de Vere. Many
sonnets in his will.phrases were highlighted and more than a fourth
Eighteen years after Shakspere's death, anof them were in the writings of William
engraved monument in a Stratford church showShakespeare. Also, William Shakespeare has 66
Shakspere holding what looked like a sack ofallusions to biblical stories, 29 of which were found
grain, a full century later, it was changed to a penhighlighted in the Geneva Bible.
and paper.Now comparing the facts above, who do you
Edward de Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford's:think was the real William Shakespeare? While it
The Earl of Burford, a direct decendant ofmay not be known for sure, that takes nothing
Edward de Vere, believed his ancestor wrote theaway from his brilliant writings. No, on the
plays under the hyphenated pseudonym "Williamcontrary, this debate just adds to the mystique
Shake-speare."of our beloved William Shakespeare.