The Oxford authorship theory claims that Shakespeare’s plays were actually written by Edward De Vere, the Earl of Oxford, due to his extensive travels and literary knowledge. This theory is opposed by Stratfordians, who argue that Shakespeare of Stratford was the true author. The Oxfordians suggest that De Vere used Shakespeare as a cover for his work, and that his education and court experience made him better qualified to write about court life. The debate continues, with famous scholars and actors taking sides, but the question of authorship may never be definitively resolved.
The Oxford authorship theory suggests that plays attributed to William Shakespeare were actually written by Edward De Vere, the Earl of Oxford. Oxford scholars believe that Shakespeare’s humble and relatively uncultured background is unlikely to have allowed for works of such historical and literary significance. They link Edward De Vere to the work due to his extensive travels throughout Europe and some documented evidence that De Vere may have written poems and plays on the sly. Oxfordians are vehemently opposed by Stratfordians, who argue that Shakespeare of Stratford was indeed the author of the plays under his name.
A key theory from Oxfordians is that Shakespeare’s writing changed dramatically after 1604, when the earl died. Up to this point, Stratford’s Shakespeare had been producing at least two plays a year, but this stopped suddenly in 1604, according to historical records. This theory is often disputed by Stratford scholars, particularly citing The Tempest, which some believe is based on accounts of a shipwreck in 1609.
According to the Oxfordian theory, Edward De Vere would have the vast scope of knowledge needed to write all of Shakespeare’s works. He spent several years in Italy, where many of his comedies are set. The cities that De Vere allegedly visited are all used as settings for Shakespeare’s plays. No evidence suggests that Shakespeare of Stratford ever left England, but De Vere’s travels may have given him significant insight into Italian life.
Although his work was favored by royalty, the historian Shakespeare was a commoner whose knowledge of court life may have been only marginal. There is no evidence that he ever had any direct interactions with real figures. Dramas concerning England often incorporate intimate knowledge of court life and often parallel contemporary political disputes with the author. De Vere, Oxford supporters suggest, would have had daily exposure at Elizabeth’s court and would have been better qualified to write about it.
A popular theory suggests that Shakespeare of Stratford was used by De Vere as a cover for his work. Playwriting was not considered an acceptable activity for the nobility, and many court writers used pseudonyms to protect their identities. Oxfordians sometimes argue that De Vere used Shakespeare’s acting company, The Lord Chamberlain’s Men, as a means to have his plays produced anonymously, allowing an actor named Shakespeare to claim credit for the work.
Much of Oxford’s theory is based on the idea that Shakespeare’s education would not have allowed for such a wide variety of knowledge. In the few extant records, Shakespeare is said to have had very little learning, perhaps only equivalent to elementary lessons in reading, writing and mathematics. De Vere, as a gentry, would have had extensive tutoring supplemented by travel to Europe. This theory is especially scorned by Stratford scholars, who argue that most of Shakespeare’s work was drawn from common legends and stories and was not beyond the reach of the common man.
Many famous scholars, actors and literary critics have joined the Oxford cause since its inception in the 1920s. In the 1990s, well-known British actors Derek Jacobi and Mark Rylance agreed that there was reasonable doubt in suggesting that Shakespeare was not the true author of the plays attributed to him. Walt Whitman, Sigmund Freud, and Mark Twain all expressed doubts about Shakespearean authorship, though none of them definitively named De Vere as the probable true playwright.
Proponents of Oxford authorship have a sour relationship with Stratford scholars. Almost every argument for De Vere is contradicted point by point by expert opponents, and vice versa. Most likely, the authorship question will never be definitively resolved, but the battle rages on as interest continues in England’s most famous playwright.
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