Mark Anderson - Shakespeare by Another Name: The Life of Edward De Vere, Earl of Oxford, the Man Who Was Shakespeare

Shakespeare by Another Name

The Biography of Edward de Vere, Earl of Oxford, The Man Who Was Shakespeare

By Mark Anderson

Copyright 2011 by Mark Kendall Anderson

Cover Copyright 2011 by Dara England and Untreed Reads Publishing

Cover image of Edward de Vere bust, sculpted by Paula Slater, courtesy of Ben August

The author is hereby established as the sole holder of the copyright. Either the publisher (Untreed Reads) or author may enforce copyrights to the fullest extent.

Previously published in print in 2005.

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Shakespeare by Another Name

The Biography of Edward de Vere, Earl of Oxford, The Man Who Was Shakespeare

By Mark Anderson

FOREWORD BY SIR DEREK JACOBI

Praise for Shakespeare by Another Name

Deserves serious attention. New York Times Makes a compelling case. Especially impressive. Atlanta Journal-Constitution Quite a compelling argument. Chicago Sun-Times One of the most fascinating theatre-related books I have ever read. An absolutely first-rate piece of sleuthing and an absolutely first-rate read.Don Rubin, professor of theatre studies, York University, Toronto; editor, World Encyclopedia of Contemporary Theatre Makes a convincing argument that the brilliant, rather tormented Edward de Vere, the Earl of Oxfordnot Shakespearewas the dramatistdraws powerful connections between Shakespeares plays and the life of de Vere. USA Today Fresh, original research. Boston Globe Shocking. Star Tribune (Minneapolis)Livelyaudacious. The Times Literary Supplement Tantalizing. The New York Sun Prepare to have the earth move under your feet. City Pages (Minneapolis/St. Paul)The battle is won. In page after page, Anderson shows how characters and story lines in virtually every Shakespeare play reflect people, places, and incidents in de Veres life. Compass (Connecticut)An extremely well written piece of proseand a rewarding exploration that serves to add even more depth to our experience of the [Shakespeare] plays. Against the Grain A model of in-depth research, closely reasoned argument, and fine writing.Don Ostrowski, lecturer in European history, Harvard University Shakespeare by Another Name is a wake-up call. The wealth of new and revelatory corroborative evidence in this biography fleshes out Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, as the man behind the plays of Shakespeare, and as the story unfolds the background to some of Shakespeares most important plays springs into life. Mark Andersons book will be a galvanizing force for actors and theatre people with its richly nourishing and illuminating information. No biography of the Stratford man is as persuasive.Kristin Linklater, professor of theatre arts, Columbia University, and co-founder of Shakespeare & Company, Lenox, MassachusettsMark Anderson has achieved the seemingly impossible, weaving together the frayed ends of this mystery into a shining new tapestry to delight our eyes.ML Hart, author of The Art of Making Opera Without exaggeration, this is the most important Shakespeare biography of the past four hundred years. Mark Anderson brings Shakespeare out of biographical limbo and, in fully documented and convincing detail, shows who he was, how he fit into his time, and how he became the genius of our culture.Anyone who claims to have a serious interest in Shakespeare must read Mark Anderson.Sarah Smith, author of Chasing Shakespeares

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Mark Anderson has devoted nearly 20 years to researching the life of Edward de Vere, and his publications on the subject include articles in Harpers, The Boston Globe, and on the PBS.org Web site. He has been a contributing writer to Wired, a contributing producer to the WNYC/Public Radio International program Studio 360 with Kurt Andersen and lives in western Massachusetts.

To my father,
George R. Anderson,
who has supported and believed in me
every step along the way.

CONTENTS

WHO WROTE SHAKESPEARE?

The answer to this question is not as straightforward as it might first seem.

A recent Hollywood movie, Anonymous , portrays the actor Will Shakespeare of Stratford-upon-Avon (or Shakspere as he preferred to spell it) as a front-man for the Elizabethan court poet and playwright Edward de Vere, Earl of Oxford (15501604).

And while Anonymous takes some liberties with historical fact, de Veres secret life as a celebrated author is arguably not one of them. A growing number of Shakespeare experts and fans today suspect de Vere was The Bard.

Here are five brief reasons why:

1. Shaksperes and de Veres contemporaries blew the whistle. Some writers from four centuries ago suggested the actor Shakspere was a fraud and front-man. They implied de Vere was writing great works behind the scenes and perhaps was the secretive genius behind the Shakespeare mask. Shakespeare authorship questions, in other words, arguably trace back to the earliest years of the Shakespeare brand itself. (See below)
2. The markings in Edward de Veres hand-annotated copy of the Bible reveal a mind uniquely in sync with the many idiosyncratic biblical references found in the Shakespeare plays and poems. If the Bards nods to scripture are like a thumbprint at a crime scene, de Veres biblical annotations constitute a strong match, one that alone should single him out as a prime Shakespeare suspect. {See }
3. By all outward signssuch as contemporary references, publication dates and literary sourcesnew Shakespeare works stopped being written in 1604, the year de Vere died. {}
4. The top non-British setting for Shakespeare plays is Italy. Although ignorant critics claim otherwise, the authors detailed descriptions of his plays Italian settings are in fact note-perfect. Almost to a city, the Italian locations in Shakespeare are ports of call on Edward de Veres Italian grand tour. {Chapters }
5. The Shakespeare canon is autobiographicalfar exceeding random coincidence and even transforming the sprawling assortment of plays and poems into a single, unified text. Much Ado About Nothing , for instance, becomes partly an apology for the authors youthful misdeeds chronicled elsewise in The Winters Tale and Romeo and Juliet. Macbeth, As You Like It and The Sonnets all explore different reflective angles on the same personal experience: Serving as a juror on legendary Elizabethan treason trials. Incidental characters in Hamlet and The Comedy of Errors become fully fleshed out in The Taming of the Shrew and Antony and Cleopatra. The Bard, in this new light, becomes a confessional playwright characteristically ahead of his timemodifying various source texts into words that bare his soul, albeit from behind the protective guise of another mans name.

Those who think de Vere wrote Shakespeare are called Oxfordians. Those who think Will Shakspere did are called Stratfordians. Both groups call each other lots of other names too.

When Shakespeare by Another Name first appeared in print in 2005, it intentionally avoided such rows, relegating Stratfordian and Oxfordian arguments to its endnotes and to a small library of books that make sizable cases both ways. The fundamental argument of Shakespeare by Another Name , instead, was de Veres epic and amazing story. And so it remains.

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