Institute of Ideas Postgraduate Forum

Institute of Ideas Postgraduate Forum
Wednesday 17 December
Room H208, Connaught House, London School of Economics.
7pm

For map click here

Ros Barber (PhD University of Sussex) will present: Questioning the Shakespearean Orthodoxy

ABSTRACT: Does it matter who wrote the works of Shakespeare? Would we read the plays and poems any differently if we believed they were written byChristopher Marlowe? We may be about to find out. Until recently it was believed that doubts about Shakespeare's authorship of the works attributed him were first raised 164 years after his death, and that the Shakespeare
Authorship Question is a relatively recent phenomenon. This paper will demonstrate that doubts about Shakespeare's authorship began in the year of the very first publication to appear under the name 'William Shakespeare' and provide evidence from the late 16th and early 17th centuries to suggest a number of Shakespeare's contemporaries believed that 'Shakespeare' was a pseudonym.

That such evidence exists and has been largely ignored by scholars raises interesting questions about the nature and influence of our belief systems. When we 'know' something we will tend not to perceive evidence conflicting with that belief, and will attempt to interpret evidence to support it. This research suggests that scholarship - in all disciplines - would benefit significantly if we were able to remove restrictions to our thinking by recognising that all 'knowledge' is essentially 'belief'.

Further reading: Diana Price "Shakespeare's Unorthodox Biography: New Evidence of An Authorship Question" (Greenwood Press, 2002). A very interesting scholarly account of the (absence of) evidence underpinning Shakespeare's accepted biography, and how radically this differs from other Renaissance writers. Her appendix on literary paper trails is particularly
illuminating.

Format: After a brief introduction from the chair, Ros will present for about 30 minutes. This will be followed by a brief exchange with the chair, drawing out the major themes. We will then open to discussion with points and questions from the floor for about an hour and then head to the pub to continue the discussion informally.