Glencoe World History: Modern Times © 2011 Virginia Edition

Who was Shakespeare?

Introduction
For more than a century, debate has raged over the true identity of William Shakespeare. The historical record provides little information on the man, and some scholars doubt his existence. Mark Twain and many others claimed there was no Elizabethan playwright by the name of Shakespeare. In this activity you will review the recent history of the debate to learn about the period of English history during which Shakespeare's plays were written.

Destination Title: The Shakespeare Mystery

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Directions

• Click on the Web site, and read the information.
• Taking notes as you read.

Use the information you found to answer the following questions.

1			Why have some people raised doubts about Shakespeare's identity?
2			Name some of the famous people who have doubted the authorship of Shakespeare.
3			Who are some of the famous writers who have been suggested as possibly having used the name William Shakespeare as a pen name? Who is the most likely candidate for writing Shakespeare’s plays, according to the Web site?
4			What piece of information seems to cast doubt on the theory that Edward de Vere wrote Shakespeare’s plays?
5			Write your own article as an update to the debate about Shakespeare. Clearly express your view on the identity question of Shakespeare. Defend your position by providing appropriate information from your textbook, the Web site, or any additional research you may have done.