“Shakespeare was a black woman” - now I’ve heard it all!

Why do I worry about Shakespeare's plays fading away?
Simple.
What was the last Shakespeare play you went to see, and when was that?
Are there as many Shakespeare books in your offsprings' libraries as there are in yours?

Yes, Hamnet is a great success, but it was written by Maggie O'Farrell.
How much of Shakespeare's actual writing is included in the novel/movie?

Has anyone read any other books by the author in the OP?

Maremia

Has anyone read any other books by the author in the OP?

No, and no-one would ever have heard of her had she not promoted herself in a controversial blaze of publicity!

What's her name again?

Aveline

Why do black people want to claim our heritage and stories. There must be many many legends and stories stretching back into the countries where black people originated in the past.

You realise the author is white?

Black and Jewish charters in his books. Does it matter what sex/colour/religion the author was. Would it change how people feel about the books and if so why? I read lots of books without knowing anything about the authors. I read a book recently and assumed it was written by a woman, the authors name could have been for male or female, the book just sounded like a woman's voice to me. It was written by a man and made no difference to how I enjoyed the book. I have no idea of his colour or religion.

Maremia

Why do I worry about Shakespeare's plays fading away?
Simple.
What was the last Shakespeare play you went to see, and when was that?
Are there as many Shakespeare books in your offsprings' libraries as there are in yours?

The Globe Theatre in London is constantly sold out, and so is the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse despite the seating being the most uncomfortable even after hiring cushions. My back problems have prevented me from going for the last year or so, but every other time I've gone the presence of huge numbers of young people would suggest your fears are unfounded. Many younger people are prepared to stand in the pit or the yard for hours for the cheapest tickets, that's commitment. I have only seen Shakespeare's works at the Globe so can't comment on attendance numbers for other works.

I really don't think the presence or absence of books in people's libraries is an indication of Shakespeare's enduring legacy.

Maremia

Why do I worry about Shakespeare's plays fading away?
Simple.
What was the last Shakespeare play you went to see, and when was that?
Are there as many Shakespeare books in your offsprings' libraries as there are in yours?

Recently, Loves Labours Lost last October, a brilliant production, we pick and choose, some productions are dreadful. Looking forward to Romeo and Juliet later this year.

We know where he was buried, although there are those who believe that the man lying next to Anne and Susannah in the chancel of Holy Trinity is not the playwright, but a random Stratfordian who somehow has been mistaken for a brilliant poet and playwright.
I would very much doubt that that has any credibility at all.

Shakespeare changed his will in March 1616, just before he died and it would be very strange indeed if, with his family around him, some random stranger were buried by his local
Church in his place.

So re-assuring to read your posts, that all's well that ends well in the world of Shakespeare.
Delighted that you are all doing your bit, to keep his work in vogue.
Would never have heard of this book, without this Thread.
So, thanks for that as well.

I wonder how well this author has researched the world of Tudor/Stuart playwrights.
If her writing is good enough, I might dip in, just to be in that world, for the duration.
But don't worry, it won't cost me £20. There are libraries and paperback editions.

Basgetti

Aveline

Why do black people want to claim our heritage and stories. There must be many many legends and stories stretching back into the countries where black people originated in the past.

You realise the author is white?

Backin the late 1500s there were very very few black people in England, maybe a few servants as a novelty but even that was not common until 100yrs later.

Yes, I know, David49. Sorry, not sure how that’s relevant to my post?
Adeline stated that black people want to claim “our” heritage. The author in question, Irene Coslet, is white.

Relevance is how few black people were in England at that time and their status.

Sorry, still not seeing how that’s relates to how modern black people are trying to claim “our” culture, as Aveline states as though it’s fact.
I’m not referring to the past, I’m referring to now. It isn’t a black author claiming that Shakespeare’s work was written by a black woman, but a white one. .

Maremia we visit all the local productions of Shakespeare every year locally.

My parents are both scattered in the same churchyard as Shakespeare, Holy Trinity.

I lived in S-on-A till I got married.

Literally millions of people visit the town and many go to The Royal Shakespeare Theatre. 🎭

Maremia

Why do I worry about Shakespeare's plays fading away?
Simple.
What was the last Shakespeare play you went to see, and when was that?
Are there as many Shakespeare books in your offsprings' libraries as there are in yours?

I’m in Scotland, where Shakespeare doesn’t feature in live performances as much as in England, apart from the Scottish play. I’ve seen the live performances screened at the cinema, though.

My GD has copies of all of Shakespeare’s plays and regularly asks for them as her ‘book at bedtime’, read by her mum or dad. She’s 8yo and is busy indoctrinating her 4yo brother into the wonders of Shakespeare.

NanKate

Maremia we visit all the local productions of Shakespeare every year locally.

My parents are both scattered in the same churchyard as Shakespeare, Holy Trinity.

I lived in S-on-A till I got married.

Literally millions of people visit the town and many go to The Royal Shakespeare Theatre. 🎭

The Hollow Crown series is an excellent introduction to Shakespeare for anyone who can’t afford/is unable to go to theatres. It was a godsend for our isolating teenaged son in lockdowns.

What a fun theory, how interesting

I do remember that we cannot even confirm the spelling of his name as of the 6 original signatures in existence, none were spelt as we do now.

InRainbows

What a fun theory, how interesting

I do remember that we cannot even confirm the spelling of his name as of the 6 original signatures in existence, none were spelt as we do now.

I always find it amusing when his character is depicted pretty much using RP, too. He probably sounded like Ozzy 😁

He probably sounded like Ozzy 😁

Probably not. It's a different accent.
As is mine.

Allira

^We know where he was buried, although there are those who believe that the man lying next to Anne and Susannah in the chancel of Holy Trinity is not the playwright, but a random Stratfordian who somehow has been mistaken for a brilliant poet and playwright.^
I would very much doubt that that has any credibility at all.

Shakespeare changed his will in March 1616, just before he died and it would be very strange indeed if, with his family around him, some random stranger were buried by his local
Church in his place.

Oh, I'm not saying I believe it, Allira . I'm happy to believe that he was who the glover's son from Stratford upon Avon. I don't care, really. We are unlikely ever to know more for sure than we do now, which is fairly limited, but none of that detracts from the power of the work. If it turned out that the author was a black woman it wouldn't change the fact that the plays are remarkable.

Maremia, I have seen most of the plays performed, and have read them, too (albeit a long time ago). My children don't keep books in their homes - they read on Kindles and stream music rather than keeping copies of that either. I think a lot of young people do the same. That doesn't mean a great deal, IMO. When I go to the theatre to see Shakespeare it is always a full house, and sells out as soon as the tickets are released. Places on university courses in literature are still very competitive, and show no signs of waning in popularity.

David, do you have a source for the idea that there were very few black people in Tudor England? I am not aware of a register of colour/ethnic origin or anything similar, but would be interested to see one. There is an interesting article here, suggesting that there was a black population in Tudor England, for instance but again, relying on what was written at the time is always going to be unreliable as few people were literate.

There was a black population but the numbers were in hundreds rather than thousands.

It s debatable if Emilia Bassano was black anyway. Her mother was an Englishwoman and her father Italian from a family of Italian musicians. She was thought to be Jewish so would she, had she written the plays, have shown Jews in a poor light?

Maybe - plenty of women portray other women as scheming, manipulative, gold diggers, and so on. We don't know, and it doesn't matter, IMO.

I think it's highly unlikely that such a deception could be carried on for so long though. Why would the Stratford Shakespeare be chosen if so? What was he doing if not writing plays? Drama and Literature are very competitive arts, so why wasn't he exposed by jealous rivals? I am inclined to assume the hoofbeats are horses rather than zebras, on balance.

I am inclined to assume the hoofbeats are horses rather than zebras, on balance.

It seems so and facts seem to have been manipulated to suit the theory to achieve the desired result.