1. William Shakespeare
Famous Author
Or
Famous Deceiver

2. Introduction
• William Shakespeare is considered the greatest
playwright of all time. Yet today, 400 years later,
controversy still surrounds the question of whether he
is the true author of his plays and sonnets. As you
investigate the information surrounding this
controversy, you will objectively determine whether
Shakespeare is innocent or guilty of these charges of
plagiarism.

3. The Task
• William Shakespeare lived from 1564 to 1616 during the Elizabethan Age.
England was experiencing a renaissance, and many considered it the
greatest power in the world. Science and Technology continued to
advance as England began to explore North America. Moreover, the
language was growing fast, and the arts and literature were more popular
than ever before. These new scientific discoveries quickly changed the
world and commerce was thriving.
• The playwright William Shakespeare reaped the benefits of this prosperous
time period. His plays were performed as quickly as he could produce
them. Yet, rumors stated that he was not the author of his plays.
• Now 400 years later, his reputation is in your hands. You will be asked to
collect and analyze information to determine the legitimacy of his
authorship in a court of law. Be careful of your decision; it may change all
of history.
• During the investigation, you will visit several places to collect information
so that you can make an educated decision.

4. The Process
• Step 1: Because you will be staying at Shakespeare's birth place,
Stratford-Upon-Avon, you now must select the building you will occupy
during the investigation.
Print out the picture of the building you have chosen. It will be turned in
with your evidence folder at the end of the investigation.
T source may assist you in step 1. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust (
his
http://www.shakespeare.org.uk) Information on trust-maintained houses,
books, records, museums, and a listing of events, including visitor
locations in Stratford-Upon-Avon.
Step 2: Take a trip through England Online.
Find three Elizabethan/Shakespearian pictures on the internet that appeal to
you. Print out those pictures and place them in your investigation folder.

5. The Process (Part II)
Step 3: Elizabethan Times
Answer the following questions
Profile of Elizabeth I:
• Where was she born?
• Who were her parents?
• How did she come to be queen?
• Who were her advisers?
• Did she marry anyone?
• What was her relationship with Mary?
• How long did she reign?
Events of the time:
• Who were explorers at that time? What did they do?
• What was a famous battle in Elizabethan times?
• Describe the conflict in the Church at the time.

6. The Process (Part III)
Step 4: Wow!!! A time machine has just been invented which will transport you back to
Shakespeare's time. But first you must find a costume to wear in order to conceal your
identify to the Elizabethans. Fortunately, the http://www.elizabethancostume.net/ has
donated their costumes to your investigation.
* Go to the site, select a costume, print up the picture of the costume.
* Place the picture in your evidence folder. .
Step 5: Find Shakespeare's famous Globe Theatre. If a play is playing, buy a ticket to go to
a play. If a play is not playing, go on a tour of the theatre.
* Use the following addresses as your access passes to the theatre.
http://www.shakespeares-globe.org/
http://www.bardweb.net/globe.html
* Print out three of your favorite pictures of the theatre
* Place in folder.

7. The Process (Part IV)
• Step 6 - Background Information
Use the Internet information linked below to answer the basic questions of who? what? where? when?
why? and how? Be creative in exploring the information so that you answer these questions as fully and
insightfully as you can.
1. What is the Shakespeare authorship problem?
2. What literary, cultural, and political figures doubt that Shakespeare was the sole author of the work?
3. Make a chronological history of the doubts that surround the authorship of the Shakespearean canon.
4. Now do the same for the doubts surrounding the Stratfordian attribution.
5. Make a list of the six contenders for the authorship question. Then add to each as much significant
evidence that is presented.
• A Beginner's Guide to the Shakespeare Authorship Problem
• The Shakespeare Fellowship
• Shakespeare Authorship Roundtable
• The Monument- Shakespeare's Sonnets by Edward de Vere, Earl of Oxford

8. The Process (Part V)
Step 7 W O W
H ROT SH E E
E AK SP ARE ?:
• The Shakespeare Resource Center
• Use the Internet information linked below to answer these questions specifically related to WHO WROTE
SHAKESPEARE?:
1. Find other candidates not already discovered in the background section and list why they should be considered as
contenders.
2. What is the controversy that surrounds Shakespeare's bust and its inscription as it applies to Sir Francis Bacon?
3. What did Mark Twain have to say about the debate issue?
4. Why should the Marlowe spy theory be reviewed?
5. How has technology, most notably the computer, made its presence known in this controversy?
Step 8M ARL E W
OW ROT SH E ARE
E AK SPE :
• The Marlowe Society
• Use the Internet information linked below to answer these questions specifically related to MARLOWE WROTE
SHAKESPEARE:
1. What association to Shakespeare is presented by the Marlowe Society that leads one to believe that Christopher
Marlowe's death is associated with Shakespeare's writings?
2. What role did the British government play in Marlowe's death?
3. Was Marlowe really a heretic?
4. What similarities exist between Marlowe's writing and Shakespeare's writing?

9. The Process (Part VI)
Step 9 DE VE W
RE ROT SH E E
E AK SP ARE:
• http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shakespeare/index.html
• http://www.luminarium.org/renlit/deverebio.htm
• Use the Internet information linked below to answer these questions specifically related to DEVERE WROTE
SHAKESPEARE:
1. Many authorities have made claims that De Vere more than anyone is most closely related to being the author of the
Shakespearean collection. Why?
2. What are some of the coincidental connections between the Earl of Oxford and Shakespeare?
3. What problems exist between the authorship of the Shakespearean poems and plays?
4. What is the real story behind SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE?
Step 10 SH E ARE W
AK SPE ROT SH E E
E AK SP ARE :
• The Shakespeare Authorship Page
• Use the Internet information linked below to answer these questions specifically related to SHAKESPEARE WROTE
SHAKESPEARE:
1. How is the spelling and pronunciation of Shakespeare's name important to investigate?
2. What are the Oxfordian claims that Shakespeare is responsible for everything he produced?
3. Why is it important to preserve the authorship status of William Shakespeare?
4. What is the most convincing evidence that leads us to believe that Shakespeare, did in fact, wrote Shakespeare?

10. The Process (Part VII)
• Step 11: Compile your information and objectively decide
whether or not you believe William Shakespeare is the author
of his works. Write a three to four page persuasive argument
in Modern Language Association format supporting your
opinion.

11. Additional Sources
• The Complete Works of William Shakespeare :A discussion area, list of Shakespeare resources, famous
quotes and complete works, including comedies, poetry and tragedies.
• Shakespeare Oxford Society Home Page This society is involved in the two-century old Shakespeare
authorship debate. A list of resources on the great writer.
• Mr. William Shakespeare and the Internet Collection of Internet resources devoted to Shakespeare.
Includes links to a timeline, collected and individual works and teaching tools.
• Shakespeare Mystery Ongoing debate of the theory that Shakespeare did not actually author the works
attributed to him, including a timeline of the growth of the idea of a conspiracy and selected readings
from Shakespearean works.
• Shakespeare Magazine Information relating to Shakespeare events worldwide, teaching references,
current issues, subscription information, archives and related information and links.
• The Works of the Bard In addition to the collected works of Shakespeare, this site features a search
engine that supports queries on the text of his plays and poetry. Also, has texts of Shakespeare's plays
listed in chronological order.
• Bacon, Francis - New Advancement of Learning Explores Bacon's life and works as well as the time in
which he lived. Claims that Bacon was, in fact, Shakespeare.

12. Grading Rubric (Research)
Steps Projects Points
1 Accommodations 25
2 England Online 25
3 Elizabethan Times 100
4 Costume 25
5 Globe Theater 25
6 Background Information 50
7 Who Wrote Shakespeare 50
8 Marlowe 40
9 Devere 40
10 Shakespeare 40
11 Paper (see other rubric) 300
Total 720

13. Paper Rubric
See Handout