Edited highlights from the British Library launch of The Marlowe Papers. The shoes, which garnered many comments, are Irregular Choice ‘Can’t Touch This’. Yet another reason (if any more were needed) to adore Brighton.
Film: The Marlowe Papers discussed with Bill Leahy and Will Self
A very interesting amd enjoyable talk.
I would charaterize myself as a Stratfordian who humbly accepts there can exist mystery concerning authorship. Alien abduction is certainly possible. But I am unconvinced by the counter claims and evidence. I don’t believe the greatest author’s identity can be verified (or not) by a “statistical blip”. His identity was not questioned until hundreds of years after his death. Maybe the 16th and 17th centuries are a fiction?
Thank you for your comment, Brock. I feel there has been a small misunderstanding here, however: no-one said Shakespeare’s identity can be verified (or not) by a statistical blip. The fact is that there is no literary paper trail for Shakespeare and this major anomaly cannot be explained as some kind of statistical blip. My point is that the authorship question is a valid question that is worth investigating; there is a case for reasonable doubt. Internet-based comment threads are not the place for such a discussion, but there is a full explanation of my position in my PhD thesis, which is available under the ‘Research’ tab on this site. There you will also find evidence that disputes your last point, that the author’s identity was not questioned until hundreds of years after his death. See the chapter on ‘Shakespeare authorship doubt in 1593’.
It has given me something to think about. Thank you kindly. Best of luck to you.
Great discussion. I was delighted to attend this event, and it’s really good to revisit it, on film, because it was complex and nuanced. So many thought-provoking ideas. Congratulations to all three panelists.