Who was William Shakespeare?  He is far more elusive, and his life more obscure, than his fans and biographers will admit.  We consider the massive, bloated mythology that has built up around the great Bard over the centuries, and then examine the remarkably scant surviving documentary records from the writer's own lifetime, which tend to paint a both bizarre and unflattering picture.

The first of three installments examining the reality of Shakespeare.

Please support this podcast in order to keep the lectures coming and make them regular and dependable! -- www.patreon.com/user?u=5530632

Suggested further reading: S. Schoenbaum, "William Shakespeare: A Compact Documentary Life";  James Shapiro, "Contested Will:  Who Wrote Shakespeare?";  Diana Price, "Shakespeare's Unorthodox Biography."

Join as a member to hear the in-depth exploration of the "Shakespeare Authorship Controversy" -- https://www.patreon.com/posts/32922586

Myth of the Month 10:  Who Was Shakespeare? -- pt. 1:  The Monument and the Man

History lectures by Samuel Biagetti, a historian (and antique dealer) with a Phd in early American history; my dissertation was on Freemasonry in the 1700s. I focus on the historical myths and distortions, from "the Middle Ages" to "Race," that people use to rationalize the world in which we live.   More info at www.historiansplaining.com

Please see my Patreon page, https://www.patreon.com/user?u=5530632, if you want to keep the lectures coming, and to hear the patron-only materials.

Myth of the Month 10: Who Was Shakespeare? -- pt. 1: The Monument and the Man

Historiansplaining