Shakespeare Authorship: Historical Evidence and Debate
Examine the Shakespeare authorship question, developing critical thinking and textual analysis skills.
Examine the Shakespeare authorship question, developing critical thinking and textual analysis skills.
This course, led by Ros Barber from the University of London, uses the Shakespeare authorship question as a framework to develop critical thinking and textual analysis skills. Through a detailed examination of historical evidence, literary texts, and competing theories, students will explore the controversy surrounding the authorship of Shakespeare's works. The course covers four main areas: understanding the authorship question, examining the connection between the man and the author, analyzing evidence from Stratford-upon-Avon, and studying the First Folio as proof of authorship. By engaging with primary sources, expert interviews, and various interpretations, learners will gain insights into Elizabethan literature, historical research methods, and the complexities of authorship attribution.
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What you'll learn
Understand the key arguments in the Shakespeare authorship debate
Develop skills in critical thinking and textual analysis
Examine the historical evidence linking William Shakespeare to the authored works
Analyze the connections between Stratford-upon-Avon and Shakespeare's plays
Evaluate the significance of the First Folio in establishing Shakespeare's authorship
Explore alternative theories about the authorship of Shakespeare's works
Skills you'll gain
This course includes:
591 Minutes PreRecorded video
17 quizzes
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There are 4 modules in this course
This course uses the Shakespeare authorship question as a framework to develop critical thinking and textual analysis skills. The curriculum is divided into four modules: Understanding the Question, The Man and the Author, The Evidence from Stratford-upon-Avon, and The First Folio as Proof of Authorship. Students will examine historical evidence, literary texts, and competing theories about Shakespeare's identity. The course encourages learners to question assumptions, interpret primary sources, and evaluate different arguments. Through video lectures, expert interviews, close readings, and quizzes, participants will gain a deeper understanding of Elizabethan literature, historical research methods, and the complexities of authorship attribution.
Understanding the Question
Module 1 · 6 Hours to complete
The Man and the Author
Module 2 · 5 Hours to complete
The Evidence from Stratford-upon-Avon
Module 3 · 5 Hours to complete
The First Folio as Proof of Authorship
Module 4 · 4 Hours to complete
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Instructor
Lecturer in English and Comparative Literature at Goldsmiths, University of London
Dr. Ros Barber is a lecturer in the Department of English and Comparative Literature at Goldsmiths, University of London, and serves as the Director of Research at the Shakespearean Authorship Trust. She has published extensively on Shakespeare, including notable works such as 30-Second Shakespeare (known as Know-It-All Shakespeare in the USA), Shakespeare: The Evidence, and Bardly True. Her scholarly articles on Early Modern literary biography have appeared in various academic journals, and she has received multiple awards for her contributions to the field, including the Calvin Hoffman Prize for distinguished publications on Christopher Marlowe. A prize-winning novelist, her debut novel The Marlowe Papers, written entirely in iambic pentameter, won the Desmond Elliott Prize and was long-listed for the Women’s Prize for Fiction. Dr. Barber teaches the course "Introduction to Who Wrote Shakespeare," where she explores the complexities surrounding authorship and literary history. Her work engages with both creative and critical perspectives on literature, making significant contributions to discussions about authorship attribution and the legacy of Shakespeare's works.
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4.7 course rating
250 ratings
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