Who Really Wrote Shakespeare? Shakespeare Authorship 101

We know that Shakespeare wrote Shakespeare, because his name is on the works. In his introduction to the Shakespeare Authorship Question, attorney Alex McNeil takes a closer look at this assertion, highlighting the weaknesses and gaps in evidence for Will Shakspere of Stratford-upon-Avon and summarizing the case for Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, as the real author.

[sorellman]

I have studied extensively the matter and this is one of the best summaries of the evidence showing why William of Stratford could not be the author and that the real author of the Shakespeare canon was Edward de Vere. Highly recommended to the truth seeker among us ordinary people.

[SydneyCarton-sfmq]

I've read many books on the authorship controversy and am very impressed about the presentation of these arguments. This is a great video!

[janscheffer]

Thank you so much, Alex! Eloquent, concise and complete, a joy to listen to and a flawless explication of the case.

[markrist]

Superb! Thank you. Some 10 or 12 years ago I read Mark Anderson's book: Shakespeare by Another Name. I never looked back. It's so nice to see a respected scholar, such as yourself, explain what Anderson had demonstrated to me about the vere, vere true author.

[johnnzboy]

I've encountered the authorship question numerous times before and dismissed the Oxfordian theory due to a lack of compelling evidence, but you present it in a much more convincing and systematic way.

[waterman]

An absolutely excellent overview of the Oxford case. It's a case that offers evidence implying far more than 'reasonable doubt.' For transparency, I am already a convert of forty years standing.

I note that Americans quite-rightly view themselves as heirs to Shakespeare's works. They also provide some of the finest commentary.

One gripe, if I may - this excellent presentation is overly larded with long ads. I know YouTube is milking content for as much as it can squeeze out, but if the video author has any say in the matter, I counsel they should make as many ad reductions as are in their gift.

[christiantaylor]

Superb. The seething of Stratfraudians is music to my ears. Play on.

[smhollanshead]

Shakespeare’s plays are so great and so deep that it’s difficult to believe that one man produced all these works.

[michellek]

Fascinating that De Vere’s life has so many parallels to Shakespeare’s plays. And the author’s knowledge of Italian and French, as well as Latin and Greek is difficult to explain for the Stratford man.

[larrygerfen]

Love it that Alex presents his case as a professional lawyer would.

[a_lucientes]

Excellent video. Thanks you for making it. I remember being so surprised by how compelling C Ogburn's book was/is, right from the start. It's a massive doorstop of a book but very readable and fascinating if youre uncovering this for the first time. Because I had not really any biography on Shakespeare I read Schoenbaum's 'Shakespeare's Lives', 'Will in the World' & Shakespeare Without Doubt' only solidified the Oxfordian position for me. Then back to Oxfordian books. There are not that many, but what there is, are very good. I began w/ Looney's 1920 book that started it all, and then 'Shakespeare By Another Name', 'Shakespeare's Lost Kingdom', 'Shakespeare Suppressed' & Shakespeare's Unorthodox Biography'.

[SAVANNAHEVENTS]

Always glad to see a new video! Ive watched every authorship video I can find on youtube.

[billglaser]

Whenever anyone asks me why I am an Oxfordian, rather than having to listen to me ramble on for hours, or rather than having to read a doorstopper book, now all anyone has to do is to invest only one half hour of his or her life to get the answer. Thank you!

[boogiebegs]

thank you, Mr McNeil for this wonderful summation....  

as a English Lit major who studied Shakespeare's life (the wrong one's) and canon at a prestigious university, it angers me (yes, I'm that passionate about this) that we can not unequivocally state that the 17th Earl of Oxford as the REAL Shakespeare... at the very least, state that Shaksper is NOT the Bard... it's blatantly obvious - why can't/won't we just accept this as fact already?.... teaching students anything less than this obvious truth smacks of intellectually laziness...

[SAVANNAHEVENTS]

Great overview for Authorship 101 which prompted me to wonder, based on some of your recent research, if Shakespeare was a cover for multiple authors working with De Vere? If so, could the multiple author theory one day be included in a 101 overview? Keep up the great work!

[AnnaCatherineB]

It makes a lot more sense to me that the author of the plays was wealthy due to the comedic cruelty directed at lower classes in his plays.

[michellemelinger]

Excellent presentation! Thank you for the effort put in to creating this very well organized and researched argument for Oxford’s authorship.

[WaM]

Dear Alex - in the early 1980's I taught French in the "working class" high school (there were two) in a relatively small town in Oregon. For three years, I debated the Honors English teacher of the high school on the subject you so eloquently discoursed here. Who wrote the plays of Shakespeare? The candidate I argued (and believed and still believe to this day) to be the true author, was Edward de Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford identifying many if not most of the known facts you brought forth. I leaned a little more heavily than you on the fact that Edward was Elizabeth's favorite (lover? perhaps?...we were debating in a high school lol) and could get away with so many leading figures being mocked or caricatured (most especially Lord Burghley) in the plays. I hasten to add that at the end of our debate the students got to vote on who "won the debate;" I always lost. The Honors English teacher was highly regarded by his students (and most assuredly by me too).

[ThePultzFamily]

Thank you Sir for this brilliant overview! This puts the lay person in a position to make his own judgement, based on the circumstantial evidence.
Greetings from Denmark, from a place only 5 miles from the grave of the real prince Amled

[richardwaugaman]

Over 1, 100 views in less than 24 hours is astonishing! Strong evidence that people hunger for basic information on this timely topic. Congratulations, Alex!