Bacon and Shakespeare

Calvert, Albert Frederick, 1872-1946Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.0

Word count: 222K words
Chapters: 23

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Bacon and Shakespeare by Albert Frederick CalvertAuthor: Calvert, Albert Frederick, 1872-1946,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Jul 24, 2015

Editor's review

This is Albert Frederick Calvert's English-language treatise on the authorship question surrounding Bacon and Shakespeare's works, released as a free eBook by Project Gutenberg. Its value lies not in offering a definitive conclusion but in presenting in full the basic arguments and methods of textual comparison used by the "Baconians" since the nineteenth century, making it highly useful for understanding the centuries-old cultural controversy over who wrote the Shakespeare plays. The book is richly sourced and tightly argued; reading it feels like following a debater through textual detective work, and it is best read with a skeptical and analytical frame of mind. Because the original is in English and was written long ago, its syntax and diction bear the marks of its era; readers should have some English proficiency and a basic familiarity with Shakespeare or Bacon. It is better suited as research material or an interest-driven read than as an introduction.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Literary enthusiasts interested in the Shakespeare authorship question
Readers studying English Renaissance literature and textual scholarship
Those who wish to understand the Baconian arguments and use of historical sources
Readers with English proficiency who enjoy argumentative academic writing

Not a good fit for

Beginners whose English is not yet fluent and who need a Chinese translation
Readers who only want to read Shakespeare's plays themselves and do not care about the authorship debate
Readers seeking settled academic consensus and unwilling to engage with controversial views

Reading tips

Read a background introduction to the Shakespeare authorship question first; the book's arguments will be easier to follow.
Note the texts the author compares and the steps of his reasoning as you read, so you can judge the strength of his case.
Read it alongside mainstream Shakespeare scholarship to form a balanced view of both sides.
With the English original, read section by section; when you hit unfamiliar expressions, grasp the overall meaning first and return to the details later.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Does this book argue that Bacon wrote Shakespeare's works?

This book belongs to the "Baconian" camp and argues that Shakespeare's works may have been written by Francis Bacon. It presents one side's view and supporting evidence, not academic consensus; readers should treat it as controversial research rather than a settled conclusion.

Can I read this book without any background in Shakespeare?

You can, but it will be demanding. The book deals extensively with Shakespeare's texts and historical figures; without any knowledge of the plays and the Elizabethan context, the argument is hard to follow. It is best to read a few Shakespeare plays or an introductory work first.

Is this book in Chinese or English?

This is the original English-language eBook, released by Project Gutenberg and catalogued as English, under English literature in the language and literature class. Chinese readers will need some English proficiency or reading aids.

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About the author

Calvert, Albert Frederick, 1872-1946 Author

Albert Frederick Calvert (1872–1946) was a British writer known for his books on Spanish art, architecture and history. Because public information is limited, the details of his life remain difficult to establish, but the four works held in this collection indicate the main direction of his writing. He supplied the text for the illustrated volume Southern Spain, produced in collaboration with the painter Trevor Haddon, describing the scenery and character of southern Spain. Spanish Arms and Armour focuses on Spanish weapons and armour, while Moorish Remains in Spain examines the architectural legacy left by the Moors in Spain. Bacon and Shakespeare addresses the long-standing literary controversy surrounding Bacon and Shakespeare. His writing centres on art history, antiquities and regional culture, combining description with inquiry, and offers English-language readers an accessible introduction to Spain's cultural heritage.