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William Shakespeare: Genius, Adapter, or Plagiarist?
William Shakespeare is widely regarded as the greatest playwright in the English language, credited with authoring thirty-eight plays and an abundant collection of poetry. Yet, from his own time to the present day, his work has been shadowed by persistent accusations of plagiarism and questions about whether he was the true author of his incredible literary canon.
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The “Shakespeare authorship question” challenges the idea that a man from a modest background—the son of a butcher from Stratford-upon-Avon—could possess the knowledge of law, politics, and foreign courts evident in the plays. This has led to several alternative theories. Some of the most prominent candidates proposed as the “real” Shakespeare include:
- Sir Francis Bacon: The 19th-century researcher Delia Bacon argued that her famous ancestor, a renowned philosopher and statesman, was the true author.
- Christopher Marlowe: A brilliant playwright and contemporary of Shakespeare, Marlowe’s style undoubtedly influenced Shakespeare’s work, leading some to believe he was the mind behind the masterpieces.
- The Earl of Derby: The 16th-century scholar Abel Lefranc attributed the entire Shakespearean collection to the well-traveled and highly educated William Stanley, the 6th Earl of Derby.
The Charge of Plagiarism: A Matter of Context
While the authorship debate remains a fringe theory, the accusations of plagiarism are grounded in historical fact. Many of Shakespeare’s most celebrated plays were not original stories but masterful adaptations of existing material. In Elizabethan England, the concept of intellectual property was very different from our own. Playwrights commonly borrowed plots from myths, histories, and other works, a practice that was not considered plagiarism but rather a standard creative process.
“Hamlet” (1601) is believed to be based on the ancient Scandinavian legend of Amleth, recorded in the 13th-century *Gesta Danorum* by Saxo Grammaticus.
“King Lear” (1606) appears to draw from an earlier play, *King Leir*, and other historical sources.
“Romeo and Juliet” is based on a popular Italian tale written by Masuccio de Salerno in the 15th century, a story that had been adapted by others before Shakespeare.
Even in his own time, Shakespeare faced criticism for this practice. The playwright Robert Greene famously attacked him as an “upstart Crow, beautified with our feathers,” accusing him of taking credit for the ideas of more educated writers.
The commercial pressures of the theater likely played a role. Audiences demanded a constant supply of new entertainment, and adapting known stories was a fast and effective way to satisfy this demand. The themes of love, betrayal, and ambition were common, and playwrights often revisited the same plot foundations.
Conclusion: A Genius Adapter
Ultimately, while Shakespeare would be considered a plagiarist by today’s strict standards, in his own time he was a master adapter. His true genius was not in inventing new stories, but in taking existing ones and transforming them with unparalleled psychological depth, complex characters, and the most beautiful language ever written in English. He was not just a storyteller, but the ultimate re-teller of stories.
