Conspiracy Check

Theories ยท Shakespeare authorship question

Shakespeare Was a Woman and Other Heresies

Shakespeare Was a Woman and Other Heresies is a 2023 nonfiction book by journalist Elizabeth Winkler about the Shakespeare authorship question. The book uses journalism and literary criticism to explore the possibility that the works of Shakespeare were written by someone other than William Shakespeare of Stratford-upon-Avon. It also details the history of how the Shakespeare authorship question became an academic taboo. Published by Simon & Schuster under the full title Shakespeare Was a Woman and Other Heresies: How Doubting the Bard Became the Biggest Taboo in Literature, the book contains interviews with various Shakespeare scholars, including Stanley Wells, Alexander Waugh, Marjorie Garber, Stephen Greenblatt, Ros Barber, Michael Witmore and Mark Rylance.

Read the full Wikipedia article โ†—

Check the claims

Search independent fact-checkers for this topic:

Action items

Prevention steps

  1. StopNotice a strong emotion (anger, fear, 'they don't want you to know') before you share. Pause first.
  2. Investigate the sourceWho is making the claim, what's their expertise, and what do they gain if you believe it?
  3. Find better coverageRead laterally: open new tabs and see what independent outlets and fact-checkers say.
  4. Trace claims to the originFind the original study, video or document. Check dates and whether quotes are cut.
  5. Ask what would change your mindReal theories can be tested. If every piece of counter-evidence 'proves' the cover-up, it can't be.
  6. Count the peopleBig secret plots need thousands of people to stay silent for years. That rarely happens.
  7. Talk, don't mockWith friends or family, ask questions, listen, share your own sources calmly. Shame backfires.
  8. PrebunkLearn the common tricks (cherry-picking, fake experts, false dilemmas) so you spot them early.

Related