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Ruthlandian concept o
f Shakesperian identity is one of the “anti-
Shakespearian” hypothesis. Some facts are in favour of this version: The first
Shakespearian works were devoted to the Earl Southampton and the late ones
to the Earls Pembruck and Monhomery and these are signs of the closeness
of the writer of Shakespearian plays to the noble aristocratic society
including Essex, – Sidney – Southampton – Ruthland. In this society not only
the political interests took the first place, but great attention was paid to art,
music, literature. Soon after the succession of James I in 1603 this society
became very important and influential in the courtly life. It is worth
mentioning that the first law of the King James was the patronage of the
groups of actors. The group where Shakespeare was an actor became the
king’s patent and it was an incontestable evidence of the fact that somebody
among courtiers was fond of theatre.
In the 19th century many literary scholars put forward to the role of
Shakespeare Roger Manners, the 5th Earl of Ruthland. He was a relative of
the Earl Essex, a close friend of Southampton in the time when the first
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sonnets devoted to the latter appeared. He studied at Oxford and Cambridge
and at the University of Padua where among his friends there were
Rogers Manners, the fifth Earl
Ruthland. (С. Demblon «Lord
Rutland est Shakespeare». Paris,
1912).
Rosenсranz and Hildersterne. The early
death of Ruthland in summer 1612
coincides with the end of Shakespeare’s
literary carier. These and other facts were
favourable to make a conclusion that it was
Earl Ruthland who wrote under the pen-
name Shakespeare. The Belgian historian
Selesten Demblon was a founder of this
hypothesis.
C. Demblon presented his version in his
monograph “Ruthland est Shakespeare”,
published in 1912.
In the archives of the University of Padua
Demblon found the name of Ruthland with
the names of the students from Denmark
Rosencranz and Hildersterne. Why did
these names appear in Ruthlandian version
presented in the book by Demblon was developed in the works by Russian
professor P.Porohovshikov “Shakespeare unmasked”, published in London,
1955. As it was mentioned above, the main principles of Ruthlandian
hypothesis were described by Russian Shakespearian scholar Fedor
Shipulinsky in his book “Shakespeare – Ruthland. The Three Centuries Old
Historical Mystery”.
It was in the 19
th
century when many outstanding writers (Ch.Dickens, M.
Twain) and in the 20
th
century many scientists, statesmen and philosophers
(among them O.E. Bismark, B. Disraeli, S. Freud, Henry James, J.
Galthworthy, Ch. Chaplin, W. Nabokov, A.V. Lunatcharsky supported the
Ruthlandian hypothesis, pointing out coinsidences of biographical data of the
Earl Ruthland and the author of Shakespeare’s works.
One of the most important arguments in favour of non-Stratfordian
concepts is “The Great Folio” edited in 1623, 7 years later after
Shakespearian death by Mary Sidney Pembruck, the younger sister of Philip
Sidney.
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The Countess Mary-Sidney-Pembruck
(1561 – 1621), the poet, translator, one of
the central figures of the literary life of the
Renaissance
There were 36 plays in these complete works by Shakespeare, some plays
were published for the first time: “Timing The Screw”, “The Tempest”,
“Mackbeth”, “The Twelve’s Night” and others. “The Introduction To The
Reader” is written by Ben Johnson. The poem by Ben Johnson devoted to the
author of presented works sounds interesting:
This figure that thou here seest put,
It was for gentle Shakespeare cut;
Wherein the graver had a strife
With nature to outdo the life: Oh,
could he but have drawn his wit As
well in brass, as he hath hit, His
face; the print would then surpass,
All that was ever writ in brass,
But, since he cannot, reader, look
Not on his picture, but his book
Здесь на портрете видишь ты
Шекспира внешние черты
Художник сколько мог старался
С природою он состязался
О, если б удалось ему
Черты, присущие уму
На меди вырезать как лик,
Он был бы истинно велик!
Но он не смог, и мой совет, -
Смотрите книгу, не портрет!
here is a slight ambiguity in this poem arousing an impulse to speculations
about the resemblance of this portrait with the author of Shakespeare’s
works. Some literary scholars believe that this ambiguity reflects the double
nature of Shakespeare’s identity.
In 1640 after the death of Ben Johnson the new editor of Shakespeare’s
works John Benson published the volume of the Great Bard
’
s works with a
portrait having a strong resemblance to the portrait painted by Draushaut, but
with an olive branch and halo. This portrait was provided with verses
ironically calling to the verses of Ben Johnson: “Is this figure a shadow of a
Great Shakespeare? Is this the soul of the century and the subject of
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exaltation?” The question marks in this poem seem to be mysterious and not
easy to explain.
Moreover “The Great Folio” includes the portrait of Shakespeare by
Martin Droushaut which seems to be rather strange, the face is masked with a
unnaturally high forehead, no resemblance to Stratfordian monument being
displayed in this portrait. But the most exciting thing is that both sleeves of
the rich garment (too rich for the merchant) were right-hand. Is it a mistake
of an non-experienced artist, or is it painted intentionally?
MR. WILLIAM SHAKESPEARES
COMEDIES, HISTORIES, &TRAGEDIES.
Published according to the True Original Copies.
London
Printed by Isaac Jaggard, and Ed. Blount. 1623
«Great Folio»
Portrait by Martin Draushaut.
Some literary scholars share the opinion that the two right-hand sleeves
are the symbol of the ambiguity and contradictoriness of Shakespeare’s
identity. As for Russian Shakespeare’s scholars is concerned, they support
the version of “the double authorship”, M. Litvinova and I.Gililov suppose
the philosopher Francis Bacon and Rogers Manners the fifth Earl of Ruthland
to be the authors of Shakespeare’s works.
We need hardly emphasize the point that identity of Shakespeare was
thrown upon doubt yet in the 19
th
century and it provided the basis for many
concepts and hypothesis about the identity of the Great Bard.
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