Shakespeare's Lost Kingdom
The True History of Shakespeare and Elizabeth
by Charles Beauclerk
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Pub Date Oct 16 2015 | Archive Date Jul 18 2017
Description
Who was the man behind Hamlet, Romeo, Falstaff and Lear? And why did he write, ‘I, once gone, to all the world must die’?
In this ground-breaking work Charles Beauclerk moves beyond the narrow confines of traditional Shakespearean scholarship to explore the political milieu in which Shakespeare lived and worked and the life-and-death struggle he underwent in the name of his ‘cause’. In doing so, he humanizes the bard who for centuries has remained beyond our grasp.
The story revealed is one of betrayal and sacrifice at the heart of government, with Shakespeare forced to fight both for the survival of his works—and his very identity. The official history, that of a barely educated genius writing in isolation and a virginal queen married to her country, is exposed as artful propaganda.
Shakespeare’s Lost Kingdom delves deep into the conflicts and personalities of Elizabethan England, and the plays themselves, to cast new light on the greatest and most mysterious artist the world has known.
Advance Praise
“Beauclerk’s learned, deep scholarship, compelling research, engaging style and convincing interpretation won me completely. He has made me view the whole Elizabethan world afresh. The plays glow with new life, exciting and real, infused with the soul of a man too long denied his inheritance.”
- Sir Derek Jacobi
"This is a book for anyone who loves Shakespeare. No matter who you think may have created the works of Shakespeare, the Earl of Oxford's mysterious life, and that of his Queen, must be near the heart and source of the creation. Three cheers for Mr. Beauclerk's daring to explore one of the most scandalous and potentially revolutionary theories about the authorship of these immortal works."
- Mark Rylance
“An intriguing book that proposes another forceful argument in this age old debate. Beauclerk’s detailed exploration divides the mythical notions from the historical truths. You will have a hard time putting this book down.”
- Roland Emmerich
“An extraordinary and controversial interpretation of Shakespeare’s origins, which certainly provokes much thought. A radical analysis of Shakespeare’s text, leading to a conclusion which is bound to amaze the reader and the scholar. Who was Shakespeare?
- Steven Berkoff
“A riveting narrative filled with learned insights into Renaissance England, Shakespeare’s Lost Kingdom is a soulful meditation on the timeless words of those masterworks at the centre of our cultural heritage.”
- Professor James Norwood
“An amazing work of scholarship—so eloquent, yet written in an immediately 'popular' style. I cannot recommend it too highly.”
- Tony Palmer
“Beauclerk has not only scandalized professors throughout the English departments of the world’s schools and universities, he has thrown down the gauntlet to historians as well… and he has garnered supporters in this long-simmering debate.”
- Boston Globe
Available Editions
| EDITION | Paperback |
| ISBN | 9781910670576 |
| PRICE | $19.99 (USD) |
Featured Reviews
Reviewer 34846
Excellent! Through and easy to use o read .
Review scheduled for publication date .
Christi S, Reviewer
Very interesting and thought provoking. I've read books about this era before and this is a whole new take.
G H, Reviewer
Before reading this book I was loosely acquainted with the theory that the works of William Shakespeare were not penned by the "Bard of Avon" but were in reality written by others. This belief is accentuated by the fact that relatively few records of his private life have survived and there are also remarkably sparse contemporary recordings featuring him in the diaries and notes of the period. There is also no written contemporary description of his appearance.
Doubts have long existed regarding the authorship of the works attributed to him with alternative candidates being proposed that include the likes of Christopher Marlowe, Francis Bacon and the subject of this book Edward de Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford. The latter is known as the Oxfordian theory of Shakespeare authorship and has become the most popular theory since the 1920's.
It must firstly be said that despite the evidence presented in this book the overwhelming majority of Shakespeare scholars and literary historians still attest to the fact that Shakespeare not Oxford was the author of the celebrated plays and sonnets that have been attributed to his name and the Oxfordians do propose a conspiracy theory that believes that records were falsified to ensure the identity of the real author being Oxford was never revealed.
So when reading this book a big subliminal warning sign is ever present and the many theories propounded in the book included the allegation that Oxford was the secret son of Elisabeth I need to back checked and cross referenced against other sources. Having said this the book is a tour de force and makes for a compelling and riveting read encompassing not only the content and context of many of Shakespeare's plays and sonnets but also delves into the history of the Tudors and the politics of that time.
Scholarly and well written with a wealth of supporting evidence, this is certainly a richly thought provoking book that is engrossingly enjoyable and if nothing else it would lead you onto other books on the subject. The problem is of course is it true or just another high class conspiracy theory book. You decide?.
Librarian 299542
Anyone who has more than a cursory knowledge of Shakespeare has heard the rumors that the glove maker from Stratford-Upon-Avon may not have authored the plays that bear his name. In this book, Beauclerk takes the side of the Oxfordians who claim that Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, was the true Bard. The author of this book offers up compelling evidence framed around the political, economical, and even social realities of the time.
I recommend this book to Shakespearean scholars,--even if your views are antipodal to Beauclerk--anglophiles, and students of British literature. You may find yourself surprised by what you find within these pages.
catherine h, Reviewer
I've been following this debate over William Shakespeare's authorship of his plays for many years now and find it all very interesting. This book offers some new food for thought that I found compelling. For being such a famous playwright, I have often wondered that more records concerning his plays and life can't be found! I wonder if there will ever be definitive proof either way?
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