The Shakespeare Mask

I really enjoyed this book. I know that there are a lot of theories out there that William Shakespeare was just a pen name, but I feel that this one made the most sense to me. I would recommend this book to anyone, but most especially to those who enjoy the Elizabethan era and Shakespeare.

Interesting and in-depth look at a controversial topic! As a great Shakespeare lover, I wasn't sure I'd enjoy this book sat all, but Mr. Frohlich doesn't present an argument, rather weaves a story that entertained, questioned, and caused me to think deeply. I'd love to use this as part of a research/debate with my students!

In a time of darkness, intolerance and political and religious strife one young man's mind emerges to question and examine forgotten literature of bygone eras, to encourage others into the artistic enlightenment and golden era of reformation and discovery. This extraordinary mind will create some of history's most profound, perceptive and beautiful plays, sonnets, poems and lines of dialogue the world has ever known. History will have us remembering the name associated with the mind as William Shakespeare. But who was William Shakespeare or it is possible to ask who wrote for Shakespeare? Scholars, celebrated authors and alternative enthusiasts all have different theories and the potential reader could happily lose themselves for hours revisiting others ideas and come to the conclusion that the real identity of the bard is one of history's most enduring mysteries, the mystique of the name that is forged from the unknown and the anonymity that has shadowed portraits and markers is only half of the entertainment to do with anything Shakespeare. And with that said, may I introduce The Shakespeare Mask by Newton Frohlich, a compelling dramatization that puts a face and name to that entertaining anonymity.

Whether or not the potential reader is familiar with the Oxford theory only encourages further study and examination after the reader finishes The Shakespeare Mask. Mr. Frohlich has brought the name of Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford out of the shadows of history and into a fictional dramatization that presses the questions and excitement of alternatives minds. The reader will follow Edward de Vere as he quests for knowledge and his many pursuits to international enlightenment and physical interests as his perceptive mind gathers material for the many works that will be later put under the name of William Shakespeare. Whether or not the reader believes that Edward de Vere was the writer for William Shakespeare matters little because The Shakespeare Mask invites the reader to question and examine the evidence that the author has set to this historically detailed and fictionalized story of the Earl of Oxford. The Shakespeare Mask continues to capture the Earl's journey and brings in his role in Queen Elizabeth's court and the complicated relationships with advisors and the Virgin Queen herself. As the pages turn the reader is given facts and then explanations set in the pages that only drives the mystery and theory. The appearance of the "mask" is not made until almost the end along with the offer of a simple exchange that will eventually erase Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford from portraits and markers and commence the immortality of the name of William Shakespeare. The parting notes gather further evidence and if the potential reader is interested these include several more books that support the questions: who was William Shakespeare or who actually wrote for Shakespeare?

In the end, The Shakespeare Mask was a great escape for this reader. I believe I missed the 2011 Anonymous mania and the other day was the first time I heard the name of Edward de Vere. The Shakespeare Mask captured my interest as soon as I read the synopsis and thought was it really possible? This immediately became a must read for me and I closed the pages late last night really questioning the possibility that Edward de Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford could have been the brilliant mind behind all those works. It depends on the reader if they will be more interested in the possibility and enjoy the facts set to a dramatization or read it for their interest in the 16th and the mention of the early 17th century, either way Mr. Frohlich knows how to weave a story, spark the curiosity of his audience and their desire to learn more.

*I would like to thank Blue Bird Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and enjoy The Shakespeare Mask

Who Wrote Shakespeare’s Plays?
By Bob Gelms
The Shakespeare Mask by Newton Frohlich is a novel, the latest in the growing scholarship based on the premise that Shakespeare didn’t write the 38 plays 154 sonnets or two long narrative poems that are attributed to him. Shakespeare died in 1616 and his plays were first gathered together in book form in 1623. It was around that time that creeping intimations started to cast doubt on his authorship of the plays. It wasn’t until about 100 years ago that these rumors pierced academia like the foil stuck in Polonius. Quite a few notable people have cast significant doubt on Shakespeare’s authorship. People like Walt Whitman, Mark Twain, Helen Keller, Henry James, Sigmund Freud, Charlie Chaplin and Orson Welles. In the ensuing 100 years the scholarship surrounding this literary mystery has centered on one man who could have and maybe did author the plays. His name is Edward de Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford.
The Shakespeare Mask is a novel in which Mr. Frohlich shows how ridiculously easy it would have been for de Vere to cover up his authorship and, more importantly, why he had to do it. The book follows de Vere’s life quite closely. He held the second oldest Earldom in the Kingdom. He owned more land than Queen Elizabeth. He bedded every woman that struck his fancy and, by some accounts, that included the Queen. He drank prodigiously. He was a spendthrift to end all spendthrifts. So much so that in real life he died penniless of unknown causes. In the book he regained his fortune just before dying of the plague which is the leading contender for what led to his demise. He, beyond a doubt, was the original wild and crazy guy.
Having said all that Edward de Vere spoke 5 languages, Italian, French, English, Latin and Greek. He was educated at Oxford and received the finest education his money and status afforded. He then toured the continent for a few years, living in opulent splendor, settling in Italy, where he visited all the places that later show up in the plays that are set in Italy. One place in particular might jog a memory or two; Verona.
Once you know the story of Edward de Vere, The Shakespeare Mask takes on a whole different colour. It is almost as enjoyable as one of the Bard of Avon’s plays. Ah yes The Bard of Avon. In real life William Shakespeare lived in Stratford on the Avon River. In real life de Vere had a house on the Avon River as well, just not in Stratford. That’s only one of about two dozen coincidences that come to play in the novel pointing to de Vere’s authorship of the plays. You might well ask yourself why de Vere hired Shakespeare to front for him and put his name on the plays that de Vere actually wrote. Nowadays his reason doesn’t make any sense.
Edward de Vere was the prime nobleman in all of Great Britain. As a member of the upper class he was at the top of the pyramid. He defined upper class in the “class” riddled England of the time. Nobility couldn’t mingle with the lower class nor could they participate in the lower class’ occupations, especially the lowest of the lowest jobs. That would be prostitute, actor or writer. It just wasn’t done. Edward, used to doing whatever he wanted and to hell with the consequences, was bound and determined to be a writer. The Shakespeare Mask shows how he accomplished that life’s dream in a most entertaining and readable fashion.
What if you don’t like Shakespeare? Not to worry. The novel is written in modern English and presents the life of one of the most interesting individuals to have lived in Elizabethan England. Whether or not Edward de Vere wrote the plays normally attributed to Shakespeare, it remains that he was a most remarkable man. He could have been the primary example for Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. The novel is all that and more. The Shakespeare Mask is a quick, interesting, thought-provoking, and eminently readable novel. Mr. Frohlich convinced me that there is significant doubt about the authorship of Shakespeare’s plays. Well, The Shakespeare Mask and three or four other nonfiction works on the subject. I’ll tell you how I really feel. I care that the plays were written and they were written by somebody. I don’t care too much if they were written by William Shakespeare or Edward de Vere the 17th Earl of Oxford. It reaches, for me, a high level of intellectual play. I absolutely loved The Shakespeare Mask. To write or not to write, that is the question, whether tis nobler in the mind to hide the writing, or by revealing, admit it. It is a consolation whose authorship is not yet revealed for all to see.

This started slowly, but quickly picked up the pace. I would have liked for the book to be a bit longer, so that we could spend some more time with these fascinating characters, and the story could have a bit more room to breathe. By the end, I found Edward quite engaging and sympathetic.

This was one of my favorite books in the past year. The author has a well researched and clear position on Shakespeare that he brought forward in a moving and detailed story. I recommend it to everyone.

A quite nicely done.

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