Shakespeare Was a Woman and Other Heresies

An “extraordinarily brilliant” and “pleasurably naughty” investigation, according to André Aciman, Shakespeare Was a Woman and Other Heresies by Elizabeth Winkler delves into one of the most controversial topics in literary history: the Shakespeare authorship question. Winkler embarks on a captivating journey to unravel why doubting that William Shakespeare wrote his plays has become akin to literary blasphemy, and she dares to explore who the true author might be.

The theory that Shakespeare may not have penned the masterpieces attributed to him has long been a hushed subject in English literature. While scholars acknowledge the gaps and mysteries in the Bard’s biography, publicly questioning the identity of this great literary figure is often regarded as taboo, if not outright immoral. In Shakespeare Was a Woman and Other Heresies, Winkler embarks on a quest to understand the origins of this literary taboo. Her investigation takes readers on an enthralling journey from London to Stratford-Upon-Avon and across the Atlantic to Washington, DC.

Throughout her quest, Winkler skillfully peels back the layers of history, nationalism, religion, mythmaking, gender, and class that have shaped society’s reverence for Shakespeare over the centuries. She examines the lives and theories of numerous writers and thinkers, such as Walt Whitman, Sigmund Freud, and even Supreme Court justices, who have all pondered the true origins of Shakespeare’s works. Was the real author a forgotten woman, a disgraced aristocrat, or perhaps a covert government operative? The theme of mistaken identities, so prevalent in Shakespeare’s plays, looms large over this historical puzzle.

As Winkler interviews both fervent scholars and ardent sceptics, her exploration takes on an introspective turn. She poses profound questions about historical truth and the ways in which human biases, blind spots, and subjectivities influence our understanding of the past. Winkler asserts that history, much like the plays we have come to love, is a narrative constructed by those who seek specific answers to predetermined questions.

Described as “lively” by The Washington Post, “fascinating” by Amanda Foreman, and “intrepid” by Stacy Schiff, Shakespeare Was a Woman and Other Heresies is a thought-provoking book that challenges readers to rethink what they know about Shakespeare and the broader cultural forces that determine which narratives we uphold. This meticulously researched and engagingly written work invites readers to debate and reconsider how society decides what constitutes heresy and what is deemed non-negotiable truth.