Welcome to the University of London's MOOC,
Introduction to Who Wrote Shakespeare.
Before introducing you to the course,
I'd better introduce myself.
I'm Dr. Rosalind Barber of Goldsmiths College, University of London,
and I've been researching the ins and outs of
the Shakespeare authorship question since 2005.
Doubts that William Shakespeare wrote the works attributed to him were
first expressed openly in the 1850s.
Some scholars say veiled doubts were expressed in the 16th century, immediately
following the publication of
the first two works that appeared under the Shakespeare name.
You'll find out about these claims later in the course.
Now, be warned, this isn't any ordinary academic subject.
Some people get very emotional about
the questioning of the authorship of the Shakespeare "canon",
the plays and poems recognized as his.
You might try to talk about the issues raised on this course with
friends and family and find people getting angry.
But within this course, you'll find a place to
discuss it with others who are interested in it.
Hopefully, in a calm and productive way.
I encourage you not to get too emotional,
if you can help it, because getting emotional can make it hard to think straight.
And you're going to need to stay logical
if you're to have the best chance of looking clearly at
the evidence for and against Shakespeare's authorship.
For me, this is a deeply interesting subject.
For one, it's an exercise in critical thinking, forcing us to look at what
we think we know and how we decide that something is true.
Secondly, it's a different way to look at Shakespeare.
School often makes us think of Shakespeare as boring.
The authorship question offers us
a different lens through which to view Shakespeare's works -
and even if you already know some of the plays and poems very well,
this is a fascinating way to approach his work with fresh eyes.
You don't need to know the plays or the poems to study this course and enjoy it.
In fact, because this is only a very short course,
and the authorship question is a very big subject,
we won't be looking at Shakespeare's works at all,
just the evidence for and against Shakespeare writing them.
But that won't stop you enjoying them in your own time.
In fact, I pretty much guarantee
it will help you enjoy them more.
I think of the Shakespeare authorship question as two questions.
Did the man from Stratford-upon-Avon write the works attributed to him?
And if he didn't, who did?
This is an introductory course,
focused purely on the first part of that question.
We'll be looking at the reasons why some people question the authorship of
the works of Shakespeare and examining some of the key evidence and arguments.
Some people will tell you it doesn't matter who wrote the works of Shakespeare
because we have the plays and poems and that's the only thing that counts.
Consider yourself whether it matters or not,
and why you think it does or it doesn't?
During this course, I'll be asking you to question your beliefs and assumptions.
Approach it with an open mind.
Be courteous to your fellow students and enjoy yourself.
