Francis+Bacon

  ** Sir Francis Bacon is the real Shakespeare.  (1561-1626) **
 * Who is the real Shakespeare? **

//Group Members: Jen Hammond, Melissa Garrison, Sam Culin, Nick Jenkins, Meghan Welker, Jeff Sheldon, Taylor Santa Cruz//

Fact Sheet Handout

Education: ** Sir Francis Bacon was an educated man.
 * Attended Trinity College in Cambridge, England in 1573
 * Studied sciences and philosophy
 * Published scientific essays
 * Attended law school

William Shakespeare had a limited education.
 * Attended grammar school in Stratford, England
 * He studied Latin & Greek grammar, not English grammar. However, Shakespeare's plays were written in English.
 * Universities taught English grammar, which makes it likely Bacon knew English grammar.
 * Books about English grammar were not published until over a century later, indicating it was nearly impossible for Shakespeare to teach himself English grammar.
 * Only completed up to the third grade
 * Never attended university schooling
 * 17,000 different words were used throughout Shakespeare's plays/poems.
 * Shakespeare's small education background makes it hard to believe he was capable of knowing 17,000 different words.


 * Most other writers during this time period had a university education** (including Christopher Marlowe and Edward de Vere)

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Sir Francis Bacon traveled to other countries. Map of France & Italy William Shakespeare remained near London.
 * Travels: **
 * Traveled to Paris in 1576
 * Traveled to Poictiers, France in 1577
 * Located near Italy, students at the university would travel to
 * Friends with the Grand Duke of Tuscany, Cosimo de Medici
 * Wrote letters
 * All records of Shakespeare show him in either Stratford or London, meaning he would have little knowledge of other locations presented in his plays.

Sir Francis Bacon was connected to the royal family.
 * Friends in High Power: **
 * Took a seat in Parliament for Dorsetshire in 1584
 * Became the confidential adviser to Robert Devereux, the 2nd Earl of Essex in 1591
 * Took a seat in Parliament for Middlesex in 1593
 * Helped the Queen secure a guilty verdict when the Earl of Essex planned to kidnap her in 1601
 * Bacon was knighted in 1603
 * Received the office of Solicitor General in 1607
 * Assistant to the chief law officer
 * Received the office of Attorney General in 1613
 * Chief law officer
 * Became Lord Chancellor, received the title of Baron Verulam

William Shakespeare was in the lower class.
 * Play-writing and acting were lowly professions

Sir Francis Bacon would not want to take credit for his work because of his proximity to the royal family.
 * Reason for Not Taking Credit: **
 * Francis Bacon could not use his real name to publish plays about family secrets or anything the Queen disagreed with.
 * If Francis Bacon disobeyed the Queen, he would be committing treason.
 * Consequences of treason would include...
 * Death Penalty (beheading, hanging)
 * Torture (branding irons, the wheel)
 * Humiliation
 * Many punishments were witnessed in front of the town/in public.
 * Reputation would be ruined

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Bibliography Alchin, L. (2005, July 16). //Elizabethan england//. Retrieved from http://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/elizabethan-england.htm Barrow, M. (2009). //Timeline of kings and queens of england//. Retrieved from http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/CUSTOMS/questions/kings.htm Gerald, L. (2009, November 5). //Shakespeare and Italy//. Retrieved from http://sirbacon.org/italy.htm Gray, T.A. (2000, September 16). //A Shakespeare timeline summary chart//. Retrieved from http://shakespeare.palomar.edu/timeline/summarychart.htm Jay, R. (2000). //Shakespeare: a beginner's guide//. Hodder & Stoughton. Muir, K., & Schoenbaum, S. (1934). A New Companion to Shakespeare. London: Cambridge University Press. Pressley, J.M. (2009). //Shakespear's biography//. Retrieved from http://www.bardweb.net/man.html Roseenbaum, R. (2006). //The Shakespeare wars//. New York: Random House. Uzgalis, B. (2003, September). //Francis bacon (1561-1626)//. Retrieved from http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/ph1302/philosophers/bacon. Wells, S. (2006). Shakespeare & Co. Gret Britain: Pantheon Books.