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Shakespeare Authorship: Was He a 'Hydden Man'?

Shakespeare Authorship: Was He a 'Hydden Man'?Shakespeare Authorship: Was He a 'Hydden Man'?Shakespeare Authorship: Was He a 'Hydden Man'?

This suggests that Ralph Sheldon (1537-1613) was the Hydden Man behind the works of Shakespeare, contributing significantly to the Elizabethan drama and playing a crucial role in the ongoing Shakespeare authorship debate.

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Shakespeare Authorship: Was He a 'Hydden Man'?

Shakespeare Authorship: Was He a 'Hydden Man'?Shakespeare Authorship: Was He a 'Hydden Man'?Shakespeare Authorship: Was He a 'Hydden Man'?

This suggests that Ralph Sheldon (1537-1613) was the Hydden Man behind the works of Shakespeare, contributing significantly to the Elizabethan drama and playing a crucial role in the ongoing Shakespeare authorship debate.

Scroll down for Book & Summary of Research
A colorful sunset over a calm ocean with silhouettes of palm trees in the foreground.

The story of Ralph 'Raffe' Sheldon aligns perfectly with the profile of Shakespeare: he had Warwickshire roots, was legally trained, raised hawks, and was a father to nine daughters. He died in 1613, coinciding with the end of the plays, and a pseudonym shielded his works from political dangers of his papist recusancy.

About the Book

Was Shakespeare a 'Hydden Man'? explores evidence from the literary life of Shakespeare, comparing it to the life of Sheldon. This investigation focuses on insights from eminent scholars like Geoffrey Bullough and Kenneth Muir. The book is presented below, and available on Amazon for $11. 

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About the Author

Nancy Peters Maude is an attorney residing in Washington, D.C. To conduct this study, she adopted the general principles of Harold Love from his work Attributing Authorship (2002). Her previous research, titled "Was Thomas Lodge Also Misodiaboles?" was published in The Review of English Studies (June 2017).

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Shakespeare Authorship Debate: Why Sheldon?

Below is an overview, followed by a detailed summary of the theory of Ralph Sheldon as related to the Shakespeare authorship debate. Each point in the overview and summary connects to page references from the book, with links to the historical arguments and sources. See also "Frequently Asked Questions."

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Proof of Sheldon as Shakespeare

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Summary of Research & Frequently Asked Questions

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When did the plays begin?

This theory suggests that the plays began with an early version of Romeo & Juliet performed on the London stage around 1560. The essay below proposes a timeline approximately 30 years earlier than that typically accepted for these works, which adds an intriguing perspective to the ongoing Shakespeare authorship debate.

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The Plays Began in 1560s with Elizabeth, Leicester & Sheldon

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Histoires Tragiques, Sheldon & R.S.

Four Shakespeare plays—Romeo & Juliet, Hamlet, Much Ado About Nothing, and Twelfth Night—were translated directly from the well-known French series Histoires Tragiques, 7 vol., first published 1559. Who translated these novellas? This traces the connections of Sheldon (aka R.S.) to these original sources.

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Sheldon & R.S.: R&J, Hamlet, Much Ado, 12th N

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Sheldon in His Own Words

The First Folio provides a first-hand description of the playwright as someone whose papers had "scarce" a blot. The transcription below, originally one large sheet of over 6500 words handwritten with almost no blots, is Sheldon recounting a Shakespearean-like episode c. 1585, protesting that he was "no Hydden Man."

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Sheldon's Writing & Comparative Stylometrics

 

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Sheldon the Player, Sheldonian Theatre, Shakspere's Skull

 Three intriguing mysteries: Why was Sheldon listed as a 'player' in Henslowe's Diary in 1594? Why was the Oxford Graduation HALL built as the SHELDONIAN THEATRE in the 1660s? And why was Shakespeare's skull stolen in 1794 and rumored to be in the Sheldon crypt?

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Three Sheldon Mysteries

 

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Book PDF File

Alternatively, paperback available from Amazon for $11.

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Feel free to send me a message or ask a general question about Elizabethan drama, Ralph Sheldon, or even the Shakespeare authorship debate using this form. I will do my best to get back to you soon!

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