William Shakespeare, one of history’s most celebrated literary figures, may not have written his famous works after all, according to a controversial new book. Feminist historian Irene Coslet argues that the true author behind Shakespeare’s plays was Emilia Bassano, a Tudor court poet, and that her identity was deliberately concealed by the literary establishment.
Rewriting Literary History
In “The Real Shakespeare,” Coslet claims that Shakespeare, born in Stratford-upon-Avon, was an “uneducated interloper” who took credit for the works of Bassano, a black Jewish woman with a rich and diverse cultural heritage. According to Coslet, the authorship of Shakespeare’s plays was overshadowed by Bassano’s identity as a woman of Jewish and Moorish descent, which was deliberately erased in favor of a male, “white” figure who fit the prevailing narrative of the time.
Bassano’s close connections to the theatre world, particularly her relationship with Henry Carey, Elizabeth I’s Lord Chamberlain, and patron of Shakespeare’s troupe, the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, are central to Coslet’s argument. Scholars have long speculated that Bassano might be the “Dark Lady” immortalized in Shakespeare’s sonnets, but Coslet’s book presents the most detailed account of how Bassano’s true role was hidden in favor of Shakespeare’s image.
Coslet suggests that the idea of Shakespeare, a glover’s son with limited schooling, producing works of such profound literary brilliance has long been questioned. The historian challenges this notion, proposing that Bassano, with her background in literature and deep knowledge of diverse cultures, was the true genius behind the plays. “Historians have not managed to explain how the Stratford man, a semi-illiterate moneylender, managed to gain such a level of erudition,” Coslet writes in the book.
Literary Establishment and Cultural Erasure
The historian contends that the literary world of the time favored a white male genius, rejecting the possibility of a female playwright of color having such an impact. In Bassano’s case, her “diverse identity” — being both Jewish and Moorish — provided the cultural depth that is evident in Shakespeare’s works, according to Coslet.
Coslet’s book makes bold assertions, including the suggestion that surviving portraits of Bassano, which depict her as fair-skinned, were deliberately lightened to conform to the beauty standards of the period. This manipulation of her image is framed as part of a broader pattern of silencing and erasure of women of color in history.
While acknowledging that mainstream scholarship maintains Shakespeare’s authorship, Coslet’s book challenges this narrative by highlighting Bassano’s position as the first woman in England to publish original poetry under her own name. The book’s claims are part of a growing body of work that seeks to reassess historical figures and challenge long-standing narratives.
This isn’t the first time Bassano has been suggested as the true Shakespeare. Last year, author Jodi Picoult made similar claims in her novel “By Any Other Name,” speculating that Shakespeare “sold his name to people who wanted to hide themselves as writers.” But Coslet’s book offers the most comprehensive argument yet, framing Bassano as a key figure in shaping the cultural history of the English-speaking world.
As the debate continues, Coslet calls for a reevaluation of the role of women in history, particularly those who have been erased from the dominant narrative. “What if women had a pivotal role and a civilizing impact in history, but they have been silenced, belittled and erased from the dominant narrative?” she asks.
