Oh no no no no, tell me that this story about digging up Shakespeare’s body is a Halloween joke. Apparently some American scientists have become convinced that Shakespeare was murdered by his son in law? Would that be the one who married the younger daughter, where Shakespeare deliberately rewrote the will at the last minute to make sure that the son in law wouldn’t get anything? The son in law who was involved in some sort of scandal where he got another woman pregnant?

I don’t think it’s cool to go digging up bodies just to satisfy your own curiosity.

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CBS News reports on the Falstaff (aka Henry Neville) theory. The only reason I’m linking to this one, since it’s actually an old theory that we’ve already discussed, is that the article seems to be making fun of the Falstaff argument and provides more evidence against than for it.

“Shakespeare had never been to Venice. So how could he write Merchant of Venice?”

I mean, honestly, is that a real question? Ray Bradbury’s never been to Mars but I liked his “Martian Chronicles.”

I like the rebuttal: “Shakespeare never once mentioned that there were any canals in Venice. That suggests to me that it was written by someone who had read books about Venice, but had never actually been there.”

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ABC News: Elvis still tops dead celebrities, Shakespeare hot

What they mean, in case you don’t feel like reading, is that if Shakespeare’s works were still under copyright and thus making his estate money, he would be generating an estimated $15million a year, which would put him #5 on the “dead celebrities” list – behind Elvis, Charles Schultz, John Lennon and Andy Warhol.

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The South End Newspaper – Shakespeare makes me feel smart! – A&E – News

I like this article for the upbeat tone that it brings to taking Shakespeare classes in college. “Shakespeare’s plays are actually very interesting and hilarious. In fact, they’re among the most interesting and hilarious plays I’ve ever read.”

And also: “Believe it or not, knowing that you’re able to converse with someone about Shakespeare is very fulfilling…much more fulfilling than talking about how many shots of Tequila I can drink before I vomit or how the OC makes me cry.”

Where was she when I was in college? 🙂

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