| William Shakespeare |
![[William Shakespeare]](https://dev.freemasonry.bcy.ca/biography/shakespeare_w/shakespeare_w.jpg)
| Baptised April 26, 1564 – April 23, 1616 English playwright, poet, and neologist. With the passing of time, the person, character and writings of Shakespeare become more and more controversial, including the question “Was he a freemason?” There is certainly no evidence that he was a freemason, but the supporters of that contention point out many unusual statements and thoughts in his writings. Certainly, many freemasons have believed him to be a brother. A collection of quotations can be found on this website. Non-mason Those inclined to the theory that Shakespeare did not write the works ascribed to him are advised to familiarize themselves with Samuel Schoenbaum’s William Shakespeare: A Documentary Life. New York : Oxford University Press, 1975 and Irvin Leigh Matus’s Shakespeare, In Fact : Continuum, 1994. Also see: shakespeareauthorship.com/ ; Edward de Vere |