A Tributing to Shakespeare or Attributing Shakespeare?

Live The Bard!
Creative Commons License Photo Credit: Su℮ ❥ via Compfight

Would you be surprised to learn that a man stole a 1623 edition of The First Folio and was able to hide his theft for ten years?  Well, Raymond Scott did just that.

Sometimes people try to steal the work of others for their own benefit.  On the other hand, sometimes people use the work of others without meaning to steal it.  They think that because they found it on the internet, it is free for anyone to use.  That is not always the case.

This week’s Student Blogging Challenge invites us to ethically use images, videos, and music in our posts.  That means we need to add this pizzazz to our posts without stealing the work of others.  First we need to make sure the creator wants to share his work, and then we need to attribute our source.  Check out this excellent article from the Edublogger before adding any pizzazz to your post.  You don’t want to be found guilty after the fact and be forced to protest too much.
And speaking of attribution, here’s an interesting video about some people who wonder if the works we attribute to Shakespeare should be attributed to someone else entirely.

Did Shakespeare really write his plays?

Is his authorship to be or not to be?  That is the question.

 

 

 

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10 thoughts on “A Tributing to Shakespeare or Attributing Shakespeare?

  1. Hi Mrs. Donofrio,
    I think his authorship is totally to be! I don’t think that anyone else could have wrote them and I also think that he very well could have worked with a partner on some of them. But I all around think he is the true author.
    ~Baylee

  2. Hello Mrs. Donofrio,

    Though some people have a good point that Shakespeare didn’t write all of “his” plays, I am still loyal to Shakespeare. One of the reasons are that you didn’t need to know a whole lot or read a whole lot to have an extraordinary imagination, but how he had such an abundant vocabulary I do not know. He could have possible met some smart people in London who taught him some words, but I doubt it. But, anything is possible!

    “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.”

    -William Shakespeare

    • I love your comment, Ellie! I love your last line. So smart! I also agree with you; anything is possible, and I think your idea that he met some smart people in London who taught him some words is possible. Good thinking!
      ~Mrs. Donofrio

  3. Mrs. Donofrio,
    I think that that is crazy. If Shakespeare did not write the plays, then who did? How did he magically get all the credit? Last time I checked, the first Globe Theater and New Place both were destroyed. If I were Shakespeare, I would most definitely keep my “valuable” books in my theater, where I spent a lot of time, where I could read in peace, or in my retirement home. They said that no books or first copies were ever found. Where did they think Shakespeare would have kept them? In his back pocket? He probably would not want anyone to have the first copy so they could take it, rewrite it, claim it as their own, and destroy the real copy. If books were valuable, then wouldn’t he have wanted to keep them hidden? Especially if the streets were full of thieves and wrongdoers. The people who sign the Declaration have horrible reasons that a seventh grader can come up with good explanations to prove them wrong . If they are going to accuse Shakespeare of not writing but taking credit for the plays, they should have real, actual evidence instead of flimsy words on a piece of paper. Do you think Shakespeare wrote the plays? -DIA

    • Hi Dia,
      I do think that Shakespeare wrote all the plays. Some people are prodigies; some kids can play Mozart on a piano at age 5; they certainly weren’t taught that in school. It’s a God-given talent. Who’s to say Shakespeare wasn’t born with the gift of words? The fact that none of the books in his handwriting have survived is not surprising to me. It was almost 450 years ago!
      You wrote a very thoughtful comment.
      ~Mrs. Donofrio

  4. Hi Mrs Donofrio!

    My name is Brett and i am from Ms Smiths class. I really like your posts about shakespeare, he has got to be one of the best person to learn about. I am exited to see more posts about him! Cheers!

    ~Brett

  5. Hello, Mrs. Donofrio,
    I think Shakespeare has written everysing play, and sonnet he has written. He might not have the education, but as everyone knows, you don’t always have to be greatly educated to be great. Some Presidents haven’t been to college. I’m pretty sure one of them was Abraham Lincoln. I really don’t know, but I know Shakespeare’s plays were his. Explain his sonnets then. We’re they “To be or Not to be. ” That sure is the question… Do you know how old he was when he wrote his first play, and what play was his first one?

  6. I think that his sonets were to be, because hehe wrote them about a lady he admires ( The Dark Lady ) so I don’t assume he hired someone to write them for him. And as for his plays, he could be a child protigies. So thats why I
    think his plays and sonnets are to be. 🙂

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