Shakespeare's Bones The Proposal to Disinter Them, Considered in Relation to Their Possible Bearing on His Portraiture: Illustrated by Instances of Visits of the Living to the Dead

This modest yet thought‑provoking essay, written in the late nineteenth century, asks whether the bones of England’s most celebrated playwright ought to be carefully exhumed and examined. Framed as a scholarly proposal, it weaves together cultural reverence for relics, the history of pilgrim shrines, and the persistent mystery surrounding Shakespeare’s likeness on portraiture.

The author argues that, while respect for the dead is paramount, there are precedents—such as the revered tombs at the Hôtel des Invalides and Rome’s San Lorenzo—that justify moving a figure of extraordinary significance to a more fitting resting place. He balances this with a pragmatic motive: by studying the skeletal remains, scholars might finally resolve long‑standing debates over the bard’s true physical features, offering a clearer window into the man behind the works.