Shakespeare und die Bacon-Mythen

In this spirited 1895 lecture, a scholar confronts the long‑running debate that attributes Shakespeare’s celebrated dramas to the philosopher‑statesman Francis Bacon. Set before the German Shakespeare Society in Weimar, the address balances rigorous historical detail with a clear, objective tone, deliberately avoiding polemics while exposing the allure and pitfalls of the “Bacon‑myths” that have captivated readers for decades.

The speaker walks listeners through a systematic examination of the most popular claims—from Bacon supposedly authoring the Northumberland manuscripts and the Sonnets to more elaborate identifications with characters such as Othello, Hamlet, and even the playwright’s own philosophical essays. By comparing textual evidence, contemporary testimonies, and the broader German tradition of Shakespeare criticism, the talk reveals how speculation can masquerade as scholarship, inviting the audience to reconsider what truly lies behind the celebrated works without venturing into sensational conjecture.