A Brief Discourse of Rebellion and Rebels by George North

Reviews / Votes

For years scholars have debated what inspired William Shakespeare's writings. Now, with the help of software typically used by professors to nab cheating students, two writers have discovered an unpublished manuscript they believe the Bard of Avon consulted to write King Lear, Macbeth, Richard III, Henry and seven other plays. The news has caused Shakespeareans to sit up and take notice. 'If it proves to be what they say it is, it is a once-in-a-generation - or several generations - find,' said Michael Witmore, director of the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington. * NEW YORK TIMES * In 1576, English diplomat George North wrote a treatise on rebellion that for almost 450 years went largely unnoticed. . . . McCarthy and Schlueter provide a thorough overview of the history and provenance of the manuscript, along with compelling explanations about how it influenced Shakespeare's plays. Most helpful is the inclusion of the entire North manuscript in an oversize and easy-to-read format. Highly recommended. x * NEW YORK TIMES * A Brief Discourse is one of the most exciting recent discoveries in the long history of Shakespeare source study. The editors' argument appears to resolve longstanding textual cruxes around Cade's last hours, Merlin's cryptic prophecy in Lear, and a key speech by Canterbury in Henry V, which sheds light on Gloucester's opening monologue in Richard III, Macbeth's catalogue of dogs, and several other discrete passages within the Shakespeare canon. With considerable credit to Boydell and Brewer and The British Library, the book is also beautifully produced and a pleasure to navigate, from its introductory essay, to the modernized transcription, to the full-color facsimile of the manuscript. * SIXTEENTH CENTURY JOURNAL *