Was Shakespeare a Jew? Uncovering the Marrano Influences in His Life and Writing

This biography of Shakespeare presents a new perspective on the debate surrounding the real identity of William Shakespeare. Muller suggests that Shakespeare took care to hide his Jewish origins and that Elizabethan authorities, who were aware of this fact, attempted to eliminate any trace of his Jewish origins by making him an Anglo-Saxon hero. Using official documents that have not been employed by other scholars, Muller brings forth evidence that Shakespeare’s father was a Jew living in an England where Jews had been banned since the time of Edward I and the Act of Expulsion in 1290. Muller demonstrates that Shakespeare was brought up in the Jewish faith and that many of his closest connections were from Jewish circles. In addition, Shakespeare’s coat of arms, his retirement to Stratford, and his last will and testament, are further used as evidence that Shakespeare was a Jew. Anyone interested in the works of William Shakespeare, his life, and his true identity, will enjoy this well-researched and written book.