Theory J. Thomas Looney

looney s shakespeare identified (1920) began modern oxfordian movement , made oxford popular anti-stratfordian candidate.

looney s book begins outlining many of familiar anti-stratfordian arguments shakespeare of stratford s supposedly poor education , unpoetic personality. criticises methods adopted many previous anti-stratfordians, baconian tendency search ciphers. looney considers unlikely author wished conceal identity leave such messages. goes on identify influence of frank harris s book man shakespeare, uses plays find evidence of shakespeare s beliefs , interests. looney states possible use method identify type of person must have written works. considered lower class characters portrayed buffoons , author had no sympathy middle-classes. was, however, dedicated old-fashioned feudal ideals of nobility , service. believed in highly structured, dutiful , ordered society.

for looney plays expressed distinct political vision combined elements of feudalism , modern scepticism towards traditional religion. believed events , characters in plays must correspond life of author. studying biographies of elizabethan aristocrats, became convinced edward de vere s career , personal experience mapped onto action of plays. since de vere died in 1604, many years before number of shakespeare s works appeared, looney argued there abrupt change in publication history , in style of plays apparently written after 1604. unusually, looney argued tempest not work of oxford/shakespeare, of author. had been mistakenly added canon. argued style , dreary negativism promoted inconsistent shakespeare s positivist soul, , not have been written oxford. suggested evidence of other writers hands in late plays such pericles, prince of tyre implied author had died, leaving them unfinished. such works completed , published others, sonnets, dedication page of implied looney author deceased.

looney expanded views in later publications, 1921 edition of de vere s poetry. looney suggested de vere responsible of literary works published under names of arthur golding, anthony munday , john lyly.