Edward III Act 1 – “… I come to bring thee peace, However thereby I have purchased war.”

Edward III Act 1 – “… I come to bring thee peace, However thereby I have purchased war.”

Some people claim that Shakespeare did not write The Raign of Kind Edvvard the Third (commonly called Edward III). This play, more than any other attributed to Shakespeare, raises the battle flags of ownership and forces one to defend oneself with the crossbows of critical awareness. I believe that Edward III is mostly Shakespeare’s due to the marriage of a computer and its unassuming mercurial wife – instinct.

I read Edward III some days in the book I paid for, the printed version of the Complete Works of Shakespeare (if it is published there, surely it is Shakespeare’s) and some nights on my computer screen looking at a free digital version. This makes me think about how we attribute work (and value through paying for it) works to an author such as Shakespeare. It also raises for me questions of ownership.

Having taught many A Level, IB and VCE students, we often check ownership through computer programs and websites like Turnitin.com or through interviewing students. In 2009, Brian Vickers ran most of Shakespeare’s plays through a plagiarism and computer matching program (similar on one level to some used by computer dating firms). He found that Edward III has a 40% chance of being Shakespeare’s. If this was a piece of work from one of my students, I would then want to scrutinize this further and look at other work by the student and interview the student. Since little William Shakespeare has not responded to my emails or texts and has not made a time to come and see me due to his own death, I have to use my instinct.

I could probably go on to explain how my instinct is working when I read a piece of writing. I let the text wash over me (terribly unsophisticated, I know) and probably take in the diction, syntax (in a Chomsky-like fashion), cadence (more musical than literary), rhythms, speed, pace of action, narrative progression and narrative structure (as influenced by Aristotle, Todorov, Propp Levi-Strauss and Joseph Campbell). Hang on, I think my explanation of letting the text wash over me is clearer and more succinct. I have read all of the plays and poetry attributed to Shakespeare and I have acted in 5 Shakespeare plays and directed some 7 different Shakespeare plays so I know a little, but I am not an expert. My instinct tells me that Edward III is not all Shakespeare’s, but that a substantial amount, especially the scenes with Edward and the Countess of Salisbury is little William Shakespeare’s. If he was student, I would probably predictably ask him to cite his sources and rewrite large passages before re-submitting.

Edward III was first published in 1596 but was printed anonymously and was not included in the First Folio version of Shakespeare’s Complete Works. It is now commonly listed in his works including my own printed paid for copy. So did Shakespeare write Edward III. Maybe we should look at why it would not have been included in the First Folio. The play takes so many gibs and swipes at the Scots, that the Shakespeare who embraced and got patronage from James I of England (formerly James VI of Scotland) would probably not want an openly anti-Scottish play heralding his name as a racist.

Another reason could be that Shakespeare pulled a ‘bit of a swifty’ in 1596 and anonymously made some money out of the printing of the play when he wasn’t the sole author of its contents. The printing of plays like Titus Andronicus  and Richard III had probably earned Shakespeare some money over the lean plague-ridden year of 1593. The ‘rights’ for the performance of a play were normally straightforward and since Henslow had probably paid Shakespeare to write the plays, Henslow (having commissioned the plays and owning the theatre) got the majority of the profits from the performances. Actors and playwrights often would anonymously get their scripts copied and printed to make money after a play had been performed. Parts of Edward III seem more like Thomas Kyd and some other parts don’t seem like Kyd or Shakespeare’s. Someone had something to hide as they made money on the 1596 printing of the play and perhaps it was Shakespeare. Now on to the play.

The Raign of Kind Edvvard the Third – Act 1

Right and succession are on the agenda as King Edward III (King of England) and Robert Artois speak. Philip IV of France has died and due to French Sallic Law, the French cannot put a woman on the throne. Isabelle, King Edward III’s own mother (although being the rightful last heir) cannot take up the French throne, so Edward argues that he is owed that throne to add to his collection. King John wants to put a dampener on this as do the Scots who have crossed Hadrian’s Wall and are invading England. Edward takes charge and decides (without the help of NATO, drones or a Tardis) to fight the French and the Scots at the same time.

Meanwhile, in Roxborough, the Countess of Salisbury has been captured by the Scots and she overhears a conversation between King David and Douglas about who should take her jewels and who should ravish her. A messenger arrives to announce that English army has arrived and the Countess reappears and mocks the Scots. Whether due to her biting tongue or the imminent arrival in the wings of actors dressed as English soldiers wielding pikes and sords, the Scots flee. King Edward then arrives and he and the Countess flirt. While her husband is away in the wars so the Countess will play. She entices Edward to stay for a little bit longer.