The Shakespeare Code

Before 1593 Shakespeare had not set a single play in Italy. By the time of the First Folio (1623) ten plays – over a quarter of the canon – had been set in Italy or have scenes in Italy. There are around 800 references to Italy and 400 to Rome alone.

Shakespeare’s work deepened dramatically after 1593.  He was no linguist, but we know from the Sonnets he was fascinated by painting. ‘Mine eye hath played the painter’, he writes in Sonnet 24, ‘and hath steeled thy beauty’s form in table of my heart.’

He became aware of psychological complexity from the Old Masters in Europe – and brought it to England to transform the Drama.

Two years ago Prof. Roger Prior, using entirely different criteria, concluded that Shakespeare had visited Italy.

His date?  1593!