Percy Allen (writer)
Encyclopedia
Percy Allen was an English journalist, writer and lecturer most notable for his advocacy of the Oxfordian theory of Shakespeare authorship
, and particularly for his creation of Prince Tudor theory
, which claimed that the Earl of Oxford fathered a child with Queen Elizabeth I.
.
Living in Croydon, by the early 20th century Allen was established as a prolific author and journalist. He moved to France, publishing several travel books about France, such as Burgundy; the Splendid Duchy: Stories and Sketches in South Burgundy; Berry: the heart of France and Impressions of Provence. He also wrote on French poetry and history, publishing Songs of Old France and Roman and Medieval France. He was in France during the First World War, working with the YMCA
in 1918.
After the war he returned to London, and was employed by the Christian Science Monitor as its drama critic. In 1922 he wrote a biography of his grandmother, The Stage Life of Mrs Stirling: With Some Sketches of the Nineteenth Century Theatre. In the mid 1920s he also published a number of plays, including Tradition and the Torch; Comers Down the Wind; The Seekers and The Life that's Free. At the same time Allen became interesed in Spiritualism
, after having read several books on the subject. He was convinced of the veracity of spirit-communication by Arthur Conan Doyle
.
In 1928 he turned his attention to Shakespeare, publishing Shakespeare and Chapman as Topical Dramatists, an attempt to demonstrate that works by Shakespeare and George Chapman
commented on political and cultural events of the day. He later followed it up with a book on Shakespeare's and Chapman's references to events in recent French history. In 1929, he published Shakespeare, Jonson and Wilkins as Borrowers, drawing attention to the wide range of sources appropriated by Elizabethan dramatists.
, founder of Oxfordian theory, which claims that Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford
wrote the plays published under Shakespeare's name. He soon became a strong advocate of the theory. In 1930 he wrote The Case for Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford as Shakespeare. He followed it up with a regular stream of publications, most importantly The Life Story of Edward de Vere as "William Shakespeare", in which he attempted to create a biography of de Vere matched to the publication of the poems and plays. Allen argued that the Ashbourne portrait depicted de Vere in the guise of Shakespeare, asserting that the features of the man in the portrait corresponded to those of de Vere and that the costume implied a date earlier than 1611, the one signed to the image. He believed that the portrait dated from 1597, but had later been retouched as part of "an elaborate plot". Allen also believed that the Grafton portrait depicted de Vere.
Allen argued that George Chapman was a bitter enemy of Oxford and that many of his writings were attacks on Oxford/Shakespeare. He is the "Rival Poet
" mentioned in the sonnets. According to Allen, his play The Revenge of Bussy D'Ambois
is in fact a sustained criticism of Hamlet
. Oxford wrote Troilus and Cressida
in response, an attack on Chapman's translations of Homer, in which Chapman is caricatured as Thersites
.
, were "advancing certain views respecting Oxford and Queen Eliz. which appear to me extravagant & improbable, in no way strengthen Oxford’s Shakespeare claims, and are likely to bring the whole cause into ridicule." This was the suggestion that the queen had a son by Oxford, which first appears in an appendix to The Life Story of Edward De Vere. The child is not identified. Allen argues that a passage in Two Gentlemen of Verona is a reference to the queen's pregnancy, which could easily be concealed in those days by the "fashion of dress of great ladies". A later book claimed that the child was an actor named William Hughes, and then finally Allen argued that it was Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton
, the dedicatee of Shakespeare's poems.
. Dowden had previously provided support to the Baconian theory
, a rival alternative theory of Shakespeare authorship. Dowden's "spirit guide" spoke to the spirit of de Vere, who stated that he collaborated with other writers to create the plays and confirmed that the Ashbourne portrait depicted him. Dowden's biographer reveals that Allen's was the final and true revelation on the topic, since from his teenage years Allen had been destined to be the bearer of the ultimate truth:
These revelations were published in Talks with Elizabethans in 1945. The controversy caused by the events forced Allen to stand down as president of the Oxfordian organisation the Shakespeare Fellowship, to which he had been elected in 1944.
After this Allen continued to write and lecture. He was described as a pleasant and entertaining speaker by the Oxfordian journal Shakespearean Authorship Review, which stated that "he held his audience tightly in his mesh of literary fascination". He died in 1959 at the age of 84.
Oxfordian theory of Shakespeare authorship
The Oxfordian theory of Shakespearean authorship proposes that Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford , wrote the plays and poems traditionally attributed to William Shakespeare of Stratford-upon-Avon. While a large majority of scholars reject all alternative candidates for authorship, popular...
, and particularly for his creation of Prince Tudor theory
Prince Tudor theory
The Prince Tudor theory is a variant of the Oxfordian theory of Shakespeare authorship, which asserts that Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford was the true author of the works published under the name of William Shakespeare...
, which claimed that the Earl of Oxford fathered a child with Queen Elizabeth I.
Early writings
Allen came from a literary family linked to the theatre. He was the grandson of Victorian actress Fanny StirlingMary Anne Stirling
Mary Anne Stirling was an English actress-Biography:Stirling was born in London, the daughter of a Captain Kehl. After some experience at outlying theatres, she appeared in London in 1836...
.
Living in Croydon, by the early 20th century Allen was established as a prolific author and journalist. He moved to France, publishing several travel books about France, such as Burgundy; the Splendid Duchy: Stories and Sketches in South Burgundy; Berry: the heart of France and Impressions of Provence. He also wrote on French poetry and history, publishing Songs of Old France and Roman and Medieval France. He was in France during the First World War, working with the YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
in 1918.
After the war he returned to London, and was employed by the Christian Science Monitor as its drama critic. In 1922 he wrote a biography of his grandmother, The Stage Life of Mrs Stirling: With Some Sketches of the Nineteenth Century Theatre. In the mid 1920s he also published a number of plays, including Tradition and the Torch; Comers Down the Wind; The Seekers and The Life that's Free. At the same time Allen became interesed in Spiritualism
Spiritualism
Spiritualism is a belief system or religion, postulating the belief that spirits of the dead residing in the spirit world have both the ability and the inclination to communicate with the living...
, after having read several books on the subject. He was convinced of the veracity of spirit-communication by Arthur Conan Doyle
Arthur Conan Doyle
Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle DL was a Scottish physician and writer, most noted for his stories about the detective Sherlock Holmes, generally considered a milestone in the field of crime fiction, and for the adventures of Professor Challenger...
.
In 1928 he turned his attention to Shakespeare, publishing Shakespeare and Chapman as Topical Dramatists, an attempt to demonstrate that works by Shakespeare and George Chapman
George Chapman
George Chapman was an English dramatist, translator, and poet. He was a classical scholar, and his work shows the influence of Stoicism. Chapman has been identified as the Rival Poet of Shakespeare's Sonnets by William Minto, and as an anticipator of the Metaphysical Poets...
commented on political and cultural events of the day. He later followed it up with a book on Shakespeare's and Chapman's references to events in recent French history. In 1929, he published Shakespeare, Jonson and Wilkins as Borrowers, drawing attention to the wide range of sources appropriated by Elizabethan dramatists.
Oxfordian works
Shortly after beginning to work on Shakespeare, he became converted to the theories of J. Thomas LooneyJ. Thomas Looney
John Thomas Looney . was an English school teacher who is best known for having originated the Oxfordian theory, which claims that Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford was the true author of Shakespeare's plays.-Life:Looney was born in South Shields...
, founder of Oxfordian theory, which claims that Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford
Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford
Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford was an Elizabethan courtier, playwright, lyric poet, sportsman and patron of the arts, and is currently the most popular alternative candidate proposed for the authorship of Shakespeare's works....
wrote the plays published under Shakespeare's name. He soon became a strong advocate of the theory. In 1930 he wrote The Case for Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford as Shakespeare. He followed it up with a regular stream of publications, most importantly The Life Story of Edward de Vere as "William Shakespeare", in which he attempted to create a biography of de Vere matched to the publication of the poems and plays. Allen argued that the Ashbourne portrait depicted de Vere in the guise of Shakespeare, asserting that the features of the man in the portrait corresponded to those of de Vere and that the costume implied a date earlier than 1611, the one signed to the image. He believed that the portrait dated from 1597, but had later been retouched as part of "an elaborate plot". Allen also believed that the Grafton portrait depicted de Vere.
Allen argued that George Chapman was a bitter enemy of Oxford and that many of his writings were attacks on Oxford/Shakespeare. He is the "Rival Poet
Rival Poet
The Rival Poet is one of several 'characters,' either fictional or real persons, featured in William Shakespeare's sonnets. The sonnets most commonly identified as the Rival Poet group exist within the Fair Youth group in sonnets 78-86...
" mentioned in the sonnets. According to Allen, his play The Revenge of Bussy D'Ambois
The Revenge of Bussy D'Ambois
The Revenge of Bussy D'Ambois is a Jacobean revenge tragedy written by George Chapman. The Revenge is a sequel to his earlier Bussy D'Ambois, and was first published in 1613.-Genre and source:...
is in fact a sustained criticism of Hamlet
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
. Oxford wrote Troilus and Cressida
Troilus and Cressida
Troilus and Cressida is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1602. It was also described by Frederick S. Boas as one of Shakespeare's problem plays. The play ends on a very bleak note with the death of the noble Trojan Hector and destruction of the love between Troilus...
in response, an attack on Chapman's translations of Homer, in which Chapman is caricatured as Thersites
Thersites
In Greek mythology, Thersites was a soldier of the Greek army during the Trojan War. In the Iliad, he does not have a father's name, which may suggest that he should be viewed as a commoner rather than an aristocratic hero...
.
Prince Tudor theory
Soon, however, Allen's views began to diverge from Looney's. Looney wrote that Allen and another follower, Bernard Mordaunt WardBernard Mordaunt Ward
Bernard Mordaunt Ward was an author and third-generation British soldier most noted for his support of the Oxfordian theory of Shakespeare authorship and writing the first documentary biography of Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford.-Biography:He was born in Madras, India into a military family,...
, were "advancing certain views respecting Oxford and Queen Eliz. which appear to me extravagant & improbable, in no way strengthen Oxford’s Shakespeare claims, and are likely to bring the whole cause into ridicule." This was the suggestion that the queen had a son by Oxford, which first appears in an appendix to The Life Story of Edward De Vere. The child is not identified. Allen argues that a passage in Two Gentlemen of Verona is a reference to the queen's pregnancy, which could easily be concealed in those days by the "fashion of dress of great ladies". A later book claimed that the child was an actor named William Hughes, and then finally Allen argued that it was Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton
Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton
Henry Wriothesley , 3rd Earl of Southampton , was the second son of Henry Wriothesley, 2nd Earl of Southampton, and his wife Mary Browne, Countess of Southampton, daughter of the 1st Viscount Montagu...
, the dedicatee of Shakespeare's poems.
Talks with Elizabethans
In 1936 Allen undertook a three months' lecture tour of Canada and the USA. In the following year he lost the use of his right eye after an operation, while also having to cope with serious financial problems. In 1939 his twin brother Ernest, to whom he was very close, died. Suffering from depression, Allen contacted the medium Hester DowdenHester Dowden
Hester Dowden , or Hester Travers Smith, was an Irish spiritualist medium who is most notable for having claimed to contact the spirits of Oscar Wilde, William Shakespeare and other writers. Dowden's spirit-communications were published by various authors...
. Dowden had previously provided support to the Baconian theory
Baconian theory
The Baconian theory of Shakespearean authorship holds that Sir Francis Bacon, lawyer, philosopher, essayist and scientist, wrote the plays conventionally attributed to William Shakespeare, and that the historical Shakespeare was merely a front to shield the identity of Bacon, who could not take...
, a rival alternative theory of Shakespeare authorship. Dowden's "spirit guide" spoke to the spirit of de Vere, who stated that he collaborated with other writers to create the plays and confirmed that the Ashbourne portrait depicted him. Dowden's biographer reveals that Allen's was the final and true revelation on the topic, since from his teenage years Allen had been destined to be the bearer of the ultimate truth:
When Percy Allen was a boy of fifteen or sixteen he had to pass one of the University Extension examinations which necessitated his reading The Tempest. It was his first introduction to Shakespeare, and the thrill which he received from it set his mind upon a lifetime study of the plays. Unknown to Allen at this time, a plan had been worked out by spirit people interested in his earthly life that he should be the means of finally unravelling the great mystery of Shakespeare's origin and work."
These revelations were published in Talks with Elizabethans in 1945. The controversy caused by the events forced Allen to stand down as president of the Oxfordian organisation the Shakespeare Fellowship, to which he had been elected in 1944.
After this Allen continued to write and lecture. He was described as a pleasant and entertaining speaker by the Oxfordian journal Shakespearean Authorship Review, which stated that "he held his audience tightly in his mesh of literary fascination". He died in 1959 at the age of 84.