Shakespeare as a Man

What it is

This is an essay by the biographer and critic Leslie Stephen, published in 1902 as part of his collection Studies of a Biographer. In it he discusses rival views of what can be known about Shakespeare's personality from the historical record.

Why it matters

The essay shows how scholars have long debated whether Shakespeare's life can be reconstructed from facts, or whether his character must remain a mystery. Stephen contrasts the views of other writers, such as Sidney Lee and Georg Brandes, showing how different historians reach different conclusions from the same evidence.

Look closer

• Why does Stephen think it is risky to write confidently about Shakespeare's inner life?
• How does he use other scholars' work to build his own argument?
• What does this debate tell you about the limits of biography when sources are scarce?