Literacy or the Lack of It in Shakspere's Home:
If you've seen Much Ado About Something you'll know that one of the main reasons I became a doubter about Shakspere's authorship of Shakespeare's works is the circle of illiteracy that surrounded him within his own family. Not only where his parents and wife illiterates, but his children were also illiterate. This astonishing fact is more than a reasonable person can tolerate. No one who wrote works likes these would have allowed his own children to mature as illiterates. In all fairness the process of acquiring literacy in his household would have been turbocharged and the children would have learned without tutors or schooling, simply who observation.
Scholars have many examples of period literacy amongst males and females. It is certainly true that illiteracy would not be unexpected in a Stratford home, but not within a literate Stratford home. And Shakspere's home was the most literate home in Stratford, if, that is, he was the author.
Indeed Judith, who scholars know was unable to sign her own name, was a twin, a twin whose brother Hamnet, didn't died until he was eleven. Twins generally model on each other so her certified illiteracy suggest that Hamnet would have been illiterate also.
Of course it is impossible to prove a negative. So we freely admit that our conclusion is merely based on the evidence. To date no one has offered any evidence that any of Shakspere's significant others were literates and there is much evidence against it. Follow the link for this evidence or copy the address below and then follow it to Diana Price's page:
http://www.shakespeare-authorship.com/resources/literacy.asp