Annie Doris "Dolly" Walker-Wraight (24 April 1920 in Java – 15 February 2002) was a British school teacher and writer, notable for her support of Marlovian theory, the view that Christopher Marlowe was the true author of William Shakespeare's works.
She married Robert Wraight in 1940 (they divorced in 1963). She earned the Froebel Teachers Diploma in 1958 and worked as a teacher at Dulwich College Preparatory School (1961–1967; 1975–1983) and at the William Tyndale Junior School in Islington, London, (1969–1974). She played a significant role at the start of the educational scandal at the William Tyndale, which culminated in a formal public enquiry in 1975.[citation needed]
Her interest in Marlowe began in 1955 when the American writer Calvin Hoffman, who popularized the Marlovian theory, published his book The man who was Shakespeare.[1] She joined the newly formed Marlowe Society and began a drama branch to revive the rarely performed plays of Marlowe and his contemporaries. She served variously as the Society's secretary, editor of its newsletter, Vice-Chair and Chair. In 1965, as "A. D. Wraight", she published an illustrated biography: In Search of Christopher Marlowe (in collaboration with the American photographer, Virginia Stern).[2]
Dolly Walker-Wraight's research into the Marlovian theory centred on an interpretation of Shakespeare's sonnets in the light of it, and in 1994 her first book openly espousing the theory was published.[3]
The methodology in her book "The Story that the Sonnets Tell" was to divide the sonnets of Shakespeare into different categories according to their meaning, to come closer to the solution of their mystery.[4][5] She approached the problem by assuming that what the poet himself wrote is as close to the truth as one can get. According to her belief, the basic mistake committed by many interpreters of the Sonnets was that they have assumed that there is only a single young man (the "Fair Youth") to whom most of the sonnets are addressed. She claims to have identified at least three.
The first one is Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton, whose seventeenth birthday the first seventeen sonnets were commissioned by Lord Burghley to commemorate. Their intent was to inspire him to marry Burghley's granddaughter.
The second young man of the Sonnets is a certain "William Hatcliffe", one of the several candidates to be the Mr. W.H. of the dedication. In this identification, she follows the arguments of Leslie Hotson.
The third man is Thomas Walsingham, Marlowe's friend, who stood by him as he was unjustly dishonoured and forced into exile, for which constancy the poet was indebted to him for the rest of his life, and which the sonnets might illustrate.
According to Walker-Wraight, the order of the sonnets in the original 1609 edition probably was arranged by the poet himself, adopting a form like a five-act play. She believes that the poet himself could never have envisaged that his sonnets would be rearranged in the pattern she devised.
PublicationsEdit
In Search of Christopher Marlowe (1965)
The Real Christopher Marlowe, an open letter to Charles Nicholl (1992)
Christopher Marlowe and Edward Alleyn (1993)
The Story that the Sonnets Tell (1994)
Shakespeare: New Evidence (1996)
ReferencesEdit
^This was first published by Max Parrish, London, in 1955, and five years later by Julian Messner in New York as The Murder of the Man Who Was Shakespeare
^A. D. Wraight (text) and Virginia Stern (photography). The book was published in 1965 by Macdonald & Co., London, and Vanguard Press, New York City.
^The Story that the Sonnets Tell, published by Adam Hart (Publishers), London.
^. Archived from the original on 2007-11-14. Retrieved 2007-12-29.
External linksEdit
PBS.org
Marlowe Society website
August 26, 2023
dolly, walker, wraight, annie, doris, dolly, walker, wraight, april, 1920, java, february, 2002, british, school, teacher, writer, notable, support, marlovian, theory, view, that, christopher, marlowe, true, author, william, shakespeare, works, contents, life,. Annie Doris Dolly Walker Wraight 24 April 1920 in Java 15 February 2002 was a British school teacher and writer notable for her support of Marlovian theory the view that Christopher Marlowe was the true author of William Shakespeare s works Contents 1 Life 2 The Shakespeare Sonnets 3 Publications 4 References 5 External linksLife EditShe married Robert Wraight in 1940 they divorced in 1963 She earned the Froebel Teachers Diploma in 1958 and worked as a teacher at Dulwich College Preparatory School 1961 1967 1975 1983 and at the William Tyndale Junior School in Islington London 1969 1974 She played a significant role at the start of the educational scandal at the William Tyndale which culminated in a formal public enquiry in 1975 citation needed Her interest in Marlowe began in 1955 when the American writer Calvin Hoffman who popularized the Marlovian theory published his book The man who was Shakespeare 1 She joined the newly formed Marlowe Society and began a drama branch to revive the rarely performed plays of Marlowe and his contemporaries She served variously as the Society s secretary editor of its newsletter Vice Chair and Chair In 1965 as A D Wraight she published an illustrated biography In Search of Christopher Marlowe in collaboration with the American photographer Virginia Stern 2 Dolly Walker Wraight s research into the Marlovian theory centred on an interpretation of Shakespeare s sonnets in the light of it and in 1994 her first book openly espousing the theory was published 3 She died on 15 February 2002 aged 81 The Shakespeare Sonnets EditThis section needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section Unsourced material may be challenged and removed October 2019 Learn how and when to remove this template message The methodology in her book The Story that the Sonnets Tell was to divide the sonnets of Shakespeare into different categories according to their meaning to come closer to the solution of their mystery 4 5 She approached the problem by assuming that what the poet himself wrote is as close to the truth as one can get According to her belief the basic mistake committed by many interpreters of the Sonnets was that they have assumed that there is only a single young man the Fair Youth to whom most of the sonnets are addressed She claims to have identified at least three The first one is Henry Wriothesley 3rd Earl of Southampton whose seventeenth birthday the first seventeen sonnets were commissioned by Lord Burghley to commemorate Their intent was to inspire him to marry Burghley s granddaughter The second young man of the Sonnets is a certain William Hatcliffe one of the several candidates to be the Mr W H of the dedication In this identification she follows the arguments of Leslie Hotson The third man is Thomas Walsingham Marlowe s friend who stood by him as he was unjustly dishonoured and forced into exile for which constancy the poet was indebted to him for the rest of his life and which the sonnets might illustrate According to Walker Wraight the order of the sonnets in the original 1609 edition probably was arranged by the poet himself adopting a form like a five act play She believes that the poet himself could never have envisaged that his sonnets would be rearranged in the pattern she devised Publications EditIn Search of Christopher Marlowe 1965 The Real Christopher Marlowe an open letter to Charles Nicholl 1992 Christopher Marlowe and Edward Alleyn 1993 The Story that the Sonnets Tell 1994 Shakespeare New Evidence 1996 References Edit This was first published by Max Parrish London in 1955 and five years later by Julian Messner in New York as The Murder of the Man Who Was Shakespeare A D Wraight text and Virginia Stern photography The book was published in 1965 by Macdonald amp Co London and Vanguard Press New York City The Story that the Sonnets Tell published by Adam Hart Publishers London http hem fyristorg com aurelio shakespeare html Archived 2016 03 03 at the Wayback Machine In Comments on A D Wraight Marlowe in Exile 2 The Story That The Sonnets Tell Archived from the original on 2007 11 14 Retrieved 2007 12 29 External links EditPBS org Marlowe Society website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Dolly Walker Wraight amp oldid 1052111959, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
