Speculation On Shakespeare (Press, 30 July 1974)

On 29 July 1974, Martin Seymour-Smith published an article in the "British Journal of Sexual Medicine" asserting that William Shakespeare was not homosexual, but rather a heterosexual who unexpectedly experienced homosexual feelings. Seymour-Smith argued that this shift in passion could be inferred from Shakespeare's "Love Sonnets," particularly sonnets 34 to 36, indicating that the playwright may have engaged in a physical relationship with a male friend. He concluded that some form of physical intimacy likely occurred, though the exact nature of the relationship remains speculative. The article also references the first edition of Shakespeare’s "Love Sonnets," published in 1609, which was dedicated to "Mr W.H." by the publisher Thomas Thorpe. In 1964, scholar Leslie Hotson suggested that the enigmatic Mr W.H. was likely William Hatcliffe, a young and attractive man from a prominent Lincolnshire family. Additionally, other prominent Shakespeare scholars, such as Professors A. L. Rowse and John Dover Wilson, have proposed that the inspiration for the sonnets may have come from either the young Earl of Southampton or the young Earl of Pembroke. Seymour-Smith's interpretations contribute to ongoing discussions regarding Shakespeare's sexuality and the personal influences that may have shaped his poetry.

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