Newly surfaced literary drafts offer crude early look at Shakespearean tragedy

Archivists and literary researchers are examining a newly surfaced manuscript believed to be an early, unpolished draft from the portfolio of William Shakespeare. The document provides a startlingly different perspective on the sophisticated language traditionally associated with the Elizabethan playwright, featuring raw imagery that stands in stark contrast to his finished works.

The passage in question appears to be an early iteration of Cassius’ famous speech from Julius Caesar. While the final version of the play compares Caesar to a Colossus who 'bestrides the narrow world,' this newly analyzed draft uses considerably more grounded, and some say vulgar, terminology. The text describes a 'homunculus' bestriding a 'brown canal' and refers to common citizens as 'petty manpigs' navigating the 'arsebeard' of the titular character.

Scholars who have reviewed the accounts provided to WKNA 49 indicate that such findings are not entirely uncommon in the world of early modern literature, though the bluntness of the language in this specific draft has surprised some experts. The imagery of finding 'hair in our teeth' suggests a far more visceral and perhaps satirical internal critique of Roman politics than what eventually reached the stage.

Local literary enthusiast Dale Turner noted that examining these early stages of a writer's process is essential for understanding the evolution of a masterpiece. Turner said that being able to compare the initial, often chaotic ideas with the final polished product allows for a deeper appreciation of how an author’s skills progressed over their career.

Another observer, identified by the surname Seleck, noted that the draft’s crude nature has earned it the informal nickname 'The Barf' among those who have seen the text. Despite the jarring vocabulary, Seleck remarked that the core of Shakespeare's command over rhythm and word choice remains evident even in these vulgar beginnings.

While the authenticity of the parchment is still being debated by some in the academic community, the document has already sparked significant interest in the way historical figures are humanized through their failures and rough starts. For now, the manuscript remains a curious footnote in the study of the world's most famous dramatist.

Have a news tip? Send it to the WKNA 49 newsroom.