Jodi Picoult’s popular novels are typically centred around family dynamics, relationships, and the impact of personal decisions on one’s life. In her most recent work, By Any Other Name, she maintains these themes but brings a fresh element to the table. This time, Picoult delves into the intriguing possibility that the renowned poet Emilia Bassano, a character in her book, could have been the true author behind Shakespeare’s plays.
Unlike Shakespeare, Bassano received formal education and travelled extensively before being compelled to be the mistress of the Lord Chamberlain, who was the chief theatre censor of the era. Bassano meets a mercenary actor, William Shakespeare, via the Chamberlain’s networks, hiring him to act under her pseudonym.
Alongside the historical tale, a parallel contemporary narrative unfolds revolving around Melina Green, a Manhattan-based playwright who struggles to stage her play centered around her ancestor, Emilia Bassano, due to its perceived “emotional” and ostensibly feminine nature. Deceit arises when her play, submitted under a male pseudonym to a competition by a friend, sets the stage for tension, misunderstandings, and deception.
Picoult adeptly transitions between the modern and historical narratives using a snippet from Melina’s play as a conduit between the two time frames. She neatly parallels the experiences of Emilia’s closest confidant Christopher Marlowe, and Melina’s friend André, and parallels the issues of the plague and Covid, as well as the prevailing overlooked status of women and minorities in favour of men.
By Any Other Name displays Picoult’s acknowledged exceptional storytelling skill. She previously highlighted the bias favouring “white male literary darlings” like Jonathan Franzen in 2015, challenging the literary status quo. This book could be seen as a strong evidence supporting her earlier criticism.
The outstanding accomplishment of this book is Picoult’s adept weaving of Bassano’s narrative into Shakespeare’s works. The abusive husband of Emilia is dramatically transformed into the backbone of The Taming Of The Shrew and Othello, and the tragic loss of her daughter leads to the well-known verses of Sonnet 18.
It’s indisputable that Picoult is a profoundly skilled weaver of tales, with a remarkable selling record of over 40 million books. Her By Any Other Name novel is ingenious, delightful, and rich, appealing to readers with its choice between an enthralling dual-timeframe romance or an entertaining pursuit of Shakespearean references. Whichever you choose it’s undoubtedly a delightful read.
The latest literary work of Edel Coffey is In Her Place.