My Lady Jane

Shakespeare’s poetry is an important motif throughout the book, with quotations from a range of his works presented as Gifford’s own compositions. This scattering of Shakespearean references adds to the book’s tongue-in-cheek approach to the genre of historical fiction, incorporating the most famous cultural figure of the early modern period into the story nearly 50 years before he was actually writing. They use the most familiar frame of reference for a modern readership to create a cultural landscape for the plot.

Aligning Gifford with this revered figure imbues him with romance and intrigue, adding to his appeal as Jane’s love interest. His famous “compositions” build up to the reveal that Gifford is the real Shakespeare. The authors make a tongue-in-cheek reference to the recurring questioning of Shakespeare’s real identity, presenting the writer as a man who was executed before the historical figure was born, and who could turn into a horse. The detail that G is assisted in his writing by Jane’s extensive book knowledge offers a nod to Shakespeare’s impressive and wide-ranging knowledge (413), which a minority of critics have argued is beyond a typical Elizabethan grammar school education.

Gifford “composes” many lines of Shakespeare through the course of the book.