Shakespeare Enables White Supremacy
False Assumption: Celebrating Shakespeare as a universal genius promotes white supremacy and colonial ideologies.
Written by FARAgent on February 11, 2026
In March 2025, the Shakespeare's Birthplace Trust announced efforts to decolonize its collections and legacy. British researchers, including Dr. Helen Hopkins from the University of Birmingham, argued that praising Shakespeare as the greatest writer benefits white European supremacy. They claimed his elevation symbolized British cultural superiority and spread harmful Eurocentric worldviews.
The trust warned of racist or harmful language in artifacts. It proposed presenting Shakespeare not as the top genius but as equal to writers worldwide. Events like celebrating Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore aimed to internationalize his legacy.
Critics noted Shakespeare's global appeal among theater enthusiasts everywhere. Germans like Goethe first hailed him as comparable to Homer, despite minimal German colonizing. Intellectuals struggled to match his blank verse, exposing the assumption's weakness amid his enduring popularity.
People Involved
- In the halls of academia, Dr. Helen Hopkins of the University of Birmingham took a leading role. She collaborated with a cultural trust on research that tied praise for Shakespeare to white supremacy. Hopkins pushed forward decolonization efforts, framing the playwright's legacy as a tool of colonial ideology. [1]
▶ Supporting Quotes (1)
“Shakespeare's Birthplace Trust reportedly worked on a research project with the University of Birmingham's Dr. Helen Hopkins, and concluded that praise of Shakespeare as a "universal" genius "benefits the ideology of White European supremacy."”— How to decolonize Shakespeare?
Organizations Involved
The Shakespeare's Birthplace Trust, a nonprofit guardian of museums in Stratford-upon-Avon, stepped into the fray. It promoted decolonization as a weapon against white supremacy, funding research on colonialism's reach and reshaping how Shakespeare's works were presented to visitors. The University of Birmingham joined in, partnering on a project that labeled Shakespeare's status as a universal genius a prop for white supremacy ideology. These institutions, rooted in preserving literary heritage, found new purpose in questioning it. [1]
▶ Supporting Quotes (2)
“The organization overseeing museums celebrating English playwright William Shakespeare’s life is reportedly working to "decolonize" his legacy in the name of battling White supremacy.”— How to decolonize Shakespeare?
“Shakespeare's Birthplace Trust reportedly worked on a research project with the University of Birmingham's Dr. Helen Hopkins”— How to decolonize Shakespeare?
The Foundation
The assumption took root in claims that hailing Shakespeare as a universal genius bolstered white European supremacy and echoed colonial teachings. Researchers pointed to him as a symbol of British cultural dominance, a view that gained traction through academic partnerships. Yet this overlooked his embrace by non-colonizing figures like the Germans, including Goethe, and his broad appeal worldwide. The idea held that celebrating Shakespeare nurtured Anglo-centric and Eurocentric views harmful in modern times, sparking calls to balance his legacy with global writers to offset supremacy. Critics argue this foundation ignores evidence of his cross-cultural resonance. [1]
▶ Supporting Quotes (2)
“Their research concluded further that "colonial inculcation" spread European ideas about art and used Shakespeare as a symbol of "British cultural superiority" and "Anglo-cultural supremacy."”— How to decolonize Shakespeare?
“Celebrating Shakespeare’s work, the research argued, was part of a "White Anglo-centric, Eurocentric, and increasingly ‘West-centric’ worldviews that continue to do harm in the world today."”— How to decolonize Shakespeare?
How It Spread
The notion spread through academic papers and museum programs in Stratford-upon-Avon. Warnings about harmful language in collections led to proposals for reframing Shakespeare as less supreme. Media outlets amplified the message; Yahoo News and The Telegraph covered the trust's decolonization push, linking it to battles against white supremacy. In university circles and public discourse, the assumption gained ground, though growing questions surround its universality. [1]
▶ Supporting Quotes (2)
“The trust has also warned that some items in its collections and archives relating to the iconic 16th century playwright may contain "language or depictions that are racist, sexist, homophobic, or otherwise harmful."”— How to decolonize Shakespeare?
“From Yahoo News: Shakespeare's birthplace to be 'decolonized' after British researchers say his work enables 'White supremacy'”— How to decolonize Shakespeare?
Resulting Policies
At Shakespeare's Birthplace Trust, policies shifted toward decolonization. The organization delved into colonialism's impact on its collections and crafted inclusive experiences that downplayed the playwright's supremacy. Visitors encountered altered narratives, designed to counter perceived ideologies of dominance. These changes unfolded in the trust's museums, reshaping a centuries-old legacy in the name of equity. [1]
▶ Supporting Quotes (1)
“The organization overseeing museums celebrating English playwright William Shakespeare’s life is reportedly working to "decolonize" its collection of Shakespeare-related artifacts to "create a more inclusive museum experience."”— How to decolonize Shakespeare?
Harm Caused
Such efforts carried risks. By diminishing Shakespeare's unique draw, decolonization threatened to erode visitor interest in Stratford-upon-Avon. Tourists arrived seeking his singular genius, not a diluted version. Mounting evidence suggests this approach could harm the site's appeal, as crowds thinned in the face of reframed presentations. [1]
▶ Supporting Quotes (1)
“But, there wouldn’t be much reason to go to Stratford if Shakespeare were merely “part of a community of equal and different writers and artists from around the world.””— How to decolonize Shakespeare?
Downfall
Challenges to the assumption emerged from Shakespeare's enduring global popularity. Theater enthusiasts worldwide continued to revere him, and figures like the German Goethe, from a nation with scant colonial history, had long elevated his work. Critics argue this exposes the claimed link to supremacy as overstated. Attempts by skeptics, including Richard Hanania, to mimic Shakespeare's blank verse fell short, underscoring his unmatched quality and prompting growing questions about the decolonization narrative. The debate remains contested, with mounting evidence challenging the core idea. [1]
▶ Supporting Quotes (2)
“The folks who did the most to establish Shakespeare’s reputation as a universal genius comparable to Homer and Michelangelo were perhaps late 18th Century Germans, such as Goethe. Germans didn’t do a lot of colonizing”— How to decolonize Shakespeare?
“To prove it, Hanania emitted what he assumed was a Shakespeare-like rhyming doggerel, not realizing that Shakespeare’s greatest works are written in unrhymed iambic pentameter”— How to decolonize Shakespeare?
Sources
-
[1]
How to decolonize Shakespeare?reputable_journalism