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Question #N1058

In 1916, H. Dugdale Sykes disputed claims that *The Two Noble Kinsmen* was coauthored by William Shakespeare and John Fletcher. Sykes felt Fletcher’s contributions to the play were obvious—Fletcher had a distinct style in his other plays, so much so that lines with that style were considered sufficient evidence of Fletcher’s authorship. But for the lines not deemed to be by Fletcher, Sykes felt that their depiction of women indicated that their author was not Shakespeare but Philip Massinger.

According to the passage, what is Sykes's primary argument?

A. That *The Two Noble Kinsmen* is entirely written by John Fletcher.

B. That Shakespeare did not contribute to *The Two Noble Kinsmen* at all.

C. That Philip Massinger was the main author of *The Two Noble Kinsmen*.

D. That *The Two Noble Kinsmen* is a collaborative work between Shakespeare and Fletcher, but Fletcher wrote more of the play than Shakespeare.

Reveal Answer Go Back

Correct Answer is: C

The passage states that Sykes felt that the depiction of women in *The Two Noble Kinsmen* indicated that the author was not Shakespeare, but Philip Massinger. This supports the claim that Sykes's primary argument is that Massinger was the main author of the play.