# Which French authors and philosophers did Shakespeare read?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-french-authors-and-philosophers-did-shakespeare-read/976006>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Tags:** books-writing-myths\
**Created:** [December 4, 2022, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-french-authors-and-philosophers-did-shakespeare-read/976006 "2022-12-04T05:34:50Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Octagon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/2acd7d/32.png) [@Octagon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Octagon)\
**Post date:** [December 4, 2022, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-french-authors-and-philosophers-did-shakespeare-read/976006/1 "2022-12-04T05:34:50Z")

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Which French philosophers and authors did Shakespeare read?

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**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\
**Post date:** [December 4, 2022, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-french-authors-and-philosophers-did-shakespeare-read/976006/2 "2022-12-04T13:05:34Z")

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“There is no doubt that Shakespeare read Montaigne—though how extensively remains a matter of debate…”

> **[Shakespeare's Montaigne](https://www.nyrb.com/products/shakespeare-s-montaigne?variant=1094931241)**
>
> Shakespeare, Nietzsche wrote, was Montaigne’s best reader—a typically brilliant Nietzschean insight, capturing the intimate relationship between Montaigne’s ever-changing record of the self and Shakespeare’s kaleidoscopic register of human character....

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**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\
**Post date:** [December 4, 2022, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-french-authors-and-philosophers-did-shakespeare-read/976006/3 "2022-12-04T21:00:30Z")

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François de Belleforest (1530 - 1583) is thought to be one of the sources that Shakespeare relied on for Hamlet.

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**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\
**Post date:** [December 4, 2022, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-french-authors-and-philosophers-did-shakespeare-read/976006/4 "2022-12-04T21:31:42Z")

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This page should be authoritative.

[List of sources for Shakespeare’s works](https://folgerpedia.folger.edu/List_of_sources_for_Shakespeare%27s_works).