Dublin - A shocking story has appeared in press that William Shakespeare was suffering from syphilis. Even earlier many authors attempted to malign him on some pretext or the other and gave a negative view of his early life. Some of them even went to the extent of doubting his credibility as a playwright. Their main purpose seems to be destructive.

In this connection, we sought for the comments of Dr. Raj Baldev, Cosmo Theorist from India, and also because of his special interest in the literature of Shakespeare  that he has been imparting to his students for a few years.

Dr. Raj Baldev gave his comments  from New Delhi - "Nothing could be more unpardonable and unforgivable than the act of disgracing the great personality like William Shakespeare, the great English Playwright, leveling a wild allegation against him that he was suffering from syphilis.

"His baldness had nothing to do with such a fell disease as alleged. Shakespeare was above the low grade sex; he was a great sonnet composer, he could never think of such a dirty act. 

"About Shakespeare, it is said, "No man ever understands Shakespeare until he is old, the reason being that satisfies the artistic instinct of the youngest and harmonizes with the ripest and richest experience of the oldest.

Dr. Baldev said that there is no justification in making such statements against Shakespeare, rather it is defamatory alleging "Shakespeare had obsessive interest in syphilis, his clinically exact knowledge of its manifestations, the final poems of the sonnets, and contemporary gossip all suggest that he was infected with the infinite malady," I think Ross could be on wrong track in leveling this serious charge.

"Shakespeare knew that syphilis was a killing disease and  there is no fault in having knowledge about such diseases, they help a person to keep him away from such a risk. If a doctor has extraordinary specific knowledge or interest in venereal disease or HIV/AIDS doesn't mean that he should also suffer from either syphilis or HIV positive as alleged?

"The people allege that Shakespeare was unfaithful to his wife, Anne Hathaway. The fact is contrary, in fact his wife proved unfaithful to him. That's why he said, "infertility thy name is woman", which he meant that unfaithfulness is the name of woman, so much frustratation he had from his wife.

"One of the secrets of his life is that he had a good lady friend co-called 'Dark Lady' whom he dedicated some of his sonnets.  A man, who loves some one from the depth of his heart,  always remains above the dirty politics of meeting the third class women.

"Over and above, he had the honor of meeting great personalities like Earl of Southampton, and many other VVIPs and Head of States. He dedicated most of the sonnets to him. He enjoyed a great status of his life at that time.

"A poet, composer or writer is always superior and avoids dirty games but he keeps vast knowledge in all important areas of life and there is nothing wrong in it. On the contrary such knowledge helps undestanding the difference between the wrong and right woman.

"Mirza Ghalib was a great poet in India, and there was nothing immoral about him, people give him lot of respect even though he had a leaning towards a lady friend, because friendship is always noble whether it with a male or female. 

"The ground taken that Syphilis was widespread in England by the 16th century as Dr Ross said in an article in the Feb. 1 issue of the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases doesn't mean that Shakespeare was suffering from this terrible disease.

"It is better to write such things only when one is cock sure and particularly to write against a late legend like Shakespeare does not indicate an act of gentleman tendency, which should  be avoided."

Great men are the legends of the world, the treasures of the world, and the wealth of the people's mind, let us preserve and honor it and not to destroy them.