========================================================================= Date: Fri, 1 Jan 1993 21:28:07 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0001 Q: Negative Capability Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 1. Friday, 1 January 1993. From: Peter D. Junger Date: Thursday, 31 Dec 92 16:33:59 EDT Subject: Query about negative capability In an article I am writing I suggest that those who would understand law should have the negative capability that Keats ascribed to Shakespeare: At once it struck me what quality went to form a man of achievement, especially in literature, and which Shakespeare possessed so enormously--I mean negative capability, that is, when a man is capable of being in uncertainties, mysteries, doubts, without any irritable reaching after fact and reason. Which Bartlett's Familiar Quotations ascribes to John Keats, Letter to George and Thomas Keats [December 22, 1817]. Can anyone supply me with a better source? Our library has the second and third editions of Maurice Buxton Forman's edition of Keats' letters and I suspect that I can find the quotation easily enough in one of those works, but I suspect that there may be some canonical citation of which I am ignorant. Thanks. Peter D. Junger Case Western Reserve University Law School, Cleveland, OH Internet: JUNGER@SAMSARA.LAW.CWRU.Edu -- Bitnet: JUNGER@CWRU ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 2 Jan 1993 10:46:40 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0002 Re: Branagh's *Ado* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 2. Saturday, 2 January 1993. From: Luc Borot Date: Saturday, 02 Jan 93 13:34 Subject: Re: SHK 3.0406 Q: Branagh *Ado* From Luc Borot: Reply to Query on Branagh's *Much Ado*: A happy new year to all from the old Continent, both more united from yesterday Jan. 1st, and more torn apart with what happens further East from here. I have no news concerning the appearance of Branagh's film, but I can be positive that his *Hamlet* will move from London to Stratford upon Avon where it will open next April. I will see it then, with the *Richard III*, starring Simon Russel Beale. I will report for SHAKSPER if you will. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 4 Jan 1993 14:42:37 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0003 Jacobi Hamlet Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 3. Monday, 4 January 1993. From: Rick Jones Date: Monday, 4 Jan 1993 11:59:07 -0600 (CST) Subject: RE: Jacobi's Hamlet I just got back into town after a fortnight of parent-visiting (two sets), so the discussion of Jacobi's _Hamlet_ is still new to me. I'm surprised to see the very favorable response, because I absolutely LOATHED the BBC/film version. On the other hand, I was lucky enough to have seen Jacobi do the role at the Old Vic a couple of years earlier (for about $2.00 American, 10th row stalls, center -- the joys of student rush!), and adored it. The line I'll always remember is "Words, words, words." -- I'd seen that scene a dozen times or so, and never before had I heard a Hamlet actually answer Polonius's question! I still talk about that single moment (my students might say ad nauseum) in both my acting and directing classes as an example of what theatre can be. So why didn't I like the BBC version? I'd suggest two reasons: first, I'd already seen the stage version, and no film can possibly recreate the presence of the live actor, at least not in a vehicle designed for that presence. In the stage version, I could feel the immediacy much more palpably . . . and I could look at what I wanted to look at, although my attention was very skillfully directed to certain things: I like that freedom as an audience member. I suppose it's inevitable to make more direct contrasts when comparing two _Hamlets_ with the same leading actor. Secondly, the two versions had different Ophelias (I'm sure there were lots of other changes, too, but that's the one I noticed most). On stage, the Ophelia (and I'm sorry to say I've forgotten her name) was dynamic, passionate and just a little dangerous: in her scenes with Hamlet, sparks flew, because she could . . . almost . . . match his energy. Her destruction, then, becomes electric and devastating: an emblem of the down side of Hamlet's monomania. In the film version, the Ophelia (and here I've happily forgotten her name) was a simpering little wimp . . . I almost couldn't wait to see her gone. Thus, the confrontation scenes showed Hamlet as a big bully, the demise of Ophelia was much less tragic, and the whole nature of *Hamlet's* character changed from flawed hero to abusive egotist. I wouldn't have used this terminology at the time I first saw the BBC version, but the gender implications are manifold here: one is tempted to wonder whether the producing organization (Pioneer Theatre Company vs. BBC) had much to do with the portrayal of Ophelia. I'd be interested in seeing more about this, especially from those who liked the Jacobi film. Cheers, Rick Jones Cornell College ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 5 Jan 1993 07:22:37 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0004 R: Jacobi Hamlet; Q: Burton Hamlet Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 4. Tuesday, 5 January 1993. (1) From: Kevin Berland Date: Monday, 4 Jan 93 19:47 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0003 Jacobi Hamlet (2) From: Leo Daugherty Date: Tuesday, 5 Jan 93 01:54:15 -0800 Subj: Onscreen Hamlets (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kevin Berland Date: Monday, 4 Jan 93 19:47 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0003 Jacobi Hamlet As the party who introduced the topic of the Jacobi/BBC Hamlet, I feel compelled to reply to the criticism of the "wimp" Ophelia: I agree with your evaluation -- except for three places: 1) the startled look toward the place Polonius and Claudius are hiding when Hamlet asks her where her father is and the studious avoidance of the spot thereafter, as she painfully goes through the lie knowing Hamlet knows, and knows that she knows, &c. -- 2) the concept that she is really rather ordinary, not powerful, not especially interesting, but "nice" -- because tragedy destroys the bystanders, too [I find Ophelias who are intellectual and moral matches for Hamlet anachronistic and beside the point]; -- and 3) the rage and "bullying" is nicely framed by Jacobi's emphasis, "They *have* made me mad", staring at his hands. So, good people, what of this last point? Is Jacobi acknowledging Hamlet's madness, extending the mad act, or acknowledging the fineness of the line between furious actions undertaken while feigning madness and furious actions generated by real madness -- or what? Oh, and happy new year. Kevin Berland (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Leo Daugherty Date: Tuesday, 5 Jan 93 01:54:15 -0800 Subject: Onscreen Hamlets I think I've seen most of the screen Hamlets -- some of them several times -- starting with the very corny Olivier many years ago, and running on through Nicole Williamson, Derek Jacobi, and Mel Gibson. I really didn't like any of them much. But I DID like Richard Burton's Hamlet very much -- which I think was shot on video from a performance (in maybe 1963 or 1964) and then shown in a few theaters around the country. I'd love to see it again, and I find that I'm always wanting to show it to my students when I teach the play. So I thought I'd post this note to ask: does anybody know how I can get a copy? (Ideally, I'd like to have one for our college library.) I'd also like to know what any other SHAKSPEReans who may have seen the Burton think of it now. Thanks. Leo Daugherty The Evergreen State College ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 5 Jan 1993 17:10:18 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0005 Hamlet on Film and Video Responses Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 5. Tuesday, 5 January 1993. (1) From: Rick Jones Date: Tuesday, 5 Jan 1993 11:53:25 -0600 (CST) Subj: RE: SHK 4.0004 R: Jacobi Hamlet; Q: Burton Hamlet (2) From: Gus Sponberg Date: Tuesday, 5 Jan 1993 09:22 CST Subj: Burton's Hamlet (3) From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Tuesday, January 5, 1993 Subj: Burton's Hamlet (1)--------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Rick Jones Date: Tuesday, 5 Jan 1993 11:53:25 -0600 (CST) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0004 R: Jacobi Hamlet; Q: Burton Hamlet I'm sure that Kevin Berland and I will agree to disagree on the Ophelia in the BBC _Hamlet_: I'll grant the strengths he mentions but find them insufficient to overcome the negatives; he seems willing to grant the criticisms but finds them outweighed by positives. Fine. But I would like to follow up on his parenthetical comment, "I find Ophelias who are intellectual and moral matches for Hamlet anachronistic and beside the point". The first point, about anachronism, is probably true at least at a literal level: it is unlikely the Shakespeare conceived of Ophelia as an intellectual or moral match for Hamlet. So a "strong" Ophelia is indeed anachronistic: but so is a sympathetic Shylock or a Petruchio who isn't celebrated for his male chauvinism . . . or, for that matter, a _female_ Ophelia! What interests me here is that it would _not_ be anachronistic for a _comic_ female character to be both sympathetic and strong, but that combination is almost unheard of in tragedy (Cordelia, maybe?). And if such a female character _does_ appear in a tragedy or a history, she almost certainly must be rendered comic in some way: e.g. the thick accent of Katherine of France in _Henry V_. I wonder if anyone could suggest some sources to explore the distinction in gender terms between comedy, wherein, for example, Rosalind clearly has far more on the ball than Orlando ever will, and tragedy, wherein Ophelia can only be "nice". One final question for Kevin, which I hope won't be misinterpreted: when you call "strong" Ophelias "anachronistic and beside the point", are you making two separate criticisms, or is being "beside the point" an extension of anachronism? Am I making sense? :> Rick Jones Cornell College (2)--------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Gus Sponberg Date: Tuesday, 5 Jan 1993 09:22 CST Subject: Burton's Hamlet Add me to Leo Daugherty's request for a copy of a video of Burton's Hamlet. I have an LP of Burton doing scenes and soliloquies and have used it to good effect but I think a video would be more appealing in the classroom. Gus Sponberg Valparaiso University (3)--------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Tuesday, January 5, 1993 Subject: Burton's Hamlet It's my understanding that Burton "hated" the filmed version of his *Hamlet*, which showed for a few days in 1964, and ordered that ALL prints of the film be destroyed. After Burton's death, however, a print was recovered and is available at the Folger Shakespeare Library. I have fond memories of the film, but I was a high school student at the time and not nearly as knowledgeable as I am today (or so I hope). I still have the souvenir program and an excerpt record (a student has mention having the full production on records), but I wouldn't imagine that a video of the production would be forthcoming unless arrangements were made with Burton's estate. It seems that if you would like to see the film again, you'll have to visit Washington, D.C. Hardy M. Cook HMCook@boe00.minc.umd.edu Bowie State University ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 5 Jan 1993 21:35:01 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0006 SHAKSPER LOGS on Gopher Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 6. Tuesday, 5 January 1993. From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Tuesday, January 5, 1993 Subject: SHAKSPER LOGS on Gopher Dear SHAKSPEReans, The SHAKSPER logs are now available on Gopher, which offers an alternative to ordering logs from LISTSERV. I would like to thank SHAKSPERean Ann Miller, who suggested the idea to me, and Steve Younker, the LISTSERV Manager at the University of Toronto, who mounted the logs on Gopher. If you do not know how to use Gopher, contact your Academic Computing Service for details. I TELNET to INFO.UMD.EDU, Bowie State's being a University of Maryland System institution. Below is an edited, sample session I logged. ****************************************************************************** $ telnet info.umd.edu Trying...128.8.10.29 Connected to INFO.UMD.EDU. Escape character is '^]'. ULTRIX V4.1 (Rev. 52) At the login: prompt below, enter: info for access to the Information On-line files and programs. gopher for access to the Gopher interface and Internet Resources. ======== TYPE gopher ======== login: gopher Last login: Tue Jan 5 19:50:47 from crts1.umbc.edu ULTRIX V4.1 (Rev. 52) System #3: Tue Dec 22 18:20:17 EST 1992 UWS V4.1 (Rev. 197) Welcome to the University of Maryland Information Service As you explore this service, you will be experiencing first-hand the beginning phases of the "information revolution". The UofM Information Service is your connection to computing sites around the country and indeed around the world. Clearly, the UofM bears no responsibility for the quality of data at other sites. The interfaces to the data are also, for the most part, beyond our direct control. Help may be available by entering a "?". We strongly encourage you to read through the section "About This System" on the upcoming menu before embarking on your "travels through the Internet". Enjoy! please enter your terminal type (? for a list, RETURN for 'vt100'): ===== TYPE terminal type ===== Welcome to the wonderful world of Gopher! Gopher has limitations on it's use and comes without a warranty. Please refer to the file 'Copyright' included the distribution. Internet Gopher Information Client v1.1, Copyright 1991,1992 by the Regents of the University of Minnesota Press any key to continue ===== PRESS any key ===== Internet Gopher Information Client v1.1 University of Maryland at College Park (in development) 1. About This System (PLEASE READ)/ 2. Faculty/Staff Phone Book 3. Info - Gopher Interface/ 4. Info - UMCP Developed Interface 5. Victor - Online Library Catalog 6. USAToday/ 7. Campaign '92/ 8. Other Systems/ ===== SELECT Other Systems ===== Other Systems 1. Archie File Searching Service 2. Campus-wide Information Systems/ 3. Gopher and Information Servers/ 4. HYTELNET 5. Internet Resources/ 6. Library Catalogs/ 7. Wide Area Information Servers (WAIS)/ 8. World Wide Web (WWW) ===== SELECT Gopher and Information Servers ===== Internet Gopher Information Client v1.1 Gopher and Information Servers 1. All the Gopher Servers in the World/ 2. Search Gopherspace using veronica/ 3. Europe/ 4. Middle East/ 5. North America/ 6. Pacific/ 7. South America/ 8. Terminal Based Information/ 9. WAIS Based Information/ ===== SELECT North America ===== Internet Gopher Information Client v1.1 North America 1. Canada/ 2. USA/ ===== SELECT Canada ===== Internet Gopher Information Client v1.1 Canada 1. Bedford Institute Of Oceanography (Canada)/ 2. Camosun College, Victoria B.C. Canada/ 3. Dalhousie University/ 4. Dalhousie University's Unofficial Gopher Service/ 5. Lakehead University/ 6. Nova Scotia Technology Network, N.S., Canada/ 7. Queen's University, Kingston, Canada/ 8. Saint Mary's University (Canada)/ 9. Simon Fraser University (Canada)/ 10. Technical University of Nova Scotia (Canada)/ 11. Trent University, Peterborough Ont, Canada/ 12. University of Alberta/ 13. University of Guelph (Canada)/ 14. University of Manitoba/ 15. University of New Brunswick (unix server)/ 16. University of Toronto/ 17. University of Victoria, Canada/ 18. University of Victoria, Canada (Faculty of Fine Arts)/ ===== SELECT University of Toronto ===== Internet Gopher Information Client v1.1 University of Toronto 1. About Internet Gopher. 2. Gopher at University of Toronto. 3. GP UNIX/ 4. Department of Physics, University of Toronto/ 5. Scarborough Campus/ 6. ONET information/ 7. CA*net Traffic Statistics/ 8. LISTSERV Archives/ 9. Other Gophers/ 10. Canadian Weather Information, via NSTN/ ===== SELECT LISTSERV Archives ===== Internet Gopher Information Client v1.1 LISTSERV Archives 1. TACT-L - TACT-L Discussion - Electronic Forum for TACT Users/ 2. SHAKSPER - Shakespeare Electronic Conference/ 3. RESCOMP - RESCOMP - Research Computer Architecture Group/ 4. REED-L - REED-L: Records of Early English Drama Discussion/ 5. MACMAIL - MAC Mail Discussion List/ 6. IROQUOIS - Iroquois Language Discussion/ 7. INFO-MAC - INFO-MAC Digest/ 8. INFO-GCG - INFO-GCG: GCG Genetics Software Discussion/ 9. IBMPC-L - IBMPC Digest/ 10. I-KERMIT - INFO-KERMIT Digest/ 11. COCHCOSH - COCHCOSH Discussion/ 12. COCAMED - Computers in Canadian Medical Education/ 13. CDPLUS-L - CDPLUS Software User Group/ 14. BEST-L - Best North America Discussion group/ ===== SELECT SHAKSPER ===== SHAKSPER - Shakespeare Electronic Conference 1. shaksper.log9007. 2. shaksper.log9008. 3. shaksper.log9009. 4. shaksper.log9010. 5. shaksper.log9011. 6. shaksper.log9012. 7. shaksper.log9101. 8. shaksper.log9102. 9. shaksper.log9103. 10. shaksper.log9104. 11. shaksper.log9105. 12. shaksper.log9106. 13. shaksper.log9107. 14. shaksper.log9108. 15. shaksper.log9109. 16. shaksper.log9110. 17. shaksper.log9111. 18. shaksper.log9112. 19. shaksper.log9201. 20. shaksper.log9202. 21. shaksper.log9203. 22. shaksper.log9204. 23. shaksper.log9205. 24. shaksper.log9206. 25. shaksper.log9207. 26. shaksper.log9208. 27. shaksper.log9209. 28. shaksper.log9210. 29. shaksper.log9211. 30. shaksper.log9212. 31. shaksper.log9301. ===== SELECT SHAKSPER log and read ===== ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 6 Jan 1993 07:22:46 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0007 Q: *Two Gentlemen of Verona* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 7. Wednesday, 6 January 1993. From: Adrian Kiernander Date: Wednesday, 6 Jan 1993 12:54:09 +1300 Subject: TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA I am curently directing a production of _The Two Gentlemen of Verona_ outdoors in Wellington, New Zealand (which to anybody who knows the climate in Wellington might seem foolhardy, but this is the 11th consecutive annual production and the weather hasn't been too much of a problem so far). I'd be interested in hearing any ideas anyone has on the play, and any references to any little-known published material would also be helpful. Jonathan Goldberg's work in _Voice Terminal Echo_ has been useful to us so far. I believe the script is much more interesting and substantial than most commentators give it credit for--we are playing it not at all as a Romantic Comedy but as a savage satire of a world of spoilt rich brats for whom rape is an internalised part of their conceptual framework--both Julia and Valentine say expressly that when women say no they really mean yes, Silvia says yes by seeming to say no, and Proteus notoriously tries the real thing. All four of them constantly relate to one another (as conveyers of status and/or wealth) through various mediating devices--letters, pictures, messages and so on, and Launce's use of Rent-a-Bride is only a more up-front example of the same thing. We're going deliberately anachronistic, using costume elements from both now (or more specifically the '80s) and the Elizabethan period, and making the fullest possible use of status symbols from both times. Verona 90210. I've also heard about a recent production in England which was set in a kind of Brideshead Revisited world--has anyone on the list seen this, and if so, how did it work? I look forward to any information/suggestions/etc. Adrian Kiernander English Department The University of Queensland (but currently operating out of Theatre and Film, Victoria University of Wellington.) ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 6 Jan 1993 07:29:25 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0008 Re: Burton Hamlet Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 8. Wednesday, 6 January 1993. (1) From: Vint Cerf <0003786240@mcimail.com> Date: Wednesday, 6 Jan 93 00:23 GMT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0004 R: Jacobi Hamlet; Q: Burton Hamlet (2) From: Vint Cerf <0003786240@mcimail.com> Date: Wednesday, 6 Jan 93 05:12 GMT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0004 R: Jacobi Hamlet; Q: Burton Hamlet (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Vint Cerf <0003786240@mcimail.com> Date: Wednesday, 6 Jan 93 00:23 GMT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0004 R: Jacobi Hamlet; Q: Burton Hamlet Leo, If you discover any extant copies of the Burton Hamlet video, please let me know. This is a prime candidate for closed captioning if we can identify the copyright holder. Many thanks, Vint Cerf (2)--------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Vint Cerf <0003786240@mcimail.com> Date: Wednesday, 6 Jan 93 05:12 GMT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0004 R: Jacobi Hamlet; Q: Burton Hamlet Leo, From the book: Shakespeare on Screen by Kenneth S. Rothwell and Annabelle Henkin Melzer, Neal-Schuman Publishers, 23 Leonard St., NY, NY 10013 page 70 117. Hamlet USA, 1964 Recorded at Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, New York City, June 30/July 1, 1964. Directed by John Gielgud. Hamlet played by Richard Burton. Publisher: Classic Cinemas Copy location: Library of Congress, Motion Picture Division Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington, DC Restrictions: Archival use ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 6 Jan 1993 07:36:54 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0009 Gopher Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 9. Wednesday, 6 January 1993. (1) From: Peter Scott Date: Wednesday, 06 Jan 1993 06:09:16 -0600 (CST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0006 SHAKSPER LOGS on Gopher (2) From: Peter Scott Date: Wednesday, 06 Jan 1993 06:18:53 -0600 (CST) Subj: Complete Shakespeare on Gopher at "World" Public Access Unix (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Peter Scott Date: Wednesday, 06 Jan 1993 06:09:16 -0600 (CST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0006 SHAKSPER LOGS on Gopher >The SHAKSPER logs are now available on Gopher, which offers an alternative >to ordering logs from LISTSERV. I would like to thank SHAKSPERean Ann >Miller, who suggested the idea to me, and Steve Younker, the LISTSERV >Manager at the University of Toronto, who mounted the logs on Gopher. > >If you do not know how to use Gopher, contact your Academic Computing >Service for details. A quicker way to get to the Toronto gopher is to use your gopher client (if, of course, one is installed on your system). At your system prompt type: gopher vm.utcs.utoronto.ca 70 This will take you directly to Toronto's gopher. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Peter Scott Date: Wednesday, 06 Jan 1993 06:18:53 -0600 (CST) Subject: Complete Shakespeare on Gopher at "World" Public Access Unix To access the Complete Works of Shakespeare on the Online Book Initiative at std.com, point your gopher client to: world.std.com 70 1. Information About The World Public Access UNIX/ 2. OBI The Online Book Initiative/ 3. Book Sellers/ 4. Electronic Frontier Foundation/ 5. FTP/ 6. Libraries/ 7. News/ 8. Other Gopher and Information Servers/ 9. Phone Books/ 10. Sun Managers/ 11. University of Minnesota Gopher Server/ Select item 2 OBI The Online Book Initiative 1. About The Online Book Initiative. 2. The OBI FAQ. 3. About The OBI Mailing Lists. 4. The Online Books/ Select item 4. Then select Shakespeare (currently item 115) Shakespeare 1. Comedies/ 2. Glossary/ 3. Histories/ 4. Shakespeare.complete. 5. Tragedies/ ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 6 Jan 1993 14:50:05 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0010 Rs: *Two Gentlemen of Verona* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 10. Wednesday, 6 January 1993. (1) From: Thomas G. Bishop Date: Wednesday, 6 Jan 93 12:46:23 -0500 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0007 Q: *Two Gentlemen of Verona* (2) From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Wednesday, January 6, 1993 Subj: RSC *Two Gentlemen* (3) From: Jay L Halio Date: Wednesday, 6 Jan 1993 13:51:23 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0007 Q: *Two Gentlemen of Verona* (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Thomas G. Bishop Date: Wednesday, 6 Jan 93 12:46:23 -0500 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0007 Q: *Two Gentlemen of Verona* >Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 7. Wednesday, 6 January 1993. > >From: Adrian Kiernander >Date: Wednesday, 6 Jan 1993 12:54:09 +1300 >Subject: TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA > >I am curently directing a production of _The Two Gentlemen of Verona_ >outdoors in Wellington, New Zealand (which to anybody who knows the climate >in Wellington might seem foolhardy, but this is the 11th consecutive annual >production and the weather hasn't been too much of a problem so far). I'd >be interested in hearing any ideas anyone has on the play, and any >references to any little-known published material would also be helpful. >Jonathan Goldberg's work in _Voice Terminal Echo_ has been useful to us so >far. I dont know if this really counts as "little known," but you might want to look at the Appendix to Robert Weimann's "Shakespeare and the Popular Tradition in the Theater" which has some useful remarks on Launce and his relation to the audience. Good luck with the weather. -- Tom Bishop Dept of English Case Western Reserve University Cleveland, OH 44106. (tgb2@po.cwru.edu) (2)--------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Wednesday, January 6, 1993 Subject: RSC *Two Gentlemen* Robert Smallwood reviews David Thacker's "irresistible production" of *The Two Gentlemen of Verona* for the RSC at the Swan Theatre in the Fall 1992 *SQ* (43.4: 350-353). Smallwood maintains that "Setting the play in the 1930s, with an eight-piece band and singer upstage throughout the performance, Tacker achieved what seemed to me a legitimate and revealing relationship between social and verbal elegance and moral shallowness of the play's characters, and the same qualities in his chosen period." Smallwood thoroughly approved of Thacker's treatment as his concluding remarks reveal: In the silence that followed his [Proteus's] quiet and deliberate speech -- "I do as truly suffer / As e'er I did commit" -- one was aware of Sylvia looking very hard at Valentine, willing him to accept this apology; after that moment of understanding between them she moved across to the kneeling Proteus and put her arm round his shoulder, the first to forgive him. The notorious "All that was mine in Sylvia I give thee" thus came to mean something like "the mutual love and trust between Sylvia and me is something in which you can now share," and even as we were taking this in, Julia collapsed and we were into the mechanical unwinding of the plot that concludes the play. It was a daring and in many ways brilliant solution to what has so often been regarded, on the page, as an intractable problem; from seeming to many readers merely a property, a chattel, in the scene, the silent Sylvia was made its motor, and comic form was thus preserved. One could argue, of course, that from the character being the chattel of the dramatist's chauvinist vision the actress had become chattel of the director's sentimental invention, but that would be another essay. The scene made sense as directed, and Shakespeare's so- called failure, his apprentice work, his unplayable flop, became the hit of the season. I hope this helps. Hardy M. Cook HMCook@boe00.minc.umd.edu (3)--------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jay L Halio Date: Wednesday, 6 Jan 1993 13:51:23 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0007 Q: *Two Gentlemen of Verona* I saw the RSC performance at the Swan a couple of years ago (if that is the one referred to as a "Brideshead Revisited" setting), and it worked fine with torch songs sung between each act! See reviews and especially Tom Clayton's excellent analysis of the ending in *Shakespeare Bulletin* last year. Jay Halio ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1993 10:07:23 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0011 Electronic Shakespeare at the MLA Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 11. Thursday, 7 January 1993. (1) From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Thursday, January 7, 1993 Subj: Electronic Shakespeare at the MLA (2) From: John Lavagnino Date: Monday, 4 Jan 1993 21:09 EST Subj: Electronic Shakespeare at the MLA (3) From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Thursday, January 7, 1993 Subj: THE PUBLIC DOMAIN SHAKESPEARE by Ian Lancashire (1)--------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Thursday, January 7, 1993 Subject: Electronic Shakespeare at the MLA Dear SHAKSPEReans, About eighteen months, there was a lively discussion on SHAKSPER about the possibility of creating a Public-Domain, Old-Spelling Electronic Shakespeare. For that project, I offered a transcription of the 1609 Quarto of the Sonnets in an untagged and a minimally tagged version (available on the SHAKSPER Fileserver as SONNETS 1609Q and SONNETS TAG1609Q). One of our members, Dr. Ian Lancashire, Director of the Centre for Computing, University of Toronto, envisioned this project as a part of work already going on at the Centre for Computing in the Humanities. Some months ago, I began working with him on fully encoding the 1609 Quarto of the Sonnets and Lovers Complaint as a prototype electronic edition for a long-range project of developing accurate, scholarly electronic editions of Shakespeare's original texts. As we get close to the time that the Q1609 text will be ready to be released, Professor Lancashire reported on his vision of the entire Public Domain Shakespeare project at the Electronic Archives session at the 1992 MLA Convention. What follows is a summary of Professor Lancashire's presentation that was made by Michael Sperberg-McQueen and submitted to SHAKSPER by John Lavagnino. I did not believe that the summary conveyed as accurately as it could have the substance of Professor Lancashire's remarks, so I asked him if he would share his paper with us. He has agreed and the next posting contains excerpts of the MLA presentation. The complete paper with appendices is available of the SHAKSPER Fileserver as LANCSHIR PD_SHAKE. SHAKSPEReans can retrieve LANCSHIR PD_SHAKE by issuing the interactive command, "TELL LISTSERV AT UTORONTO GET LANCHIR PD_SHAKE SHAKSPER." If your network link does not support the interactive "TELL" command (i.e. if you are not directly on Bitnet), or if LISTSERV rejects your request, then send a one-line mail message (without a subject line) to LISTSERV@utoronto, reading "GET LANCSHIR PD_SHAKE SHAKSPER." (2)--------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John Lavagnino Date: Monday, 4 Jan 1993 21:09 EST Subject: Electronic Shakespeare at the MLA I pass along an item from another list that you might want to post, on a discussion of electronic Shakespeares from the MLA. This is an excerpt from C. M. Sperberg-McQueen's "Trip Report: Modern Language Association," 30 December 1992, from the TEI-L list at uicvm.bitnet; this is from the account of the panel discussion on Electronic Archives, chaired by James Sosnowski, which took place at the MLA. (The entire text of the report is available as EDW34 DOC from listserv@uicvm.) John Lavagnino, Brandeis University Ian Lancashire spoke next, on "The Public-Domain Shakespeare," in which he reviewed the various versions of Shakespeare available in electronic form, including numerous versions of the Folio and early Quarto texts --- which however include only 64 texts of the canon, leaving 133 early printings yet un-electrified. He drew attention to the commercially available texts (some based on well known reputable editions, some not) as well as the many texts available from the Oxford Text Archive, and dwelt some time on the various methods adopted by encoders in handling such things as textual variation, archaisms of spelling, and corruption in the text. Many available texts contain editorial emendations, which IL curiously contrasted with "Shakespeare" pure and simple, to the detriment of the emenders. The opposition struck me as very odd, since "Shakespeare" pure and simple is precisely what the editors, by emending, are claiming not to be represented by the early printings. Unless IL wished to claim that the early printings of Shakespeare all represent the author's ipsissima verba, it seems dangerously misleading to refer to the early printings as "Shakespeare" and attempts to correct their defects as merely "editors". Phrased differently (the e-texts contain editorial interventions instead of simple reproductions of the sometimes dubious early printings), the point is valid and important but ceases to prejudice the case against the editors. IL's talk was supplemented by a handout, of which I was unable to secure a copy. This in itself signaled a happy turn of events: though he came prepared with a number more than ample for the usual turnout at sessions on electronic text, IL rapidly ran out of handouts in a crowd of over fifty people. The talk provided a usefully concrete supplement to the broad, sometimes vague, generalities of the other speakers. --- C. M. Sperberg-McQueen (3)--------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Thursday, January 7, 1993 Subject: THE PUBLIC DOMAIN SHAKESPEARE by Ian Lancashire THE PUBLIC DOMAIN SHAKESPEARE by Ian Lancashire Department of English University of Toronto Modern Language Association New York 29 December 1992, 10:15-11:30 a.m. Riverside Suite, Sheraton New York 1. What should a Public-Domain Shakespeare be? In his dedicatory poem to Shakespeare in the First Folio, Ben Jonson said, `He was not of an age, but for all time!' Despite this -- and after more than thirty years of electronic scholarship -- the 1623 and three later folio editions, and all the quarto versions, of Shakespeare's plays and poems are still not available in un-copy-protected electronic texts on the network. Instead, we have texts that either vary (without warning) from these early texts or that, although old-spelling copies, do not faithfully capture the bibliographical details of the originals. Shakespeare's works, altered silently or emended on explicit grounds, may be obtained commercially or freely in electronic form, but not the originals from which every one of these editions must flow. Trevor Howard-Hill's old-spelling versions in the Oxford Text Archive come closest to these originals, but a charge is still made for them, their copyright status is unclear, and they do not render the typography of the originals. See Appendix A for a list of these editions. For this reason, the editor of the SHAKSPER file-server, Hardy Cook, assisted by myself with encoding and proofing, is producing a prototype `public-domain' edition of Shakespeare's sonnets and `A Lover's Complaint' (1609). This edition records the fonts, including ligatures, of the original quarto and declines to introduce emendations, even of probable typos. We have encoded only non-interpretive features of the text such as signature, catchword, running-title, indentation, forme, sonnet number, rhyming scheme, etc. in both COCOA and SGML tagging syntax. We have not collated a variety of copies of the 1609 edition but rather just two quartos at the Folger Shakespeare Library, one as sold by Aspley and the other by Wright. Version 1.0 of `Shake- speares Sonnets' (1609) will be distributed from SHAKSPER and the Centre for Computing in the Humanities at the University of Toronto. Anyone may copy, use, alter or store this public-domain edition anywhere in the world. The only restriction is that it be not sold commercially. The COCOA- and SGML-encoded files are being made available with some ancillary files: word-frequency lists (alphabetical, reverse alphabetical and descending frequency), tables of repeated phrases and of node-collocate pairs (with associational z-score), type-token statistics for word-and-letter frequency and length, and finally an interpretive dictionary of all word-forms that includes part-of-speech, lemmatized form, and normalized form. These ancillary files have been generated by the TACT system. With TACT, it is possible to obtain other displays with the COCOA-tagged version, as well as to tag words in the text by part-of-speech indicator, lemma and normalized form so as to produce other versions of the text for text analysis, for student editions, etc. 2. What Electronic Shakespeares are there? . . . 3. Why not to Trust Electronic Shakespeares . . . 4. Why Tag? and How? . . . 5. Conclusion A series of Shakespeare editions conceived along these lines should assist in the study of the language of Early Modern English by recording accurately the orthography, vocabulary and syntax of Shakespeare's works from the 1590s to the mid-17th century. This lexical database would contribute to the history of the language, specifically in light of the plans of Oxford University Press to issue a third edition of the Oxford English Dictionary within the next two decades. Each generation will make its own contribution to the study of Shakespeare. A carefully-prepared, conservative electronic series of texts, which is by no means an undoable task -- consider the work of Ted Brunner in his Thesaurus Linguae Graecae, or the astonishing Full-Text English Poetry Database from Chadwyck-Healey -- will provide a uniform foundation for new research, some of it hard to imagine at this time. I hope that the prototype electronic edition of the Shakespeare's sonnets and `Lover's Complaint' will be rigorously assessed by textual scholars of Shakespeare, because, like any electronic text, it will be `alive,' capable of being revised with relative ease, as long as the Internet or its successor networks are in place. Because corrections and additional encoding information may be added to an electronic text incrementally, and everyone contributing an improvement to the text is recorded in the TEI `history' of the file, these editions would increase in authority over the years. Hardy Cook will be undertaking further editions of Shakespeare's poems. We hope that other scholars will join us in this enjoyable, useful project. Appendix A. Draft List of Electronic Editions of Works by or Ascribed to Shakespeare Appendix B. Six Electronic Editions of Shakespeare's Sonnets 1-2: A Comparison ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1993 10:12:34 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0012 Ophelia and Hamlet Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 12. Thursday, 7 January 1993. From: Jean Peterson Date: Wednesday, 6 Jan 1993 15:27:59 -0500 Subject: hamlet/ophelia First a belated reply to Kevin Berland's comment on Jacobi's reading of the line "they HAVE made me mad"; I thought the point was his recognition of his brutal treatment of Ophelia, the horrified realization that he had been driven to behave with such viciousness to, yes, this nice and rather naive young woman he loves or at least thought he loved. "Strong" Ophelia's do indeed have to play very hard against the text-- although that's not impossible (I think Diane Venora--is that the name?--in the Kevin Kline production managed it effectively). Still, by the time the poor girl has been driven to mutter "I think nothing, my lord," I think she has little personal strength left in reserve. But her situation does parallel Hamlet's in ways that are significant. She succumbs to the demands of corrupted authority, while Hamlet agonizes over precisely that problem (what if the "father" asking him to kill is "a goblin damned"?); she goes mad in earnest, though he only pretends to, and, if the gravediggers are to be believed, she really kills herself, while Hamlet only talks about it... ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1993 22:58:30 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0013 Q: Video Copyrights Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 13. Thursday, 7 January 1993. From: Luc Borot Date: Thursday, 07 Jan 93 14:41 Subject: Help for video copyright enquiries! From: Luc Borot Subject: Where to ask for copyright for video? Dear fellow SHAKSPEReans, I am sending a message in this bottle of ours about a problem my colleague Patricia Dorval in Montpellier is encountering. One of her papers on the semantics of representation was accepted by Theatre Research International. She managed to digitize stills from videos of Shakespeare's plays, and must get copyright to have the pictures included with the paper. The amount of time spent on the video-scanner is enormous, as one may guess. She discovered that the addresses given in the directory of producing companies published in the recent book *Shakespeare on Video* are wrong: several letters were returned to her undelivered. Now time is pressing and she must obtain a speedy answer. Could anyone on the screen help to find the real addresses of the following companies: RCA/Columbia for Brookes' King Lear, Polanski's Macbeth and Branagh's H5. FCM for Mankewicz Julius Caesar and Welles's Macbeth. BBC television for their productions of King Lear and Macbeth in the BBC Shakespeare series. Many thanks to those who will provide this information to this excellent young researcher. Please DO NOT use the aforesaid book published by Cassell's about a year ago: we dunnit and it's all WRONG (Pat even reports mistakes in the cast lists and directors for many, many films). There may be a flaming outburst in her review in n 43 of *Cahiers*. Cheers, Luc ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1993 20:47:31 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0014 Assorted Video Qs and a R Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 14. Friday, 8 January 1993. (1) From: Laurie E. Osborne Date: Friday, 8 Jan 93 10:50:41 -0500 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0013 Q: Video Copyrights (2) From: James Anderson Date: Friday, 08 Jan 1993 10:14:14 CST Subj: RE: SHK 3.0316 Taming of the Shrew in Film and Television (3) From: John Cox Date: Friday, 8 Jan 1993 14:29 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0013 Q: Video Copyrights (1)--------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Laurie E. Osborne Date: Friday, 8 Jan 93 10:50:41 -0500 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0013 Q: Video Copyrights A related question in a bottle. For those of you who have not heard about this yet, Home Box Office has been showing half hour animated Shakespeare plays made, I believe, in Russia. Since I am working on *Twelfth Night* on film, I would like to get hold of a copy of the *Twelfth Night* if anyone had the fores foresight to tape it. HBO informs me that they will not be showing TN again at least until they finish the sequence. Since I was unable to sign up for November and December I have missed MSND and TN. This month and next month they are playing *Hamlet* and *Romeo and Juliet*. We will probably get HBO for these two, so if anyone is interested, let me know. Laurie E. Osborne leosborn@colby.edu (2)--------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: James Anderson Date: Friday, 08 Jan 1993 10:14:14 CST Subject: RE: SHK 3.0316 Taming of the Shrew in Film and Television Did anyone find a source for a video of the "Moonlighting" rendition of Shrew? I would like to obtain one. (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John Cox Date: Friday, 8 Jan 1993 14:29 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0013 Q: Video Copyrights Luc, The latest edition of *Lingua Franca* has an article about a scholar of film who encountered the very problem you describe your colleague having. He simply assumed that the "fair use" rule applied in his case, implicitly chal- lenging the copyright owners to do anything about it. So far, as reported in *Lingua Franca*, he is getting away with it. Sorry I don't have the precise reference at hand, but let me know if you want it. John Cox ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 9 Jan 1993 17:23:51 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0015 R: Ophelia and Hamlet Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 15. Saturaday, 9 January 1993. From: Steve Urkowitz Date: Saturday, 09 Jan 93 00:22:30 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0012 Ophelia and Hamlet As this discussion bent towards the enticing idea of an energetic Ophelia, I thought I might encourage SHAKSPER folks to look at Ophelia's role in the Q1 text. In her opening dialogue with Laertes and later in the same scene with poppa Corambis she seems to me bouncier, spunkier, resisting rather than resigned to the inevitability of male domination. Seeing her role in Q1 then throws the shadows of the "real" text drawn from Q2 into sharper relief. I was much taken by the helplessness of Ophelia's "I do not know, my lord, what I should think," a line only in Q2 and F, her response to her father's cynical spitting on Hamlet's tenders of affection. Then I happened to be reading Lyn Mikel Brown & Carol Gilligan MEETING AT THE CROSSROADS: WOMEN'S PSYCHOLOGY AND GIRLS' DEVELOPMENT, and they report the girls in their study went from a time of great confidence and certainty about their world, spinning into a time of deep uncertainty ("I just don't know what to say" appears repeatedly in the transcripts of the authors' conversations with the girls). Ah Hah! Q1 was the version revised by Shakespeare's company when they were playing to audiences of pre-adolescent girls . . . Q1 was the version based on Shakespeare's observation of pre-adolescent girls before he saw his own daughters enter the "time of insecurity" . . . The apprentice who pirated Q1 was a preadolescent girl . . . Ah, hypotheses. Forget for a bit what the sources of the texts might have been, and look at the role. As ever, Steve Ur-quarto-witz SURCC@CUNYVM ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 9 Jan 1993 17:28:55 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0016 Re: Cox's Response to Video Copyright Query Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 16. Saturaday, 9 January 1993. From: Luc Borot Date: Saturday, 09 Jan 93 12:17 Subject: R to John Cox From Luc Borot R. to John Cox on video copyrights Thanks to John Cox for his opinion. The paper you mention is interesting, but I would like to respond more realistically, if I may: producers don't see it this way and such a scholarly journal as OUP's *Theatre Research International* will not publish the stills if the producers don't permit! For *Cahiers Elisabethains* the policy is the same, though we sometimes lose good pictures for want of copyright: the threats these people throw at us are quite often substantialised by legal pursuit, which would completely drown any academic enterprise. I wish they did like publishers: when you or I quote one another in a scholarly paper, no one requests us to produce copyright, and I do not think there is much difference between 10 lines from an article and a still or a sequence of 4 or 5 stills from a film. I don't think the scholar, as end-user, should be the one to take the risk: he or she cannot afford to win --or certainly lose-- a trial against a major cinema company. Thanks for the reference, anyway, Luc ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1993 16:05:34 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0018 Re: R: Ophelia and Hamlet Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 18. Monday, 11 January 1993. From: William Proctor Williams Date: Saturday, 09 Jan 93 23:57 CSTU> Subject: Re: SHK 4.0015 R: Ophelia and Hamlet Well, Steve is, as always, RIGHT. Good on him for getting that reading right. William Proctor Williams TB0WPW1@NIU ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1993 23:19:23 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0019 Marriage Quotations Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 19. Monday, 11 January 1993. From: John T. Aney Date: Monday, 11 Jan 93 16:22:19 EST Subject: Marriage quotes I had an interesting experience this last month I thought I might share with everyone here and, in so doing, try and resolve a dilemma. My fiancee and I are getting married in August. Two weeks ago, we ordered the invitations (needed to do things while we were home during vacation). I had wanted a quotation from Shakespeare on the invitiation, since the two of us are both Shakespeare fan, although in my case its an obsession. Anyway, I had not yet begun looking for a suitable quotation, but in one of the invitiation sample books you order from they had a quote you could choose that read: "And this our life, our beginning." Shakespeare I had no idea what the quote was from, and since I don't yet know the entire canon by heart, I figured I would look it up when I got back to my research library. Guess what? None of the concordances I checked had this quote, or anything similar, in either the plays or the poems. The electronic Riverside Shakespeare, which also includes the poems, also drew a total and utter blank. The closest thing I could find was "and this our life" from the poems in trees and books in running brooks speech in AYLI. If anyone . . . ANYONE recognizes this quote, please let me know. This kind of thing kills me. I will NOT have a quote on my wedding invitation that I cannot verify! (Can you blame me, I mean really!) In addition, if anyone knows of any SUITABLE short quotes that might be construed as having to do with marriage, and/or the beginning of a life together, please let me know. It's kinda silly, and non-scholarly, I know, but I think people should know if things are being passed off as Shakespeare to the general public, eh? jta ----Go Bill and Al!--- Finally, a President who _admits_ that there will be sax in the White House! -JANEY@UCS.INDIANA.EDU ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1993 19:06:40 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0020 Re: Marriage Quotations Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 20. Tuesday, 12 January 1993. From: Nikki Parker Date: Tueday, 12 Jan 1993 09:00:54 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0019 Marriage Quotations jta, For one, I loved your message! I have no idea about the quote you gave, but how about the one from Taming of the Shrew by Kate . . . with her hand under his foot. No, seriously...I was just kidding! I'll be sure to let you know if I find one. By the way, do you think (or does anyone think) Hamlet's "To be or not to be" soliloquy is about suicide, or the love of life? (long-standing argument with a friend). Best wishes from chilly Vermont (and my congratualations!) Nikki Parker St. Michael's College ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1993 19:11:45 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0021 NEH Summer Seminar Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 21. Tuesday, 12 January 1993. From: Jay L Halio Date: Tuesday, 12 Jan 1993 15:15:12 -0500 (EST) Subject: [NEH Summer Seminar] For the last decade or so, the National Endowment for the Humanities has sponsored summer seminars for school teachers as well as seminars for college teachers. The seminars may go for four, five, or six weeks, and directors are remunerated accordingly. Teachers also receive stipends, and funds are available for supplies, overhead, administrative assistance, etc. This summer, I shall direct my sixth seminar for school teachers, for the first time in collaboration with another scholar, Tom Clayton of Minnesota. But untypically, ours is the only Shakespeare seminar offered this year. Usually two or three seminars on Shakespeare are included among the more than fifty offered (this year there are--count 'em--69!). The current situation is unfortunate, and I'm writing to encourage all interested to send for information and application forms to: Division of Fellowships and Seminars National Endowment for the Humanities Washington, DC 20506 Deadline for applications is April 1, so there is still plenty of time to make inquiries, submit applications, and obtain the necessary letters of reference. These seminars really beat teaching summer school, I can attest. Limited to fifteen participants chosen from applicants all over the country, the seminars invariably attract highly-motivated, able school teachers who truly appreciate the opportunity to recharge their batteries by taking high-level, stimulating seminars with their peers. (Note: The seminars are, by design, not pedagogical but content-oriented.) Application forms are not terribly complicated or lengthy, and NEH offers help to prospective directors draft their proposals. Stipends range up to 2/9 base salary (plus fringes) for a six-weeks seminar, and up to $2,000 (plus fringes) is available for administrative assistance. Michael Hall at NEH is the program officer in charge. you can give or Jean Hughes a call for information. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 13 Jan 1993 07:21:02 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0022 Rs: Marriage Quotations Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 22. Wednesday, 13 January 1993. (1) From: Steve Urkowitz Date: Tuesday, 12 Jan 93 21:26:28 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0019 Marriage Quotations (2) From: Mari S. Dillon Date: Tuesday, 12 Jan 1993 19:26:46 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0020 Re: Marriage Quotations (1)--------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Steve Urkowitz Date: Tuesday, 12 Jan 93 21:26:28 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0019 Marriage Quotations THESEUS: Here come the lovers, full of joy and mirth. Joy, gentle friends! Joy and fresh days of love accompany your hearts! LYSANDER: More than to us Wait in your royal walks, your board, your bed! MND 5.1 Another comes from a very early work by Shakespeare, in his less Greek phase: Odysseus to Nausikaa, And may the gods accomplish your desire: a home, a husband, and harmonious converse with him--the best thing in the world being a strong house held in serenity where man and wife agree. Woe to their enemies, joy to their friends! But all this they know best. trans. Robert Fitzgerald Don't know if either might go on an invitation, but they might work for a toast. Mazel tov! Steve Urkowitz SURCC@CUNYVM (2)--------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Mari S. Dillon Date: Tuesday, 12 Jan 1993 19:26:46 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0020 Re: Marriage Quotations Nikki, I always was taught this: when he goes into the speech, he is questioning life. To be or not to be . . . should I live or should I die? If you go back and reread that particular piece, you'll see what I'm talking about. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 14 Jan 1993 07:56:35 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0023 More Marriage Quotations Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 23. Thursday, 14 January 1993. (1) From: John S. Massa Date: Wednesday, 13 Jan 93 09:17 CST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0019 Marriage Quotations (2) From: Charles Crupi Date: Wednesday, 13 Jan 1993 10:29 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0019 Marriage Quotations (3) From: William Kemp Date: Wednesday, 13 Jan 93 22:39:00 EST Subj: re marriage quotations (1)--------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John S. Massa Date: Wednesday, 13 Jan 93 09:17 CST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0019 Marriage Quotations My favorite Shakespeare marriage quotation: KATHERINE:... Thy husband is thy lord, thy life, thy keeper, Thy head, thy sovereign, one that cares for thee, And for thy manitenance commits his body To painful labour both by sea and land, To watch the night in storms, the day in cold, Whilst thou liest warm at home, secure and safe, And craves no other tribute at thy hands But love, fair looks, and true obedience, Too little payment for so great a debt. Such duty as the subject owes the prince, Even such a woman oweth to her husband, And when she is froward, peevish, sullen, sour, And not obedient to his honest will, What is she but a foul contending rebel, And graceless rebel to her loving lord? The Taming of the Shrew, 5.2, 151 This should get your marriage off to a great start! :) Best Wishes! (2)--------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Charles Crupi Date: Wednesday, 13 Jan 1993 10:29 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0019 Marriage Quotations Have a look at JOHN 3.1.152ff. Good luck. (3)--------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Kemp Date: Wednesday, 13 Jan 93 22:39:00 EST Subject: re marriage quotations Journeys end in lovers' meeting. Bill Kemp Mary Washington College Fredericksburg, Va. wkemp@s850.mwc.edu ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 14 Jan 1993 09:46:07 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0024 Q: Theobald's Rowe Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 24. Thursday, 14 January 1993. From: Nick Clary Date: Thursday, 14 Jan 1993 09:22:02 -0500 (EST) Subject: Theobald's Rowe Does anyone know whether Theobald had Rowe's 1709 or 1714 text, or both? A colleague is certain that Seary would know. She believes that it may even be in his book on Theobald, but she didn't make a note of it. Thank you in advance for whatever assistance you can give. Nick Clary clary@smcvax.bitnet ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 15 Jan 1993 07:16:48 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0025 Rs: Marriage Quotations; Theobald's Rowe; "To be" Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 25. Friday, 15 January 1993. (1) From: Nikki Parker Date: Thursday, 14 Jan 1993 13:01:34 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0023 More Marriage Quotations (2) From: William Proctor Williams Date: Thursday, 14 Jan 93 16:07 CST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0024 Q: Theobald's Rowe (3) From: Kay Stockholder Date: Thursday, 14 Jan 93 17:21:12 PST Subj: SHK 4.0020 Re: Marriage Quotations (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Nikki Parker Date: Thursday, 14 Jan 1993 13:01:34 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0023 More Marriage Quotations I thought of one, but I think it's quoted wrong...... "Give us your hands, and now, your hearts." Best wishes, Nikki Parker St. Michael's College Colchester, Vt. n_parker@smcvax.smcvt.edu (2)--------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Proctor Williams Date: Thursday, 14 Jan 93 16:07 CST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0024 Q: Theobald's Rowe It is not at all clear. Seary notes that Pope used Rowe 1714 but in the list of works only 1709 is cited. I haven't had the time to work through Seary's index, but it would appear he doesn't say and/or implies Theobald had both. I think Seary is on this list so maybe he can clear this up. William Proctor Williams TB0WPW1@NIU (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kay Stockholder Date: Thursday, 14 Jan 93 17:21:12 PST Subject: SHK 4.0020 Re: Marriage Quotations I'm puzzled about thinking of "To be or not to be" as either about suicide or the love of life. Isn't it about both? I mean, isn't it about the fear of taking suicidal action, in view of the sweetness of life? ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 16 Jan 1993 09:24:27 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0026 Re: Theobald's Rowe Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 26. Saturday, 16 January 1993. From: Peter David Seary Date: Friday, 15 Jan 1993 11:18:05 -0500 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0025 Theobald's Rowe In his "TABLE OF The several EDITIONS OF SHAKESPEARE'S PLAYS, Collected by the Editor," *Works of Shakespeare* (1733), vol. I, sigs. Ii3v-Ii4r, Theobald has both the 1709 and the 1714 editions of Rowe's *Shakespear*. There is some discussion of Theobald's use of Rowe in my *Lewis Theobald and the Editing of Shakespeare* (Clarendon Press, 1990), pp. 56, 58-60, 70, 133-34. Peter Seary New College University of Toronto (pseary@epas.utoronto.ca) ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 16 Jan 1993 09:50:54 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0027 Re: "To be" Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 27. Saturday, 16 January 1993. (1) From: Nikki Parker Date: Friday, 15 Jan 1993 09:07:12 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: Rs: Marriage Quotations; Theobald's Rowe; "To be" (2) From: Timothy Bowden Date: Friday, 15 Jan 93 06:19:08 PST Subj: Re: Rs: Marriage Quotations; Theobald's Rowe; "To be (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Nikki Parker Date: Friday, 15 Jan 1993 09:07:12 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: Rs: Marriage Quotations; Theobald's Rowe; "To be" In Hamlet's "to be or not to be", I'm inclined to think that is the *thought* of suicide, but then the pondering of the possibilities of what goes on after death..."aye, there's the rub" seems to be the turning point where Hamlet sees that no one knows what happens after one dies, and it could be worse than life itself. All in all, I find it a wonderful monologue. Nikki Parker St. Michael's College Colchester, VT (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Timothy Bowden Date: Friday, 15 Jan 93 06:19:08 PST Subject: Re: Rs: Marriage Quotations; Theobald's Rowe; "To be > From: Kay Stockholder > I'm puzzled about thinking of "To be or not to be" as either about > suicide or the love of life. Isn't it about both? I mean, isn't it about > the fear of taking suicidal action, in view of the sweetness of life? How can `the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune' be sweet? And, if they are, why contemplate suicide at all? It was fear of the unknown, that `undiscovered country', which stayed his hand to Act V. I think it was clear our boy Hamlet was by no means a happy camper, and what's more he says so quite clearly and often. Manic depression seems the best diagnosis I've read, though reams of paper have been devoted to the topic... -Tim's Timid Topic Template ========================================================= tcbowden@clovis.felton.ca.us (Timothy Bowden) uunet!scruz.ucsc.edu!clovis.felton.ca.us!tcbowden Clovis in Felton, CA ========================================================= ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 16 Jan 1993 17:18:02 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0028 More on "To be or not to be" Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 28. Saturday, 16 January 1993. From: Barbara Fister Date: Saturday, 16 Jan 1993 15:21 CST Subject: to be or not to be It seems to me that the "to be or not to be" speech is an attempt to apply a rigorous logic to a big question--why DO people put up with life when it's so rotton? He calmly and rationally works through it, deciding that on the whole we don't see mass suicide because people are afraid of the unknown. I don't think the significance of the speech lies in the reasoning expressed so much as in the fact that Hamlet is using that particular approach at that particular time. He has recently taken a theatrical mode to unpack his mixed feelings ("O what a rogue and peasant slave am I!") dialogically arguing about what he should do, and right after his logical interlude debating suicide he falls apart with Ophelia--wondering again just what should we do, "crawling between heaven and earth?" I think the speech is an interesting attempt of Hamlet, the scholar, student, and rational man, to settle a question which we quickly see is not at all settled by logical means. As for diagnosing Hamlet's condition, some of my best friends are manic depressive; I don't believe for a moment he is. (Claudius would agree--"his speech, tho' it lacked form a little, was not like madness") On the other hand, Ophelia exhibits some symptoms that would interest any clinical psychologist. Barbara Fister fister@gacvx1.gac.edu ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 17 Jan 1993 08:40:55 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0029 "To be or not to be" (con't) Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 29. Sunday, 17 January 1993. (1) From: Kay Stockholder Date: Saturday, 16 Jan 93 15:30:34 PST Subj: SHK 4.0027 Re: "To be" (2) From: Timothy Bowden Date: Saturday, 16 Jan 93 15:22:36 PST Subj: Re: More on "To be or not to be (1)--------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kay Stockholder Date: Saturday, 16 Jan 93 15:30:34 PST Subject: SHK 4.0027 Re: "To be" During that soliloquy he thinks of life as painful, but when he contemplates Fortinbras' army he reflects on the worthlessness of the cause for which so many risk their lives, and blames himself for cowardice. The entire play can be seen as a process by bringing himself to accept death, a process that culminates when he both contemplates and smells Yorick's skull. He's clearly depressed, but even depressed people have to contend with the sweetness of life [as asserted by Edgar]. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Timothy Bowden Date: Saturday, 16 Jan 93 15:22:36 PST Subject: Re: More on "To be or not to be > From: Barbara Fister > As for diagnosing Hamlet's condition, some of my best friends are > manic depressive; I don't believe for a moment he is. (Claudius would > agree--"his speech, tho' it lacked form a little, was not like madness") I think maybe psychiatrists are overrated; we could do as well right here. For instance, Claudius was looking for thought disorder, which we might call schizophrenia and which Hamlet only feigned, as did Gloucester's kid Edmund in _Lear_, and did not contemplate melancholia, which was I think considered more a pastime of the serious man than a disability anyway (Antonio opens _Merchant of Venice_ musing on it and one cloistered cleric of the era wrote a classic treatise on the subject or something like it called _Anatomy of Melancholy_). A working hypothesis of our local psych counseling guild is that subjects who inertly brood on dark topics and break off promising romances (Hamlet as Woody Allen?) and go about running their rapiers into any old arras and end up wrestling with rivals in open graves and proclaiming loudly to skulls should routinely be treated with librium. I can't tell you how many we've helped that way. If this be error, and 'pon me proved I never pushed it, lest I was shoved -Tremonius ========================================================= tcbowden@clovis.felton.ca.us (Timothy Bowden) uunet!scruz.ucsc.edu!clovis.felton.ca.us!tcbowden Clovis in Felton, CA ========================================================= ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 19 Jan 1993 09:12:32 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0030 "To be or not to be" (con't) Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 30. Tuesday, 19 January 1993. (1) From: Anthony Teague Date: Monday, 18 Jan 93 10:34:26 00900 Subj: To be or not to be (2) From: Luc Borot Date: Monday, 18 Jan 93 10:58 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0029 "To be or not to be" (con't) (1)--------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Anthony Teague Date: Monday, 18 Jan 93 10:34:26 00900 Subject: To be or not to be I have always found the long note starting on page 484 of Harold Jenkins's Arden edition of "Hamlet" to be very helpful in getting students (and self) away from a too suicidal reading of the speech. Recalling that "the question" has a technical sense as the topic for discussion in an academic 'disputacio' helps, because in such debates there could be no right and wrong answers, only the quotation of authorities to support various responses. Jenkins also helps by reminding me that "To be or not to be" is a recognized abreviation of the full topic "Whether it be better to be alive though unhappy, or to be dead." I feel that the necessarily inconclusive nature of the debate is the main dramatic point (conscience making cowards of us all) because the speech is a dramatic representation of one of the play's main themes, the one about the way thinking makes life more complicated, while action devoid of thought makes beasts of us. "To think, or not to think?" There is no particular reason why the speech should represent a suicidal crisis, given the point in the play at which it comes. That it also reminds us and Hamlet that death is down the road waiting, whatever we do, is sure. I tend to tell my students that the speech is basically directed towards the question of "What to do, since suicide is not an option" and I suspect that it could equally well be paraphrased as "To act or not to act"! Anthony Teague, Sogang University, Seoul Korea (2)--------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Luc Borot Date: Monday, 18 Jan 93 10:58 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0029 "To be or not to be" (con't) From Luc Borot On: T Bowden's view on Renaissance melancholy Dear all, In the debate on "to be or not to be", I wonder if I got T. Bowden's opinion right. The point made seems to be that Melancholy was a pastime for the genteel. This is what we may think with hindsight, but the belief was that it was indeed a genuine disease, for which there were cures. As for Burton, he seems to look upon melancholy as a social threat (sometimes an ontological threat) for which social and medical cures must be found (there is a utopia in Democritus Junior's prologue). We are not 'better' because 'more advanced' than Elizabethans, high ly civilized creatures themselves, and we do not 'better' know what they saw than they did. The text we deal with is so full of things from those times that the debate so far has been a trifle lightish, I'm afraid. Cheers to all, and please BE... Luc ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 19 Jan 1993 14:44:17 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0031 Rs: Theobald's Rowe; Marriage Quotations Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 31. Tuesday, 19 January 1993. (1) From: Bernice W. Kliman Date: Tuesday, 19 Jan 1993 09:37 EDT Subj: THEOBALD AND ROWE (2) From: Zanne Westfall Pardee Date: Tuesday, 19 Jan 93 14:06:22 EDT Subj: more marriages [quotations] (1)--------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Bernice Kliman Date: Tuesday, 19 Jan 1993 09:37 EDT Subject: THEOBALD AND ROWE Dear Professor Seary, Thanks for your references. I wonder if Theobald did anything more than list the Rowe. Is there any proof that he held the books in his hands, examined them, read them thoroughly? I know how difficult it was in the early 18th century to get books and while Theobald may have known of Rowe and even used Rowe indirectly through Pope, I wonder if he ever really looked at the text carefully. Any ideas? I will certainly look at your book again, which I read about a year ago with great pleasure. I agree with you that Theobald did some magnificent work that has been dismissed and belittled. The whole issue on competition interests me very much. All the best, Bernice W. Kliman (2)--------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Zanne Westfall Pardee Date: Tuesday, 19 Jan 93 14:06:22 EDT Subject: more marriages [quotations] *As You Like It* 3.3 is rich with goodies. My personal favorite (for my wedding actually) is Touchstone's "Come, sweet Audrey: We must be married, or we must live in bawdry." Cheers. Suzanne Westfall ws#1@lafayacs.bitnet ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 19 Jan 1993 15:16:17 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0032 "To be or not to be"; Melancholy Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 32. Tuesday, 19 January 1993. (1) From: Timothy Pinnow Date: Tuesday, 19 Jan 93 12:30:14 CST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0030 "To be or not to be" (con't) (2) From: Nikki Parker Date: Tuesday, 19 Jan 1993 13:42:06 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0030 "To be or not to be" (con't) (3) From: Rick Jones Date: Tuesday, 19 Jan 1993 13:16:47 -0600 (CST) Subj: Melancholy (1)--------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Timothy Pinnow Date: Tuesday, 19 Jan 93 12:30:14 CST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0030 "To be or not to be" (con't) I find Anthony Teague's argument quite interesting. One of the problems actors have always found with playing Hamlet is that it is just darn hard to play something as passive as melancholia or indecisiveness for four and a half hours and have an audience bother listening. I agree that Hamlet really isn't talking about suicide--he goes to awfully great lengths to figure out his situation. That doesn't sound to me like someone who is so depressed that he is ready to give up on life. Nor do I think that a tragic hero in the definitional sense can be prone to giving up--we would lose the blind passion that inevitably creates the tragic flaw. What I would suggest is that Hamlet is not wondering whether to live or die, or whether to act or not, but HOW to act effectively. And I use the word "act" in its fullest theatrical sense. What if Hamlet realized he was being watched? Could this not then be an instance of "putting an antic disposition on"? We also have the advice to the players to suggest that Hamlet realizes the uses of good acting, Hamlet as feigned melodrama in "to be or not to be" would certainly seem plausible to me. And, it is eminently more playable for the actor. Those who wish to delve into this idea further may wish to consult David Ball's *Backwards and Forwards* So. Ill. Univ. Press. or my own article "Towards a new Hamlet:breathing new life into an old character" In *Text and Presentation* vol. 11, 1991. Timothy Pinnow St. Olaf College Northfield MN (2)--------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Nikki Parker Date: Tuesday, 19 Jan 1993 13:42:06 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0030 "To be or not to be" (con't) To all, Just wanted to say how impressed and enlightened I have been from the "To be or not to be" discussion, I think it would be benificial if students in high school got this kind of information! I blush to remember how long it first took me to realize that "wherefore" meant "why" and not "where" in *Romeo & Juliet* Warm wishes from a cold state! (must be at least 10 degrees today!) Nikki Parker St. Michael's College Colchester, Vermont "Aye, tis not what seems..." -Hamlet (3)--------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Rick Jones Date: Tuesday, 19 Jan 1993 13:16:47 -0600 (CST) Subject: Melancholy A few further thoughts on the Renaissance conception of melancholy: Yes, it was a disease, with specific symptoms and cures. And yes, it was regarded as the particular province of the upper classes. There's a wonderful short scene in one of Lyly's plays in which a working-class character claims to be melancholic, but is roundly chewed out by a servant: working class people have the rheum, or catarrh, etc.; nobles have melancholy. I can look up the reference (I think it's either _Gallathea_ or _Midas_) if anyone's interested. A modern parallel might be the term "eccentric", which tends to be applied to rich folk; poor people who behave the same way are just weird. Also, there were a number of forms of melancholy. The most common was love melancholy, and male lovers were *expected* to show the symptoms: dishevelment, lack of focus, loss of appetite, etc. Shakespeare's comedies abound with examples, Orlando being the one that comes most readily to my mind at the moment. On the other hand, there was also a more pathological form, which generally manifested itself as jealousy or envy. This form shows up more often in the tragedies and histories (the Richards, for example). In between is the sort of mainstream version, the one which afflicts Hamlet (or, depending on the interpretation, which Hamlet affects). There have been a couple of quite good books on the subject of melancholy -- I don't have the references handy, but could look them up pretty quickly if anyone is interested. Rick Jones Cornell College rjones@cornell-iowa.edu ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 20 Jan 1993 11:43:43 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0033 Folger Library Awarded $2.5 Million Grant Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 33. Wednesday, 20 January 1993. From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Wednesday, January 20, 1993 Subject: Folger Library Grant FOLGER LIBRARY NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 13, 1993 CONTACT: Janet A. Griffin (202) 675-0343 Bruce Trachtenberg (212) 9S3-1200 Jerry Tyson (202) 466-8222 FOLGER LIBRARY AWARDED $2.5 MILLION GRANT Plans to Expand Public Programming WASHINGTON, DC--The Folger Shakespeare Library announced today receipt of a $2.5 million grant from the Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Fund for "Project Access" to expand public programming. This is the largest award received by the library since its founding 60 years ago. M. Christine DeVita, president of the Fund, said "Project Access will make it possible for the Folger Shakespeare Library to substantially improve the way it presents its collections and offer new educational and outreach programs. This will enable the library to develop fully its role as a public cultural institution." Funds for Project Access will be used to: o refurbish and upgrade the Folger's 250-seat Elizabethan Theatre o create a full schedule of varied cultural programs for the Theatre o create an expanded museum program with new exhibit spaces and a multilingual, interactive video center for programs on Shakespeare and his age o increase the number of public humanities programs and interpretative exhibitions which highlight the library's extensive collection of books, manuscripts, and artifacts o improve access to the building, its public spaces, and its programs for people with disabilities o enable the Folger's programs and exhibitions to reflect the diversity of the community According to Folger Director Werner Gundersheimer, Project Access is an integral part of the library's Jubilee Campaign, announced on its 60th anniversary last year with an overall goal of $20 million. Jubilee Campaign funds will enhance core collections, support operating costs, and improve scholarly and public access to the library's resources. One of a handful of private research libraries in this country originally established to support advanced research, the Folger, according to Gundersheimer, "has always explored new ways to make the cultural legacy of the Renaissance meaningful to everyone, and this new grant will help us intensify our efforts." Project Access has been initiated with seed funding from the Marpat Foundation of Washington, DC. To help create a vibrant and thriving cultural life that adds vitality to our nation and provides enriching experiences for people across the country, the Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Fund supports programs in performing, visual, literary, and folk arts; adult literacy, and urban parks. With annual grants of more than $30 million, the Fund is the largest private funder of art and culture in the United States. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 20 Jan 1993 12:58:36 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0034 "To be or not to be"; Melancholy (con't) Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 34. Wednesday, 20 January 1993. (1) From: Ronald Dwelle Date: Tuesday, 19 Jan 93 17:54:10 EST Subj: SHK 4.0032 "To be or not to be"; Melancholy (2) From: Hope Greenberg Date: Wednesday, 20 Jan 1993 09:12:24 -500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0032 "To be or not to be"; Melancholy (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ronald Dwelle Date: Tuesday, 19 Jan 93 17:54:10 EST Subject: SHK 4.0032 "To be or not to be"; Melancholy Regarding Timothy Pinnow's comment on Hamlet's question on how to "act" (in the "To be or not..." passage), I recall being shocked by the Richard Chamberlain production of Hamlet, in which the director made it obvious that Polonius and Claudius were overhearing Hamlet's soliloquy and that Hamlet became aware of their presence during the course of the speech. It changes the nature and import of the speech dramatically. I've always wondered if there was anything in the acting tradition to support this presentation of such a central speech. If Hamlet is not "speaking alone," the speech's meaning is very different! Ron Dwelle (dweller@gvsu.edu) GVSU, Allendale, MI (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Hope Greenberg Date: Wednesday, 20 Jan 1993 09:12:24 -500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0032 "To be or not to be"; Melancholy Re: Melancholia: Has anyone ever made a connection between melancholy as an upper class disease and sugar as a staple (or as a new and exciting oft-served main course) of the upper class diet? H Greenberg, another north-country inhabitant (Hi Nikki) University of Vermont, Burlington ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1993 07:35:23 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0035 Re: "To be or not to be" Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 35. Thursday, 21 January 1993. From: Bernice W. Kliman Date: Wednesday, 20 Jan 1993 18:49 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0034 "To be or not to be"; Melancholy (con't) Re overhearing "to be": Derek Jacobi was convinced that Ophelia overhears him, an interpretation I saw also a few years ago in Boston. When Jacobi directed the play recently, he had Ophelia not only overhear but be an active listener, with Hamlet holding her hands and speaking directly to her. Re Chamberlain: the director moves the actor around during the speech so that he seems to be brooding about death and action for a long, long time. Only at the end does he enter the church where he will see Ophelia, far below him. I believe he notices the shadows of Pol and Claud only after he has begun speaking to her. The speech is internal during "to be". Since I am now coordinating the New Variorum Hamlet project, nicknamed the 2001 project, I would welcome any copies of published or unpublished papers on words, phrases, lines, whole speeches and the like. Send to me at 70 Glen Cove Drive, Glen Head, NY 11545. Thanks! ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1993 21:40:47 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0036 Q: Electronic Access to the Folger Library Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 36. Thursday, 21 January 1993. From: Hope Greenberg Date: Thursday, 21 Jan 1993 10:13:15 -500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0033 Folger Library Awarded $2.5 Million Grant The news about Project Access (expanding the offerings at the Folger) is very interesting. Are there any plans to use some of that funding to establish ways to "reach out" electronically in some way? Hope Greenberg, not within commuting distance of DC.. University of Vermont [Editor's Note: The posting mentioned above consists entirely of the Press Release I obtained from the Folger Library last Friday. During my previous visit to the Folger, the week before, I learned that the Library is in the process of being "wired" to give staff members Internet access through Amherst College. Some of the Folger Library's staff, have expressed an interest in joining our electronic discussion group, but I have no knowledge of any plans at the moment for further electronic "outreach." I encourage any SHAKSPERean with additional knowledge to share it with us. In the meantime, I believe that it would be highly appropriate for members of our electronic conference who are so inclined to write to the Director, Dr. Werner Gundersheimer, The Folger Shakespeare Library, 201 East Capitol Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003-1094, expressing your interest in ways that the Folger Library could "reach out" electronically to the academic community. hmc] ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1993 21:48:32 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0037 Shakespeare in the Comics Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 37. Thursday, 21 January 1993. From: Chris Gladis Date: Thursday, 21 Jan 1993 09:59:59 -0500 (EST) Subject: A different angle As a new member to SHAKSPER, I thought I might make mention of something I found very interesting. In the comic book _Sandman_, published by DC Comics, a story was written about Shakespeare, contending that Dream had given Will what he thought he most wanted in return for two plays about dreams. The story centered around an outdoor production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, of course, with the entire court of Faerie as the audience. It was quite a good story, involving Shakespeare's son as well. All in all it makes for good reading, with great art (which is standard for _Sandman_). If you're interested, I don't know the exact issue #, but it is included in the compilation entitled _Dream Country_, which is very good in and of itself. Chris Gladis Siena College S31647@SIENA.BITNET ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1993 14:40:14 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0038 Rs: Shakespeare in the Comics Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 38. Friday, 22 January 1993. (1) From: Nikki Parker Date: Friday, 22 Jan 1993 07:53:23 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0037 Shakespeare in the Comics (2) From: Bernice W. Kliman Date: Friday, 22 Jan 1993 10:28 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0037 Shakespeare in the Comics (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Nikki Parker Date: Friday, 22 Jan 1993 07:53:23 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0037 Shakespeare in the Comics Chris, Myself, I am *crazy* about the Sandman comics, and have seen the issue which you describe. It's a very intriguing story line, as well as being wonderfully drawn. I also saw a graphic novel about "Hamlet" which included all the lines, but I forget who it's done by... Nikki Parker St. Michael's College n_parker@smcvax.smcvt.edu (2)--------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Bernice W. Kliman Date: Friday, 22 Jan 1993 10:28 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0037 Shakespeare in the Comics To Chris Gladis: I am very interested in all visualized Shakespeares. Please consider sending an analysis of the Sandman work and the Sandman resource list to me for consideration in the Shakespeare Bulletin. The Shakespeare on Film Newsletter, which concentrated on visual and aural interpretations of the plays, has now merged with the Bulletin, and Ken Rothwell and I, the former co-editors of SFNL, are now contributing editors of the Bulletin. I would appreciate any copy to be sent via US Mail-hard copy and disk please. Send to Bernice W. Kliman, 70 Glen Cove Drive, Glen Head, NY 11545. I can also be reached by E-MAIL at "IN%KlimanB@SNYFARVA.bitnet". Thanks! ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1993 14:57:24 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0039 Q: 1992 Essays on Shakespeare's History Plays Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 39. Friday, 22 January 1993. From: Phyllis Rackin Date: Friday, 22 Jan 93 9:41:07 EST Subject: Re: history plays I'm trying to compile a list of everything published about Shakespeare's English history plays during the year 1992. Any citations will be much appreciated. Phyllis Rackin prackin@mail.sas.upenn.edu ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1993 17:34:55 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0040 Another R: "To be or not to be" Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 40. Saturday, 23 January 1993. From: JOHN F. SULLIVAN Date: Friday, 22 Jan 93 21:09:43 EST Subject: To be or not to be Recent discussions of Hamlet's "To be, or not to be" speech have centered on the melancholic humour and on whether the speech is overheard by Claudius and Polonius. With regard to melancholy, Rick Jones is generally right; Orlando in AYLI may be a good example of the melancholic lover, but Rosalind finds him wanting the proper characteristics (III.ii.391-404). Romeo, playing at being in love with Rosaline (see especially I.i.166-244), is another good example. But the melancholy lover is only one, probably the simplest instance of a melancholy character. Jones's reference to the Richards suggests another common type, the political malcontent. Possibly the most interesting type, to us, is the "intellectual" melancholic, whom I would identify with the modern neurotic. It is to this latter type that Hamlet belongs. A helpful note on the Humours and a treatment of "The Melancholic Humour" is provided in G. B. Harrison's edition of *The Complete Works*, pp. 1632-34. As for Claudius and Polonius overhearing the "To be or not to be" speech, John Dover Wilson, many years ago in *What Happens in Hamlet* argued for an earlier entry for Hamlet at II.ii.159, so that he overhears Polonius' plan to "loose my daughter to him" (II.ii.162). When Hamlet spots Ophelia at prayer after his soliloquy he eventually asks "Where's your father?" and when she lies by saying, "At home, my lord" Hamlet believes that she has readily taken part in the plot against him, and this explains the violence of his speech to her. John F. Sullivan Sulliv3@ucc.uwindsor.ca ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1993 17:39:39 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0041 Barry Kyle's HENRY V Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 41. Saturday, 23 January 1993. From: Steve Urkowitz Date: Saturday, 23 Jan 93 08:47:18 EST Subject: Barry Kyle's HENRY V now Invent a reason to come to NYC so you can see the Henry V running now at the Theatre at St. Mark's Church, off-broadway (46th Street between 9th and 10th Avenue). "Subdued" but wonderful Henry, played by Mark Rylance, brillinat sets . . astounding musical invention. But above all, the chilling theatrical magic that (praise the mark) happens only when Dionysus hovers. It runs through February. I saw it last night, and I'm still trembling and effervescing. Though be warned, purists hoping for an ideal reader's production may be left cool and confused. As ever, Steve Urkowitz, SURCC@CUNYVM ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1993 17:44:06 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0042 R: Electronic Access to the Folger Library Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 42. Saturday, 23 January 1993. From: Vint Cerf <0003786240@mcimail.com> Date: Saturday, 23 Jan 93 11:45 GMT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0036 Q: Electronic Access to the Folger Library Friends, My wife, Sigrid, and I are active participants at the Folger Library and are as excited as can be about their Project Access. In addition to the Folger's active involvement in the captioning of Shakespeare Videos which I wrote about some time ago in this news group, Dr. Gundersheimer and his staff are eager to make progress in the use of CD-ROM technology and networking technology to increase the utility and accessibility of their holdings. Let me encourage you to make your interests known directly to the Folger, but also invite you to send email to: vgchac@mcimail.com which is a "home" account I maintain for projects of this kind. I am deeply involved in the development and evolution of the Internet and, as president of the Internet Society, constantly alert to projects which can increase the utility of the Internet for the community of scholars who use it. Access to information in the Folger Library by way of Internet would be a great benefit, in my estimation. Happy networking! Vint Cerf ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1993 17:48:57 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0043 Shakespeare through Performance Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 43. Saturday, 23 January 1993. From: Milla Riggio Date: Thursday, 21 Jan 1993 19:12:00 EST Subject: Shakespeare through performance I am proposing an MLA volume on teaching Shakespeare through Performance; the MLA staff is interested, and I'm now working on a prospectus. I'd welcome any ideas about possible essay topics linking the teaching of Shakespeare to performance. Thanks, Milla Riggio P.S. Bibliography on Shakespeare through performance also welcome. ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1993 15:45:24 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0044 Re: Barry Kyle's HENRY V Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 44. Sunday, 24 January 1993. (1) From: Milla Riggio Date: Sunday, 24 Jan 93 00:22 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0041 Barry Kyle's HENRY V (2) From: Stephen Orgel Date: Sunday, 24 Jan 93 10:44:11 PST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0041 Barry Kyle's HENRY V (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Milla Riggio Date: Sunday, 24 Jan 93 00:22 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0041 Barry Kyle's HENRY V Dear Steve: I'd like to run your announcement of the Henry V in our spring MRDS newsletter if that is all right with you. The letter won't come out until early April, so the production will be over. But it's worth advertising, anyway, or commemorating, I should say, and your praise is very high. May I run the announcement more or less as you posted it here? Best wishes, Milla Riggio (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Stephen Orgel Date: Sunday, 24 Jan 93 10:44:11 PST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0041 Barry Kyle's HENRY V Cool and confused is how HENRY V *always* leaves me. Is there something wrong in this? Stephen Orgel ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1993 16:01:28 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0045 Re: Shakespeare in Performance Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 45. Sunday, 24 January 1993. From: Bernice W. Kliman Date: Sunday, 24 Jan 1993 14:59 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0043 Shakespeare through Performance I am interested in Shakespeare and performance and especially in teaching through performance. Please send me further information as the project develops. Yours truly, Bernice W. Kliman A continuation: soliciting items for New Variorum Hamlet: attempting to download Unsuccessful. Sorry. Does anyone know of a good program for the MAC for sorting? a phrase and word concordance? ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1993 07:01:13 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0046 Rs: Shakespeare through Performance Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 46. Tuesday, 26 January 1993. (1) From: John Steven Paul Date: Monday, 25 Jan 1993 6:43:06 -0600 (CST) Subj: RE: SHK 4.0043 Shakespeare through Performance (2) From: Karin Youngberg Date: Monday, 25 Jan 93 15:05:29 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0043 Shakespeare through Performance (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John Steven Paul Date: Monday, 25 Jan 1993 6:43:06 -0600 (CST) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0043 Shakespeare through Performance It is the goal of the Young Actors Shakespeare Workshop, a program of Shakespearean acting and production for young people age 8 to 15, to teach one play by Shakespeare per summer, through the medium of performance. More details if you're interested: JPAUL@exodus.valpo.edu (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Karin Youngberg Date: Monday, 25 Jan 93 15:05:29 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0043 Shakespeare through Performance > Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 43. Saturday, 23 January 1993. > > From: Milla Riggio > Date: Thursday, 21 Jan 1993 19:12:00 EST > Subject: Shakespeare through performance > > I am proposing an MLA volume on teaching Shakespeare through > Performance; the MLA staff is interested, and I'm now working on a > prospectus. I'd welcome any ideas about possible essay topics > linking the teaching of Shakespeare to performance. > > Thanks, > > Milla Riggio > > P.S. Bibliography on Shakespeare through performance also welcome. I would like to suggest something that I have been working on in my classes for the past 5 years and am now trying to write about. I believe that students can best be introduced to the nature of theater and especially the nature of Elizabethan theater by making them aware of the metadramatic qualities of the plays, particularly TS, MND, and RII. In a course entitled Shakespeare: the Early Plays, I initially focus on the why and how of self-referential art through an examination of Velasquez' painting "Las Meninas." Then I use a phenomenological approach to the nature of play-going experience. This establishes a base for approaching the three plays metadramatically with special attention to onstage audiences and characters who are consciously feigning or role- playing. If your project goes forward and if you are interested in this approach to the plays which is intensely performance-aware, please let me know. I began to develop these methods several years ago in an NEH Summer Seminar on Performance Criticism directed by J.L. Styan. Karin Youngberg ENYOUNGBERG@AUGUSTANA.EDU ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1993 07:14:15 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0047 Shakespeare in the Comics Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 47. Tuesday, 26 January 1993. (1) From: PATRICIA E. GALLAGHER Date: Monday, 25 Jan 1993 18:24:52 -0600 (CST) Subj: Comic book Shakespeare (2) From: Bernice W. Kliman Date: Monday, 25 Jan 1993 17:59 EDT Subj: Sandman (1)--------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: PATRICIA E. GALLAGHER Date: Monday, 25 Jan 1993 18:24:52 -0600 (CST) Subject: Comic book Shakespeare Workman Publishing has put out 3 of the plays in comic book form: *Othello*, *Macbeth*, and *King Lear*. I have seen all of them, and like *Othello* and *Macbeth* very much (and in fact, bought copies of them for my 10 year old godson. He is working on the *Macbeth* now, and his mother says he is enjoying it). I was NOT impressed with the *King Lear*, as I found the art work a little to surrealistic to get the story across to a young reader. I have seen them for sale at the Folger, and found copies of them in a children's bookstore in NYC (called Eeyores - if they are not in stock, the store will order them). One of the salespeople in Eeyores checked the available titles, and only these three were listed. She said she had no idea if they were planning to publish more of the plays. Patricia E. Gallagher PGALLAGH@LIFE.JSC.NASA.GOV (2)--------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Bernice W. Kliman Date: Monday, 25 Jan 1993 17:59 EDT Subject: Sandman Dear Chris, Hmm. What I meant, I guess, was can you send an essay, an analysis, of Sandman. No, impressions would not do, I think. Why not look at the Shakespeare Bulletin and, if you can find them, copies of the Shakespeare on Film Newsletter to get an idea. I thought YOU had mentioned a resource list. My mistake. If you have trouble locating these journals, let me know and I'll xerox some stuff for you (but then I'll need your address). Yes, it's OK not to send hard copy. I tried to reply to your address, but my E-MAIL connection couldn't recognize you. Any clues? I'm new, too. This is like popcorn. I should be working. I called Jeff Horowitz to tell him about Steve's comments &c. He was pleased but had never heard of E-Mail. Jeff, as you probably do not know, is the Artistic Director of Theater for a New Audience. After getting a not so good review in the NYT he was delighted. Henry V did get good reviews in Newsday and the POst. Jeff would like to know if he can get on SHAKSPER. His address is 154 Christopher Street, Suite 3D, NYC 10014-2839. TFANA has done some wonderful things, in my opinion. They had one of the best Tempests I have ever seen. Bye Chris and others reading this. Hello, Steve U. [Editor's Note: To subscribe to SHAKSPER, one must first have an electronic address (Bitnet, Internet, or commercial account like Compuserve). Then inquiries can be made either directly to me (HMCook@boe00.minc.umd.edu) or to the list address (SHAKSPER@utoronto.bitnet). SHAKSPER is not open to automatic subscription; all such requests result in a form letter's being generated. This letter explains what one needs to do to become a member of SHAKSPER. hmc] ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1993 23:02:43 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0048 Interlude Q; Performance Crit; Text/Performance; Kyle H5 Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 48. Tuesday, 26 January 1993. (1) From: Nick Clary Date: Tuesday, 26 Jan 1993 08:25:20 -0500 (EST) Subj: Wedding-night interludes (2) From: John Drakakis Date: Tuesday, 26 Jan 93 15:38:48 GMT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0046 Rs: Shakespeare through Performance (3) From: Jean Peterson Date: Tuesday, 26 Jan 1993 15:30:54 -0500 Subj: text and performance (4) From: Steve Urkowitz Date: Tuesday, 26 Jan 93 19:48:32 EST Subj: [Kyle HENRY V] (1)--------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Nick Clary Date: Tuesday, 26 Jan 1993 08:25:20 -0500 (EST) Subject: Wedding-night interludes I am interested in historical information or bibliographical leads on the genesis and development of a sub-species of interlude that was included as part of the wedding festivities in England. Were particular kinds of plays especially suitable? Do we have any useful documentation on the way these interludes were played? As part of the wedding-night revelry, was there an appropriate audience decorum? Thanks, Nick Clary clary@smcvax.bitnet (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John Drakakis Date: Tuesday, 26 Jan 93 15:38:48 GMT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0046 Rs: Shakespeare through Performance Dear Milla Riggio, One of the topics you might include in your volume is: Shakespeare and the impossibility of Performance Criticism Best wishes, John Drakakis University of Stirling (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jean Peterson Date: Tuesday, 26 Jan 1993 15:30:54 -0500 Subject: text and performance Dear SHAKESPERians, I'd like to reopen a discussion from a few weeks back (I was away and am just catching up on the dialogue I missed) RE: directors altering texts to suit performance purposes. Not surprisingly, the response was split between directors/theatre people, who defended directorial changes, and more traditional academics, who responded with varying degrees of "horror" (quite a visceral response!) What interests me--and I pose this as a question to which I have no answer--is that we as scholars generally acknowledge an unreliability of textual transmission, an instability of the Shakespearean "text"; the examples of *Hamlet* and *Lear* especially indicate that the plays in Shakespeare's time were malleable, altered to suit particular performance circumstances. And yet "textually incorrect" productions strike such a raw nerve with 20th century scholars. Reasons? Speculations? I speak as one of the guilty (although I'm encouraged to examine my views, due to some very exciting experiments with "adaptations" I've seen recently). Best to all-- Jean Peterson (4)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Steve Urkowitz Date: Tuesday, 26 Jan 93 19:48:32 EST Subject: [Kyle HENRY V] More detail on the HENRY V directed by Barry Kyle: The production plays only on Thursday and Friday at 8pm, and on Saturdays at 2 and 8pm, with additional performances on 16 February at 8pm and 17th February at 2 and 8. Tickets are $30, with "rush" seats 1/2 hour before performances at half price. Tickets may be ordered over the phone at 212-279-4200 (a $3 service charge per order), and group sales are handled through the box office at 212 889-4300. The Theatre for a New Audience also has performances for school groups during the other days of the week. It doesn't surprise me that the NYTimes didn't enjoy this production; I often find that their reviewers are offended or threatened by any emotional response that a production might generate. Ah, well. Urk (SURCC@CUNYVM) ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1993 21:40:14 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0049 Shakespeare through Performance; SAA in Atlanta Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 49. Wednesday, 27 January 1993. (1) From: Milla Riggio Date: Tuesday, 26 Jan 93 23:58 EST Subj: [Shakespeare through Performance] (2) From: John Cox Date: Wednesday, 27 Jan 1993 10:46 EST Subj: SAA in Atlanta (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Milla Riggio Date: Tuesday, 26 Jan 93 23:58 EST Subject: [Shakespeare through Performance] Dear John Drakakis: If I include the topic "Shakespeare and the Impossibility of Performance Criticism," will you write the essay for that topic? Hello and best wishes, Milla Riggio (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John Cox Date: Wednesday, 27 Jan 1993 10:46 EST Subject: SAA in Atlanta I will be the first to initiatie this year's round of inquiries about room-sharing at the annual meeting of the Shakespeare Association--but I hope I won't be the last! Since double rooms are about half the cost of single rooms, I'd be glad to share with someone who, like me, is on a con- strained budget, doesn't smoke, and keeps reasonable hours. Please respond to COX@HOPE.BITNET or via Internet, COX@HOPE.CIT.HOPE.EDU or by phone, 616- 394-7612. John Cox ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 29 Jan 1993 07:22:38 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0050 Re: Impossibility of Performance Criticism Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 50. Friday, 29 January 1993. From: Michael Friedman Date: Thursday, 28 Jan 1993 15:18:36 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: Shakespeare through Performance I, for one, would be interested in hearing from John Drakakis (or anyone else, for that matter) why performance criticism is impossible. I have a list of reasons why I think it's difficult and very hard to theorize, but if it's impossible, I'd like to learn what it is that I thought I was doing all these years but failed to achieve. Michael Friedman Friedman@Scranton ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 29 Jan 1993 21:50:28 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0051 Re: Impossibility of Performance Criticism Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 51. Friday, 29 January 1993. From: David Richman Date: Friday, 29 Jan 1993 14:51:38 -0500 (EST) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0050 Re: Impossibility of Performance Criticism I doubt performance criticism is either more or less impossible than criticism in any other mode. Dialogue between performance criticism and other sorts of criticism is difficult and, as Michael Friedman points out, good performance criticism is difficult to write. Yet didn't Shakespeare intend his plays to be performed? (Pace, intentional fallacy.) If other critical modes can't accommodate performance criticism, might not the fault rest with the other modes? If we cannot devise a critical vocabulary for the precise, useful discussion, shouldn't we send out a warrant for a new vocabulary? The project of a book on teaching Shakespeare through performance is quite exciting. A couple suggestions: A nuts-and-bolts essay, early in the book, about an actor or actress thinking his or her way precisely through a speech or bit of dialogue. What are the various ways the line can be effectively delivered? What does the passage itself teach the potential performer about how it is to be delivered? With what movements, gestures (if any) and in what physical position is the speech delivered? In other words, survey the sometimes terrifying array of perfectly valid choices that suggest themselves to the performers of even an apparently simple sequence. I think Steve Urkowitz, who is on this list, has used performance to encourage students to think and feel their way through differences between Quarto and Folio texts. (Maybe you could talk about that, Steve.) A couple of fine books are J.L. Halio's book on Shakespeare in performance, and Robert Cohen's book on acting Shakespeare. I'm afraid I haven't got the bibliographical references, and I don't recall the exact titles. Also Robert Hapgood's book on Shakespeare the theatre poet is useful. I realize that much of the foregoing is basic stuff, but I sometimes fear that in our rush toward critical sophistication, we lose the essential joy. Cheers, David Richman University of New Hampshire ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 29 Jan 1993 21:55:24 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0052 Re: Shakespeare and History Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 52. Friday, 29 January 1993. From: Roy Flannagan Date: Friday, 29 January 93, 15:49:54 EST Subject: Re: Shakespeare and History Re: 1992 books having to do with Shakespeare and history. Leo Damrosch, ed., {The Profession of Eighteenth-Century Literature: Reflections on an Institution} (Madison, WI: U of Wisconsin P, 1992). Richard F. Hardin. {Civil Idolatry: Desacralizing and Monarchy in Spenser, Shakepeare, and Milton}. Newark, DE: U of Delaware P, 1992. H. R. Coursen. {Shakespearean Performance as Interpretation} Newark, DE: U of Delaware P, 1992. F. David Hoeniger. {Medicine and Shakespeare in the English Renaissance}. Newark, DE: U of Delaware P, 1992. Lowry Nelson, Jr. {Poetic Configurations: Essays in Literary History and Criticism}. University Park, PA: The Pennsylvania State UP, 1992. Thomas Clayton, ed. {The Hamlet First Published (Q1, 1603): Origins, Forms, Intertextualities}. Newark, DE: U of Delaware P, 1992. David Bradley. {From Text to Performance in the Elizabethan Theatre: Preparing the Play for the Stage}. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1992. David Quint, Margaret W. Ferguson, G. W. Pigman III, and Wayne A Rebhorn, eds. {Creative Imitation: New Essays on Renaissance Literature in Honor of Thomas M. Greene}. Binghamton, NY: MRTS, 1992. These are books at least partly on Shakespeare that include "history" as a keyword in title or TOC. The list is obviously incomplete. Roy Flannagan ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 31 Jan 1993 14:07:52 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0053 Re: Impossibility of t Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 53. Sunday, 31 January 1993. From: Kay Stockholder Date: Sunday, 31 Jan 93 09:49:46 PST Subject: SHK 4.0051 Re: Impossibility of Performance Criticism I don't see any theoretical difference between performance criticism and any other kind. After all, any production of a play is based on a reading of a text, and if such a reading cannot be performed, then obviously it is a wrong reading. This applies to discussions of themes, emphases, and so forth in particular texts rather than to post modern forms of theoretical criticism. In a sense performance criticism is new criticism under another name. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 1 Feb 1993 06:44:01 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0054 Young Actors Shakespeare Workshop, 1993 Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 54. Monday, 1 February 1993. From: John Stephen Paul Date: Sunday, 31 Jan 1993 22:32:41 -0600 (CST) Subject: Young Actors Shakespeare Workshop, 1993 The Young Actors Shakespeare Workshop, a program of Shakespearean acting and production for young people age 8 - 18 at Valparaiso University, will present Much Ado About Nothing on Saturday, July 31 and Sunday August 1. There will be two sessions of the workshop. A group for 8-13 year-olds will meet daily, Monday through Thursday from 8:30 to 10:30 am and a group for 14-18 year-olds will meet Monday through Friday from 1:00 - 3:00 pm. Both groups will use a shortened version of the play, but the edition will retain the original language; that is to say, no words will be "translated." Tuition is 100. The workshop begins on Wednesday, June 30. For more information inquire Prof. John Steven Paul, Dept. of Theatre and Television Arts, Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, IN 46383 (219) 464-5092. Valparaiso University is located about 50 mi. SE of Chicago. Incidentally, the Young Actors Shakespeare Workshop serves as the laboratory for our summer course entitled Theatre for Children. It is a grad/undergrad course. All Best, JPAUL@EXODUS.VALPO.EDU ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 1 Feb 1993 22:22:02 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0055 Q: Renaissance Theory of Birth Defects Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 55. Monday, 1 February 1993. From: Douglas Lanier Date: Monday, 1 Feb 1993 10:05:11 -0500 (EST) Subject: Renaissance theories about birth defects I would be interested in any references to Renaissance theories about the causes of birth defects, particularly the notion that what a parent sees, hears, or thinks about at the moment of conception will determine the physiology of the child. (Shylock's tale of the parti-colored lambs seems to spring from this theory, as does Henry V's remarks to Katherine about the "poor and untempering effect of my visage.") Folk references or discussions of the theory of this idea would be particularly useful. Many thanks. Sincerely, Douglas Lanier University of New Hampshire D_LANIER@unhh.unh.edu ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 2 Feb 1993 07:07:54 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0056 Re: Renaissance Theories about Birth Defects Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 56. Tuesay, 2 February 1993. From: Geoff Hargreaves Date: Monday, 1 Feb 93 19:37:19 PST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0055 Q: Renaissance Theory of Birth Defects Douglas-- You may find it of interest that Renaissance folk theories about attitudes during coition being reflected in the quality of the offspring is still being reflected in the romanticism of D.H. Lawrence in "Sons & Lovers". ---Geoff Hargreaves ghargrea@sfu.ca ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 2 Feb 1993 07:13:04 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0057 Re: Impossibility of Performance Criticism Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 57. Tuesay, 2 February 1993. From: Steve Urkowitz Date: Monday, 01 Feb 93 23:15:19 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0051 Re: Impossibility of Performance Criticism Leaping preposterously into the discussion about performance criticism and its impossibility (at David Richman's insistance) I'd just like to point people to look at Anthony B. Dawson's "The Impasse over the Stage" ELR 21 (1991), 309-27, for a laying out of the discontinuities between kinds of criticism looking at performance from differing points of view. And then there is David Richman's quite delicious LAUGHTER, PAIN, AND WONDER: SHAKESPEARE'S COMEDIES AND THE AUDIENCE IN THE THEATRE. I'm tempted to recall the bumblebee, flying in the face of its inability to fly, but David's book is so much more like a butterfly or a hummingbird, doing its tricks with grace and jeweled beauty. Both Dawson and Richman evoke the magic of those performances that indeed can't be talked about in the workaday languages of criticism. Okay. Who goes to a performance of criticism on a Saturday night, anyway? And yes I do show students how scripts work onstage with the help of textual variants. They seem to LIKE plays more once they see the gamesome possibilities of all that staging info. As ever, Steve Urkowitz (SURCC@CUNYVM) ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 2 Feb 1993 18:20:59 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0058 Re: Birth Defects; Performance Criticism Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 58. Tuesday, 2 February 1993. (1) From: Ron Macdonald Date: Tuesday, 02 Feb 1993 09:41:00 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Renaissance theories about birth defects (2) From: NAOMI LIEBLER Date: Tuesday, 2 Feb 93 10:31:00 EST Subj: RE: SHK 4.0055 Q: Renaissance Theory of Birth Defects (3) From: Ed Pechter Date: Tuesday, 2 Feb 1993 10:35 EDT Subj: Re: Impossibility of Performance Criticism (4) From: Kay Stockholder Date: Tuesday, 2 Feb 93 07:43:38 PST Subj: Re: Renaissance Theories about Birth Defects (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ron Macdonald Date: Tuesday, 02 Feb 1993 09:41:00 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Renaissance theories about birth defects Edmund the Bastard in _King Lear_ seems to imply that the quality of the sex act itself has some bearing on the quality of the results, at least he claims that his illegitimate kind "in the lusty stealth of nature, take / More composition, and fierce quality, / Than doth within a dull, stale, tired bed / Go to th' creating a whole tribe of fops, / Got 'tween asleep and wake" (I.ii.11-15). And let us remember with gratitude Mrs. Shandy's question about the clock, posed at an inopportune moment in the conjugal bed. --Ron Macdonald (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: NAOMI LIEBLER Date: Tuesday, 2 Feb 93 10:31:00 EST Subject: RE: SHK 4.0055 Q: Renaissance Theory of Birth Defects Dear Douglas, You might want to have a look at 2 essays in the _Mississippi Folklore Register_ 10 (1976): one by Barry Gaines and Michael Lofaro, "What Did Caliban Look Like?" (75-86), and the other by Linwood E. Orange, "Despised Nativity: Unnatural Birth in Shakespeare" (163-174). Also Mary Douglas' _Purity and Danger_ (London: ARK, 1966) has a terrific anthropological discussion of anomalous births which can be extrapolated for application to Renaissance drama, though she doesn't discuss such literature directly. Best Wishes, Naomi Liebler Montclair State College (3)--------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ed Pechter Date: Tuesday, 2 Feb 1993 10:35 EDT Subject: Re: Impossibility of Performance Criticism About performance criticism: a great essay by W. B. Worthen in *SQ* a couple of years ago. Like literary criticism, performance criticism understood not as referring to some stable prior event or phenomenon, but constituting it. Does away with the Harry Berger distinction between the slit-eyed textual critic and the wide eyed performance critic (Berger in *Imaginary Audition* had done away with it himself, though he may have recuperated it, some people think). But the two kinds of criticism are different in focusing on different kinds of things--performance criticism is interested in various historically determined acting styles and production conventions. About birth defects: "Middleton's characters, having been born, show an intense interest in the circumstances of their conception, together with a tendency to see themselves as wholly determined by it, and always for the worse." This from an R. V. Holdsworth essay in his Casebook on *3 Revenge Tragedies*, p. 97, followed by examples from Middleton. He connects it with the pretty plausible assumption of Middleton's Calvinism. On the other hand, in the hilarious scene where Sir Epicure Mammon tries to locate Dol Common's aristocratic nature, he comes, having failed to locate it in her behaviour and manners, to situate it in her father's procreative act--such a noble performance that, had the old gent done nothing more but lie there panting, it had been enough to guarantee genuine nobility to her and all her heirs, words to that effect. (Dol's mother, as I remember, was unsurprisingly absent from the scene.) Since Jonson wasn't a Calvinist, this may suggest other contexts for understanding the idea. I know, nothing, however, of the folk or scientific medical beliefs that may be relevant as well, and would like to. Having brought together two unrelated interests in the possibility of performance criticism and sexual acts, I wonder about the possibility of the theatrical performance of sexual acts. This probably reflects the fact that I am trying to write a paper on *Othello* for Atlanta, and not getting very far. (4)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kay Stockholder Date: Tuesday, 2 Feb 93 07:43:38 PST Subject: Re: Renaissance Theories about Birth Defects Yes, Edmund sees to hold that view about the "lusty stealth of nature" that prevailed on his own birth. It would seem, though, that Shakespeare did not. It must have been an issue at the time. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 3 Feb 1993 15:58:03 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0059 More Rs: Birth Defects; Performance Criticism Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 59. Wednesday, 3 February 1993. (1) From: Constance C. Relihan Date: Wednesday, 3 Feb 1993 07:28 CST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0058 Re: Birth Defects; Performance Criticism (2) From: NAOMI LIEBLER Date: Wednesday, 3 Feb 93 09:52:00 EST Subj: RE: SHK 4.0058 Re: Birth Defects; Performance Criticism (3) From: Bernice Kliman Date: Wednesday, 3 Feb 1993 14:48 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0058 Re: Birth Defects; Performance Criticism (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Constance C. Relihan Date: Wednesday, 3 Feb 1993 07:28 CST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0058 Re: Birth Defects; Performance Criticism Re. Birth Defects There's a short ballad printed in *Ballads and Broadsides*, chiefly of the Elizabethan Period (ed. H.L. Collmann) on "The True Fourme and Shape of a Monsterous Chyld" which may be of interest. The child in question appears to have been actually a pair of Siamese twins who died within a few hours of their birth in 1565. The cause of the defect seems to be ascribed to the fact that its parents were unmarried and the strength of God's power. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: NAOMI LIEBLER Date: Wednesday, 3 Feb 93 09:52:00 EST Subject: RE: SHK 4.0058 Re: Birth Defects; Performance Criticism Re: Ed Pechter's (offhand?) speculation: "Having brought together two unrelated interests in the possibility of performance criticism and sexual acts, I wonder about the possibility of the theatrical performance of sexual acts." Ed, you may have been lucky enough to miss Joanne Akalaitis's productions of 1 and 2 Henry IV a few years back at the New York Shakespeare Festival's Public Theater, where the dominant stage image in 1H4 involved a great deal of simulated fucking during the tavern scenes (the parallel stage metaphor of 2H4 was the dysenteric evacuation of the tavern's residents). Taken together, the audience was treated to enough vicarious fornication/defecation to satisfy even the most pathologically voyeuristic. The point is that SOMEONE (not yours truly; I paid good money to see this stuff) must have reviewed these productions, and perhaps successfully bent his or her mind around "the possibility of the theatrical performance of sexual acts." If you really want to pursue this critical direction, *Shakespeare Bulletin* (inter alia) doubtless had a review. Happy hunting. Naomi Liebler (3)--------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Bernice Kliman Date: Wednesday, 3 Feb 1993 14:48 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0058 Re: Birth Defects; Performance Criticism Thanks Steve for your references. I'd like to add an essay by Michael Goldman in Theatre Journal 44 (1992) 449-60, "Hamlet: Entering the Text." It's a wonderful essay on the actor's commitment to the script and the choices possible. Steve, he mentions you. And, with all due modesty, may I mention my own new book on Macbeth for the Manchester UP? It came out at the very end of 1992, but I just got my copies a few days ago. What I love best about performance criticism is the way what I do in the classroom is connected to what I do in my study, in the library, in the theater, and at my computer. I'm into FUN these days. All the best Bernice ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 4 Feb 1993 10:06:44 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0060 Re: Renaissance Theories about Birth Defects Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 60. Thursday, 4 February 1993. From: Louis Schwartz Date: Thursday, 04 Feb 1993 09:15:31 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: More Rs: Birth Defects; Performance Criticism Shylock's bit about the parti-colored lambs has more to do with Genesis then with specifically renaissance ideas about imagination and birth (though the relationship of renaissance ideas to Gen. 27 and 30, was not lost on most people who thought about such things). You might, however, find this list from Ambroise Pare's *Des Monstres et prodiges* (1573) useful: "I: On the Causes of Monsters There are several things that cause monsters. The first is the glory of God. The second is his wrath. The third, too great a quantity of seed. The fourth, too little a quantity. The fifth, the imagination. The sixth, the narrowness of the womb. The seventh, the indecent posture of the mother, as when, being pregnant, she has sat too long with her legs crossed, or presses against the womb. The eighth, through a fall, or blows struck against the womb of the mother, being with child. The ninth, through hereditary or accidental illnesses. The tenth, through rotten or corrupt seed. The eleventh, through mixture or mingling of seed. The twelfth, through the artifice of wicked spital beggars. The thirteenth, through Demons or Devils. (There are other causes that I leave aside for the present because among all human reasons, one cannot give any that are sufficient or probable, such as why persons are made with only one eye in the middle of the forehead or navel, or a horn on the head, or the liver upside down. Others are born having griffin's feet, like birds, and certain monsters which are engendered in the sea; in short countless others which it would take too long to describe.)" from, *On Monsters and Marvels*, trans. by Janis Pallister (U. of Chicago Press, 1982), pp. 3-4. Chapter Nine of the book details cases of monstrosity resulting from imagination. The complete works of Pare were translated into English in 1634 by T. Johnson. Happy reading! Other books that contain information about these things: 1) The Birth of Mankind. The most important and popular Midwifery handbook in England up to the 1620's. First published in England 1540, translated by Richard Jonas from *De partu hominis*, itself a translation of a German original. Revised and republished in England in 1545 by Thomas Raynald, it went into 13 editions, the last in 1654. 2) The midwives book, Mrs. Jane Sharp (1671). This is past Shakespeare, but contains ideas current during his career. Interesting as the only midwifery text by a woman based on reading in anatomy (she has read Pare and others), perhaps the *only* one by a woman. Reflects the experience of thirty odd years of practice (ca. 1640 to ca. 1671). There's a facsimile in the Garland Press series Marriage, Sex, and the Family in England 1660-1800, ed. Randolph Trumbach (New York: Garland Publishing, 1985). Louis Schwartz SCHWARTZ@URVAX.URICH.EDU ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 5 Feb 1993 07:23:40 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0061 R: Impossibility of Performance Crit; Q: Quotation Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 61. Friday, 5 February 1993. (1) From: John Drakakis Date: Thursday, 4 Feb 93 20:10:37 GMT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0049 Shakespeare through Performance (2) From: David Alan Grier Date: Thursday, 04 Feb 93 19:13:59 EDT Subj: Quotation (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John Drakakis Date: Thursday, 4 Feb 93 20:10:37 GMT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0049 Shakespeare through Performance Dear Milla Riggio, Yes, provided the whole thing can fit in with my already existing deadlines! Hello and best wishes to you too. John Drakakis (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: David Alan Grier Date: Thursday, 04 Feb 93 19:13:59 EDT Subject: Quotation An emailless friend had forwarded the following query to me and I forward it to you: In a book I am editing, one author wishes to use the quote "shrined in crystal" as an epigram and credit it to Shakespeare. I cannot find it in the concordance. Do you know the correct quote and its source? Thanks, David Grier ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 5 Feb 1993 19:20:03 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0062 Re: Impossibility of Performance Criticism Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 62. Friday, 5 February 1993. From: John Drakakis Date: Friday, 5 Feb 93 13:38:37 GMT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0050 Re: Impossibility of Performance Criticism Michael Friedman wants to know what it is that he has been doing all these years if it hasn't been "performance criticism". I'm afraid that I can't answer that since I don't know. Maybe David Richman, and Kay Stockholder in their own ways offer some indication of the kind of confusion to which my innocent suggestion originally referred. David Richman asks (29 January): "If other critical modes can't accommodate performance criticism, might not the fault rest with the other modes? and he concludes with the suggestion that in what he calls "the rush to critical sophistication we sometimes lose the essential joy" of performance. His practical suggestion is that we would need to "survey the sometimes terrifying array of perfectly valid choices that suggest themselves to the performance of even an appartently simple sequence". Kay Stockholder's solution (31 January) is simply to conflate performance criticism and "criticism": "In a sense performance criticism is new criticism under another name". Now if performance is dependent upon the "reading" of a text, then I am completely at a loss to see what the purpose of performance is. Also, I don't know what "essential joy" is, or if it IS essential then I can't see how it depends upon a performance. The real problem I have is in distinguishing between prescriptive accounts about how plays should be performed, and how audiences should respond, and inadequate accounts of particular performances. Neither seems to me to be satisfactory as a kind of performance criticism. The episemological difficulty which I confront concerns the hierarchy which places the "text" (and that is a problematical term in Renaissance drama generally) as the origin of performance. Added to that kind of essentialism is Richman's curious amalgam of essentialist and contingent response. If Kay Stockholder is right, and I think she may be in more ways than she thinks, the idea that performance criticism is new criticism writ large, then this simply compounds the confusion. I suppose that the issue here is the vexed issue of "meaning"- that is, the means available to the actor/actress to orchestrate some essential meaning that resides at the heart of the text, and which performance illuminates. Unless and until we confront that problem then the idea of a performance criticism which does something other than prescribe response, or simply offer reviews (necessarily inadequate because selective, with all that that implies) of specific performances is, I contend "impossible". In the light of what I've just said I really would be interested to know what Michael Friedman thinks he's been doing all these years! Best wishes John Drakakis ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 5 Feb 1993 19:23:04 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0063 Re: Quotation Query Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 63. Friday, 5 February 1993. From: Kay Stockholder Date: Friday, 5 Feb 93 08:23:14 PST Subject: Re: Q: Quotation Does it come from *The White Devil*? ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 6 Feb 1993 08:52:02 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0064 Re: The Impossibility of Performance Criticism Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 64. Saturday, 6 February 1993. From: Steve Urkowitz Date: Friday, 05 Feb 93 22:39:36 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0062 Re: Impossibility of Performance Criticism Ah, John Drakakis. It's Friday night, a little drunk, brimming with good wine and roast chicken and baked winter squash, and I do carry the guilt of the starving graduate students in China anyway, and I have a lot of trouble believing in the essential sinfulness of essentialism or in the impossibility of using my years of working with performers and with audiences to say wise or clever or even silly things about Shakespeaare's plays as performed events, events designed for performance, etc. Yes, we know that all audiences aren't the same. Nor are all critics. But we don't (or at least I don't, especially chicken-stuffed and wined) have to be afraid of speculating that the surprising detonation of a cannon in a theatre will make all but the brain-dead take notice that something has happened. And we can look at patterns of stage action that are scripted repeatedly and make reasonable guesses at their effects on any number of audiences. Eyes wide open at lots of performances, maybe one can make predictions. Maybe. Sure, the ascription of "meaning" may be troubling. But, hey, ain't that why Shakespeare spent all that time writing plays rather than philosophical tracts? As bearers of meaning, plays rank right up there with hockey games, fine cooking, and tulips. Surprise, surprise. Maybe we all choose our own areas to mystify and our own areas to debunk. I grew up in a dense union neighborhood singing IWW songs on the way to nursery school. Loved 'em, still do. But I'm not all that impressed or moved by folks claiming that those shibboleths will solve the worlds ills. But I am swept up by the experience of plays, the EXPERIENCE of plays, and I write trying to "express" that experience, however mysterious, however indeed impossible. Sorry, Jack. That's what I do. I also teach people to cook. Same ethos. Go know. G'night, Gracie. Steve Urkowitz SURCC@CUNYVM ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 6 Feb 1993 18:10:05 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0065 Re: Impossibility of Performance Criticism (con't) Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 65. Saturday, 6 February 1993. (1) From: David Richman Date: Saturday, 6 Feb 1993 14:56:32 -0500 (EST) Subj: RE: SHK 4.0062 Re: Impossibility of Performance Criticism (2) From: William Proctor Williams Date: Saturday, 06 Feb 93 14:03 CST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0062 Re: Impossibility of Performance Criticism (3) From: Skip Shand Date: Saturday, 6 Feb 1993 15:25 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0062 Re: Impossibility of Performance Criticism (4) From: Milla Riggio Date: Saturday, 6 Feb 93 17:23 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0061 R: Impossibility of Performance Crit (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: David Richman Date: Saturday, 6 Feb 1993 14:56:32 -0500 (EST) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0062 Re: Impossibility of Performance Criticism In reply to John Drakakis's stimulating piece, I would say that I find epistemological problems and various other sorts of inadequacies in all the critical writings I have read on Shakespeare, or on any other playwright for that matter--and I emphatically include my own responses in this category. I don't understand how to divorce performance from the text (granted, text is indeed a highly problematic term.) Some directors try to get away from the text (witness the extravaganza of copulation and defecation described in a previous posting), but I freely admit that the performances I am responsible for do derive from the texts with all their problems. Bernard Shaw was keen to the inadequacies that John Drakakis is addressing. The language of theater, Shaw insisted, is madeningly imprecise, and it is virtually impossible for even the most gifted and most talented performers to give an adequate rendering of an author's words, even if those words are intended (as Shaw insisted his words were) for performance. It would seem, then, that performance, as well as performance criticism, is impossible. Why engage in either, then? Performance can give pleasure and enlightenment, and so can good performance criticism. I'm not sure there is a single essential meaning to be got from a text (problematic and imprecise), but I do think a spirited speaking of a speech or acting of an action can add its small grain to the world's joy. When I used the phrase "essential joy," I was trying to refer to the proposition that performance can be a source of joy, and in view of the notion (to which I naively subscribe) that one should not deprive oneself of joy if one doesn't have to, we should keep muddling on with our imperfect tools and inadequate responses. For some with superior imaginations, performance is (like age) unnecessary. Brahms hated to go to the opera, because he could always create a better performance in his head when he read the score. Since I am not Brahms, I still like to go occasionally to the theater, and even to read inadequate critical responses to accounts of performance. Cheers, David Richman University of New Hampshire (2)--------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Proctor Williams Date: Saturday, 06 Feb 93 14:03 CST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0062 Re: Impossibility of Performance Criticism John Drakakis draws the most important point in this discussion out to its full length. The +only+ thing we have to study for almost all of the English Renaissance dramas are +printed+ texts. We can not make-up non-extant fake acting versions. We cannot invent things which do not now exist, even if they once did. How long will this strange notion of performance criticism which knows nothing of the original performance persist? Should not our focus be turned to those periods about which we do have information (+ca+. 1750+) and stop our idle speculation about earlier eras. Not even Orrell, Gurr and Hildey can agree about the measurements of the Globe (see +Shakespeare Bulletin+ last issue). I am just sick and tired of mindless and factless speculation by boffins who think they can teach us to walk on our hind legs. William Proctor Williams TB0WPW1@NIU English/Northern Illinois Univeristy (3)--------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Skip Shand Date: Saturday, 6 Feb 1993 15:25 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0062 Re: Impossibility of Performance Criticism I don't know whether John Drakakis is really talking about the impossibility of performance criticism, or whether he's talking about the impossibility of definitive criticism, the difficulties with validity inherent in all acts of criticism. But I do know that performance criticism, or performance-based criticism, can offer more than the options he suggests, namely prescriptive readings or inadequate reviews. My undergraduates spend a great deal of time on what is now a pedagogical commonplace, acted scene studies which they prepare on their own time and present to their classmates. They spend time as well observing as many film and video and stage versions of the scripts we are studying as they can get their hands on. They pay closer and closer attention to the state of the texts they read, learning an awareness of the various interventions in transmission and the ways such interventions may close down on signifying potentials. And they learn, bless them, that the essentialist and unitary readings which many of them were required to master in high school are not, after all, obligatory, but, rather, optional. We try to enter the text as actorly readers, to sit inside individual characters and their moments, to observe the range of performable options available at any given moment, to understand the signifying implications of choosing one option over another. We do not imagine that we are neutral conduits for textual intention--we understand that we bring all manner of baggage with us which conditions our interactions with the scripts, and we try to keep track of what that baggage might be and how it helps determine our readings. I like to think that quite a few of these students are learning to be performance-based critics. They are learning that Shakespeare's scripts can invite a variety of equally valid performance options--not indeterminacy spinning out of control, certainly, but a considerably broader version of determinacy than they might otherwise have predicted. And they are learning a healthy mistrust of critical/editorial intervention which closes down scripted openness. They are learning about the special quality of aliveness which inheres in texts made to be performed by speaking feeling thinking bodies. And yes (thanks Bernice, thanks Steve), they too are having FUN. (4)--------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Milla Riggio Date: Saturday, 6 Feb 93 17:23 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0061 R: Impossibility of Performance Crit Dear John Drakakis and Steve Urkowitz: First, to John: Welcome back! You see what a storm your wry, if serious, comment about performance criticism unleashed? Of course, I have no idea that this book proposal will be accepted by the MLA, though there is a fair chance of it, I think. But if it is, it seems to me something like this controversy should be reflected in any serious volume about approaches through performance that aspires, as this one does, to any degree of theoretical sophistication. So: I'm going to include this as one of the topics, and it occurs to me that a pair of essays, posing the problem theoretically (John) and answering, with some practical implications to the answer, could have a place there. There's certainly no rush. All kinds of apparatus would have to be set up to get to the essay-writing stage, and the essays for a volume like this range in length widely, so there's a lot of room for negotiation. But I take John's first response as a very guarded "maybe," and Steve obviously has some things to say. So let's take it from here. I do think we'll omit "cooking criticism," however -- good wine and duck, notwithstanding. I was wishing I'd been invited to the dinner, but perhaps we'll stick with performance here! Hi, Steve, sorry I missed you when I was in New York at Christmas. I've given you the opening section of the RORD review of the Toronto 25+ play festival. And had nothing but good things to say about your Four PP. I'm getting into performance material myself this year at the Folger, where I'll be teaching for a few weeks this summer. Your use of Cicely Berry is another possibility for a volume like the MLA. Best to both, hope to keep the controversy stirring, Love, Milla Riggio ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 7 Feb 1993 21:07:27 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0066 Shakespeare is where? Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 66. Sunday, 7 February 1993. From: Kevin Berland Date: Saturday, 6 Feb 93 22:05 EST Subject: Where is Shakespeare? Okay. Imagine a geographical grid something like this: |-------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Toronto | | | | Cleveland Erie Buffalo | | | | x | | | | Pittsburgh | | | | | | Washington | |-------------------------------------------------------------------------| The "x" is me, a sojourner in Sharon, Pennsylvania, just where Interstate 80 crosses the Pennsylvania/Ohio border. I'm looking for Shakespeare in per- formance for a small class of 1st-year university students, in busing range, some time between next week and the end of April. I know the Shakespeare Theatre at the Lansberg is doing Comedy of Errors until early March, but they follow this with Brecht's Mother Courage, which is a fine play, but not on my syllabus. Can anybody provide some information? We can get to Pittsburgh or Cleveland in 1-1.5 hours, to Washington in 6, to Toronto in 5. We'd go to Stratford Ontario, but their early season begins just when our semester is over. New York is 8 hours away. Philadelphia 8.5-9 hours. That's probably too far. But I'd love to hear from you if you have sugges- tions. Kevin Berland Penn State (Shenango) ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 7 Feb 1993 22:02:34 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0067 LFQ's Special Issue: Shakespeare -- Film & Television Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 67. Sunday, 7 February 1993. From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Sunday, February 7, 1993 Subject: LFQ's Special Issue: Shakespeare -- Film & Television *Literature/Film Quarterly*'s latest issue (20.4), dedicated exclusively to Shakespeare on Film and Television, is now available. Below is a listing of its Table of Contents. Michael Pursell (Gedling English Faculty, Nottingham) Playing the Game: Branagh's *Henry V* Patricia E. Tatspaugh (American Heritage, London) Theatrical Influences on Kenneth Branagh's Film of *Henry V* Sara Munson Deats (University of South Florida) Rabbits and Ducks: Olivier, Branagh, and *Henry V* Todd Gilman (University of Toronto) The Textual Fabric of Peter Brook's *King Lear*: "Holes" in Cinema, Screenplay, and Playtext Mary Z. Maher (University of Arizona) At Last, An American Hamlet for Television William Van Watson (Washington University in St. Louis) Shakespeare, Zeffirelli, and the Homosexual Gaze Hardy M. Cook (Bowie State University) Jane Howell's BBC First Tetralogy: Theatrical and Televisual Manipulation ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 8 Feb 1993 07:11:00 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0068 Performance Criticism Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 68. Monday, 8 February 1993. From: Sean Kevin Lawrence Date: Sunday, 07 Feb 1993 23:18:50 -0400 (AST) Subject: Performance Criticism Dear SHAKSPERians, I've only posted to this list once before, so I hope that my message gets through. I am, incidentally, only an undergraduate, so if you think I'm wrong, you're probably right. In any case, finding out where I'm wrong will help me to at least see the issue in a more informed light. It seems to me that accusations of performance criticism being essentialist are *themselves* essentialist. I'm not absolutely sure of the term "performance criticism," but if it means viewing individual performances as valid interpretations, their exclusion would be the exclusion of one of the world's most valid interpretational tools. If, as Aristotle averred, a play (usually broadened by his appreciators to include all sorts of art) is "the mimesis of an action" one can only assess it by at least *imagining* a performance. This does not, of course, mean that the approach should be realist in any reductionist sense, but that the verisimilitude of a passage can best be confronted by seeing it on stage or in the (metaphorical) stage of the mind. Take, for instance, a production of Hamlet 1.1 that I've been fantasizing about for a while. Some day I might put it on, but if not, I don't care. All the characters (except Horatio) are dressed in winter-weight combat fatigues or watch jackets. Francisco is discovered on stage, warming his gloved hands over a brazier. When he hears Barnardo's "Who's there?" he grabs a business-like machine-gun and hits the ground, shouting "Stand and unfold yourself," obviously meaning to kill anyone who doesn't. Now, this has almost nothing to do with some sort of "pure" production we have grown to expect, with period costuming and so on. It does (I flatter myself to think) tell us something about the text itself (whatever that means). The play opens with people obviously preparing for war, full of suspicion and living in a very cold place, both physically and (the level of suspicion would imply) metaphorically. There is a quality of verisimilitude in how the characters react to their situation, which realistically builds the atmosphere needed for Hamlet (senior) to enter the picture. I've been running on somewhat longer than is perhaps appropriate, but my point (finally) is that all criticism involves some sort of reference to the "real world." We compare Picasso's *Guernica* to what we know of "real" suffering, and Richard III's motivation to what we know of "real" bitterness, ambition, and joyous cruelty. The difference is that, in criticizing dramatic texts, we have a chance to try out various possibilities, to compare them to productions we've seen or can imagine. If this is "performance criticism" and the same is impossible, I too wonder what I have been up to. Sincerely, Sean Kevin Lawrence MAFEKING@AC.DAL.CA ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 8 Feb 1993 21:26:17 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0069 Re: Shakespeare is where?: Where is Shakespeare? Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 69. Monday, 8 February 1993. From: Thomas G. Bishop Date: Monday, 8 Feb 93 20:16:04 -0500 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0066 Shakespeare is where? Well now, over here in Cleveland we have several Shakespeares and a Ben Jonson in your time frame. :-) The Great Lakes Theater Festival will have Claire Bloom doing her one-woman show of "Shakespeare's women" in late March, and will be presenting Othello throughout May, beginning, as I recall, on the 6th May. GTLF did "Mother Courage" last year (*Sniff*). Details: (216) 241-6000. Also at the end of March in Cleveland, Case Western Reserve Univ will be having a fully vamped and ready showing of Jonson/Jones court masque "Oberon" originally given 1611. This will be complete with period music and costumes (ever seen the satyrs from Orgel/Strong "Theater of the Stuart Court"? 8-0 ). The show runs from March 24-27 and co-incides with this year's Ohio Shakespeare Conference. Details: (216) 368-2400 I am advised that a bi-racial production of The Tempest will also open at Cleveland's Karamu House that same weekend. Now that would probably go quite well with "Oberon" given the "homme sauvage" etc stuff in both. Details: (216) 795-7070 Wanna make a weekend of it? You can even go to a Mahler program at the Cleveland orchestra with Vladimir Ashkenazy. Where did I learn to sound so much like a travel agent? Anyone else interested out there can just get in touch with me and I'll offer directions. I'm at (216) 368-2371 or the email address below. Cheers, Tom -- Tom Bishop Dept of English Case Western Reserve University Cleveland, OH 44106. (tgb2@po.cwru.edu) ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 9 Feb 1993 07:22:02 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0070 Re: Performance Criticism Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 70. Tuesday, 9 February 1993. From: Steve Urkowitz Date: Monday, 08 Feb 93 21:36:31 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0068 Performance Criticism Sean Kevin Lawrence's imagined production of HAMLET 1.1 jarred a memory of a production I saw in a NYC storefront theatre three or four years ago. The opening watch patrolled the "ramparts" with WW II rifles, walking SCARED. His reaction to the next actor's entry was an eruption of "Agh-this-might-be-that ghost-again" terror. A chilling enactment, vivid after several years. Alas, everything after was sharply downhill from there, and we snuck out somewhere after Polonius was blurbling incoherently to his son. Unfulfilled performances have as much guilt to bear as unfulflled performance criticism. Ah, but THEORY . . . or POLITICS . . . As ever, Steve Urkowitz SURCC@CUNYVM ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 9 Feb 1993 17:32:46 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0071 Re: Impossibility of Performance Criticism Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 71. Tuesday, 9 February 1993. From: David Bank Date: Tuesday, 9 Feb 93 20:41:59 GMT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0064 Re: The Impossibility of Performance Criticism RE: Steve Urkowitz, John Drakakis and Friday nights. A few years ago, a large group of English Department colleagues used to gather at an insalubrious tavern in order to salute the departure of yet another week of lectures, tutorials etc etc. A U.K. brewery had put out one of those scratch-card games where the prize for getting all the questions right was a free drink. The questions all related to moral situations easily mapped on to Renaissance drama ("You are having an affair at the office. Your wife is suspicious. Do you lie to her?"). The "right" answers were those which tallied with the results of an attitudes survey conducted in Britain among three different age groups, and the questions each had three parts, one for each group. So one was being asked to anticipate the responses of fellow-citizens (a) young, (b) middle-aged, (c) old, to questions as above. Naturally, the quiz was somewhat more sophisticated than I have so far managed to suggest; for the results of the survey were *percentages* of each group answering Yes, and what one had to do in the quiz was pick the right percentage from a range offered offered on the card. Now, part of the point of this little story is that we *weren't* judging situations in Renaissance plays. Another part is that *no individual* among us was able to get every question right in all its parts. And (finally) we didn't do very well as a group either, though the odd pint was won to roars of vindication. Of course a quiz is neither a text or a performance in the usual senses. What was upset was one's far too casual notions about audiences, moral and other consensuses and convergences. Does anyone in the current debate want to claim the story as support? My own view is that Performance Criticism doesn't even get near the starting blocks, but there are other grounds for this which shouldn't lengthen this EM. David Bank University of Glasgow ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 10 Feb 1993 07:25:32 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0072 Sex Acts and Performance Criticism Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 72. Wednesday, 10 February 1993. From: Cliff Ronan Date: Tuesday, 09 Feb 1993 21:23:25 -0600 (CST) Subject: Sex Acts and Performance Criticism CC: Ed Pechter and Naomi Liebler When the serious and fascinating debate on Performance Criticism dies down, perhaps you, Ed, might check reviews of Barry Kyle's *Measure for Measure*, which opened on June 21, 1978, at the RSC in Stratford. My memories of it (which I saw at the very start of the run) are a little dim, and I am not positive that I got my seat before the play began. At any rate, the audience gasped at the first sight of the Overdone establishment (which might have been the first set seen onstage): there was one or more bare backed males, prone and grinding on cots behind a low balcony. I thought it worked all right. Naomi, would the dates and staging suggest that Kyle inspired the onstage fornication at Quickly's in the Joanne Akalaitis production of *1H4*? Another, and I think less successful, feature of the Kyle production was having the escaped prisoner Barnardine (played by Conrad Asquith) streak onto the stage in his birthday suit. He stood effectivelly awkwardly midstage, frontally naked while he manically explained something or other -- presumably why at that moment he was unprepared to meet his Maker. Did anyone else in SHAKSPER see this? Was it a veiled allusion to the prison of the flesh? Or a structure-enhancing bilingual attack on the disorder at the jail, where everything seemed/seems *commed un bordel*? Cliff Ronan Southwest Texas SU ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 10 Feb 1993 19:04:38 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0073 Assorted Rs Re: Performance Criticism Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 73. Wednesday, 10 February 1993. (1) From: David Richman Date: Wednesday, 10 Feb 1993 10:35:26 -0500 (EST) Subj: RE: SHK 4.0071 Re: Impossibility of Performance Criticism (2) From: Kay Stockholder Date: Wednesday, 10 Feb 93 08:21:08 PST Subj: SHK 4.0068 Performance Criticism (3) From: NAOMI LIEBLER Date: Wednesday, 10 Feb 93 09:47:00 EST Subj: RE: SHK 4.0072 Sex Acts and Performance Criticism (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: David Richman Date: Wednesday, 10 Feb 1993 10:35:26 -0500 (EST) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0071 Re: Impossibility of Performance Criticism David Bank's delicious story supports, and refutes, all sides in this dust-up. All criticism, in all modes, is impossible, if one is responding to enormous inadequacies and imperfections. We have a meagre body of fact, and imperfect tools. (By "we" I mean all those who try to respond with spoken or written words to other people's spoken or written words. We are all trying to lift up Olympus, or roll the ceaseless stone. The alternative is to fall silent. Why one set of people, trying to do the impossible, wants to throw nasturtiums at another set of people, also trying to do the impossible, continues to baffle me. Cheers, David Richman University of New Hampshire (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kay Stockholder Date: Wednesday, 10 Feb 93 08:21:08 PST Subject: SHK 4.0068 Performance Criticism If what you have described is performance criticism, it is hardly impossible, but is rather a slightly different version of trying out ideas. It is no different from having an idea about the significance of a scene, such as the opening one of Hamlet, and then seeing how that version of it fits in with one's idea of the rest of the play. And of course any idea about the scene, whether articulated in terms of one's imagination of its performance, or of critical articles about it is related to what aspect of the reality we know we find represented in it. (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: NAOMI LIEBLER Date: Wednesday, 10 Feb 93 09:47:00 EST Subject: RE: SHK 4.0072 Sex Acts and Performance Criticism To Cliff Ronan: Re: whether Barry Kyle's staging of *Measure* influenced Akalaitis's production of *1H4*--I have no clue. If your recollection of a 1978 date for the performance you saw is correct, chances are that it didn't. The Akalaitis thing happened sometime within the last 2 years. There wasn't much nudity in the latter event: the image received suggested (to me at least) that Quickly's tenants were too hurried, or perhaps too ill, or perhaps too bored, to bother removing their clothes altogether. Only the necessary apparata. You get the point. In any case, the audience watched a simulation, not necessarily a stimulation. As Steve Urkowitz would say--and HAS said--Go know. Perhaps someone who is more of a performa than I can elevate this event to some intelligent critical interpretation. I thought it was just tacky--memorable, but tacky. Made me want to run home and take a bath, and perhaps some precautionary penicillin as well. On that lovely note--best wishes, Naomi Liebler ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 11 Feb 1993 07:38:58 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0074 Re: Performance Criticism Issues Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 74. Thursday, 11 February 1993. (1) From: Bernice Kliman Date: Wednesday, 10 Feb 1993 19:15 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0073 Assorted Rs Re: Performance Criticism (2) From: Steven Urkowitz Date: Wednesday, 10 Feb 93 23:22:31 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0071 Re: Impossibility of Performance Criticism (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Bernice Kliman Date: Wednesday, 10 Feb 1993 19:15 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0073 Assorted Rs Re: Performance Criticism Without the nudity, the television version of MM, 1979, had a brothel scene out of the wild west, as I am sure everyone recalls. Nudity -- no. David Richman says it so well that I think I'd like to quote him again: Why one set of people, trying to do the impossible, wants to throw nasturtiums at another set of people, also trying to do the impossible, continues to baffle me, says David. Me too. Cheers, Bernice (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Steven Urkowitz Date: Wednesday, 10 Feb 93 23:22:31 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0071 Re: Impossibility of Performance Criticism For David Banks and the differences between performance criticism and performance research: Yes, yes, yes. The protocols of empiric research are vastly different from the self-consciously individualistic interpretive acts described by theatre historians or script readers or folks who interview actors or decipher the annotations of stage managers or directors. For a while in the 1970s I used to read through American journals from various "speech" organizations; some gave results of close surveys of audience responses in performances. Unexpected spectra, inexplicable null responses, swarths of data and charts. But we need not grant sole title to "performance criticism" to them. Need we? (Or as we said in the bars in the Bronx, "Do we gotta?") Thanks for bringing in the gamesome dimension of how we define and use data and nomenclature. Steve (shut-up-already) Urkowitz SURCC@CUNYVM ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 12 Feb 1993 07:30:39 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0075 Re: Performance Criticism Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 75. Friday, 12 February 1993. From: Tom Loughlin Date: Thursday, 11 Feb 1993 10:08 pm EST Subject: Performance Criticism Is it just me, or do I get the feeling that those people who are distrust- ful of performance criticism feel that way because they do not trust the performing artist to come to a work of theatre without a critical sense? without any ideas or concepts? If so, it is a sad comment on the nature of how we are currently viewing performance artists in our culture. I have read the many postings on the matter, and I think I don't quite undertand the kernel of the argument. I do know that, as an actor, when I approach a Shakespearean role I am fully conscious of the notion that I am making not only a critical statement about how I feel the role should be interpreted from the viewpoint of human behavior, but also from the viewpoint of critical interpretation. It's just that, unlike the scholar who writes her critical interpretation on paper and gets it published, I perform mine under a different set of rules in real time at a specific location, and invite a critique of my "critical commentary." For all the debunking of J. Akalitis' 1HIV, one cannot deny that there was an idea, a viewpoint at work, a "critical judgement" at work, with which one can either agree or disagree. The paucity of authentic text AS WELL AS authentic per- formance notes, it seems to me, leaves the field pretty wide open. Perhaps that's the fun of it all (?). --------------------------------------------------------------- Tom Loughlin * BITNET Dept. of Theatre Arts * loughlin@fredonia SUNY College at Fredonia * INTERNET Fredonia NY 14063 * loughlin@jane.cs.fredonia.edu Voice: 716.673.3597 * Fax: 716.673.3397 * "Hail, hail Freedonia, land of * the brave and free." G. Marx --------------------------------------------------------------- ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 12 Feb 1993 15:44:33 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0076 Re: Performance Criticism Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 76. Friday, 12 February 1993. (1) From: Timothy Bowden Date: Friday, 12 Feb 93 06:08:05 PST Subj: Re: Performance Criticism (2) From: Michael Friedman Date: Friday, 12 Feb 93 13:43 EST Subj: Performance Criticism (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Timothy Bowden Date: Friday, 12 Feb 93 06:08:05 PST Subject: Re: Performance Criticism > From: Tom Loughlin > I do know that, as an actor, when I approach a Shakespearean role I > am fully conscious of the notion that I am making not only a critical > statement about how I feel the role should be interpreted from the > viewpoint of human behavior, but also from the viewpoint of critical > interpretation. Also from the viewpoint of four hundred years of the dust of actors who went before. I suspect that effect is underestimated, if even considered. Edwin Booth did Hamlet as straight drama; every actor who followed him must bring some native blend onto the scene, else they only be mimes. You will see a musing Hamlet, a neurotic Hamlet, an antic driven Hamlet, not because with pure reason and the text one actor has determined that is the nature of the role, but because the other choices have been taken. I suspect the pride of the actor, and the need to interest a modern audience, is more the impetus behind some bizarre stagings and readings today than any new insights into the Bard. ========================================================= tcbowden@clovis.felton.ca.us (Timothy Bowden) uunet!scruz.ucsc.edu!clovis.felton.ca.us!tcbowden Clovis in Felton, CA ========================================================= (2)--------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Michael Friedman Date: Friday, 12 Feb 93 13:43 EST Subject: Performance Criticism Being right in the middle of a run of *The Two Gentlemen of Verona* at the University of Scranton, I've finally found a moment to try to respond to John Drakakis on the question of what I've been doing all these years. In the meantime, most of what I would have said has already been phrased eloquently, particularly by David Richman and Steven Urkowitz, but I'll try to add my two cents without simply repeating their comments. In my mind, performance criticism views a Shakespearean text as an incomplete entity that achieves more complete embodiment whenever it is performed. Theatrical personnel collaborate with Shakespeare through his text to produce an event that affects individual spectators. For me, performance criticism is interested in two steps in this process: the movement from text to peformance, with all the inherent choices that must be made, and the effects that those choices have on the reception of the performed text by audience members. By studying performance choices that have been made in the past, by speculating on the possible effects of untested options, or by experimenting on stage with unorthodox alternatives, the performance critic can gain some sense of the range of significance the text allows. There will always be, within this range, an infinite number of possible "meanings" that can be derived from a written text, but I also believe that this range does not include all possible meanings of all plays; so, for example, no production of *The Comedy of Errors* could ever say the exact same thing to any spectator that a production of *King Lear* could. What good performance criticism does *not* try to do, in my opinion, is to describe a definitive production of a particular play or to re-create the original staging on Shakespeare's own platform. I also acknowledge, however, that the practice of performance criticism is plagued with various difficulties. First of all, it tends to invite overgeneralizations about audience response to any particular moment of stage activity. It also tends to collapse an entire run of a production, with all its inevitable development and inconsistencies from night to night into a neat phrase like "Gielgud's 1949 revival of *Much Ado*." The practitioners of performance criticism, myself included, often tend to rely on the eyewitness accounts of others or to draw conclusions from ambiguous evidence in promptbooks, particularly when investigating productions from the distant past. There are those who argue that one ought not even to attempt to write about a production that one has not seen him- or herself several times, but even with such experience, one cannot hope to account for the entire spectrum of responses such a performance might have provoked. Finally, given the infinite range of possible performance choices, is there ever any way of determining relative value among them, or are we forever consigned to an infinite number of equally legitimate options? These are only a few of the many limitations of performance criticism, but even in the face of these obstacles, I still do not find the practice of performance criticism itself impossible, and I certainly do it find valuable as a tool for understanding something important about Shakespeare. Michael Friedman Friedman@Scranton ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 12 Feb 1993 21:20:24 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0077 More on Performance Criticism (Whatever That Is) Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 77. Friday, 12 February 1993. (1) From: NAOMI LIEBLER Date: Friday, 12 Feb 93 17:20:00 EST Subj: RE: SHK 4.0076 Re: Performance Criticism (2) From: Kay Stockholder Date: Friday, 12 Feb 93 17:29:34 PSTZ Subj: SHK 4.0076 Re: Performance Criticism (1)--------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: NAOMI LIEBLER Date: Friday, 12 Feb 93 17:20:00 EST Subject: RE: SHK 4.0076 Re: Performance Criticism In the recent avalanche of e-mails regarding "performance criticism," it seems to me that several distinctions that need to be made have been completely neglected, and it's no wonder that people are couching their comments in an array of parenthetical phrases like "whatever that means." This confused and confusing conflation of distinctions has become more apparent with recent postings from actors and directors who discuss what they do under the umbrella-heading of "performance criticism," when what they really do is "performance," while other people who watch those performances do "criticism." That's one kind of distinction: I've done a bunch of that kind of "criticism" -- it was called "reviewing," and was published as such (mostly in *Shakespeare Bulletin* issues over the last 7 years or so). Then there's another kind of thing that is also referred to as "performance criticism," that is probably more clearly called "performance theory," and it concerns itself with various approaches to the activity called "performance." I'm thinking of folks like Schechner and his disciples, or Susan and David Cole, inter alia. I think what we're all playing around with here is not "criticism" so much as it is "interpretation," a term we all (justifiably?) shy away from because it implies something ad hoc and individual and does not carry the clout we'd all like our personal interpretations to carry. Actors interpret; directors interpret; reviewers evaluate those interpretations against some idea they themselves have of the way the "text" (which text?) OUGHT TO BE performed (i.e., interpreted); and those we mean by the term "critic" do something else again, and do it so variously that it may defy any attempt to describe it in a pithy phrase or two. The main distinction that occurs to me is one Peter Brook inspired long ago (in the 60's) in *The Empty Space.* He said "I can take any empty space and call it a bare stage," and ever since then, directors and actors have answered mostly to themselves and their paying patrons and whined about why their work was not taken as seriously as they wanted it to be taken by academics and review-writing critics, while at the same time decrying those same academics and critics because the latter did not participate in "performances." The point is that actors, directors, academics, and review-writers do different things in regard to performance. We are not engaged in the same enterprise, nor in the same discourse, nor does what we do spring from the same sources -- and that's true even without considering the headachy question of "text." We even speak and write to different populations: audiences generally, newsletter readers, editorial boards, publishers' selection committees. So I don't know what y'all mean by "performance criticism: possibilities or impossibilities thereof." It's difficult to debate the "possibility" of something whose parameters we have yet to (and may not ever) agree on. And if you all want to see how truly bizarre this conversation can get, subscribe to the "PERFORM-L" list operating out of NYU. I did for a while, and then resigned from the list. Unfortunately (or fortunately) I can't recall the mechanism for subscribing, but if any SHAKSPERians are interested, I'm sure that someone on THIS list also can help with access to THAT one. It's probably something like "Sub PERFORM-L" followed by your name. To be continued?.... Cheers, Naomi C. Liebler (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kay Stockholder Date: Friday, 12 Feb 93 17:29:34 PSTZ Subject: SHK 4.0076 Re: Performance Criticism I doubt that there are infinite performance choices. Usually there are two or three ways in which a charater can be seen, more often two, just as there are in thinking or writing about a play critically. Once having decided on what kind of person a character is like, then of course, there are many different ways to convey that on the stage, through intonation, gesture, props, setting etc. But those myriad devices will still be in the service of conveying the what kind of person the director wants the audience to see the character as. The test of the enactment of any particular scene will be how well it integrates with the rest of the play, and the test of seeing a character as this or that kind of person will be how well it intgrates with other characters, or makes sense of the play as a whole. Once again, the kind of thinking that goes into these judgments does not differ from the thinking that goes into writing, agreeing or disagreeing with critical articles. Cheers. ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 13 Feb 1993 08:50:38 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0078 Another Subject? Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 78. Saturday, 13 February 1993. From: Kelly Caldwell Date: Friday, 12 Feb 93 22:15:53 EST Subject: another subject????? Although I have found the veritable plethora of comments re: performance criticism interesting, I'm desperate for some new and exciting subject-matter. Unfortunately, my brain hurts, and I'm unable to offer a new topic myself, but I'm hoping that somebody out there has something that has been on the tip of their tongue for a while ....... Hoping we can talk about performance criticism, and more more more! ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 15 Feb 1993 11:41:47 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0079 Re: Another Subject? Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 79. Monday, 15 February 1993. (1) From: Judy Boss Date: Monday, 15 Feb 93 7:44:30 CST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0078 Another Subject? (2) From: Christoppher Johnston Date: Saturday, 13 Feb 93 19:32:49 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0078 Another Subject? (3) From: Ronald Dwelle Date: Monday, 15 Feb 93 09:31:51 EST Subj: Another subject? (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Judy Boss Date: Monday, 15 Feb 93 7:44:30 CST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0078 Another Subject? I've noticed that several HyperCard "editions" of Shakespeare's plays are available at FTP sites archiving MAC programs. Has anyone looked at these? Is anyone commenting on the phenomenon? My instant reaction is that this would be a great tool for students, but then I'm not really a Shakespearean, just a follower. Judy Boss boss@cwis.unomaha.edu (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Christoppher Johnston Date: Saturday, 13 Feb 93 19:32:49 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0078 Another Subject? Well, yes, actually there is something I've been thinking about: Someone mentioned to me not long ago that lately there has been a certain resurgence of interest in the Harrison/Cornford/Murray type of drama interpretation. It was certainly a facinating approach -- Gilbert Murray's lecture on Hamlet and Orestes showed how it could be also applied to Shakespearean tragedy. But even with Northrop Frye's brilliant writing along these lines (as in Anat. of Crit.), I am still not quite convinced of the relevancy it has to texts far removed from the antique origins of drama. Perhaps someone thinks otherwise. Todd Johnston (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ronald Dwelle Date: Monday, 15 Feb 93 09:31:51 EST Subject: Another subject? A possible subject change... I've had a most interesting two weeks in my undergraduate Shaxpr class, on Merchant of Venice. The question of anti-Semitism/Racism occupied the students' attention, almost exclusively. I wonder how (or even if) members of this list would defend Shakespeare against the student charge, based on MofV, that he is a racist and an anti-Semite. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 15 Feb 1993 13:05:37 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0080 Re: More on Performance Criticism Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 80. Monday, 15 February 1993. From: Timothy Dayne Pinnow Date: Monday, 15 Feb 93 10:35:51 CST Subject: Re: More on Performance Criticism >I doubt that there are infinite performance choices. Usually there are two or >three ways in which a charater can be seen, more often two, just as there are >in thinking or writing about a play critically. Following Kay Stockholders posting, I find the actor in me screaming to respond. The suggestion that there are only two or three basic ways to play a character is akin to the suggestion that a composer ought to be able to write a masterful symphony with two or three notes. The same idea goes for Timothy Bowden's suggestion that actors stray because they are always looking for something new. OF COURSE WE ARE!!!! Theatre is a performing ART (I'd add more emphasis to that last word is I could get it through on e-mail) by definition that means that we are engaged in the business of communicating an artist's intentions. For the theatre, that means not only old Will himself, but also the director, designers, actors, costumers, and so on down to the person who pulls the curtain. As actors, our choices are bound not only by what the text seems to say, but also by the rules of the director's world as established in his/her concept. Within those rules, we are able to do OUR art, finding things that the text only intimates and that we find to be reasonable and communicable in a meaningful way. Sometimes we succeed and are called competent, sometimes we fail and are called incompetent(or worse). The point being, none of us in the theatre would be doing art if there were limits on the possibilities before the adventure begins. End of Sermon Timothy Dayne Pinnow Ass't. Prof. of Theatre St. Olaf College 1520 St. Olaf Ave Northfield MN 55057 ph. 507/646-3327 Internet: pinnow@stolaf.edu ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 15 Feb 1993 17:31:23 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0081 Re: HyperCard; Qs: Folklore & Shakespeare; CBC Parodies Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 81. Monday, 15 February 1993. (1) From: Steve Schrum Date: Monday, 15 Feb 93 14:01 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0079 Re: Another Subject? (2) From: Tom Horton Date: Monday, 15 Feb 93 13:04:10 -0500 Subj: Basic refs on folklore & Shakespeare (3) From: Wendy Woytasik Date: Monday, 15 Feb 93 14:31:02 EST Subj: The Noblest (Canadian) Parody.... (1)--------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Steve Schrum Date: Monday, 15 Feb 93 14:01 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0079 Re: Another Subject? Regarding the HyperCard versions of the plays--I haven't looked at them in depth, but I was impressed with the brief playing-around I gave Macbeth. I plan to download them and set them up into a "library " section of my own creation, a HyperCard TheatreTour. Over the weekend I began creating icons to represent each of the plays, but soon hit a brick wall. Anyone have suggestions for easy-to-recognize visual symbols for each of the plays? (For example, for Two Gentlemen of Verona, two small figures turn toward and away each other at the mouse click.) Please send any suggestions to: sas14@psuvm. Thanks, Steve Schrum Penn State Hazleton (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Tom Horton Date: Monday, 15 Feb 93 13:04:10 -0500 Subject: Basic refs on folklore & Shakespeare Can someone supply a list of "basic" references on the topic of folklore and Shakespeare? A student in one of my computer science classes came looking for advice for a research paper she's doing in her sophomore-level Shakespeare class. (That should help tell you the level of reference we need.) She has found *Folk-lore of Shakespeare* by the Rev. T. F. Thiselton Dyer, but doesn't seem too excited by it. Since I don't have too many of my computer science undergrads asking for books on Shakespeare, I'd like to be able give this student a helpful response! We should encourage this kind of thing, no? :-) Thanks. Tom ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dr. Thomas B. Horton, Assistant Professor Dept. of Computer Science and Engineering, Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton, FL 33431 USA Phone: 407/367-2674 FAX: 407/367-2800 Internet: tom@cse.fau.edu Bitnet: HortonT@fauvax (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Wendy Woytasik Date: Monday, 15 Feb 93 14:31:02 EST Subject: The Noblest (Canadian) Parody.... Greetings, all! I hope this fits in the parameters of discussion..... While discussing pending term papers, it was observed that some will be due on the Ides of March....I was instantly reminded of that bit from Wayne & Shuster, in which Calphurnia says "I told him, Julie, don't go, it's the Ides of March, beware already".... Does anyone know if CBC is planning on releasing some or all of the "timeless" parodies (ie. Julius Caesar {Rinse the Blood off my Toga?}, Shakespearean baseball)?? I found them wonderfully intelligent parodies, and miss having weekly reruns..... Thanks!! ./ . Wendy Woytasik [a/k/a "The Historical Hacker"] _| | |/|_ Department of History, University of Windsor / Windsor, Ontario N9B 3P4 >______< INTERNET: wendy@ucc.uwindsor.ca ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1993 07:00:48 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0082 Re: HyperCard Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 82. Tuesday, 16 February 1993. (1) From: Michael Best Date: Monday, 15 Feb 93 16:24:44 PST Subj: Shakespeare "Editions" on HyperCard (2) From: Robert F. O'Connor Date: Tuesday, 16 Feb 1993 16:09:24 +1000 Subj: Re: HyperCard (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Michael Best Date: Monday, 15 Feb 93 16:24:44 PST Subject: Shakespeare "Editions" on HyperCard The editions that Judy Boss asks about are transcriptions into HyperCard of the Globe text (1864, rev 1911), long out of copyright, of course. They are nicely presented with each scene on a separate card, and the layout of the original preserved and easy to read. The designer offers the text in the public domain, and allows all users to distribute the stacks as they wish. There are no notes, but they can be used to provide a basic electronic text. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Robert F. O'Connor Date: Tuesday, 16 Feb 1993 16:09:24 +1000 Subject: Re: HyperCard I, too, have managed to dig up (some) of the Hypercard Shakespeare, and I corresponded (briefly) with the man responsible - who is not, by the way, a Shakespearean scholar, just a fellow addict. He is more than happy to receive advice suggestions etc, as his blurb accompanying each text says. I have found them very useful, if only for one reason - they beat the hell out of paying (currently) A$80 per play for a concordance. It's a little time consuming to use them in this way but I have been told that anyone who knows how to program Hypercard (not me) can work a 'count' facility into them (if that's what you need). Would it be possible for these texts to be added to the list of SHAKSPER resources? ROC [It would clearly be possible to add these texts to the SHAKSPER Fileserver; I simply need more information about their availability. Perhaps you could contact me privately with the appropriate information. --hmc] ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1993 07:05:36 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0083 Shakespeare and Anti-Semitism Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 83. Tuesday, 16 February 1993. From: Kelly Caldwell Date: Tuesday, 16 Feb 93 00:01:02 EST Subject: Shakespeare & Anti-semitism Somebody raised an interesting point re: anti-semitic Shakespeare in MofV. It reminded me of an experience I had as an undergrad. Certain unlucky members of a class I was taking were asked to take sides in a debate re: Shylock in MofV -- as soon as my prof saw me hiding behind my notebook, he enlisted me in the "Poor Shylock" side. Needless to say, consensus was that "our side" won. There is a VERY strong case supporting the thesis that Shakespeare depicted Shylock as the tragic hero/victim of the play. Aside from the fact that I "shy" away from making personal statements about authors (ie: the play is racist; therefore, Bill was too!), IMHO Shylock's mistreatment by other characters in the play whose racism is indisputable, is not praised or given merit to any extent. Let's face it, Shylock isn't the *only* unlikable character in the work. Rather a long way of saying that I think the "MofV is an anti-semitic play, and Shakespeare was a racist" statements are the results of over-simplification. I wonder what Bill would say? ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1993 22:24:34 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0084 Re:Shakespeare and Anti-Semitism Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 84. Tuesday, 16 February 1993. (1) From: Germaine Warkentin Date: Tuesday, 16 Feb 1993 08:46:19 -0500 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0083 Shakespeare and Anti-Semitism (2) From: Nikki Parker Date: Tuesday, 16 Feb 1993 09:04:47 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0083 Shakespeare and Anti-Semitism (3) From: John Massa Date: Tuesday, 16 Feb 93 09:22 CST Subj: Shakespeare as Racist, Bigot, Anti-Semite etc. (4) From: Jay L Halio Date: Tuesday, 16 Feb 1993 14:16:00 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0083 Shakespeare and Anti-Semitism (5) From: David Knauer Date: Tuesday, 16 Feb 93 17:50 CST Subj: bigot will? (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Germaine Warkentin Date: Tuesday, 16 Feb 1993 08:46:19 -0500 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0083 Shakespeare and Anti-Semitism I wonder if it wouldn't be more helpful to begin with the repudiation of the Jew in Shakspeare's own society -- a social norm in Shakespeare's day, though working relationships as usual must have been somewhat different -- and then discuss the way in which Shakespeare, without, I suspect, much of an ideological position, simply moves away from the norm and sees what its limitations are, who supports it and why, and what it does to people. He does not seem to carry this interrogation much farther than the portrayal of Shylock, and that's a problem. Certainly, having accepted the Shylock Shakespeare gives us, I find it very difficult to deal with Portia's famous speech. I rarely teach Renaissance drama, so my contact with Shakespeare is through the poems, but there are several examples of this kind of lateral thinking there. I could write a book on the Petrarchism of the sonnets (Petrarch as re-written by a Martian), but I'll confine myself to the example of _The Rape of Lucrece_, which I have recently been teaching. Shakespeare gives us a Lucrece who involuntarily responds to Tarquin (a modification of the source) but then kills herself (in submission to the source), a knotty problem with students, who would like to see Shakespeare change the ending along lines they would approve. Is an exploration of the same kind going on in MofV? Perhaps my friends on the drama side will tell me this has all been said before! ******************************************************************************* Germaine Warkentin warkent@epas.utoronto.ca English, Victoria College, University of Toronto ******************************************************************************* (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Nikki Parker Date: Tuesday, 16 Feb 1993 09:04:47 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0083 Shakespeare and Anti-Semitism When my Shakespeare class read the Merchant of Venice, the question of whether or not it was anti-semitic was also brought up. A class presentation did another version of Shylock's trial, where they presented evidence that Shylock was suffering discrimination. The rest of the class was the jury, and voted, based on the "new" evidence, whether or not he was still guilty. Over half the class (if I remember correctly) still found him guilty. The interesting fact of the play that I discovered, was Shylock's sentancing. Making him convert to Christianity seems to me a far worse punishment than jail, or death. Not that I have anything against Christianity personally, but making a person be something that they do not believe in seems cruel and heartless. I think "Bill" used this ending because his audience was mostly Christian, and Shylock's conversion to Christianity is the correct punishment. Yes, MofV is racist, but the question is...should we care? Is Taming of the Shrew misogynist? Lots of questions... Nikki Parker St. Michael's College (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John Massa Date: Tuesday, 16 Feb 93 09:22 CST Subject: Shakespeare as Racist, Bigot, Anti-Semite etc. An interesting point was raised concerning class discussion of how Shakespeare would defend himself against charges of racism, anti-semitism (and lets add sexism, warmongering, general bigotry, elitism, pornography, murder, rape, deceit, adultery, mutilation and any other bad thing in his plays.) Although student discussion of Shakespeare is a good thing, I think it's sad to see what the ravages of "Politically Correct" thinking have wrought: students picking through Shakespeare (and let's not forget Mark Twain) looking for "bad words" and "bad ideas" and reaching momentous conclusions like "Hey everybody! These guys were RACISTS!" If I were in the class discussion I would suggest the following: (1) We are all racists, sexists, bigots etc. Take a look around. That's what the world is like. Shakespeare would probably "defend himself" by saying "Defend yourself first." (2) Writing about a bad thing, ESPECIALLY IN FICTION, does not mean that the author thinks the bad thing is good. (Is it really necessary to point this out?) (3) Shakespeare held up a mirror to nature, and I happen to think he did a pretty good job of it. Rather than making his characters potically correct straw men, his bad guys are believable because they usually have some rationalization for what they do. We see them from their own point of view. (4) We know nothing about Shakespeare, really. He taunts us from across the centuries, leaving us wondering "Was that Shakespeare talking, or was it just one of his characters?" Frankly, I prefer it that way. Let his work, via all its interpretations, speak for itself. (5) Whether Shakespeare was a racist or not, within the context of his own times, is irrelevant. What's one more dead racist, more or less? What we should be looking at are these politically correct witch hunts which resulted in students at one institution rejecting "Mark Twain" as the name of their school because he was a racist and a writer of CHILDREN'S FICTION! Yikes! Racism is deplorable, but so is ignorance, and narrow tests of ideological purity. John Massa John-Massa@uiowa.edu (4)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jay L Halio Date: Tuesday, 16 Feb 1993 14:16:00 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0083 Shakespeare and Anti-Semitism On Tue, 16 Feb 1993, Kelly Caldwell wrote: > Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 83. Tuesday, 16 February 1993. > > From: Kelly Caldwell > Date: Tuesday, 16 Feb 93 00:01:02 EST > Subject: Shakespeare & Anti-semitism > > Somebody raised an interesting point re: anti-semitic Shakespeare in MofV. > It reminded me of an experience I had as an undergrad. Certain unlucky members > of a class I was taking were asked to take sides in a debate re: Shylock in > MofV -- as soon as my prof saw me hiding behind my notebook, he enlisted me in > the "Poor Shylock" side. Needless to say, consensus was that "our side" won. > > There is a VERY strong case supporting the thesis that Shakespeare depicted > Shylock as the tragic hero/victim of the play. Aside from the fact that I > "shy" away from making personal statements about authors (ie: the play is > racist; therefore, Bill was too!), IMHO Shylock's mistreatment by other > characters in the play whose racism is indisputable, is not praised or given > merit to any extent. Let's face it, Shylock isn't the *only* unlikable > character in the work. Rather a long way of saying that I think the "MofV is > an anti-semitic play, and Shakespeare was a racist" statements are the results > of over-simplification. > > I wonder what Bill would say? For a useful discussion of Shakespeare's view and the backgrounds lying behind it, see my forthcoming edition of MV (Oxford UP). The Introduction begins with an essay, "Shakespeare and Semitism," which has many references to the literature on the subject. Meanwhile, interested persons should consult M.M. Mahood's Cambridge UP edition, which also includes an invaluable discussion and references. Jay L. Halio (5)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: David Knauer Date: Tuesday, 16 Feb 93 17:50 CST Subject: bigot will? I'd agree that the reactions of Ronald Dwelle's students to *Merchant of Venice*--namely, that both the play and Shakespeare are anti-Semitic/racist--are very reductive. I had a similar experience teaching Wm. Faulkner's "Dry September" (I know, wrong era, wrong continent) in an undergrad class. The story is about a brutal lynching and "nigger" and other such epithets get tossed around a lot. The students made a similar determination that both Faulkner and the story were necessarily racist. Although I didn't say they were wrong (biting my tongue helped), I tried to make clear the potentially wide gulf between what an author might purposefully represent and what he might personally endorse. This led, thankfully, to a lot more fruitful discussion of the problems of authorial intention and figurative language. I give Will the benefit of the figurative language. I give Will (both of them) the benefit of the doubt. Good luck, David Knauer Northern Illinois University ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1993 22:33:49 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0085 Re: HyperCard Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 85. Tuesday, 16 February 1993. (1) From: Tad Davis Date: Tuesday, 16 Feb 93 09:31:01 -0500 Subj: RE: SHK 4.0082 Re: HyperCard Shakespeare (2) From: Nate Johnson Date: Tuesday, 16 Feb 93 16:30:37 EST Subj: Review of Michael Best's Hypercard Shakespeare's Life and Times (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Tad Davis Date: Tuesday, 16 Feb 93 09:31:01 -0500 Subject: RE: SHK 4.0082 Re: HyperCard Shakespeare >I have found them very useful, if only for one reason - they beat the hell >out of paying (currently) A$80 per play for a concordance. It's a little >time consuming to use them in this way but I have been told that anyone who >knows how to program Hypercard (not me) can work a 'count' facility into >them (if that's what you need). Building a "count" facility into HyperCard WOULD be pretty simple to do, but the results wouldn't be fast. The slowness results from the programming language built into HyperCard, HyperTalk. HyperTalk is faster than BASIC but slower than just about anything else. Despite the sluggishness, though, if you're interested in dabbling in programming, HyperTalk is one of the absolute BEST places to start. I highly recommend it. You can amaze your friends and dismay your enemies with only modest effort. Another interesting project would be to include notes, and then in some unobtrusive way tag the annotated text. Double-clicking on the tagged text could then open a small window containing the annotation. That kind of thing is, after all, one of the promises that "hypertext" holds out. It sure beats jumping from the text to the notes at the bottom of the page and losing your place in both -- something I always end up doing, because I'm an annotation addict, and to this day I can't pass up an opportunity to learn once again that "presently" means "immediately." Tad Davis davist@a1.relay.upenn.edu (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Nate Johnson Date: Tuesday, 16 Feb 93 16:30:37 EST Subject: Review of Michael Best's Hypercard Shakespeare's Life and Times The following review of Michael Best's Hypercard stack may be suggestive in light of the recent discussion on Hypercard Shakespeare texts. Michael Best's Hypercard *Shakespeare's Life and Times* (reviewed by Nate Johnson) Fifteen years ago, we would all have been spending the evening watching television or reading a book. But this last December, when I visited my family for Christmas, my two brothers were riveted to the latest Nintendo game, my mother was playing Tetris on her old IBM XT, while I sat at a new Macintosh Performa 400 running Michael Best's hypercard stack and taking notes on a borrowed IBM notebook. Before anyone gets too nostalgic for the days when "computer" didn't modify "literate," take a look at Michael Best's Hypercard treasure trove, Shakespeare's Life and Times. Best shows us that, paradoxically, cutting edge 20th century technology may be the best way yet to convey a sense of the richly textured world of Shakespeare's England. The bizarre combination of antique and modern--Hypercard and Huswifery--goes a long way towards bridging the gap between the two worlds. Best's program will turn devoted Shakespeareans on to the computer age while computer-addicts will find a vivid introduction to Shakespeare in their own "language." Avoiding the twin extremes of oversimplification and chaos, Best gives Macintosh users more than a MacShakespeare. He takes full advantage of Hypercard's potential to convey a worldview that is as deep as it is wide. The nine stacks (around 12 Mb) range from biography of Shakespeare to social, political, and intellectual background to discussions of eight of the most widely read plays. Yet the intricately networked connections between stacks are what give the program its unique value as a learning tool. Best's application shows that, unlike books, well-designed hypercard stacks can function almost as extensions of the user's memory. Starting in the stack on Shakespeare's life, for example, I can either read from start to finish, "Childhood" through "Retirement," or, as I am often wont to do, let myself be distracted by associations to an entirely different stack. Reading that Shakespeare's family may narrowly have escaped the plague, I can click on the word "plague," immediately taking me to the appropriate section of "social background" on life in London. From there I can call up the card on London's sewer system, where I find out that Fleet river was basically an open sewer and that Ben Jonson wrote a mock-heroic poem about a voyage up the Fleet. From there, I can either call up a passage from the poem, return to the biographical stack, or explore further aspects of English city life. Although the same information may be available in printed form, the Hypercard format allows an ease and speed of access that printed media can't match. Although still too introductory for in-depth research, Best's program is a terrific place to find leads for undergraduate papers. In addition to the wealth of historical and literary information, Best provides hundreds of definitions, quotations, and thumbnail biographies of contemporary figures, as well as a number of well- chosen and up-to-date bibliographies available simply by clicking on "Further Reading" at just about any point in the program. The most striking feature of Shakespeare's Life and Times may be its vast array of illustrations, with 500 graphic images taken mostly from Renaissance sources--maps, portraits, woodcuts, illustrations of dress, architecture, and stage properties--lending a visual dimension to almost every card. The black-and-white woodcuts and engravings of the period make ideal material for scanned-in graphics. The program also gestures towards the integration of audio and animated material. While later versions will include a wider range of brief audio clips, the sound effects in the version I reviewed are limited to the "Music" section of the stack on "The literary background." This sequence is the most effective combination of textual, visual, and audio media in the program. Click on the name or picture of an instrument at any point in the sequence and you'll hear that instrument. In later versions, you'll be able to hear actors reading from the plays. In a sequence entitled "Staging a scene from Hamlet," Best uses limited animation to show how the stage in an Elizabethan outdoor theater works. Here, however, is one area where the execution doesn't quite live up to the idea. While the fixed pictures of the stage and the actors positions and the choice of scene (Hamlet's encounter with the ghost) are appropriate, the primitive animation itself adds little to the overall effect. Later versions of the program may include more sophisticated graphics, possibly including scenes from actual productions. Shakespeare's Life and Times demonstrates the increasing potential for combining state-of-the-art computer technology with scholarship in the humanities. In the context of the recent discussions on Hypercard versions of Shakespeare and the possibility and impossibility of performance criticism, we might ask ourselves what impact technology can or will have on our notions of critical concepts such as "text," "performance," "publication," "reading," "writing," "criticism." As processors and storage technologies become bigger and faster, it may not be too long before a Hypercard Shakespeare could include background written and visual information such as Best provides, as well as several complete, fully indexed texts of each play, facsimiles, concordances, and textually indexed versions of a wide variety of videotaped performances. I highly recommend Shakespeare's Life and Times to anyone with an interest in Shakespeare and computers and especially to instructors who might be interested in integrating computers with a classroom- based approach to texts. I'm sure Michael Best, a SHAKSPER participant, would appreciate any comments or speculation this review might provoke. Shakespeare's Life and Times can be ordered ($79.00) from: Intellimation Library for the Macintosh P.O. Box 1922 Santa Barbara, CA 93116-1922 USA (1-800-3-INTELL) (N.B. Version 2.1 includes more sound resources than the version I reviewed, including passages read in Shakespeare's dialect and more Renaissance music.) ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1993 22:36:59 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0086 Shakespeare and Folklore Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 86. Tuesday, 16 February 1993. From: Luc Borot Date: Tuesday, 16 Feb 93 20:13 Subject: Shakespeare and Folklore From Luc Borot On: Tom Horton's query on Shakespeare and folklore One of the very best books on this topic is Francois Laroque's Shakespeare's Festive World, trans. from the French, Cambridge UP, 1990 or 1991. The author has just told me that CUP was printing a paperback version of this work of his. Other critics of great talent and knowledge on this issue are David Wiles (Bedford New College, London), Michael Hattaway, Michael Bristol, who recently published a book on carnival which I do not have by hand just now. Hattaway edited the Henry VI-s for the New Cambridge Shakespeare. I would not like this to sound like advertising, but I remember interesting articles by Laroque in numbers 32 (on Othello) and 35 (on Macbeth) of Cahiers Elisabethains, whose index is on the SHAKSPER file- server, and others by Hattaway and Wiles of excellent quality in other issues of the same Montpellier publication. Will that do? ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1993 22:41:23 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0087 Relationship Between Playtext and Performance Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 87. Tuesday, 16 February 1993. From: Nick Clary Date: Tuesday, 16 Feb 1993 09:47:15 -0500 (EST) Subject: [Relationship Between Playtext and Performance] While recent contributors to the performance criticism conversation remind me that actors and directors are as intent on doing a play "new" as others are in establishing the historical occasion for a particular performance. Should more of us be wondering about the relationship between reading a playtext and attending a performance of it. Were Elizabethan's only able to read a playtext after the play had been performed? When a play was revived, are we to assume that it must have been different from all versions of the play that had been previously performed (to make it "new") or like only one of the published versions? And if it were revived soon after a version of the playtext was published, would it necessarily follow this particular version or could it be expected to vary not only from this version but from all prior ones? What about the publishing of HAMLET Q1 and Q2 in consecutive years and of OTHELLO Q1 and F1 in consecutive years? Who read which versions? Why? Beyond issues of commercialism or censorship, is there a way to think about such things in a fresh way? Some certainly attended performances without ever reading a published play. Others must certainly have read playtexts without ever attending a performance. Is there anyone out there who is developing a theory about play reading or about play publishing in Elizabethan England? Nick Clary clary@smcvax.bitnet ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1993 22:44:55 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0088 E-Text Information via Gopher and FTP Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 88. Tuesday, 16 February 1993. From: Paul Mangiafico Date: Tuesday, 16 Feb 1993 16:29 EST Subject: E-Text Information via Gopher and FTP We thought this announcement might be of interest to your community. It is also being sent to a number of other discussion groups in the library and humanities communities. Paul Mangiafico, project assistant Center for Text & Technology pmangiafico@guvax.bitnet Academic Computer Center, 238 Reiss pmangiafico@guvax.georgetown.edu Georgetown University tel: 202-687-6096 Washington, DC 20057 USA fax: 202-687-6003 CPET DIGESTS NOW AVAILABLE VIA GOPHER AND FTP For the past four years, Georgetown University's Center for Text & Technology (CTT), under the aegis of the Academic Computer Center, has been compiling a directory of projects that create and analyze electronic text in the humanities. A relational database accessible via the Internet, Georgetown's Catalogue of Projects in Electronic Text (CPET) includes information on more than 350 projects throughout the world. Now digests of project information -- organized by humanities discipline and by language of the electronic text -- can be read, searched, and retrieved by means of the Internet's protocols for Gopher and anonymous FTP. There are digests for 40 different languages, as well as for linguistics, literature, philosophy, biblical studies, and a variety of others, ranging from Medieval and Renaissance studies to Archaeology, African studies, and Buddhism. GOPHER - INSTRUCTIONS FOR ACCESS The CPET digests are organized into subdirectories on Georgetown University's Gopher server. If you have never used Gopher, you may wish to consult your local Internet expert to determine whether you have access to Gopher client software or to obtain for instructions for using it. At many locations, one simply types the word GOPHER at the system prompt of the networked mainframe. Once inside the main Gopher directory, look for CPET files under: Other Gopher and Information Servers North America USA Washington, DC Georgetown University Please note that the menu item for Washington, DC, appears alphabetically after Washington state and not after Delaware. On the Georgetown server look into the directory CPET_PROJECTS_IN_ELECTRONIC_TEXT, where you will find the following files and subdirectories: 1. CPET_DIGESTS_INTRODUCTION.TXT (information on the digests) 2. CPET_INTRODUCTION.TXT (information on the CPET database) 3. CPET_USER_GUIDE.TXT (how to access the on-line database) 4. DIGESTS_DISCIPLINES.DIR (digests organized by discipline) 5. DIGESTS_LANGUAGES.DIR (digests organized by language) The filenames of the digests have as extensions the approximate size in kilobytes of each file; filesize will determine the length of time needed to acquire the file. Before retrieving any of the digests, please read the introductory file (CPET_DIGESTS_INTRODUCTION.TXT). FTP - INSTRUCTIONS FOR ACCESS The digests are arranged in a similar structure in Georgetown's FTP server. To survey the digests, first enter the following command from your system prompt: ftp guvax.georgetown.edu (or ftp 141.161.1.2) When requested, login with the username ANONYMOUS and a password according to the formula YOURNAME@YOURSITE. Once within GUVAX, at the ftp prompt ( often either ftp> or * ), change directories as follows: ftp> cd cpet_projects_in_electronic_text Then if you then enter a directory command -- DIR -- you will find the same files and subdirectories that are described in the preceding section of these directions on gopher. To inspect the other directories in a subdirectory, change directories again. Do not enter the .DIR extension or the version number, and distinguish between hyphens and underscores when typing the filenames. For example, at the prompt enter a command such as the following: ftp>cd digests_disciplines To explore further the directory structure and the file contents, enter the commands to show the directory (DIR) or to change the directory (CD) as often as necessary. Note: some subdirectories contain more than one complete screen of filenames, so when you enter a dir command, the initial contents of the subdirectory may scroll off the screen. To stop the scrolling, use whatever device your system permits. For example, with VAX VMS one would use CTRL-S (that is, hold down the CTRL key and press the S key) to stop scrolling and CTRL-Q to continue scrolling. To retrieve a file, type at the ftp prompt the command GET followed by the name of the file (with the filename extension) that you wish to retrieve. For example, ftp> get finnish.17K A system message will confirm that the file has been transferred to your computer (more specifically, to the directory from which you invoked ftp). To leave FTP, enter at the prompt the command BYE. ftp> bye If you have any questions or comments on this service, or would like to learn more about CPET and Georgetown's Center for Text and Technology, please contact us at the address below. Georgetown Catalogue of Projects in Electronic Text (CPET) Center for Text & Technology Academic Computer Center, Reiss 238 Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057 USA tel: 202-687-6096 fax: 202-687-6003 Contacts: Paul Mangiafico, CPET Project Assistant pmangiafico@guvax.georgetown.edu Dr. Michael Neuman, Director, Center for Text & Technology neuman@guvax.georgetown.edu ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 17 Feb 1993 06:51:40 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0089 Library Lecture Series Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 89. Wednesday, 17 February 1993. From: Daniel Traister Date: Tuesday, 16 Feb 1993 12:53:01 -0500 Subject: Library Lecture Series 1993 ROSENBACH AND GATES LECTURES In March, the University of Pennsylvania Library sponsors two lecture series. Both are free and open to the public. ROSENBACH LECTURES IN BIBLIOGRAPHY The first announcement repeats an announcement already made. JAMES N. GREEN, Curator of Printed Books at The Library Company of Philadelphia, will present the 1993 ROSENBACH LECTURES IN BIBLIOGRAPHY on Tuesday, March 16, Thursday, March 18, and Tuesday, March 23. Speaking about "BOOK PUBLISHING IN EARLY AMERICA," Mr. Green first discusses "Colonial Beginnings: Benjamin Franklin and Robert Bell." His second lecture concerns "The Transformation of the 1790s: Mathew Carey and Mason Locke Weems." His third, en- titled "Charvat Reconsidered: Literary Publishing to 1825," looks anew at the views on this subject of an older Rosenbach Fellow. Lectures will be held in the Lessing J. Rosenwald Gallery on the sixth floor of Van Pelt-Dietrich Library (3420 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106-6206; enter the Library from Locust Walk). They will start at 5:30 P.M. Receptions will follow. Mr. Green has published widely on the early American book trade. He is both a contributor and an advisor to the collaborat- ive history of the book in America, in progress at the American Antiquarian Society in Worcester, and to the history of the book in Britain, forthcoming from Cambridge University Press. He has served two terms as President of the American Printing History Association and is a Member of the Council of the Bibliographical Society of America. He has also served the American Library Asso- ciation and The New-York Historical Society. A graduate of Oberlin College, his advanced degrees come from Columbia and Yale Univer- sities. In addition to his duties at The Library Company, Mr. Green teaches courses in the art and history of the book at the University of the Arts. GATES LECTURES At almost exactly the same time, ALAN SINFIELD, Professor of Cultural Studies at the University of Sussex in Brighton, Eng- land, will deliver the 1993 GATES LECTURES. Professor Sinfield's lectures, intended (like the Rosen- bach Lectures) for eventual publication, are on the general topic of "CULTURAL POLITICS." He will speak on Monday, March 15 ("Shakespeare and Subordinate Reading"), Wednesday, March 17 ("Art as Cultural Production"), Friday, March 19 ("Un-American Activit- ies: Tennessee Williams and Manliness"), and Monday, March 22 ("Lesbian and Gay Subcultures: Reading the Truest Poetry"). His lectures will also be presented at 5:30 P.M. in the Rosenwald Gal- lery (6th floor) of Van Pelt-Dietrich Library. A pioneer in the field of cultural studies, Mr. Sinfield is a prominent literary scholar. He works mainly on Shakespeare and the modern institutions that help produce him; post-1945 Brit- ish politics and culture; early modern culture, especially Protes- tantism; lesbian and gay cultures; and Tennyson and poetic lan- guage. He has been involved in controversy around "cultural materialism," a movement in English studies that stresses the political implications of literary writing; and as convenor of an M.A. program featuring lesbian and gay studies, "Sexual Dissidence and Cultural Change." His most recent book, *Faultlines* (pub- lished last year in the United States by the University of Califor- nia Press) deals with many of the themes, literary and political, which have occupied his attention during his enormously productive scholarly and public life. It elicited a review in the *Sunday Telegraph* by an Oxford don asking "Why should public money pay for Professor Sinfield?" The Gates Lectures honor the memory of Thomas Sovereign Gates, Jr. Mr. Gates was Secretary of the Navy and later of Defense during the administration of President Dwight Eisenhower. He later served President Gerald Ford as Liaison (with the rank of Ambassador) to the People's Republic of China. His papers are held by the Department of Special Collections. Previous speakers in this series have included President Ford and David Eisenhower. Like the Rosenbach Lectures, the Gates Lectures are administered by the University of Pennsylvania Library. For additional information, please call 215 898 7088. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 18 Feb 1993 07:03:21 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0090 Re: Shakespeare and Anti-Semitism; HyperCard Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 90. Thursday, 18 February 1993. (1) From: Piers Lewis Date: Wednesday, 17 Feb 1993 08:56 CST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0084 Re:Shakespeare and Anti-Semitism (2) From: Kevin Berland Date: Wednesday, 17 Feb 93 16:44 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0083 Shakespeare and Anti-Semitism (3) From: Robert F. O'Connor Date: Thursday, 18 Feb 1993 09:19:16 +1000 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0085 Re: HyperCard Shakespeare (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Piers Lewis Date: Wednesday, 17 Feb 1993 08:56 CST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0084 Re:Shakespeare and Anti-Semitism So, is it now a truth universally acknowledged that a single Jewish moneylender in pursuit of a monstrous revenge proves Shakespeare to be antisemitic? Since when does a single instance prove any general truth? Shakespeare's imaginary garden has a real toad in it, and a poisonous toad at that whose name is 'money.' Instead of relishing the fact, we turn it into political allegory--as with everything else that makes us uneasy. Piers Lewis (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kevin Berland Date: Wednesday, 17 Feb 93 16:44 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0083 Shakespeare and Anti-Semitism When Jonathan Miller visited us at McMaster (where he was doing something medical over at the hospital), he talked about Olivier showing up already costumed and made up -- huge putty hooked nose, yellowish skin, ghetto clothing -- and, Miller said, he knew it would be hard to talk him out of all the traditional Jew-trappings, but he had to do something, or his (Miller's) ancestors would spin in their graves... Historically speaking, it would have been difficult (or impossible) for Shakespeare *not* to have been antisemitic. Of course it's different now... Kevin Berland (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Robert F. O'Connor Date: Thursday, 18 Feb 1993 09:19:16 +1000 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0085 Re: HyperCard Shakespeare In response to Tad Davis: it is possible to 'tag' the Hypercard texts, to leave notes or even bookmarks (at which the text will automatically open next time) - I have already profusely 'scribbled' over a text of Macbeth and this has been extraordinarily useful, especially in pulling blocks of text out of the play for inclusion in other stuff. ROC ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 18 Feb 1993 20:38:17 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0092 Re: Shakespeare and Anti-Semitism Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 92. Thursday, 18 February 1993. (1) From: Mike Newman Date: Thursday, 18 Feb 1993 15:17 EST Subj: Shakespeare and the Evidence of the Text (2) From: Stephen Orgel Date: Thursday, 18 Feb 93 16:02:12 PST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0090 Re: Shakespeare and Anti-Semitism; (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Mike Newman Date: Thursday, 18 Feb 1993 15:17 EST Subject: Shakespeare and the Evidence of the Text Those who have recently posted comments on the matter of anti-Semitism in The Merchant of Venice have not seen fit to adduce much evidence from the text (such as Shylock's citing Jacob as a model or the parodic deprecating of Jacob in Lancelot Gobbo's Esau-like trick on his blind father). Is this disregard for textual evidence based on the fact that it is difficult to gather such evidence and construe it carefully (so that off-the-cuff comments like my own will necessarily characterize the level of discourse on discussion groups), or is the disregard a reflection of the disrepute into which New Criticism has fallen? Mike Neuman Georgetown (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Stephen Orgel Date: Thursday, 18 Feb 93 16:02:12 PST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0090 Re: Shakespeare and Anti-Semitism; Re the hooked nose, etc., Jews were Spanish/Mediterranean in Shakespeare's time, and had names like Lopez or Soncino, or alternatively Dutch, and had names like Abraham or Solomon (or Tubal). Shylock is an ENGLISH name. Sam Schoenbaum cites an action Shakespeare brought against one of his Stratford neighbors, for repayment of a debt with interest. So it looks as if Shylock wasn't an outsider at all... Stephen Orgel ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 18 Feb 1993 20:32:04 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0091 Re: Relationship Between Playtext and Performance Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 91. Thursday, 18 February 1993. (1) From: Nick Clary Date: Thursday, 18 Feb 1993 11:02:22 -0500 (EST) Subj: [Relationship Between Playtext and Performance] (2) From: Steve Urkowitz Date: Thursday, 18 Feb 93 19:08:05 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0087 Relationship Between Playtext and Performance (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Nick Clary Date: Thursday, 18 Feb 1993 11:02:22 -0500 (EST) Subject: [Relationship Between Playtext and Performance] In an e-mail response to my question about playtext reading, Doug Lanier noted that David Bergeron is preparing a volume of essays under the title WRITING AND READING IN THE ELIZABETHAN AGE. Doug and I have shared thoughts on the difficulties we have found in locating evidence of real readers at work, rather than the ideal readers assumed by dedicatory matter. He asks in this most recent posting, "Other than the texts themselves (which also posit "ideal" rather than "real" readers, or at least combine the two in uncertain ways) and marginalia (hard to find, never easy to interpret), what sort of evidence would you counsel one interested in this problem to focus on?" Any ideas? Nick Clary clary@smcvax.bitnet (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Steve Urkowitz Date: Thursday, 18 Feb 93 19:08:05 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0087 Relationship Between Playtext and Performance Oooh, what a nice question about reading and observing plays . . . Alas, too often the bibliographic-textual-editorial gang seem to be the only ones thinking about those playbooks floating around London, but their vision seems painfully tunnelled. You can come upon theories about the "bad" quartos as memorial reconstructions of texts revised after initial performances, followed by later texts which represented earlier versions but somehow untouched by the revising process. The theories tangle deliciously, as theories are wont to do. But readers of texts don't leave very deep tracks on the texts, though I've argued that Q2 Romeo and Juliet, for instance, may be seen as the track left by a particularly authorial reader as he plowed the Q1 version. The memorial reconstruction arguments would seem to be proposing that we can observe the mis-reading of the "genuine" texts by the pirates or the actors or the unknown scribes. Whatever those multiple texts represent, they reveal some kinds of imaginative engagement with scripts and performances, real or fantasized. As ever, Steve Ur-quarto-witz SURCC@CUNYVM ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 18 Feb 1993 22:04:21 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0093 Pseudonym? Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 93. Thursday, 18 February 1993. From: Doris Smith Date: Thursday, 18 Feb 1993 15:23:59 -0600 (CST) Subject: Pseudonym? I've know for years of the question many people have regarding the authorship of Shakespeare's works. However, today for the first time I heard that some scholars say that there was no such person as William Shakespeare, and that it was a pseudonym used by some nobleman whose coat of arms showed an arm and fist shaking a spear. Is this one of the theories floating about? doris smith (dorisann@tenet.edu) [Doris, I think someone must be pulling your leg. Shakespeare's biography is not a speciality of mine, but I felt the necessity of posting an immediate reply to your query. I have gleaned the following from Samuel Schoenbaum's *William Shakespeare: A Documentary Life* with the proviso that all factual mistakes are my own. In 1568, Master John Shakespeare, William's father, was elected as Stratford's high bailiff (justice of the peace, presider over the town Council, and the town's highest elected office -- the equivalent of being mayor). After being elected bailiff, Master Shakespeare made preliminary inquiries to the College of Heralds to receive a grant of arms, conferring on him the status of gentleman. The grant was not pursued, seemingly because of financial difficulties. In 1596, John's application was renewed, probably by his now prosperous son William. There still exist two drafts of a document granting John's request; they are dated 20 October 1596 and were prepared by Sir William Dethick, Garter King-of-Arms. John Shakespeare's shield is described thus: "Gould. on A Bend Sables. a Speare of the first steeled argent. And for his Creast or Cognizance a falcon. his winges displayed Argent. standing on a wrethe of his Coullors. supporting a Speare Gould. steeled as aforesaid sett uppon a helmett with mantelles & tasselles as hathe ben accustomed and dothe more playnely appeare depicted on this margent." Accompanying the shield and crest is the motto "NON SANZ DROICT," not without right. As you can see, the coat of arms was William's father's. I hope that the above answers your question. If you would care to read further, I would recommend Schoenbaum's *A Documentary Life* and his *Shakespeare's Lives*. Frank Wadsworth's *The Poacher from Stratford* is also highly recommended. --hmc] ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 19 Feb 1993 06:22:53 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0094 Review: NTD *Hamlet* Adaptation Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 94. Friday, 19 February 1993. From: Tony Naturale Date: Wednesday, 17 Feb 1993 08:52:51 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Review: NTD *Hamlet* Adaptation To Be or Not To Be Ophelia (by Tony Naturale) In its 26th season, National Theatre of the Deaf (NTD) presented a unique adaptation of Shakespeare's Hamlet, allowing a fuller expression of actions and passions in ASL. The play was held in the Panara Theatre at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (Rochester, NY). In the original Shakespeare's version of Hamlet, Ophelia had been viewed as an overly sensitive, poetically oriented tragic figure; cursed by crazed Hamlet, her lover, Ophelia sought to make things right when things only became worse. Grieving over the death of her father, Ophelia lost her mind; in her "lunatic" state, Ophelia eventually drowned in a river. Later, Hamlet became despondent after receiving the news of her death. As the play turned darker, Hamlet came face to face with a crisis in his life, his existential crisis; "To be or not to be, that is the question," Hamlet wondered. Hamlet (and Shakespeare) left many of us wondering about his true answer. Hamlet remained as one of the most challenging, puzzling, and yet rewarding plays. In this adaptation of Hamlet, the playwright Jeff Wanshel worked closely with NTD to develop further the role of Ophelia. Ostensibly to present a woman's point of view in this "rotten kingdom" of Denmark, the play became an experiment with mixed results. To keep the action rolling, plot was changed, scenes borrowed from other Shakespeare's plays were included, and conflicts between Ophelia and Hamlet were highlightened further. Wanshel also rearranged the series of death scenes, ending with Ophelia's. In this way, it was Ophelia who witnessed all the traumatic deaths of Polonius, the Queen, the King, Laertes and finally, Hamlet. In her own death scene, we all grieved deeply with her at all the tragic events; yet we were also introduced to the poetic world of Ophelia, in which flowers talked with and consoled her, the river cradled her to nurturing comfort, and Nature welcomed Ophelia in a womblike embrace. (Her death scene was definitely eco-feminist, in this reviewer's opinion.) In the title role of Ophelia, Camille Jeter was at once delicate and yet brutally frank; she appeared more cerebral, more reserved, and more in control. Unlike Hamlet who had already "gone beserk", Ophelia went through a major change. Earlier, Ophelia had "juggled" the dual but conflicting roles: a submissive daughter for her father while becoming a passionate lover for Hamlet. This constant juggling, however, came crashing down when Hamlet killed Polonius, her father. Here, Jeter delivered a heart-wrenching judgement against the male sex; Jeter's anger flared through in her outrage against men who have dominated and ruined her life; in her, the tension crackled and flashed between her love for Hamlet and the duty for her father. Here, Jeter presented a feminist view of her existence in this patriarchical society ruled by deceits and naked "will to power"; Jeter shared with us her anguish, her struggle to find a meaning in life, in which pain dominated pleasure, insanity overruled reason, and lies were easier to face than truth. At the funeral procession to the graveyard for Polonius, Ophelia expressed, in a painfully clear way, the absurdity of her existence. In this funereal context, Jeter asked for a reason to live. "To be or not to be? that is the question." In her hands, Camille Jeter performed one of the most compelling interpretations of this speech. The role of Hamlet, while stripped of the speech, was still powerful. Played by a veteran actor, Troy Kotsur, Hamlet was very passionate and determined to get what he wanted. As a crazed Hamlet, Kotsur displayed a wide range of emotions through his animate facial expressions, body postures, physical movements and of course, his visceral delivery of sign language. This Hamlet was very much alive, wrestling with dark emotions and dangerous ideas. As the ideas grew more unreconcilable, Hamlet struggled to confront his mother, the Queen. Hamlet could not for long remain silent with the foreboding knowledge of the Queen's involvement in the conspiracy to kill his father, the King of Denmark. The rest of the cast did well in maintaining the Shakespearean pageantry in the background. The Player-King (Joseph Sarpy) demonstrated his skills as a poet-creator. He helped express the morbid thoughts of Hamlet in a unique theatrical technique of "thought-balooning"; while Hamlet sat, brooding in soliptic manner, the Player-King revealed the thoughts through signs. There was an aiery movements of thoughts, floating above Hamlet. This was a powerfully creative use of supporting cast, to engage in the magic recreation of thoughts through ASL. Polonius, acted by Robert DeMayo, was a perfect example of a money-obsessed, sexually repressed, and overprotective father of his "virgin" daughter. Instead of seeing Ophelia as a human being, Polonius viewed her as valuable commodity. And with a prospect of her marriage to Hamlet becoming stronger, Ophelia would give Polonius a profitable access to the royal court of Denmark. All in all, this show was a fine performance of Ophelia. Jeter should be proud of having made "herstory" in this unique adaptation of Hamlet. The National Theatre of the Deaf should continue to explore adapting more plays by Shakespeare in order to explore the beauty of Signs as Visual-Gestural Thoughts of the Renaissance and the Restoration Cultures. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 19 Feb 1993 22:39:31 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0095 Re: Shakespeare and Anti-Semitism; Pseudonym? Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 95. Friday, 19 February 1993. (1) From: Rick Jones Date: Friday, 19 Feb 1993 13:14:23 -0600 (CST) Subj: RE: SHK 4.0092 Re: Shakespeare and Anti-Semitism (2) From: Tad Davis Date: Friday, 19 Feb 93 08:58:01 -0500 Subj: RE: SHK 4.0093 Pseudonym? (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Rick Jones Date: Friday, 19 Feb 1993 13:14:23 -0600 (CST) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0092 Re: Shakespeare and Anti-Semitism Two thoughts on the Shylock/anti-Semitism theme: First, if Macklin's 18th century performance was revolutionary (as I, at least, have been led to believe) because it presented a sympathetic Shylock, it seems reasonable to conjecture that many/most/all previous portrayals took a more negative view of his character -- he was either villain or fool. Presumably Shakespeare had something to say about the way the role was played -- so it was not his intent to create a particularly sympathetic character (that he may have done so despite his intentions is of course a different matter). Second, OF COURSE, judged by the standards of the late 20th century, Shakespeare was anti-Semitic, sexist, racist, anti-democratic, and a whole lot of other nasty things. So was everyone else. So are we all, though the list might be different. I am often reminded of Ogden Nash's comments on looking at a hippopotamus: "But then, in moments dark and grim, Imagine how WE look to HIM." Shakespeare transcended his age in many ways, but he was still a product of it. The question, then, is not whether he had this or that prejudice, but whether these prejudices (relative to our own mythologies) so interfere with our understanding of the work(s) as a whole that we can see nothing else. Sometimes the answer is going to be yes -- there is some Jacobean tragedy that is so offensively sexist that I can't bring myself to re-read it, let alone assign it to my students with a clear conscience. But there is little in Shakespeare _per se_ that crosses over that line for me. -- Rick Jones Cornell College (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Tad Davis Date: Friday, 19 Feb 93 08:58:01 -0500 Subject: RE: SHK 4.0093 Pseudonym? To which I would add that several years later, a faction within the Heralds' College challenged the Shakespeare grant. Over a rough sketch of the Shakespeare coat of arms, someone wrote, apparently contemptuously, "Shakespeare ye player." Tad Davis davist@a1.relay.upenn.edu ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 20 Feb 1993 20:44:57 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0096 Re: Shakespeare and Anti-Semitism Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 96. Saturday, 20 February 1993. From: Robert F. O'Connor Date: Saturday, 20 Feb 1993 16:56:27 +1000 Subject: Re: Shakespeare and Anti-Semitism I think that one of the reasons contemporary audiences and readers of Shakespeare find the overt anti-Semitism of 'Merchant of Venice' so disturbing is its intensity. Shylock is so identifiably 'other' -- despite the apparent Englishness of his name -- and the feelings against him so strong and so obvious that we find we have to apologise for them. Perhaps some (like me) brought up to believe in the essential 'greatness' of Shakespeare find the anti-Semitism expressed here, or the sexism in 'Taming of the Shrew', so distressing that we have to pretend that this not in fact what they are, hence readings of the plays involving the recentering of the marginalised etc. We are used to villains in Shakespeare, certainly, but where is there a level of loathing expressed about one even comparable to the sentiments in 'Merchant'? No one else comes in for this kind of serve. I think it is reductive to try and defend the anti-Semitism represented in 'Merchant', or to pretend it isn't there, or that it is in fact something else -- a reading of the Homilies would soon show exactly what was thought of the Jews in Elizabethan England. The question is not 'what is it?', or even 'why is it here?' Perhaps, in view of the discussion going on about performance criticism, a more useful question would be 'what can we do with it?' ROC ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 21 Feb 1993 19:22:25 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0097 Re: Shakespeare and Anti-Semitism Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 97. Sunday, 21 February 1993. From: Jay L Halio Date: Sunday, 21 Feb 1993 17:13:28 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: Shakespeare and Anti-Semitism Robert O'Connor asks the right question, at least as regards contemporary approaches to *Merchant*, whether in class or in the theater. Clearly, there is plenty of anti-semitism in the play, as expressed by almost all of the Venetians who stand opposite Shylock. Even the RSC admit this when they try to stage the play, while at the same time insisting that the play itself is not anti-semitic. The latter point is much more difficult to defend, as most critics sooner or later discover. Some years ago the RSC tried to demonstrate what they meant by staging Merlowe's *Jew of Malta* back to back with *Merchant*--the one at the Swan, the other (with Antony Sher) at the main house, but in my view it badly backfired. The fact is that the play is so full of inconsistencies and contradictions that no simple, reductive statement can be made. I suggest people seriously interested in the problem read Norman Rabkin's illuminating essay in *Meaning and Shakespeare* as well as Mahood's brief survey of the stage history and the play's background in her NCS edition. But to return to ROC's question, I believe actors have to try to incorporate in their renditions of Shakespeare these very contradictions, and we as critics and teachers have to reveal the ambivalences within the text. These, I think, will reflect our ambivalences, which we may or (more likely) may not be fully aware of, especially as we approach this play or others like it. Jay Halio P.S. Whoever informed Professor Jones at Cornell College that Macklin was a tragic Shylock misinformed him, I believe, at least if the implication was that he anticipated the *tragic* Shylock of Henry Irving. Macklin was a deadly serious Shylock, but none the less a villain--as opposed to the comic villains of his predecessors on the stage. That Shakespeare may have initially conceived Shylock as a comic figure is very likely, and I have seen the character portrayed that way quite successfully--much to my astonishment, having been brought up as I was on the Irving conception. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 22 Feb 1993 06:25:46 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0098 *MV* and Usury Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 98. Monday, 22 February 1993. From: Tom Loughlin Date: Sunday, 21 Feb 1993 8:07 pm EST Subject: MOV AND USURY Speaking as one who has played the role of Shylock, there is one point I would like to make regarding the anti-semitism of the play. Without lessening in the least the fact that all the characters in the play dislike Shylock because he is Jewish, the central antagonism between Shylock and Antonio is far more focused on the question of usury that it is on simple Jew- or gentile-hating. Antonio is quite ready to be friends with Shylock the minute Shylock makes his (false) offer to lend money without interest ("...and say there is much kindness in the Jew"). Shylock himself, in the same scene (i.iii), states readily that he hates Antonio "because he is a Christian, *but more*, for that he lends out money gratis, and brings the rate of usance down with us here in Venice." These two men are clearly business enemies. True, the usury argument does split down religious lines, but by Shakespeare's day gaining interest from money lended out was a recognized practice. It's a point in playing the play that is hard to get audiences to focus on because of all the religious baggage attached to it. And of course, why would an anti-semite even bother to write that beautiful monologue "Hath not a Jew eyes?"? --------------------------------------------------------------- Tom Loughlin * BITNET Dept. of Theatre Arts * loughlin@fredonia SUNY College at Fredonia * INTERNET Fredonia NY 14063 * loughlin@jane.cs.fredonia.edu Voice: 716.673.3597 * Fax: 716.673.3397 * "Hail, hail Freedonia, land of * the brave and free." G. Marx --------------------------------------------------------------- ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 22 Feb 1993 18:35:01 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0099 *MV*: Usury and Anti-Semitism Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 99. Monday, 22 February 1993. (1) From: Kay Stockholder Date: Monday, 22 Feb 93 07:40:36 PST Subj: SHK 4.0098 *MV* and Usury (2) From: Rick Jones Date: Monday, 22 Feb 1993 11:42:24 -0600 (CST) Subj: RE: SHK 4.0098 *MV* and Usury (3) From: David Richman Date: Monday, 22 Feb 1993 14:13:30 -0500 (EST) Subj: RE: SHK 4.0097 Re: Shakespeare and Anti-Semitism (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kay Stockholder Date: Monday, 22 Feb 93 07:40:36 PST Subject: SHK 4.0098 *MV* and Usury The way the play is anti-semitic is that it uses the image of the Jew to signify a greed for money that infects the whole society. In that sense Shylock as a Jew functions as a scapegoat for Shakespeare's efforts to separate money from commerce, or to find a good version of money involvement. I don't think that anyone doubts that in the process he penetrated to the troublesome humanity within figures who are cast as scapegoats, but that doesn't prevent the play from being anti-semitic. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Rick Jones Date: Monday, 22 Feb 1993 11:42:24 -0600 (CST) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0098 *MV* and Usury Thanks to Tom Loughlin for an important distinction. It strikes me that there are a couple of points to be made here. First, someone suggested a while back (during the "performance criticism" debate) that actors, directors, scholars and teachers are engaged in different jobs with different audiences in mind. True enough, but we're often the same people: using what we learn wearing one hat to perform our other jobs better would seem to be only sensible. Second, I didn't [mean to] suggest that Macklin's Shylock was tragic, only that it was relatively more sympathetic than his predecessors' had been. I think this is a variation on Tom's idea: Macklin's Shylock was determined by his actions, not predetermined from his first entrance: this is a major advance in an era of fright wigs. Finally, I've never seen what I would call a good production of _MV_, let alone a successful one with a predominately comic Shylock. So here's a plea to Jay Halio (and anyone else) for more information... Rick Jones Cornell College (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: David Richman Date: Monday, 22 Feb 1993 14:13:30 -0500 (EST) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0097 Re: Shakespeare and Anti-Semitism I try to grapple with questions of anti-Semitism and modern and contemporary performance in chapters two and four of my *Laughter, Pain, and Wonder*. I found Hume Cronin's disturbingly comic Shylock at Stratford Ontario in the mid-'seventies surprisingly effective. David Richman ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 23 Feb 1993 09:56:24 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0100 Shakespeare's Anti-Semitism Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 100. Tuesday, 23 February 1993. (1) From: Herbert S. Donow Date: Monday, 22 Feb 93 17:00:20 CST Subj: Shakespeare's Anti-Semitism (2) From: Robert O'Connor Date: Tuesday, 23 Feb 1993 11:46:13 +1000 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0099 *MV*: Usury and Anti-Semitism (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Herbert S. Donow Date: Monday, 22 Feb 93 17:00:20 CST Subject: Shakespeare's Anti-Semitism The following are three paragraphs from a longer paper, and my remarks about Tubal need, probably, to be in the fuller context, but the issue of Shakespeare's anti-Semitism really should be seen in the appropriate Elizabethan context. I have always believed the issue of anti-Semitism to be something of a red herring. During the period of Shakespeare's life, there were a number of portrayals, both on the stage and page, of greedy moneylenders. Although there were plays or other works in addition to Marlowe's and Shakespeare's with Jewish characters, there were plenty whose usurers were clearly not Jews: Robert Greene's Old Gorinius in A Groatsworth of Wit, Massinger's Sir Giles Overreach in A New Way to Pay Old Debts, Middleton's Pecunius Lucre in A Trick to Catch the Old One are but a few of the better known characters of this ilk. Shylock's behavior, like the rest of them, is attributable essentially to his materialistic and exploitative occupa- tion rather than to his religion. His Jewishness was more of an atten- tion-getter, playing on a popular theme of the day, than a significant issue in the play. Thomas Nashe, in Christs Teares Over Jerusalem, makes essentially this point when he writes, "Let us leave of the Proverbe which we use to a cruell dealer, saying, Goe thy waies, thou art a Jewe; and say, Goe thy waies, thou art a Londoner. For then Londoners, are none more hard harted and cruell" (II, p. 159). Furthermore, there is an important moment in the play--at the conclusion of Act III, scene i, when Shylock is alone with Tubal, a fellow Jew and moneylender--in which the issue of anti-Semitism may arguably be laid to rest. If Shakespeare's audience saw Shylock as a figure to be condemned, at least in part, because he is a Jew, we must recognize that there are two other Jews in the play--his daughter and Tubal. We tend to dismiss Jessica as a Jew because she appears to repudiate her religion by marrying Lorenzo, but that may not exactly be the case. Remember she says "Though I am a daughter to his blood,/ I am not to his manners." One reading of those lines would suggest that she is acknowledging her Jewish blood but repudi- ating her father's behavior and mean-spiritedness. However, it is the other Jew in the play, Tubal, that may provide us with a normative image of the Jew, one which is not linked to the traditional biases of medieval and renaissance thought. Tubal is Shakespeare's instrument to ensure that Shylock's twisted character, his greed and unpalatable economic theory, are not linked to the issue of his Jewishness. In this brief passage of fifty lines (III.i.72- 120), Tubal emerges as a character of some depth, capable of amusing himself at Shylock's expense while still acting as a friend. Solanio and Salerio, earlier in the scene, maliciously remind Shylock of his fugitive daughter, a refrain that Tubal echoes, only in a more benevolent style and tone. Tubal--and perhaps the others of his community--does not share Shy- lock's single-minded hatred of the Christian nor his obsession with revenge against Antonio. (In this, Tubal may have a moral ancestor in the charac- ter of Gerontus, a Jewish moneylender in Robert Wilson's interlude, The Three Ladies of London. When Mercator sought to evade his debt to Gerontus by forsaking Christianity, the appalled Gerontus forgoes collection so that the unprincipled Mercator's act of apostasy will not be on his conscience.) Shylock's misanthropy is a consequence of individual experience, and despite Shylock's darker nature, he is, nevertheless, a comic figure. It is this scene which separates Tubal (and the Jewish community) from Shylock's sociopathic behavior and which emphatically displays Shylock's comic side. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Robert O'Connor Date: Tuesday, 23 Feb 1993 11:46:13 +1000 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0099 *MV*: Usury and Anti-Semitism Tom Loughlin has, I think, bought up a good point about Shakespearean anti-Semitism by referring us to The "Hath not a Jew eyes" speech -- I am surprised it hasn't come up before now. I also have to agree with the points that have been made about usury -- I have always felt in my own reading of the play that Shylock's religious grudge against Antonio is entirely secondary to his finacial ones. In the productions I have seen it is often Shylock's bewailing of his lost ring and jewels and ducats that elicits the laughter from the audience. But would it not be true to say that even this is derived from a stereotypical view of Jews at the time? one that had little or nothing to do with religion, perhaps, and more to do with their putative 'control' of finance. ROC ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 23 Feb 1993 10:04:08 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0101 Q: Folger Library and Theatre Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 101. Tuesday, 23 February 1993. From: John T. Aney Date: Monday, 22 Feb 93 21:45:33 EST Subject: The Folger Theatre and Library Having been given a week off for good behavior in March, my fiancee intend on traveling to Washington, DC for a little break (Florida seemed too traditional). I was wondering, if there is anyone in the DC area on the SHAKSPER network, if they could fill me in on some things; A) What is playing at the Folger the 12th through the 18th of March. B) How much are tix...is there a student rate, and how do I go about obtaining them. C) What the admittance policy is at the Folger Library. Are all areas open to the general public, or do you need special permission like the Library of Congress for some areas. Thanks ahead for your response. ----Go Blahzers!--- The best penetrating team in the league!!! (smirk) -JANEY@UCS.INDIANA.EDU ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 23 Feb 1993 10:10:50 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0102 Jonson's *Oberon* in Cleveland Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 102. Tuesday, 23 February 1993. From: Thomas G. Bishop Date: Tuesday, 23 Feb 93 09:07:06 -0500 Subject: Production of Ben Jonson's "Oberon" in Cleveland Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland State University are pleased to announce four fully-staged performances of the Jacobean court masque Oberon, the Fairy Prince (First performed New Year's, 1611 before King James) by Ben Jonson design by E. Guy Hare after the sketches of Inigo Jones music by Alfonso Ferrabosco, John Dowland, William Byrd et al dances choreographed and led from original materials by Ken Pierce Stage direction by Barrie Rutter of RSC and Northern Broadsides Music direction by David Douglass of "The Kings Noyse" This unique production will be performed, danced and sung according to period practices in the Ballroom of Thwing Center at Case Western Reserve University, in Cleveland OH at 8 pm on March 24 thru 27 1993. Ticket information and reservations, including by credit card, can be had by calling the Music Dept. Case Western Reserve University, at (216) 368- 2400. Or you can email me back and I'll send you the details. -- Tom Bishop "I saw the danger, yet I walked Dept of English Along the enchanted way, Case Western Reserve University And I said let grief be a fallen leaf Cleveland, OH 44106.(tgb2@po.cwru.edu) At the dawning of the day." P.K. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 23 Feb 1993 22:43:39 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0103 Re: Folger Library and Theatre Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 103. Tuesday, 23 February 1993. From: Milla Riggio Date: Tuesday, 23 Feb 93 10:34 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0101 Q: Folger Library and Theatre Dear John Aney: To catch you up to date as much as I can: There is NOTHING at the Folger, as far as I know, during the weeks you will be in Washington. The Folger Shakespeare Theatre is now The Shakespeare Theatre and has a wonderful new theatre called the Lansburgh. Its address slips my mind, but it isn't hard to find. Right now, there's a great production of THE COMEDY OF ERRORS there. I don't know when it ends but by mid-March the show will be Brecht's MOTHER COURAGE. Call the Lansburgh to ask about student rates; I don't know about them. At the moment, the Arena Theatre (more expensively) is doing a fine play by Carlyle Brown called something like "The African Company Presents Richard III." I don't know when that ends, either. But a Washington paper will tell the tale. About the library: any scholar can use it, but you have to apply for a reader's card and you will require, I think, a letter from your college librarian and perhaps a reference or two. I've forgotten now what the precise requirements are, but again, it's worth a call to find out. You can get the card and use the library on the same trip. There are open stacks with modern books and a lot of material you can only call up and use in a protected reading room. You can take a computer if you happen to have one. But you can't CALL FOR rare materials on Saturday. You can use them then if you have called them up on Friday. The other rules you can learn in the library. Best wishes and good luck on your trip, Milla Riggio [Comedy of Errors runs through March 14; for ticket information call (202) 628-5770. --hmc] ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 23 Feb 1993 22:59:39 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0104 *MV*: Anti-Semitism and Usury Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 104. Tuesday, 23 February 1993. (1) From: Tad Davis Date: Tuesday, 23 Feb 93 10:27:01 -0500 Subj: RE: SHK 4.0100 Shakespeare's Anti-Semitism (2) From: David A. Bank Date: Tuesday, 23 Feb 93 20:52:21 GMT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0095 Re: Shakespeare and Anti-Semitism; Pseudonym? (3) From: Jay L Halio Date: Tuesday, 23 Feb 1993 14:34:37 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0099 *MV*: Usury and Anti-Semitism (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Tad Davis Date: Tuesday, 23 Feb 93 10:27:01 -0500 Subject: RE: SHK 4.0100 Shakespeare's Anti-Semitism Herbert S. Donow writes: > During the period of Shakespeare's life, there were a number of > portrayals, both on the stage and page, of greedy moneylenders. Although > there were plays or other works in addition to Marlowe's and > Shakespeare's with Jewish characters, there were plenty whose usurers > were clearly not Jews... Stage portrayals aside... the nearest usurious moneylender Shakespeare encountered was his own father. I realize there is no reputable critical approach that would consider that the least bit relevant. But as a sometime playwright myself, I find it intensely fascinating. The discussion of antisemitism, either in the play or in Shakespeare himself, is also endlessly fascinating, and I found Mr. Donow's comments especially interesting. I'm not sure the issue could ever be resolved. If Shakespeare includes an unsympathetic Jewish character in one of his plays, that doesn't necessarily make him antisemitic; if he includes a sympathetic Jewish character in the same play, it doesn't necessarily free him of suspicion. (It's not as if the Christians in the play are shown as sympathetic embodiments of THEIR faith. What an awful crew of yuppies!) Part of the difficulty, I think, is that Shakespeare himself didn't know what to make of Shylock. (More unjustifiable speculation follows...) I think he had a conception of the character that lifted him above the stereotype to something approaching tragic dignity; yet when he needed a cheap laugh, the stereotype was there and proved irresistable. Mark Twain, I think, had the same problem with Jim in "Huckleberry Finn." Tad Davis davist@a1.relay.upenn.edu (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: David A. Bank Date: Tuesday, 23 Feb 93 20:52:21 GMT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0095 Re: Shakespeare and Anti-Semitism; Pseudonym? There can't have been too many Jews around in late 16th c. London. They had been proscribed by Edward II and weren't readmitted until Cromwell's Protectorate. One that *is* known about is Dr Lopez, who was notorious for a (supposed) attempt on the life of Queen Elizabeth. There are a few others kicking around in books, but of *real* Jews in the London of the time who knows of any others? Isn't the point somewhat more than marginal to the discussion? -- about "racism" I mean. (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jay L Halio Date: Tuesday, 23 Feb 1993 14:34:37 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0099 *MV*: Usury and Anti-Semitism For R. Jones: The comic Shylock I refer to was way back in the 1950s at Ashland, OR, with Angus Bowmer in the role. He wore a red wig, red beard, and putty nose as many eighteenth-century Shylocks did, and spoke with a "Jewish" accent, i.e. middle-European or Yiddish. He was in every sense a comic butt, as probably Shakespeare intended him to be initially. I don't recall much more of the production, I'm afraid, but I'm sure you can find some account of it in reviews. I suspect the period was 1956-60, or thereabouts. In any case, it was not the first time Bowmer acted in the role and, as founding director of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, he usually tried to make his productions as authentically "Elizabethan" as possible. Ashland now, of course, has somewhat departed from that tradition. Jay Halio ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1993 09:30:07 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0105 More on Shakespeare and Anti-Semitism Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 105. Thursday, 25, February 1993. (1) From: Fritz Levy Date: Tuesday, 23 Feb 1993 23:38:02 -0800 (PST) Subj: Jews (2) From: John Mucci Date: Tuesday, 24 Feb 93 18:18:00 UT Subj: RE: Real Anti-Semitism (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Fritz Levy Date: Tuesday, 23 Feb 1993 23:38:02 -0800 (PST) Subject: Jews If you'd like to find out more about Jews in Elizabethan England, the person to ask is Jim Shapiro at Columbia U. (English Dept.), who is writing a book on the whole subject. Is Jim on the list? Fritz Levy History, University of Washington [Jim Shapiro is not a member of SHAKSPER. --hmc] (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John Mucci Date: Tuesday, 24 Feb 93 18:18:00 UT Subject: RE: Real Anti-Semitism Mr Cook: I showed some of the comments made on Anti-Semitism in The Merchant of Venice to the editor of the *Elizabethan Review* and I think his comments are of such a nature that those on SHAKSPER might well consider them: ---------------------------------------- I think the only real way to determine if the author of _The Merchant of Venice_ was anti-Semitic is to check his other work for references to Jews and the context in which these references are made. For instance, in _Much Ado About Nothing_ the hero (Benedick) is wooing the heroine, Beatrice, and closes Act II scene iii with these remarks: "If I do not take pity of her [Beatrice], I am a villain; if I do not love her, I am a Jew." To put these words in the mouth of Benedick is wholly gratuitous and tells us that the author was deliberately playing to the audience's prejudices and probably revealing his own -- or being amoral in allowing the dictates of commercial success to shape his work. There are other references to Jews in the canon. For instance, in _Two Gentlemen of Verona_, yet another "comedy" of Shakespeare's Lance speaks of his parting from his family thus: "I think Crab, my dog, be the sourest- natured dog that lives. My mother weeping, my father wailing, my sister crying, our maid howling, our cat wringing her hands... yet did not this cruel-hearted cur shed one tear. He is a stone... and has no more pity in him than a dog. A Jew would have wept to have seen our parting." I could continue in this vein, but others can check out a good concordance to see how Shakespeare uses phrases such as "icony Jew" and "Hebrew Christian." I think it conclusive that Shakespeare was an anti-Semite, and wrote *MV* as an anti-Semitic tract. What makes this so interesting is that Jews, after being kicked out of England in 1290, had been forbidden from returning until 1658 by Oliver Cromwell. So Shakespeare--and the English-- didn't have any Jews to hate. Why, then, have anti-Semitic references in popular drama? Good question. ---------------------------------------------------- Gary Goldstein, Editor, The Elizabethan Review ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1993 09:34:50 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0106 Shakespeare Test Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 106. Thursday, 25, February 1993. From: David Knauer Date: Wednesday, 24 Feb 93 17:39 CST Subject: Shakespeare Test In light of the ongoing discussion of whether Shakespeare is entrapped by or escapes from his (and our) dominant cultural conceptions of differences racial, religious, economic, etc., the following passages demonstrate how partisan this debate appears to have become, at least in England. They are extracted from an article in the *Chicago Tribune*, 24 Feb., 1993 (sec. 7, pp. 13-14). Britain's government has decreed that 14-year-olds must take a standardized test on a Shakespeare play. That has enraged teachers and brought on a skirmish between Old Guard and avante- garde over the true meaning of Shakespeare's work. "Shakespeare was a subversive," claims director Michael Bogdanov, who has gone into the breach with left- wing forces. "Anarchists need to reclaim him from the establishment, which has hijacked his words to shore up the status quo." "Shakespeare was an upwardly mobile fellow who knew the value of money," says Brian John, an English teacher who recently challanged Bogdanov at a public debate. "There's no doubt that he was a man of the political right." Directors and academics have joined the fray, which has grown so hot that most teachers now say they will boycott the tests. Sheila Lawlor, an education specialist at a right-wing London think-tank, says she stands by old methods such as memorizing soliloquies "because you carry Shakespeare through life." As a 12-year-old, she says, the "quality of mercy" speech in "The Merchant of Venice" meant nothing to her. But in middle age, "it comes back to me often as a wise bit of poetry that I'm glad to know." Those on the left dismiss such notions as elitist. Alan Sinfield, an English professor at Sussex University, says the tests are a way "to re-create a prole class" by making poor students feel that "they don't even have what it takes when it comes to an icon of our national culture." Bogdanov, for his part, is something of a nihilist. "There should be a moratorium on Shakespeare," he concludes. "Close the shows, burn all the theses. Then people can start fresh in 20 years and we can see what a rebel he really is." Does anyone out there still doubt that this is just as much a debate about the *uses* we want Shakespeare to serve as about the truth value or historicity of his texts? David Knauer Northern Illinois University ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1993 09:39:06 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0107 Journal of Undergraduate Research Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 107. Thursday, 25, February 1993. From: BIRKS NEIL BRENDAN Date: Wednesday, 24 Feb 1993 10:49:38 -0700 (MST) Subject: GET PUBLISHED You are invited to submit original undergraduate writing to the JOURNAL OF UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH a forum for undergraduate writing concerning liberal arts. The Journal's purpose is to allow ideas to be communicated to a large audience and to provide students with the opportunity to be recognized for superior academic achievement. To reach these goals, all submissions must be clearly written and deal with subjects that require little technical knowledge. Chosen submissions will be published in an electronic archive (ftp zone), where they may be read by anyone who can gain access to a computer, modem, and telephone jack. This facility will increase the availability of quality undergraduate research and allow one's work to be read by thousands. All interested undergraduates should submit one page, via email, containing the following information: 1) name 2) class standing (FR, SO, JR, SR, SR5) 3) school's name 4) paper's subject 5) summary of paper 6) total page number (between 5 and 15 single spaced) The summary is the most important element at this stage. It will be used to determine whether the full paper is appropriate for the Journal. The admission deadline for the May 1993 publication is April 1, 1993. Summaries will not be accepted after this date. Below are the names and email addresses of the editors who will receive and review your work. Please send an electronic copy of the one page form to the editor that reviews material from your school's state or country. Adam Fox email address: foxa@ucsu.Colorado.EDU accepting material from students in Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey and Canada. Kyle Brinkman email address: brinkmak@Carleton.EDU accepting material from students in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, the District of Columbia, and European countries. Naveen Chopra email address: chopra@leland.Stanford.EDU accepting material from students in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Asian countries. Jason Bowman email address: jbowman@casbah.acns.NWU.EDU accepting material from North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, African countries, and Australia. Neil Birks email address: birks@ucsu.Colorado.EDU accepting material from Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Nevada, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Alaska, Hawaii, and all countries in the western hemisphere besides the U.S. and Canada. If you have any questions about the journal or emailing copies of papers to the regional editors please email your questions to the following address: foxa@spot.Colorado.EDU Thank you and good luck. We will acknowledge you when we have received and read your work. Adam Fox Managing Editor University of Colorado ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1993 20:57:32 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0108 Shakespeare, Jews, and Anti-Semitism Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 108. Thursday, 25, February 1993. (1) From: Stephen Orgel Date: Thursday, 25 Feb 93 9:35:39 PST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0105 More on Shakespeare and Anti-Semitism (2) From: Jay L Halio Date: Thursday, 25 Feb 1993 14:52:54 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0104 *MV*: Anti-Semitism and Usury (3) From: John Dorenkamp Date: Thursday, 25 Feb 1993 13:57:06 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Shakespeare and Anti-Semitism (1)----------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Stephen Orgel Date: Thursday, 25 Feb 93 9:35:39 PST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0105 More on Shakespeare and Anti-Semitism How about the equally gratuitous "most lovely Jew" in MND?? Stephen Orgel (2)----------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jay L Halio Date: Thursday, 25 Feb 1993 14:52:54 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0104 *MV*: Anti-Semitism and Usury For David Bank: Yes, there were Jews in Elizabethan England and London in particular, as C.J. Sisson long ago discovered. They were not allowed to practice their religion openly, but otherwise were permitted to engage in trade, professions, etc. They were *marranos* from Spain and Portugal, usually, but other Jews visited from time to time during the period of Exclusion, including one Joachim Gaunse, who helped found the mining industry in Wales. But whether Shakespeare and Marlowe actually knew Jews personally or not is quite irrelvant, or so it seems to me. They were mainly drawing on literary tradition and other sources for their portraits. Jay Halio (3)----------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John Dorenkamp Date: Thursday, 25 Feb 1993 13:57:06 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Shakespeare and Anti-Semitism Gary Goldstein (via John Mucci) wisely suggests that we not limit ourselves to _The Merchant of Venice_ in efforts to determine Shakespeare's attitude toward Jews. Surprisingly (perhaps) references to Jews in the other works are hard to come by. Here's the count (via the Riverside Shakespeare and WordCruncher): In the Tragedies 1 In the Histories 2 (and these are both in the same line: Falstaff's "I am a Jew else, an Ebrew Jew") In the other Comedies 4 Of these 7 references not all are derogatory. When we come to _Merchant of Venice_ we find, not surprisingly, 57 uses of "Jew" (this does not include Dramatis Personae, Stage Directions, or Speech Prefixes.) In addition, "Jews" appears 1 time, "Jewish" 2 times, "Jew's" 10 times, and "Jewess" 1 time. In addition, the term "Jewry" occurs 7 times as follows: Merry Wives of Windsor 1 Richard II 1 Henry V 1 Antony & Cleopatra 4 Here in all instances but one ("stubborn Jewry" in RII), the use of the term is neutral, identifying a place, e.g., "Herod of Jewry," "went to Jewry." Any judgment concerning Shakespeare's anti-semitism must, then, be made on the basis of _Merchant of Venice_. Gary Goldstein's other observation that "Shakespeare--and the English--didn't have any Jews to hate" because Jews had been expelled from England in 1290 and were not permitted to return until 1658 is not quite accurate. Witness the celebrated execution of Lopez, the Queen's physician. But whatever the "physical" presence of Jews in England was, they were certainly present in other ways. They were much in evidence in the Bible, perhaps even to that boy driving the plough who was Tyndale's audience. They were evident in sermons and in the liturgy. They were evident in the cycle plays, some of which were still alive in Shakespeare's day. In short, they were very much a part of the culture of Shakespeare's time. What anti-Semitism is, is perhaps impossible to determine. Maybe the perennial question "What (or who) is a Jew?" can provide an approach to anti-Semitism as well. A late friend, a psychologist preferred this answer. "A Jew is a person who considers him- or herself to be a Jew or whom others consider to be a Jew." John Dorenkamp Holy Cross College dorenkamp@hcacad.holycross.edu ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1993 21:02:40 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0109 Folger Library: General Information Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 109. Thursday, 25, February 1993. From: Georgianna Ziegler Date: Wednesday, 24 Feb 1993 17:20:46 -0500 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0103 Re: Folger Library and Theatre Most of the readers at the Folger Library are professors or post-MA graduate students working on their dissertations. We also get actors/ actresses, directors, and independent writers. Graduate students under dissertation level can apply for short-term access. Basically, everyone needs two letters of reference (usually from academic or theater colleagues) and a photo I.D. New readers can no longer register on Saturdays, and we also no longer page rare materials on Saturdays (but you can put in your request Mon. through Fri. and the items will be held for Sat.). Anyone interested in becoming a reader can write to our Registrar, David Ressa, at The Folger Shakespeare Library, 201 East Capitol St., SE, Washington, D.C. 20003. His phone number is 202-675-0306. If you think you may need special permission, write to Dr. Philip Knachel, Associate Director at the same address. The Folger does have accommodation in the form of single rooms or apartments, but they are limited and are already full for much of May and June. Mr. Ressa can advise about alternative housing in the Capitol Hill area. It seemed useful to get this general information onto SHAKSPER, thanks to John Aney's request, which I have already answered personally. Georgianna Ziegler, Reference Librarian The Folger Shakespeare Library ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 26 Feb 1993 14:10:44 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0110 *Shakespeare Survey 44* Now Available Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 110. Friday, 26 February 1993. From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Friday, 26 February 1993 Subject: *Shakespeare Survey 44* Now Available *Shakespeare Survey 44*, "Shakespeare and Politics," is now available from the Cambridge University Press. Below is the volume's Table of Contents: SHAKESPEARE SURVEY 44, "Shakespeare and Politics" List of Illustrations Shakespeare and Politics by BLAIR WORDEN Language, Politics, and Poverty in Shakespearian Drama by WILLIAM C. CARROLL Some Versions of Coup d'etat, Rebellion and Revolution by PIERRE SAHEL Woman, Language, and History in The Rape of Lucrece by PHILIPPA BERRY Love in Venice by CATHERINE BELSEY Two Kingdoms for Half-a-Crown by DOMINIQUE GOY-BLANQUET 'Fashion it thus':Julius Caesar and the Politics of Theatrical Representation by JOHN DRAKAKIS Demystifying the Mystery of State: King Lear and the World Upside Down by MARGOT HEINEMANN Tragedy, King Lear, and the Politics of the Heart by TOM McALINDON The Politics of Shakespeare Production by JOHN RUSSELL BROWN Shakespeare in the Trenches by BALZ ENGLER Shakespeare's Earliest Editor, Ralph Crane by T. H. HOWARD-HILL Shakespeare's Falconry by MAURICE POPE Telling the Story of Shakespeare's Playhouse World by ROSLYN L. KNUTSON Shakespeare Performances in England, 1989-90 by PETER HOLLAND Professional Shakespeare Productions in the British Isles, January-December 1989 compiled by NIKY RATHBONE The Year's Contributions to Shakespeare Studies 1 Critical Studies reviewed by R. S. WHITE 2 Shakespeare's Life, Times, and Stage reviewed by RICHARD DUTTON 3 Editions and Textual Studies reviewed by H. R. WOUDHUYSEN Books Received Index ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 26 Feb 1993 20:34:24 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0111 Re: Shakespeare, Jews, and Anti-Semitism Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 111. Friday, 26 February 1993. From: David A. Bank Date: Friday, 26 Feb 93 21:34:28 GMT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0108 Shakespeare, Jews, and Anti-Semitism For Jay Halio and John Dorenkamp: As I tried to explain, I have difficulty attaching terms like "racist" or "anti-semitic" to types existing only (or almost only) in books, and there can be little doubt (C.J. Sisson notwithstanding) that Jews in 16th century London were very few. The stereotypes of the period - as Jay Halio concedes - are derived from tradition, and they include Turks and Mohammedans as well as Jews. No one has suggested that, in MV, Shakespeare tries to excite (or exploit) an antipathy in his audience to *real* Jews; to Jews that is as a community in England. They were marginal almost to the point of invisibility. My question is this: should we be using terms like "racist" and "anti-semitic" of MV or whatever in these circumstances? I really don't see how it helps our understanding of the mentality/ies of the period. Obviously one accepts John Dorenkamp's point that Jews in literature - including the Bible - were "very much part of the culture of Shakespeare's time". Yet not *so* very much. The *Short Title Catalogue* of British printed books (1475 to 1640) lists 22 first editions, 20 second editions, issues etc. with "Jew", "Jews" or "Jewes" as part of the title. I offer this as indicative information merely. The proportion of titles on a *per annum* basis is between 0.15% (the lowest, in 1635) and 0.77% (1611), as a percentage of all British books published in the period. One's impression of most of these books is that their references to Jews have the purpose of Christian amendment *of Christians*. May this be an important part of MV too? David Bank Univ. Glasgow ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 27 Feb 1993 21:39:32 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0112 Ohio Shakespeare Conference Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 112. Saturday, 27 February 1993. From: Thomas G. Bishop Date: Saturday, 27 Feb 93 17:06:14 -0500 Subject: Ohio Shakespeare Conference 1993 The Ohio Shakespeare Conference for 1993 will take as its title "There the Whole Palace Open'd": Court and Society in Jacobean England The conference will be held in Cleveland under the joint sponsorship of Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland State University. The proceedings will open 8 pm Thursday March 25th with a welcome and Plenary Address by Prof. Stephen Orgel and close after the Conference Banquet on Saturday March 27th. The conference proceedings will be conducted at the Marriott-Society Center Hotel in downtown Cleveland. The title expresses the conference's intent, which is to open up all the relationships between the Jacobean court and the rest of Jacobean culture to inquiry in all the relevant disciplines, by both scholars and practitioners. Ben Jonson's masque "Oberon, the Fairy Prince" will be presented in CWRU's elegant Excelsior Ballroom, and will provide a rich opportunity for conference participants to experience a significant work in a genre almost never realized on stage, in a production that will place equal emphasis on all the elements of scene, dance, music, costume, speech and action. The program surrounding the production will include plenary addresses by leading scholars in various departments of early modern cultural history. Invited speakers are to be: Prof. Leeds Barroll, "Queen Anna and the Appropriation of the Masque" Prof. Peter Holman, "Jacobean Dance Music" Prof. Fritz Levy, "The Return to Italy" Prof. Stephen Orgel, "The Dream, the State, the Stage" Prof. Annabel Patterson "Bevis was Believed" Thirty papers and presentations besides will be offered, together with a plenary discussion of the production of "Oberon" with the artists-professional team responsible for the staging, including: Mr. Barrie Rutter (Stage Director) Mr. Ken Pierce (Choreographer and Lead Dancer) Mr. David Douglass (Music Director) Mr. E. Guy Hare (Designer, after Inigo Jones) During the conferecne weekend Claire Bloom will be appearing in a one-woman show on Shakespeare's women at the Great Lakes Theater Festival (216-241-6000) and a biracial production of "The Tempest" will open at Karamu House (216-795-7070). Interested parties should call the CSU Department of English (216) 687-3955 or detach and return the form below. Hotel reservations (@ a special rate of $75 per night) should be made soon at 1-800-228-9290, specifying Marriott-Society Center and Ohio Shakespeare. Conferees who plan to fly to Cleveland should consider taking advantage of the cheap travel arrangement the Conference has with USAir: to arrange low fares to the conference, call 1-800-334-8644 (8am-9pm EST) and obtain reservations under Gold File Number 36940036 "Oberon" conference. The conference acknowledges sponsorship from USAir, the Cleveland Foundation, John Carroll University and Baldwin-Wallace College, as well as Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland State University. We look forward to seeing you in March. _____________________________________________________________________________ Name________________________________ Institution__________________________ Address______________________________________________________________________ I/We will attend the 1993 Ohio Shakespeare Conference. Number of persons____ I enclose the conference registration fee of $75 per person (Graduate students $25) Fee includes tickets and transportation to "Oberon" admission to all conference sessions. Amount ___________ I wish to reserve_____places at the Conference Banquet @$15 Amount ___________ I wish to pay by __ check (payable to Cleveland State University) __ Visa no.___________________________ Expires______ __ Mastercard no._____________________ Expires __________ Signature __________________ -- Tom Bishop "I saw the danger, yet I walked Dept of English Along the enchanted way, Case Western Reserve University And I said let grief be a fallen leaf Cleveland, OH 44106.(tgb2@po.cwru.edu) At the dawning of the day." P.K. ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 27 Feb 1993 21:58:08 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0113 Re: The Folger Theatre (SSE) Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 113. Saturday, 27 February 1993. From: Bernice Kliman Date: Saturday, 27 Feb 1993 19:39 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0101 Q: Folger Library and Theatre The Shenandoah Shakespeare Express will be at the Folger Theatre on March 20. I know because I am in a workshop that weekend. This is a great group, and if you can see them, you're in for a treat. Call them at 1-800-SAY-PUCK to get information about their DC plans. Steven Booth wrote a wonderful review of their work in a recent SQ. 1/2 price tickets are usually pretty easy to get at Landsburgh and at Arena. Call and ask if you should arrive early. They are both good at telling you your chances. I also know a great B&B if you need a fairly inexpensive place to stay. Let me know. Have fun in DC--a great place, but be careful. Yours, Bernice W. Kliman 516-671-1301 [Editor's Note: I too would encourage you to see The Shenandoah Shakespeare Express and to read Stephen Booth's piece in SQ (43: 479-483). Let me quote the second paragraph for you: "I first saw The Shenandoah Shakespeare Express perform in Washington, D.C., in July of 1991. I haven't thought the same since about Shakespeare or the theater." Let me also put in a plug for The Shakespeare Theatre's *Comedy of Errors*. In particular, I thought that Philip Goodwin did a stunning, an unforgetable job as the Antipholi and the set -- oh the set . . . -hmc] ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 28 Feb 1993 10:43:30 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0114 What Playwrights Do Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 114. Sunday, 28 February 1993. From: Tom Loughlin Date: Saturday, 27 Feb 1993 11:13 pm EST Subject: What Playwrights Do Gary Goldstein's comments via John Mucci have such an elementary logical fallacy that I wonder if he knows what exactly it is that a playwright does. He makes the argument that because several of Shakespeare's characters use language which is unflattering to Jews (and blacks and many other types of people) that therefore Shakespeare himself is, nay, must be, a racist. That kind of a statement is not only logically incorrect, it betrays that Mr. Goldstein has little understanding of the creative process of playwrighting. Playwrights write characters which attempt to reflect people as they live in the real world; reflecting what they say, how they speak, what their basic attitudes towards life and their surroundings are. To my knowledge, Shake- speare wrote next to nothing which is unquestionably reflective of his own personal ideas or prejudices, nothing which did not contain the mask of the theatre. Shakespeare was a master at creating character, but I don't think anybody has the right to state categorically that because any certain character speaks or acts a certain way that therefore this is a clear reflec- tion of the playwright's mind. It's simply an illogical conclusion. It is not the playwright's job to judge the moral or ethical qualities of the characters she or he creates; it is simply the playwright's job to write them honestly and truthfully, present them to us, and let us view their actions and behaviors and reflect accordingly. The effort to demonstrate that Shakespeare "was a (fill in the blank)" by pointing to his characters and what they say is *ipso facto* a false and misleading argument, for it betrays a fundamental misunderstanding of the nature of the art form and the medium which is theatre. As clear as it is that he was capable of putting slanderous speech into the mouths of his characters, he was also quite capable of putting wisdom, truth and beauty into the mouths of many others, yet I would not nor could not say that this makes Shakespeare a wise and truthful man. Any speculation as to his personal beliefs are simply that -- speculation. His very genius lies in the awareness that he came at every question from every angle he could find, and asked every question he could think of, while providing few answers. The pitiful attempts to reduce his genius to this or that single point of view are disingenuous, and almost always point to the writer's own personal limitations. --------------------------------------------------------------- Tom Loughlin * BITNET Dept. of Theatre Arts * loughlin@fredonia SUNY College at Fredonia * INTERNET Fredonia NY 14063 * loughlin@jane.cs.fredonia.edu Voice: 716.673.3597 * Fax: 716.673.3397 * "Hail, hail Freedonia, land of * the brave and free." G. Marx --------------------------------------------------------------- ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 1 Mar 1993 20:41:49 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0115 Re: Shakespeare, Jews, and Anti-Semitism Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 115. Monday, 1 March 1993. From: Jay L Halio Date: Monday, 1 Mar 1993 14:34:15 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0108 Shakespeare, Jews, and Anti-Semitism For John Dorenkamp: You did not include the sonnets and poems in your tally, or references to obvious Jewish figures, e.g. Judas Iscariot. I did all that for my Oxford edition and found no references to Jews in the Sonnets at all, surely the most "personal" of Shakespeare's writings. So I don't think the subject quite obsessed him, and the most of the other allusions or references, as you say, are mixed. Derek Cohen has an essay on the whole issue in *SQ* (ca. 1980) and infers from the specific references in *MV* that Shakespeare was an anti-Semite. He makes a very cogent argument, e.g. by noting the number of times Shylock is referred to not by name but as "Jew," but I still can't go quite the whole way with him. Like the Ghost in *Hamlet,* Shylock seems to me an essentially ambiguous figure. Can we let the arguments rest there? Jay Halio ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 1 Mar 1993 20:45:03 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0117 Q: Online Shakespeare Periodicals Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 116. Monday, 1 March 1993. From: David Richman Date: Monday, 1 Mar 1993 9:33:55 -0500 (EST) Subject: Query About Online Shakespeare Periodicals A query to anyone on this list associated with *Shakespeare Bulletin* or *Shakespeare Quarterly*. Any chance of either of these periodicals becoming available electronically, perhaps through GOPHER or some other electronic service. Being blind, I and my speech synthesizer take delight in online material. I would be willing to pay up to twice the normal subscription rate for either of these journals in electronic form. Thanks. David Richman ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 1 Mar 1993 20:51:29 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0116 Audition Monologues Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 116. Monday, 1 March 1993. From: Chris Gladis Date: Monday, 01 Mar 1993 10:17:02 -0500 (EST) Subject: Audition Monologues I will be auditioning (I hope) for a summer Shakespeare company here in Albany soon for 12 weeks of performance. Whether I make it or not, I don't know. It would be nice.... In any case. For auditions, thy would like two monologues, at least one by Shakespeare. So my question is for those of you who have acted in summer ensembles and other Shakespearean productions: what would you recommend I use for a monologue? Send replies privately please, unless there are a whole lot of people besides myself who want to know. BTW, in case you're curious, they'll be doing _Richard III_ and _Two Gentlemen of Verona_ as well as an original commedia, _Holy Matrimony!_ Thank you for your help.... "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophies." -Hamlet ****Chris Gladis ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 1 Mar 1993 21:02:11 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0118 Re: SSE at the Folger Theatre Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 118. Monday, 1 March 1993. From: Milla Riggio Date: Monday, 1 Mar 93 16:55 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0113 Re: The Folger Theatre (SSE) With reference to the Shenandoah Express and the Folger Theatre: A quick warning, which I will try to confirm later, with regard to the Shenandoah Express at the Folger on March 20. They are, indeed, coming to the Folger for a workshop on that weekend. I, too, am in the workshop, but it is my understanding that there is no public performance during that period. If there is, we have not been informed of it. We were told, quite to the contrary, that we would be working through the evening on the workshop material. So -- I'll check and perhaps Bernice can do the same thing, but my guess right now is that the troup is leading a workshop but not itself giving a full performance. At least, that is a possibility. Don't make plans to go to Washington until further notice. --Milla Riggio ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 1 Mar 1993 21:12:01 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0119 ACH-ALLC 93 Conference Announcement Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 119. Monday, 1 March 1993. From: Paul Mangiafico Date: Monday, 1 Mar 1993 11:02 EST Subject: ACH-ALLC 93 Conference Announcement THE ASSOCIATION FOR COMPUTERS AND THE HUMANITIES THE ASSOCIATION FOR LITERARY AND LINGUISTIC COMPUTING 1993 JOINT INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE JUNE 16-19, 1993 GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY WASHINGTON, DC On behalf of the Executive Committees of the Association for Computers and the Humanities and the Association for Literary and Linguistic Computing, we cordially invite you to attend the fifth annual joint international conference, to be held at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., June 16-19, 1993. This conference is the major forum for discussion of the preparation, encoding, and use of character-based electronic text and for computer-based research in literature, linguistics, and related humanities disciplines. It will feature presenters from fourteen countries and include eighty papers on the development of new computing methodologies for research and teaching in the humanities, on the development of significant new materials and tools for humanities research, and on the application and evaluation of computing techniques in humanities subjects. Keynote addresses will be delivered by Hugh Kenner, Franklin and Calloway Professor of English at the University of Georgia, and Clifford Lynch, Director of Library Automation at the Office of the President, University of California. A special feature will be a series of sessions, organized by the library community, on electronic resources for the humanities. Other attractions include a forum on the Text Encoding Initiative and encoding with SGML, a software fair, banquet, vendor display, and optional text-analysis workshop. Georgetown University, situated along the Potomac River in an historic district that predates our Nation's Capital, is the site for the conference. Domestic flights arrive at Washington National Airport, and taxi service (approximately $12) is recommended for the short ride to your accommodations in Georgetown. International flights arrive at Dulles Airport (40 miles away), and a shuttle service ($16 one-way, $26 round-trip) provides transportation into downtown Washington. In the city you will find that taxi service is reasonably priced; a ride to Georgetown from downtown will cost approximately $7. Parking in Washington is prohibitively expensive, so participants are urged to take public transportation to the conference. American Airlines will offer domestic-flight discounts of 5% off all relevant fares for conference participants flying to and from Washington, DC between June 12th and June 22nd. To obtain this discount, call the American Airlines Meeting Services Desk at 1- 800-433-1790 and specify the Star Number S1463FS for ACH-ALLC93. The Association for Computers and the Humanities is a professional society for scholars working in computer-related research in literature and language studies, history, philosophy, and other disciplines of the humanities. Individual membership is $60 US a year and includes a subscription to Computers and the Humanities (six issues a year) and the ACH Newsletter (four issues a year). The Association for Literary and Linguistic Computing was founded in 1973 as an international association to promote the development of literary and linguistic computing. Membership is by personal subscription to the journal Literary and Linguistic Computing, which is published by Oxford University Press, Pinkhill House, Southfield Road, Eynsham, Oxford, OX8 1JJ. Subscription rates for 1992 are L30 (UK) or $57 (rest of the world). On-site registration will be held from 9 am to 9 pm at the ACH- ALLC93 Conference Headquarters in Copley Formal Lounge beginning June 15th and extending throughout the conference. At 6 pm on June 15th, a welcome cocktail party for participants will be held on the upper-level esplanade of the Leavey Conference Center. The conference will commence with an opening session on Wednesday, June 16th, at 9 am in Gaston Hall. Occasional reports of interest to participants will be accessible by Internet, either through the Georgetown University Gopher server (in the ACH_ALLC93 directory) or by anonymous ftp from guvax.georgetown.edu (141.161.1.2) in directory ACH_ALLC93. Options for accommodations at the conference include: 1. Village C Residence Hall on campus. $50 a night (single) or $25 a night (double). Air conditioned with private bath, daily linen service. Furnishings Spartan but clean. Staff assistance. Telephones and televisions in common areas only. 3- minute walk to conference sessions. Optional meal plan available on campus at $20 a day. Access to gym and pool available at $10 a week. 10-12 minute walk to Georgetown shopping and restaurants. Vending machines on site. Parking available at $10 a day, $30 a week. Extensions of reservations at the conference rate are available for several days before and after the conference. 2. Leavey Conference Center Hotel on campus. $115 a night (single), $130 (double) with sales tax @ 11% plus $1.50 a night occupancy tax. Full services and plush furnishings of a new and luxurious conference hotel. 3-minute walk to sessions. Access to gym and pool available at $5 a day. 13-15 minute walk to Georgetown shopping and restaurants. Restaurants on site. Parking available at $9 for a 24-hour period. Extensions of reservations at conference rate depend upon availability; contact the hotel soon at the address below. 3. Georgetown Inn (in business district). $95 per room a night (single or double) with tax at 11% plus $1.50 a night. Complimentary continental breakfast and parking. Air conditioned with private bath. Atmosphere and furnishings of a small, recently remodeled hotel. Service from front desk and concierge. Telephones and television in rooms. 10-15 minute walk (up slight incline) to campus and sessions; free conference van service at regular intervals. No access to gym or pool. In the heart of tourist and shopping district. Restaurants on site and nearby. Extensions of reservations at conference rate depend upon availability; contact the hotel soon at the address below. REPLY FORM Please return to: Dr. Michael Neuman, Local Organizer ACH-ALLC93 Academic Computer Center 238 Reiss Science Building Georgetown University Washington, DC 20057 Country code: 1 phone: 202-687-6096 fax: 202-687-6003 Internet: ach_allc93@guvax.georgetown.edu (Details provided below will be used to compile the Conference List of Participants. Please enter your name and affiliation as you would like them to appear on your badge.) Your Name: Institution/Affiliation: Title: Surface-mail address: City, State or District, Postal Code, and Country: Telephone: Fax: Email: Software Fair: Please check here if you would like to demonstrate a product or project. Yes ___ Then specify requirements for operating system, RAM, hard disk space, special graphics or controller cards, or software platform needed for your demonstration. FEES Please enter relevant amounts (in US$) and return this form with your remittance to the address above. Registration status: Amount Regular registration $140 ___ Member of ACH or ALLC in good standing 100 ___ Spouses, companions 30 ___ Graduate students 30 ___ One-day rate (Specify day and date) 70 ___ Other approved designation (Please specify) ___ Late registration surcharge (after June 1) 20 ___ (Cancellation penalty after May 15): $20 Registration includes access to all program sessions, special-interest-group meetings, software fair, exhibits, and inter-session refreshments. Membership fee: Association for Computers and the Humanities at $60 ___ Assoc. for Literary and Linguistic Computing at $57 ___ Banquet (7:30 p.m. Thursday 6/17/93) Number ___ at $38 ___ Name of guest _____________________________________ Please note any dietary restriction: Residence hall* at $50 per night (single) or $25 (double) Number of nights ___ at nightly rate $ ___ = Total: ___ If double, please include name of the other person: Arrival/check-in date: Departure/check-out date: Check-in at Village C Residence Hall beginning Tuesday, June 15 at 9 am or (by prior arrangement). GRAND TOTAL for registration, membership fee, banquet, and residence-hall lodging ___ Method of payment in US$ (Please do not send cash.) Check or money order (enclosed) ___ Payable to: Georgetown University Credit card (Mastercard or Visa) ___ Card number _____________________ Expiration date _________________ Name as it appears on card _____________________ * For alternative lodging, please make your reservation before May 15, 1993 at hotel or conference center directly. Reservations at conference rate may not be available after May 15. GU Conference Center The Georgetown Inn 3800 Reservoir Road, NW 1310 Wisconsin Avenue NW Box 2315 Hoya Station Washington, DC 20007 Washington, DC 20057 Phone from USA and Canada Phone from USA and Canada 800-424-2979 800-446-9476 From other countries From other countries 1-202-333-8900 1-202-687-3232 Fax: 202-625-1744 Fax: 202-687-3291 Be sure to mention ACH-ALLC93 when making reservations, and confirm the conference rate listed under options for lodging. Please check here if arranging your own accommodations. ___ Program Chair: Marianne Gaunt, Rutgers University International Program Committee: Thomas Corns, University of Wales (ALLC) Paul Fortier, University of Manitoba (ACH) Jacqueline Hamesse, Universit/e catholique de Louvain- la-Neuve (ALLC) Susan Hockey, Center for Electronic Text in the Humanities (ALLC) Nancy Ide, Vassar College (ACH) Randall Jones, Brigham Young University (ACH) Michael Neuman, Georgetown University (ACH) Antonio Zampolli, University of Pisa (ALLC) Local Organizer: Michael Neuman, Georgetown University ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 2 Mar 1993 16:32:05 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0120 Audition Monologues Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 120. Tuesday, 2 March 1993. From: Chantal Payette Date: Tuesday, 2 Mar 1993 9:10:41 -0500 (EST) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0116 Audition Monologues I myself would also love to know a few recommendations for monologues, since I too will hopefully be able to audition for a Shakespearean company this summer. Thanks Chantal Chantal@vax.library.utoronto.ca ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 2 Mar 1993 16:35:02 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0121 SSE in North Dakota Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 121. Tuesday, 2 March 1993. From: Hardin Aasand Date: Tuesdy, 2 Mar 93 08:26:44 MDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0118 Re: SSE at the Folger Theatre I thought I would drop a brief note regarding the Shenandoah Shakespeare Express's only appearance in North Dakota, yes, North Dakota! As one of the few native North Dakotans in this country, I can proudly report that the Express will be in Dickinson, North Dakota at Dickinson State University in late April, performing <>, <>, and <> and conducting two acting workshops. Any Shakespeareans who plan to be in North Dakota (for whatever inexplicable reason) are encouraged to stop by. Give me a shout and I'll help reserve a space for you. A true Northern Exposure, Hardin Aasand Dept. of English/Dickinson State ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 3 Mar 1993 07:16:37 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0122 Re: Parody; Folger Library and Theatre Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 122. Wednesday, 3 March 1993. (1) From: Jon Enriquez Date: Tuesday, 2 Mar 1993 18:05 EST Subj: Parody (2) From: Mike Lomonico Date: Sunday, 18 Feb 96 15:32 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0101 Q: Folger Library and Theatre (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jon Enriquez Date: Tuesday, 2 Mar 1993 18:05 EST Subject: Parody This is sort of a response to an earlier note about the CBC parodies. The funniest parody I've ever heard is called "So That's the Way You Like It," performed by Britain's Beyond The Fringe group (Jonathan Miller, Peter Cook, Alan Bennett, Dudley Moore). It's part of the playscript (available through Samuel French, I believe) and can be heard on the original cast album (1960). It's mostly a skewed history play. Quite good. The best extended parody I've seen is the Reduced Shakespeare Company. These three guys perform the entire canon in two acts. The second act is Hamlet, and the first act is everything else. The finale, where they do the second act in fast-forward, is worth the price of admission alone. I saw them last winter, when I lived in Madison, Wisconsin. I laughed with a vigor I usually reserve for The Simpsons or MST3K. I think they're San Francisco-based. Jon Enriquez The Graduate School Georgetown University ENRIQUEZJ@guvax (Bitnet) ENRIQUEZJ@guvax.georgetown.edu (Internet) (2)--------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Mike Lomonico Date: Sunday, 18 Feb 96 15:32 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0101 Q: Folger Library and Theatre The Shakespeare Theatre at the Folger has moved to a new theatre in downtown DC near the White House. It is not and never was affiliated with the Folger; they just rented the space. They are currently running Comedy of Errors. The Travelling Shakespeare Company recently did a great MND at the Folger Theatre however. As far as admission, one needs a reader's card which generally comes through an affiliation with a University. Most of the readers are post-doctoral. There is an exhibit hall which is currently running an exhibit called "New World of Wonders: European Images of the Americas 1492-1700" which has some wonderful material from their collection. The exhibit and gift kiosk are open to the public. ----------------- 40.41N, 73.32W Mike Lomonico K-12 Teacher at Farmingdale High School, Farmingdale Farmingdale, NY ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 3 Mar 1993 11:33:10 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0123 SSE at the Folger Theatre Update Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 123. Wednesday, 3 March 1993. From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Wednesday, 3 March 1993 Subject: SSE at the Folger Theatre I just call 1-800-SAY-PUCK and got confirmation that indeed The Shenandoah Shakespeare Express's performance on March 20 at the Folger Theatre is *NOT* open to the public. However, SSE will be in Washington, D.C., in residence at the Folger Theatre from June 15 through July 3 this summer. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 3 Mar 1993 12:54:58 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" PUT SHAKSPER MEMBERS SHAKSPER PW=WILLKEMP Shakespeare Electronic Conference -- Members 3/3/93 BOAT@AC.DAL.CA John Kwane Tawiah-Boateng mafeking@AC.DAL.CA Sean Lawrence XYNJYN@AC.DAL.CA Merina Hew NQB1621@ACFCLUSTER.NYU.EDU Nava Bromberger PEACOCK@ACFCLUSTER.NYU.EDU Kenneth J. Peacock RATUNIL@ACFCLUSTER.NYU.EDU Ludemo Ratunil R1RMZ@AKRONVAX Ra'eda Zietoon R1AMF@AKRONVM Antonia Forster R1NR@AKRONVM Nicholas Ranson FFJL@ALASKA Janis Lull CCRUPI@ALBION Charles Crupi rose@ALSYS1.AECOM.YU.EDU Eric Rose HDCHICKERING@AMHERST Howell D. Chickering GZIEGLER@amherst.edu Georgianna Ziegler LIEBLER@APOLLO.MONTCLAIR.EDU Naomi Liebler traherne@ARIEL.UCS.UNIMELB.EDU.AU Richard D. Jordan ATJXB@ASUVM.INRE.ASU.EDU Jean R. Brink psdlit@ATHENA.MIT.EDU Peter S. Donaldson koelke@ATSS.CALSTATELA.EDU Kent Oelke RELIHAN@AUDUCVAX Constance C. Relihan ENYOUNGBERG@augustana.edu Karin Youngberg davist@A1.RELAY.UPENN.EDU Tad Davis traister@A1.RELAY.UPENN.EDU Daniel Traister A1140345@BCIT.BC.CA Simon Edgett SOLON@BEACH.CSULB.EDU Todd Allaria lav@BINAH.CC.BRANDEIS.EDU John Lavagnino HMCook@BOE00.MINC.UMD.EDU Hardy M. Cook ekelemen@BRAHMS.UDEL.EDU Erick R. Kelemen jhalio@BRAHMS.UDEL.EDU Jay L. Halio PVASILE@BRAHMS.UDEL.EDU Pamela A. Vasile ELAINE@BROWNVM.BROWN.EDU Elaine Brennan jpeter@BUCKNELL.EDU Jean Peterson QUARK@BUCSF.BU.EDU Paul Fu, Jr. EMER@CALVIN.EDU Cheryl Forbes KEN.STEELE@CANREM.COM Kenneth B. Steele IDA@CASBAH.ACNS.NWU.EDU Michael P. Ida nwatson@CASBAH.ACNS.NWU.EDU Nicola J. Watson nwatson@CASBAH.ACNS.NWU.EDU Michael Dobson mwarren@CATS.UCSC.EDU Michael Warren tblackb1@CC.SWARTHMORE.EDU Tom Blackburn cjohnsto@CCS.CARLETON.CA C. Todd Johnston SABINSON@CCVAX.UNICAMP.ANSP.BR Eric M. Sabinson tdrga@CCWF.CC.UTEXAS.EDU Todd Drga tcbowden@CLOVIS.FELTON.CA.US Tim Bowden rmburns@CMS.CC.WAYNE.EDU Robert M. Burns GTVV03@CMS.GLA.AC.UK John Michael Reeves JWHITE@CMSUVMB D. Jerry White precosky@CNC.BC.CA Dan Precosky leosborn@COLBY.EDU Laurie E. Osborne 100013.1162@COMPUSERVE.COM Philip Ormond 71222.472@COMPUSERVE.COM Douglas Rutledge 76645.3610@COMPUSERVE.COM Beverly Jacobson rjones@CORNELL-IOWA.EDU Rick Jones LHT@CORNELLA.CIT.CORNELL.EDU Nate Johnson BOLSEN@CS.UMR.EDU Brian Olsen dunne-bob@CS.YALE.EDU Bob Dunne vjh@CSD4.CSD.UWM.EDU Virginia J. Haas MCCARTHY@CUAVAXA William J. McCarthy EHPEARLMAN@CUDENVER E.H. Pearlman jml36@cunixa.cc.columbia.edu Jesse M. Lander mdm18@cunixa.cc.columbia.edu Magen Dror Marcus SURCC@CUNYVM Steven Urkowitz BOSS@CWIS.UNOMAHA.EDU Judith E. Boss LEN11@DMSWWU1A Marga Munkelt JAE@DRYCAS Jae Walker RAY_LISCHNER@DSD.MENTORG.COM Ray Lischner D.C.Greer@DURHAM.AC.UK David C. Greer ocoreng@durras.anu.edu.au Robert F. O'Connor MILLERAA@DUVM.OCS.DREXEL.EDU Amy Miller katy@ENG.SUN.COM Katy Dickinson EJMASO@ENGFAC.INDSTATE.EDU Tom Derrick EJWEDAM@ENGFAC.INDSTATE.EDU David Wedaman ian@EPAS.UTORONTO.CA Ian Lancashire KWEST@epas.utoronto.bitnet Katherine West lthomson@EPAS.UTORONTO.CA Leslie Thomson pseary@EPAS.UTORONTO.CA Peter Seary WARKENT@EPAS.UTORONTO.CA Germaine Warkentin callas@ERIS.ENET.DEC.COM Jon Callas ASPONBERG@EXODUS.VALPO.EDU Arvid F. Sponberg JPAUL@EXODUS.VALPO.EDU John Steven Paul DLG8X@FARADAY.CLAS.VIRGINIA.EDU David L. Gants jll6f@FARADAY.CLAS.VIRGINIA.EDU Joseph Lawrence Lyle LHB6V@FARADAY.CLAS.VIRGINIA.EDU Laura Hayes Burchard THIEL@flis.utoronto.ca Greg Thiel MIRANDA@FORDMULC Aramis Miranda jd1@FORTH.STIRLING.AC.UK John Drakakis LOUGHLIN@FREDONIA Tom Loughlin BRYSON@FRMNVAX1.BITNET Rhett Bryson ELI16@FRMOP22 Centre d'Etudes Elisabethaines eliason@GACVX1.GAC.EDU Eric Eliason fister@GACVX1.GAC.EDU Barbara Fister RASTLEY@GALLUA Russell Astley DUDAJ%UNION.decnet@gar.union.edu Jean Graca NYHOFF@GARNET.BERKELEY.EDU Jeffrey L. Nyhoff JOHN.C.MUCCI@gte.sprint.com John C. Mucci ENRIQUEZJ@GUVAX.GEORGETOWN.EDU Jon Enriquez NEUMAN@GUVAX.GEORGETOWN.EDU Michael Neuman WILDER@GUVAX.GEORGETOWN.EDU Jim Wilderotter LIDHT@GUVM Todd M. Lidh dweller@GVSU.EDU Ronald Dwelle CF012C@GWUVM.GWU.EDU Kate Gray DAGRIER@GWUVM.GWU.EDU David Alan Grier OTHELLO@GWUVM.GWU.EDU Amy L. Ward JORDAN@HARVARDA.HARVARD.EDU Nancy S. Reinhardt CRANEM/EN@hermes.bc.edu Mary Thomas Crane enjg@hippo.ru.ac.za John Gouws DORENKAMP@HLYCROSS John H. Dorenkamp HWHALL@HLYCROSS Helen Whall COX@HOPE John D. Cox HR973093@HOPE Rasa L. Hollender EMERSON@HOPE.CIT.HOPE.EDU Derek Emerson SHADY@HULAW1.HARVARD.EDU Jean Shady NDROSE@HUSC.HARVARD.EDU Nathan Rose 21798RAR@IBM.CL.MSU.EDU Randal Robinson rww@ibuki.com Richard Weyhrauch bont@IEEEPUB.ORG Tom Bontrager IWKI500@INDYVAX.IUPUI.EDU Dawn Wilhite ZAROBILA@JCVAXA.JCU.EDU Charles Zarobila SCOTTP@JESTER.USASK.CA Peter Scott maura@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu Maura LoMonico bickford@jimmy.harvard.edu Paul Bickford FAC_AMIL@JMUVAX Ann E. Miller STU_PALO@JMUVAX1 Paul A. Lord DKOVACS@KENTVM.KENT.EDU Diane Kovacs sreid@KENTVM.KENT.EDU S. Reid JONGSOOK@KRSNUCC1 Jongsook Lee ANTHONY@KRSOGANG Anthony Teague ENGXW878@ksuvxa.kent.edu Cassandra Whittington NEURINGER@KUHUB.CC.UKANS.EDU Charles Neuringer BM41@LAFAYACS Malika M. Browne LJ#4@LAFAYACS James Lusardi SI#0@LAFAYACS Ian Smith SJ#3@LAFAYACS June Schlueter WS#1@LAFAYACS Suzanne R. Westfall SCHNEIDB@LAWRENCE Ben Ross Schneider, Jr. mez@LCS.MIT.EDU Mez Mez dfrazee@LELAND.STANFORD.EDU David Frazee orgel@LELAND.STANFORD.EDU Stephen Orgel NOVELLI@LEMOYNE Cornelius Novelli CON_MDP@LEWIS.UMT.EDU Mike Post PGALLAGH@LIFE.JSC.NASA.GOV Patricia E. Gallagher BELL@LTUVAX Janet E. Bell Thomas.H.Luxon@MAC.DARTMOUTH.EDU Tom Luxon jrogers@MAGNUS.ACS.OHIO-STATE.EDU Judith K. Rogers mwinches@MAGNUS.ACS.OHIO-STATE.EDU Mark D. Winchester dpacheco@MATH.MACALSTR.EDU David Pacheco 0003786240@MCIMAIL.COM Vinton G. Cerf HAMMOND@MCMASTER Antony Hammond ktw@MHWPA.ATT.COM Kenneth Wolman cfrey@MILTON.U.WASHINGTON.EDU Charles H. Frey FLD@MILTON.U.WASHINGTON.EDU Leo Daugherty flevy@MILTON.U.WASHINGTON.EDU Fritz Levy C359452@MIZZOU1 Michael O'Conner JOHNST67@MMC.bitnet Donald Johnson LEWIS@MSUS1.MSUS.EDU Piers Lewis Ronnie_I._Lakowski@MTSG.UBC.CA Romuald I. Lakowski AERLEBAC@MTUS5.CTS.MTU.EDU Anne Falke Erlebach mlomonico@nasstract.nyued.fred.org Mike LoMonico DIVHMF1@NCCVAX.WVNET.EDU Terry Ann Craig H594@NEMOMUS Tonya Kreuger richard@NEXT1.ACS.UMN.EDU Richard A. Gale TB0DJK9@NIU David J. Knauer TB0WPW1@NIU William Proctor Williams TJ0AJS9@NIU Anne J. Spencer SANDONA@NIMUE.HOOD.EDU Mark Sandona JURBAN@NORDEN1.COM Joseph Urban UDLE031@OAK.CC.KCL.AC.UK Stephen Roy Miller FGORFAIN@OCVAXA.CC.OBERLIN.EDU Phyllis Gorfain Robert_Knapp@OFFCAMPUS.REED.EDU Robert S. Knapp COUCH@OHSTMVSA.IRCC.OHIO-STATE.EDU Nena Couch S.A.RAE@OPEN.AC.UK Simon Rae MEIHSU@OREAD.CC.UKANS.EDU Kung-yu Chin FLANNAGA@OUACCVMB Roy Flannagan sinowitz@pilot.njin.net Jonah Sinowitz PDJ2@PO.CWRU.EDU Peter D. Junger TGB2@PO.CWRU.EDU Thomas G. Bishop rabrams@PORTLAND.MAINE.EDU Rick Abrams P00256@PSILINK.COM Meredith Dixon EN02@PRIMEB.DUNDEE.AC.UK R.J.C. Watt BCJ@PSUVM Kevin Berland SAS14@PSUVM.PSU.EDU Stephen A. Schrum SHERSHOW@PUB2.BU.EDU Scott Shershow GODOT@PURCCVM Shawn Smith WGRIM@RCNVMS.RCN.MASS.EDU William Grim SKURA@ricevm1.rice.edu Meredith Anne Skura AXNNCE@RITVAX.ISC.RIT.EDU Tony Naturale SDMGLA@RITVAX.ISC.RIT.EDU Stanley D. McKenzie MOH@RNB.DTC.HP.COM David Moh TOM@SAILFISH.CSE.FAU.EDU Tom Horton JODONNEL@PENNSAS.UPENN.EDU James O'Donnel cmazer@sas.upenn.edu Cary M. Mazer prackin@SAS.UPENN.EDU Phyllis Rackin FRIEDMAN@SCRANTON Michael D. Friedman UWAX00@SDNET Adrian Weiss SSIMS@SD68.NANAIMO.BC.CA Stephen Sims Geoffrey_Hargreaves@SFU.CA Geoffrey Hargreaves S31647@SIENA Chris Gladis GR4302@SIUCVMB Jeff Taylor GA0708@SIUCVMB.CDALE.SIU.EDU Herbert S. Donow CLARY@SMCVAX F. Nicholas Clary N_PARKER@SMCVAX Nikki Parker SHAKESPR@SMITH SHAKSPEReans at Smith MACDONALD@SMITH.SMITH.EDU Ron Macdonald VB7R0048@SMUVM1 Charles Baker FEINMAN@SNYBKSAC Richard D. Feinman WOLF@SNYCORVA Janet S. Wolf KLIMANB@SNYFARVA Bernice Kliman BLASERPF8052@SYNONEVA.CC.ONEONTA.EDU Paul Blaser AC05@SOL.ACS.UNT.EDU Bhattacharya Sumangala jmassa@SPONSORED-PROG-PO.DSP.UIOWA.EDU John S. Massa MOYLEK@SSCVAX.CIS.MCMASTER.CA Kenneth C. Moyle OSTOVICH@SSCVAX.CIS.MCMASTER.CA Helen Ostovich HF.CHL@STANFORD Charles R. Lyons pinnow@STOLAF.EDU Timothy Dayne Pinnow IRWINKE@STORM.CS.ORST.EDU Keith Irwin ellen.edgerton@SUADMIN Ellen Edgerton marjorie@SUN490.FDU.EDU Harry Keyishian marjorie@SUN490.FDU.EDU Marjorie Keyishian KELARSON@SUVM Kenneth E. Larson LDDENNO@SUVM Kathryn Barbour CR06@SWTEXAS Clifford J. Ronan WKEMP@S850.MWC.EDU William Kemp PERICLES@TEMPLEM Daniel P. Tompkins ETRIB@TEMPLEVM Evelyn Tribble dorisann@TENET.EDU Doris Smith MELISSAA@TENET.EDU Melissa McMillian-Cunningham abartisc@TIGGER.STCLOUD.MSUS.EDU Caesarea Abartis andersonj@TIGGER.STCLOUD.MSUS.EDU James B. Anderson jhibbard@TIGGER.STCLOUD.MSUS.EDU Jack H. Hibbard OZTURKC@TRBOUN Tugrul Can Ozturk wug@triton.dsto.gov.au Wolf Getto MEDS002@UABDPO A.J. Wright GSTOVAL3@UA1VM.UA.EDU Jerry Stoval USERKAY@UBCMTSG Kay Stockholder USERSTAP@UBCMTSG Paul G. Stanwood SULLIV3@UCC.UWINDSOR.CA John F. Sullivan WENDY@UCC.UWINDSOR.CA Wendy Woytasik ECZ5SEE@UCLAMVS Naomi Seeger HASENFRA@UCONNVM Bob Hasenfratz JACOBUS@UCONNVM Lee A. Jacobus JANEY@UCS.INDIANA.EDU John T. Aney CCOCHRAN@uga.cc.uga.edu Charles Cochran omalley@UHUNIX.UHCC.HAWAII.EDU Lurana O'Malley RWILLIS@UKANVAX Ron Willis CAVITT01@ULKYVM Chet Vittitow INKSHED@UNB.CA James A. Reither ROWAN@UNB.CA Don Rowan RSPACEK@UNB.CA Richard A. M. Spacek EGERTON@UNC Katy Egerton MOSLEY@UNC George Mosley starman@unc.bitnet Tom Hocking JOEP@UNC.ACS.UNC.EDU Joe Pellegrino ETBJR@UNC.OIT.UNC.EDU Edward T. Bonahue OBERON@unc.oit.unc.edu Grant Moss D_LANIER@UNHH.UNH.EDU Douglas Lanier D_RICHMAN@UNHH.UNH.EDU David Richman CBHW23@UPVAX.ULSTER.AC.UK M.W.A. (Wilf) Smith MAIL_KIERNAN@UQVAX.CC.UQ.OZ.AU Adrian Kiernander kln101@URIACC.URI.EDU Mathilda M. Hills CREAMER@URVAX.URICH.EDU Kevin J.T. Creamer SCHWARTZ@URVAX.URICH.EDU Louis Schwartz engler@URZ.UNIBAS.CH Balz Engler MKRAKOVS@US.ORACLE.COM Marina Krakovsky CAMPBELL@USDCSV.ACUSD.EDU Gardner Campbell DIBIASE@UTKVX.BITNET Carmine DiBiase IVAD@utmartn.bitnet Daniel Farris Pigg HAG@UVMVM.UVM.EDU Hope Greenberg BEST@UVVM.UVIC.CA Michael Best werstine@UMOVAX.UWO.CA Paul Werstine WHITER@VAX.CITADEL.EDU Robert A. White ARCHIVE@VAX.OXFORD.AC.UK Lou Burnard STUART@VAX.OXFORD.AC.UK Stuart D. Lee Chantal@vax.library.utoronto.ca Chantal Payette GW2@VAXB.YORK.AC.UK Geoffrey Wall FOSTER@VAXSAR.VASSAR.EDU Donald W. Foster FAC_JLFUNSTO@VAX1.ACS.JMU.EDU Jay Funston fac_mdhawtho@VAX1.ACS.JMU.EDU Mark D. Hawthorne MRIGGIO@vax1.trincoll.edu Milla Riggio engl_le@VAX1.UTULSA.EDU Lars Engle vfk57016@VAX1.UTULSA.EDU Kay Van Valkenburgh PECHTER@VAX2.CONCORDIA.CA Ed Pechter ENG1683@VAX2.QUEENS-BELFAST.AC.UK John Manning JLH5651@VENUS.TAMU.EDU James L. Harner JLH5651@VENUS.TAMU.EDU Harrison Meserole shand@VENUS.YORKU.CA Skip Shand KKM7M@VIRGINIA Karen Kates Marshall ifm5u@VIRGINIA.EDU Ian F. Macinnes f24113@VM.BIU.AC.IL Alan Rosen CADMADGE@VM.UOGUELPH.CA Madge Grant Brochet UGG00324@VM.UOGUELPH.CA Kelly Caldwell ENGNEIL@VM.UOGUELPH.CA Neil Carson UGU00279@VM.UOGUELPH.CA Shirley Senoff hart@VMD.CSO.UIUC.EDU Michael S. Hart D.A.Bank@VME.GLASGOW.AC.UK David A. Bank AASAND@VM1.NODAK.EDU Hardin Aasand DS001451@VM1.NODAK.EDU Ray Wheeler LSCHWART@VM1.NODAK.EDU Larry Schwartz UD006866@VM1.NODAK.EDU Richard F. Hampsten wilson@VORTEX.UFRGS.BR Wilson Roberto Afonso CHESHIRE@VTVM1 Linda Anderson TSC@VX.CIS.UMN.EDU Thomas Clayton ravens@wam.umd.edu Brian Sobus CARTERJJ@WHITMAN James J. Carter Grace.E.Aspinall@WILLIAMS.EDU Grace E. Aspinall MATSUBA@WRITER.YORKU.CA Stephen Matsuba ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 3 Mar 1993 22:02:39 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0124 The SHAKSPER Membership Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 124. Wednesday, 3 March 1993. From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Wednesday, 3 March 1993 Subject: The SHAKSPER Membership Dear SHAKSPEReans, Earlier today, I addressed the latest copy of the SHAKSPER Membership File to the list address rather than to LISTSERV as I intended. As a result, all members of SHAKSPER received this file. Although I did not intend this to happen, my mistake provides me with the occasion to inform everyone of the current state of the SHAKSPER membership. Last summer, I announced as a goal having a membership of more than 300 by the end of 1992. This goal was actually accomplished a few weeks into January 1993. Currently, SHAKSPER boasts 307 active members with new requests for information about joining arriving almost every day. Our members reside in twelve countries around the world: Australia, Brazil, Britain, France, Germany, Israel, Korea, South Africa, Switzerland, Turkey, Canada, and the United States. We are truly a global conference. We also are a diverse group. We are professors and high school teachers, graduates and undergraduates, academics and theatre professionals, computer scientists and librarians, and lots of folks who are simply interested in the works of Shakespeare, the Renaissance, English Literature, and Drama. If you would like to find more about who we are, you may consider reading through the SHAKSPER BIOGRAFY files, which now number ten volumes. These files may be retrieved individually or as a set. To obtain the complete set, send the following one-line mail message to LISTSERV@utoronto.bitnet: GET BIOGRAFY PACKAGE SHAKSPER. There have been in the past few months some extremely interesting discussions carried out on SHAKSPER, but there are nearly four years of discussions that preceded these. If you are interested in reviewing any of these, there are four index files on the fileserver that you should know about: DISCUSS INDEX_1 An index to the first year's discussions on SHAKSPER. DISCUSS INDEX_2 An index to the second year's discussions on SHAKSPER. DISCUSS INDEX_3 An index to the third year's discussions on SHAKSPER. DISCUSS INDEX_4 An index to the fourth year's discussions on SHAKSPER. You may also wish to examine SHAKSPER FILES: a descriptive listing of the SHAKSPER fileserver's contents. SHAKSPEReans can retrieve any of the above files from the SHAKSPER fileserver by issuing the interactive command, "TELL LISTSERV AT UTORONTO GET SHAKSPER". If your network link does not support the interactive "TELL" command (i.e. if you are not directly on Bitnet), or if LISTSERV rejects your request, then send a one-line mail message (without a subject line) to LISTSERV@utoronto, reading "GET SHAKSPER". Let me also remind everyone that the SHAKSPER LOGs are now available through GOPHER, which supports searching by keyword within each monthly log for ready access to information. If you have any questions, you may, as always, feel free to contact me. Hardy M. Cook Editor of SHAKSPER ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 4 Mar 1993 07:16:46 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0125 Q: Tree's 1899 *King John* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 125. Thursday, 4 March 1993. From: John Aney Date: Wednesday, 3 Mar 93 23:01:55 EST Subject: H.B. Tree's 1899 _King John_ Fellow SHAKSPER-eans: I am currently doing some research on H. Beerbohm Tree's 1899 production of _King John_, and would be very interested to hear if anyone out there has some ideas of sources I might check on. I realize this specific question may not yield any answers, but then again, you never know. Also, any one have any good resources for trying to determine how the ORIGINAL production of _KJ_ might have been staged (we have no record of it being performed pre-Restoration...) I am using you all as a resource, not as a substitute for my own research, which continues daily (and nightly!!!) Thanks! John "It is useless to claim people are born free if you deny people are born good." - George Bernard Shaw -JANEY@UCS.INDIANA.EDU ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 4 Mar 1993 09:46:05 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0126 Q: "a naked new-born babe" Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 126. Thursday, 4 March 1993. From: Ronald Dwelle Date: Thursday, 04 Mar 93 09:26:52 EST Subject: [Q: "naked new-born babe" I'm teaching Macbeth (for the first time in years) and stumbling a bit on some of the language. For example: I,vii, 16-25. Macbeth is in soliloqy, describing Duncan's meekness and other virtues, which will "plead against his taking off...." Then the lines: And pity, like a naked new-born babe Striding the blast, or heaven's cherubin horsed Upon the sightless couriers of the air, Shall blow the horrid deed in every eye That tears shall drown the wind. I can find no gloss and can make little sense of the simile. Can someone interpret (or direct me)? Thanks [I cannot resist this one: start with Cleanth Brooks's "The Naked Babe and the Cloak of Manliness," the second chapter in *The Well Wrought Urn*. --hmc] ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 4 Mar 1993 18:34:21 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0130 Q: SGML Primer/Guide Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 130. Thursday, 4 March 1993. From: Richard Spacek Date: Thursday, 04 Mar 93 13:33:48 AST Subject: SGML Primer/Guide I am having trouble finding a good guide to SGML. I expect that the release of WP Markup will change this, but I do not want to wait! Can anyone suggest a useful text? ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 4 Mar 1993 17:51:28 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0127 [was unnumbered] Rs: Tree's 1899 *King John* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 127. Thursday, 4 March 1993. (1) From: Georgianna Ziegler Date: Thursday, 04 Mar 1993 11:55:07 -0500 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0125 Q: Tree's 1899 *King John* (2) From: Bernice W. Kliman Date: Thursday, 4 Mar 1993 15:32 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0125 Q: Tree's 1899 *King John* (3) From: John C. Mucci Date: Thursday, 4 Mar 93 19:01:00 UT Subj: RE: SHK 4.0125 Q: Tree's 1899 *King John* (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Georgianna Ziegler Date: Thursday, 04 Mar 1993 11:55:07 -0500 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0125 Q: Tree's 1899 *King John* The New York Public Library has a microform of *Shakespeare's historical drama King John produced at Her Majesty's Theatre by Herbert Beerbohm Tree on the 20th of September, MDCCCXCIX.* [London]: British Mutoscope and Biograph Co., 1899. The Folger Library has a photogravure of Tree as K. John done by Charles A. Buchel, and an ink and opaque drawing of K. John I.v. showing McLeay as Hubert, Mr. Tree as K. John, Miss Bateman as Constance, and Master Lefton as Arthur. We also have a number of letters to and from (24) Tree, though I'm not sure that any of these will deal with that production. Georgianna (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Bernice W. Kliman Date: Thursday, 4 Mar 1993 15:32 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0125 Q: Tree's 1899 *King John* The next issue of the *Shakespeare Bulletin* has information about this production. You should have this issue soon if you are a subscriber. Also, an essay appeared fairly recently in *Theatre Survey* by B. A. Kachur, with excellent illustrations. *The Shakespeare on Film Newsletter*, which has now merged with the *Shakespeare Bulletin*, carried an announcement of the Kachur essay in vol. 16.2, p. 7. To subscribe to the *Bulletin* send $15 for one year and $30 for two to Profs. James LUSARDI and June SCHLUETER, at Lafayette College, Easton, PA 18042. The Bulletin, a performance journal, is issued quarterly and has about 50 pages per issue--full of good things. Good luck with your research. Bernice W. Kliman (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John C. Mucci Date: Thursday, 4 Mar 93 19:01:00 UT Subject: RE: SHK 4.0125 Q: Tree's 1899 *King John* There is a very interesting account of the 1899 production of _King John_ in the book SHAKESPEARE AND SILENT FILM, as that particular production was the basis of the world's first cinematographical representation of Shakespeare. There are a few stills from the film --and I believe one of the stage production, but the actual film itself is apparently lost. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 4 Mar 1993 18:09:10 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0129 Sonnet 20: Hews = Jews? Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 129. Thursday, 4 March 1993. From: Nate Johnson Date: Thursday, 04 Mar 93 16:08:00 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0115 Re: Shakespeare, Jews, and Anti-Semitism Although, as Jay Halio points out, there are no explicit references to Jews in the sonnets, I wonder about line 7 of sonnet 20: "A man in hew all *Hews* in his controlling" ["Hews" is italicized] Even without the (random?) italicization, it strikes me that there might be a pun here, especially given the prevalence of "use" and usury as themes in the sonnets. Booth suggests several possible meanings of 'hue' and a pun on "you." Give the typography of "Iew" in MOV, and at least one use--"Marke Iew, O learned judge" (Hinman facs)--which suggests a similar pun, it's tempting to speculate about visual or auditory puns on you/Iew/ewe/hew or Iews/Hews/use/ewes in the sonnets. The italicization is also interesting, although perhaps even more dangerous as grounds for speculation. Authorial intent, of course, isn't the issue, but I'm also unwilling to believe that italicization and capitalization are utterly irrelevant at least as clues to some kind of perceived emphasis. The most frequent use of italicization in the sonnets (based on a very rapid scan) seems to be to highlight proper nouns, esp. from classical sources. In the "will" sonnets, the most concentrated use of italics, although not consistent, highlights a word which is both a proper noun and a fertile pun. Having said this, I'm prepared to be jumped on and will have little to say in my defense unless others have supporting ideas or evidence. --Nate Johnson ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 4 Mar 1993 18:02:16 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0128 Rs: "the naked new-born babe" Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 128. Thursday, 4 March 1993. (1) From: Daniel Pigg Date: Thursday, 04 Mar 93 14:25:53 CST Subj: SHK 4.0126 Q: "a naked new-born babe" (2) From: Bernice W. Kliman Date: Thursday, 4 Mar 1993 15:48 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0126 Q: "a naked new-born babe" (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Daniel Pigg Date: Thursday, 04 Mar 93 14:25:53 CST Subject: SHK 4.0126 Q: "a naked new-born babe" I'm not sure the new critical reading of Brooks is the best, especially given his obvious ahistoricism. Dan Pigg (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Bernice W. Kliman Date: Thursday, 4 Mar 1993 15:48 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0126 Q: "a naked new-born babe" I can't help jumping in also. I discusss the passage in my recent book *Macbeth* in the Manchester UP series on Shakespeare in Performance, p. 6. I agree that Brooks is interesting and suggestive, but this is what I wrote: "What can listeners make of the language of Macbeth's hesitancy about murdering Duncan? Readers have difficulty untangling the metaphoric layers to understand Macbeth's state of mind. Sensitive to and appreciative of metaphor as Shakespeares's audience may have been, it is hard to believe that, even were the speech spoken with studied deliberateness, they would get more than flashes of images and the emotive intent, conveyed largely through intonation, gesture, and expression." I see this obscure language as a element of Shakespeare's characterization of Macbeth and contrast his language with Lady Macbeth's much clearer language. Cheers, ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 4 Mar 1993 21:37:26 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0131 More Rs: "a naked new-born babe" Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 131. Thursday, 4 March 1993. (1) From: Georgianna Ziegler Date: Thursday, 04 Mar 1993 16:06:54 -0500 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0126 Q: "a naked new-born babe" (2) From: Robert F. O'Connor Date: Friday, 5 Mar 1993 10:38:50 +1000 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0126 Q: "a naked new-born babe" (3) From: Tad Davis Date: Thursday, 04 Mar 93 14:38:01 -0500 Subj: RE: SHK 4.0126 Q: "a naked new-born babe" (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Georgianna Ziegler Date: Thursday, 04 Mar 1993 16:06:54 -0500 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0126 Q: "a naked new-born babe" The new Folger Shakespeare "Macbeth" glosses cherubin thus: "In other plays, Sh. uses the word cherubin to refer to cherubs (winged angels, depicted as infants or youths with wings and rosy, smiling faces); here, the reference seems to be to the powerful supernatural winged creature described in Ezekiel 10 and referred to in Psalm 18.10 where God comes to the rescue of the psalmist, David, riding on a cherub ("...he rode upon a Cherub and did fly, and he came flying upon the wings of the wind")." In the same edition, Mowat and Werstine gloss "sightless couriers" as "invisible coursers or steeds." But I will ditto Hardy's advice on this one--go look at Brooks! Cheers--Georgianna (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Robert F. O'Connor Date: Friday, 5 Mar 1993 10:38:50 +1000 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0126 Q: "a naked new-born babe" Ronald Dwelle wrote: >I'm teaching Macbeth (for the first time in years) and stumbling a bit >on some of the language. For example: > I,vii, 16-25. >Macbeth is in soliloqy, describing Duncan's meekness and other virtues, >which will "plead against his taking off...." >Then the lines: > And pity, like a naked new-born babe > Striding the blast, or heaven's cherubin horsed > Upon the sightless couriers of the air, > Shall blow the horrid deed in every eye > That tears shall drown the wind. >I can find no gloss and can make little sense of the simile. By the happiest of coincidences I am also working on 'Macbeth' for the first time since being an undergraduate. This passage also caught my eye, though not, I confess, because it stumped me. It always makes me think of Southwell's 'The Burning Babe' for obvious reasons, and I think there is a deliberate prefiguration of the bloody child of 4.1.90ff. The idea that an evil deed would make itself known through the physical world goes all the way back to the murder of Abel, I think - Vindice's sentiments at the end of 'The Revenger's Tragedy' notwithstanding. The idea that Duncan was a super-virtuous king is one that I have been told is not (by some interpretations of the sources) accurate - any comments anyone? ROC An addendum - I am using the recent Oxford Shakespeare edition of 'Macbeth' and I can recommend it for further info. (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Tad Davis Date: Thursday, 04 Mar 93 14:38:01 -0500 Subject: RE: SHK 4.0126 Q: "a naked new-born babe" I can't offer much of a gloss, but it's one of the most frightening images in Shakespeare. Some of that fright for me, though, may be based on one of those early misapprehensions that are so difficult to root out. "Sightless couriers" has always raised images of eyeless horses, perhaps with little ribbons of red flame trailing from their ears. It has always been mingled in my mind with images of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse. I believe, however, that "sightless" really means "invisible," and the "sightless couriers of the air" are really the four winds rather than the four horsemen... Tad Davis davist@a1.relay.upenn.edu ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 4 Mar 1993 21:41:39 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0132 Assorted Queries Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 132. Thursday, 4 March 1993. From: Roy Flannagan Date: Thursday, 4 March 93, 17:31:19 EST Subject: [Random Queries] A few almost random queries, based on points that have come in classes that dealt with comedies and tragedies: Is Shakespeare down on dogs, since he has very few kind words to say about them, except possibly beagles ({Twelfth Night}) and hounds with matched voices ({MND})? Is the problem that they might be associated with hell hounds? What is a whoreson dog, precisely? In {King Lear}, with its missing mothers, what can we say about Edmund's mother, other than that she was presumably a "good sport" in his making? Is the audience really supposed to like Sir Toby Belch? I have one student (not notably puritanical), who finds more to like about Malvolio than Sir Toby. Is Feste's final song--concerned with, among other things, "tosspots"-- a final word on Sir Toby's world of heavy toping? Why does Shakespeare invariably give his romantic leads bad poetry to compose, as with Orlando and even Hamlet? Are the Fools or minstrels, provided that they are supposed to be writing their own material, better poets than the lovers? My questions might seem flippant or under-informed, but I would appreciate hearing the collective wisdom of SHAKSPERians. Roy Flannagan ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 5 Mar 1993 17:27:10 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0136 Italics and "Iew" Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 136. Friday, 5 March 1993. From: Roy Flannagan Date: Friday, 5 March 93, 09:01:50 EST Subject: Italics and "Iew" A quick check through the OTA {Merchant of Venice}--if the italics were all entered (and they are hard to remember, sometimes)--shows that the compositor's practice was very irregular in the text, as compared with the speech prefixes. More often than not, "Iew" is not italicized. Perhaps in the printing of the sonnets, a compositor saw the configuration of type and italicized it in a knee-jerk reaction. Normally italics would be used to identify proper names, with occasional appearance on foreign or translated words and quotations. Roy Flannagan ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 5 Mar 1993 07:17:47 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0133 Rs: SGML Primer/Guide Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 133. Friday, 5 March 1993. (1) From: John Gouws Date: Friday, 5 Mar 1993 07:02:42 +0200 (EET) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0130 Q: SGML Primer/Guide (2) From: John Lavagnino Date: Thursday, 4 Mar 1993 20:34 EDT Subj: Re: SGML Primer/Guide (3) From: Vint Cerf <0003786240@mcimail.com> Date: Friday, 5 Mar 93 09:36 GMT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0130 Q: SGML Primer/Guide (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John Gouws Date: Friday, 5 Mar 1993 07:02:42 +0200 (EET) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0130 Q: SGML Primer/Guide Richard Spacek writes: > > Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 130. Thursday, 4 March 1993. > > From: Richard Spacek > Date: Thursday, 04 Mar 93 13:33:48 AST > Subject: SGML Primer/Guide > > I am having trouble finding a good guide to SGML. I expect that the > release of WP Markup will change this, but I do not want to wait! > Can anyone suggest a useful text? > You could try the SGML project base at the University of Exeter . I have been told they hold articles, documents and some free software. Best wishes. John -- John Gouws - Department of English - Rhodes University Internet: enjg@hippo.ru.ac.za Telephone: (0461) 22023 xt 402 (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John Lavagnino Date: Thursday, 4 Mar 1993 20:34 EDT Subject: Re: SGML Primer/Guide The Tutorials in *The SGML Handbook* by Charles Goldfarb, published by Oxford a few years ago, are an excellent introduction to SGML. A fine article on the ideas underlying the use of SGML in humanities applications is James H. Coombs, Allen H. Renear, and Steven J. DeRose, "Markup systems and the future of scholarly text processing," Communications of the ACM, volume 30, November 1987, 933-947. I'd avoid relying solely upon a software company's explanation of what SGML or any other standardized language is. Such companies like to add nonstandard features and pass them off as part of the language, so as to discourage defection to competitors. Not a nice thing to find out after you've invested a lot of work. John Lavagnino, Department of English, Brandeis University (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Vint Cerf <0003786240@mcimail.com> Date: Friday, 5 Mar 93 09:36 GMT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0130 Q: SGML Primer/Guide Regarding SGML, you might want to contact the Association of American Publishers. I believe they have a headquarters in Washington, DC. See Carol Risher on MCI Mail: "Carol Risher" Vint Cerf ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 5 Mar 1993 07:25:58 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0134 Re: "a naked new-born babe" Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 134. Friday, 5 March 1993. (1) From: Christoppher Johnston Date: Friday, 5 Mar 93 1:42:48 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0126 Q: "a naked new-born babe" (2) From: Roy Flanngan Date: Friday, 5 March 93, 06:11:33 EST Subj: [Re: "a naked new-born babe"] (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Christoppher Johnston Date: Friday, 5 Mar 93 1:42:48 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0126 Q: "a naked new-born babe" I'm not familiar with the various glosses of this, but it seems to be an allusion to Judgement Day, a cherub blowing a trumpet riding a horse of air, the same image being repeated in the newborn riding the blast and the cherubim riding the wind-coursers. In the Judgement, Duncan's virtues will "plead like angels." There is also the emphasis on horse-riding, picked up by Macbeth's "vaulting ambition" and the spur to prick his intent. An apocalyptic horse foreshadowing his perdition? Todd Johnston ccs.carleton.ca (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Roy Flanngan Date: Friday, 5 March 93, 06:11:33 EST Subject: [Re: "a naked new-born babe"] Subject: sightless couriers and cherubim "Sightless" could mean either "unseeable," hence invisible, or "without the abilitity to see." Probably in this case the couriers *are* the winds, and it is we who cannot perceive them. Compare the Attendant Spirit's "I must be viewless now" in Milton's {Comus} 92. Cherubim (the plural form of the noun meaning an order of angels) were often painted as infants with wings, putti, despite the objections of some thologians who wanted angels, if pictured at all, to appear ageless. The word "cherub" could be applied to a young child, even by 1700. Roy Flannagan ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 5 Mar 1993 07:34:06 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0135 Re: The Folger Library and the Shakespeare Theatre Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 135. Friday, 5 March 1993. From: Vint Cerf <0003786240@mcimail.com> Date: Friday, 5 Mar 93 09:35 GMT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0122 Re: Parody; Folger Library and Theatre Regarding relationship of the Folger Library and Shakespeare Theatre, it is not correct that there never was an affiliation. Indeed there was some years ago, but the financial stresses on the Shakespeare Theatre were sufficiently threatening to the Library that the two activities were legally segregated. Michael Kahn, the artistic director of the Shakespeare Theatre rescued the company and has made a success of it - so much so that they really needed a larger house to generate larger income (more seats) during the same "season." Both the Library and the Shakespeare Theatre have benefitted from the move since the Folger gets back use of the Globe Theatre (which is now being renovated, thanks to a major grant). Vint [Editor's note: I was at the preview years back, when John Neville-Andrews, then artistic director, announced the end of the company. The efforts of many Washingtonian, including some prominent ones, saved the group. Michael Kahn became the new artistic director, and now The Shakespeare Theatre is one of the finest classical theatre companies in the nation. --hmc] ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 5 Mar 1993 17:49:00 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0137 Rs: Assorted Queries Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 138. Friday, 5 March 1993. (1) From: Jay L Halio Date: Friday, 5 Mar 1993 12:57:43 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0132 Assorted Queries (2) From: Rick Jones Date: Friday, 5 Mar 1993 11:59:25 -0600 (CST) Subj: RE: SHK 4.0132 Assorted Queries (3) From: Lars Engle Date: Friday, 5 Mar 1993 10:29:53 -0600 (CST) Subj: RE: SHK 4.0132 Assorted Queries (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jay L Halio Date: Friday, 5 Mar 1993 12:57:43 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0132 Assorted Queries To Roy Flanagan: See Caroline Spurgeon's *Shakespeare's Imagery and What It Tells Us* for dogs, which he did not like because of their fawning behavior, apparently. And I don't think there is anything else in *Lear* about Edmund's mother. Jay Halio (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Rick Jones Date: Friday, 5 Mar 1993 11:59:25 -0600 (CST) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0132 Assorted Queries I'll skip some of Roy Flannagan's questions, put submit a couple of possible responses to others: >Is the audience really supposed to like Sir Toby Belch? I have one >student (not notably puritanical), who finds more to like about Malvolio >than Sir Toby. Sir Toby is fun-loving; Malvolio is a prude. In and of itself, that makes Sir Toby somewhat more appealing. But I'd argue that they're at the opposite ends of a spectrum (or perhaps a series of spectra) for which the appropriate ground is in the middle. Sir Toby has too much fun and does not uphold the standards of conduct appropriate to a knight; Malvolio has not enough fun and over-reaches his status to believe himself a legitimate suitor for Olivia. Olivia, on the other hand, enjoys a good laugh, but also recognizes propriety as a cardinal virtue of one of her status in the society. And it is Olivia (and Orsino and Viola) who is rewarded in the end: Sir Toby's antics are both censured and curtailed (this latter through the socially unbalanced marriage to Maria); Malvolio goes into voluntary exile. I hadn't thought of this before, but I'm reminded of Moliere's _Misanthrope_ (which, for all I know, may have been influenced by _Twelfth Night_): Celimene, the frivolous character (in a different sense of the term than would apply to Sir Toby), is shown up; Alceste, the self-righteous character, departs the court. Who's left? Eliante and Philinte, the characters who understand the falseness of the court but manage to establish themselves simultaneously as honorable characters and sensible courtiers who know when not to rock the boat. One other thought: I'd guess that your student has only read, not SEEN the play. A glimpse of Malvolio actually yellow-hosed and cross-gartered goes a long way toward clarifying the role. >Why does Shakespeare invariably give his romantic leads bad poetry to >compose, as with Orlando and even Hamlet? Are the Fools or minstrels, >provided that they are supposed to be writing their own material, better >poets than the lovers? I think this ties in to the concepts of love melancholy and degree. Lovers were expected to write poetry; that poetry was expected to be more heart-felt than literary. Fools, on the other hand, compose poetry as part of their "job" -- they're allowed to show off a little (and, by extension, to show the playwright off). Also, while it may have been important for courtiers to dabble in the arts, it was certainly not considered an appropriate pastime taken to extremes: i.e. everyone has her/his place in the society, and courtiers ought to be concerned about the affairs of state, leaving the arts to those who, in effect, can't do anything else. See Erasmus's _Education of the Christian Prince_ for more on this... or, for an example from the drama, look at Lyly's _Campaspe_, in which Alexander the Great recognizes that Apelles is a greater artist than he... and also abandons Campaspe (the cortesan) to Apelles because he (Alex.) has greater worlds to conquer. -- Rick Jones Cornell College (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Lars Engle Date: Friday, 5 Mar 1993 10:29:53 -0600 (CST) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0132 Assorted Queries Support for Roy Flanagan's hunch that Shakespeare was down on dogs can be found in a couple of characteristically regretful pages in A.C. Bradley's "Shakespeare the Man," *Oxford Lectures on Poetry* (London, 1909; rpt London: Macmillan, 1965), pp. 340-341. I quote selectively: "Shakespeare has observed and recorded, in some instances profusely, every vice that I can think of in an ill-conditioned dog . . . . Whately's exclamation -- uttered after a College meeting or a meeting of Chapter, I forget which -- 'The more I see of men, the more I like dogs,' would never have been echoed by Shakespeare. The things he most loathed in men he found in dogs too. And yet all this might go for nothing ifwe could set anything of weight against it. But what can we set? Nothing whatever, so far as I remember, except a recognition of courage in bear-baiting, bull-baiting mastiffs . . . . There is no reference, I believe, to the fidelity of the dog in the whole of his works . . . To all that he loved most in men he was blind in dogs. And then we call him universal!" The essay is full of such gems. Lars Engle, U. of Tulsa ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 5 Mar 1993 17:39:49 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0137 More Rs: "a naked new-born babe" Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 137. Friday, 5 March 1993. (1) From: Kay Stockholder Date: Friday, 5 Mar 93 07:33:30 PST Subj: SHK 4.0126 Q: "a naked new-born babe" (2) From: Timothy Pinnow Date: Friday, 5 Mar 93 11:42:52 CST Subj: [Re: "a naked new-born babe" (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kay Stockholder Date: Friday, 5 Mar 93 07:33:30 PST Subject: SHK 4.0126 Q: "a naked new-born babe" I think about that image as related to the many images of children and of the childlike and tender that Macbeth destroys in the process and aftermath of killing Duncan. Just as he knows the deep consequences of his act before he performs it, he also forsees that the pity he surpresses in perfomring it will return to avenge it. He renders tender and familial his enemy, as he also forsees when he muses on the "even handed justice". (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Timothy Pinnow Date: Friday, 5 Mar 93 11:42:52 CST Subject: [Re: "a naked new-born babe"] As I read the previous discussions about that extended simile of the "new born babe" in the Scottish play, I find myself wondering just how simple you can make that comparison and still not lose its flavor. So, from my sinplistic (note purposeful misspelling) actor's point-of-view (which I admit lacks any great depth)--I believe I would play the line as meaning: "If I allow myself to feel pity, I will be as defenseless as a naked babe and stand there teary-eyed (irresolute) as if there were a strong wind blowing in my eyes." Yup, that's definitely simple--but playable, I think. Timothy Dayne Pinnow Ass't. Prof. of Theatre St. Olaf College 1520 St. Olaf Ave Northfield MN 55057 ph. 507/646-3327 Internet: pinnow@stolaf.edu ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 6 Mar 1993 08:06:56 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0139 *MV*: Is Shakespeare Anti-Christian? Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 139. Saturday, 6 March 1993. From: Ben Ross Schneider Date: Friday, 05 Mar 1993 17:25:42 -0600 (CST) Subject: MV: Is Shakespeare anti-Christian? Instead of concentrating almost exclusively on Shylock and Jews in England and other Jews in Shakespeare, shouldn't we be devoting more thought to what the play as a whole says about Shylock? We cannot avoid comparing Shylock to his opponents in the play. Since it is human nature to take sides, our attitude to him varies inversely with out attitude to them. Is he morally better, no worse, or worse than the Christians? If worse, then on what basis? If better, on what basis? I suggest that he is worse because he gets and keeps money. The Christians are better because they throw it away. Elizabethan attitudes to money support this hypothesis. If the Christians are better in some way, it's Shylock's morality, not his race that the play holds up for scorn. Herbert Donow has already started us down this path. But Tad Davis says that the Christians are "an awful crew of yuppies" and suggests that Shylock has tragic dignity. This difference of opinion brings up a new question: Is Shakespeare anti-Christian? ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 6 Mar 1993 18:29:23 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0140 Towards a Sonnet Boom Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 140. Saturday, 6 March 1993. From: Timothy Bowden Date: Friday, 05 Mar 93 11:06:23 PST Subject: Towards a Sonnet Boom TO.THE.ONLIE.BEGETTER.OF. THESE.INSVING.SONNETS. Mr.W.H. ALL.HAPPINESSE. AND.THAT.ETERNITIE. PROMISED. BY. OVR.EVERLIVING.POET. WISHETH. THE.WELL-WISHING. ADVENTVRER.IN. SETTING. FORTH. T.T. My thanks to those who referred me to the article on this epigraph published in the Publication of The Modern Language Society as "RIP, Mr W. H." by Mr Donald Foster in 1987. I see there a cogent study of these mysteries which would convince us on evidence of numerous other such dedications of the period that the `Bettetter' would have been none other than the poet and the `Everliving Poet' would be God and Mr Thorpe himself is the `Well-Wishing Adventurer' and is setting forth on the publication of these same sonnets, and the whole of the message would have been to authenticate their authorship (a question which naturally would arise, given the rampant misattribution of the period). Also there are examples of misprints by Mr Thorpe's printer, including in these poems and in other extant epigraphs and titles, which might explain how `Mr W.SH.' might have had the `S' elided. I also ask indulgence of the list and the doctrine of `routine use' to quote a reality check Mr Foster presented in his piece: +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= After nearly two hundred years of speculation and scholarship, we have made remarkable little progress toward uncovering the `true story' behind Shakespeare's Sonnets, if indeed there is a story to be uncovered. The poems tease us with what appear to be references to real persons, persons who knew the man Shakespeare much better than we. Yet we still have no plausible candidates for the role of dark lady (or ladies) or of the rival poet (or poets) or of the speaker's young friend (or friends). We do not know whether all the sonnets are to be taken as spoken by a single speaker or whether the speaker in each poem is Shakespeare, a fictional lover, or a man. We do not know that the `sugared sonnets' mentioned by Francis Meres in 1598 are these published in the Quarto, whether we have all the sonnets written by Shakespeare, whether they are all by Shakespeare, whether they are arranged as Shakespeare wished, or when any one of them was written. We do not even know that William Shakespeare wrote a single one of these poems, however likely that surmise may be. +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= Which only encourages me in my annual speculation about the comparison of the first 17 of the Sonnets as arranged in the Quarto of 1609, dealing in the persuading of a young man to marry, and the public record of the Belott-Mountjoy suit of 1612, which documents Shakespeare's involvement about ten years previous in precisely that capacity. I sometimes fantasize of some pretext or other bringing Mrs Mountjoy into the rooms of her tenant, the man Shakespeare, where she chances a glance at some papers arranged on his desk and spies very eloquent pleas to a young man that he should busy himself with begetting, a cause very near the heart of this mother of a marriageable daughter. I again invite your own thoughts... Tim ========================================================= tcbowden@clovis.felton.ca.us (Timothy Bowden) uunet!scruz.ucsc.edu!clovis.felton.ca.us!tcbowden Clovis in Felton, CA ========================================================= ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 6 Mar 1993 18:44:21 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0141 Rs: Is Shakespeare Anti-Christian? Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 141. Saturday, 6 March 1993. (1) From: Piers Lewis Date: Saturday, 6 Mar 1993 12:59 CST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0139 *MV*: Is Shakespeare Anti-Christian? (2) From: Luc Borot Date: Saturday, 06 Mar 93 20:42 Subj: Anti-Christian Bard????? (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Piers Lewis Date: Saturday, 6 Mar 1993 12:59 CST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0139 *MV*: Is Shakespeare Anti-Christian? C.L Barber remarks (*Shakespeare's Festive Comedy*) that the beautiful people of Venice and Belmont are let off too easily. That, it seems to me, goes to the heart of the various problems *The Merchant of Venice* presents for a modern audience. Juxtaposed against the intensity of Shylock's concentration on the uncompromising demands of his one true god, money--and his hatred of Antonio--these gilded butterflies do seem unreal; especially Bassanio to whom everything comes too easily--both money and love. Surely it should not be so easy to have it both ways? To live high, wide and handsome on borrowed money and go on to become the hero of romance who wins the heart of the princess in the tower? To live an idle, unproductive life of pleasure and self-indulgence, and find true love and riches beyond the dreams of avarice by solving a stupid riddle? Our bourgeois minds find this hard to take. Money and love should be earned, we think. "Who chooses me must give and hazard all he hath," says the lead box, but it is not clear that Bassanio has anything to give or hazard--except the life of his friend, Antonio. Portia throws herself into his arms, giving herself utterly and without reserve, and what does he say? "Madame, you have bereft me of all words . . ." By demonizing Shylock, the play demonizes money. Portia, good fairy princess, waves her wand and both disappear. It shouldn't be that easy, we think-- and we're right: money is too powerful, too mysterious and too important to be treated in this way. Shakespeare knew that too, deep down, which is why in all honesty he makes Shylock so intensely alive that the other characters seem unreal by comparison--to us at any rate for whom the aristocratic ideal, largely taken for granted in this play, has faded away. Morocco and Aragon, egoists and rationalists both, tie themselves in knots over the riddle, wallowing in confusion; Mr. Right comes along and just knows without having to puzzle it out that gold and silver are without intrinsic value ("hard food for midas," the one; the other, a "common drudge") and pounces on the correct solution. Why? As a true aristocrat, he's contemptous of money--filthy luchre-- so of course he just knows the right answer, without having to be told--and that's another problem: why open up the slightest possibility that Portia might have tipped him off? Shakespeare was not thinking clearly, perhaps, when he has Portia sooth Bassanio's spirits with the beautiful song, 'Tell me, where is fancy bred . . .?' I don't think Portia is supposed to be a hypocrite but our cynicism is so intense we snatch at any pretext. But then Shakespeare was not writing for an audience of cynics. Piers Lewis (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Luc Borot Date: Saturday, 06 Mar 93 20:42 Subject: Anti-Christian Bard????? Dear Fellow SHAKSPEReans, Our colleague Schneider has just raised a very important issue when he raised the question whether *MV* could be seen as an Anti-Christian play. As one of the dominant interpretations of Marlowe's *Jew of Malta* with which I fully agree reads that play as more critical of the Christ- ians than of the Jew(s?) or Moslems, and as a previous contributor to our often biased and anti-historical discussion on this issue has al- ready opened a parallel with Marlowe's *JM*, let me stop on it a trice (expect an hour when a Mediteranean tells you so), but though I live 10 miles or so from the aforesaid Mare Nostrum, I was born and bred in Pa- ris, which is almost polar to my "native" secretary and you may expect me to keep my word on this problem of duration. Marlowe and Shakespeare express views which come to us from the same time, and address our sensibilities, which can be assimilated in spite of our differences just as we underrate almost too naturally the differences between Marlowe and Shakespeare, which may have sounded atrouciously unbearable to Elizabethan 'initiates' (though I don't think I could physically and intellectually sign one word Prof. Sinfield or Prof. Drakakis ever wrote, and expect the same from them towards me, though they are likely to ignore the writings (in French) of a 17th-cen- tury scholar mostly dealing in Hobbesiana). If we are ready, from Marlowe's own words, to consider that the Maltese knights are rivalling with Barabbas only for the title of the best --or worst-- machiavelist in the tiny island of Malta, lost in the Mediterranean, cannot we also look on Shakespeare's characters in *MV* with less passionate eyes and more critical hearts? "When you prick us, do we not bleed?" is not something you are likely to hear from Barabbas, or from the Maltese knights. Portia is the only Christian who can over-mercy the mercy-begging Shylock. I was shock ed by two things when I saw Antony Sher's rendering of Shylock in '87 in Stratford: he borrowed some extra-textual acts from Jewish rituals of Pessah, for which the company claimed the authority of a consultant rabbi. Nonetheless, he looked the more cruel and the production looked the more anti-semitic for that bit of misplaced 'authenticity'. Introducing a genuine part from one of the most sacred rituals of Judaism at the moment when Shylock rejoices in the expectation of cut- ting one pound of flesh from a Christian contradicted one of the most interesting dimensions of that stimulating (but morally debatable) prod- uction: toleration professed by the director. Many of us French Jews and Christians (I'm of the latter) were shocked. The production seemed to assimilate the most sacred rituals of Judaism with the most infamous (now rejected, I hope...) insults Christianity has ever dumped on Jews: deicide and infanticide. The second thing I didn't like in that production, but not very re- levant here, is the way Portia was acted as a Restoration libertine: she certainly cuts far deeper than the libido-driven Restoration heroine she was played like. Besides, the appearance of crosses and beads on the garments and in the hands of the Venetian characters (including Rebecca) in the second half of the play seemed to turn the play into a ridiculing of Roman Catholicism as the only form of anti-semitical Christianity. On top of this, the end was confusing to Jews and Christians together: what did that mean? The director had Rebecca and Antonio almost fighting for a jewel-cross Rebecca had just let drop, as if to obtain the cross, the Jewish woman had to beg the Christian merchant for it, whereas she had been shown deliberately and freely leaving her father's house. The merchant, as merchant i.e. for whom entering the kingdom of the father will be as difficult as for a camel to thread a needle, is Antonio almost as tragically as Shylock. These theological echoes must have been present to Shakespeare's audience almost as strongly as the anti-semitical connotations which so justifiably bring our hearts to our mouths. To justify myself (if on need to), I will add this element of biography: in 1942, when my father was an apprentice of 15, a Roman Catholic socialist by education, he joined the Paris Resistance move- ment when he realised that most of the Jewish children with whom he had been to school in our district of Le Marais, and Rue des Rosiers, who had been one half of his classmates when he left school at the age of 13, had been taken away to Drancy and the Death Camps. Of 20, born between 1925 and 1928, 4 returned, dead to the world for the rest of their lives; 1 survives to this day and won't tell... I'm as scared with the rising anti-semitism of integrist Moslems on both sides of the Mare Nostrum aforesaid as with the condemnation of Shakespeare for the evils of the 20th century, as if we were trying to escape our resp- onsibility by rejecting it on our elders. So I really was long, I'm afraid, but we have been very blind of late, haven't we, as we wanted to be more clever than our elders... Tres amicalement yours, Luc ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 6 Mar 1993 18:49:52 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0142 R: "a naked new-born babe" Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 142. Saturday, 6 March 1993. From: Christoppher Johnston Date: Saturday, 6 Mar 93 13:12:19 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0137 More Rs: "a naked new-born babe" The idea of the newborn babe in connection with Duncans's murder is further intriguing if we look at Lady Macbeth's words to her husband which follow upon this: I have given suck, and know How tender 'tis to love the babe that milks me: I would, while it was smiling in my face, Have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums, And dashed his brains out, had I so sworn as you Have done to this. She is trying to prick his courage, but it almost seems a response to Macbeth's comment of the newborn babe (before she entered): Duncan becomes the babe that she would kill if she had so sworn, coalescing perhaps with Macbeth's previous metaphor. (Lady Macbeth's lines, if I remember correctly from K. Muir's "Sources..", have echoes of a translation of Medea). Todd Johnston ccs.carleton.ca ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 6 Mar 1993 19:00:28 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0143 R: Dogs; Q: Summer Shakespeare; College Productions *TGV* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 143. Saturday, 6 March 1993. (1) From: William Kemp Date: Saturday, 6 Mar 93 11:10:09 EST Subj: Shakespeare and dogs (2) From: Daniel Pigg Date: Saturday, 06 Mar 93 16:02:18 CST Subj: Ren. Drama in Summer 1993 (3) From: Jeff Nyhoff Date: Saturday, 6 Mar 93 11:11:24 -0800 Subj: [College Productions of *TGV*] (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Kemp Date: Saturday, 6 Mar 93 11:10:09 EST Subject: Shakespeare and dogs If I recall accurately, the title character/narrator in Leon Rooke's novel SHAKESPEARE'S DOG (New York: Ecco Press, 1983) didn't much care for Shakespeare. Every dog has his . . . no, I won't write that. Bill Kemp Mary Washington College Fredericskburg, Va. wkemp@s850.mwc.edu (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Daniel Pigg Date: Saturday, 06 Mar 93 16:02:18 CST Subject: Ren. Drama in Summer 1993 Does anyone have a tentative schedule for plays that will be performed in summer 1993 in London and Stratford or perhaps at the Edinburgh Festival? Thanks, Daniel Pigg IVAD@UTMARTN.BITNET (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jeff Nyhoff Date: Saturday, 6 Mar 93 11:11:24 -0800 Subject: [College Productions of *TGV*] "Two Gentleman of Verona" strikes me of late as particularly well suited to college production, and yet I've not recently heard of any college productions of it, let alone seen one. Have I just missed them? Or am I missing some potential production pitfalls in the script? Does anyone have experiences of college productions of TGOV and/or thoughts on a potential college production of it? Jeff Nyhoff ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 7 Mar 1993 09:32:07 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0144 Re: College Productions of *TGV* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 144. Sunday, 7 March 1993. From: Steven Solomon Urkowitz Date: Saturday, 06 Mar 93 23:24:44 EST Subject: Re: College Productions *TGV* Jeff Nyhoff's query about college productions of Two Gents catches me a week after I worked through the text in a Shakespearean Comedy course. It could be done well, as long as a director and actors could play the wonderfully abrupt slides up and down the linguistic registers. Those jumps up into super-courtly diction and down into pots and pands and codpiece pins have to be negotiated with reckless daring. Otherwise any lapse into monotone rendering of kool-ade linguistic intensity will sink the project. Maybe other people saw the ACTING COMPANY on tour with a Wild West rendering. Magnificent, especially because cowboys and bandits and cattle barons and mariachi bands have the conventional possibilities of courtly adventure that Shakespeare was playing with. Gene Autry stands not all that far from Sir Phillip Sidney as a codifier of now-ancient gestures usable in funny ways for modern fictions. Ride 'em, cowboys. Steve Urkowitz (SURCC@CUNYVM) ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 7 Mar 1993 17:42:07 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0145 New on the SHAKSPER FileServer: COMPUTER TEACHING Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 145. Sunday, 7 March 1993. From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Sunday, 7 March 1993 Subject: New on the SHAKSPER FileServer: COMPUTER TEACHING As of today, SHAKSPEReans may retrieve COMPUTER TEACHING from the SHAKSPER FileServer. COMPUTER TEACHING contains two articles by Michael Lamonico about using the Riverside Shakespeare with WordCruncher to teach Shakespeare to high school students (excerpts below). SHAKSPEReans can retrieve COMPUTER TEACHING by issuing the interactive command, "TELL LISTSERV AT UTORONTO GET COMPUTER TEACHING SHAKSPER." If your network link does not support the interactive "TELL" command (i.e. if you are not directly on Bitnet), or if LISTSERV rejects your request, then send a one-line mail message (without a subject line) to LISTSERV@utoronto, reading "GET COMPUTER TEACHING SHAKSPER." Should you have difficulty receiving this file, please contact the editor, or . For an updated version of the file list, send the command "GET SHAKSPER FILES SHAKSPER" in the same fashion. For further information, consult the appropriate section of your SHAKSPER GUIDE. =============================================================================== 1. TEACHING SHAKESPEARE WITH A COMPUTER, By MICHAEL LAMONICO Teaching Shakespeare with a computer sounds like an oxymoron. The very idea of high school students exploring the language of the foremost writer in history on a high tech machine seems ludicrous. My colleagues scoffed at the idea, thinking that the mechanization of this process would result in nothing more than lists of meaningless data. In a way this was my first reaction when I first heard of WordCruncher, a concordance and text retrieval program combined with The Riverside Shakespeare's Complete Works. But after convincing my school to order this program in 1988, my teaching has undergone a radical change, and I have spread my discoveries to teachers everywhere. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. "SEEK ME OUT BY COMPUTATION" After assigning my students a project that required the Shakespeare Concordance, I was told by our school's computer director that the electronic version of the Riverside Shakespeare and WordCruncher had arrived and was ready to use. Later that day, as I sat at the computer and became familiar with the program, one of my students sat at the next terminal and asked if he could try it. Within 30 minutes he had searched through Hamlet and found the references he needed to begin his assignment and left the computer room with his print-out in hand. This program contains some advanced routines that will take most users some time to master, but its primary use as a way to search through the text and locate words is a task that most can master at one sitting. ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 7 Mar 1993 17:46:14 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0146 Another R: "a naked new-born babe" Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 146. Sunday, 7 March 1993. From: Kay Stockholder Date: Sunday, 7 Mar 93 14:01:48 PST Subject: SHK 4.0142 R: "a naked new-born babe" Throughout the first part of the play the minds of Lady Macbeth and Macbeth are perfectly attuned to each other. She knows that Macbeth's tender side represents a danger to their enterprise, just as he does. In this sense they collude in surpressing it, but, unlike her, he knows ahead of time that the milky tenderness, the impulses to nurture and be nurtured, represented in the image of the babe, that are being violated will return and take their toll. In this way the play as a whole argues for the existence of a natural law,inscribed in the unconscious if not the conscious, that render sin the instrument of its own punishment. ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 7 Mar 1993 19:12:39 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0147 Tracing Actors Through the Plays Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 147. Sunday, 7 March 1993. From: Roy Flannagan Date: Sunday, 7 March 93, 17:53:59 EST Subject: Tracing actors through the plays This is a large question, and may come out of a still-larger ignorance. Has any scholar speculated very carefully about which of the various members of acting companies (outside of the very famous, such as Armin, Kemp, and Burbage) acted various parts? We have slips in printed texts that might indicate the presence of various actors like Kemp, and we have legends, such as that of Shakespeare playing Adam in {As You Like It} or the ghost of Hamlet's father, but has anyone worked out a tree of probable associations? Was the actor who played Jaques a kind of Emmett Kelly type who always did melancholy, and what of those two matched pairs of male and "female" romantic leads who did Lysander and Demetrius and Helena and Hermia, then Benedick and Claudio and Beatrice and Hero? Who did the perennial Prince or Duke? Did the shorter boy actor have less of a dramatic range than the taller? Did the Benedick male lead become the dominant one by force of his acting skills? Did the boy actor who played Katherina play Beatrice? Portia? How many sensitive, witty, singing clowns did Robert Armin play? How would the boy actor who did, say, Katherina, move on to Lady Macbeth or Cleopatra? I know the chronology of the plays is uncertain, but certainly associations among characters such as Bottom and Dogberry, and the actor who presumably played both of them, can be made. There is at least a fascinating web of associations to be made, if someone hasn't done it (and no, I don't want to do it). Roy Flannagan ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 7 Mar 1993 19:25:06 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0148 Effect of Computer Technologies Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 148. Sunday, 7 March 1993. From: Jeff Nyhoff Date: Sunday, 7 Mar 93 16:17:47 -0800 Subject: [Effect of Computer Technologies] The recent article regarding computer-aided instruction in Shakespeare studies prods me toward a request I've been meaning to submit to this group: My dissertation work is in need of a clearer idea of the present and potential effect of recent computer technologies upon scholarship and pedagogy in the areas of dramatic literature and theatre. Consequently, I'm keenly interested in hearing from SHAKSPERians regarding how such technologies (networks, multimedia, hypertext/hypermedia, etc.) have had and might have impact upon their work. Any related bibliographic recommendations would also be greatly appreciated. I'm fairly new to the group, so forgive me if there has already been substantial discussion related to this; if this is the case, then perhaps someone could refer me to the proper section of the group's archives? Please -- even the shortest note would be of great use to me. Feel free to e-mail to me directly (nyhoff@garnet.berkeley.edu). Thanks in advance, Jeff Nyhoff ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 8 Mar 1993 06:59:41 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0149 R: Assorted Queries Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 149. Monday, 8 March 1993. From: Robert O'Connor Date: Monday, 8 Mar 1993 13:43:39 +1000 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0132 Assorted Queries Roy Flannagan asked: >Is the audience really supposed to like Sir Toby Belch? I have one >student (not notably puritanical), who finds more to like about Malvolio >than Sir Toby. I have always had a soft spot for 'Twelfth Night' - it was one of the plays that got me hooked on Shakespeare in the first place - and like many people I suppose I am often troubled by the torments meted out to Malvolio toward the end of the play. I always thought his "I'll be revenged on the whole pack of you" begged for a sequel (any takers?). Considering some of the nasty things said in other plays about English drinking habits (for example by Stephano and Trinculo in 'Tempest') I think if nothing else Sir Toby is intended to be as familiar a figure to an Elizabethan audience as Malvolio, and perhaps just as reviled. The trio formed by these two and Andrew Aguecheek may be funny, even likable, but they are not admirable. ROC ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 8 Mar 1993 15:55:26 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0150 R: Tracing Actors Though the Plays Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 150. Monday, 8 March 1993. From: John Cox Date: Monday, 8 Mar 1993 09:54 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0147 Tracing Actors Through the Plays In response to Roy Flannagan's question about Elizabethan type casting, I would suggest looking at David Bevington's *From Mankind to Marlowe* where he takes apart T. W. Baldwin's argument about assigned parts. This goes back several years (early 60s); perhaps someone could suggest more discussion of the matter since then. John Cox ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 8 Mar 1993 15:58:15 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0151 Re: Summer Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 151. Monday, 8 March 1993. From: Ann Miller Date: Monday, 08 Mar 1993 10:53:02 -0500 (EST) Subject: Summer Shakespeare The Stratford Festival is giving three Shakespeare plays this summer, _Anthony & Cleopatra_ and _Midsummer Nights Dream_ on the Festival stage and _King John_ at the Patterson theatre. Other offerings include - _Gypsy_ and _The Mikado_, _The Imaginary Invalid_, _The Importance of Being Earnest_, _Bacchae_, and the _Wingfield Trilogy_, plus a Canadian play whose title escapes me. I'm at the office, my brochure's at home. If I've missed anything important I'll post it later. Ann Miller fac_amil@vax1.acs.jmu.edu ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 9 Mar 1993 06:17:29 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0152 Re: Summer Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 152. Tuesday, 9 March 1993. (1) From: Milla Riggio Date: Monday, 8 Mar 93 17:25 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0151 Re: Summer Shakespeare (2) From: Robert O'Connor Date: Tuesday, 9 Mar 1993 12:05:07 +1000 Subj: Re: Summer Shakespeare (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Milla Riggio Date: Monday, 8 Mar 93 17:25 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0151 Re: Summer Shakespeare To all SHAKSPER-EANS: The posting of summer plays reminds me that, as secretary of the Medieval/Renaissance Drama Society, I edit a bi-annual newsletter that posts information to society members. I would love to have listings of performances, books, papers, articles, conferences, etc., -- both past and upcoming: calls for papers and reports of where you've been, to share with our members. (and for a mere $10 per year, you can join the MRDS, if you are not already a member). I've just sent out a call for information for the spring newsletter. If you want to send it to me, privately, or publically through SHAKSPER, please do so. And thanks. Milla Riggio (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Robert O'Connor Date: Tuesday, 9 Mar 1993 12:05:07 +1000 Subject: Re: Summer Shakespeare >The Stratford Festival is giving three Shakespeare plays this summer, >_Anthony & Cleopatra_ and _Midsummer Nights Dream_ on the Festival >stage and _King John_ at the Patterson theatre. >Other offerings include - _Gypsy_ and _The Mikado_, _The Imaginary >Invalid_, _The Importance of Being Earnest_, _Bacchae_, and the >_Wingfield Trilogy_, plus a Canadian play whose title escapes me. Heavy sigh from the Antipodes. The Royal Shakespeare Company is in Australia at the moment but they are NOT coming to where I am. Oh to be in England etc.!!!! Any sympathetic comments on cultural isolation? Seriously, is there anyone else in the SHAKSPER group who feels their work is inhibited by lack of access to quality productions? And are there any interesting productions being done of the non-Shakesperean plays? ROC ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 9 Mar 1993 06:22:26 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0153 R: Tracing the Actors Through the Plays Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 153. Tuesday, 9 March 1993. From: Steve Urkowitz Date: Monday, 08 Mar 93 20:12:21 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0150 R: Tracing Actors Though the Plays About Roy Flannagan's actor-tracing query: SHAKSPER correspondent Don Foster at Vassar printed a series of pieces in SHAKESPEARE NEWSLETTER over the last few years that give the tentative results of his fascinating computer analysis of "rare words" as they recurr in play after play. He found that these words aren't evenly distributed across a playscript. Instead, the rare words that are found in an early play in only one or two roles appear in disproportionate numbers in the following plays. Foster argues that Shakespeare would have been most closely associated with the words from roles that he played himself, so they would be at the tip of his tongue (or pen) as he composed further. Then the theory begins to deliver many fascinating projections about the order of composition, the possibilities of revision, and the retirement and return to the King's Men repertory of different plays. So, Foster's research, still grinding through textual data, will have a lot to tell you about at least one very interesting actor in the company. Steve Urkowitz SURCC@CUNYVM ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 9 Mar 1993 18:28:00 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0155 Q: Branagh Hamlet Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 155. Tuesday, 9 March 1993. From: Chantal Payette Date: Tuesday, 9 Mar 1993 9:25:06 -0500 (EST) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0152 Re: Summer Shakespeare This question does have something to do with the Royal Shakespeare company. I was in England last October, November and December and did manage to see several high quality plays by Shakespeare in Stratford-Upon-Avon. I managed to get a ticket to see Kenneth Branagh playing Hamlet in London on opening night. Problem is, I had to come back to Canada a week early and to miss it. Has anybody seen it, and if you have, how was it? I'm dying to know what I missed. Chantal Chantal@vax.library.utoronto.ca ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 9 Mar 1993 18:23:38 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0154 More Rs: Tracing Actors Through the Plays Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 154. Tuesday, 9 March 1993. (1) From: Roy Flannagan Date: Tuesday,9 March 93, 10:27:10 EST Subj: tracing actors again (2) From: Skip Shand Date: Tuesday, 9 Mar 1993 15:44 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0153 R: Tracing the Actors Through the Plays (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Roy Flannagan Date: Tuesday,9 March 93, 10:27:10 EST Subject: tracing actors again That's it--a good use for the computer in checking word-frequencies part by part or character by character to find similar patterns. Most obvious would be Bottom and Dogberry both being written down an ass, but more subtle would be Lucio and Osric as lapwings (I haven't checked for other lapwings). If we know for sure that Burbage played Lear, or that Armin played the Fool, what useful knowledge can we extrapolate about other important roles? Who was the actor who had the red nose? Who specialized in drunken parts? Was there an actor who couldn't see his knees, or did "Falstaff" use padding? At what point did Flute's beard grow? I know Bevington's book, but can we build to the side of the mistakes of the past, without idle speculation? Roy Flannagan (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Skip Shand Date: Tuesday, 9 Mar 1993 15:44 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0153 R: Tracing the Actors Through the Plays Seems to me that T.J.King, at one of the Waterloo Conferences and in a subsequent issue of *Elizabethan Theatre*, addresses this issue in some detail. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 10 Mar 1993 15:36:46 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0156 Various Responses Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 156. Wednesday, 10 March 1993. (1) From: Michael D. Friedman Date: Wednesday, 10 Mar 1993 14:32:59 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0147 Tracing Actors Through the Plays (2) From: Ben Schneider Date: Wednesday, 10 Mar 1993 12:26:29 -0600 (CST) Subj: Various responses (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Michael D. Friedman Date: Wednesday, 10 Mar 1993 14:32:59 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0147 Tracing Actors Through the Plays To follow up with a little additional help for Roy Flannagan, T.J. King has a book entitled *Casting Shakespeare's Plays: Actors and Their Roles, 1590-1642* published by Cambridge University Press. Michael D. Friedman Friedman@Scranton (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ben Ross Schneider Date: Wednesday, 10 Mar 1993 12:26:29 -0600 (CST) Subject: Various responses For Luc Borot-- The question you raise (6 Mar) as to whether Shakespeare isn't following Marlow's course in the *Jew of Malta* of inviting us to compare the behavior of the Jew to that of the Christians, to the disadvantage of the Christians -- this question has been answered definitively, in my opinion, by Allan Dessen in "The Elizabethan Stage Jew and Christian Example: Gerontius, Barrabas, and Shylock." *Modern Language Quarterly* 35: 232-9. He agrees with you actually, but, if I remember, views Shylock as a shame to mercenery Christians in general, not specifically to the Christians in the play (whom I argue are not mercenary). On this point also we should be sure to note what David Banks said in his communication of 26 Feb: "One's impression of most of these books [in the *Short Title Catalogue*] is that their references to Jews have the purpose of amendment *of Christians*. May this be an important part of MV too?" For Roy Flanagan-- You ask (7 Mar) "has any scholar speculated very carefully about which of the various actors acted the various parts": I just found this item in a list of books by Columbia PhD's: T. J. King. *Casting in Shakespeare's plays: London Actors and their Roles, 1590-1642*. Cambridge UP 1991. From 1660-1800 the record of casting (and much more) on the London Sage has been published in 11 volumes. During the 70's this record was computerized here (Lawrence University), and the resulting data base is now searching for a home where someone will maintain it and make it available to scholars in theatre history or whatever. It seems likely right now that the Electronic Text Center at University of Virginia will provide this home. After about 1705, London Stage records are nearly complete, and one can trace the actors of a role and the roles of an actor in order to see if there are any trends. Actually I have analyzed the roles of the actors in MV. The first post-Restoration Shylock, as is well known, in Granville's adaptation *Jew of Venice* (1701) was played by Dogget, a clown. After that, when it isn't Macklin, as I remember, it was often the company's fop. Macklin (see *Dictionary of Actors*) as far as I can make out, terrorized the audience with his lust for vengeance, but it's hard to tell what his conception of the character was. Antonio is more interesting: Quin, the actor who played him, played Kent, Brutus, Cato, Timon, and several other "noble Romans," and also some malcontents like Jaques and Wycherley's Plain Dealer. In fact "Plain Dealer" fits his type best, and in many ways so does Antonio, much too plain in his opinions of Shylock. Bassanio remarks that "in [Antonio] the ancient Roman honor lives more than any man in Italy." The answer to Roy's question, then, is that, for the 18th century, casting does throw some light on plays, but it is not generally definitive. The trouble is that if an actor is too rigidly typed, he can only work the plays in which his type appears. The fop roles by themselves would keep Colley Cibber busy maybe less than half the time. So to make a living he plays the villains in tragedy as well, and of course Richard III. For Jeff Nyhoff-- You ask about the impact of computer technology on scholarship in dramatic literature and theatre; how has this technology assisted one's scholarly work? (7 Mar) The London Stage data base described above has had very little use (1 query a year). I attribute this to three factors: 1) reaserch in theatre history has dropped off radically in the past decade. 2) Scholars in literature and theatre are computer-shy. Afraid that the price of tooling up is not worth the possible payoff. 3) Scholars don't now work on topics of research suitable for analysis by means of the London Stage DB. However, I think my computer helps me a tremendous lot in Shakespeare research. In the 70s I became a great admirer of optical scanning and now the state of the art has reached take-off speed. What I do is scan primary works and pertinent criticism. To save time I don't scrutinize these works until I proofread and mark the scanner output. I end up being quite familiar with the material and having my own index to my own special topics. And of course, even with so crude a tool as WordPerfect search, I have an index to every word or phrase in the work. When it comes time to write, one just electronically assembles all the relevant passages in the electronic texts and ties them together in some sort of argument. Maybe it would be faster just to take notes in the old way, but one learns as one goes and I don't always mark what I should have. "I never know what I think until I see what I write," as the famous lady is supposed to have said. Computer search of my online sources can almost always answer the question I too often have: "Now where did I read that." For Piers Lewis-- On 6 March you made this very acute comment on which I can't resist expanding at some length: Money is too powerful, too mysterious, and too important to be treated [lightly]. Shakespeare knew that too, deep down, which is why in all honesty he makes Shylock so intensely alive that the other characters seem unreal by comparison--to us at any rate for whom the aristocratic ideal, largely taken for granted in this play, has faded away. I fix on "the aristocratic ideal," and I whole-heartedly agree that it has faded away: Marx, Weber, Habermas, and Polanyi (for example) have commented on this phenomenon at length, and it is well understood in sociological circles. *Reciprocity* lies at the core of pre-capitalist ethics, and rather astonishingly, we are now having some kind of a renaissance of reciprocity awareness. Anthropologists have been talking about it for fifty years (Evans- Pritchard, Mauss, Sahlins); and now, in the 90s, philosophers (Becker); biologists (Alexander, Cronin), and even mathematicians (Axelrod) have discovered it. Years ago, putting together Cicero's *De Officiis*, which I had to read in another context, and the emphasis on friendship in MV, I thought I sensed reciprocity in MV. I began reading Roman morality, for some reason not a topic of modern Renaissance scholarship, and it began to look as if Seneca's *de beneficiis*, Englished in the late 16th century, might be the basis of aristocratic behavior in MV. If anyone is interested in more detail and documentation of this hypothesis, I'm sending an article, forthcoming in *Restoration*, called "Granville's *Jew of Venice*: a Close Reading of Shakespeare's *Merchant*," to the Shaksper fileserver. The focus in this piece is a bit fuzzy, however, and I'm working on a new approach via *The Crisis of the Aristocracy*. Meanwhile, I invite and welcome any criticsm of this article and/or hypothesis, hostile or friendly. Thanking you in advance, I am, Yours ever, BEN SCHNEIDER PS. Unfortunately I am leaving on a trip tomorrow and won't be back until 3 April. I will be silent until then, but look forward eagerly to perusing any comments these remarks may generate. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 10 Mar 1993 21:07:55 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0157 New on the SHAKSPER FileServer: GRANVILL JEW_OF_V Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 157. Wednesday, 10 March 1993. From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Wednesday, 10 March 1993 Subject: New on the SHAKSPER FileServer: GRANVILL JEW_OF_V As of today, SHAKSPEReans may retrieve GRANVILL JEW_OF_V from the SHAKSPER FileServer. The file GRANVILL JEW_OF_V contains Ben Ross Schneider's essay, "Granville's Jew of Venice (1701): A Close Reading of Shakespeare's Merchant," mentioned in his recent SHAKSPER posting and excerpted below. SHAKSPEReans can retrieve GRANVILL JEW_OF_V by issuing the interactive command, "TELL LISTSERV AT UTORONTO GET GRANVILL JEW_OF_V SHAKSPER." If your network link does not support the interactive "TELL" command (i.e. if you are not directly on Bitnet), or if LISTSERV rejects your request, then send a one-line mail message (without a subject line) to LISTSERV@utoronto, reading "GET GRANVILL JEW_OF_V SHAKSPER." Should you have difficulty receiving this file, please contact the editor, or . For an updated version of the file list, send the command "GET SHAKSPER FILES SHAKSPER" in the same fashion. For further information, consult the appropriate section of your SHAKSPER GUIDE. =============================================================================== Granville's Jew of Venice (1701): A Close Reading of Shakespeare's Merchant Ben Ross Schneider, Jr. In a recent essay in which Catherine Craft examines George Granville's adaptation of Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice, called The Jew of Venice, she decides that Granville's goal was to produce a more purely comic play than the original, one more suited to his own age. [Long quotation omitted] Ms. Craft assumes that the "dark colorings" removed by Granville are a feature of the original. But they were not observed in it until the latter end of the last century, when major actors began to play Shylock, and critics did not reach a consensus on their presence until the last decade.(1) Still, it does not occur to Ms. Craft that modern readers might be the revisionists, not Granville, and that The Jew of Venice might be closer to Shakespeare's Merchant than the play we reconstruct on the stage and in our minds today. What if we reverse Ms. Craft's thesis and investigate the proposition that Granville's plot (perhaps better described as "moral and uplifting" than "light and happy") is an accurate reading of the original's ideological substance, after all? [six paragaphs omitted] In the process, working from the other side of the ethical divide that separates us from Shakespeare, Granville gives us no less than a virtual point by point refutation of the standard modern/postmodern interpretation of Shakespeare's Merchant. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 11 Mar 1993 07:06:23 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0158 Q: Banquo as Christ Figure Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 158. Thursday, 11 March 1993. From: Steven S. Vrooman Date: Wednesday, 10 Mar 93 14:49:36 PST Subject: new topic? I'm an undergrad and this is my first post, but I was wondering what you more knowledgeable folks would think about an idea I used to write a paper on for my Shakespeare class. I think it is original, but I'm not sure. I did a close reading of Macbeth's "To be thus is nothing" soliloquy. I took "My Genius (a spirit according to Riverside footnote) is rebuk'd" to be an echo of Jesus' rebuking demons in the New Testament. I also took "...He chid the sisters When first they put the name of king upon me, And he bade them speak to him..." as an echo of Christ as well (see Mark 1:23-6, 5:6-10). Plus, Banquo is resurrected, in a sense. There are other parallels as well. My thesis was that Shakespeare is setting up Banquo as a Christ figure in this speech about Banquo's kingly virtues. Am I looking for more than is in the text? Steven S. Vrooman Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 11 Mar 1993 07:10:48 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0159 Q: UVa Electronic Text Center Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 159. Thursday, 11 March 1993. From: John Gouws Date: Thursday, 11 Mar 1993 06:40:59 +0200 (EET) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0156 Various Responses Ben Schneider writes: > > (2)-------------------------------------------------------------------------- > From: Ben Ross Schneider > Date: Wednesday, 10 Mar 1993 12:26:29 -0600 (CST) > Subject: Various responses > > > You ask (7 Mar) "has any scholar speculated very carefully about which of > the various actors acted the various parts": I just found this item in a list > of books by Columbia PhD's: T. J. King. *Casting in Shakespeare's plays: > London Actors and their Roles, 1590-1642*. Cambridge UP 1991. From 1660-1800 > the record of casting (and much more) on the London Sage has been published in > 11 volumes. During the 70's this record was computerized here (Lawrence > University), and the resulting data base is now searching for a home where > someone will maintain it and make it available to scholars in theatre history > or whatever. It seems likely right now that the Electronic Text Center at > University of Virginia will provide this home. > Is the existence of the Electronic Text Center at the University of Virginia generally known? What facilities does it offer? Until now I had thought that the only place for lodging texts and text-bases was the Oxford Text Archive (about which I do have information should anyone want it). -- John Gouws - Department of English - Rhodes University Internet: enjg@hippo.ru.ac.za Telephone: (0461) 22023 xt 402 ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 12 Mar 1993 06:25:21 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0161 Re: UVa Electronic Text Center Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 161. Friday, 12 March 1993. From: David L. Gants Date: Thursday, 11 Mar 93 09:27:45 -0500 Subject: University of Virginia Electronic Text Center On March 10 Ben Ross Schneider wrote: During the 70's [London Stage] was computerized here (Lawrence University), and the resulting data base is now searching for a home where someone will maintain it and make it available to scholars in theatre history or whatever. It seems likely right now that the Electronic Text Center at University of Virginia will provide this home. John Gouws of Rhodes University responded: Is the existence of the Electronic Text Center at the University of Virginia generally known? What facilities does it offer? Until now I had thought that the only place for lodging texts and text-bases was the Oxford Text Archive (about which I do have information should anyone want it). To expand on this thread, the University of Virginia's Electronic Text Center has been working with Mr. Schneider on converting the London Stage files to a UNIX-readable format and placing them in the Center's public archives. Much works needs to be done both technically (digital technology has greatly changed in the past 20 years) and in acquiring copyright permission from Southern Illinois University Press. I am confident, however, that the invaluable collection will be available in machine-searchable format some time in the future. For those interested in UVa's Electronic Archives, I append a description. Please feel free to contact us with questions or suggestions. David L. Gants -- Electronic Text Center -- University of Virginia dlg8x@virginia.edu -- (804)924-3230 The Electronic Text Center & On-line Archive of Electronic Texts Alderman Library, University of Virginia As part of an ongoing commitment to the use of computers in education and research, the University of Virginia Library has established an Electronic Text Center and an on-line collection of machine-readable texts. The initial set of on-line texts includes the new Oxford English Dictionary; the entire corpus of Old English writings; selected Library of America titles; several versions of Shakespeare's complete works; hundreds of other literary, social, historical, philosophical, and political materials in various languages (chiefly from the Oxford and the Cambridge Text Archives); and the currently released parts of two massive databases from Chadwyck- Healey: J-P. Migne's Patrologia Latina, and the English Poetry Full-Text Database, comprised of the complete works of 1,350 English poets from AD 600 to 1900. Because of contractual obligations, access to these texts and searching tools is restricted to University of Virginia students, faculty and staff. A principal aim of the Electronic Text Center is to help create a new broad-based user community within the humanities at Virginia. We work daily with individual users to introduce them to new working methods, new teaching possibilities, and new types of equipment, and we aid John Price-Wilkin, our library's Information Management Coordinator, to run regular training sessions for the on-line data and search tools. The Library was adamant from the earliest stages of this enterprise that these new services had to be introduced and taught through ongoing workshops and demonstrations, in order to become a mainstream part of the teaching and research resources on which our faculty and students draw. New users need to see for themselves that they can sit at a large color monitor and simultaneously search multiple on- line databases (say, the Oxford English Dictionary and the English Poetry database) while manipulating color images of manuscript pages (which they may have just created in the Center), and then can open another window to e-mail a colleague about the results, or to log into another library's catalog before using our on-line document delivery service to order a book through Inter-Library Loan. Such a hands-on demonstration typically overcomes any initial trepidation a new user may feel. Our on-line texts are all SGML encoded. Some of these we are tagging ourselves, with the aid of volunteers from various library departments, under a Staff Sharing program for cross-training. The on-line texts are searched using Pat, a program developed initially for the Oxford English Dictionary. Users in the Library and elsewhere on campus with access to a machine running X Windows can search and view these databases through a graphical interface to Pat that shows texts in a form very close to the appearance of the printed page; users dialing in from desktop machines will typically use a VT100 search and display front-end to Pat (called Patty), which the Library is developing in conjunction with UVa.'s Academic Computing Department. Having the majority of our electronic texts available on-line affords significant advantages: it eases the pressure of use on the Center, gives much more flexible and convenient access to our users, and allows us to provide the same search and display "front-end" for all our collections. Having been taught to use one database, a user has the knowledge necessary to search all current and future databases, thereby overcoming the frustrations often involved with using CD-ROM products, each of which may have a different interface. In addition to building the on-line collection, the Electronic Text Center both provides a place in which to use those few texts not available on-line and also houses hardware and software that allows the computerized analysis of text. At present we have MS-DOS machines, a NeXT, and an IBM RS6000, all with large color monitors (a Macintosh is on order); two scanners that turn printed text into computer-readable forms and that generate high-resolution color images; and laser printers and CD-ROM drives. These tools allow scholars to use software that can generate indices, concordances, word-lists, and statistical analyses (Micro-OCP, Tact, MTAS, and LitStats), create hypertexts (Guide), and perform collations and cumulative sum analysis. We use "xv", an X Windows image viewer, extensively on the RS6000, the PCs, and the NeXT for viewing, cropping, and enlarging digital images alongside the searchable databases. The Center's NeXT also gives us the capacity to record digital sound. Our first semester of operation has necessarily been a time of experiment and fine-tuning; nonetheless, there have been significant research and teaching projects using the services of the Center and the on-line texts throughout the fall: * A large undergraduate survey course used our holdings in the 19th century novel and added an 18th century Canadian novel to the collection * scholars have searched the Hebrew bible, the Talmud, and several hundred books of rabbinical responsa on the Taklit-Shoot cd-rom * a Shakespeare survey course created a teaching tool using text, images, and digitized sound from different productions of The Merchant of Venice, to run alongside the on-line collections of Shakespeare's works. * a graduate student has studied ship-naming conventions and metaphors in Anglo-Saxon writings, using the Old English Corpus * A composition class used our services to gather and search Bush/Clinton articles * a French professor has set up a language tutorial program for his medieval French course * bibliography students have used collating software, image scanning, and digitized sound while preparing and presenting research projects for a graduate textual editing course * a medievalist has scanned in manuscripts, using the ability to enlarge and re-color portions of a scanned image as he transcribes them. In addition, the first two Fellows of the University's Institute for Advanced Technology in the Humanities have entered text and images for a hypermedia edition of Dante Gabriel Rossetti, and have scanned in maps, engravings, census data, and texts for a major research project on two Civil War communities (one Northern and one Southern). In the course of all this activity, the E-Text Center staff have given impromptu and formal training sessions to hundreds of faculty, students, and visitors. The Center and on-line archive provide a potential model for other institutions as they plan similar endeavors. We hope that the strong partnership we have forged with our local academic computing community will also provide an example of how to create an "information technology community" at the college level by unifying the creative energy and expertise of technical and non-technical departments. The Electronic Text Center, located on the third floor of Alderman Library, is open Monday-Thursday 9am-10pm, Friday 9am-6pm, and Sunday 1pm-10pm, and is staffed by David Seaman (coordinator), Peter Byrnes, David Gants, Peter Kastor, Jamie Spriggs, and Kelly Tetterton. For more information, e-mail us at etext@virginia.edu or phone 804-924-3230. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 12 Mar 1993 06:20:36 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0160 Rs: Naked Babe; Banquo as Christ Figure Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 160. Friday, 12 March 1993. (1) From: Jean Peterson Date: Thursday, 11 Mar 1993 16:59:15 -0500 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0131 More Rs: "a naked new-born babe" (2) From: Sean Lawrence Date: Thursday, 11 Mar 1993 18:25:29 -0400 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0158 Q: Banquo as Christ Figure (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jean Peterson Date: Thursday, 11 Mar 1993 16:59:15 -0500 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0131 More Rs: "a naked new-born babe" To Robert O'Connor: >The idea that Duncan was a super-virtuous king is one that I have been told >is not (by some interpretations of the sources) accurate - any comments >anyone? > There is a delightful essay by Barbara Riebling in SEL 31 (1991) titled "Virtue's Sacrifice: A Machiavellian Reading of *Macbeth*" which discusses the disastrous consequences of Duncan's political innocence in Machiavellian terms; (e.g.) Duncan, however admirable a man, is by Machiavellian standards a dangerous king--a ruler whose gentle and trusting character has invited treason, civil war, and foreign invasion. By being a perfect Christian, Duncan succeeds in becoming a perfect lamb--a sacrificial lamb on the altar of real-world politics. Hope this helps! Best--Jean Peterson (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Sean Lawrence Date: Thursday, 11 Mar 1993 18:25:29 -0400 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0158 Q: Banquo as Christ Figure The idea of Banquo as a Christ figure is interesting, though it may be pretty subtle. He does, after all, seem to be negotiating with Macbeth in act I, which makes him rather dubious. However, you might want to check out the masque (in act 4?) The idea of becoming a king through one's death is strongly reminiscent of Christ. You might also want to see how these sorts of masque plays might tie in with the medieval Corpus Christi plays. I just had a lecture today on how reformation England transformed religious symbolism to support the monarchy--i.e. the imagery of the Blessed Virgin Mary was adopted in part by Elizabeth, for instance. Anyway, good luck! Sean Lawrence (MAFEKING@AC.DAL.CA) ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 12 Mar 1993 21:01:40 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0162 Q: Folger Library: Undergraduate Research Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 162. Friday, 12 March 1993. From: Howell Chickering Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0163 R: Banquo as Christ Figure Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 163. Friday, 12 March 1993. From: John Gouws Date: Friday, 12 Mar 1993 15:20:00 +0200 (EET) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0160 Rs: Naked Babe; Banquo as Christ Figure Sean Lawrence writes: > From: Sean Lawrence > Date: Thursday, 11 Mar 1993 18:25:29 -0400 > Subject: Re: SHK 4.0158 Q: Banquo as Christ Figure > I might be coming in on the tale-end of this exchange, but it is worthwhile considering the observation that a contemporary audience would have been reminded that the "porter scene" looks back to earlier dramatic presentations of the Harrowing of Hell in which Christ comes on Judgement Day. Since it is Banquo who is knocking so loudly, the audience is invited to see him in terms of the Christ in Judgement figure. I hope this helps. -- John Gouws - Department of English - Rhodes University Internet: enjg@hippo.ru.ac.za Telephone: (0461) 22023 xt 402 ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 13 Mar 1993 08:04:20 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0165 R: Undergraduate Research at the Folger Library Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 165. Saturday, 13 March 1993. From: NAOMI LIEBLER Date: Friday, 12 Mar 93 23:54:00 EST Subject: RE: SHK 4.0162 Q: Folger Library: Undergraduate Research To Howell Chickering and others similarly interested: You should get in touch with Peggy O'Brien at the Folger. I don't know what her formal title is there, but I do know that her commitment to the Folger's education outreach is very strong. She's done splendid things there with and for secondary-school students, and I imagine she'd be the best one to help you with stuff for your undergraduates. I don't know whether she's on the SHAKSPER network (I don't recall seeing her name listed) but snail-mail will reach her, as will a phone call to the Folger. Good luck. --Naomi Liebler ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 13 Mar 1993 08:02:00 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0164 The Real Duncan Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 164. Saturday, 13 March 1993. From: Christoppher Johnston Date: Friday, 12 Mar 93 23:14:52 EST Subject: The Real Duncan My apologies if this has been responded to already: > > Robert O'Connor writes: > > The idea that Duncan was a super-virtuous king is one that I have been told > is not (by some interpretations of the sources) accurate - any comments > anyone? > Yes, Duncan's character is another element of "history" with which WS took liberties. In Holinshed Duncan is a rather young and rather inadequate ruler. He may have supplied Macbeth with a legitimate beef by naming his son as Prince of Cumberland: the rules of succession at the time supposedly would have made Macbeth in line by his wife and the son of her last husband. Look at *Holinshed's Chronicle* (Everyman, 1965), p. 205ff. Todd Johnston ccs.carleton.ca ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 15 Mar 1993 22:19:53 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0169 Re: Undergraduate Research at the Folger Library Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 169. Monday, 15 March 1993. From: Vint Cerf <0003786240@mcimail.com> Date: Saturday, 13 Mar 93 15:51 GMT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0165 R: Undergraduate Research at the Folger Library I faxed the earlier query about the Folger/Undergraduate support this morning to Tom McCance, the development Director and I am sure he will forward to Peggy. There is at least one person at the Folger reading the SHAKSPER list, I believe (but I am not sure who). The Folger has a very good record of outreach, so I am optimistic they will find a way to be helpful. Vint Cerf ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 15 Mar 1993 22:27:09 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0171 Juliet's Drowse Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 171. Monday, 15 March 1993. From: ALAN REESE Date: Saturday, 13 Mar 1993 09:37:38 -0500 (EST) Subject: Juliet's Drowse Is there such a compound that would create the "borrowed likeness of shrunk death" Fr. Laurence describes in R&J, IV.i.97-108? ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 15 Mar 1993 22:33:06 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0172 Q: Surnames Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 172. Monday, 15 March 1993. From: Phyllis Rackin Date: Monday, 15 Mar 1993 22:24:32 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: Query [Surnames] Does anyone know when, where, in what circumstances, brides started taking their husbands' surnames and when, where, in what circumstances, the practice became institutionalized as a matter of course? I'm thinking, e.g. of the difference between Dame Eleanor Cobham in 2 Henry VI and Mistress Ford and Mistress Page in Merry Wives. Phyllis Rackin prackin@ccat.sas.upenn.edu ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 15 Mar 1993 21:55:06 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0166 Re: Undergraduate Research at Folger Library Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 166. Saturday, 13 March 1993. From: Bernice W. Kliman Date: Saturday, 13 Mar 1993 08:17 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0162 Q: Folger Library: Undergraduate Research Since Georgianna Ziegler is on this list, I am sure you'll hear from her. Under the capable leadership of Peggy O'Brien, the Folger has a deep and rich program for teachers and students through 12th grade. Last time I was there, hoards of students were there in the great hall and theater but not in the library itself. The Folger as you may have heard has recently received a large grant to expand its public programs, including those for school children. I'll be there on Monday; let me know by Sunday night whether I can look into anything for you. Yours, Bernice W. Kliman ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 15 Mar 1993 21:56:24 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0167 Re: UVa Electronic Text Center Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 167. Saturday, 13 March 1993. From: Steve Urkowitz Date: Saturday, 13 Mar 93 08:12:46 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0161 Re: UVa Electronic Text Center Writing from City College, one end of the original BITNET connection linking CCNY and YALE (so I've been told), I began giggling and Santa-Claus-dreaming about the games one could play with the UVa system. The exquisite labors of community-building, funding, training, and actively applauding of accomplishments that David Gants exhibits in his description should be a model held up to all of our local librarians and local computer services folks. Now we can hope that the new guys in Washington hear about these possibilities. The idea of a post office worked such a revolution, as did the idea of the easy-access public and university library. The basic drives seem to be a spirit of generosity and a commitment to free exploration of possibilities. Hey, sounds like art. I'll be forwarding your description of the UVa system to my campus friends. Cheers! Steve Urkowitz, SURCC@CUNYVM ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 15 Mar 1993 21:57:03 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0168 Re: The Real Duncan Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 168. Saturday, 13 March 1993. From: John Gouws Date: Saturday, 13 Mar 1993 15:54:00 +0200 (EET) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0164 The Real Duncan Christoppher Johnson writes: > > Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 164. Saturday, 13 March 1993. > > > From: Christoppher Johnston > Date: Friday, 12 Mar 93 23:14:52 EST > Subject: The Real Duncan > > > > > The idea that Duncan was a super-virtuous king is one that I have been told > > is not (by some interpretations of the sources) accurate - any comments > > anyone? > > > You could look at David Norbrook's very helpful "_Macbeth_ and the Poltics of Historiography" in _Politics of Discourse_, ed. Kevin Sharpe and Steven N Zwicker (Berkeley, 1987), pp.78-116. -- John Gouws - Department of English - Rhodes University Internet: enjg@hippo.ru.ac.za Telephone: (0461) 22023 xt 402 ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 15 Mar 1993 22:23:39 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0170 Re: Collge Productions of *TGV* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 170. Monday, 15 March 1993. From: Rick Jones Date: Monday, 15 Mar 1993 13:57:36 -0600 (CST) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0143 R: College Productions *TGV* A belated response to Jeff Nyhoff's question about college productions of *TGV*: There was a production done here at Cornell College a few years ago -- rather unsatisfactory, I thought. I think the problem with the production here... and perhaps A reason why the play isn't done more often is the difficulty in coming to terms with the gender issues in the play. First, there are only three female roles, and most college programs are looking for more roles for women than that. Secondly, those roles that do exist for women are a LOT less interesting than, say, Kate or Bianca. Third, the play's "sexism" (real or imagined -- I'd like NOT to open that particular can of worms again!) is only slightly less virulent than in *Shrew*, and *TGV* has the disadvantage of not being "canonical"... I confess I've never actually read the play, and wouldn't know it at all if I hadn't seen the production. Audiences are more willing to look past potential pitfalls in plays they believe (or are told to believe) are "classics"... thus, *Shrew* and *Merchant* get performed frequently. But the "second rung" plays don't fare so well -- and *TGV* joins *All's Well* and perhaps *Measure for Measure* in the list of those that seem to be performed infrequently relative to their qualities. Just a thought... I'd like to hear more from those who know the play better than I. Rick Jones ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 16 Mar 1993 07:31:39 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0173 Rs: Juliet's Drowse; Surnames; Q: Shakespeare's Verse Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 173. Tuesday, 16 March 1993. (1) From: Steve Urkowitz Date: Monday, 15 Mar 93 23:00:44 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0171 Juliet's Drowse (2) From: Stephen Orgel Date: Monday, 15 Mar 93 21:18:26 PST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0172 Q: Surnames (3) From: William Proctor Williams Date: Monday, 15 Mar 93 21:20 CST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0132 Assorted Queries (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Steve Urkowitz Date: Monday, 15 Mar 93 23:00:44 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0171 Juliet's Drowse Sure. Grind up a few pages of OF GRAMMATOLOGY, mix with herbs gathered under the lecterns at MLA sessions, dilute in the limpid waters of textual collations, and feed to the victim. Wake-up time depends on the page numbers, the numbers attending the MLA session, and the total number of texts being collated. Next question, please. Dr. Steven Drowzewitz SURCC@CUNYVM (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Stephen Orgel Date: Monday, 15 Mar 93 21:18:26 PST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0172 Q: Surnames Yes: and the Countess of Bedford is always referred to as Lucy Harington, not Lucy Russell, ie by her father's name not her husband's. Stephen Orgel (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Proctor Williams Date: Monday, 15 Mar 93 21:20 CST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0132 Assorted Queries I've been away for a few days so this is a very late response, but Roy Flannagan does raise an interesting point: why is the verse typically given by Shakespeare to his romantic (good?) characters such bad stuff? Is the poetry given to the baddies always good or is it bad too? And why is some of the "verse" given to prophetic characters (e.g., Fool in +Lear+) frequently incomprehensible? Just asking. William Proctor Williams TB0WPW1@NIU ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 16 Mar 1993 21:37:46 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0174 Re: Shakespeare's Verse Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 174. Tuesday, 16 March 1993. (1) From: Kay Stockholder Date: Tuesday, 16 Mar 93 07:24:40 PST Subj: Re: Rs: Juliet's Drowse; Surnames; Q: Shakespeare's Verse (2) From: Rick Jones Date: Tuesday, 16 Mar 1993 11:50:10 -0600 (CST) Subj: RE: SHK 4.0173 (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kay Stockholder Date: Tuesday, 16 Mar 93 07:24:40 PST Subject: Re: Rs: Juliet's Drowse; Surnames; Q: Shakespeare's Verse The answer must lie in original sin. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Rick Jones Date: Tuesday, 16 Mar 1993 11:50:10 -0600 (CST) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0173 A brief response to William Proctor Williams's final question: >And why is some of the "verse" given to prophetic characters (e.g., >Fool in +Lear+) frequently incomprehensible? I hadn't thought to put the question in these terms before, but it strikes me that doing so actually takes us a long way toward the answer. The incomprehensibility is indeed directly linked to the phophetic nature of the character... this is a time-honored dramatic (and historiographic) trope: qv. Teiresias, the Delphic Oracle, even late medieval dumb-shows (such as the ones in _Gorboduc_)... All would seem to be variations on the same theme. Rick Jones Cornell College ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 16 Mar 1993 21:48:27 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0175 Re: Undergraduate Research; *TGV*; Juliet's Drowse Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 175. Tuesday, 16 March 1993. (1) From: Georgianna Ziegler Date: Tuesday, 16 Mar 1993 16:39:00 -0500 Subj: Re: Undergraduate Research at the Folger Library (2) From: Steve Schrum Date: Tuesday, 16 Mar 93 15:09 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0170 Re: College Productions of *TGV* (3) From: ALAN REESE Date: Tuesday, 16 Mar 1993 11:58:48 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: Rs: Juliet's Drowse; Surnames; Q: Shakespeare's Verse (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Georgianna Ziegler Date: Tuesday, 16 Mar 1993 16:39:00 -0500 Subject: Re: Undergraduate Research at the Folger Library The general policy of the Folger Library is to admit researchers only at the advanced graduate level and beyond. Questions on this topic can be directed to me at GZIEGLER@Amherst.edu. For presentations involving elementary and secondary school groups, Naomi is correct in suggesting that Peggy O'Brien would be the person to contact. --Georgianna Ziegler Reference Librarian, The Folger (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Steve Schrum Date: Tuesday, 16 Mar 93 15:09 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0170 Re: College Productions of *TGV* A recent production at the University of Scranton (and Michael Friedman, who served as dramaturge and Launce can give more details) addressed the problem of sexism somewhat at the end. The director, Joan Robbins, had Silvia gagged for the entire ending, choking out responses to what was going on around her but unable to respond verbally. A nice touch, since the men do make all the decisions at the end... Steve Schrum Penn State Hazleton (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: ALAN REESE Date: Tuesday, 16 Mar 1993 11:58:48 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: Rs: Juliet's Drowse; Surnames; Q: Shakespeare's Verse To wit: the wit of Drowzewitz Urkowitz regarding his witty & helpful reply to my serious inquiry: YAWN! ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 17 Mar 1993 16:40:21 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0176 Re: College Productions of *TGV* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 176. Wednesday, 17 March 1993. From: Michael Friedman Date: Wednesday, 17 Mar 93 16:22 EST Subject: College Productions of *TGV* Thanks to Steve Schrum for the plug for our recent performances of *TGV* and for the prod to finally reply to Jeff Nyhoff on the question of college productions of the play. I agree that *TGV* is an excellent choice for college students because the concerns of the play are closely related to their own lives and interests. Among our cast, nearly all could remember a time when the demands of friendship and love had come into conflict, usually with disastrous results, and this thematic accesibility helped break down many of the barriers represented by the unfamiliar language of the play. Our director, Joan Robbins, found the play relatively easy to rehearse because in only a few scenes are more than 2 or 3 actors required on stage at the same time. After much discussion, we decided to set the play in a 50's prep school atmosphere, using song lyrics of the era as an analogue to the Petrarchan love conventions followed so scrupulously by Valentine and Proteus ("Well, I wonder, wonder who bee-do-do-do, who wrote the Book of Love?"). The gagging of Silvia grew out of our desire both to draw attention to her silence in the final scene and yet to make our feminist statement a comic one. I'll be presenting a paper on this topic at the West Virginia Shakespeare and Renaissance Association Conference in April, so if anyone's interested in more details, you can come hear me speak. I think the complications of the final scene are the primary reason why the play is not performed more often. No one can take it as a believable human action when it is played seriously, and farcical action tends to gloss over the gender issues that figure so prominently in the text. Feminist productions can bring these issues to the foreground very effectively, but they also tend to emphasize the brutality of the attempted rape and Silvia's powerlessness in her own disposition, which makes the ending something other than comic (not necessarily a negative thing, but not one calculated to inspire delight). Personally, having played Launce, I also think that the fact that the play calls for a dog actor might scare off a few prospective directors. My own pet, Troy (actually Troilus, named for Petruchio's spaniel) played Crab opposite me, and let me tell you, you never know what a dog will do once he gets in the spotlight (yawn, scratch, lick private parts, try to sniff the audience), but of course, that's the fun of having him out there. He reinvented his role freshly every night, and forced me to do so as well. Michael Friedman Friedman@Scranton ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 18 Mar 1993 06:53:32 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0177 Re: College Productios of *TGV* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 177. Thursday, 18 March 1993. From: Gordon Jones Date: Wednesday, 17 Mar 1993 21:55:28 -0230 (NDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0176 Re: College Productions of *TGV* Two years ago I did TGV - style of Gilbert & Sullivan, high camp. How to solve the dog problem? Use a cut-out plywood dog wheeled on behind Launce. But even wooden dogs can still upstage. The same is probably true for kids. Gordon Jones Memorial University ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 18 Mar 1993 21:13:36 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0178 Re: Productions of *TGV* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 178. Thursday, 18 March 1993. (1) From: Helen Ostovich Date: Thursday, 18 Mar 1993 11:09:05 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Dog's part in TGV (2) From: Stephen Orgel Date: Thursday, 18 Mar 93 10:23:30 PST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0177 Re: College Productios of *TGV* (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Helen Ostovich Date: Thursday, 18 Mar 1993 11:09:05 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Dog's part in TGV Although productions of TGV tend to use a real dog on stage, no evidence suggests that Shakespeare's company did so. The only real dog part written for the Globe was in Jonson's EVERY MAN OUT OF HIS HUMOUR (1599). Other dogs are either walk-ons or noises off. Helen Ostovich McMaster University (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Stephen Orgel Date: Thursday, 18 Mar 93 10:23:30 PST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0177 Re: College Productios of *TGV* Three years ago I saw a production by the Asian Students' Drama Society at Harvard. It was pretty incompetent, though it had some interesting ideas, first about cross-casting--Proteus played by a woman dressed like Mme Mao, and second about Launce, a redheaded Irish boy, the only non-Asian in the production. The dog was a green stuffed dinosaur; it did not upstage anyone, not that it would have mattered. HOWEVER, Adrian Kiernander, Australian director/professor at the U of Queensland (he's on the network, but away from his e-mail at the moment) has just done what sounds like a brilliant college production at the U of Wellington in New Zealand. You can get some idea of it from the poster, which he sent me: it has two boys sunbathing with a dog, and across the top "VERONA 90210" The dog was the largest St Bernard he'd ever seen. Cheers, S.O. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 18 Mar 1993 21:21:39 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0179 Renaissance Dance Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 179. Thursday, 18 March 1993. From: Nick Clary Date: Thursday, 18 Mar 1993 13:55:31 -0500 (EST) Subject: Renaissance Dance [Hardy, I am re-routing this posting at the request of Andrew Draskoy, who is not on the SHAKSPER roll. I have asked him for information on the Bergomask dance performed by the mechanicals at the end the Pyramus and Thisbe interlude in DREAM. He is working on it for me. I have some standard stuff but I would like more--certainly anything from areas of scholarly interest outside of the field. Thanks for passing this announcement along to our growing round-table, Nick Clary clary@smcvax.bitnet] ******************************************************************************* I'm planning to start up an email list for discussion of Renaissance dance, with a focus on reconstruction. If there is already an appropriate place for this, or some other forum where interested parties might be reached, please let me know. Please do NOT send subscription requests until the list has been announced. This notice has been posted to the Bitnet lists PERFORM, RENAIS-L, and the Usenet groups rec.arts.dance, rec.folk-dancing, and rec.org.sca. Andrew Draskoy andrew@bransle.ucs.mun.ca ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 19 Mar 1993 20:02:06 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0180 Real Dog in *TGV*; Q: London Flat Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 180. Friday, 19 March 1993. (1) From: Michael Friedman Date: Friday, 19 Mar 1993 17:07:45 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0178 Re: Productions of *TGV* (2) From: William Proctor Williams Date: Friday, 19 Mar 93 10:49 CST Subj: [Q: London Flat] (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Michael Friedman Date: Friday, 19 Mar 1993 17:07:45 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0178 Re: Productions of *TGV* In response to Helen Ostovich's assertion that there is no evidence that a real dog was used on Shakespeare's stage, I wonder if there is any evidence that something else was used in its place (a human actor, a stuffed animal, an imaginary dog). I believe that Launce's lines call for him to play off of something present on stage, even if it's there only in his mind. Michael Friedman Friedman@Scranton (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Proctor Williams Date: Friday, 19 Mar 93 10:49 CST Subject: [Q: London Flat] A colleague who is not on e-mail is looking for an inexpensive flat-share or sublet in London from July or September 1993 through June of 1994. Replies can come to me and I'll pass them on to him. Thanks, William Proctor Williams TB0WPW1@NIU Department of English, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL 60115 USA ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 20 Mar 1993 15:32:26 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0181 Peter Erickson/WEB DuBois Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 181. Saturday, 20 March 1993. From: Daniel P. Tompkins Date: Saturday, 20 Mar 93 08:22:01 -0500 Subject: Peter Erickson/WEB DuBois I've been reading with some interest Peter Erickson's various essays on multiculturalism, most recently the one on Shakespeare and the 2 canons [forgot the precise title] in Kenyon Review 14.2 '92. Inter alia he mentions the sudden popularity of the African-American social thinker W.E.B. DuBois among U.S. conservatives in the summer of 1991, when he was invoked by both Donald Kagan and Allan Bloom to justify the notion of what P.E. calls a "universalizing" canon. Esp. popular was the sentence "I sit beside Shakespeare and he winces not." P.E. demonstrates that this use of DuBois amounts to scholarly dishonesty, since it ignores the anti-assimilationism, the increasing insistence on "difference," in DuBois' work--it is as if WEBDuB served only as a "quote book." Anyhow, a correspondent has not sent me another ref. to the same quote, in an article by J.Wilson Moses in Partisan Review 58 ('91) 376, 384. I don't have that right at hand but I believe it was one of their big anti-change, anti-deconstruction, anti-new historicism issues--I'll try to dig it out. So I'm sending this out for P.E. to add to his list of folks who invoked WEBDuB in the summer of '91. I'd also be interested to know if Erickson is on this list, and whether folks know of other appearances of "I sit beside Shakespeare and he winces not." Dan Tompkins Classics Temple University dpt@astro.ocis.temple.edu [Peter Erickson is not currently a member of SHAKSPER. --hmc] ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 20 Mar 1993 15:37:35 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0182 Real Dog in *TGV*; Q: Real Bear in *WT* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 182. Saturday, 20 March 1993. From: Rick Jones Date: Saturday, 20 Mar 1993 11:01:07 -0600 (CST) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0180 Real Dog in *TGV* When Cornell College staged *TGV* a couple years ago, they used a human actor in a dog suit: the role was played by one of the more popular frat bro types, and his incessant (and successful) efforts at upstaging everything else on stage provided a bit of comic respite from an otherwise pretty dreary production. By the way, what about the bear in *Winter's Tale* in the original production? I'm sure I should know this -- but, well, I don't. Rick Jones ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 22 Mar 1993 09:27:08 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0183 Re: Real Bear in *WT* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 183. Monday, 22 March 1993. From: Stephen Schrum Date: Sunday, 21 Mar 93 23:17 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0182 Real Dog in *TGV*; Q: Real Bear in *WT* The real bear in WT: I am also curious about contemporary productions. While wandering through the Berkeley Repertory Theatre costume shop, I saw their bear suit, and at Shakespeare Santa Cruz a HUGE bear puppet entered amidst a cloud of fog. Other solutions? ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 22 Mar 1993 10:08:09 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0184 New on the SHAKSPER FileServer: PRIVATE PARTS Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 184. Monday, 22 March 1993. From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Monday, 22 March 1993 Subject: New on the SHAKSPER FileServer: PRIVATE PARTS As of today, SHAKSPEReans may retrieve PRIVATE PARTS from the SHAKSPER FileServer. PRIVATE PARTS contains the preliminary notes for an essay on gender identity in Shakespeare, contributed by a new member to the SHAKSPER Conference -- Al Cacicedo. SHAKSPEReans can retrieve PRIVATE PARTS by issuing the interactive command, "TELL LISTSERV AT UTORONTO GET COMPUTER TEACHING SHAKSPER." If your network link does not support the interactive "TELL" command (i.e. if you are not directly on Bitnet), or if LISTSERV rejects your request, then send a one-line mail message (without a subject line) to LISTSERV@utoronto, reading "GET PRIVATE PARTS SHAKSPER." Should you have difficulty receiving this file, please contact the editor, or . For an updated version of the file list, send the command "GET SHAKSPER FILES SHAKSPER" in the same fashion. For further information, consult the appropriate section of your SHAKSPER GUIDE. =============================================================================== Public Privates Al Cacicedo [The following are some very preliminary notes for a longish essay on gender identity in Shakespeare.] The centrality of women in Shakespeare's work, and in particular of the question that appears as the title of Mary Beth Rose's influential essay, "Where Are the Mothers in Shakespeare?"1, has become a commonplace of recent studies of Shakespeare. On the other hand, as a participant in a recent SAA seminar put it, given the relative scarcity of mothers in the plays, perhaps one ought to focus attention on the fathers in Shakespeare.2 Immediately, however, one runs into profound ambiguity. Consider, for instance, Lear's words as he begins to understand just how thoroughly he has lost status and control: O how this mother swells up towards my heart! Hysterica passio, down, thou climbing sorrow, Thy element's below. (2.4.56-58)3 The Riverside edition glosses "mother" as hysteria, but then "hysteria" is the womb itself.4 Perhaps one should understand the term figuratively, as meaning that Lear begins to feel the "errant womb" that signals his impending madness. And yet my inclination is to take the passage literally: Lear really does feel the female organ inside himself, displaced from its properly submerged position and rising to strangulate him. To Rose's question, then, I answer as Juliet does when the Nurse, coming from her conference with Romeo, irrelevantly asks where Lady Capulet is: Where is my mother! why, she is within, Where should she be? (2.4.58-59). I first came across a literal reading of Juliet's remark in an avowedly psychoanalytic context, an essay by Elenore and Robert Fliess.5 Recent work, however, has allowed me to reconceive the psychological perspective of the Fliesses in a more material and historical mode. Thomas Laqueur's Making Sex has demonstrated in detail the physiological and medical ideas that underlie Renaissance assumptions about female and male genitalia. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 22 Mar 1993 10:35:22 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0185 The NTD's *Ophelia* at the Folger Theatre Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 185. Monday, 22 March 1993. From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Monday, 22 March 1993 Subject: NTD's *Ophelia* at the Folger Theatre Dear SHAKSPEReans, In SHK 4.0094 (Friday, February 19, 1993), SHAKSPERean Tony Naturale reviewed the National Theatre of the Deaf's production of *Ophelia*, directed by Jeff Wanshel. In that posting, Naturale wrote, > In this adaptation of Hamlet, the playwright Jeff Wanshel worked >closely with NTD to develop further the role of Ophelia. Ostensibly >to present a woman's point of view in this "rotten kingdom" of >Denmark, the play became an experiment with mixed results. To keep >the action rolling, plot was changed, scenes borrowed from other >Shakespeare's plays were included, and conflicts between Ophelia >and Hamlet were highlightened further. The Folger Library will be presenting the NTD's *Ophelia* from Thursday, March 25, through Sunday, March 28, at the Folger Elizabethan Theatre as a part of "Project Access," an outreach initiative made possible by a $2.5 million grant to the Library from the Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Fund [See SHK 4.0033 (20 January 1993) for details of the grant]. Tickets may be charged by phone at 202-544-7077. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 22 Mar 1993 17:56:22 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0186 Bears and Dogs in Shakespearean Productions Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 186. Monday, 22 March 1993. (1) From: Rasa Hollender Date: Monday, 22 Mar 1993 13:26 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0183 Re: Real Bear in *WT* (2) From: Karin Youngberg Date: Monday, 22 Mar 93 15:21:48 GMT-600 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0183 Re: Real Bear in *WT* (3) From: Ron Macdonald Date: Monday, 22 Mar 1993 11:06:06 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Stage dogs (4) From: Helen Ostovich Date: Monday, 22 Mar 1993 15:56:10 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0180 Real Dog in *TGV*; Q: London Flat (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Rasa Hollender Date: Monday, 22 Mar 1993 13:26 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0183 Re: Real Bear in *WT* There was a production somewhere (though I'm not sure where) of *WT* in which the play opened with the action taking place in a large room with a huge fake bear skin rug covering the stage floor. When time came to Exit followed by a bear, the bear skin was somehow hooked up to a rope pully system, rose up, and "chased" the character out... Rasa L. Hollender (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Karin Youngberg Date: Monday, 22 Mar 93 15:21:48 GMT-600 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0183 Re: Real Bear in *WT* > The real bear in WT: I am also curious about contemporary productions. While > wandering through the Berkeley Repertory Theatre costume shop, I saw their > bear suit, and at Shakespeare Santa Cruz a HUGE bear puppet entered amidst a > cloud of fog. Other solutions? I have seen a production that just used the sound of storm and animals and human screams to good effect. Also I have seen a WT that projected the shadow of a bear onto a rear screen. That worked well, too. Karin Youngberg (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ron Macdonald Date: Monday, 22 Mar 1993 11:06:06 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Stage dogs While acknowledging that there is no evidence that a dog actually appeared in the role of Crab in _Two Gentleman_, Bert O. States has some wonderful observations about the possibility of a live dog in Shakespeare's play and elsewhere. Among them: What surprises us, of course, is that the dog _can_ be used in the play, that it unknowingly cooperates in creating the illusion. And this surprise arises fro our observation of the dog as a dog-in-itself. Questions like this might occur: Isn't it inter- esting that the dog will submit to being on stage? Then, of course, the answer: It _isn't_ submitting, it is simply being itself. What if it barks? Urinates? Obviously, even these natural acts, like the abuse of the boy actors, would contribute to further comedy. So the illusion has suddenly become a field of play, of "what if"? The illusion has introduced something into itself to demonstrate its tolerance of _things_. It is not the world that has invaded the illusion; the illusion has stolen something from the world in order to display its own power. Finally, one also suspects that an element of self-parody enters the play with the dog. The whole enterprise of theatrical illusion gets gently debunked, a freedom Shakespeare was fond of indulging... The theater has, so to speak, met its match: the dog is blissfully above, or beneath, the business of playing, and we find ourselves cheerings its performance precisely because it isn't one. For further thoughts well worth consulting, see _Great Reckonings in Little Rooms: On the Phenomenology of Theater (U.Calif. Press, 1985), pp. 32ff. --Ron Macdonald (4)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Helen Ostovich Date: Monday, 22 Mar 1993 15:56:10 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0180 Real Dog in *TGV*; Q: London Flat Concerning Michael Friedman's comment that Launce needs at least an imaginary dog to play off: yes, I agree, especially in 2.3. But the actual on-stage props need include only a pair of shoes and a wooden staff. The dog might be represented by a lead or leash of some kind, with the imaginary dog just off-stage. The same trick could be used in 4.4, though again it's easier to provide a real dog. My comment is based on the fact that no dog appears in the stage directions or cast list. One of the best dog-substitutes I ever saw was one used by an improv troupe at Toronto's Harbourfront "Shakespeare in the Pond" series, where Launce stood up to his knees in the pond, accompanied by a buoy on a rope. The buoy was a wonderfully bouncing puppy, splashing actor and audience alike, and clearly demonstrating its lack of good manners. Helen Ostovich ostovich@mcmaster.ca ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 24 Mar 1993 06:39:32 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0187 The Bear Problem in *WT* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 187. Wednesday, 24 March 1993. From: Robert O'Connor Date: Wednesday, 24 Mar 1993 13:20:17 +1000 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0183 Re: Real Bear in *WT* Stephen Schrum asked: >The real bear in WT: I am also curious about contemporary productions. While >wandering through the Berkeley Repertory Theatre costume shop, I saw their >bear suit, and at Shakespeare Santa Cruz a HUGE bear puppet entered amidst a >cloud of fog. Other solutions? Well, I saw English Shakespeare Company's production when they toured Australia in early 1991. There solution (?) to the 'bear problem' was to have Leontes walk on, pulling on a bear-paw glove, and 'kill' Antigonus before the Shepherds came on! ROC ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 24 Mar 1993 19:43:44 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0188 Re: The Bear Problem in *WT* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 188. Wednesday, 24 March 1993. (1) From: Mez Date: Wednesday, 24 Mar 93 10:40:37 EST Subj: Real Bear in *WT* (2) From: John Drakakis Date: Wednesday, 24 Mar 93 16:57:45 GMT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0187 The Bear Problem in *WT* (3) From: RONALD DWELLE Date: Wednesday, 24 Mar 93 13:44:55 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0187 The Bear Problem in *WT* (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Mez Date: Wednesday, 24 Mar 93 10:40:37 EST Subject: Real Bear in *WT* In a production of the MIT Shakespeare Ensemble, the bear was a person in a pretty obvious bear suit. The intermission came directly before IV i. The bear walked on to start the second half of the play, took off his [bear] head, and played the part of Time as well. Mez (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John Drakakis Date: Wednesday, 24 Mar 93 16:57:45 GMT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0187 The Bear Problem in *WT* Apropos what's coming to be called "the bear problem" in WT, there was an RSC Stratford production of some years ago which has the Bear returning as the chorus Time. This would certainly obviate the need to use a live bear! I don't think that the actor's name was Simon Smith, and the bear didn't dance, as I recall. John Drakakis University of Stirling (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: RONALD DWELLE Date: Wednesday, 24 Mar 93 13:44:55 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0187 The Bear Problem in *WT* Stephen Schrum asked: >The real bear in WT: I am also curious about contemporary productions. FYI: A local (Allendale, Michigan) student production features your standard person in a fake bear costume. The actor hams it up a bit--an odd, but effective, variation. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 25 Mar 1993 19:32:14 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0189 Qs: Summer Hours; Staged Lucrece; Re: *WT* Bear Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 189. Thursday, 25 March 1993. (1) From: Georgianna Ziegler Date: Thursday, 25 Mar 1993 16:46:42 -0500 Subj: Summer Hours (2) From: Georgianna Ziegler Date: Thursday, 25 Mar 1993 14:45:19 -0500 Subj: Lucrece on Stage (3) From: Tom Loughlin Date: Thursday, 25 Mar 1993 1:27 pm EST (18:27:33 UT) Subj: The Bear (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Date: Thursday, 25 Mar 1993 16:46:42 -0500 Subject: Summer Hours Can anyone let me know what the summer hours (June-August) will be for the British Library and the Public Record Office? Thanks-- Georgianna (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Georgianna Ziegler Date: Thursday, 25 Mar 1993 14:45:19 -0500 Subject: Lucrece on Stage Does anyone know if there has been an attempt to dramatize Shakespeare's poem in any form for stage production? Thanks--Georgianna (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Tom Loughlin Date: Thursday, 25 Mar 1993 1:27 pm EST (18:27:33 UT) Subject: The Bear In a production at Gannon University in Erie PA the actor in the bear costume was placed onstage before the lights went up for Act II (after intermission). The costume was designed to look something like a rock with spines/needles growing out of it, so the actor was motionless appearing to be part of the natural environment. The approaching storm was played up with sound effects and lights played against the cyc which were on chasers and increased in blink rate to simulate approaching lightning. As the light/sound show increased in intensity, Antigonus "senses" the danger approaching and runs off. The actor reared up and created the appearance of a "Bigfoot" type creature, hairy and with a porcupine-like effect. The instant he rose up the storm effect reached a *real loud* clap of thunder, the chase effect stopped and the "bear" was backlit in a frozen pose. The image lasted for a second, and then a blackout, with the resulting "ghost" effect catching the creature still frozen in the reared-up position. It fit in well with the overall stylized concept of the play and was quite stunning. --------------------------------------------------------------- Tom Loughlin * BITNET Dept. of Theatre Arts * loughlin@fredonia.bitnet SUNY College at Fredonia * INTERNET Fredonia NY 14063 * loughlin@jane.cs.fredonia.edu Voice: 716.673.3597 * Fax: 716.673.3397 * "Hail, hail Freedonia, land of * the brave and free." G. Marx --------------------------------------------------------------- ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 26 Mar 1993 09:29:32 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0190 Q: Iago and Santiago Matamoros Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 190. Friday, 26 March 1993. From: Al Cacicedo Date: Thursday, 25 Mar 1993 17:02:14 -0500 (EST) Subject: Iago and Santiago Matamoros SHAKSPEReans, My first effort to communicate by e-mail--a query: A couple of months ago I saw a small equestrian statuette, at the *Seeds of Change* exhibit in the Smithsonian, that made me wonder whether there might be a story to tell about Iago's name. The statuette was of St. James, the tutelary saint of Spain of course, and was called *Santiago Matamoros*--St. James the Moor killer (another statuette, called *Santiago Mataindios* stood next to it to justify its inclusion in the exhibit). Does anyone know of a connection between Iago and Santiago? Thanks, Al Cacicedo (alc@joe.alb.edu) Albright College ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 27 Mar 1993 09:53:36 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0191 Rs: Iago and Santiago Matamoros Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 191. Saturday, 27 March 1993. (1) From: James Harner Date: Friday, 26 Mar 1993 12:43:36 -0600 (CST) Subj: RE: SHK 4.0190 Q: Iago and Santiago Matamoros (2) From: Balz Engler Date: Friday, 26 Mar 1993 20:26:29 +0100 Subj: SHK 4.0190 Q: Iago and Santiago Matamoros (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: James Harner Date: Friday, 26 Mar 1993 12:43:36 -0600 (CST) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0190 Q: Iago and Santiago Matamoros For an argument that Iago is named after Santiago of Spain, see Peter R. Moore, "The Symbolism of Iago's Name," +Shakespeare Oxford Society Newsletter= 26.2 (199): 2-3. Jim Harner (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Balz Engler Date: Friday, 26 Mar 1993 20:26:29 +0100 Subject: SHK 4.0190 Q: Iago and Santiago Matamoros Santiago as Matamoros is commented on in Bullough's collection of Shakespeare's sources, *Narrative and Dramatic Sources*, vol. VII, p. 217. But I do not think that the conection is important beyond perhaps supplying a name for the ancient--anyway I did not find any further connections when I read up on the matter while preparing my edition of the play (a bilingual critical English-German edition). Balz Engler, University of Basel ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 27 Mar 1993 10:07:36 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0192 Rs: Staged Lucrece; Staged Venus and Adonis Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 192. Saturday, 27 March 1993. (1) From: James Harner Date: Friday, 26 Mar 1993 12:40:41 -0600 (CST) Subj: RE: Qs: Summer Hours; Staged Lucrece; Re: *WT* Bear (2) From: Gordon Jones Date: Friday, 26 Mar 1993 10:37:48 -0230 (NDT) Subj: Re: Qs: Summer Hours; Staged Lucrece; Re: *WT* Bear (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: James Harner Date: Friday, 26 Mar 1993 12:40:41 -0600 (CST) Subject: RE: Qs: Summer Hours; Staged Lucrece; Re: *WT* Bear Productions of Lucrece: Bardy Thomas directed an adaptation (which he also wrote) called +Venus and Lucrece= at the Almeida Theatre, London, 1988. (OCLC lists a copy of the script, but I haven't--as yet--had a look at it.) Also, The Globe Playhouse (West Hollywood, CA) produced a version in Dec. 1990-Jan 1991 (directed by Theresa Shiban). Jim Harner (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Gordon Jones Date: Friday, 26 Mar 1993 10:37:48 -0230 (NDT) Subject: Re: Qs: Summer Hours; Staged Lucrece; Re: *WT* Bear No information on staged Lucrece; but a couple of years ago I prepared a three-person reading of a slightly abbreviated Venus and Adonis - Venus and Adonis in Three Voices - viz. Venus, Adonis, Narrator. Amusingly erotic but quite moving in effect. ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 27 Mar 1993 10:12:32 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0193 Staging *TGV* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 193. Saturday, 27 March 1993. From: Adrian Kiernander Date: Friday, 26 Mar 93 13:55:08 +1000 Subject: Re: Staging The Two Gentlemen of Verona I am grateful to Stephen Orgel for mentioning my recent production of The Two Gentlemen of Verona in a recent posting. As he rightly pointed out, I've been away from e-mail for the past three weeks and so I've been very interested to catch up on the correspondence on what I think is a useful play for us: just as Michael Billington suggested recently in _The Guardian_ that Lear is the tragedy for the late 20th century, so I believe 2GV is the comedy for our time, dealing as I think it does with connections between patriarchy, 1980s-style yuppiedom and rape. I'm in the middle of preparing a paper on this topic and now's not the proper time to go into the kind of detail I'm currently grappling with. On the basis of our experience of working on a production, I can confirm that it's a particularly good script for young actors to come to explore. And as in the production that Michael Friedman writes about, our Sylvia was gagged from the time of the rape until almost the end, by which stage the character was supposed to be so traumatised that she was incapable of further speech. Not only was she gagged, but she was also in a straightjacket which the outlaws put on her when she was captured. This made the events subsequent to the rape both horrific and outrageously comical, while at the same time I hope drawing attention to the ultimate lack of institutional political and personal power that the women as a group have in the world of the play. (So how is that different from the world we live in?) I hope it's clear that I don't think the script is, or indeed could be in any essential way, sexist. My thinking about the play was enriched by communications with Randall Nakayama of San Francisco State University, who illuminated several points in the script for me and pushed me to a more adventurous staging than I'd previously considered. At the risk of sounding boastful I can report to anyone considering presenting the play that this production, the 11th annual Wellington Summer Shakespeare production, proved very popular with public and critics, attracting record audiences despite being non-canonical and little-known. Go ahead, do it. The use of a real dog, in our case the biggest one we could find, seems to me at this stage very important, both in terms of the comedy and because like Launce it focuses attention on the textuality of the play, precisely because it is a real dog. Which brings me to the point of this intervention. Launce's monologues are explicitly directed to the audience as audience, drawing attention to the status of the spectators. And at one point he says to them, "You shall be the judge." I'd be interested to know whether this is the only time in a play of the period (outside prologues and epilogues, like Puck's or Prospero's, which are a special case) where a character addresses the audience directly and what's more gives them a task, which is of course no more than their normal but usually unstated task--to act as judge. I can't immediately think of another example from any of the plays I know well, but I may be overlooking something really obvious. Adrian Kiernander ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 27 Mar 1993 10:15:48 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0194 ANNOUNCEMENT: Renaissance Dance List Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 194. Saturday, 27 March 1993. From: Andrew Draskoy Date: Friday, 26 Mar 1993 14:13:23 -0500 Subject: ANNOUNCEMENT: Renaissance Dance list RENDANCE is a mailing list for discussion of Renaissance dance. The intended focus is dance reconstruction and related research, but discussion on any relevant topic is welcomed. To subscribe, send a message to listserver@morgan.ucs.mun.ca containing one line in the message body: subscribe rendance Your Name Here The listserver software is similar, but not identical, to the BITNET listservs, so you may wish to send a help message to the listserver address as well. The list address is rendance@morgan.ucs.mun.ca, and I'm requesting that no one send messages to it before April 2nd. This will give people a chance to subscribe before discussion begins. Andrew Draskoy andrew@bransle.ucs.mun.ca ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 27 Mar 1993 10:19:42 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0195 Bears on Stage Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 195. Saturday, 27 March 1993. From: Zanne Westfall Pardee Date: Friday, 26 Mar 93 11:51:23 EDT Subject: Bears on stage I too have often wondered about that bear. While investigating Great Household Revels, I came across lots of references in various accounts of pet bears and dancing bears, a popular attraction, it seems, at folk festivals. Mary Blackstone even has a few itineraries, which she presented at the SAA conference a couple of years back. Why not one of these tame and trained beasties onstage? I imagine the audience would pay attention. It's hard to imagine an early modern audience, accustomed as they were to performing animals, accepting an actor in a bear suit or a suggestion thereof. And I've never seen evidence of such a costume in any accounts. Suzanne Westfall WS#1@lafayacs.bitnet ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 27 Mar 1993 19:01:34 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0196 Re: Bears on Stage Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 196. Saturday, 27 March 1993. From: Steve Urkowitz Date: Saturday, 27 Mar 93 10:41:46 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0195 Bears on Stage "Nay, you must name his name, and half his face must be seen through the lion's neck, and he himself must speak through, saying thus . . ." If, as some have speculated, the Bear negotiates our complicated transition from grim death through comic rebirth, the effect seems like it calls for at least an instant of "Uh oh, there's a bear," before "Oh, that's not a REAL bear," sets in. One wouldn't want the audience to have to speculate that the bear goes offstage really to dine on the gentleman. Though I can imagine some directors desiring that impression. So, while an actor might for a moment give the impression of being a bear, it's sort of hard for a bear to give much conviction to his or her protrayal of being an actor. (Apologies to that guild of performing animals that gets credits at the end of movies now and again.) In springtime, Steve Bearkowitz, SURCC@CUNYVM ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 27 Mar 1993 19:08:08 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0197 Re: Audience Participation Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 197. Saturday, 27 March 1993. (1) From: Rick Jones Date: Saturday, 27 Mar 1993 10:52:57 -0600 (CST) Subj: RE: SHK 4.0193 Audience participation (2) From: Ed Pechter Date: Saturday, 27 Mar 1993 16:45 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0193 Staging *TGV* (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Rick Jones Date: Saturday, 27 Mar 1993 10:52:57 -0600 (CST) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0193 Audience participation Adrian Kiernander writes: >I'd be interested to know whether this is the only time in a >play of the period (outside prologues and epilogues, like Puck's or >Prospero's, which are a special case) where a character addresses the >audience directly and what's more gives them a task, which is of course no >more than their normal but usually unstated task--to act as judge. A variation on the theme would be in Peele's _Arraignment of Paris_, in which a single audience member, the queen, is awarded the prize because she shows all the attributes of all the goddesses in the contest. There was almost certainly a performance history independent of the Court: exactly how the denouement was handled in the absence of Elizabeth is the subject of some dispute. One theory (I'm afraid I can't remember the source) is that there may have been a direct address of the audience, suggesting that they help poor Paris decide... with, perhaps, a "plant" in the audience to steer the thinking toward Elizabeth. Sounds a bit strained to me, especially given the amount of improvization this would require of boy actors, but I don't have a better solution for what might have happened at the pre-court "dress rehearsals". I know this isn't exactly the same phenomenon, but it came immediately to my mind as being in some way analogous. Rick Jones (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ed Pechter Date: Saturday, 27 Mar 1993 16:45 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0193 Staging *TGV* In response to Adrian Kiernander's question about characters addressing the audience directly and asking them to act as judge: You might consider Hippolito's aside in *Women Beware Women*, 1.2.150 ff. It ends: Feed inward you my sorrows, make no noise, Consume me silent, let me be stark dead Ere the world know I'm sick. You see my honesty; If you befriend me, so. According to Frost's (Cambridge) and Loughrey and Taylor's (Penguin) editions, "you" refers to his sorrows. They don't tell us how they know this. They just announce their solution to a problem they haven't even acknowledged to exist (though of course their felt need to write a note proves that it does). Like kids in Art Linkletter, editors say the darndest things. Mulryne is more helpful in the New Revels: "It is not clear to whom this is addressed. It cannot be Isabella; it is unlikely to be the audience; the immediately preceding 'you', his 'sorrows', would not give a particularly apt sense. He perhaps invokes Heaven as the power that imposes his 'honesty' of silence." Well, maybe so, though I don't understand why the audience is unlikely as the object of address. Without a gesture upward (the kind of stage direction Dover Wilson used to invent with wonderful facility), it seems to me hard to imagine a performance where some sense of "you" as us, the audience, wouldn't come across. I think Adrian Kiernander's right, that we are implicitly asked to engage directly with many--most?--asides and soliloquies; I suspect there are others like Hippolito's which make this explicit, and maybe less ambiguously. ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 27 Mar 1993 22:48:43 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0198 Re: Audience Participation Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 198. Saturday, 27 March 1993. From: Ed Pechter Date: Saturday, 27 Mar 1993 20:58 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0197 Re: Audience Participation A second thought on characters asking audiences to judge (two thoughts on the same day is pretty good for me these days): Kitely somewhere in the middle of *Every Man In*. He's got to rush off to take care of some money business, but he's horribly worried that if he leaves her home unsupervised, somebody's bound to come in and do his wife. I saw an RSC production maybe ten years ago in which the actor played directly to us, asking for help. I don't have the play here, so I don't know whether the text exactly requires such a performance--presumably just with lines like "what should I do" (I doubt it)? But it was tremendous--excruciatingly embarrassing and hilariously funny at once. Willy nilly, we were in cahoots with his madness, and were eventually sufficiently embarrassed by his pauses to tell him to do what to do. (The actor would make sure that our advice corresponded to the plot requirements.) All this made for a very appropriate ending when Kitely was purged of his humor and bequeathed us his diseases (or is that a different play?). ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 28 Mar 1993 11:37:32 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0199 Q: Anti-Theatre Controversy Anthology Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 199. Sunday, 28 March 1993. From: Nate Johnson Date: Saturday, 27 Mar 93 22:20:15 EST Subject: Anthologies of attacks on/defenses of Eliz./Jac. drama? Does anyone know of an anthology (preferably, but not necessarily still in print) of documents or significant excerpts relating to the anti-theatrical controversy, including relevant statutes, proclamations, and longish excerpts from Heywood, Prynne, Gosson, Stubbes... ? There are plenty of good secondary sources out there, but I'd like to know about well-chosen anthologies of primary sources, both for my own library and for possible assignment to a class. --Nate Johnson ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 28 Mar 1993 11:50:14 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0200 Q: Evans 1775 Edition of Shakespeare's *Poems* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 200. Sunday, 28 March 1993. From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Sunday, March 28, 1993 Subject: Q: Evans 1775 Edition of Shakespeare's Poems If anyone has access to Thomas Evans's 1775 Edition of Shakespeare's *Poems*, which contains a version of the Benson 1640 *Poems*, would you please contact me privately. My notes indicate that the Folger Library does not have a copy, and I need to check if Evans's editing practices resemble those of the 1771 Johnson-Ewing and the 1774 Francis Gentleman versions. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1993 07:15:04 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0201 Rs: Iago and Santiago; Anti-Theatre Controversy Anthology Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 201. Monday, 31 March 1993. (1) From: Stanley D. McKenzie <"MCKENZIE SD"@a1.rit.edu> Date: Sunday, 28 Mar 1993 17:36:00 -0500 (EST) Subj: RE: SHK 4.0190 Q: Iago and Santiago Matamoros (2) From: Leo Daugherty Date: Sunday, 28 Mar 93 23:16:27 -0800 Subj: Anthologies of Tudor-Stuart documents for and against the stage (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Stanley D. McKenzie <"MCKENZIE SD"@a1.rit.edu> Date: Sunday, 28 Mar 1993 17:36:00 -0500 (EST) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0190 Q: Iago and Santiago Matamoros Norman N. Holland comments on the symbolic significance of Iago's name deriving from Santiago/St. James in his chapter on _Othello_ in _The Shakespearean Imagination_ (1964). Stan McKenzie (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Leo Daugherty Date: Sunday, 28 Mar 93 23:16:27 -0800 Subject: Anthologies of Tudor-Stuart documents for and against the stage Nate Johnson asks a good question, and I'll look forward to hearing other answers to it than my own -- as I'm forever looking for such items. One source -- and the only one I can think of which might possibly be in print -- is J.V. Cunningham, ed., IN SHAKESPEARE'S DAY. This was a 1970 paperback original by Fawcett. See esp. pp. 159-226. (It may not provide much in the way of religious objections, however, although it does give a Stubbes excerpt and a letter from the Lord Mayor to Whitgift.) I've found this book awfully handy over the years. -- Leo Daugherty The Evergreen State College ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1993 18:17:10 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0202 Rs: Anthology; Audience Participation; Q: *AYL* Film Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 202. Monday, 31 March 1993. (1) From: Nick Clary Date: Monday, 29 Mar 1993 08:23:09 -0500 (EST) Subj: Attacks on/defenses (2) From: Nick Clary Date: Monday, 29 Mar 1993 08:11:35 -0500 (EST) Subj: Audience Participation (3) From: Ann Miller Date: Monday, 29 Mar 1993 11:58:33 -0500 (EST) Subj: New _As you like it_ film? (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Nick Clary Date: Monday, 29 Mar 1993 08:23:09 -0500 (EST) Subject: Attacks on/defenses Although volume IV of THE ELIZABETHAN STAGE (E.K. Chambers) has perhaps been superseded by more recent collections, Appendices C. (Documents of Criticism) and D. (Documents of Control) contain many excerpts that remain pertinent. This particular volume, by the way, contains other interesting data. Nick Clary clary@smcvax.bitnet (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Nick Clary Date: Monday, 29 Mar 1993 08:11:35 -0500 (EST) Subject: Audience Participation I wonder where or to whom Petruchio looks at the end of his soliloquy in 4.1. Is he speaking in the direction of Sly? Or out toward the house? What difference does it make? Would Elizabethan audiences take him at his word when he challenges them to speak up, in the name of charity, if they have any better ideas about how to curb Katerina's "mad and headstrong humor"? What effect, pray tell, may have been produced? And would there have been contingent variations from one performance to another? Nick Clary clary@smcvax.bitnet (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ann Miller Date: Monday, 29 Mar 1993 11:58:33 -0500 (EST) Subject: New _As you like it_ film? Has anyone seen the new film _As You Like It_ which has apprently come out in Europe? Britain at least. I found a review of it in _Sight and Sound_ (Oct. 1992) but haven't come across any others. It is directed by Christine Edzard who directed _Little Dorrit_ a few years ago. Sounds like post-modern urban setting, with some interesting touches. Any viewers? Ann Ann Miller fac_amil@vax1.acs.jmu.edu ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1993 07:15:47 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0203 Rs: Audience Participation; Iago/Santiago Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 203. Tuesday, 30 March 1993. (1) From: Stephen Orgel Date: Monday, 29 Mar 93 17:11:44 PST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0197 Re: Audience Participation (2) From: Stephen Orgel Date: Monday, 29 Mar 93 17:16:12 PST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0190 Q: Iago and Santiago Matamoros (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Stephen Orgel Date: Monday, 29 Mar 93 17:11:44 PST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0197 Re: Audience Participation I'd think Jonson's EVERY MAN OUT is the most elaborate example--"I not observed this thronged round till now/ Gentle and kind spectators, you are welcome," etc (I'm afraid I'm quoting from memory, so I may have it a little wrong), and they are thereafter invoked numerous times throughout the play. And of course the queen in the audience is asked to resolve it. Stephen Orgel (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Stephen Orgel Date: Monday, 29 Mar 93 17:16:12 PST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0190 Q: Iago and Santiago Matamoros Iago=James/Jacob; Ruskin pointed out that the Hebrew meaning of the name, "supplanter", is relevant to the play. Stephen Orgel ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1993 07:29:18 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0204 Tyndale and the Reformation: Call for Papers Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 204. Tuesday, 30 March 1993. From: Patrick W. Conner Date: Monday, 29 Mar 1993 20:41:34 EST Subject: Call for Papers CALL FOR PAPERS WILLIAM TYNDALE--ENGLISH REFORMER CAROLINAS SYMPOSIUM ON BRITISH STUDIES WEST VIRGINIA UNVIERSITY--MORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA OCTOBER 30-31, 1993 I have only recently learned that The Carolinas Symposium on British Studies has authorized a sepecial session at its upcoming annual meeting to be devoted to William Tyndale and his role in the Reformation. This session is in celebration of the sesquecentennial of Tyndale's birth. Papers are solicited on any aspect of Tyndale's work and achievement, and those preparing proposals should keep in mind that the Carolinas Symposium encourages interdisciplinary sessions with papers from scholars of literature, languages, rhetoric, history, art history, religious studies, cultural studies, and the history of ideas. The Symposium's general theme is "Revisions and Retrospectives in British Studies." In order to become part of the October program, I need to forward by April 15 specifics about the Tyndale session. I encourage you, therefore, to send to me by April 10 an abstract or a description of a presentation for the usual 20-minute reading time. Session participants will be notified in May whether their papers have been accepted. Because we must act in a timely fashion, I urge you to share this announcement with colleagues and graduate students. It is my genuine hope, despite the quick turn-around time, that we will be able to design an exciting session on Tyndale. SEND PROPOSALS OR INQUIRIES TO Dr. Rudolph P. Almasy Department of English PO BOX 6296 West Virginia University Morgantown WV 26506-6296 phone 304-293-5021 fax 304-293-5380 e-mail RALMASY@WVNVM.WVNET.EDU ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1993 07:10:21 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0205 Q: Q1 Hamlet Texts for the Stage Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 205. Wednesday, 31 March 1993. From: Peter Ayers Date: Tuesday, 30 Mar 1993 06:53:02 -0500 Subject: Q1 Hamlet Texts for the Stage Our drama program is proposing a production of Q1 Hamlet and have asked me to prepare a working text (ie one where the obviously corrupt bits are replaced by Q2/F equivalents. It would be easy enough, but I assume that this has been done frequently, and that therefore there are probably such texts available already. Does anyone know of such things? Peter Ayers Dept. of English Memorial University of Newfoundland PAYERS.@kean.ucs.mun.ca ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1993 07:16:53 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0206 Re: Audience Participation Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 206. Wednesday, 31 March 1993. (1) From: William Kemp Date: Tuesday, 30 Mar 93 22:03:55 EST Subj: Audience Participation (Iago) (2) From: Al Cacicedo Date: Tuesday, 30 Mar 1993 22:39:03 -0500 (EST) Subj: Audience Participation (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Kemp Date: Tuesday, 30 Mar 93 22:03:55 EST Subject: Audience Participation (Iago) I've always understood Iago's soliloquy beginning "And what's he then that says I\ play the villain" (Evans text, 2.3.336ff) as addressed directly to the audience. The audience has already judged his advice to Cassio villainous, so Iago argues with us for a while -- then concedes that we're right and celebrates his villainy. Bill Kemp Mary Washington College Fredericksburg, Va. wkemp@s850.mwc.edu (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Al Cacicedo Date: Tuesday, 30 Mar 1993 22:39:03 -0500 (EST) Subject: Audience Participation In *Metadrama in Shakespeare's Henriad* James Calderwood provides extensive--perhaps too extensive?--commentary on audience participation, or at least audience engagement, in the second tetralogy. Among other things, Calderwood suggests that Hal's speech at the end of 1.2 in *1 Henry IV* ("I know you all, and will a while uphold/ The unyok'd humor of your idleness . . .") is directed at the audience, as a metadramatic gesture that links the theater with Falstaff's tavern world. The promise that he will end the play by "Redeeming time when men think least I will" is therefore a threat not only to Falstaff, but also to the audience, which is complicit in Falstaff's idleness and would wish to extend it. With that in mind, Calderwood further argues that Falstaff's claim to have killed Hotspur at the end of *1 Henry IV* is a challenge to Hal's control of time and of representation, and so Falstaff extends the play into another set of five acts (*2 Henry IV*), to the delight of the idle audience as of the idle Falstaff. Direct address to the audience in *Henry V* is taken up by the Chorus, who points out both the limits of representation and the limits of "redeeming time." Al Cacicedo (alc@joe.alb.edu) Albright College ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1993 21:00:56 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0208 Q: Shakespeare Audition Monologue Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 208. Wednesday, 31 March 1993. From: Damon Tribble <94dtribb@ultrix.uor.edu> Date: Wednesday, 31 Mar 1993 11:58:44 -0800 (PST) Subject: Shakespeare Monologues Hi there! My name is Damon Tribble and I am located at the University of Redlands here in sunny (lately rainy) Southern California. I begin my first journey into the world of E-mail discussion groups with a request for comments and advice on an audition monologue I am preparing. This is my first experience with Shakespearean acting and my first classical monologue, so I would appreciate any feedback you can give on the character, the rhythm of the verse, the staging, auditioning for Shakespeare, and Shakespearean acting in general. The piece I am currently working on comes from King Henry the Fourth Part I, Act I, Scene iii. In this speech, the young hothead Hotspur is trying to explain to the king why he refused to turn over his prisoners of war in a recent battle. Here is the piece: (These are my own line numbers for easy reference) 1 My liege, I did deny no prisoners. 2 But I remember, when the fight was done, 3 When I was dry with rage and extreme toil, 4 Breathless and faint, leaning upon my sword, 5 Came there a certain lord, neat, and trimly drest, 6 Fresh as a bridegroom; and his chin new reapt 7 Show'd like a stubble-land at harvest-home; 8 He was perfumed like a milliner; 9 And 'twixt his finger and his thumb he held 10 A pouncet-box, which ever and anon 11 He gave his nose, and took't away again;-- 12 Who therewtih angry, when it next came there, 13 Took it in snuff:--and still he smiled and talkt; 14 And as the soldiers bore dead bodies by, 15 He call'd them untaught knaves, unmannerly, 16 To bring a slovenly unhandsome corse 17 Betwixt the wind and his nobility. 18 With many holiday and lady terms 19 He questioned me; amongst the rest, demanded 20 My prisoners in your majesty's behalf. 21 I then, all smarting with my wounds being cold. 22 To be so pester'd with a popinjay, 23 Out of my grief and my impatience, 24 Answer'd neglectingly, I know not what,-- 25 He should, or he should not; for he made me mad 26 To see him shine so brisk, and smell so sweet, 27 And talk so like a waiting-gentlewoman 28 Of guns and drums and wounds,--God save the mark!-- 29 And telling me the sovereign'st thing on earth 30 Was parmaceti for an inward bruise; 31 And that it was great pity, so it was, 32 This villainous salt-petre should be digg'd 33 Out of the bowels of the harmless earth, 34 Which many a good tall fellow had destroy'd 35 So cowardly; and but for these vile guns, 36 He would himself have been a soldier. 37 This bald unjointed chat of his, my lord, 38 I answer'd indirectly, as I said; 39 And I beseech you, let not his report 40 Come current for an accusation 41 Betwixt my love and your high majesty. I have noticed that lines 5, 19, 21, 25, 27, and 34 have eleven syllables per line and lines 23, 36, and 40 have only nine per line. How does this variance from iambic pentameter affect the rhythm of the line? In the lines with nine beats would one say "im-pa-ti-ence" or "sol-di-er" or "ac-cu-sa-ti-on" to make them into ten? I am also looking for another audition piece of Shakespearean verse which contrasts with this one. I am especially trying to avoid pieces which are overdone. I am 21 years old, blond, and of medium height and build. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Lastly, if anyone can suggest any good books on the subject of Shakespearean acting please let me know. Thank you for any advice you can offer... Damon Tribble 94dtribb@ultrix.uor.edu ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1993 20:57:10 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0207 Rs: Q1 *Hamlet* Texts for the Stage Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 207. Wednesday, 31 March 1993. (1) From: Roy Flannagan Date: Wednesday, 31 March 93, 11:23:22 EST Subj: Text of Q1 {Hamlet} (2) From: William Proctor Williams Date: Wednesday, 31 Mar 93 19:08 CST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0205 Q: Q1 Hamlet Texts for the Stage (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Roy Flannagan Date: Wednesday, 31 March 93, 11:23:22 EST Subject: Text of Q1 {Hamlet} There should be one in the Oxford Text Archive (contact lou@vax.oxford.ac.uk [that is Lou Burnard, in charge of the OTA, and on this list]), and, since it will be only lightly marked-up and in ASCII, it might easily be retrieved into a word-processor and then divided according to scenes or characters (but beware of variants in speech prefixes!). Roy Flannagan (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Proctor Williams Date: Wednesday, 31 Mar 93 19:08 CST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0205 Q: Q1 Hamlet Texts for the Stage I suggest you have a look at +Hamlet Prince of Denmarke+ edited by Holderness and Loughrey in the Shakespearean Originals series published in 1992 by Harvester Wheatsheaf. The ISBN of the paperback is 0-7450-1100-4 and of the hardback 0-7450-1099-7. It is an edited version of Q1. I tried to use it in my undergraduate Shakespeare class last semester but our incompetent bookstore couldn't get it in. William Proctor Williams TB0WPW1@NIU English/Northern Illinois University ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1993 21:05:40 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0209 Electronic Text Concordance Program Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 209. Wednesday, 31 March 1993. From: Robert O'Connor Date: Thursday, 1 Apr 1993 09:56:35 +1000 Subject: Electronic Text and Concordance. My apologies if this is old news, but I discovered quite by accident yesterday a public domain program which will write a concordance for an electronic text. I have already used it myself on etexts of several Shakespearean works - it will only work on text-only files - and it will write a concordance of a play in about three to five minutes. There are various ways of modifying what words are included or omitted, and how they are cited and referenced. I obtained the software via ftp (the Fetch!) program from an Australian site, but it can also be found at a number of other locations: Host archie.au (139.130.4.6) Last updated 18:20 3 Mar 1993 Location: /micros/mac/info-mac/app FILE concordance-171.hqx Host uhunix2.uhcc.hawaii.edu (128.171.44.7) Last updated 09:28 3 Mar 1993 Location: /mirrors/info-mac/app FILE concordance-171.hqx Host sics.se (192.16.123.90) Last updated 04:31 3 Mar 1993 Location: /pub/info-mac/app FILE concordance-171.hqx Host nic.switch.ch (130.59.1.40) Last updated 01:43 3 Mar 1993 Location: /software/mac/info-mac-shadow/app FILE concordance-171.hqx Location: /mirror/info-mac/app FILE concordance-171.hqx Host isfs.kuis.kyoto-u.ac.jp (130.54.20.1) Last updated 00:09 3 Mar 1993 Location: /Mac/info-mac/app FILE concordance-171.hqx Host ftp.uu.net (192.48.96.9) Last updated 22:46 2 Mar 1993 Location: /systems/mac/info-mac/app FILE concordance-171.hqx Host ftp.uni-kl.de (131.246.9.95) Last updated 22:39 2 Mar 1993 Location: /pub/mac/app FILE concordance-171.hqx I got quite excited about finding this program: while their are plenty of concordances available in the ANU libraries I don't think it hurts to have one ready to hand, and on disk too! ROC ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 1 Apr 1993 15:51:07 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0211 Rs: Shakespeare Audition Monologue Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 211. Thursday, 1 April 1993. (1) From: Joseph Lawrence Lyle Date: Thursday, 1 Apr 93 13:16:59 -0500 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0208 Q: Shakespeare Audition Monologue (2) From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Thursday, 1 April 1993 Subj: Re: Shakespeare Audition Monologue (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Joseph Lawrence Lyle Date: Thursday, 1 Apr 93 13:16:59 -0500 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0208 Q: Shakespeare Audition Monologue Damon Tribble might want to have a look at a video by the RSC called "Using the Verse," on the relationship between meter and delivery. It's part of a series, and if the other parts are as illuminating as this one, they'll all be worth the time. Jay Lyle (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Thursday, 1 April 1993 Subject: Re: Shakespeare Audition Monologue You may also wish to examine the book based on the RSC programs mentioned above: John Barton's *Playing Shakespeare*. London and New York: Methuen, 1984. Another suggestion would be the Cambridge UP's *Players of Shakespeare* and *Players of Shakespeare 2*. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 1 Apr 1993 15:39:11 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0210 *SNL* Summer Shakespeare Festivals List Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 210. Thursday, 1 April 1993. From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Thursday, 1 April 1993 Subject: *SNL* Summer Shakespeare Festivals List SHAKSPEReans, For forty-one years, *The Shakespeare Newsletter* has been publishing the most complete list of summer Shakespeare festivals available. For several years now, I have been in charge of compiling this list. Those festivals that have recently appeared in the *SNL*'s list will soon receive a letter from me requesting 1993 program information. For the others of you, if you are associated with a Shakespeare Festival or if you know someone who is, would you send me a three or four line description of your festival's program for 1993. I would appreciate prompt responses so that all can be published in the spring issue of *SNL*, both as an advertisement and as an historical record. You may email your program information to me at HMCook@boe00.minc.umd.edu or send it to me at my University address: Dr. Hardy M. Cook Department of Humanities Bowie State University Bowie, Maryland 20715 Wearing another hat, Hardy M. Cook Contributing Editor *The Shakespeare Newsletter* ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 2 Apr 1993 07:23:51 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0213 RSC Acting Videos (Was Audition Monologues) Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 213. Friday, 2 April 1993. (1) From: William Proctor Williams Date: Thursday, 01 Apr 93 18:45 CST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0211 Rs: Shakespeare Audition Monologue (2) (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Proctor Williams Date: Thursday, 01 Apr 93 18:45 CST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0211 Rs: Shakespeare Audition Monologue I have seen most of the series. It is quite a remarkable series and I recommend it to all who wish to teach performance Shakespeare. W.P. Williams TB0WPW1@NIU (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Damon Tribble <94dtribb@ultrix.uor.edu> Date: Thursday, 1 Apr 1993 23:48:52 -0800 (PST) Subject: Shakespeare monologues Dear Hardy, Thank you for your info on books regarding Shakepearean acting. I am currently reading *Playing Shakespeare*. Do you know how I can get a hold of the videos which accompany this book? You also mention *Players of Shakespeare*. Where would I find this? Your advice is much appreciated. Could you comment on other pieces I should consider for auditions? Thanks, Damon Tribble University of Redlands 94dtribb@ultrix.uor.edu ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 2 Apr 1993 07:19:02 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0212 Catherine Besley Seminar Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 212. Friday, 2 April 1993. From: David C. Stewart Date: Thursday, 1 Apr 1993 20:34:07 EST Subject: Catherine Belsey Seminar West Virginia University Summer Seminars in Literary and Cultural Studies "Shakespeare and the Sexual Relation" Seminar Leader Catherine Belsey University of Wales June 10-13, 1993 Faculty and graduate students from any discipline are invited to attend this seminar. The seminar will focus on a close analysis of the treatment of desire in specfic texts. "Shakespeare and the Sexual Relation" is an allusion to Lacan's scandalous insistence that there is no relation, and that the imaginary misrecognition of the sexual relation tends to take up a lot of time and energy. Might one argue that male and female homoerotic desire are at a certain level interchangeable ? For more information and a brochure contact: David Stewart West Virginia University Dept. of English 230 Stansbury Hall PO Box 6296 Morgantown WV 26506-6296 e-mail address: DCSTEWA@wvnvm.bitnet DCSTEWA@wvnvm.wvnet.edu ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 2 Apr 1993 19:21:15 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0214 Speaking the Verse Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 214. Friday, 2 April 1993. From: Timothy Pinnow Date: Friday, 2 Apr 93 11:37:51 CST Subject: Speaking the Verse In reply to Damon's query: I would suggest several books and several optional ideas (depending how in depth you would like your investigation of the text to be--some of us spend our most of our waking hours trying to turn the bard's words into the richest possible performance). I would first look at a little known book by E.S. Brubaker called *Shakespeare Aloud.* It is a sound introduction to the aural elements of performance. From there, work your way into Kristin Linklater's *Freeing Shakespeare's Voice.* If you really want to do some interesting digging, find a Norton facsimile of the First Folio and peruse the punctuation, spelling, and capitalization--there is a wealth of how to speak the words in there--it will almost do it all for you. Then there is the meaning of the words in historical context to be found in the Oxford English Dictionary. Finally, you have to treat the words like a foregin language. Learn to think iambic pentameter so that the character would naturally say those words just that way. And right about now I bet you wished that you never asked that question!! If you want some further ideas you can contact me directly. And to think I normally spend a whole semester trying to teach students what I just wrote in one badly written paragraph--who'd a thunk it? Good Luck, Timothy Dayne Pinnow Ass't. Prof. of Theatre St. Olaf College 1520 St. Olaf Ave Northfield MN 55057 ph. 507/646-3327 Internet: pinnow@stolaf.edu ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 5 Apr 1993 05:48:20 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0215 R: Q1 Hamlet Texts for the Stage Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 215. Monday, 5 April 1993. From: Steve Urkowitz Date: Sunday, 04 Apr 93 22:14:42 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0205 Q: Q1 Hamlet Texts for the Stage Peter Ayers asks about Q1 texts for performance. The ugliest ones are direct photo-reproductions of the 1603 Quarto. The best for practical script-work in my opinion is the one in the H.H.Furness New Variorum edition, volume II. Its clean typeface will expand nicely in a xerox enlargement, and there are those very necessary line numbers. I would warn against Albert Weiner's edition of Q1 from the 1960s. Though his introduction wallops the memorial reconstruction theory hard (and was totally ignored by the editorial community), his text incorporates aspects of Q2 and F that distort the shape of action and dialogue from Q 1. A dozen fresh-baked articles about Q1 appear in Tom Clayton, THE HAMLET FIRST PUBLISHED (Delaware 1992): tasty bits on casting, staging, history, textual analysis by a variety of critical practitioners all over the map. One by me, too. Enjoy the show! Steve Urquartowitz ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 5 Apr 1993 12:54:19 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0216 R: Q1 Hamlet Texts for the Stage Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 216. Monday, 5 April 1993. From: Bernice W. Kliman Date: Monday, 5 Apr 1993 09:49 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0205 Q: Q1 Hamlet Texts for the Stage Dear Peter Ayers, I am very interested in seeing a performance of Q1 *Hamlet*: please let me know when it will be on. I don't have an acting version of Q1, but you might look at *The Three-Text Hamlet*, which will show you clearly how Q1 differs from the other texts. It's published by AMS Press. Also, you might want to look at Kathleen Campbell's essay on Zeffirelli's *Hamlet* as a version of Q1 in plot with Q2/F1--modified text. It was in Shakespeare on Film Newsletter, vol. 16.1:7. Best wishes, Bernice ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 5 Apr 1993 14:49:56 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0220 Q: *R&J* for Pre-College Students Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 220. Monday, 5 April 1993. From: John Massa Date: Monday, 5 Apr 93 11:09 CST Subject: "Romeo & Juliet" by pre-college students Does anyone have any words of wisdom or experience about how to approach a production of Romeo & Juliet where all the roles are played by 17-19 year olds, most of whom have acting experience from school productions but little or no exposure to Shakespeare? If you have done something like this before, how did you begin with them? Any unexpected problems? Anthing you wished you had emphasized earlier? (Or should we just get on with it and stop asking so many questions?!!) John Massa John-Massa@uiowa.edu ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 5 Apr 1993 14:26:27 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0217 Re: Electronic Text Concordance Program Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 217. Monday, 5 April 1993. From: Bernice W. Kliman Date: Monday, 5 Apr 1993 09:54 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0209 Electronic Text Concordance Program Great news about a Concordance program, but how do you get into FTP if your college does not have it, whatever it is? What about Gopher, the program that gets one into library card catalogs? Thanks! Bernice [Editor's Note: FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol. FTP is similar to TELNETing. If your system supports TELNET, it probably also supports FTP. FTP, although it can be used to retrive text files, is the best way to receive executable files from one server to another. The problem I encountered was that FTP procedures differ among platforms -- FTPing on a VAX is quite different from FTPing on an ULTRIX machine. I would suggest you contact someone in your Computer Center about the procedures specific to the machine you use. Also you must be able to transfer the executable files from your mainframe account to you local computer. --hmc] ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 5 Apr 1993 14:36:23 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0218 Re: Speaking the Verse and *The Actor's Voice* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 218. Monday, 5 April 1993. (1) From: Bernice W. Kliman Date: Monday, 5 Apr 1993 10:14 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0214 Speaking the Verse (2) From: Luc Borot Date: Monday, 05 Apr 93 20:19 Subj: Actor's Voice (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Bernice W. Kliman Date: Monday, 5 Apr 1993 10:14 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0214 Speaking the Verse Re using F1 punctuation, spacing &c to discover the way the verse should be spoken, what do you make of arguments by Paul Werstine and others that the punctuation and spacing are largely, if not entirely, determined by the compositor who set the type and have little or nothing to do with Shakespeare's ms? Thanks for your help with this problem. Bernice (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Luc Borot Date: Monday, 05 Apr 93 20:19 Subject: Actor's Voice I don't know if some of the contributions I tried to send over the weekend successfully got through, as our mainframe suffered from a mail-sending breakdown... so I may be repeating myself here. I would recommend our friend who has to audition on a monologue to practice following the advice of the marvellous RSC voice-coach Cicely Berry, who recently retired, I think, and who published several books derived from her RSC experience of over 20 years, one of them must be called *The Actor's Voice*. I've had the unique priviledge to see her and her successor Andrew Wade at work in workshops for actors and students, and it was marvellous. I hope her books have crossed the Atlantic. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 5 Apr 1993 14:44:20 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0219 Theatrical Rarities Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 219. Monday, 5 April 1993. From: Cary M. Mazer Date: Monday, 5 Apr 93 12:03:43 EDT Subject: Theatrical Rarities SHAKSPER susbcribers within commuting distance of Philadelphia might be interested to know about the latest offering of the Red Heel Theatre Company in Philadelphia. The company is small, young, only occasionally Equity, and not always good, but they do interesting plays from the neglected repertoire, such as _Mucedorus_, _The Wild Goose Chase_, and _Fair Maid of the West_, along with plays from other national literatures and periods, such as _The Mandrake_, _The Cenci_, _Life is a Dream_, and _The Contrast_. Their next production is titled _In the Hand of Venus_, and consists of edited down versions of Lyly's _Galathea_, Marlowe's _Dido Queen of Carthage_, and a dramatic rendition of _Venus and Adonis_. It runs June 3-20. For information, call (215) 765-1715. Next year, incidentally, the company plans productions of _The Changeling_ and _Two Noble Kinsman_. Cary M. Mazer ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 6 Apr 1993 10:16:48 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0221 Audition Monologues Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 221. Tuesday, 6 April 1993. From: Mary Ellen Zurko Date: Monday, 5 Apr 93 13:10:18 PDT Subject: Audition Monologues [for men] I sent these informal references to the man who previously requested pointers on monologues, but I never had the time to get more specific (and still don't). Since we now have another member asking for pointers, maybe this list will get someone with better thoughts reacting. What's your strength? For comedy: Two Gents - the first Launce speech about Crab his dog and leaving home Comedy of Errors - There's a speech towards the end where Antipholus explains what has happened to him to date (abused by wife, goldsmith, pinch, and servant) As You Like It - Seven Ages of Man, Jacques H4 - something by Falstaff. I have to skim the plays to be more specific Madness and intensity: King Lear - The speech where Edmund takes on Poor Tom's persona RIII - Clarence wakes up in prison and recounts dream right before getting called ("sea change") Sex: Measure for Measure - where Angelo decides he'll make a pass for Isabel. Deep emotions: Merchant of Venice - Hath not a Jew? Although in general I'd steer away from any really famous speech (all of Hamlet), this one allows such a nice range and tension, that I'd risk it. Command of language: R&J - Mercutio's Queen Mab speech HV - the imagine champing horses speech by the Chorus ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 6 Apr 1993 10:20:36 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0222 R: *R&J* for Pre-College Students Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 222. Tuesday, 6 April 1993. From: Steve Urkowitz Date: Monday, 05 Apr 93 23:44:12 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0220 Q: *R&J* for Pre-College Students Doing Romeo and Juliet---Let 'er rip! The one practical suggestion that made a big difference at the actual performances of Shakespearean and other early texts I've worked on has to do with a vocal warm-up in the performing space. Taken from Cis Berry: gather the players in the center of the auditorium, and have them talk through their speeches at a "normal" speaking voice, gradually moving back towards the outer limits of the space. When out there at the edges, have them try saying a juicy phrase, one by one, pitching the sound to people opposite. Then let each person come up with a different phrase to toss back and forth. They'll get to feel the acoustics of the auditorium as they move around in it; this works better than just setting their volume from inside a procenium. And it loosens them up, concentrating attention on communication. (Oh, I didn't say, the phrases chosen are taken from each person's role. Our favorite when doing Heywood's Four Ps was "Thou whoreson noddy," echoing around the plaza in front of the Administration building.) Break a leg, Steve Urkowitz Surcc@CUNYVM ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 6 Apr 1993 16:01:18 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0223 *The Actor's Voice* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 223. Tuesday, 6 April 1993. (1) From: Rick Jones Date: Tuesday, 6 Apr 1993 12:02:08 -0500 (CDT) Subj: RE: SHK 4.0218 Re: *The Actor's Voice* (2) From: David Pacheco Glover Date: Tuesday, 6 Apr 93 12:59:00 -0500 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0218 Re: *The Actor's Voice* (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Rick Jones Date: Tuesday, 6 Apr 1993 12:02:08 -0500 (CDT) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0218 Re: *The Actor's Voice* Cicely Berry's books have indeed crossed the Atlantic. In addition to _The Actor's Voice_, I heartily recommend _The Actor and the Text_, which I have used with great success in Acting II courses. Not only is the approach intelligent, it's also presented intelligibly and unpretentiously: almost unheard of for an acting text, especially one which concentrates so much on Shakespeare. -- Rick Jones (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: David Pacheco Glover Date: Tuesday, 6 Apr 93 12:59:00 -0500 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0218 Re: *The Actor's Voice* > I hope [Cicely Berry's] books have crossed the Atlantic. They most certainly have! We have used them in our undergrad program here at Macalester, in St. Paul, Minnesota. Specifically in the "Voice Training for the Actor" course, which was (unfortunately) only a special topics course. Strong recommendations from this actor for her methods... -- David Pacheco Glover Everything is virtual. Except you. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 6 Apr 1993 16:12:02 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0224 Re: Speaking the Verse Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 224. Tuesday, 6 April 1993. (1) From: Timothy Pinnow Date: Tuesday, 6 Apr 93 15:03:51 CDT Subj: [Re: Speaking the Verse] (2) From: Skip Shand Date: Tuesday, 6 Apr 1993 16:09 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0218 Re: Speaking the Verse and *The Actor's Voice* (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Timothy Pinnow Date: Tuesday, 6 Apr 93 15:03:51 CDT Subject: Re: Speaking the Verse In response to Bernice Kliman's comments concerning F1 punctuation, In general, the point that the punctuation of F1 could be the result of print setting errors, or faulty memories of actors who transcribed from memory or whatever is largely a moot point to the actor. For me (and I admit here that I do not possess the amounts of theoretical and literary knowledge of many on this list) as an actor, the Folio gives me what made sense to SOMEONE in 1623--Quite possibly someone who saw and remembered or performed the play. I'm not very concerned whether the Bard himself wrote it that way--but the fact that someone did may give me clues or ideas that may otherwise be overlooked by my own feeble brain. I would further assert that the Folio has been SO helpful to me (and many other actors) that I find the argument that its eccentricities are largely accidental to be highly unlikely. All of this is not to say that I don't sometimes choose to disregard what I find, but at least I have as much imformation as possible with which to make the decision. There you have it--just another actor going overboard about something. Till my next diatribe-- Timothy Dayne Pinnow Ass't. Prof. of Theatre St. Olaf College 1520 St. Olaf Ave Northfield MN 55057 ph. 507/646-3327 Internet: pinnow@stolaf.edu (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Skip Shand Date: Tuesday, 6 Apr 1993 16:09 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0218 Re: Speaking the Verse and *The Actor's Voice* In response to Bernice: Neil Freeman, in his workshop practice, and (if I remember correctly) Anthony Graham-White in a couple of articles on the actable nature of early punctuation, both set aside the transmission problem (intervention of scribes, compositors, etc. in the accidentals) by citing a comment of G. B. Evans's, to the effect that the accidentals of Elizabethan playtexts, whoever may have initiated them, at least represent Elizabethan practice, and may generally be granted at least that authority. I suspect that the real issue you raise has more to do with intentionality than with playability(!), right? I'd add that in my own workshop practice, I take the actors through quarto and folio texts, making very considerable use of punctuation. I try to be sure that they understand how problematic it is to assume any link between Shakespeare and a page's pointing, and I encourage them to use the punctuation (like any other feature) when it helps, ignore it when it doesn't. Mostly, it helps, especially at the level of breath. When it throws blinding light on a moment, as it sometimes does, they ALWAYS congratulate themselves on having learned to play Shakespeare's intention! Skip Shand ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 7 Apr 1993 06:15:04 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0225 Reflections Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 225. Wednesday, 7 April 1993. From: Tad Davis Date: Tuesday, 06 Apr 93 08:08:01 -0400 Subject: Is this how Shakespeare felt? Last weekend I had a wonderful experience: the first fully-staged production of a play I wrote. PICK UP THE CUE played at Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science for four nights, with about 50-60 people in the audience each night. The actors were capable, the director was unusually sensitive to the script, the audience laughed at the jokes and got very, very quiet during the serious moments. Not only that, but they actually applauded when it was over. I sat there every night and watched the audience watch the play. What a delight NOT to hear shuffling paper and harrumping and coughing. What a strange and amazing thing to see this script I wrote, a map of terra incognita, take on dimension and shape, attain a life of its own in a series of evanescent contacts between actors and audience. How incredible to sense people getting drawn along in directions I wanted them to go in, feeling emotions I wanted them to feel, following with interest the fortunes of a small group of characters they'd never met before and had no prior reason to care about. This is only tangentially related to the subject of the list, and I apologize if it's inappropriate. Would it help if I pointed out that the "accidentals" of the play structure are Shakespearean? The sets were simple and bare, consisting on carry-on props and furniture, the action moved quickly from scene to scene and location to location, the characters frequently addressed the audience directly in my version of a soliloquy, and the emphasis was on narrative momentum rather than gritty verisimilitude. The tradition lives on, in however debased a form... Tad Davis davist@a1.relay.upenn.edu ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 7 Apr 1993 09:17:03 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0229 Re: Reflections Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 229. Wednesday, 7 April 1993. From: Milla Riggio Date: Wednesday, 7 Apr 93 07:45 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0225 Reflections Dear Tad: Would it be appropriate for me to list your play, with its "Shakespearean" accidentals in my spring Medieval/Renaissance Drama Society Newsletter, do you think? Best, Milla Riggio ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 7 Apr 1993 08:58:02 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0226 Re: Electronic Text Concordance Software Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 226. Wednesday, 7 April 1993. From: Phyllis Rackin Date: Tuesday, 6 Apr 1993 19:04:42 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0209 Electronic Text Concordance Program A question in response to Robert O'Connor's good news about the public domain program available via ftp that will write a concordance for an electronic text: does anyone know of a similar program, similarly available, that will work on IBM systems? [Editor's Note: You may wish to consider TACT, a program developed at the Centre for Computing in the Humanities at the University of Toronto. Below is a December 2, 1992, SHAKSPER posting from Ian Lancashire that describes how to obtain the file from FTP. --hmc] [was line of equality signs; deleted because clashes with digest separator. GIE] Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 3, No. 347. Wednesday, 2 December 1992. From: Ian Lancashire Date: Tuesday, 1 Dec 1992 18:04:05 -0500 Subject: Software for analysis TACT 1.2B (1991) for MS-DOS is available without charge for FTP transfer to your account from epas.utoronto.ca. TACT does interactive concordances, indexes, distribution graphs, frequency lists, collocate tables, fixed phrase lists, etc. Generally (details may vary from site to site), you start FTP to this site by typing ftp epas.utoronto.ca and then move into the pub/cch/tact/dist1.2B subdirectory. Do a directory (type `dir') and you will see the files. To have them returned to your account, type get and be sure to set `binary' as the transfer mode (I think this is the default). You can just get a description of TACT by retrieving `whatis.tact'. A listserv exists to answer questions about using the program. We are working closely with MLA now to publish the documentation of a new version, 2.0 (yet to be released), and hope that this will happen in the coming year. Ian Lancashire Dept. of English, New College Director, Centre for Computing in the Humanities Univ. of Toronto, Toronto, Ont. M5S 1A1, CANADA Voice: (416) 978-8279; FAX: (416) 978-6519 E-mail: ian @ epas.utoronto.ca ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 7 Apr 1993 09:08:38 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0227 Re: *R&J* for Pre-College Students Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 227. Wednesday, 7 April 1993. (1) From: Robert O'Connor Date: Wednesday, 7 Apr 1993 13:03:41 +1000 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0220 Q: *R&J* for Pre-College Students (2) From: Tom Loughlin Date: Tuesday, 6 Apr 1993 11:04 pm EDT (Wed, 7 Apr 93 03:04:05 UT) Subj: R&J (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Robert O'Connor Date: Wednesday, 7 Apr 1993 13:03:41 +1000 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0220 Q: *R&J* for Pre-College Students John Massa asked: >Does anyone have any words of wisdom or experience about how to approach a >production of Romeo & Juliet where all the roles are played by 17-19 year olds, >most of whom have acting experience from school productions but little or no >exposure to Shakespeare? >If you have done something like this before, how did you begin with them? Any >unexpected problems? Anthing you wished you had emphasized earlier? (Or >should we just get on with it and stop asking so many questions?!!) A few years ago, I was relieving someone else's high-school Lit. class and they were doing R&J - the first time I had encountered a class at this level doing Shakespeare (Note: up to about 8 years ago it was possible to go through school in my home state and not read a word of Shakespeare!). The average age of this class was about 15. I found little problem in working with that class and play - once most of them had overcome their antipathy towards the verse they found themselves thoroughly absorbed, especially after one of the girls realised that Juliet was only a little younger than they. They particularly enjoyed the smuttier aspects of Mercutio's speeches, an appeal I have noticed is almost universal to that age group! I don't think there's a bettter play to start Shakespeare with, for teenagers. I don't think that any special way of beginning is necessary, other than to emphasise speaking rather than versifying, at least at the outset. The problem is always the 'romantic' scenes, no matter how much experience kids that age have. Expect giggles and red faces - even from yourself! ROC (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Tom Loughlin Date: Tuesday, 6 Apr 1993 11:04 pm EDT (Wed, 7 Apr 93 03:04:05 UT) Subject: R&J I agree with Steve, John - let it rip. I'd encourage the kids to put all the intensity and passion of their age into the performace - you won't get a polished production, but I think it's impotant that they see that WS wrote with a tremendous amount of feeling and passion. If there's one thing 17-19 year-olds have, it's energy and passion. --------------------------------------------------------------- Tom Loughlin * BITNET Dept. of Theatre Arts * loughlin@fredonia.bitnet SUNY College at Fredonia * INTERNET Fredonia NY 14063 * loughlin@jane.cs.fredonia.edu Voice: 716.673.3597 * Fax: 716.673.3397 * "Hail, hail Freedonia, land of * the brave and free." G. Marx --------------------------------------------------------------- ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 7 Apr 1993 09:11:37 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0228 Re: Speaking the Verse Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 228. Wednesday, 7 April 1993. From: Milla Riggio Date: Tuesday, 6 Apr 93 23:05 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0224 Re: Speaking the Verse Regarding Folio (and even quarto) punctuation: Audrey Stanley is now teaching a voice and acting workshop for me at Trinity College, and she has us all drilled into remembering that punctuation in Elizabethan/ Jacobean poetic texts is less frequent than in modern texts, and that its meaning often has more to do with vocal expression (in the case of plays especially) than with grammatical necessity. If you keep this in mind, looking to both quarto and folio punctuations as a guide to reading, more than as grammatical markers, the results can be very helpful. You end up with a lot more commas and many fewer colons and semi-colons than in our modern editions of Shakespeare, but the commas are often meaningful to the verse as spoken expressions. Just one more small voice in an ongoing discussion . . . . Best, Milla Riggio ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Apr 1993 09:56:50 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0230 Re: Speaking the Verse Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 230. Thursday, 8 April 1993. From: Bernice W. Kliman Date: Wednesday, 7 Apr 1993 11:04 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0224 Re: Speaking the Verse To Timothy Dayne Pinnow and Skip Shand--thanks for your reply. I believe you. I am not an actor, but I have long felt that F1 provides wonderful clues. I am reminded of a story, however. A dr. who had had wonderful success in the stock market, interviewed by a local paper, explained his methods. He not only read the financial reports of his favorite company but actually visited it in the middle of the night to see what was going on. Driving to the back loading dock, he saw frenetic activity as boxes of product were loaded on huge trucks. He bought and prospered. The only trouble was that he did not realize that the back loading dock belonged to a different company, not the one he was studying. That company did not ship large boxes of product but operated in a different way altogether. Still, he made a lot of money, so his system worked for him. If it works for the actor, then that's fine. But if someone is interested in discovering what happened (a futile study probably) the evidence could be misleading. Does anyone else have any ideas on the topic? Thanks again, Bernice ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Apr 1993 10:16:43 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0232 ACH-ALLC93 Conference Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 232. Thursday, 8 April 1993. From: ACH-ALLC93 Conference Date: Wednesday, 7 Apr 1993 17:04 EDT Subject: ACH-ALLC93 Conference ACH-ALLC93, the joint international conference of the Association for Computers and the Humanities and the Association for Literary and Linguistic Computing, will be held at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, June 16-19, 1993. Listed below are the keynote speeches and the papers and panels accepted for presentation at the conference. The conference announcement/registration form and the provisional program can be obtained in several ways: 1. by email request to ACH_ALLC93@GUVAX.GEORGETOWN.EDU 2. by anonymous FTP to GUVAX.GEORGETOWN.EDU in directory ACH_ALLC93 3. by gopher to GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY in directory ACH_ALLC93 4. by surface mail from Paul Mangiafico, Project Assistant Center for Text and Technology Academic Computer Center 238 Reiss Science Building Georgetown University Washington, DC 20057 USA ACH-ALLC93 CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS Keynote Speeches: Clifford Lynch, Director of Library Automation, Office of the President, University of California Hugh Kenner, Franklin and Calloway Professor of English, University of Georgia Accepted Papers: Douglas A. Kibbee (University of Illinois) The History of Disciplinary Vocabulary: A Computer-Based Approach to Concepts of 'Usage' in 17th-Century Works on Language Terry Butler, Donald Bruce (University of Alberta) Towards the Discourse of the Commune: Computer Aided Analysis of Jules Valles' Trilogy Jacques Vingtras John Lavagnino (Brandeis University) Hypertext and Textual Editing Risto Miilumaki (University of Turku) The Prerelease Materials for Finnegans Wake: A Hypermedia Approach to Joyce's Work in Progress Catherine Scott (University of North London) Hypertext as a Route into Computer Literacy Thomas B. Horton (Florida Atlantic University) Finding Verbal Correspondences Between Texts David Holmes (The University of the West of England), Michael L. Hilton (University of South Carolina) Cumulative Sum Charts for Authorship Attribution: An Appraisal Lisa Lena Opas (University of Joensuu) Analysing Stylistic Features in Translation: A Computer-Aided Approach Nancy Ide (Vassar College), Jean Veronis (GRTC/CNRS) An Encoding Scheme for Machine Readable Dictionaries Peter Flynn (University College, Cork) Spinning the Web - Using WorldWideWeb for Browsing SGML Claus Huitfeldt (University of Bergen) MECS - A Multi-Element Code System Wilfried Ver Eecke, Marvin Needell (Georgetown University) Computer Analysis of Hegel's Phenomenology of Mind Tony Jappy (University of Perpignan) The Verbal Structure of Romantic and Serious Fiction Thomas Rommel (University of Tuebingen) An Analysis of Word Clusters in Lord Byron's Don Juan Daniel C. Jacobson (University of North Dakota) Multi-Media Environments for the Study of Musical Form and Analysis John Morehen (University of Nottingham) Computers and Authenticity in the Performance of Elizabethan Keyboard Music Christian Delcourt (Universite de Liege) Computational Linguistics from 500 BC to AD 1700 Catherine N. Ball (Georgetown University) Automated Text Analysis: Cautionary Tales Jean-Jacques Hamm, Greg Lessard (Queen's University) Do Literary Studies Really Need Computers? John Burrows (University of Newcastle, Australia) Noisy Signals? Or Signals in the Noise? Hans van Halteren (University of Nijmegen) The Usefulness of Function and Attribute Information in Syntactic Annotation R. Harald Baayen (Max-Planck-Institute for Psycholinguistics) Quantitative Aspects of Lexical Conceptual Structure Elizabeth S.Adams (Hood College) Let the Trigrams Fall Where They May: Trigram Type and Tokens in the Brown Corpus Greg Lessard, Michael Levison (Queen's University) Computational Models of Riddling Strategies Walter Daelemans, Antal van den Bosch (Tilburg University), Steven Gilles, Gert Durieux (University of Antwerp) Learning Linguistic Mappings: An Instance-Based Learning Approach Michael J. Almeida, Eugenie P. Almeida (University of Northern Iowa) NewsAnalyzer - An Automated Assistant for the Analysis of Newspaper Discourse Kazys Baniulis, Bronius Tamulynas, Kestutis Pocius, Saulius Simniskis, Daiva Dmuchovska, Jolanta Normantiene (Kaunas University of Technology) Computer-Based Lithuanian Language Learning System in Humanities Programs Eve Wilson (University of Kent at Canterbury) Language of Learner and Computer: Modes of Interaction Floyd D. Barrows, Elaine Cherney, James B. Obielodan (Michigan State University) An Experimental Computer-Assisted Instructional Unit on Ancient Hebrew History and Society Hsin-Hsi Chen, Ting-Chuan Chung (National Taiwan University) Proper Treatments of Ellipsis Problems in an English-Chinese Machine Translation System Jorge Hankamer (University of California, Santa Cruz) keCitexts: Text-based Analysis of Morphology and Syntax in an Agglutinating Language Juha Heikkila, Atro Voutilainen (University of Helsinki) ENGCG: An Efficient and Accurate Parser for English Texts Wen-Chiu Tu (University of Illinois) Sound Correspondences in Dialect Subgrouping Ellen Johnson, William A. Kretzschmar, Jr. (University of Georgia) Using Linguistic Atlas Databases for Phonetic Analysis Shoichiro Hara, Hisashi Yasunaga (National Institute of Japanese Literature) On the Full-Text Database of Japanese Classical Literature Ian Lancashire (University of Toronto) A Textbase of Early Modern English Dictionaries, 1499-1659 Dionysis Goutsos, Ourania Hatzidaki, Philip King (University of Birmingham) Towards a Corpus of Spoken Modern Greek Yannis Haralambous (Lille, France) ScholarTeX Kathryn Burroughs Taylor (McLean, Virginia) Transferring Automatic Speech Recognizer (ASR) Performance Improvement Technology to Optical Character Recognition David J. Hutches (University of California, San Diego) Lexical Classification: Examining a New Tool for the Statistical Processing of Plain Text Corpora Espen S. Ore, Anne Haavaldsen (Norwegian Computing Centre for the Humanities) Computerizing the Runic Inscriptions at the Historic Museum in Bergen Daan van Reenen (Free University, Amsterdam) Early Islamic Traditions, History and Information Science Angela Gilham (Tyne and Wear, UK) Knowledge-Based Simulation: Applications in History Malcolm B. Brown (Dartmouth College) Navigating the Waters: Building an Academic Information System Charles Henry (Vassar College) The Coalition for Networked Information (CNI), the Global Library, and the Humanities Christian-Emil Ore The Norwegian Information System for the Humanities Michael Strangelove (University of Ottawa) The State and Potential of Networked Resources for Religious Studies: An Overview of Documented Resources and the Process of Creating a Discipline-Specific Networked Archive of Bibliographic Information and Research/Pedagogical Material Andrew D. Scrimgeour (Regis University) Cocitation Study of Religious Journals Accepted Panels: Documenting Electronic Texts Annelies Hoogcarspel (Center for Electronic Texts in the Humanities), Chair TEI Header, Text Documentation, and Bibliographic Control of Electronic Texts Richard Giordano (Manchester University) Panelist TBA Preserving the Human Electronic Record: Responsibilities, Problems, Solutions Peter Graham (Rutgers University), Chair Barry Neavill (University of Alabama) W. Scott Stornetta (Bellcore) Networked Electronic Resources: New Opportunities for Humanities Scholars Christine Mullings (University of Bath), Chair HUMBUL: A Successful Experiment Richard Gartner (Bodleian Library) Moves Towards the Electronic Bodleian: Introducing Digital Imaging into the Bodleian Library, Oxford Jonathan Moffett (Ashmolean Museum) Making Resource Databases Accessible to the Humanities Developing and Managing Electronic Texts Centers Mark Day (Indiana University), Chair and Participant Anita Lowry (University of Iowa) John-Price Wilkin (University of Virginia) Design Principles for Electronic Textual Resources: Integrating the Uses, Users and Developers Susan Hockey (Center for Electronic Text in the Humanities), Chair Nicholas Belkin (Rutgers University) Elaine Brennan (Brown University) Robin Cover (Dallas, TX) What Next After the TEI? Call for a Text Software Initiative Nancy Ide (Vassar College), Chair Malcolm Brown (Dartmouth College) Mark Olsen (University of Chicago) Jean Veronis (CNRS, Marseille) Antonio Zampolli (Istituto di Linguistica, Pisa) Representative of GNU Free Software Foundation Issues in Humanities Computing Support Charles D. Bush (Brigham Young University), Chair Peter Lafford (Arizona State University) Terry Butler (University of Alberta) Donald Spaeth (University of Glasgow) Malcolm Brown (Dartmouth College) The Scholar's Workbench and the "Edition:" Legitimate Aspiration or Chimera Frank Colson (University of Southampton) The Debate on Multi-Media Standards Manfred Thaller (Max-Planck-Instit t f r Geschichte) Exploiting Datasets Using Kleio under Microcosm Dino Buzzetti (University of Bologna) Masters and Books in Fourteenth Century Bologna Frank Colson, Wendy Hall (University of Southampton) Towards a Multi-Media Edition Interrogating the Text: Hypertext in English Literature Caroline Davis (Oxford University), Chair Patrick W. Conner, Rudolph P. Almasy (West Virginia University) Corpus Exegesis in the Literature Classroom: The Sonnet Workstation Mike Best (Victoria University) Of Hype and Hypertext: In Search of Structure Stuart Lee (Oxford Univ.) Hypermedia in the Trenches: First World War Poetry in Hypercard -- Observations on Evaluation, Design, and Copyright The Computerization of the Manuscript Tradition of Chr tien de Troyes's "Le Chevalier de la Charrette" Joel Goldfield (Plymouth State College), Chair and Reporter Karl D. Uitti (Princeton University) Old French Manuscripts, the Modern Book, and the Image Gina L. Greco (Portland State University) The Electronic Diplomatic Transcription of Chr tien de Troyes's "Le Chevalier de la Charrette (Lancelot):" Its Forms and Uses Toby Paff (Princeton University) The 'Charrette" Database: Technical Issues and Experimental Resolutions The Wittgenstein Archives at the University of Bergen Claus Huitfeldt (University of Bergen), Chair Claus Huitfeldt, Ole Letnes (University of Bergen) Encoding Wittgenstein Claus Huitfeldt (University of Bergen) Manuscript Encoding: Alphatexts and Betatexts Alois Pichler (University of Bergen) What Is Transcription, Really? Signs, Symbols, and Discourses: A New Direction for Computer-Aided Literary Studies -- New Responses Paul A. Fortier (University of Manitoba), Chair Mark Olsen (University of Chicago) Signs, Symbols, and Discourses: A New Direction for Computer-Aided Literary Studies Donald Bruce (University of Alberta) Towards the Implementation of Text and Discourse Theory in Computer-Aided Analysis Paul Fortier (University of Manitoba) Babies, Bathwater, and the Study of Literature Joel D. Goldfield (Plymouth State College) An Argument for Single-Author and Other Focused Studies Using Quantitative Criticism: A Collegial Response to Mark Olsen Gina L. Greco and Peter Shoemaker (Princeton University) Computer-Aided Literary Studies: Addressing the Particularities of Medieval Texts Ellen Spolsky (Bar-Ilan University) Have It Your Way and Mine: The Theory of Styles Invited SIGIR Panel on Information Retrieval Edward Fox (Virginia Technical University), Chair and Presenter Electronic Dissertation Project Elizabeth D. Liddy (Syracuse University) Use of Extractable Semantics from a Machine Readable Dictionary for Information Tasks Robert P. Futrelle (Northeastern University) Representing, Searching, Annotating, and Classifying Scientific and Complex Orthographic Text The British National Corpus: Problems in Producing a Large Text Corpus Gavin Burnage (Oxford University Computing Service), Chair Roger Garside (Lancaster University) Ray Woodall (Oxford University Press) The Academical Village: Electronic Texts and the University of Virginia John Price-Wilkin (University of Virginia), Chair Kendon Stubbs (University of Virginia) David Seaman (University of Virginia) David Gants (University of Virginia) ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 8 Apr 1993 10:12:19 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0231 Re: Audition Monologues; Reflections; TACT Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 231. Thursday, 8 April 1993. (1) From: Jay Edelnant Date: Wednesday, 07 Apr 1993 11:11:12 -0600 (CST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0221 Audition Monologues (2) From: Peter David Seary Date: Wednesday, 7 Apr 93 23:54:44 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0225 Reflections (3) From: Paul Lord Date: Wednesday, 07 Apr 1993 18:36:28 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0226 Re: Electronic Text Concordance Software (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jay Edelnant Date: Wednesday, 07 Apr 1993 11:11:12 -0600 (CST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0221 Audition Monologues As someone who has hired actors and auditioned students for schools and theatres, my advice is avoid the chestnuts. Almost any big monologue has been done to death and you invite odious comparison when you break into it. Try for something less well known (the romances and more obscure histories, for example, or non-Shakespearean work in the same period). On the other hand, nothing is more impressive than an audition that hits "O what a rogue and . . ." on all its cylinders and gives me a new look at something I thought was exhausted. JAY EDELNANT, NORTHERN IOWA (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Peter David Seary Date: Wednesday, 7 Apr 93 23:54:44 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0225 Reflections Dear Tad Davis, Well Done !!!! Peter Seary (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Paul Lord Date: Wednesday, 07 Apr 1993 18:36:28 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0226 Re: Electronic Text Concordance Software Phyllis and Hardy, I'd like to put in a good word for TACT. We used it for a number of projects in my Bibliographic Methods and Research class last semester, and I've rarely been as impressed by a public software offering. The ability to use UNIX style regular expressions (complex wildcard searches), combined with the ability to view a given selection several different ways simultaneously, makes TACT a useful tool for almost any type of textual research. You can display the results of your searches by line, scene, speaker, context, or any combination thereof. The demonstration database provided with the software makes for a very shallow learning curve; most of our class figured out the basics in an hour. Finally, TACT is very fast; it's fun to follow up an impulse, do a search, and know in seconds if you're on to something. TACT allows for all of this. My one complaint would be that I finally bought myself a computer, a DEC workstation, and now I can't find anything in the UNIX world that works as well as TACT does for the PC. Hardy, any ideas? Yours, Paul [You got me Paul; I just started learning UNIX a few weeks ago. --Hardy] ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1993 09:35:19 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0233 Re: Speaking the Verse Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 233. Friday, 9 April 1993. (1) From: Antony Hammond Date: Thursday, 8 Apr 1993 16:21:56 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Speaking the verse and early printed texts (2) From: Jay Edelnant Date: Thursday, 08 Apr 1993 13:22:50 -0600 (CST) Subj: Voicing Shakespeare (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Antony Hammond Date: Thursday, 8 Apr 1993 16:21:56 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Speaking the verse and early printed texts With reference to the discussion initiated by Timothy Pinnow concerning the value of the punctuation, spelling, and capitalization found in early printed texts as tools which the actor can use to interpret his or her part. This is a far more complex matter than those who have contributed on it seem to realize. Pinnow says that the Folio's accidentals (spelling, punctuation, capitalization) contain "a wealth of how to speak the words", and he responds to Bernice Kliman by talking about "print setting errors, or faulty memories of actors" etc. Does he know *nothing* about the textual transmission of Shakespearian texts? And if so, shouldn't he try to find something out before offering advice to others? I am constantly amazed at how people will display ignorance to electronic bulletin boards that they would be ashamed to proffer in print, or even before a class. Likewise, to Milla Riggio: the punctuation in printed Elizabethan/Jacobean dramatic texts does not "have more to do with vocal expression than grammatical necessity". Please read Malcolm Parkes's exhaustive study of Western punctuation in his recent book *Pause and Effect*, in which he shows that punctuation in written or printed texts has, since classical times, had two not entirely compatible functions: grammarians wanted it to identify the syntactical elements of the sententia; rhetoricians used it to highlight the shape of the periodus and its constituent elements, the cola and the commata. The pauses and inflexions used when speaking a text cannot always be precisely indicated by punctuation, and may indeed differ greatly from the punctuation in the text, if it was conceived on a primarily grammatical rather than rhetorical basis. This led Parkes to distinguish between "deictic" punctuation, which prescribes meaning by singling out a specific way of interpreting a phrase or sentence, and "equiparative" punctuation, which, either through paucity or through superabundance allows for variety of interpretation. In the Shakespearian period, the punctuation (and spelling, and capitalization) of most theatrical manuscripts was equiparative, usually because it was very limited in quantity. There is nothing to suggest that authors or scribes routinely used these elements of graphic script to try to specify or even hint to actors how the lines might be interpreted. Take a look at the only surviving professional actor's Part from the period, that of Orlando in Greene's *Orlando Furioso* if you don't believe me: the actor, Edward Alleyn, went over the script himself and corrected it, but added no marks that might be called interpretative. Examination of the surviving exemplars shows that the punctuation of printed dramatic texts bears little resemblance to that of manuscripts used in the theatre. The duties of compositors included "styling" their copy by punctuating it and revising its spelling and capitalization in accord with their professional conventions. The exploded notion cherished by Neil Freeman and others--that, in early modern printed dramatic texts, a capitalized word (or one presented with some other form or forms of *litterae notabiliores*) or one spelled in an unusual way, or the use of unusual punctuation, was intended as a signal to *the actor* for an intended emphasis or otherwise special pronunciation--derives, I think, from John Dover Wilson. In his edition of *The Tempest* for The New Shakespeare (Cambridge, 1921), he wrote `The stops, brackets, capital letters in the Folio and Quartos are in fact stage-directions, in shorthand' (p. xxxvii). They are, *in fact*, nothing of the kind; and though this information was not available in 1921, it most certainly is now. The whole idea is rooted on the one hand in a misconception about the "formal" nature of spelling, capitalization and so on, arising from ignorance of the role the compositor plays in "dressing" his copy decently for print, and on the other from the false assumption that printed texts were intended for playhouse use. There may be one or two highly specific exceptions, but in general there is *no evidence* that printed texts were punctuated, spelled, or capitalized with any thought to their potential usefulness for contemporary performers. The whole thesis is mere flying saucers. Having said that, let me make it clear that I agree wholeheartedly with Skip Shand that the use of early printed texts is an invaluable asset to students in coming to terms with the essential otherness of Shakespeare and his contemporaries from ourselves. It makes them aware of some at least of the different conceptions of text held in the seventeenth century. For though the compositors most certainly did not style their text to assist actors, they did style it for readers, and a veritable mine of information exists in that fact which someone with expertise can develop. But please don't look for easy answers. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jay Edelnant Date: Thursday, 08 Apr 1993 13:22:50 -0600 (CST) Subject: Voicing Shakespeare Two additions to the list of voicing Shakespeare texts: _Shakespeare Aloud_ by Edward S. Brubaker, published by himself in Lancaster PA, 1976. A slim pamphlet but sensitive to the issues. Turns up in college libraries--I don't know if it's still available. Kirsten Linklater's newest, _Freeing Shakespeare's Voice: The Actor's Guide to Talking the Text_. (NY: Theatre Communications Group) 1992. Longtime Shakespeare and company director/mentor turns her attention and voice production method on Shakespeare--not unlike C. Berry's _The Actor and the Text_ (which was published originally in the UK as _The Actor and his Text_). ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1993 20:55:28 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0234 Re: Speaking the Verse Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 234. Friday, 9 April 1993. From: Timothy Pinnow Date: Friday, 9 Apr 93 12:09:57 CDT Subject: Speaking the Verse In reply to Antony Hammond-- I find myself in the odd position of trying to defend *your* conception of my last posting. If you will re-read my last message, you will note that my thesis is that whatever the means, method, or cause of the transmission, the punctuation, capitalization, and spelling to be found in the texts contain a wealth of information of which the actor may avail himself. That is NOT to say that these were MEANT for the actor--only that they exist and are more information to put into the creative cauldron. My posting was not about how these things occured--as an actor I don't much care in the larger sense--but was about the kind of things that we actors do with those words. On a more philosophical note, while I'm attempted to reply "Wherefore Bastard, Wherefore Base" and continue with a highly sarcastic paragraph about your questioning of my intelligence and integrity, I will simply state that my responses are quite consistent with the current practices of teaching Shakespearean acting. What you have failed to see is that our arguments are in agreement--there is a wealth of information there. One last idea--the assertion of definite answers is at odds with the idea of theatre as art and the idea of intellectual curiousity. I would never want my students to see me as the one with the answers--just maybe more refined questions. Omniscience is a dangerous thing (Geez, I'm sorry--I couldn't resist). Cordially, Timothy Dayne Pinnow Ass't. Prof. of Theatre St. Olaf College 1520 St. Olaf Ave Northfield MN 55057 ph. 507/646-3327 Internet: pinnow@stolaf.edu ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 12 Apr 1993 06:21:35 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0235 Re: Speaking the Verse; Electronic Text Concordance Program Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 235. Monday, 12 April 1993. (1) From: Michael Mullin Date: Saturday, 10 Apr 1993 22:47:36 -0500 (CDT) Subj: Re: Speaking Shakespeare (2) From: Kung-yu Chin Date: Sunday, 11 Apr 1993 04:14 CDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0209 Electronic Text Concordance Program (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Michael Mullin Date: Saturday, 10 Apr 1993 22:47:36 -0500 (CDT) Subject: Re: Speaking Shakespeare Gentlefolk, May I suggest that you copy your communications to people currently editing Shakespeare. I think in particular of the Variorum editors, the New Oxford and the Manchester editors, and of course John Andrews, who is doing the Guild Shakespeare and the new Everyman. Muy pertinante. m2 (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kung-yu Chin Date: Sunday, 11 Apr 1993 04:14 CDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0209 Electronic Text Concordance Program Hi, ROC, It is appreciated if you could give a brief guide for using the Concordance program. Thank you. Chin/KANSAS ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 13 Apr 1993 10:38:18 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: 4.0236 Audition Results Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 236. Tuesday, 13 April 1993. From: Chris Gladis Date: Tuesday, 13 Apr 1993 00:53:24 -0500 (EST) Subject: Remember me? I know, you've all been holding your breath, waiting impatiently to see how I did on my auditions in March. Well, the wait is over. After going in there with the prologue to Henry V and the "Why then do I dream on sovreignity?" speech by Richard in Henry VI, part 3 memorized (they still are, too. ), I got a nice, handwritten letter informing me that they were only casting 9 people for the season and surprise, surprise, surprise, I was not one of them. Not that I'm bitter. ;) I would like to thank those of you who gave me suggestions as to which monologues I should use, as you can see, I took some of the ideas you gave me. It was an interesting process, one which I will probably repeat in the future (to the dismay of my sanity) many times. I'm just thankful that my theater teacher insists on telling his class how miserable the life of an actor is. No false hopes here.... Back to lurking.... for now Chris Gladis ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 14 Apr 1993 12:27:00 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0237 Re: Speaking the Verse Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 237. Wednesday, 14 April 1993. From: William Proctor Williams Date: Monday, 12 Apr 93 20:45 CDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0234 Re: Speaking the Verse What I find amazing about this discussion is the failure to understand the difference between an actor marking up a script and the poor compositor, and he was poor relative to the actor or theatre professional. The compositor had to set a certain number of n's or m's a day to earn his daily bread. And remember, they were both professionals. I doubt that the compositor thought one instant about breathing, movement, etc. What he thought about was how do I get this ms line into this type line. What Hinman and all who have followed him have shown is that the compositor was a workman trying to get his workday done in good order. If you want to see a very detailed investigation of this look at Judy Rogers'' "The Folio Compositors of +Julius Caesar+: A Quantitative Analysis" +Analytical & Enumerative Bibliography+ 6 (1982) 143-172. My point is that the player was a person practising his craft and the compositor was another person practising his craft. Neither had other motives. Much of what I have read in the recent exchanges on this list seem to think that both the actor and the compositor were early Empsons, Lacans, and Blayneys. They are not the same breed of cats. William Proctor Williams TB0WPW1@NIU English/Northern Illinois University ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1993 13:00:43 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0238 *Ulysses* and *Hamlet* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 238. Friday, 16 April 1993. From: Susan Harris Date: Friday, 16 Apr 1993 10:45:10 +0501 (EDT) Subject: Hamlet and Ulysses I am planning to do some work on the "Scylla and Charybdis" episode in Ulysses and have a few questions about Stephen Dedalus's theory of Hamlet that some of you out there can probably answer: 1) Is the factual information Stephen uses to back up his claim true? I.e., did Shakespeare really leave Ann Hathaway his secondbest bed? Was his son's name really Hamnet? Did he really beat his lead actor (I forget the name) to an assignation? Etcetera. 2) If this information is not true, would it have been accepted as true at the time of Ulysses (June 4 1904?) If not, where would Stephen have gotten it? 3) Does the conclusion Stephen draws about Shakespeare's brother having had an affair with Ann seem completely wacko to those of you who make this kind of conjecture for a living, or is it plausible? 4) Would it have seemed plausible in 1904? Thanks for answering these stupid questions. ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1993 08:44:05 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0239 Re: *Ulysses* and *Hamlet* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 239. Saturday, 17 April 1993. (1) From: John Cox Date: Friday, 16 Apr 1993 14:47 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0238 *Ulysses* and *Hamlet* (2) From: Gordon Jones Date: Friday, 16 Apr 1993 16:26:22 -0230 (NDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0238 *Ulysses* and *Hamlet* (3) From: Rick Jones Date: Friday, 16 Apr 1993 14:17:34 -0500 (CDT) Subj: RE: SHK 4.0238 *Ulysses* and *Hamlet* (4) From: Tad Davis Date: Friday, 16 Apr 93 15:14:01 -0400 Subj: RE: SHK 4.0238 *Ulysses* and *Hamlet* (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John Cox Date: Friday, 16 Apr 1993 14:47 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0238 *Ulysses* and *Hamlet* Rene Girard has a wonderful chapter on Joyce's reading of Shakespeare's biography in *A Theater of Envy*. It doesn't answer any of your questions, but you shouldn't miss it while you're working on this topic. John Cox (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Gordon Jones Date: Friday, 16 Apr 1993 16:26:22 -0230 (NDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0238 *Ulysses* and *Hamlet* Re Hamnet/Hamlet as the filial name, a lively correspondence has been going on over the past few weeks in the columns of *The Times Literary Supplement* between Eric Sams and Robert Nye. Enjoy! Gordon Jones Memorial University (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Rick Jones Date: Friday, 16 Apr 1993 14:17:34 -0500 (CDT) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0238 *Ulysses* and *Hamlet* >1) Is the factual information Stephen uses to back up his claim true? >I.e., did Shakespeare really leave Ann Hathaway his secondbest bed? Yes, though it wasn't as bizarre a bequest as it may seem to us. This kind of thing was actually fairly common, and we should resist the temptation to read in too much. >Was his son's name really Hamnet? Yes. >Did he really beat his lead actor (I forget the name) to an assignation? Couldn't say... it IS a fun story, though, and I BELIEVE its history can at least be traced back to prior to _Ulysses_. >Does the conclusion Stephen draws about Shakespeare's brother having >had an affair with Ann seem completely wacko to those of you who make this >kind of conjecture for a living, or is it plausible? Sounds wacko to me, but I'm not an authority. -- Rick Jones (4)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Tad Davis Date: Friday, 16 Apr 93 15:14:01 -0400 Subject: RE: SHK 4.0238 *Ulysses* and *Hamlet* That was always one of my favorite episodes in "Ulysses," especially the part where the ghost of Shakespeare says, "None wedda seca but who killa farst," or words to that effect. To reply to the specific items of interest: Yes, Shakespeare left his wife Anne his second-best bed "with the furniture." It may or may not have been intended as a slight. It was certainly an afterthought, because it was inserted between two other lines in the will. Some have suggested it was an affectionate gesture, because it may have been the bed they actually used; the "best" bed may have been reserved for guests. The operative word is "may." Some have argued that Anne was entitled to a third of Will's estate, regardless of the terms of the will, but I believe Schoenbaum's most recent conclusion on this is that not enough is known about specific legal customs in Stratford. In the realm of pure speculation, I would say two things about Shakespeare's marriage: (a) he spent most of it elsewhere, which suggests it was, at best, a companionable rather than a passionate relationship; (b) it lasted for 34 years, which by contemporary standards was a very long time -- and which may also suggest that it was a companionable rather than a passionate relationship. (Hey, I said this was "pure speculation.") Divorce was a remote possibility, though it was extremely difficult to come by; but physical separation was always an option, and it may be significant that when he "retired" from the stage, Shakespeare moved back rather than moving further away. When Anne died, seven years after Will, she "earnestly desired to be laid in the same grave with him." The marriage began under a cloud, whatever apologists claim for the possibility of handfasting. Anne was three months' pregnant, and while handfasting may have exempted them from charges of fornication, it would never have made the children legitimate. Another note to interject here: Schoenbaum suggests that Anne, 26 years old when they married, was "a bit long in the tooth for the marriage market." But Lawrence Stone's study of the customs of the time suggests that people married later then than often supposed; people were typically in their mid-20s, often because of the long period of apprenticeship. It was Shakespeare who was the exception at 18, rather than Anne: such a remarkable exception that it seems clear he wasn't apprenticed to anyone and had no particular prospects at the time. Shakespeare's twins were named Hamnet and Judith, probably after neighbors Hamnet and Judith Sadler. It may be significant (and may not be) that Hamnet Sadler witnessed Shakespeare's will as "Hamlett Sadler": like chimney and chimbley, Hamnet and Hamlet may have been used interchangeably. I personally can't help but think some of the grief surrounding the death of Hamnet Shakespeare turns up in "Hamlet." And yes, according to one contemporary account, he really beat Richard Burbage to an assignation. A woman watching Burbage do Richard III was so taken with the performance that she arranged for him to come to her later and announce himself as Richard III. Shakespeare overheard and went there first, "and was entertained and at his game" before Burbage got there. When Burbage showed up and had himself announced, "Shakespeare caused return to be made that William the Conqueror was before Richard III." This story comes from the diary of John Manningham, a law student who lived in London at the time. Is it true? Probably not, but it's the only contemporary gossip we have. Did Shakespeare's brother have an affair with Anne? Sounds wacko to me. On the other hand, if you'd told somebody in 1593 that this struggling 29-year-old actor/playwright/Shakescene from the boonies was going to spark this level of interest 400 years later, and be talked about by a community of scholars and fans over a worldwide electronic network... I believe you would have been made to feel distinctly uncomfortable. Tad Davis davist@a1.relay.upenn.edu ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1993 09:40:25 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0240 SHAKSPER NOMAIL Option Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 240. Saturday, 17 April 1993. From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Saturday, 17 April 1993 Subject: SHAKSPER NOMAIL Option Dear SHAKSPEReans, If you will be away from your accounts for an extended period this spring or summer, please be sure to use the NOMAIL option to suspend your SHAKSPER mailings. When you return, just reset your option to MAIL. To set the NOMAIL option, send the following one-line message, "SET SHAKSPER NOMAIL," to LISTSERV@UTORONTO.BITNET. To resume mailing, send the "SET SHAKSPER MAIL" command to LISTSERV. For further details, consult your SHAKSPER GUIDE or contact the Editor at HMCook@boe00.minc.umd.edu ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1993 09:48:04 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0241 *Shakespeare Studies* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 241. Saturday, 17 April 1993. From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Saturady, 17 April 1993 Subject: *Shakespeare Studies* Dear SHAKSPEReans, I just received the following announcement and thought it might be of interest. FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON UNIVERSITY PRESS is pleased to announce that the annual journal *Shakespeare Studies* will resume publication in Summer 1993 with Volume 21. To order, write FDU Press c/o Associated University Presses, 440 Forsgate Drive, Cranbury, New Jersey 08512. Submissions for future volumes are now being considered; no later than May 1, 1993 for Volume 22 Send submissions and editorial correspondence to: Leeds Barroll, Editor *Shakespeare Studies* Department of English University of Maryland 5401 Wilkins Avenue Baltimore, Maryland 21228-5398 ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 18 Apr 1993 12:15:51 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0242 Tybalt and the Nurse; Romeo's "niece" Rosaline Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 242. Sunday, 18 April 1993. From: Roy Flannagan Date: Satuarday, 17 April 93, 11:04:26 EST Subject: Tybalt and the Nurse; Romeo's "niece" Rosaline When Tybalt's death is announced, the Nurse bemoans him as "the best friend I had." Is there any reason given in any of the early versions of the play for their being more than associates? In the guest list for the Capulet party, which Romeo reads aloud in 1.2, is "my fair niece Rosaline." Is that *his* Rosaline? If so, what is she doing on the Capulet guest list, and why is she mentioned here only as his "niece"? What is he doing courting his niece, if indeed that is the word and not "niesse" as used elsewhere in the play? My students and I are confused. Roy Flannagan ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 18 Apr 1993 12:19:55 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0243 Re: *Ulysses* and *Hamlet* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 243. Sunday, 18 April 1993. From: Timothy Bowden Date: Sat, 17 Apr 93 08:44:54 PST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0239 Re: *Ulysses* and *Hamlet* > >1) Is the factual information Stephen uses to back up his claim true? > >I.e., did Shakespeare really leave Ann Hathaway his secondbest bed? > Yes, though it wasn't as bizarre a bequest as it may seem to us. This > kind of thing was actually fairly common, and we should resist the > temptation to read in too much. I have seen some learned confusion on that particular line in the will, and have a theory as fanciful as most. Let's pretend Mrs Shakespeare was a flinty miser, and further that she was the subject of numerous claims of neighbors over the years (one very novel approach to collecting a debt against William `in the hand of Anne Shaxspere' attempted to continue the suit from the grave by will of one Thomas Whittington in 1601 bequeathing the owed amount `unto the poor of Stratford.' Genius, I thought, on the part of this the Hathaway shepherd.) and William quite naturally would want to keep title to his inheritance clear of such attainments. Sound logical? > >Did he really beat his lead actor (I forget the name) to an assignation? > Couldn't say... it IS a fun story, though, and I BELIEVE its history > can at least be traced back to prior to _Ulysses_. It was current, in fact; from the diary of one John Manningham, a Middle Temple barrister, in 1602. Burbage was the lion-hearted lamb left out in the cold. Tim ========================================================= tcbowden@clovis.felton.ca.us (Timothy Bowden) uunet!scruz.ucsc.edu!clovis.felton.ca.us!tcbowden Clovis in Felton, CA ========================================================= ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 18 Apr 1993 12:25:47 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0243 Kazoo Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 244. Sunday, 18 April 1993. From: Bernice W. Kliman Date: Saturday, 17 Apr 1993 17:52 EDT Subject: Kazoo "Shakespeare at Kalamazoo" is a loosely-structured group that meets during the annual International Congress on Medieval Studies at Western Michigan University held every Mother's Day weekend. This year, the 25th annual, S at K will hold three sessions: On Thursday, May 6, after a short business meeting, a screening and discussion of Branagh's *Henry 5*; on Friday May 7, "The History Play in Text and Performance" with papers on R2 and on H5 by Derrik Pitard, Joan Hartwig, and, in a collaborative paper, Bernice Kliman and Patricia Harris Stablein; also on Friday May 7, a panel discussion of Different Theoretical Approaches to Cross/Dressing in Shakespeare, with Michael Shapiro, Carole Levin, Jo Miller, and B. J. Bedard. The sessions were all organized by Carole Levin. For information about the conference, call Prof. Otto Grundler of the WMU Medieval Institute at 616 387 8745 or FAX 616 387 8750. Submit ideas for papers, abstracts, or papers to Joan Hartwig for next year's sessions. S at K is unique because it draws upon the broad interdisciplinary interests of those who attend the conference. Thus papers might be given by those whose primary interest is art, history, religion, politics, law, &c, &c. The conference also offers opportunities to attend rare medieval dramatic productions. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1993 19:39:03 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0245 Re: *Rom.* Queries Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 245. Monday, 19 April 1993. (1) From: Nick Clary Date: Monday, 19 Apr 1993 09:24:09 -0500 (EST) Subj: The Capulet guest list (2) From: ALAN REESE Date: Sunday, 18 Apr 1993 16:57:53 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0242 Tybalt and the Nurse; Romeo's "niece" Rosaline (3) From: RONALD DWELLE Date: Sunday, 18 Apr 93 18:12:52 EST Subj: niece stuff (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Nick Clary Date: Monday, 19 Apr 1993 09:24:09 -0500 (EST) Subject: The Capulet guest list While you're at it, you might want to ask whether "the nuptial of Lucentio," at which Capulet claims to have "mask'd" (1.5.30-40), provides information of any particular use to us. Nick Clary (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: ALAN REESE Date: Sunday, 18 Apr 1993 16:57:53 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0242 Tybalt and the Nurse; Romeo's "niece" Rosaline It has always been my assumption that the Rosaline on the guest list is Romeo's Rosaline, and that the reason she will have nothing to do with him is because she is a Capulet. See Benvolio's lines in Act I.sc.ii li.87-92. ***Further inquiry: Some time ago I inquired about the compound that Friar Laurence offers to Juliet to put her in that suspended state between life and death, but got no serious responses. In the hope there are more subscribers listening in I'll ask again-- I'm interested in knowing if there is an actual compound that would produce the effects Fr. Laurence describes to Juliet in Act iv Sc.i Lines 95-108. Any herbalists or ethnobotanists out there? (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: RONALD DWELLE Date: Sunday, 18 Apr 93 18:12:52 EST Subject: niece stuff I believe Rosalind is Capulet's niece, not Romeo's. It's also a bit hard to take Ms Nurse at face value. She does have a way of amplifying things. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1993 19:49:15 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0246 Re: *Ulysses* and *Hamlet*; *Shakespeare Survey* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 246. Monday, 19 April 1993. (1) From: Susan Harris Date: Monday, 19 Apr 1993 10:30:29 +0501 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0239 Re: *Ulysses* and *Hamlet* (2) From: Nick Clary Date: Monday, 19 Apr 1993 09:06:49 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0241 *Shakespeare Studies* (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Susan Harris Date: Monday, 19 Apr 1993 10:30:29 +0501 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0239 Re: *Ulysses* and *Hamlet* To everyone who responded to the Scylla and Charybdis questions: Your help was greatly appreciated. I now know more about the secondbest best bed than I ever dreamed I would. Thanks a great bunch. Hoopsa boyaboy hoopsa! Susan Harris (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Nick Clary Date: Monday, 19 Apr 1993 09:06:49 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0241 *Shakespeare Studies* Wonderful news. I will look forward to the next volume with keen anticipation. Nick Clary ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1993 20:57:25 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0247 CFP: Shakespeare on Film and Television Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 247. Tuesday, 20 April 1993. From: Bernice W. Kliman Date: Tuesday, 20 Apr 1993 07:49 EDT Subject: Shakespeare on Film and Television session at NEMLA Call for papers: Shakespeare on Film and Television session at NEMLA. April 8-10, 1994, in beautiful Pittsburgh. Topic: Reading Strange Matters: Material Texts and Filmic Media. The last decade has re-formed critical approaches to Shakespearean texts. New editorial practices challenge the notion of textual stability; and performance theories emphasize unrecorded transformation of the written record; cultural materialists give social specificity to the conventions of stage and page; historians of print culture focus on the readers' uses of print artifacts. Thus, these too too solid texts have been de-stabilized -- and at the same time have re-materialized as commodities not unmixed with baser matter. This new attention to the material nature of the play texts must transform our approaches to the complex relations between play texts and on-screen productions. How have classic productions of Shakespeare mediated between the material natures of print and audiovisual media? To what extent have recent productions of Shakespeare made use of destablized notions of the textual condition? Suggested approaches: Cinematographic responses to textual cruxes or instability; cinematographic representations of play texts, of reading practices, and of print culture; the material conditions of various media as they inflect performance; the book as a figure of human materiality; credits as texts. Stipulations: papers/abstrats to chair by 9/15/93. Each final paper should incorporate 5-10 minutes of edited video clips. The above submitted by Lori Humphrey Newcomb Department of English West Chester University West Chester, PA 19383 Added note: write to her via snail mail for further info or ideas. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1993 21:09:03 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0248 *R&J* Poison; Hamlett Sadler? Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 248. Tuesday, 20 April 1993. (1) From: Sean Lawrence Date: Tuesday, 20 Apr 1993 11:35:00 -0300 Subj: Poison in R&J (2) From: John Mucci Date: Tuesday, 20 Apr 93 21:44:00 UT Subj: Hamlett Sadler? (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Sean Lawrence Date: Tuesday, 20 Apr 1993 11:35:00 -0300 Subject: Poison in R&J Hi, About the potion in *Romeo and Juliet*: I understand that puffer fish poison drops one into a deep comatose, with no signs of life. In some parts of Japan, the dead are traditionally laid in state for several days as a result. Puffer fish is an important ingredient in zombification. A fellow called Praz, in Machiavelli and the Elizabethans (I'm sorry, I don't have a citation, but it was written sometime in the 1930s) gave several other examples of exaggerated poisons in Elizabethan drama, such as one that lay dormant in the blood for 48 hours and then killed the bearer instantly. Looking for a specific ingredient may be a little misguided, therefore, since whatever had originally inspired a poison to feign death, had probably been alterred by previous literary uses to the point of being unrecognizable. Anyway, good luck! (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John Mucci Date: Tuesday, 20 Apr 93 21:44:00 UT Subject: Hamlett Sadler? Hamnet Sadler did not sign his name Hamlett as a witness on the will, as can be seen very plainly on any facsimilie. There is a possibility that he spelled it Hanmet, as N's and M's have a way of looking like one another, but there is definitely no "l" in the signature. So far as the interlineations in the will go, the two most striking lines of the will--the infamous second-best bed, and the rings given to the theatre colleagues, Heminges/Condell--seem to be afterthoughts, which may mean nothing at all, or may have been written by another hand at a later time. Also, many lesser dramatists than Shakespeare left wills which had voluminous enumerations of the books they were proud to own and bequeath: either the second best bed was more important than the books, or, as Schoenbaum puts it, they were part of the possessions which naturally would fall to the heirs, or he didn't own any. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1993 14:39:42 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0249 Sabbatical Year House for Rent Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 249. Wednesday, 21 April 1993. From: NAOMI LIEBLER Date: Tuesday, 20 Apr 93 23:37:00 EST Subject: New Jersey? What exit? (Sabbatical year house for rent) Dear SHAKSPERians and/or colleagues, Anybody planning to be in or near NYC for a/y 93-94 and prefering to live in suburbia? I'm off on a well-earned sabbatical (aren't they all well-earned?) and would like to rent out my small, 3-bedroom, fully furnished house (with a wood-burning fireplace and plenty of wood). 30 minutes from Manhattan by car, bus, or commuter train. Available from August 1st. For further particulars, contact me on e-mail: "liebler@apollo.montclair.edu" Cheers, Naomi Liebler ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1993 14:43:14 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0250 Hamnet Sadler Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 250. Wednesday, 21 April 1993. From: Tad Davis Date: Wednesday, 21 Apr 93 10:00:34 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0248 *R&J* Poison; Hamlett Sadler? > Hamnet Sadler did not sign his name Hamlett as a witness on the will, > as can be seen very plainly on any facsimilie. There is a possibility > that he spelled it Hanmet, as N's and M's have a way of looking like > one another, but there is definitely no "l" in the signature. I hate it when that happens. That's what I get for trying to write something from memory. John Mucci is right: Hamnet Sadler signed his name Hamnet. What I was remembering was the bequest itself. On page 2 of the will, Shakespeare and/or Francis Collins and/or Collins' clerk wrote: "Item I gyve & bequeath to mr Richard Tyler thelder xxvjs viijd to buy him A Ringe..." Sometime later, "mr Richard Tyler thelder" was crossed out, and the name "Hamlett Sadler" was written above the line. (See Chambers, Facts and Problems, vol. II, p. 172.) The basic point, that the names might have been used interchangeably, remains. Tad Davis davist@a1.relay.upenn.edu ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1993 09:35:47 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0252 Re: *Rom.* Queries Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 252. Thursday, 22 April 1993. From: David Richman Date: Thursday, 22 Apr 1993 9:18:28 -0400 (EDT) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0245 Re: *Rom.* Queries Didn't Capulet attend the wedding of Lucentio and Bianca in Padua? If one ever mounts *Shrew* and *R and J* in repertory, one can explore this. Along similar lines, I have alway thought that the two students at Wittenberg who eavesdrop on Faustus's final agony are Hamlet and Horatio. I suspect chronology is against me there, but what is chronology to fantasy? David Richman ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1993 09:30:50 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0251 Review *R3* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 251. Thursday, 22 April 1993. From: Blair Kelly III Date: Tuesday, 20 Apr 93 05:57:15 EDT Subject: Review: Richard III by Georgetown Classical Theatre Associated with Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., the Georgetown Classical Theatre recently finished a production run of Richard III. I saw the last performance, and was lucky to get a seat. The production had been sold out for several days (unusual for a college production), but fortunately for me someone did not claim their reserved ticket. I very much enjoyed this performance. This was a modern dress, minimalist set production of Richard III. And unlike so many modern dress productions that strap on swords for the fight scenes at the end, this production was consistent throughout - the battle of Bosworth Field was hard fought with rifles with bayonets, and Richard was killed by gunfire. And the executions of Rivers and Grey was done with bullets in the back of their heads (mercifully for us *after* the lights had gone out). Richard was excellently played by Tony Braithwaite who (according to the program notes) was the 1989 National Shakespeare Competition winner. His Richard was pale-faced with black slick-backed hair, and a scar on his right cheek, plus a slight hump and club-foot limp. And the way he used his walking stick - just excellent - now stomping it in order to command, now waving it about or using it to point at someone. Wendy Fellows did a fine job as Queen Margaret in a wheelchair. I enjoyed the look of horror and shock on Lady Anne's face (Francesca Ciaravino) when dressed in a wedding gown and dragged by Richard enters to King Edward's "Why, so; now have I done a good day's work"; evidently they had just come from the church and this Anne was already having misgivings about her marriage! I loved the look of terror on the face of Catesby (Yeal Lempert) every time Richard shouted at her. This Catesby was obviously terrified of her master! And I liked the decision that the Duchess of York (Kelli Clement) had the same club-foot limp as Richard, at least partially explaining his deformity. Rather than use a corpse for King Henry, Anne was scattering his ashes when she was interrupted by Richard. I wasn't sure I liked this change, until later in the play when King Richard is handed an envelope and he says "And Anne my wife hath bid this world good night" and he casually upends the envelope and dumps her ashes out! Young Edward is met by his uncles with the sound of a jumbo-jet in the background. Geographically inaccurate given the size of England, I know, but it did keep with the modern spirit of the play. Young Richard of York jumped on Richard Gloucester's back (to the horror of the assembled group), and then interestingly enough he did it again when his ghost is saying "Let us be lead within thy bosom, Richard, and weigh thee down to ruin, shame, and death". (Richard had fallen asleep at his conference table.) A nice touch. I just now realized that the ghosts didn't make any comments to Richmond. Interesting that I didn't miss it. I don't know who makes such decisions (I assume the director) but I applaud the idea of having two of the non-speaking characters mentioned in the text actually played on the stage. Lady Jane Shore (Lisa Ignacio) helps Hastings (Zachary Glaser) finish dressing when they are interrupted in the early hours of the morning. And then she is dragged on stage, bound and gagged, when Richard accuses Hastings of protecting witchcraft. The other non-speaking character was Princess Elizabeth (Elizabeth Shaplin). She didn't say a word in the entire play, but was around when other women were present. She was at the other end of the stage when Richard begins to ask her mother how to woo the girl. She leaves the stage, then at the end of the scene comes back, slowly walks up to Richard, spits in his face, and then runs away. (Remember that Anne also spits at Richard.) I am always saddened when friends tell me they like Shakespearean theater, but only go to "name" companies or productions with some famous actor or actress in the lead. Many times college and amateur companies put on excellent productions. This production invites comparison with Ian McKellen's recent Richard III - and comes off very favorably in the comparison. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1993 19:25:16 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0253 Sadler and Others Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 253. Thursday, 22 April 1993. From: John Mucci Date: Thursday, 22 Apr 93 19:29:00 UT Subject: Sadler & more names Tad Davis has a memory much better than my own; indeed the interlineation in the will mentioning Master Sadler is spelled "Hamlett." I am still not sure about the "interchangeability" of the letters, but certainly there is a great deal of confusion amongst authors concerning which time it was spelled which way. It is interesting to note, though I suppose at one's peril, the relationship between Hamnett and Judith Sadler, and Hamnet and Judith Shakspeare, which is a natural fit for amicable neighbors. But what else can be made of it? I would like to hear what others think of these 3 Hamlets (Sadler, Shakspeare, & Prince of Denmark) and their relation. Continuing on, there also rare newly-discovered items that both _Bardolph_ and _Suellen_ were names found in 1590's Stratford (according to Rebecca Flynn of the Birthplace Trust)--are they coincidences, being commoner names to use in a fictional play than we would dare to think now, or were they used by the dramatist to honor other acquaintances? Furthermore, on the item I helped to discover (or re-discover) in the British Library last year, what are we to make of the list of invitees to the banquet which instated the King of Denmark to the Order of the Garter, in which two Rosenkrantzes and a Guildenstern were present? John Mucci ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1993 19:30:35 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0254 Branagh's *Ado* at Toronto Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 254. Thursday, 22 April 1993. From: David McFadden Date: Thursday, 22 Apr 93 18:49:08 EDT Subject: Branagh's *Ado* at Toronto For those within striking distance of Toronto: Kenneth Branagh's new film, *Much Ado About Nothing,* receives its first Canadian screening at 7:30pm Thursday April 29. It's at the Canada Square Theatre at Yonge Street and Eglinton Avenue. The screening is a benefit for the Harbourfront Reading Series. Tickets, at $10 each, can be reserved by calling the Harbourfront Centre Box Office at 416-973-4000. David McFadden ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 23 Apr 1993 06:06:28 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0255 Traditional Birthday Greetings Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 255. Friday, 23 April 1993. From: Stephen Miller Date: Friday, 23 APR 93 09:48:24 BST Subject: TRADITIONAL BIRTHDAY GREETINGS! 23 April 1993 Just a short note to celebrate the (traditional) birthday of Shakespeare 429 years ago. It is 400 years this year, too, since the first printing of *Venus and Adonis*, I believe. Stephen Miller ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 23 Apr 1993 11:04:25 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0256 Mea culpa Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 256. Friday, 23 April 1993. From: John Mucci Date: Friday, 23 Apr 93 11:30:00 UT Subject: Mea culpa Please forgive what must be the onset of senility; both I and Henry V were shocked to read my typo of Suellen for Fluellen. Only in a production updated to the 1950's would the former be appropriate. JM ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 23 Apr 1993 21:55:42 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0257 Birthday Invitation; Branagh *Ado*; Q: Stepmothers Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 257. Friday, 23 April 1993. (1) From: Georgianna Ziegler Date: Friday, 23 Apr 1993 17:02:03 -0500 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0255 Traditional Birthday Greetings (2) From: Bernice W. Kliman Date: Friday, 23 Apr 1993 11:30 EDT Subj: Much Ado (3) From: Peter Ayers Date: Friday, 23 Apr 1993 08:54:08 -0400 Subj: stepmothers (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Georgianna Ziegler Date: Friday, 23 Apr 1993 17:02:03 -0500 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0255 Traditional Birthday Greetings Happy Bill's Day from the Folger! We're celebrating tomorrow (Saturday the 24th) with an Open House and fun and games from 10 to 4. Monday the 26th at 8 PM, Michael Neill from the University of Auckland with give the annual Shakespeare Birthday Lecture at the Folger. His topic is "Shakespeare and Translation," concerned with the treatment of cultural difference in the plays, and with the "translatability" of Shakespeare's work for 20th-century readers and audiences. Michael is a very good speaker, and we hope as many of you as possible who are in the area will be able to attend. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Bernice W. Kliman Date: Friday, 23 Apr 1993 11:30 EDT Subject: Much Ado Many of us saw the Branagh film at SAA in Atlanta a few weeks ago: it was wonderful, a joy, in fact. For me, it helped to resolve the Claudio/Hero mess. I'd be happy to learn what others think about it. Yours, Bernice (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Peter Ayers Date: Friday, 23 Apr 1993 08:54:08 -0400 Subject: stepmothers A colleague is preparing a study of stepmothers (real), and has asked for help with literary or dramatic representations. I have already put out a query to HUMANIST, but thought it worthwhile to make a more specific enquiry here. As far as I remember, there are no stepmothers in Shakespeare - have I forgotten anything? Are there any stepmothers of note in Renaissance drama more generally? Any assistance would be welcome. ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 24 Apr 1993 10:07:09 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0258 Q: Volpone's Bastards Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 258. Saturday, 24 April 1993. From: James P. Saeger Date: Friday, 23 Apr 93 10:25:17 EDT Subject: Volpone's bastards? I am hoping someone out there can help me to clarify an exchange that comes early in _Volpone_ between Mosca and Corvino: * * * MOS He knows no man, No face of friend, nor name of any servant, Who 'twas that fed him last, or gave him drink: Not those he hath begotten, or brought up Can he remember. COR Has he children? MOS Bastards Some dozen, or more, that he begot on beggars, Gipsies, and Jews, and black-moors, when he was drunk. Knew you not that, sir? 'Tis the common fable, The dwarf, the fool, the eunuch are all his; He's the true father of his family. (1.5.39-48) * * * Although I am predisposed to take these lines as simply another of the lies that Mosca weaves in the course of his con, I have recently seen a few references to them that suggest they might be taken at face value--ie, that we ARE supposed to understand Volpone as the father of Nano, Castrone, and Androgyno. Does anyone have suggestions for interpretation here? James P. Saeger University of Pennsylvania (jsaeger@mail.sas.upenn.edu) ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 25 Apr 1993 00:09:33 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0259 Re: Stepmothers Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 259. Saturday, 24 April 1993. (1) From: Ron Macdonald Date: Saturday, 24 Apr 1993 13:40:08 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Stepmothers (2) From: John Cox Date: Saturday, 24 Apr 1993 20:18 EST Subj: Re: Birthday Invitation; Branagh *Ado*; Q: Stepmothers (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ron Macdonald Date: Saturday, 24 Apr 1993 13:40:08 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Stepmothers Sometimes the Queen in Cymbeline is likened to an evil stepmother. The only reference in SHAKESPEARE INDEX to a critical article on the subject is to: Gilliland, Joan F., "Cymbeline as Folk Tale." West Virginia Association of College English Teachers Bulletin. Vol. 6, No. 1-2, Spring, 1981, 13-18. (Shakespeare Index #T45 has the following brief annotation - "The folklore roots of the Imogen plot in the Snow White story allow for a psychoanalytic interpretation of this Shakespeare fairy tale as Oedipal wish-fulfillment." (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John Cox Date: Saturday, 24 Apr 1993 20:18 EST Subject: Re: Birthday Invitation; Branagh *Ado*; Q: Stepmothers As many other will probably also tell Peter Ayers, a wicked stepmother ap- pears in *Cymbeline*. She is the first literary appearance of the stepmother in the story now known as "Snowhite." John Cox ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 25 Apr 1993 00:15:53 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0260 Rs: Volpone's Bastards Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 260. Saturday, 24 April 1993. (1) From: Daniel Pigg Date: Saturday, 24 Apr 93 10:34:59 CST Subj: SHK 4.0258 Q: Volpone's Bastards (2) From: Kay Stockholder Date: Saturday, 24 Apr 93 11:38:02 PDT Subj: SHK 4.0258 Q: Volpone's Bastards (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Daniel Pigg Date: Saturday, 24 Apr 93 10:34:59 CST Subject: SHK 4.0258 Q: Volpone's Bastards I have always taken this statment at face value as an indication of the kind of person that Volpone is. That his offspring are "less" than fully normal is merely an indication of Volpone's own perverted self. He could produce no better. They mirror him. Daniel Pigg Daniel Pigg Department of English University of Tennessee at Martin IVAD@UTMARTN.BITNET (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kay Stockholder Date: Saturday, 24 Apr 93 11:38:02 PDT Subject: SHK 4.0258 Q: Volpone's Bastards I think the issue is meant to be somewhat vague and suggestive rather than literal. But the suggestiveness is of a distortion of Volpone's generative capacities that deepends the sense of the sterility and corruption of his life and world. ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 25 Apr 1993 00:19:05 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0261 Re: Branagh's *Ado* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 261. Saturday, 24 April 1993. From: Katherine West Date: Saturday, 24 Apr 93 11:26:10 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0257 Birthday Invitation; Branagh *Ado*; Q: I too enjoyed the Branagh _Much Ado_ at SAA. However, did anyone else think Keanu Reeves was miscast as Don John? Why not someone like Jack Nicholson? Does anyone have ideas as to this casting choice??? ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 25 Apr 1993 18:43:06 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0262 More Rs to Branagh's *Ado* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 262. Sunday, 25 April 1993. (1) From: Jean Peterson Date: Sunday, 25 Apr 1993 14:46:50 -0400 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0261 Re: Branagh's *Ado* (2) From: Bernice Kliman Date: Sunday, 25 Apr 1993 15:04 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0261 Re: Branagh's *Ado* (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jean Peterson Date: Sunday, 25 Apr 1993 14:46:50 -0400 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0261 Re: Branagh's *Ado* >Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 261. Saturday, 24 April 1993. > >From: Katherine West >Date: Saturday, 24 Apr 93 11:26:10 EDT >Subject: Re: SHK 4.0257 Birthday Invitation; Branagh *Ado*; Q: > >I too enjoyed the Branagh _Much Ado_ at SAA. However, did anyone else >think Keanu Reeves was miscast as Don John? Why not someone like Jack >Nicholson? Does anyone have ideas as to this casting choice??? I imagine Keanu Reeves was cast for the same reason as Robert Sean Leonard--a pop idol to bring in the young audience (is this too cynical?). My opinion of Reeves is not that he was miscast, but that although he's pretty, he can't act (witness his zombie-like delivery in My Own Private Idaho, and, even more ludicrously, in the unspeakably awful Bram Stoker's Dracula...). Jean Peterson (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Bernice Kliman Date: Sunday, 25 Apr 1993 15:04 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0261 Re: Branagh's *Ado* Katherine West asks about Keanu Reeves as Don John? What about Denzel Washington as Don Pedro? What about the sinister Michael Keaton as Dogberry? Playing against the grain for the fun of it? Cheers, ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 26 Apr 1993 16:42:37 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0263 More on Branagh's *Ado* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 263. Monday, 26 April 1993. (1) From: Robert O'Connor Date: Monday, 26 Apr 1993 12:17:02 +1000 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0262 More Rs to Branagh's *Ado* (2) From: Paul Budra Date: Sunday, 25 Apr 93 21:35:54 PDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0261 Re: Branagh's *Ado* (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Robert O'Connor Date: Monday, 26 Apr 1993 12:17:02 +1000 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0262 More Rs to Branagh's *Ado* Forgive my ignorance but I had no idea there was another Branagh film out - thanks for the news!!!! ROC (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Paul Budra Date: Sunday, 25 Apr 93 21:35:54 PDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0261 Re: Branagh's *Ado* About the *Much Ado*--I agree that Reeves is a bust. He has to stick to mindless things like Point Break, or Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure (in which he's actually quite good). My point is about Keaton. His portrayal of Dogberry got a lot of flack at the Atlanta screening, but I rather liked it. Dogberry is usually played as a pompous buffoon, ignorant and only accidentally effectual. He's a charming clown. Keaton plays him as a psycho--the town loon, who has been given the constable's job because no one else wants it, and because the criminally insane might be pretty good at law enforcement. I liked the violence in the interrogation scene; it made perfect sense, and helped explain Borachio's confession, which is something that I've never bought. I've always thought that the Dogberry scenes were hard to play anyway. The change of tone is SO great. Going all the way and depicting the seed, violent side of the Renaissance underclass as really seedy and violent was a refreshing change. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 26 Apr 1993 16:57:44 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0265 *Theater of Envy*; Stepmothers; *TNK* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 265. Monday, 26 April 1993. (1) From: Susan Harris Date: Monday, 26 Apr 1993 11:03:24 +0501 (EDT) Subj: Re: Girard's *A Theater of Envy* (2) From: David Richman Date: Monday, 26 Apr 1993 11:01:46 -0400 (EDT) Subj: RE: Birthday Invitation; Branagh *Ado*; Q: Stepmothers (3) From: Cary M. Mazer Date: Monday, 26 Apr 93 15:58:51 EDT Subj: Two Noble Kinsman (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Susan Harris Date: Monday, 26 Apr 1993 11:03:24 +0501 (EDT) Subject: Re: Girard's *A Theater of Envy* Thank you, whoever you were, for recommending the essay on *Ulysses* in *A Theater of Envy.* I would like to know, from anyone who's read the book, how his mimetic-desire thing is playing in Peoria, so to speak. It seemed to me as if his argument was valuable but somewhat reductive...although I suppose most theories are, when you come right down to it. Any thoughts? Susan C. Harris Dept. of English University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3520 scharris@gibbs.oit.unc.edu (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: David Richman Date: Monday, 26 Apr 1993 11:01:46 -0400 (EDT) Subject: RE: Birthday Invitation; Branagh *Ado*; Q: Stepmothers On stepmothers: Try the queen in *Cymbeline*, who is Imogen's stepmother. Also the Duchess (the duke's young wife) in *The Revenger's Tragedy* usually ascribed to Tourneur, and possibly Livia in Middleton's *Women Beware Women.* David (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Cary M. Mazer Date: Monday, 26 Apr 93 15:58:51 EDT Subject: Two Noble Kinsman Friends, The Red Heel Theatre in Philadelphia, which I told you about a few weeks ago, is continuing its series of script-in-hand readings with a reading of *The Two Noble Kinsmen* at 5:45 PM, Tuesday, May 4, at the Art Alliance of Philadelphia (just off Rittenhouse Square on 18th St). On July 6th they have tenttively scheduled a script-in-hand reading of *The Spanish Tragedy* Cary M. Mazer ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 26 Apr 1993 16:48:47 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0264 More Re: Volpone's Bastards Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 264. Monday, 26 April 1993. (1) From: Zanne Westfall Pardee Date: Monday, 26 Apr 93 08:32:17 EDT Subj: Volpone's bastards (2) From: David Richman Date: Monday, 26 Apr 1993 11:05:20 -0400 (EDT) Subj: RE: SHK 4.0258 Q: Volpone's Bastards (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Zanne Westfall Pardee Date: Monday, 26 Apr 93 08:32:17 EDT Subject: Volpone's bastards I can't say much about the reverberations of the dramatic text for *Volpone* but I can tell you that following the suggestion that the zanies are his bastards works very well onstage. We did the production at the University of Toronto's Hart House Theatre, directed by Leon Rubin (who went on to AD and write the book on the RSC's *Nick Nick*) starring David Parry of Poculi Ludique Societas fame. As I recall, the costuming, delivery, and acting played up the paternal relationship, foregrounding Volpone's genetic and social corruption, and made the grotesques TRULY grotesque. Fellini would have liked it. Suzanne Westfall ws#1@lafayacs.bitnet (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: David Richman Date: Monday, 26 Apr 1993 11:05:20 -0400 (EDT) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0258 Q: Volpone's Bastards I've always taken Mosca's lines as deliciously ambiguous. Maybe he is making it up, and then again, maybe Volpone has literally fathered all these grotesques. One never knows, do one? David Richman ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 27 Apr 1993 07:43:59 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0266 Q: Historical Knowledge; Re: Stepmothers Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 266. Tuesday, 27 April 1993. (1) From: Paul Budra Date: Monday, 26 Apr 93 15:04:56 PDT Subj: historical knowledge in the plays (2) From: Kay Stockholder Date: Monday, 26 Apr 93 17:34:32 PDT Subj: SHK 4.0265 *Theater of Envy*; Stepmothers; *TNK* (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Paul Budra Date: Monday, 26 Apr 93 15:04:56 PDT Subject: historical knowledge in the plays I have a general question for Shakesperians. I'm looking for moments in Shakespeare in which one of two things happen. Either the characters display an ignorance of history (I'm primarilly interested in English history, but also want to check classical, biblical, and other histories), or Shakespeare seems to be going out of his way to supply historical background information for his audience. I.E. he assumes the audience is ignorant of history. Among the latter might (I'm being tentative here) be included 1.2 of *R2*, in which the Duchess of Gloucester more or less reminds Gaunt of his own family history. An adjunct to this might be scenes in Shakespeare, and the surrounding drama, in which a character seems to have gotten what history he has from dramatic representation. There's a great scene of this in Jonson's *The Devil is an Ass*. I'd appreciate any speculations or examples. I've been looking at this stuff for so long that I'm afraid that I'm missing the obvious. Many thanks. Paul Budra Simon Fraser University Vancouver Canada (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kay Stockholder Date: Monday, 26 Apr 93 17:34:32 PDT Subject: SHK 4.0265 *Theater of Envy*; Stepmothers; *TNK* On stepmothers: One could say that Sycorax was Ariel's stepmother, though he was "born" from her cloven pine after rather than before the fact. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 27 Apr 1993 18:19:54 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0268 Re: Branagh's *Ado*; *Theater of Envy" Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 268. Tuesday, 27 April 1993. (1) From: Jean Peterson Date: Tuesday, 27 Apr 1993 12:50:01 -0400 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0263 More on Branagh's *Ado* (2) From: NAOMI LIEBLER Date: Tuesday, 27 Apr 93 09:47:00 EST Subj: RE: SHK 4.0265 *Theater of Envy*; Stepmothers; *TNK* (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jean Peterson Date: Tuesday, 27 Apr 1993 12:50:01 -0400 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0263 More on Branagh's *Ado* >Keaton plays [Dogberry] as a psycho--the town loon, who has >been given the constable's job because no one else wants it, and >because the criminally insane might be pretty good at law enforcement. >I liked the violence in the interrogation scene; it made perfect >sense, and helped explain Borachio's confession, which is something >that I've never bought. > >I've always thought that the Dogberry scenes were hard to play >anyway. The change of tone is SO great. Going all the way and >depicting the seed, violent side of the Renaissance underclass as >really seedy and violent was a refreshing change. I found Paul Budra's comments on Keaton's Dogberry quite provocative -- especially since, in the film, class distinctions in the main plot were all but erased. Who could tell the difference between Beatrice & Hero, and the maids (especially since all wore the same gauzy, sexy dresses, were barefoot, and Beatrice's maid was played by Thompson's real-life mom?) So unimpressed is Leonato with his worldly status that he wears his everyday peasantly garb for his daughter's wedding (lines about Hero's rich wedding gown are conveniently cut, and she doesn't bother to change her clothes either). So the distinctions of class are sentimentally elided, and the return of the repressed occurs in the underplot as a demonized & psychopathic underclass...weird. Jean Peterson (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: NAOMI LIEBLER Date: Tuesday, 27 Apr 93 09:47:00 EST Subject: RE: SHK 4.0265 *Theater of Envy*; Stepmothers; *TNK* For Susan Harris, who wanted to know how Girard's "Theater of Envy" plays in Peoria: By the time he got to "A Theater of Envy," Girard's representation of the mimetic double did indeed come across as reductive, not to mention reiterative. But what he's reiterating there is a theoretical position he had already worked out--and much more carefully and compellingly, I think--in two earlier works, "Deceit, Desire, and the Novel" (Johns Hopkins UP, 1965) and "Violence and the Sacred" (Johns Hoplins UP, 1977), and in books less readily available here, "The Scapegoat" and "Things Hidden Since the Beginning of the World." One of the many difficulties "Theater of Envy" presents to the reader is its superficial summation of these earlier efforts. If you want to trace Girard's theoretic, in a form more rigorously worked out than in this latest book, have a look at some of the earlier works. Cheers, Naomi C. Liebler Dept. of English Montclair State College Upper MOntclair, NJ 07043 ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 27 Apr 1993 18:12:26 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0267 Rs: Historical Knowledge Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 267. Tuesday, 27 April 1993. (1) From: Ron Macdonald Date: Tuesday, 27 Apr 1993 08:51:00 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Shakespeare and History (2) From: Jean Peterson Date: Tuesday, 27 Apr 1993 12:29:02 -0400 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0266 Q: Historical Knowledge; Re: Stepmothers (3) From: Joseph Lawrence Lyle Date: Tuesday, 27 Apr 93 15:38:03 -0400 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0266 Q: Historical Knowledge; Re: Stepmothers (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ron Macdonald Date: Tuesday, 27 Apr 1993 08:51:00 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Shakespeare and History I think a moment in I.iii of *1 Henry IV* fits at least the first part of Paul Budra's bill, the moment when it becomes evident that the vehemently protesting Hotspur has either forgotten or never known in the first place that Richard has named Mortimer as the heir presumptive. In reply to Hotspur's assertion that he has seen King Henry "Trembling even at the name of Mortimer," Worcester feigns a kind of diffident uncertainty: "I cannot blame him: was not he proclaim'd / By Richard, that dead is, the next of blood?" (144-46). I have always read this as wholly disingenuous on Worcester's part: this wily old pol knows perfectly well whom Richard has designated as his successor. Trouble is, of course, Shakespeare does not, for, led astray by Holinshed, he is confusing Edmund Mortimer, younger brother of Roger, fourth Earl of March, with Edmund's nephew and Roger's son, the fifth Earl of March and also named Edmund, whom Richard had designated heir presumptive in 1398 on the death of his father. A small and ultimately irrelevant point, but it somehow reminds me of Mrs. Malaprop's headstrong allegory on the banks of the Nile: Sheridan knew, of course, that she should have said "alligator"; we know that *he* should have said "crocodile." --Ron Macdonald (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jean Peterson Date: Tuesday, 27 Apr 1993 12:29:02 -0400 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0266 Q: Historical Knowledge; Re: Stepmothers For Paul Budra: for a wealth of knowledge on the subject, and for numerous examples of the complicated interplay of "historical" Shakespearean characters and their own history, you MUST see Phyllis Rackin's *Stages of History: Shakespeare's English Chronicles* (Cornell: 1990). Jean Peterson (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Joseph Lawrence Lyle Date: Tuesday, 27 Apr 93 15:38:03 -0400 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0266 Q: Historical Knowledge; Re: Stepmothers The examples that spring to mind are _The Tempest_ II.i, where Gonzalo is confused about Carthage and _Henry V_ II.i (?) where Nell conflates Arthur and Moses -- but only because those are the plays I just taught. --Jay Lyle ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 28 Apr 1993 07:32:10 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0269 Kenneth Branagh; Historical Knowledge Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 269. Wednesday, 28 April 1993. (1) From: Chantal Payette Date: Tuesday, 27 Apr 1993 15:43:51 -0400 Subj: Kenneth Branagh (2) From: Paul Budra Date: Tuesday, 27 Apr 93 22:00:49 PDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0267 Rs: Historical Knowledge (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Chantal Payette Date: Tuesday, 27 Apr 1993 15:43:51 -0400 Subject: Kenneth Branagh Could anyone tell me any details about the Renaissance Theatre Company and Kenneth Branagh. I'm read his "autobiography", but I would like to know more. Thank you ahead of time. You can respond to me directly. Chantal Chantal@vax.library.utoronto.ca (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Paul Budra Date: Tuesday, 27 Apr 93 22:00:49 PDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0267 Rs: Historical Knowledge Many thanks to Jean Peterson and Ron Macdonald. Ron's example is particularly helpful--just the sort of thing I'm looking for. Paul Budra Simon Fraser U. Vancouver ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 28 Apr 1993 07:37:21 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0270 Shakespeare at Weimar Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 270. Wednesday, 28 April 1993. From: Balz Engler Date: Tuesday, 27 Apr 93 21:14 +0200 Subject: Shakespeare at Weimar On 22-25 April the two German Shakespeare societies met in Weimar, held their first common meeting for 25 years, and formally re-united. As Ann Jennalie Cook pointed out during the festivities, the new (old) Shakespeare Gesellschaft has more members than all the other Shakespeare associations combined--actually about 2700. The "Shakespeare Gesellschaft" is the oldest literary (not scholarly) association of its kind in Germany, founded in 1864. Members do not only include Shakespearean scholars, but also high school teachers, actors, directors, students, and people who are simply Shakespeare fans. The academic programme was devoted to the topic "Shakespeare and Memory" and included lectures by Aleida Assmann on "The struggle of memories in the Histories" and by Kate Belsey on Bottom's Dream. The colloquium on the topic included contributions by Robert Weimann, Leo Salingar, and Zdenek Stribrny. Geoffrey Hartman lectured (in German) on Shakespeare and the imagination. Some of the contributions will be published in *Shakespeare Jahrbuch* 1994. Starting with the 1993 volume (which is out) Sh.Jb. publishes English summaries with contributions in German, by the way. The 1993 volume offers among other things (does it make sense to mention contributions in German to you out there?): "Recycled Film Codes and the Study of Shakespeare on Film" by Lawrence Guntner and Peter Drexler, "'Beginners, Please'; or First Start Your Play" by Robert Smallwood (on how productions begin), and "'Wormwood, Wormwood'" by R. Chris Hassel, Jr. Balz Engler, University of Basel, Switzerland engler@urz.unibas.ch ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 2 May 1993 16:28:07 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0271 Re: Volpone's Bastards Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 271. Sunday, 2 May 1993. From: James P. Saeger Date: Friday, 30 Apr 93 9:11:08 EDT Subject: RE: Volpone's Bastards Many thanks to Daniel Pigg, Kay Stockholder, Suzanne Westfall, and David Richman for their helpful commments about Volpone. I was happy to see others finding so much dramatic potential in the lines even though (or perhaps because) their ambiguity, as your commments tended to point out, seems to limit any definitive interpretation. James P. Saeger University of Pensylvania (jsaeger@mail.sas.upenn.edu) ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 3 May 1993 15:41:55 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0272 Q: Poems Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 272. Monday, 3 May 1993. From: Karin Youngberg Date: Monday, 3 May 93 10:27:10 GMT-600 Subject: Poems I'm interested in compiling the names of poems that in some significant way focus on Shakespeare's plays and/or characters in the plays. I would very much appreciate any help members of SHAKSPER could give me. Karin Youngberg Augustana College Rock Island, IL ENYOUNGBERG@AUGUSTANA.EDU ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 4 May 1993 07:56:45 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0273 Rs: Poems Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 273. Tuesday, 4 May 1993. (1) From: Zanne Westfall Pardee Date: Monday, 03 May 93 15:57:59 EDT Subj: SHK 4.0272 Q: Poems (2) From: Jean Peterson Date: Monday, 3 May 1993 16:23:08 -0400 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0272 Q: Poems (3) From: Michael Friedman Date: Monday, 03 May 1993 16:37:15 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0272 Q: Poems (4) From: Paul Lord Date: Monday, 03 May 1993 19:30:54 -0500 (EST) Subj: Poems (5) From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Tuesday, 4 May 1993 Subj: Re: Poems (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Zanne Westfall Pardee Date: Monday, 03 May 93 15:57:59 EDT Subject: SHK 4.0272 Q: Poems Elvis Costello's new CD "Letters to Juliet" might provide some contemporary and "relevant" music/poetry. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jean Peterson Date: Monday, 3 May 1993 16:23:08 -0400 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0272 Q: Poems If contemporary music is not too pop-culture for your taste, consider Dire Straits' *Romeo & Juliet* (from their Makin' Movies album), currently being revived by The Indigo Girls. Jean "Rock-n-roll is here to stay" Peterson (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Michael Friedman Date: Monday, 03 May 1993 16:37:15 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0272 Q: Poems The first poem dealing with Shakespearean characters that springs to mind is Eliot's "The Love Song of J.Alfred Prufrock," particularly the stanza beginning "No! I am not Prince Hamlet, nor was meant to be" and continuing on into the description of the attendant lord, probably Polonius. Mike Friedman Friedman@Scranton (4)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Paul Lord Date: Monday, 03 May 1993 19:30:54 -0500 (EST) Subject: Poems W. H. Auden has an entire cycle of poems about the characters in _The Tempest_, with the style of each poem suited to its topic character. Any decent anthology of Auden will include it. I'd also suggest Donald Justice's poem "Prospero's Last Days," which is either in his _Selected Poems_ or in the late-80's volume _The Sunset Maker_. Paul -- In girum imus nocte et consumimur igni (5)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Tuesday, 4 May 1993 Subject: Re: Poems Let me add Tennyson's "Mariana" to the poems mentioned so far. Also, this query provides me the opportunity to remind SHAKSPEReans of two of the files on the SHAKSPER Fileserver: SPINOFF BIBLIO and CHARACTR BIBLIO. From them, I extracted the following: SPINOFF BIBLIO Elias Olan James, *Thieves of Mercy*, Verse John Keats, *"On Sitting Down to Read King Lear Again"*, Verse Fiona Pitt-Kethly, *Shylock*, Verse Robert Browning, "Caliban upon Setebos", Verse CHARACTR BIBLIO Ralph Edward Bailey, Dark Eyes and Will Shakespeare (Milwaukee, Wis.: Hampel's Book Co., 1944) Thomas Cooke, An Epistle to the Right Honourable The Countess of Shaftesbury, with a Prologue and an Epilogue on Shakespeare and his Writings, (London: T Cooper 1743) John Gilbert Cooper, The Tomb of Shakespeare, A Vision, (1755) Frank Fether Dally, The apothesis of Shakespeare; and other poems, (Maidenstone: J. Brown 1848) Pierre Marie Augustin Filon, Shakespeare Amoureux; scenes en vers, (Paris: Librairie Nationale 1911) (John Alfred Langford, Poems in Memoria, (1864)) William Leighton, Shakespeare's Dream, and other poems, (JB Lippincott and Co. 1881) William Ellery Leonard, Sonnets on the Self of William Shakespeare, (Madison: University of Wisconsin 1916) William Pearce, The Haunts of Shakespeare; a poem, (London: D. Browne 1778) SHAKSPEReans can retrieve either of these files by issuing the interactive command, "TELL LISTSERV AT UTORONTO GET SPINOFF BIBLIO SHAKSPER" or "TELL LISTSERV AT UTORONTO GET CHARACTR BIBLIO SHAKSPER." If your network link does not support the interactive "TELL" command (i.e. if you are not directly on Bitnet), or if LISTSERV rejects your request, then send a one-line mail message (without a subject line) to LISTSERV@utoronto, reading "GET SPINOFF BIBLIO SHAKSPER" or "GET CHARACTR BIBLIO SHAKSPER." For an updated version of the file list, send the command "GET SHAKSPER FILES SHAKSPER" in the same fashion. For further information, consult the appropriate section of your SHAKSPER GUIDE. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 4 May 1993 22:41:40 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0274 More Rs: Poems Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 274. Tuesday, 4 May 1993. (1) From: Terry Craig Date: Tuesday, 04 May 1993 08:56:43 -0400 (EDT) Subj: SHK 4.0272 Poems (2) From: Georgianna Ziegler Date: Tuesday, 04 May 1993 11:12:12 -0500 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0272 Q: Poems (3) From: James Harner Date: Tuesday, 4 May 1993 13:33:29 -0500 (CDT) Subj: RE: SHK 4.0272 Q: Poems (4) From: David Richman Date: Tuesday, 4 May 1993 15:33:51 -0400 (EDT) Subj: RE: SHK 4.0273 Rs: Poems (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Terry Craig Date: Tuesday, 04 May 1993 08:56:43 -0400 (EDT) Subject: SHK 4.0272 Poems If we're going with pop music as well, how about Harry Nilsson's old album "A Little Touch of Harry in the Night"? The songs aren't Shakespearean, but I like the album title. Terry Craig WVNCC DIVHMF1@NCCVAX.WVNET.EDU (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Georgianna Ziegler Date: Tuesday, 04 May 1993 11:12:12 -0500 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0272 Q: Poems Hello. The subject entry for what you want is "Shakespeare in fiction, drama, poetry, etc." I can't give you a whole list of things here, but will make a few suggestions. H.D. *By Avon River* (1949) R. Warwick Bond *At Stratford Festival: a poem" (1896) *Boston Prize Poems...* (1824) Poems submitted in 1823 for a prize offered by the manager of the Boston theatre for an ode in honor of Shakespeare. Thomas Hardy *To Shakespeare after Three Hundred Years* (1916) Oliver Wendell Holmes *Poem...for the Dedication of the Fountain at Stratford-on-Avon...* (1887) French Laurence *A Lyric Ode on the Fairies, Aerial Beings, and Witches of Shakespeare...* (1776) Alfred Noyes *Tales of the Mermaid Tavern* (1913) *Poems for Shakespeare* ed. Christopher Hampton (1972) Commissioned for the Shakespeare Birthday Celebration at Southwark Cathedral, 1972. Signed by the poets. *A Selection from Poems for Shakespeare, volumes 1 to 6* ed. Pringle and Hampton (1978) *Poems for Shakespeare 2* ed. Graham Fawcett (1973) See also the sections in the Gordon Ross Smith *Shakespeare Bibliography* under *Literature Produced under Shakespeare's Influence.* Good luck in your project. Georgianna Ziegler Reference Librarian, The Folger Library (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: James Harner Date: Tuesday, 4 May 1993 13:33:29 -0500 (CDT) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0272 Q: Poems The World Shakespeare Bibliography (published each year as a supplement to Shakespeare Quarterly) has a section on "Shakespeare in Literature" that lists poems, fictional works, plays, etc. that are in some way related to Shakespeare. Jim Harner, editor (4)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: David Richman Date: Tuesday, 4 May 1993 15:33:51 -0400 (EDT) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0273 Rs: Poems Two Yeats poems, "Lapis Lazuli" and "An Acre of Grass," make interesting use of *Hamlet*, *Lear*, and *Timon.* Louis Macneice's "The Sunlight on the Garden" makes interesting use of *Antony and Cleopatra*. David Richman ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 4 May 1993 22:45:54 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0275 Call for Papers Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 275. Tuesday, 4 May 1993. From: Bernice W. Kliman Date: Tuesday, 4 May 1993 16:29 EDT Subject: call for papers A call for papers came across my desk today, and I want to share it with the SHAKSPERians: Topics, Sh in the classroom, Sh in the '90s, Sh criticism [something for everyone, in other words]. 3rd Annual Central NYS Conference on Language and Literature. 17-19 October 1993, SUNY College at Cortland, papers should be sent to Dr. Marilyn Levine, 120 Bleeker Street, Port Jefferson, NY 11777. Deadline 1 July 1993. Thanks, Bernice ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 4 May 1993 22:52:42 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0276 Assorted Reviews Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 276. Tuesday, 4 May 1993. From: Blair Kelly III Date: Tuesday, 4 May 93 21:29:18 EDT Subject: [Assorted Reviews] Reviews: Macbeth, Hamlet, Richard III, As You Like It Recently davidf@HQ.Ileaf.COM (David Fristrom) posted on the USENET newsgroup rec.arts.theatre some reviews of shows he saw recently while visiting England. With his kind permission, here are the reviews of the Shakespeare plays he saw. --- Blair Kelly III bfkelly@afterlife.ncsc.mil MACBETH (National Theatre) Directed by Richard Eyre and starring Alan Howard. I've never seen a MACBETH I particularly liked (except THRONE OF BLOOD, which hardly counts), and, alas, this production is no exception. Howard has a great voice, and he can do neat tricks with it, but that's all he's doing here -- his tricks work best in contrast to a more "normal" delivery, but his Macbeth is all mannerism. [A different view comes from a positive review in the TLS: "Alan Howard's Macbeth sings as many of his words as he speaks, often using a curious wheedling, cooing, other-worldly sort of voice that emphasizes the musicality of the verse at the expense of its meaning. It is as though he feels himself possessed or commanded by his own language, and it is fully expressive of Macbeth's inability to command the imaginative side of himself, the side that in the end is compelled to acknowledge that his way of life is fall'n into the sere. Howard's is a performance of great power and beauty."] Lady Macbeth is Anastasia Hille, who is quite young (she was in the US tour of RICHARD III). She's ok, but doesn't really have the strength for the character. I assume the difference in ages is intentional; Howard's Macbeth is shown to be sexually obsessed with Lady Macbeth, although she doesn't appear to have much interest in him, beyond his ability to make her queen. Bob Crowly's sets are dominated by large slabs of walls which move here and there, setting the various scenes. The most arresting image, though, is a circle of fire, rather like a giant gas cooking ring, in the center of the stage. The director obviously likes it a lot, since he uses it every chance he gets (usually when the witches are around), which eventually diminishes the effect. The play is very dark and smoke filled; I think the only scene lit with normal light is Lady Macduff with her children. One effect is rather odd. Macduff is murdered downstage, and left lying there while the banquet begins upstage. When it is time for the haunting to begin, he rises, leaving behind a glowing outline of his sprawling body, like a taped outline at a murder scene. It's striking, but feels anachronistic -- although as far as the costumes go we are in no particular period, since they mix everything from medieval to modern in the now rather common style. HAMLET (RSC in Stratford) Starring Kenneth Branagh. There's the joke about the old lady who saw HAMLET for the first time, and came out complaining "it's just a bunch of famous quotes strung together." I'm afraid that I have the same problem; playing Claudius in the 6th grade helped my love of Shakespeare, but it has rather ruined the play for me; I know enough of the lines that I can't get absorbed with the story -- I'm always aware that I'm watching a play, and while I can appreciate the skill with which it is done, it doesn't move me. (An exception was Mark Rylance's Hamlet at the ART in Boston (a production which originated at the RSC); his radical rethinking of the role defamiliarized it enough that I could see him not as an actor speaking lines, but as a suffering person). Branagh may just be an actor delivering lines, but boy, can he deliver them. His Hamlet isn't mad, nor even particularly depressed, but he's a thinker, and a brilliant orator. He can also be quite funny. He is surrounded by a good supporting cast as well. Rob Edwards does a very nice job as Horatio -- since this production used an uncut script, he's called upon to deliver some lengthy exposition, and does so clearly and precisely. David Bradley's Polonious is fine, as are Joanne Pearce and Richard Bonneville as his daughter and son. As directed by Adrian Nobel and designed by Bob Crowley, there are some striking images. In front of the stage (over the orchestra pit, as it were) is a graveyard in miniature, with small crosses. It is neglected and overrun with plants ("it is an unweeded garden; things rank and gross possess it merely"). The play opens with a white hand suddenly reaching up out of the graveyard, followed by the rest of Hamlet's Ghost. The same effect is used when Hamlet is making Horatio et. al. swear on his sword (which is given to him by the ghost); the ghost's hand reaches up and joins in the oath. Latter, in her mad scene, Ophelia picks her flowers from the graveyard. The ghost is made quite fatherly; in the scene with Hamlet and Gertrude, he sits on the bed holding Hamlet's hand, making a nice little family portrait. And at the end, when Hamlet's body is lifted and carried away upstage, the ghost is waiting for it with open arms (which briefly raised the thought that the ghost's motive may have been not revenge, but the desire to have his son join him). Between scenes there is an interesting effect where the curtains are closed, but rather than meeting in the center one passes behind the other so they both travel completely across the stage; a new set is revealed behind. The effect is rather like a cinematic wipe. The live music (by Guy Woolfenden) is played by a 12 person band, larger than the orchestra for many musicals in the States. RICHARD III (RSC in Stratford) Simon Russell Beale as Richard III is *wonderful*. He looks rather like a toad, with is appropriate since people keep calling him one. (He reminded me a bit of the Penguin in the second BATMAN movie.) He is lewd and so evil he's fun. Beale makes great use of his large eyes, and his expressive face is distorted into wonderful expressions. As the fates overcome the characters, Margaret appears in the background, repeating the curse which is coming true. Finally, in the fight between Richard and Henry, she appears in front of Richard's eyes and he looses hope. For the final fight, boards are lifted from the middle of the stage, revealing dirt beneath, and both combatants loose their swords, so the final tussle is bare handed, with Henry strangling Richard; the image is of two boys fighting in a sandbox (the image is enhanced by the fact that the crown they fight for looks rather like a toy crown). The scenes leading up to the battle have been interleaved, so that Henry and Richard sit at opposite ends of the same table while preparing for battle, and lighting shifts us between the two conferences; the exhortations to the troops are also mixed, so the two stand side by side and alternate speaking. The young princes are played by the actresses who play Lady Anne and Queen Elizabeth, dressed up in school uniforms. In his opening soliloquy Richard says something about being so ugly that dogs bark at him; and for the rest of the play his entrances are usually preceded by dogs barking offstage. AS YOU LIKE IT (RSC at Barbican) I am a simple soul, with simple tastes, and I expect my comedies to be funny. You would think that the British would be good at this -- they've produced some quite funny films, tv, and literature -- but my experience has been that their Shakespearean comedies are rarely funny, or at least not as funny as the best American productions. I laughed much more at the Brandeis student production of AS YOU LIKE IT than at this one (to be fair, the problem may be with the RSC, rather than the British in general, since all my British productions of Shakespeare's comedies in recent years have been at the RSC). With that rather major reservation, there was still a lot to enjoy in this production, directed by David Thacker. To begin with, there is Johan Engels' design. The court is a fairly bare stage, with floor, back, and sides in gleaming black marble, dominated by towering, ornate double doors upstage center. The costumes are also dark; the men with large, ruffle collars and the women with large, satiny hooped skirts. The overall effect is rather like an oil painting by an old Dutch master. I was looking forward to seeing how this rather gloomy set would be transformed to the care free Forest of Arden, so I was surprised that the only change was that the rear wall was raised, revealing a bare tree (oak?) whose limbs filled the entire rear of the stage; the moon shines dimly through the branches. The exiled Duke and his followers are shivering in furs and blankets. Where usually the Duke talks of the "uses of adversity" in an idyllic setting, this Arden really is a bare wasteland. The interval comes after Orlando and Adam have met the Duke; when we return to our seats spring has finally come, the stage is covered with green, and the huge tree upstage is covered with leaves, providing the appropriate setting for the couples to play out their games. The cast is strong, especially Kate Buffery as Rosalind and Samantha Bond as Celia; as usual, I found Celia more appealing than Rosalind (and look forward to Bond's Juliet opposite Branagh's Romeo in the upcoming recording). Orlando is played by Peter de Jersey, in a rare case of non-traditional casting. The songs are performed by David Burt, who played MacHeath in THE BEGGAR'S OPERA, and who brings more musical skill and power to them then they usually receive. I noticed a strange cut (unless my memory is playing tricks on me). In Rosalind's epilogue, when she is conjuring the men for the love they bear to women, she omits the line about "and by your smirking I perceive you hate them not." Why they would cut that line, yet leave in the stuff about wine and bushes which only makes sense if you've read the footnote, I can't imagine -- unless it is because the line is funny, and they don't want to confuse things with too much humor. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 6 May 1993 07:10:28 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0277 More Rs: Poems Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 277. Thursday, 6 May 1993. (1) From: Magen Dror Marcus Date: Wednesday, 5 May 1993 13:59:05 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0272 Q: Poems (2) From: Paul Budra Date: Wednesday, 5 May 93 11:25:41 PDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0274 More Rs: Poems (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Magen Dror Marcus Date: Wednesday, 5 May 1993 13:59:05 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0272 Q: Poems How about Browning's "Caliban Upon Setesbos," Swinburne or Longfellow's Sonnets to Shakespeare? Just thought they hadn't been mentioned. Magen D. Marcus (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Paul Budra Date: Wednesday, 5 May 93 11:25:41 PDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0274 More Rs: Poems Someone already mentioned Elvis Costello's new album, "Letters to Juliet" which was inspired by the phenomenon of people writing to Verona asking Juliet questions. If you go back to Costello's first album (1977?), "My Aim is True," the song "Mystery Dance" starts with the lines "Romeo was restless, he was ready to kill/Jumped out the window cause he couldn't sit still..." Not deathless stuff, perhaps, but you can dance to it. Paul Budra SFU Vancouver ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 6 May 1993 07:15:14 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0278 *Shakespeare World Bibliography* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 278. Thursday, 6 May 1993. From: James Harner Date: Wednesday, 5 May 1993 14:04:18 -0500 (CDT) Subject: World Shakespeare Bibliography The 1991 World Shakespeare Bibliography (published each year as a supplement to +Shakespeare Quarterly+) is at the printer, and work is well along on the volume for 1992. To aid us in our attempt to provide thorough, timely coverage of Shakespeare scholarship and productions worldwide, I am asking fellow SHAKSPERians to send copies of their articles and reviews--and notices of their books--so that we don't inadvertantly overlook publications. In addition, I want to encourage members of the SHAKSPER list to send along copies of reviews of local productions (or of screenings of the new Branagh +Ado+ or any other Shakespeare films). Please note the name of the newspaper, date, and page. If you can't send along an actual copy of the review, a citation (with name of director and reviewer, title of newspaper, date, and page) would suffice. Copies should be sent to Professor James L. Harner, Editor, World Shakespeare Bibliography, Department of English, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-4227. Review citations can be sent via e-mail to JLH5651@VENUS.TAMU.EDU. Many thanks-- Jim ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 6 May 1993 19:42:13 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0280 Re: Branagh's *Ado* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 280. Thursday, 6 May 1993. From: David McFadden Date: Thursday, 6 May 93 13:47:34 EDT Subject: Re Branagh's *Ado* This is my second posting, but the first didn't count since it was merely an announcement of the first Canadian screening of Branagh's *Ado.* So now it's time for me to screw up my courage and state how I felt about the film. I should start off by saying that as a Shakespeare enthusiast of fairly recent vintage I've never seen *Ado* staged and never formally studied it. I have read it a few times, however, and have seen the BBC Time-Life version (circa 1980) which I highly recommend. Branagh's *Ado* was admirable, hugely so, but was it all that recommendable? Not really, except for some wonderful visuals, including the great airborne shot of the wedding festivities at the close. I felt a bit cheated, glad it was done but wish it hadn't been quite so adulterated. In broad terms, the problem IMHO was simply that it was played for laughs rather than for subtler comic thrills and chills. Slapstick again triumphs over magic in the great world of popular entertainment. To borrow a term from television, Branagh's *Ado* was strictly prime time. As someone who loved Branagh's *Henry V* maybe I was expecting too much. I thought we were about to go over the top this time but it didn't turn out that way. In *Henry V* I felt as if I could have followed Branagh into any breach at any time, but there was nothing mesmerizing about *Ado.* Branagh's Renaissance Italy was not Shakespeare's, and the horror surrounding Hero's supposed "lack of virtue" simply would not exist in the kind of world Branagh has set up here. In such a lusty, sweaty, rustic world as Branagh portrays, there could have been nothing fatal about the trick played on Claudio. And in the absence of Shakespeare's Eden-like dreamworld, Don John becomes merely another "melancholy malcontent" instead of the horrendous and incomprehensible snake in the grass we need and deserve. Michael Keaton's portrayal of Dogberry was ridiculously self- indulgent. If it was at all meaningful to anyone else, well I'm afraid it went over my head. (As did Paul Budra's thoughtful comment on Keaton's role in an earlier posting.) Dogberry's role is a demanding one, a congenial buffoon with a heartbreaking sense of integrity and courage, the direct opposite of Falstaff, but Keaton's portrayal was unsympathetic, even contemptuous. Denzel Washington was a refreshing and competent Don Pedro, but might not Eddie (*Beverly Hills Cop*) Murphy have put a more interesting spin on the role of Don John, with a lot of evil grimacing and mugging rather than Keanu Reeves' unremittingly shallow and dimwitted pout. Also there seemed to be a lot of minor--but irritating--problems in the editing department. Some of the scenes were insufficiently thought out and some of the peripheral players insufficiently directed. And why does Hero have to be bashed about so viciously? This sort of superfluous violence against women happens so often in movies lately that it's getting hard to discount the cynical notion that it's thought to be good box office. I certainly hope this movie doesn't become a kind of standard for film versions of Shakespeare in the future. If so, something of great value will have been lost. --David McFadden ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 6 May 1993 19:38:20 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0279 Re: Poems and Spinoffs Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 279. Thursday, 6 May 1993. (1) From: Rick Abrams Date: Thursday, 06 May 93 09:07:22 EDT Subj: poems (2) From: Luc Borot Date: Thursday, 06 May 93 20:52 Subj: spinoff (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Rick Abrams Date: Thursday, 06 May 93 09:07:22 EDT Subject: poems A fairly impressive reading of the Hal of 1H4 may be found in the song "Prince Hal's Dirge" on Loudon Wainwright's 1976 pop album "T-Shirt." (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Luc Borot Date: Thursday, 06 May 93 20:52 Subject: spinoff Dear all, Our server's SPINOFF biblio was recently reminded to all, concern- ing poems on Shakespeare. I am currently listening to the French national musical programme France Musique, which is broadcasting Felix Mendelssohn's 1846 stage- music for *MND*, which includes his famous nutpial march, which some of you may still have in their ears from their own weddings. Last weekend, they also broadcasted two excerpts from Ambroise Thomas's 1868 *Hamlet* opera (French lyrics), and as I looked him up in an Encyclopaedia, I hit upon a *Songe d'une nuit d'ete* (Gallic form of *MND*), dated 1850. Thomas was an anti-Berlioz academic philistine, but he used (up?...) the works of ole Shakes, and this concerns our spin off file, I thought. Why not encourage people to send info concerning other arts as well (sculptures, paintings, etc.) I remember Pre-raphaelite paintings of Ophelia floating on the river but don't have time to look them up. I'm positive that there is a poem by Brecht on the same topic, called "Das Ertrunkene Maedchen", as I once had to speak on it for an oral exam! It must have been inspir- ed by another poem in German, but this is remote from my memory, as rem- ote as my German, actually (sorry for any German speakers on the line, who are invited to help, anyway... hello Balz Engler in Basle!). Cheers to all and everyone. Luc ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 7 May 1993 16:48:24 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0281 New on the SHAKSPER FileServer Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 281. Friday, 7 May 1993. From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Friday, May 7, 1993 Subject: New on the SHAKSPER FileServer SHAKSPERans, I am pleased to announce the availability of two essay that I have just added to the SHAKSPER FileServer. The first, "*Twelfth Night*: All or Nothing? What You Will, It's All One -- Or Is It?" (12NIGHT ALLONOTH), is a contribution from a new member to the SHAKSPER Conference, William Leigh Godshalk. You can retrieve this essay by issuing the interactive command, "TELL LISTSERV AT UTORONTO GET 12NIGHT ALLONOTH SHAKSPER." If your network link does not support the interactive "TELL" command (i.e. if you are not directly on Bitnet), or if LISTSERV rejects your request, then send the following one-line mail message (without a subject line) to LISTSERV@utoronto.bitnet, "GET 12NIGHT ALLONOTH SHAKSPER." The second, "Shakespeare by Mail: An Experience in Distance Learning Using Electronic Mail" (LEARNING BY_EMAIL) reports on an very interesting experiment from last fall that involved members of the SHAKSPER Conference. Tom Loughlin got the idea to invite members of SHAKSPER to act as electronic advisors to his students in the preparation of their research papers. This paper describes the experience. You can retrieve LEARNING BY_EMAIL by issuing the interactive TELL command, as outlined above, or by sending the following one-line mail message (without a subject line) to LISTSERV@utoronto.bitnet, "GET LEARNING BY_EMAIL SHAKSPER." Should you have difficulty receiving either of these files, please contact the editor, or . For an updated version of the file list, send the command "GET SHAKSPER FILES SHAKSPER" in the same fashion. For further information, consult the appropriate section of your SHAKSPER GUIDE. Excerpts from both papers appear below. =============================================================================== Twelfth Night: All or Nothing, What You Will, It's All One - Or Is It? " . . . styles, like persons, are interchangeable." Declan Kiberd, "Bloom the Liberator," TLS 3 Jan. 1992: 5, writes: "Ulysses is constructed on the understanding that styles, like persons, are interchangeable." Part I Twelfth Night is full of substitutes, including the main title. As Donno (3-4) points out, the references within the text suggest "not a mid-winter season but either spring of summer," indicating "the metaphorical nature of the title Twelfth Night." In this paper, I use both Donno and G. B. Evans as texts. Neither is totally satisfactory. Dramatic figures who stand in for, act in behalf of, or take the place of other dramatic figures; dramatic figures who pretend to be, impersonate, some other dramatic figure; dramatic figures who, for various reasons, assume preconceived roles, roles that could be played by anyone, roles in which they are, if you will allow, only substitutes, since another dramatic figure might as easily stand in and assume these roles; the main title itself has a substitute: What You Will which suggests that anything goes. The concept of substitution contains the concept of doubles or doubling, since a substitute demands that an original exists - or existed at one time. To assume a role, to act a part, to act in behalf of, is to acknowledge the preexistence of that role, of that part, or of someone for whom one acts. A substitute is a double for her original, a replacement, and, if the substitute proves that he or she can play the part as well as the dramatic figure for whom he or she is substituting, then what is to keep the substitute from displacing the original? And so temporary replacement moves on to permanent displacement. Dramatic figures, like the parts of a Ford or a Carthaginian ship, are interchangeable. As Kurt Vonnegut has commented, "We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be" (v). Or as Feste has it, "'That that is, is,' so I, being Master Parson, am Master Parson; for what is 'that' but 'that' and 'is' but 'is'?" (4.2.13-14). Berry calls Feste's words "perhaps the clearest statement in the canon of the very Shakespearean idea of being-as-role playing" (202). For the purposes of this essay, I would like to place this continuum that moves from representation to impersonation, from mimicry to transformation, from replacement to displacement, or, to pun along with Geoffrey Hartman (47), from clowning to cloning, under the rubic of surrogation, a word which Shakespeare, perversely, never uses. I would like to talk about the ways in which surrogates function in this play and then to speculate about some possible meanings and significances. I realize that surrogation is a metaphor, a rather inclusive metaphor, and that other critics have used other metaphors, such as masquerade (e.g., B. Evans 120) or disguise, to talk about some elements that I have included under surrogation. In my thinking about metaphor, I'm influenced by Holland 112-34. =============================================================================== Shakespeare by Mail: An Experience in Distance Learning Using Electronic Mail For the past five years I have taught a class entitled "Acting in Shakespeare" for my undergraduate students at the senior level in our Bachelor of Fine Arts Acting program. I have never taught the class the same way twice, always trying to tailor the class to the amount and ability of the incoming students. This past fall's class was particularly large and had a good amount of men, so I decided to focus the class on preparing to perform a workshop production of *King Lear.* I planned for the students to approach the play through performance and analysis, hoping that the skills learned in approaching one of Shakespeare's plays would be applicable at the most basic level to other works in the canon. My greatest concern was the research component. I believe actors who perform Shakespeare should have strong research skills so as to understand the context and the time in which the play was written, both in terms of Shakespeare's time and place, and in context of the text itself (e.g. knowing something about England around 500-600 AD for *King Lear*). I also believe in the "writing across the curriculum" concept, and try not only to get students to write whenever possible, but to rewrite as well. I'm a firm believer that research is not actable, but that research can lead us to clues for character traits which relate to the context of the play and which would not be immediately apparent to the modern acting student in a modern context. An example might be understanding the meaning behind Gloucester's blinding, a punishment common for crimes of lust and lechery. An actor might extrapolate from that fact and create a characterization of Gloucester which would show him to be a man used to easy living, somewhat loose in his morals and lifestyle, and so very easy to beguile. My problem was the amount of papers I was looking forward to reading. The class had 17 students, and I planned to have two rewrites before accepting the final paper. The question was how to find the time and the resources, given other teaching and departmental production responsibilities, to do the job well. I hit upon the power of electronic communication, or e-mail, as the solution. I had discovered e-mail about two years ago, and one of the discussion lists I joined was the SHAKSPER discussion list, edited by Hardy M. Cook and originating from the University of Toronto (the founder of the list was Ken Steele of the UofT). It occurred to me that many of these people are very interested and very competent on the subject of Shakespeare. I decided to try to set up an "electronic advising system," whereby each of my students would be matched up with an "electronic advisor." The student would then communicate via e-mail with his or her advisor, and all matters pertaining to the paper would be handled between the advisor and the student. I would receive only the final copy. The experience ran from September to December of 1992. I call the process an "experience" rather than an "experiment" because the way in which the project was carried out had no set research methodology attached to it. The remainder of this article deals with how the experience was set up, how it ran, and what the results were. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 7 May 1993 16:49:20 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0282 More Rs: Branagh's *Ado* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 282. Friday, 7 May 1993. (1) From: Rasa Hollender Date: Thursday, 6 May 1993 22:24 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0280 Re: Branagh's *Ado* (2) From: Chantal Payette Date: Friday, 7 May 1993 10:05:11 -0400 (EDT) Subj: RE: SHK 4.0280 Re: Branagh's *Ado* (3) From: Skip Shand Date: Friday, 7 May 1993 14:03 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0280 Re: Branagh's *Ado* (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Rasa Hollender Date: Thursday, 6 May 1993 22:24 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0280 Re: Branagh's *Ado* For those interested, there is an article in this month's "Vogue" magazine about Branaugh's *Ado*... Rasa L. Hollender (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Chantal Payette Date: Friday, 7 May 1993 10:05:11 -0400 (EDT) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0280 Re: Branagh's *Ado* I, too, went to the Canadian premier of *Ado* and my reaction is very similar to what David's was or is. At the end, I felt cheated in some way. Hard to describe really, but I was hoping for the same strength and authenticity as *Henry V*. I thought Emma Thompson was brilliant as always, but that there was too much comedy to make the serious parts as serious as they should have been taken. Keanu Reeves seemed an odd bit of casting because of his age (I thought the part should have been played by a man slightly older) and his acting ability (which was slightly shallow). As David said, he performed like a young man who was melancholy and spoiled rather than someone who should have been threatenly evil. I also agree with David's remarks about the casting of the other characters. It seems a shame that such dialogue and depth of character in all the parts, should be wasted on actors who don't really know how to approach acting Shakespeare, but feel they need to add a "Shakespeare" to their resumes AND a director who casts them for boxoffice purposes, yet sacrifices artistic integrity. I suppose I am being melodramatic, but I am a great K. Branagh fan and I was very much looking forward to this film. Like most, I thought he could do know wrong, so feeling cheated at the end of one of his films in very disheartening. He is in Toronto right now at the Four Seasons, promoting *Ado*; then he will be off to Cannes where it will be entered in competition. After that is done, he will be off to Switzerland to direct and star in FRANKENSTEIN where he is the scientist and Robert DiNero will be the monster. Hmmm? Just my two cents. Chantal Chantal@vax.library.utoronto.ca (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Skip Shand Date: Friday, 7 May 1993 14:03 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0280 Re: Branagh's *Ado* Re David McFadden's remark on Hero: For me, the disturbing thing is not that Hero is 'bashed about so viciously.' That, indeed, strikes me as a fair current image for the experience she is put through. What does disappoint me, however, is that, as McFadden observes, the violence seems gratuitous in this film. I think that's because it is never coherently contextualised or problematised--this is a version of *Ado* which elects not to tell Hero's story from the inside at all, which strikes me as more than a little regressive in 1993. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 7 May 1993 16:50:02 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0283 A Farewell; Re: Poems Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 283. Friday, 7 May 1993. (1) From: Chris Gladis Date: Friday, 07 May 1993 12:56:59 -0500 (EST) Subj: A tearful farewell.... (2) From: Rasa Hollender Date: Thursday, 6 May 1993 22:22 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0273 Rs: Poems (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Chris Gladis Date: Friday, 07 May 1993 12:56:59 -0500 (EST) Subject: A tearful farewell.... As I have to leave for the summer (and am consequently losing bitnet access) I'm afraid I must sign off of SHAKSPER. It's been an interesting few months. I know I've been a lurker more or less, but I found many of the posts to be quite interesting. I would also like to thank all of you who gave me suggestions for my ill-fated audition in March. Ah, well. So it goes. I'll try to re-subscribe in the fall, depending on my class load and overall Free Time. Until then, however, I wish you all the best in the times to come. "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophies." -Hamlet **** Chris Gladis S31647@SIENA.BITNET (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Rasa Hollender Date: Thursday, 6 May 1993 22:22 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0273 Rs: Poems There is also a song by the Indigo Girls on the Rites of Passage album entitled "Romeo and Juliet"... Good luck! Rasa L. Hollender ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 8 May 1993 18:59:21 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0284 Further Rs: Branagh's *Ado* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 284. Saturday, 8 May 1993. (1) From: Robert Burke Date: Friday, 07 May 1993 13:19:28 -0500 (CDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0280 Re: Branagh's *Ado* (2) From: William Godshalk Date: Saturday, 08 May 1993 16:24:35 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Bashing Branagh's "Much Ado" (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Robert Burke Date: Friday, 07 May 1993 13:19:28 -0500 (CDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0280 Re: Branagh's *Ado* Thanks to all for view of Branagh's Much Ado. Today's New York Times has a glowing review. What disturbs me seems to be the absence of any mention of Friar Francis. I have been recently working on friars in Shakespeare, and become suspect of any adaptation which omits the friar. Since I have not seen the film yet (it has not yet come to Kansas City), can anyone tell me if Branagh has, indeed, omitted the friar? Thanks. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Godshalk Date: Saturday, 08 May 1993 16:24:35 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Bashing Branagh's "Much Ado" I loved Branagh's "Much Ado." His interpretation of Shakespeare's script may not be as you like it, but it is a defensible reading. Don John does not have to be totally evil, and Dogberry does not have to be bumblingly officious. Keaton's reading of the part may be offbeat, but it's interesting and well within the range of possibility. Leonato's physical assault of Hero simply makes clear the import of his speech: "Do not live, Hero, do not ope thine eyes" (4.1.123, Bevington ed.). This is a pretty shocking reaction for a "loving" father, and no amount of "contextualization" (ugh!) is going to make it acceptable to my ears. By the way, Shakespeare is playing off Sidney's story of Argalus and Parthenia. Unlike Claudio, Argalus refuses to accept a substitute for the supposedly dead Parthenia. Claudio accepts the substitute without hesitation, especially since she comes with more money than her "cousin." As my students recurrently tell me, Claudio is a "jerk." Shakespeare certainly "problematizes" the Claudio-Hero relationship, and the problem is not solved by the script as we now have it. As I watched Branagh's production, I cheered, and laughed loudly, and, dare I admit it?, shed a tear or two. Of course, I had a few drinks before the show! Bill Godshalk ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 8 May 1993 19:04:41 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0285 Review St. John's College *Tempest* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 285. Saturday, 8 May 1993. From: Blair Kelly III Date: Saturday, 8 May 93 17:33:43 EDT Subject: [Review St. John's College *Tmp.*] The Tempest was recently performed by students of St. John's College in Annapolis, Maryland. (St. John's is noted for its curriculum of "The Great Books".) The production took place on St. John's campus in The Great Hall, a beautiful example of early American architecture. The performance I saw was very well attended. All the chairs (arranged on three sides) were filled, and many people sat on the floor in front of the chairs, while others sat or stood in the balcony that runs along all four sides of the hall. The production had no scenery other than The Great Hall and used only a few props. The emphasis was on the language, the story, and the acting. I enjoyed this college performance. I always wonder how a college student is going to pull off playing Prospero, an older man. But Todd A. Stregiel did a fine job. With lightly grey hair and a close grey beard he achieved the effect without heavy makeup. This was the my first Tempest with a female Ariel (played by Lisbeth Fouse). With dark swirls and zags painted on her face and body, she moved around the "stage" with movements that were a combination of ballet, gymnastics, and belly-dancing. The effect was very nice. The six other Spirits were painted similarly. I liked the various little skits they did as attention holders during the scene changes, to the lovely accompaniment of live music of flute and cello. When Prospero has the Spirits perform for Ferdinand and Miranda, these Spirits did a fast mime of the play Hamlet. (I am embarrassed by the fact that it took me a few moments to catch on to what they were doing!) In the program, the director (Shanna R. Hack) wrote: "We did not play around with the language of Shakespeare. However, we have changed references to gender: Alonso is Ferdinand's mother, but King of Naples; Antonia is sister to Prospero but Duke of Milan. In the world of our play, these titles do not have the gender-specific connotations which they normally carry. Star Trek takes the license of using the title "sir" for men and women alike, and so do we." Stephano enters having had a bit too much to drink. This was ably acted by Benjamin Friedman, as perhaps only a college student can (and as perhaps only a college audience can appreciate!). Triculo (Aaron Lewis) entered carrying a rubber chicken (and looking somewhat like his rubber chicken) which he used throughout the play. He also had the habit of sitting on and speaking his asides to the nearest member of the audience (beginning on the night I saw the production with me!). ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 10 May 1993 07:19:42 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0286 *Hamlet* Interpretation Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 286. Monday, 10 May 1993. From: ROBERT W. RIEMERSMA Date: Monday, 10 May 1993 00:35:40 -0500 (EST) Subject: _Hamlet_ Interpretation I just returned from seeing _Hamlet_ at the IRT (Indiana Reportory Theatre), directed by Libby Appel. This production was very interesting, in that it was a contemporary interpretation of the play. Set still in Denmark (no changing of the language of the play), but the set was designed as a big concrete and iron construct, with two levels. The actors were all in contemporary dress, Claudius with a purple theme (purple suit-coat, purple bath-robe, etc.), Hamlet with a very distinct black and white theme, etc. The various night watchman roles were costumed with Heavy mag-lite flashlights and SWAT-style face shields. The whole thing seemed to play very well with a combination of the idea of a royal kingdom, and "Denmark's a prison" idea. Every other interpretation I've seen of Shakespeare that wasn't a classical interpretation, I've found just clouds up the story, but this is the first one where I didn't find myself imagining in my mind classical dress, in fact, I couldn't have, because I was so caught up in the story/set/costumes/etc. to even think about that. It just worked great. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 10 May 1993 22:20:45 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0287 Review *Hamlet Improvised* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 287. Monday, 10 May 1993. From: Blair Kelly III Date: Monday, 10 May 93 21:18:20 EDT Subject: [Review *Hamlet Improvised*] Review: Hamlet Improvised by the Washington Improv Theatre For anyone who will be in Washington, D.C., during the rest of the month of May, I highly recommend the production of "Hamlet Improvised" by the Washington Improv Theatre. The seven players are extremely talented at improvisation. Perhaps it will not shed any light on those great questions of the play Hamlet, but you will laugh lots! (Although I perhaps did get a better sense of Elizabethan word-play by watching modern-day word play.) The performers are assigned their characters by a draw from a hat (sex-blind casting!), and they ask the audience for suggestions on how to play their character by asking a question like: "Please name a famous person?". Throughout the performance they stopped and asked the audience for ideas such as "Please name a common household object?" or "Please name a literary genre?". Then they would weave the audience's answers into their performance. The night I saw them, Gertrude was played by someone who thought he was Oliver North, Laertes was acted by Mickey Mouse, and Hamlet Senior was killed by an Elvis impersonator! The program notes say that the performance is adapted from William Shakespeare's "Hamlet, Prince of Denmark" by Kevin Carr and Alan Marriot, of Marginal Bard Productions, London. Does anyone know anything about them? ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 11 May 1993 12:52:48 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0288 Re: *Hamlet* Interpretation Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 288. Tuesday, 11 May 1993. From: Kay Stockholder Date: Monday, 10 May 93 17:04:10 PDT Subject: SHK 4.0286 *Hamlet* Interpretation It seems to me that a film adaptation of Hamlet was made some time ago that used the motif you describe. I can't remember the name though. In it Hamlet came off pretty badly. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 11 May 1993 21:42:01 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0289 Call for Paper: Shakespeare Through Performance Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 289. Tuesday, 11 May 1993. From: Milla Riggio Date: Tuesday, 11 May 1993 14:22 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0275 Call for Papers TO ALL SHAKESPEREANS! I have a tentative go-ahead from the MLA for a volume approaching the teaching of Shakespeare through performance. Now I am preparing a questionnaire to send out, and I need an excellent set of names and addresses for mailing labels. If you are interested in either becoming a contributor, or in simply receiving AND RESPONDING TO the questionnaire, please post your name here within the next few weeks, along with a hard-mail address. In advance, thank you very much. You'll hear from me soon. I'm hoping for a good strong response. Gratefully, Milla Riggio ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 12 May 1993 17:14:29 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0290 Re: Shakespeare Through Performance Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 290. Wednesday, 12 May 1993. (1) From: Bernice W. Kliman Date: Wednesday, 12 May 1993 07:21 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0289 Call for Paper: Shakespeare Through Performance (2) From: Robert R. Burke Date: Wednesday, 12 May 1993 12:06:57 -0500 (CDT) Subj: RE: SHK 4.0289 Call for Paper: Shakespeare Through Performance (4) From: Michael Friedman Date: Wednesday, 12 May 1993 14:07:54 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0289 Call for Paper: Shakespeare Through Performance (5) From: Mark Sandona Date: Wednesday, 12 May 1993 16:19:04 -0400 (EDT) Subj: RE: SHK 4.0289 Call for Paper: Shakespeare Through Performance (6) From: Jay L Halio Date: Wednesday, 12 May 1993 16:39:06 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0289 Call for Paper: Shakespeare Through Performance (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Bernice W. Kliman Date: Wednesday, 12 May 1993 07:21 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0289 Call for Paper: Shakespeare Through Performance Dear Milla, I am interested in receiving the questionnaire and contributing to the volume. It's an exciting idea. Will it be Shakespeare only? For the next six weeks, starting May 17, I'll be at the Folger Shakespeare Library, 201 E. Capitol SE, Washington, DC 20003. After that, my home address is best: 70 Glen Cove Drive, Glen Head, NY 11545. Phone 516 671 1301. Good luck with the project. Bernice W. Kliman (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Robert R. Burke Date: Wednesday, 12 May 1993 10:15:06 -0500 (CDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0289 Call for Paper: Shakespeare Through Performance Please enter my name. I would be interested in contributing some small attempts at in-class movement to aid students' perception of the stage action. Robert R. Burke, S. J. 1100 Rockhurst Road, Kansas City Missouri 64110. Thanks for the notice, and good luck with the project. (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John Steven Paul Date: Wednesday, 12 May 1993 12:06:57 -0500 (CDT) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0289 Call for Paper: Shakespeare Through Performance Dear Milla Riggio: Please add my name to the list of potential contributors: Prof. John Steven Paul, Director The Young Actors Shakespeare Workshop The Department of Theatre and Television Arts Valparaiso University Valparaiso, IN 46383 (4)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Michael D. Friedman Date: Wednesday, 12 May 1993 14:07:54 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0289 Call for Paper: Shakespeare Through Performance Dear Milla, I'm very interested. My address is Department of English, University of Scranton, Scranton, PA 18510. Michael D. Friedman (5)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Mark Sandona Date: Wednesday, 12 May 1993 16:19:04 -0400 (EDT) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0289 Call for Paper: Shakespeare Through Performance Mark Sandona Department of English Hood College Frederick, MD 21701 sandona@nimue.hood.edu (6)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jay L Halio Date: Wednesday, 12 May 1993 16:39:06 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0289 Call for Paper: Shakespeare Through Performance Please bear me in mind for your volume as well as your questionnaire. You might also look at our University of Delaware Press publication, *Shakespeare and the Sense of Performance*, ed. Marvin and Ruth Thompson, for some of the most distinguished performance critics in the field. Jay Halio University of Delaware ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 12 May 1993 17:17:53 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0291 Re: *Hamlet* Interpretation Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 291. Wednesday, 12 May 1993. From: Duncan Lennox Date: Wednesday, 12 May 1993 12:38:39 +0000 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0288 Re: *Hamlet* Interpretation >From: Kay Stockholder > >It seems to me that a film adaptation of Hamlet was made some >time ago that used the motif you describe. I can't remember the >name though. In it Hamlet came off pretty badly. Perhaps you are referring to 'Hamlet Goes Business' a Danish movie made within the last couple of years. It is filmed entirely in black and white. The basic structure of the play is pretty similar although it is set in the context of a large company (construction I think) rather than a monarchy. It is not a big budget movie to say the least and it is not in English (I saw it with subtitles) but it is worth seeing. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 13 May 1993 07:35:28 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0292 Re: Shakespeare Through Performance Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 292. Thursday, 13 May 1993. (1) From: ROBERT W. RIEMERSMA Date: Wednesday, 12 May 1993 15:11:27 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0289 Call for Paper: Shakespeare Through Performance (2) From: Sarah Werner Date: Wednesday, 12 May 93 23:54:27 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0289 Call for Paper: Shakespeare Through Performance (3) From: Tom Loughlin Date: Wednesday, 12 May 1993 9:39 pm EDT (Thu, 13 May 93 01:39:04 UT) Subj: Call for Papers/Mailing Labels (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: ROBERT W. RIEMERSMA Date: Wednesday, 12 May 1993 15:11:27 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0289 Call for Paper: Shakespeare Through Performance I don't know really how much I would be able to contribute, but I would love to help out by recieving and responding to the questionaire. Robert W. Riemersma 500 Anderson St. Greencastle, IN 46135 (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Sarah Werner Date: Wednesday, 12 May 93 23:54:27 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0289 Call for Paper: Shakespeare Through Performance Please add me to the list-- Sarah Werner, Department of English, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA 19104. (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Tom Loughlin Date: Wednesday, 12 May 1993 9:39 pm EDT (Thu, 13 May 93 01:39:04 UT) Subject: Call for Papers/Mailing Labels Since I assume Hardy posted Milla Riggion's request on the list, I would like to be considered for the Shakespeare in Performance volume. Hard copy address is listed in signature. --------------------------------------------------------------- Tom Loughlin * BITNET Dept. of Theatre Arts * loughlin@fredonia.bitnet SUNY College at Fredonia * INTERNET Fredonia NY 14063 * loughlin@jane.cs.fredonia.edu Voice: 716.673.3597 * Fax: 716.673.3397 * "Hail, hail Freedonia, land of * the brave and free." G. Marx --------------------------------------------------------------- ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 13 May 1993 20:07:42 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0293 More Rs: Shakespeare Through Performance Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 293. Thursday, 13 May 1993. (1) From: Skip Shand Date: Thursday, 13 May 1993 09:30 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0292 Re: Shakespeare Through Performance (2) From: Walter Cannon Date: Thursday, 13 May 1993 10:57:42 -0500 (CDT) Subj: RE: SHK 4.0289 Call for Paper: Shakespeare Through Performance (3) From: Timothy Dayne Pinnow Date: Thursday, 13 May 1993 11:59:33 -0700 Subj: [Shakespeare Through Performance] (4) From: Richard Gale Date: Thursday, 13 May 1993 12:43:58 -0500 (CDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0290 Re: Shakespeare Through Performance (5) From: Kay Stockholder Date: Thursday, 13 May 93 10:58:54 PDT Subj: SHK 4.0290 Re: Shakespeare Through Performance (6) From: Jean Peterson Date: Thursday, 13 May 1993 14:39:00 -0400 Subj: response to calls (7) From: Tony Naturale Date: Thursday, 13 May 1993 14:14:12 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0290 Re: Shakespeare Through Performance (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Skip Shand Date: Thursday, 13 May 1993 09:30 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0292 Re: Shakespeare Through Performance Me too! Me too! Skip Shand English / Drama Studies Glendon College 2275 Bayview Avenue Toronto, ON M4N 3M6 (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Walter Cannon Date: Thursday, 13 May 1993 10:57:42 -0500 (CDT) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0289 Call for Paper: Shakespeare Through Performance I would be interested in becoming a contributor and/or responding to the questionnaire. My hard-mail address is Walter Cannon Department of English Central College Pella, Iowa 50219 (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Timothy Dayne Pinnow Date: Thursday, 13 May 1993 11:59:33 -0700 Subject: [Shakespeare Through Performance] Please add my name to the questionnaire mailing list. It sounds like an exciting project. My snail mail address is in the signature. Timothy Dayne Pinnow Ass't. Prof. of Theatre St. Olaf College 1520 St. Olaf Ave Northfield MN 55057-1098 ph. 507/646-3327 Internet: pinnow@stolaf.edu (4)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Richard Gale Date: Thursday, 13 May 1993 12:43:58 -0500 (CDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0290 Re: Shakespeare Through Performance Please count me in as very intersted in responding. Richard Gale, 306 Lind Hall, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455 r.g. (5)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kay Stockholder Date: Thursday, 13 May 93 10:58:54 PDT Subject: SHK 4.0290 Re: Shakespeare Through Performance Please add my name too. Kay Stockholder, English Department, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C. V6T 1Z1 Canada. (6)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jean Peterson Date: Thursday, 13 May 1993 14:39:00 -0400 Subject: response to calls To Milla Riggio: Yes, I am very much interested in responding to the questionaire and perhaps contributing to the volume. Please add me to the list Jean Peterson Department of English Bucknell University Lewisburg, PA 17837 (7)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Tony Naturale Date: Thursday, 13 May 1993 14:14:12 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0290 Re: Shakespeare Through Performance I am interested in joining the project regarding reviews of Shakespeare Through Performance. My interests include Restoration plays, classical studies, and Deaf productions of Shakespeare's plays. Tony Naturale RIT-NTID Bldg LBJ, Room 2273 Rochester, NY 14623 Ph: (716) 475-6873 292-6189 (h) ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 13 May 1993 21:03:44 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0294 Re: *Hamlet* Interpretations Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 294. Thursday, 13 May 1993. (1) From: RONALD DWELLE Date: Thursday, 13 May 93 09:34:32 EST Subj: SHK 4.0291 Re: *Hamlet* Interpretation (2) From: Kay Stockholder Date: Thursday, 13 May 93 10:56:58 PDT Subj: SHK 4.0291 Re: *Hamlet* Interpretation (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: RONALD DWELLE Date: Thursday, 13 May 93 09:34:32 EST Subject: SHK 4.0291 Re: *Hamlet* Interpretation Hope College in Holland, Michigan, staged an unusual production of Hamlet this spring. It was notable for multiple actors (both male and female) playing the major roles. I think there were 6 actors playing Hamlet (at different times, of course), 4 Ophelia, and a couple Claudius and Gertrude. The only difficulty--given the extensive cutting of lines--was in figuring out which character was speaking when a new Hamlet or Ophelia appeared. Otherwise it was quite effective, with an unusually manifold interpretation of character. I had never seen a female Hamlet, but it was quite revealing. (I don't know this for sure, but suspect the college had many more accomplished women actors than men, this year, and the multiple actors helped out. It also gave more actors the opportunity to play major [and different] roles.) Ron Dwelle (dweller@gvsu.edu at Internet) (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kay Stockholder Date: Thursday, 13 May 93 10:56:58 PDT Subject: SHK 4.0291 Re: *Hamlet* Interpretation Yes, that is the movie I had in mind. I thought it was pretty good. It didn't make Hamlet a very attractive character, but it did draw on and highlight elements that pervade the play. Cynical, but nice. Thanks. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 13 May 1993 21:06:57 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0295 [was unnumbered] *Ado* Review Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 295. Thursday, 13 May 1993. From: Jean Peterson Date: Thursday, 13 May 1993 14:39:00 -0400 Subject: much ado Anyone seeking an antidote to Frank Rich's fulsome review of Branagh's *Much Ado* in the NY Times might check out the *Village Voice* this week. Typically, the *Voice* is too cool to like anything much (even Emma Thompson!). I had some problems with the film, but I'm not this cynical. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 14 May 1993 07:35:48 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0296 *Hamlet Goes Business* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 296. Friday, 14 May 1993. From: Balz Engler Date: Thursday, 13 May 1993 22:28:00 +0200 Subject: SHK 4.0291 Re: *Hamlet* Interpretation Note that "Hamlet Goes Business" is not a Danish movie, but one be the well-known Finnish director Aki Kaurismaeki. The business is not construction, but, yes, rubber-ducks. There are some interesting changes in the plot, apart from modernisation. Horatio is Hamlet's driver, and it is he who takes over at the end rather than Fortinbras. It is a very interesting adaptation--I am discussing it in a seminar this term. Kaurismaeki is at least well known in Europe, as the director of *I Hired a Contract-Killer* and *The Girl from the Match Factory*, also *Leningrad Cowboys Go West* and *Ariel*. Balz Engler, University of Basel ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 14 May 1993 07:39:35 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0297 Announcement of Job Opening Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 297. Friday, 14 May 1993. From: John Boening Date: Thursday, 13 May 1993 13:47:04 -0500 (EST) Subject: Announcement of Job Opening UNIVERSITY OF TOLEDO, DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH, TOLEDO OH 43606 Visiting Assistant Professor. Shakespeare and English Renaissance Literature. One-year appointment, beginning Fall 1993. (We expect to be able to advertise a tenure-track line for this position to begin Fall 1994.) Ph.D. preferable. Publications desirable. The University of Toledo is an equal opportunity/ affirmative action employer, and we strongly endourage women and members of minority groups to apply. The search committee will begin screening applications on June 10. Send letter of application and dossier (to include c. v. and three letters of reference) to Professor John Boening, Chair, Department of English, University of Toledo, Toledo OH 43606. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 14 May 1993 07:45:31 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0298 More Rs: Shakespeare Through Performance Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 298. Friday, 14 May 1993. (1) From: Robert O'Connor Date: Friday, 14 May 1993 12:20:34 +1000 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0289 Call for Paper: Shakespeare Through Performance (2) From: John Aney Date: Thursday, 13 May 93 12:22:19 EST Subj: Shakespeare through Performance (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Robert O'Connor Date: Friday, 14 May 1993 12:20:34 +1000 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0289 Call for Paper: Shakespeare Through Performance Definitely a good idea! I see several other SHAKSPEReans have joined up, and I shall join them. Robert F. O'Connor ocoreng@durras.anu.edu.au English Department Australian National University Canberra ACT 2601 AUSTRALIA (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John Aney Date: Thursday, 13 May 93 12:22:19 EST Subject: Shakespeare through Performance Please include me on the list for the questionairre...this is a subject I am very interested in. My snail-mail address is: John T. Aney 430 S. Dunn, #301 Bloomington, IN 47401 after Memorial Day it will be: John T. Aney 9403 SW 74th Ave Portland, OR 97223 Can't wait to get involved in any way I can! ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 14 May 1993 18:39:09 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0299 More on *Hamlet* Interpretations Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 299. Friday, 14 May 1993. (1) From: John Cox Date: Friday, 14 May 1993 08:57 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0294 Re: *Hamlet* Interpretations (2) From: Tad Davis Date: Friday, 14 May 93 9:18:22 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0294 Re: *Hamlet* Interpretations (3) From: Robert Burke Date: Friday, 14 May 1993 12:31:02 -0500 (CDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0296 *Hamlet Goes Business* (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John Cox Date: Friday, 14 May 1993 08:57 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0294 Re: *Hamlet* Interpretations I have passed Ronald Dwelle's description of the Hope College *Hamlet* on to John Tammi, who directed it. I believe I'm right in saying that the inspira- tion for multiple actors/actresses in the same role came from SHAKSPER. I sent Tammi several SHAKSPER notices about *Hamlet* productions last fall, when he was planning the production. Some (or one?) of them included the idea of more than one person playing the same character. John Cox (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Tad Davis Date: Friday, 14 May 93 9:18:22 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0294 Re: *Hamlet* Interpretations I haven't seen it mentioned here (maybe I missed it in passing)... but I just ran across Marvin Rosenberg's "The Masks of Hamlet" in the library. A veritable feast for those who like to wallow in Shakespeare in general and this play in particular. Rosenberg's "The Masks of Lear" was one of those mind-bending books I read many years ago that helped cement me to Shakespeare for life. Tad Davis davist@a1.relay.upenn.edu (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Robert Burke Date: Friday, 14 May 1993 12:31:02 -0500 (CDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0296 *Hamlet Goes Business* Since several have shared "interesting" adaptations of Hamlet, some might be interested to hear of a small theatre group in Omaha sometime in the winter of 1992. They put on a production called Fortinbras Got Drunk. Though I did not find the overall impact very compelling, the premise was fun: the entire Hamlet story was a plot by the Norwegian government to undermine the rule of Claudius. In this version, the Ghost was a hired Norwegian agent. And if I recall Polonius was also in the Norwegian employ. Fun, if ultimately unsuccessful. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 14 May 1993 18:46:16 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0300 More Interest in Performance Project Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 300. Friday, 14 May 1993. (1) From: Constance Relihan Date: Friday, 14 May 1993 08:07 CST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0293 More Rs: Shakespeare Through Performance (2) From: Todd Lidh Date: Friday, 14 May 93 09:51:39 EDT Subj: Shakespeare through Performace (3) From: Hardin Aasand Date: Friday, 14 May 93 10:53:01 MDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0298 More Rs: Shakespeare Through Performance (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Constance Relihan Date: Friday, 14 May 1993 08:07 CST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0293 More Rs: Shakespeare Through Performance I'm also very interested in responding to the Shakespeare through Performance questionnaire. Constance C. Relihan Dept. of English Auburn University Auburn, AL 36849-5203 (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Todd Lidh Date: Friday, 14 May 93 09:51:39 EDT Subject: Shakespeare through Performace Milla, I will be teaching a class this fall which will combine discussion of Shakespeare's text and modern interpretations of his work (in addition to Beckett and Miller). I would be very interested in contributing and benefitting from your project. Todd M. Lidh School of Business 106 Old North Georgetown University Washington, DC 20057-1008 (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Hardin Aasand Date: Friday, 14 May 93 10:53:01 MDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0298 More Rs: Shakespeare Through Performance Likewise for me, regarding a questionaire and possible contribution to the performance project. Hardin Aasand Dept. of English Dickinson State University Dickinson, N.D. 58601 ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 14 May 1993 18:49:11 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0301 Q: Oregon Shakespeare Festival Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 301. Friday, 14 May 1993. From: Jon Enriquez Date: Friday, 14 May 1993 09:21 EDT Subject: Oregon Shakespeare Festival As part of my honeymoon on the Oregon coast this summer, my wife and I will be visiting the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland. I'd greatly appreciate any tips from vets of the Festival on any aspect of it, including: What are the indoor theatres like? Any comments on productions this season? Is there a charming little restaurant/hotel/shop that is cheap/delicious/uncrowded/unique? I will be indebted to those who respond either directly to me or to the list, and I will of course post reviews when I get back (or earlier, depending on Bitnet access in area B&Bs...). Jon Enriquez The Graduate School Georgetown University ENRIQUEZJ@guvax (Bitnet) ENRIQUEZJ@guvax.georgetown.edu (Internet) ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 15 May 1993 15:17:41 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0302 *Ado* Reviews Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 302. Saturday, 15 May 1993. From: William Godshalk Date: Friday, 14 May 1993 23:21:54 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Barton's Review of "Ado" I'm surprised that no one has yet mentioned Anne Barton's review of "Much Ado" in THE NEW YORK REVIEW OF BOOKS, May 27, 1993, pp. 11-13. Among many other things, Barton writes: "Imaginative, intelligent, and brilliantly filmed, Branagh's 'Much Ado' deserves a big success, not only for those reasons, but because it is likely to make many people -- especially the young -- understand that Shakespeare can be vital, interesting, moving, and fun. . . . Branagh's 'Much Ado' is significantly better than his 'Henry V'" (p. 13). Is our girl stepping on any critical toes out there? Yours, Bill Godshalk ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 15 May 1993 15:20:55 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0303 Re: Oregon Shakespeare Festival Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 303. Saturday, 15 May 1993. From: Timothy Bowden Date: Friday, 14 May 93 16:24:47 PST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0301 Q: Oregon Shakespeare Festival > From: Jon Enriquez > As part of my honeymoon on the Oregon coast this summer, my wife > and I will be visiting the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland. > I'd greatly appreciate any tips from vets of the Festival on any > aspect of it, including: What are the indoor theatres like? First let me say I have not been there in too many years, but I suspect this warning still holds: accoustics are such that crowd noise will blot out whole lines in the large indoor theatre. It was the one and only frustrating, enraging aspect of our several trips up there. We would take a tube tent and set it up in a campground down the highway towards Mefford and we would walk about all day downtown, there were Ye Olde type pubs and an organic sprouts-and-leeks sandwiche shop and when the wind came into the outdoor theatre the old ones would rise while Lear was praying for pity at the footlights to wrap up in overcoats, and it rained, and there were never enough tickets for everything we wanted to see (in those days the Black Swan was an invitation-only cast tryout free to friends of friends of the troup), but it was all fine, all of it, except for the tourists inside who insisted on chatting during the performance, kids on a bus tour, a middle-aged couple more used to TV or other entertainments you could freely interrupt without loss, I tell you, if I would have liked one bit of advice on attending Ashland, it would be: Beware the tourists indoors! ========================================================= tcbowden@clovis.felton.ca.us (Timothy Bowden) uunet!scruz.ucsc.edu!clovis.felton.ca.us!tcbowden Clovis in Felton, CA ========================================================= ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 17 May 1993 06:34:08 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0304 A Brief Hiatus for SHAKSPER Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 304. Sunday, 16 May 1993. From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Sunday, May 16, 1993 Subject: SHAKSPER Brief Hiatus Dear SHAKSPEReans, This week the VAX at my University undergoes its spring cleaning. I was privately told that the VAX would most likely be down all of Monday and Tuesday (May 17-18) and up intermittently on Wednesday (May 19) with full service expected to be restored on Thursday or Friday (May 20-21). In the past, during shutdowns of this duration, my e-mail has be queued for me so that when I am back on-line I normally get all the messages that have been sent to me. When you begin to receive SHAKSPER digests again, you can assume that we are back in business. If you send a posting for SHAKSPER during the next few days and don't see it in a digest after our hiatus, please resubmit it. Hardy M. Cook Editor of SHAKSPER ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 19 May 1993 21:40:17 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0305 Another Spinoff Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 305. Wednesday, 19 May 1993. From: Tad Davis Date: Sunday, 16 May 93 22:49:57 EDT Subject: Another Spinoff While stuck in five separate traffic jams on I-95 this afternoon, I was listening to a favorite tape, and I remembered an unexpected "spinoff" I forgot to mention when the topic was hot. I haven't heard this mentioned elsewhere. My apologies if it's old news. In any case.... the spinoff is the Beatles' song "I Am the Walrus." If you listen closely, at two points in the song you can hear snatches of dialogue from "King Lear." The clearest is at the very end, as the "jubba-jubba's" are fading away: someone launches into Oswald's death speech: "Slave! Thou hast slain me. Villain, take my purse..." and continues through until the line: "O, untimely death!" You can also hear Edgar denouncing him as "a serviceable villain, as duteous to the vices of thy mistress as badness would desire." Somewhat earlier in the song, in one of the instrumental bridges between verses, you can hear Edgar describing himself as "a most poor man, made tame to fortune's blows." The voices don't sound to me like the Beatles themselves: I believe it's a recording of an actual performance. I'd be REALLY curious to know if anyone has ever seen mention of this (to me) utterly fascinating bit of trivia. Tad Davis davist@mercury.umis.upenn.edu ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 19 May 1993 21:47:19 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0306 Re: Oregon Shakespeare Festival and Talking at Plays Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 306. Wednesday, 19 May 1993. (1) From: William Kemp Date: Monday, 17 May 93 9:46:30 EDT Subj: talking at plays (2) From: Nate Johnson Date: Monday, 17 May 93 11:35:19 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0303 Re: Oregon Shakespeare Festival (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Kemp Date: Monday, 17 May 93 9:46:30 EDT Subject: talking at plays Commenting on the Oregon festival, Timothy Bowden mentions an objectionable middle-aged couple who talked during a performance as if they watching T. V. It's a common problem, of course, and I suspect that we've all ascribed it to the same cause: theatrical novices who don't know the etiquette of theater-going (be quiet so I can hear). I wonder about the cause. Was there some golden age of proper audiences (which would have been just before I started going to the theater) who were respectfully quiet during performances? Or is this notion a way of classing theater-goers with concert audiences as nice people who are appropriately respectful in the vacinity of sacred art? Bill Kemp Mary Washington College Fredericksburg, Va. wkemp@s850.mwc.edu (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Nate Johnson Date: Monday, 17 May 93 11:35:19 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0303 Re: Oregon Shakespeare Festival It sounds like Timothy Bowden has had some bad luck with his trips to Ashland. I grew up on the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and remember very few instances of bad weather or lines rendered inaudible by crowd noise. In the summer, the weather for the outdoor performances is generally perfect. Make an effort to see an evening performance outside. As to the problem of inconsiderate "tourists" in Ashland, a comment by Jonathan Culler in "The Semiotics of Tourism" (whether or not one agrees with the theoretical premises), seems appropriate: "Once one recognizes that wanting to be less touristy than other tourists is part of being a tourist, one can recognize the superficiality of most discussions of tourism, especially those that stress the superficiality of tourists." The problem, in the case of Timothy Bowden's experience, which hasn't generally been a problem for me, isn't inconsiderate "tourists," but inconsiderate people. While you're in Oregon, you might check out Jacksonville, a very pretty 19th century pioneer town with some good shops and restaurants, not far from Ashland. On the Oregon coast, especially for the honeymoon of a literary couple, check out the Sylvia Beach hotel in Newport. Each room is decorated with a different major author in mind. I remember the Poe room, the Dr. Seuss room, and the Melville room, among many others. There's a library and tea room on the top floor and a restaurant, "Tables of Content" on the bottom. Even if you don't stay there (which you should, since it's not expensive) try to get a peek at some of the rooms. And have a great time! --Nate Johnson ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 19 May 1993 21:54:03 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0307 An *Ado* Review Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 307. Wednesday, 19 May 1993. From: Cary M. Mazer Date: Monday, 17 May 93 23:43:29 EDT Subject: Branagh's *Much Ado* Since everyone is talking about the reviews of Branagh's *Much Ado*, I thought you'd like to see mine. It'll will appear this Thursday in the Philadelphia *City Paper*, an alternative weekly. I normally serve as the paper's theatre critic but will occasional review a film if it touches upon my theatrical interests. N.B.: The review is written for a general, not a scholarly, readership. Cary M. Mazer If you remember that long tracking shot after the battle of Agincourt in Kenneth Branagh's film version of *Henry V* a few years ago - in which the king walks the length of the battlefield with the slain boy in his arms, as the victorious army sings Te Deum to a Hollywood-style, John Williams-esque, orchestral accompaniment - you'll know that Branagh likes to brand his Shakespeare films with a Big Memorable Sequence (B.M.S.). In his new movie version of Shakespeare's comedy, *Much Ado About Nothing*, there are not one but two B.M.S.s, the first one only a few minutes into the film. As soon as Leonato's household, all lounging democratically about under a tree picnicking on wine and cheese, receive the news that Don Pedro has won the war and will arrive in just a few moments, the screen erupts into a flurry of activity and camera work. We are bombarded with shots of the gallants on horseback, galloping in slow motion towards the camera as if in a Hollywood western, and of the womenfolk rushing en masse to the house to prepare themselves for the men. The camera cuts back and forth between slo-mo close-ups of the horses' flaring nostrils and women's breasts bouncing up and down beneath their linen blouses. With flashes of bare female backs and naked male buttocks, all of the characters rip off their clothes and plunge into communal single-sex baths to wash off the grime of the battlefield and the vineyards, as they all get themselves ready for love. What follows is one beautifully-set, gloriously-filmed, noisy, and incessant series of parties, dances, feasts, and picnics of so many Italians in heat, doing a two-hour frenzied courtship dance set to Shakespeare's word-music. One of the two main courtship plots rests principally on American actors: the young Count Claudio (Robert Sean Leonard) woos Leonato's daughter Hero (Kate Beckinsale) with the help of Don Pedro (Denzel Washington), only to be twice deceived by Don Pedro's bastard brother, Don John (Keanu Reeves). Leonard plays Claudio much as the would-be prep-school actor he played in *Dead Poets Society* would have played him: as an earnest young man so puppyishly in love with Hero that he's willing to believe the worst about her because he can never really believe his own good fortune. Denzel Washington is charming, sexy, and aristocratic, in the most relaxed, natural and organic sense of the word. Reeves is unspeakably awful. And, aside from being quite lovely, its hard to tell *what* Beckinsale is (including her nationality, since Branagh has cut down her role to even fewer lines than Katherine Ross spoke in *Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid*). Like the title character in the final sequence of Disney's *Little Mermaid*, she remains a mostly silent presence throughout the entire film, an object of transaction in the marital commodities exchange, whose value is subject to rapid market fluctuations. As it often does, the real energy in *Much Ado About Nothing* comes from the comic courtship of Beatrice and Benedick, the two warring and flirting non-lovers with acid tongues, who rail at marriage and at one another. And with Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson in the roles, the screen bristles with sexual energy, which they can barely conceal from themselves or from one another beneath their verbal repartee. Thompson in particular conveys a depth of feeling that holds the whole movie together, and that almost makes up for Reeves's scowls and Leonard's quivering lower lip. Only Washington can match her - which he effectively does, in their one quiet scene together early on (which I always use as an acid test for productions of the play). The casting of Michael Keaton as Dogberry could have been a stroke of genius, but the result is monstrous. Keaton plays the self-important constable as if he were still playing Beetlejuice; he's a cross between Moe Howard, Long John Silver, and a gargoyle, doing Monty-Python shtick with an imaginary horse. When Dogberry long-windedly interrupts Leonato (Richard Briers) on his way to his daughter's wedding, Leonato looks at him with strained patience, as though Briers were waiting for Keaton to finish his speech and let the rest of them get on with the movie. If Branagh felt he needed American movie-stars to attract American audiences, he needn't have worried. The story-telling is clear and economical, and the language (what's left of it) doesn't stand in the way of the pictures. Indeed, the whole enterprise reeks of Hollywood. And if you thought Patrick Doyle's incessant movie-music was grandiose for *Henry V*, you'll want to strangle him, and gag his entire orchestra, here. Branagh just won't let you know whether or not he's being slyly ironic: not in the overlapping images of Beatrice and Benedick ecstatically in love, romping in soft-focus slow-motion as though they were is a perfume commercial. Not in the film's opening moments, when Emma Thompson recites the lyrics to the song "Sigh no more, ladies,'' while the words appear on the screen. And not in the movie's final moments (the second Big Memorable Sequence) when the camera soars off the ground and looks down on the entire company doing a frenzied daisy-chain dance of love around the estate, as though they were all stricken with St. Vitus Dance. If Branagh is being ironic in this, then the joke's on us. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 19 May 1993 22:05:45 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0308 Editor's Query: SHAKSPER's Uses Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 308. Wednesday, 19 May 1993. From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Wednesday, May 19, 1993 Subject: Query: SHAKSPER's Uses Dear SHAKSPEReans, A number of happenings last week reminded me of a query (or should I say queries) I wanted to put before the Conference. On Thursday, after reading Roy Flannagan's review of the New Variorum *Antony and Cleopatra* in the most recent *Shakespeare Quarterly*, I noticed that Roy mentioned in his contribution biography that he is an active participant in SHAKSPER. I wrote to him to thank him for the plug and learned in his reply that in an essay, "Shakespeare Enters the Electronic Age" for a new NCTE publication, *Teaching Shakespeare*, he also referred to "the lively discussions on SHAKSPER." Soon after this electronic exchange, John Cox sent the following posting to SHAKSPER [SHK 4.0299]: >I have passed Ronald Dwelle's description of the Hope College *Hamlet* on to >John Tammi, who directed it. I believe I'm right in saying that the inspira- >tion for multiple actors/actresses in the same role came from SHAKSPER. I >sent Tammi several SHAKSPER notices about *Hamlet* productions last fall, >when he was planning the production. Some (or one?) of them included the >idea of more than one person playing the same character. These occurrences reminded that Balz Engler in a private correspondence to me a few months ago mentioned that he had cited SHAKSPER in two articles he had written -- one in "the most recent edition of *Shakespeare-Jahrbuch* (in German), and in *Cahiers Elisabethains* (in English, forthcoming)." I also know from private correspondences that several of our undergraduate members have cited discussions on SHAKSPER in their papers. Obviously, I am delighted in the growing role SHAKSPER plays in scholarly discourse. SHAKSPER performs many other useful functions: daily postings include everything from job announcements, conference announcements, and calls for papers, to reviews, notes, queries, and our wide-ranging discussions. This past fall Tom Loughlin used SHAKSPER to recruit advisers for his students' research papers (See LEARNING BY_EMAIL on the FileServer). Others have written to me expressing ideas involving further innovative roles for SHAKSPER and the SHAKSPER FileServer. With these facts in mind, my questions for the members of SHAKSPER are How do you use SHAKSPER? What role does SHAKSPER play in your life (professional or otherwise)? What roles do you foresee SHAKSPER might play? In short, what are we doing well, what could we do better, and what might we also do? Hardy M. Cook Editor of SHAKSPER Bowie State University PS: These are not totally disinterested questions. I spend on average an hour a day doing work associated with SHAKSPER -- editing and posting digests, adding and deleting members, editing the current BIOGRAFY files to add the often daily new members, keeping the MEMBERS and FILES files up-to-date, doing the monthly chores of updating the DISCUSSion INDEXes, the NEWMEMBR PACKAGE, and the FILES list, answering off-line questions and other correspondences, and maintaining the files on the FileServer. I do these tasks because I enjoy the work and because I firmly believe that SHAKSPER provides significantly valuable services to its members. I hope these questions will generate discussions that will enable me to improve and to expand those services. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 21 May 1993 14:44:14 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0310 Re: Talking at Plays Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 310. Friday, 21 May 1993. From: Balz Engler Date: Thursday, 20 May 1993 12:43:30 +0200 Subject: Re: Talking at Plays Instead of complaining about people talking at plays, we should remember how short the history of being *silent* at plays, and how restricted its scope is. Silence is characteristic of the literary (not the popular) theatre, and it is associated with bourgeois audiences, who, as with concerts since the 18th century, came to perceive performances of "works of art" as a kind of religious service, with its clearly defined spaces for audience response (applause not between single movements, but only at the end of a piece; in the theatre applause before the interval, and at the end, but rarely elsewhere. There is, of course, another question still: Do different periods have different kinds of audience behaviour, and to what extent is this determined by the experience of other media? Not much work has been done on this, as far as I know, but I should be interested in learning more about it. Balz Engler University of Basel, Switzerland ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 21 May 1993 14:44:52 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0311 Q: Filmscripts Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 311. Friday, 21 May 1993. From: Milla Riggio Date: Thursday, 20 May 1993 11:03 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0307 An *Ado* Review To SHAKESPEREANS! I know that the filmscripts for the Olivier and Branagh Henry V's have been available. Can anyone tell me if they are now available in print and, if so, if they can be gotten in the U.S.? This ought to be information easily available, but for some reason I'm having trouble coming up with it, though I've tried the usual bookstore and library sources? So, HELP! Thanks. Milla Riggio ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 21 May 1993 14:43:41 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0309 Rs: SHAKSPER's Uses Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 309. Friday, 21 May 1993. (1) From: Robert R. Burke Date: Wednesday, 19 May 1993 22:23:36 -0500 (CDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0308 Editor's Query: SHAKSPER's Uses (2) From: Steve Urkowitz Date: Wednesday, 19 May 93 22:53:42 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0308 Editor's Query: SHAKSPER's Uses (3) From: Vint Cerf <0003786240@mcimail.com> Date: Thursday, 20 May 93 10:34 GMT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0308 Editor's Query: SHAKSPER's Uses (4) From: Balz Engler Date: Thursday, 20 May 1993 13:00:35 +0200 Subj: SHK 4.0308 Editor's Query: SHAKSPER's Uses (5) From: Ed Pechter Date: Thursday, 20 May 1993 08:59 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0308 Editor's Query: SHAKSPER's Uses (6) From: Nick Clary Date: Thursday, 20 May 1993 09:19:07 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0308 Editor's Query: SHAKSPER's Uses (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Robert R. Burke Date: Wednesday, 19 May 1993 22:23:36 -0500 (CDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0308 Editor's Query: SHAKSPER's Uses Thank you for sending on the Roy Flannagan mention of Shaksper. I am glad it stimulated your queries. As a fairly recent member of Shaksper, I am only learning the number of ways it can be of very valuable help. I have been particularly interested in the reactions of people to various performances. As you may have noticed from my own query about the friar in Branagh's 'Much Ado', I have seen the possibility of asking for help on a research project I am involved in. Also, when I find a review that I find particularly insightful, I print it out and put it in my file. If, through your good efforts, we can talk informally with others interested in the field, then you are rendering a great service, for which I am grateful (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Steve Urkowitz Date: Wednesday, 19 May 93 22:53:42 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0308 Editor's Query: SHAKSPER's Uses How do you use SHAKSPER? he asks . . . Hmmm. Like, "how do you use a mailbox?" Sometimes for getting mail, sometimes for sending mail, sometimes for hiding things in, sometimes for holding flowers, and sometimes as a target for frustrations. Sometimes as a comforting symbol that I'm not alone in the dialogue of blessings that come from reading and talking about these plays. For a while SHAKSPER was a major place for me to dance with language, joking across the keyboard. Then a few sneering remarks, particularly one from Antony Hammond ("Sir Oracle" around the house, editor of a peculiarly pugnacious RIII edition at the office, I guess) soured the enterprise for a while. And so many grumpy reactions to Brannaugh's ADO . . . whew! I found that movie immensely generous, good willed, beautiful, and I've been wincing at all the lacerating remarks in reviews and SHAKSPER comments . . . Years ago I first read Loves Labors Lost in a class with William Ringler at Chicago. He talked a little about the play first, and then he said, "there's one line in this play that is the most important. Can you guess which?" Maybe the reason I had the confidence (or nerve) to go at Shakespeare professionally was that I guessed right, for Ringler, Holofernes response to the baiting, "This is not generous, not gentle, not humble." But it's the end of the semester, back into play, splash waterdrops even more vigorously than they get splashed at us, romp in the exuberance of our chosen art. Hardy Cook asks what would you like to see. In planning for next semester, what are people's comments about the editions they have been using? Has anyone else seen the Cambridge School Shakespeare texts from the editors of the British SHAKESPEARE AND SCHOOLS journal? I'm fascinated by the suggestions for games and improvisations and practical exercises it offers, and I want to assign it for my graduate students so they will see how experienced master-teachers can animate the experience of studying these texts. I'd like to hear about any collection of essays that other instructors prepare for students. What texts, background readings, other materials do people put on reserve in libraries or duplicate for classes? Does anyone else know Michael Long, THE UNNATURAL SCENE, a text now out of print that I hand out chapters of to anyone who will fight through his muscular prose? It's late. I've eaten very well. I wish you all joy, especially Antony Hammond, since good digestion delights even more when the whole company is happy. Thank you, Hardy, for spreading this various table for us out here in the forest. As ever, Steve Holofernowitz SURCC@CUNYVM (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Vint Cerf <0003786240@mcimail.com> Date: Thursday, 20 May 93 10:34 GMT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0308 Editor's Query: SHAKSPER's Uses SHAKSPERians, If you respond to the request to describe how you make use of SHAKSPER, I would like to request that the assembled results be made available for publication, possibly in edited form, by the Internet Society. As President of that organization, I am always looking for opportunities to educate people about the wide range of applications of computer and communication technology. It's especially important to teach the technocrats that there is more to this than the technology and that people with other than technical interests are making very effective use of computer and communication-based tools. Many thanks for this consideration. Vint Cerf (4)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Balz Engler Date: Thursday, 20 May 1993 13:00:35 +0200 Subject: SHK 4.0308 Editor's Query: SHAKSPER's Uses Dear Hardy, Here are some brief answers: How do you use SHAKSPER? I regularly read what I find in my mailbox. I occasionally place a query in it--response is sometimes impressive, sometimes the silence is intriguing. What does SHAKSPER play in your life? For one thing, I am spared the disappointment of finding my mailbox empty. Occasionally (emphasis: occasionally) I find something that is of professional interest to me. What roles do you foresee ...? I find SHAKSPER a well-managed conference. I should like to see more debate on central issues of Shakespeare studies, instead of reviews of minor productions. I should like a larger number of Shakespeare specialists included. Perhaps I have not yet got the feeling that SHAKSPER has been able to do what electronic conferences after all should be able to do best: Offer the latest in thinking about a topic. Doing well ... could be done better ... etc. Avoid chat, promote spirited conversation. For the rest, a conference will always be as good as its participants. Also: Make sure that the messages are of interest for, say, at least twenty percent of the subscribers. Otherwise, encourage private communication. Having said all this, I think you should be congratulated on doing a very good job. Don't do more. Best, Balz. Balz Engler University of Basel, Switzerland (5)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ed Pechter Date: Thursday, 20 May 1993 08:59 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0308 Editor's Query: SHAKSPER's Uses Dear Hardy, I'm sure you'll get a lot of interesting answers to your questions about the uses of the conference. They'll confirm what I'm sure we all already know (if we think about it): that SHAKSPER plays a significant part--many significant parts--in our professional lives. I sometimes wonder what it costs you in time & energy to keep SHAKSPER going. It seems to me that your efforts should be compensated. Give me the name & address of the purse string holder at Bowie State, & I'll write a letter expressing my appreciation of and dependence upon your work. You may construe this as a personal response, but I'd just as soon you distribute it, along with the information I requested about the money person at Bowie State, so that other members can do what they want. All best wishes, Ed (6)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Nick Clary Date: Thursday, 20 May 1993 09:19:07 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0308 Editor's Query: SHAKSPER's Uses Dear Hardy, SHAKSPER is a wonderful way to begin the day. Although I do not actively join every conversation, I enjoy following their progresses. My undergraduate students often read the daily postings and some have raised questions or contributed observations. I also post printed copies of various items on a small bulletin board outside my office door. In fact, it is a rare day that waiting students and passers-by will not find an interesting question, an animated exchange, or a review pinned to this board. Next semester I will ask students to locate a conversation of particular interest to them (nudging it along if the contributors have too quickly agreed to disagree or have failed to attend to one another's points) and have them prepare a brief summary and analysis of this sample discourse for other members of the class. At the end of the semester, I will invite them to comment on the value of this medium (and exercise) as a component of the course. By the way, it is difficult for me to believe that you can supervise the Bulletin Board by setting aside only an hour a day. Keep up the fine work. Nick Clary New address: CLARY@SMCVAX.SMCVT.EDU ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 22 May 1993 08:32:36 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0312 New Folger Head of Library Services Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 312. Saturday, 22 May 1993. From: Henry Raine Date: Thursday, 20 May 93 13:59:35 PDT Subject: Folger Head of Library Services The Folger Shakespeare Library is pleased to announce the appointment of Richard J. Kuhta as Librarian. Mr. Kuhta, University Librarian at St. Lawrence University since 1986, is a graduate of Swarthmore College, and completed his graduate work at the Shakespeare Institute, University of Birmingham, England, at Trinity College, Dublin, and at Columbia University. He replaces Philip Knachel, who is retiring from the Folger after over 33 years of service. Mr. Kuhta will assume his duties on February 1, 1994. ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 22 May 1993 08:35:36 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0313 Q: The Chandos Portrait Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 313. Saturday, 22 May 1993. From: Helen Whall Date: Thursday, 20 May 1993 12:15:56 -0400 (EDT) Subject: The Chandos Portrait Not too long ago, if memory serves me, there was some mention on the network of the Chandos portrait. It was of but passing interest to me at the time but has now come to the fore in some work I am doing. I would be grateful if anyone having information about the (on again/off again) attribution of the portrait to Burbage could bring us up to date? Has there been any new evidence since Schoenbaum's, "Images of Shakespeare"? Thanks Helen Whall Holy Cross College ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 22 May 1993 08:42:58 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0314 Rs: Another Spinoff Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 314. Saturday, 22 May 1993. (1) From: John Mucci Date: Thursday, 20 May 93 13:21:42-0400 Subj: Spinoff reply (2) From: Louis Schwartz Date: Thursday, 20 May 1993 11:50:18 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0305 Another Spinoff (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John Mucci Date: Thursday, 20 May 93 13:21:42-0400 Subject: Spinoff reply Tad Davis is correct in the observation of a passage from King Lear appearing in the Beatles' "I Am the Walrus." I believe in the book SHOUT, as well as in a television documentary, John Lennon talked enthusiastically about how the ending of "Walrus" was achieved; in the final mix he gathered bits and pieces of tape lying about the studio from other people's sessions to add in the audio montage, and finally added something live from the radio, which was *Lear*--which then was mixed in and out of the song. (He used the same technique with "Revolution #9". The reason why he needed to describe how King Lear got into the song was, if you recall, ardent fans were insisting that Paul was dead and Lennon was using such ploys as a subtle appearance of a Shakespearean death scene--to tell us about it.) John Mucci GTE VisNet (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Louis Schwartz Date: Thursday, 20 May 1993 11:50:18 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0305 Another Spinoff Reply to Tad Davis: I don't remember the exact details, but the accounts I've read in several places says that while John Lennon was tinkering around with the mix of "I am the Walrus" a production of *Lear* was being recorded (for the BBC? for LP?) in another part of the studio building. He heard it on an intercom or some such thing that linked the studios and it struck his fancy so he mixed it in. The anecdote with more exact details can be found in any number of books about The Beatles. One of my most pleasurable moments as an undergraduate reader was when I read that scene in *Lear* for the first time and came to those lines. The last thing I expected to hear were echoes from the backgound of a song I had known for years. It was the first time I could ever make out what had always sounded like gibberish to me (except for "sit you down, father; rest you," which had always given me a weird chill just before the music sank into the surface noise of the LP, though I nver new where it came from or what it had to do with eggmen or walruses, what ever they are). Goo goo ga choo. Louis Schwartz SCHWARTZ@URVAX.URICH.EDU ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 22 May 1993 09:08:43 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0315 Re: Ashland Festival Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 315. Saturday, 22 May 1993. From: Michael Best Date: Thursday, 20 May 93 10:33:52 PDT Subject: Ashland Festival More on Ashland now that the mail is circulating again. I agree with Nate Johnson that Ashland is a delight and that the audiences are not boorish at all. Fresh (even naive, an experienced theatregoer might) say), yes. To the actor's great delight, Iago was booed for his curtain call last year. The character you love to hate. I've been going there each summer for the last 9 years for my annual hit of Shakespeare, and find that the level of production --though it varies inevitably -- is competent to outstanding, and certainly compares well with other companies I have seen at Stratford (Ont and Eng). It's a true repetory company, and actually does do all the plays in the canon, plus an occasional goodie from the period (a recent delight was *The Shoemakers' Holiday*). They also do regular classics and modern plays, experimental and predictable. The indoor theatre has excellent acoustics and sight lines, so you can sit anywhere and enjoy. The outdoor theatre has just been rebuilt with a gallery and wall around that cuts out most of the increasing sounds of the city. The result is actually more authentic, as the shape is more Globe-like, and the actors no longer have to act between fortissimo and forte. I've found Ashland remarkably untouristy, relative to other festival towns. You won't be ripped off the moment you set foot in the theatre, and there are free (and very good) performances of renaissance dance and music every night on the green in front of the theatre. Just don't get there on a Monday night -- there are no performances. Box office: (503) 482-4331. They can send info on B&B etc. Incidentally, Libby Appel, mentioned on this network recently, did a stunning *Winter's Tale* at Ashland a couple of seasons ago. ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 22 May 1993 09:13:29 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0316 [was 3.0316] Re: SHAKSPER's Uses Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 316. Saturday, 22 May 1993. From: Constance Relihan Date: Thursday, 20 May 1993 07:44 CST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0308 Editor's Query: SHAKSPER's Uses I'm eager to respond to your inquiry about how we use SHAKSPER because, as a relatively quiet member of the group, it might be suspected that I don't make much use of the network at all. This is far from true. Most recently, our discussions of antisemitism in _Merchant_ and of Lady Montague's death played a fairly large role in my senior-level Shakespeare course. Students charged with leading a classroom discussion on _R&J_, for instance, came to see me to try to find out why Lady Montague's death is reported in Act 5. I copied for them the exchanges on SHAKSPER about that issue, which they took home, read, pondered, and digested for the class. (We didn't reach a consensus, by the way, but the students were invigorated by knowing just how much debate about Shakespeare exists in the scholarly community and by realizing how alive these plays are for so many of us.) The antisemitism exchanges were used in a similar way during our discussion of _Merchant_. ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 22 May 1993 09:20:39 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0317 R: Filmscripts Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 317. Saturday, 22 May 1993. From: Georgianna Ziegler Date: Friday, 21 May 1993 16:22:52 -0500 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0311 Q: Filmscripts To all you Hank Cinque fans out there, here are the references to the printed scripts for the Branagh and Olivier versions: Branagh, Kenneth. *Henry V by William Shakespeare; a screen adaptation by Kenneth Branagh.* London: Chatto & Windus, 1989. *Henry V by William Shakespeare; produced and directed by Laurence Olivier.* London: Lorrimer; NY: Distributed by F. Ungar, 1984. (Classic film scripts 2). Price on this one is $8.95; don't know about the other! And, a current update on the Folger film holdings: we have just acquired the complete BBC tapes for the Shakespeare Plays. Happy viewing! ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 23 May 1993 09:59:21 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0320 Re: Filmscripts Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 320. Sunday, 23 May 1993. From: Milla Riggio Date: Saturday, 22 May 1993 16:42 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0317 R: Filmscripts Dear Georgianna: Thanks for the info on the Henry V filmscripts. I hope the price you quote means that the Olivier script is STILL available from Ungar. We had trouble finding an American reference, but I did not look myself. I depended on someone else, and I'll take a look myself. The Branagh pretty certainly is available only in England. So: I'll take it from there. Best wishes, Milla Riggio ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 23 May 1993 09:40:01 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0318 Re: SHAKSPER's Uses Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 318. Sunday, 23 May 1993. From: Michael Best Date: Saturday, 22 May 93 09:26:08 PDT Subject: SHAKSPER's Uses One of the things that delights me about the SHAKSPER network is that so many people can respond so quickly at times of the year when I'm rigid with classes to prepare, papers to mark . . . Another is that the community of interest is so wide, and that the responses to queries are (almost always) tolerant and helpful. I have collected all kinds of useful references for my general interest bibliography, and I have an extensive file of "clippings" -- comments that are useful, stimulating, amusing, whatever. I don't know about Vint Cerf's idea of publishing bits and pieces, however; one of the great things about email is that it has its own kind of discourse -- one where you type right on the mainframe without the useful gadgets of your favourite word processor, so you don't proof-read, or go and look up a precise reference. It's more like a good faculty/student lounge where you can chat and be a bit controversial /confrontational if the coffee/beer hits the right/wrong spot. And it saves paper too. ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 23 May 1993 09:45:26 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0318 Re: The Chandos Portrait Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 319. Sunday, 23 May 1993. From: Stephen Orgel Date: Saturday, 22 May 93 10:21:59 PDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0313 Q: The Chandos Portrait In reply to Helen Whall, the last I heard the Chandos was being attributed to Joseph Taylor, both an actor and member of the painters' and stainers' guild; but it also was being called somebody other than Shakespeare, which seems to me obviously correct if you look at both its provenance and its [lack of] relationship to the two unquestioned portraits, the Droushout frontispiece and the Stratford Memorial. Stephen Orgel ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 24 May 1993 18:47:01 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0324 Bottom's Cut Bowstrings Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 324. Monday, 24 May 1993. From: William Godshalk Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0322 Re: Talking in Plays Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 322. Monday, 24 May 1993. (1) From: Timothy Bowden Date: Sunday, 23 May 93 06:51:37 PST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0310 Re: Talking at Plays (2) From: John Cox Date: Monday, 24 May 1993 09:34 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0310 Re: Talking at Plays (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Timothy Bowden Date: Sunday, 23 May 93 06:51:37 PST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0310 Re: Talking at Plays There is a practical measure to be taken in the matter of distractions by the audience attending plays beyond the elitism implied by complaints about the tourist class. For me, it isn't a question of attending in utter silence a sacremental work of art, but neither is it an obeissance such as celebrating a mass and not needing to have the Latin translated. Succinctly, a play of Shakespeare's for me is diction, and if I don't hear it, I feel I've missed the show. Whatever the question of original Elizabethan intent, I doubt the Bard was fielding a mime troup. If you have experiences with a considerate and aware audience in Ashland, then those aren't the ones I'm writing about. But if you can sit through as I have the experience of having whole lines of dialogue blotted out by stage whispers in the crowd and even fast-food sack-rattling with complete aplomb, then I respect your equanimity (if suspect your reason for being there at all). (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John Cox Date: Monday, 24 May 1993 09:34 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0310 Re: Talking at Plays Balz Engler asks whether different periods have different kinds of audience behavior. For partial answer, see Marc Baer's *Theatre and Disorder in Late Georgian London* (Oxford, 1992), which documents a months-long theater strike by patrons. Shakespeare was still POPULAR at that point, and the strike was called to protest management's raising the ticket prices. Audience behavior was unimaginable by late-twentieth expectations: people constantly called out to actors, heckled, cheered, booed, stood up and turned their backs, etc. In fact, the strike took the form of people filling the theater but preventing the performance by means of noisy and disruptive behavior. If a quiet theater is the price we pay for an elite Shakespeare in today's theaters, is it a price we're willing to go on paying? John Cox ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 24 May 1993 18:28:04 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0323 Re: SHAKSPER's Uses Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 323. Monday, 24 May 1993. From: David Richman Date: Monday, 24 May 1993 15:43:23 -0400 (EDT) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0309 Rs: SHAKSPER's Uses Let me add my voice to the chorus of praise for SHAKSPER and gratitude to Hardy. For me, SHAKSPER always provides stimulating conversation, restoring collegiality in an age of increasing depersonalization. More than occasionally, I find the postings of professional interest. (To me, reviews and accounts of performances are always interesting, though, like Steve Urkowitz, I prefer those that incline to the generous, the gentle, the humble.) I have not yet found an excuse for incivility, and one of the things I value about SHAKSPER is its almost universal civility. Don't limit the discussion to "central issues." What are the central issues in Shakespeare studies? I suspect there will be as many answers to that question as there are subscribers. The wide range of these discussions is a virtue worth preserving. Finally, of course, there is a special use of SHAKSPER for me, and for other disabled users. It gives us information and opinion that is not readily available in other venues. I, for one, am grateful to be kept abreast of what so many fellow sojourners are thinking about. As for Hardy's editorship, Thanks, Thanks, and ever thanks. Certainly the editorship of SHAKSPER should garner as many kudos with the deanly set as the editorship of any other publication. If you, Hardy, are not getting appropriate professional credit for this, you should be--and I will gladly write a persuasive letter. David Richman ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 25 May 1993 21:28:45 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0325 *MND* Performance History Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 325. Tuesday, 25 May 1993. From: Zac Spitzer Date: Tuesday, 25 May 93 01:18:01 +1000 Subject: MSND Performance History Dear Fellow Shakespeareans, This is my first post to the group. A friend of mine is doing a thesis on a MSND; part of it is concerned with performance history. If anyone out there has some records of the like, they would be greatly appreciated. I have already gone through and collected all the relevant articles from the SHAKSPER archives. Of particular interest to my friend, Scott Crozier, who is unfortunately not on the net **yet**, is the 1992-1993 performance of MSND at The National Theatre in England of Robert Lepage. Thanks in advance. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 26 May 1993 14:40:51 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0326 More Uses for SHAKSPER Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 326. Wednesday, 26 May 1993. From: Tad Davis Date: Tuesday, 25 May 93 15:48:57 EDT Subject: More Uses of SHAKSPER Responding several days behind everyone else, as usual... The uses of SHAKSPER? Getting lists of recent books of interest. Locking horns with other interested parties over some minor point (such as the spelling of Hamnet Sadler's name); or over major issues of interpretation (such as Branagh's version of "Henry V"). Providing an outlet, so that one isn't so tempted to erupt at parties with discourses on the Mountjoy depositions, which NO ONE ELSE CARES ABOUT. Laughing at Steve Urkowitz's puns. Having the chance to listen in, and occasionally chime in, on discussions by noted scholars about the interpretation of certain characters or textual cruxes (cruci?). Learning about, and having the opportunity to participate in, interesting experiments like Tom Loughlin's Email consortium of mentors. Is it worth an hour a day of your time? Only you can answer that. But I can say without reservation that being a member of this list is an honor, a joy, an education, and a constant pleasure. I'm not a professional scholar, I can't attend the conferences, I don't have time to read the journals; SHAKSPER gives me a whiff of the action. Tad Davis davist@mercury.umis.upenn.edu ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 26 May 1993 14:45:19 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0327 Re: *MND* Performance History Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 327. Wednesday, 26 May 1993. From: Nick Clary Date: Wednesday, 26 May 1993 09:31:19 -0500 (EST) Subject: MSND Performance History The compilers of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM: AN ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY have provided a compact and fairly comprehensive resource for anyone who is still waiting for the MLA New Variorum edition of DREAM to come to completion. Garland published this bibliography in 1986. Samuel Leiter's SHAKESPEARE AROUND THE GLOBE: A GUIDE TO NOTABLE POSTWAR REVIVALS, published by Greenwood Press in 1986, is also quite useful. Michael Jamieson's essay and bibliography, "Shakespeare in Performance" (chapter 3 in SHAKESPEARE: A BIBLIOGRAPHICAL GUIDE, edited by Stanley Wells for OUP in 1990) contains references as recent as 1988, including Charles Shattuck's second volume of SHAKESPEARE ON THE AMERICAN STAGE. FROM BOOTH & BARRETT TO SOTHERN AND MARLOWE, 1987). The collection of RSC promptbooks as well as THEATRE RECORDS at the Shakespeare Centre Library, Stratford-upon-Avon, offer details on productions that extend well beyond the more compressed notices published in scholarly publications like SHAKESPEARE SURVEY. Other promptbooks (see Shattuck's THE SHAKESPEARE PROMPTBOOKS: A DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE, 1965, for starters) and compilations of reviews under various titles would provide further details. By the way, I am particularly fond of John Caird's 1989 RSC production (with John Carlisle as Oberon and Richard McCabe as Puck). I would certainly recommend research on the reception of this particular production, which created nearly as much stir as Peter Brook's 1970 RSC production. Nick Clary clary@smcvax.smcvt.edu ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 26 May 1993 14:52:06 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0328 Performance Project Volunteers Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 328. Wednesday, 26 May 1993. From: Milla Riggio Date: Wednesday, 26 May 1993 11:05 EST Subject: Performance Project Volunteers To David Richman and all others who have so far responded to my request: I have my secretarial staff now preparing a quick, more or less form letter to send via snail-mail to everyone whose name I have taken from the e-mail responses. This was Hardy Cook's very good suggestion about a way to make certain I've gotten all the names without burdening the e-mail waves with a listing. It will also insure that the labels we're now making up actually have the right addresses. This project will take a little while to complete, perhaps a week or so. I'll post a notice the day the mail goes out and then, if you have not gotten a letter from me within the next week or so, acknowledging your name on my list, please respond to me again. It means that I may have missed your posting. Meanwhile, regard this as another call. If you've been meaning to send me your name, or that of someone else you know who might be interested in receiving this questionnaire, but haven't gotten around to it, why not do it now? Meanwhile, David, since e-mail is better for you, know that you have been put on the list. Thanks, Milla Riggio ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 26 May 1993 14:56:10 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0329 Re: The Chandos Portrait Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 329. Wednesday, 26 May 1993. From: Leo Daugherty Date: Tuesday, 25 May 93 04:38:50 -0700 Subject: SHK 4.0313 Q: The Chandos Portrait In reply to Helen Whall, I think I'm the person who did the Chandos portrait query to SHAKSPER you mention. I netted no replies at the time, but I'm still interested and would ask that you send on to me any that you might get privately on email. In response to Stephen Orgel's response to Helen Whall's query: the problem for me is that I see no relationship between the Droeshout and the Monument, and that if I were looking for a picture of Shakespeare 15 or 20 years younger than we see him in the Stratford bust, I might think I had a viable candidate in the Chandos. When I posted my original query, I mentioned that I'd heard somewhere of some good new evidence supporting the Chandos as a portrait of Shakespeare, but couldn't remember where. I was forgetting the obvious: the blurb accompanying beside the Chandos in the National Portrait Gallery (which I visited last year) MENTIONS this supposedly good new evidence, but doesn't give a cite. I'm still looking, but meanwhile will gratefully settle for one from Stephen Orgel re: the Elizabethan painter-actor who might have done this picture of some other guy. Best, Leo Daugherty ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 26 May 1993 14:59:43 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0330 *Shrew* in the R.E.A.L World Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 330. Wednesday, 26 May 1993. From: Skip Shand Date: Wednesday, 26 May 1993 13:32 EDT Subject: Shrew in the R.E.A.L. World Unless my ears were playing tricks, an ad this morning on Radio 590 AM, a Toronto country music station (don't ask!), invited folks to the up-coming Schomberg Agricultural Fair, and promised all the usual fairground fun and games, including "A Wife-Calling Contest, For Prizes"! (Not hog- calling, but hogs calling, I presume.) Is this an old fair tradition? Have I missed a crucial article on the informing folk roots of the last scene of *Shrew*? Or is this just another free-standing piece of tasteless piggery, but containing an eerie echo for SHAKSPERians? Skip Shand ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 26 May 1993 15:31:37 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0331 Editions of the Plays Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 331. Wednesday, 26 May 1993. From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Wednesday, May 26, 1993 Subject: Editions of the Plays In his response to my SHAKSPER's Uses query, Steve Urkowitz asks about the editions we use. During SHAKSPER's early years, I brought up the issue of whether we should require our students to purchase an anthology edition of the plays or individual paperbacks. I too was planning for the next semester and also wondered about the statement that requiring a one-volume texts makes. Well, the following semester I ordered the plays we studied in the Bantam Classic editions, edited by David Bevington. The first day of class I told my students that I had ordered paperbacks for our bookstore but that I would go to the large bookstore near the University of Maryland in College Park (where I live) and purchase the Riverside for anyone of them who preferred to own a one-volume edition. YOU guessed it -- I ended up making several trips to the UMCP Bookstore and bought Riverside editions for all but one or two of my students. (They did, of course, pay me back.) My policy since then has been to order the Riverside for our bookstore but to have the following statement in my syllabus: Students may elect to purchase either paperback copies of the plays we study (Arden, Bantam, Signet, Oxford, Cambridge, The New Folger Library, Pelican, or New Penguin) or a one-volume collection (Riverside or Bevington). I also require the Bergeron and De Sousa *Shakespeare: A Study and Research Guide* and recommend Schoenbaum's *Shakespeare: His Life, His Language, His Theatre*, especially for those who do not buy the Riverside. PS: I would especially like to thank all of you who responded to my SHAKSPER's Uses query. I did not expect but I greatly appreciate the warm and generous responses I have received both publically and privately. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 27 May 1993 10:28:51 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0332 Re: SHAKSPER's Uses; MND Performance History; Filmscripts Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 332. Thursday, 27 May 1993. (1) From: Terry Craig Date: Wednesday, 26 May 1993 11:31:50 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0308 SHAKSPER's Uses (2) From: Skip Shand Date: Wednesday, 26 May 1993 17:03 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0325 *MND* Performance History (3) From: Georgianna Ziegler GZIEGLER@amherst.edu> Date: Wednesday, 26 May 1993 16:49:58 -0500 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0320 Re: Filmscripts (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Terry Craig Date: Wednesday, 26 May 1993 11:31:50 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0308 SHAKSPER's Uses Although I'm also a fairly new member of SHAKSPER, I'm already addicted. I enjoy the postings every morning, and I enjoy reading so many civilized and generous exchanges when so many of the professional journals are filled with spite and ill will. I occasionally print copies of reviews or exchanges and post them for my Shakespeare class or tuck them away for use in other classes, and I always look for new ideas that will work in the classroom. I'm especially looking forward to reading Tom Laughlin's article. As for the future, I'm particularly interested in finding out how these exchanges and other electronic resources can indeed be cited. So far I haven't heard anything from the MLA. Any ideas? Best wishes, Terry Craig WVNCC [There are some suggested guidelines, including some issues related to etiquette, for citing a reference from SHAKSPER in the SHAKSPER GUIDE. --hmc] (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Skip Shand Date: Wednesday, 26 May 1993 17:03 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0325 *MND* Performance History Barbara Hodgdon, of Drake University, DesMoines, has been writing about the Lepage *Dream*, and is speaking about it this weekend in Ottawa, I believe. She, too, is not on SHAKSPER, but snailmail to the English Dept. at Drake reaches her eventually. (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Georgianna Ziegler GZIEGLER@amherst.edu> Date: Wednesday, 26 May 1993 16:49:58 -0500 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0320 Re: Filmscripts Books go out of print with incredible rapidity these days--but maybe the film scripts of Henry V will still be available in England. Good luck! ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 27 May 1993 10:35:05 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0333 Re: The Chandos Portrait Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 333. Thursday, 27 May 1993. (1) From: Nick Clary Date: Thursday, 27 May 1993 08:53:34 -0500 (EST) Subj: [The Chandos Portrait] (2) From: Peter David Seary Date: Thursday, 27 May 93 10:38:25 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0329 Re: The Chandos Portrait (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Nick Clary Date: Thursday, 27 May 1993 08:53:34 -0500 (EST) Subject: [The Chandos Portrait] I had mistakenly assumed that you must have seen the National Portrait Gallery's O SWEET MR. SHAKESPEARE/I'LL HAVE HIS PICTURE: THE CHANGING IMAGE OF SHAKESPEARE'S PERSON, 1600-1800 (1964), prepared by David Piper. If you haven't, I would recommend it. Brief but informative comments serve to complement an impressive array of finely reproduced black-and-white copies of the earliest available images, including not only the Chandos but four separate "seventeenth century versions of the 'Chandos' portrait" and six "engravings of the 'Chandos' portrait." Nine images are categorized under the heading "Doubtful Portraits of Shakespeare." The Chandos is not among them, though Piper notes earlier of the Chandos: "But though the case for the identification is strong, it is, in the uncertainty of its pedigree before Davenant's ownership, far from proven" (12). In his select bibliography Piper includes two items of particular pertinence to your query: AN INQUIRY INTO THE...PORTRAITS OF SHAKESPEARE (1827) and E.A. Greening Lamborn's essay on the Chandos pedigree, NOTES AND QUERIES (CXXIV, 1949). While this is a slender pamphlet, it provides information that may jog your memory or lead you along interesting paths. Anyone who has seen Peter Blayney's THE FIRST FOLIO OF SHAKESPEARE, published in conjunction with the Folger Shakespeare Library's exhibition "The First Folio of Shakespeare" (April-September 1991), will appreciate the value of such a document. Nick Clary (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Peter David Seary Date: Thursday, 27 May 93 10:38:25 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0329 Re: The Chandos Portrait Dear Leo, You may wish to contact: Jonathan Franklin, Phone 011-44-1-318-2888, Archivist, National Portrait Gallery. I have found him to be very helpful and forthcoming. Best wishes, Peter Seary (pseary@epas.utoronto.ca) ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 28 May 1993 06:25:30 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0334 Re: The Chandos Portrait Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 334. Friday, 28 May 1993. From: Stephen Orgel Date: Thursday, 27 May 93 10:21:42 PDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0329 Re: The Chandos Portrait I have just the opposite problem: I can see no connection between the Chandos head and the memorial bust, which, however, looks to me like a perfectly plausible older and fatter version of the man in the Droushout print. These matters are so subjective that there's no point arguing about them, but the Chandos provenance provides no evidence for the painting as Shakespeare--the most it shows is that Davenant in 1640 thought he had a picture of the playwright he idolized. Anyway, for Joseph Taylor see the DNB entry, which, however, doubts that he was the painter of the Chandos, and ascribes it instead to the painter John Taylor, nephew of the Water Poet. The article I was recalling produces some new evidence on the matter; I can't locate it now, but it came out in about 1980 and was called to my attention by Muriel Bradbrook. Stephen Orgel ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 28 May 1993 06:29:46 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0335 Many Things, Cabbages and Kings Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 335. Friday, 28 May 1993. From: William Godshalk Date: Thursday, 27 May 1993 15:44:11 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Many Things, Cabbages and Kings (1) SHAKESPEARE AND THE SENSES OF SHAME The Ohio Shakespeare Conference 1994 University of Cincinnati March 3-6, 1994 All approaches to the question are welcomed. Eve Sedgwick has already signed on. Papers and proposals should be sent to Bill Godshalk and/or Jon Kamholtz, Department of English, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221-0069. The deadline for papers is November 1, 1993. Questions and comments may be sent to Bill Godshalk: Godshawl@UBEH.SAN.UC.EDU (2) Steve Urkowitz suggested that SHAKSPER might be used for the exchange of teaching materials. I suppose this could be done through Fileserver. I've been looking through my Introduction to see if this service is already extant, and I haven't found anything. I'd like to see what other teachers use in their classes. Nosey? You bet. (3) Of course, SHAKSPER is already a good tool for exchanging ideas quickly, and I hope your dean realizes what a great service you are providing to the community of electronic Shakespeareans. Thanks again. Yours, Bill Godshalk ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 28 May 1993 06:35:07 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0336 Which Edition(s) to Use? Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 336. Friday, 28 May 1993. From: Michael Best Date: Thursday, 27 May 93 14:43:20 PDT Subject: Which Edition(s) to Use? While we all love our battered and much annotated edition of whichever version we started with, those weighing up the alternatives might look at *Which Shakespeare: A User's Guide to Editions* ed. Ann Thompson (Open University Press, 1992). It looks at collected editions and individual paperbacks in some detail. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 28 May 1993 06:37:49 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0337 *MND* Performance Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 337. Friday, 28 May 1993. From: Todd Lidht Date: Thursday, 27 May 93 15:18:59 EDT Subject: MND Performance The Alabama Shakespeare Festival theater in Montgomery, Alabama, opened about ten years back, and one of the first productions on its Festival stage was a wonderful production of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM. I mean, fantastic! I was only in high school then and had not the critical eye I have developed since then (sigh), but my memory indicates that the production was impeccable and sprightly done. The director of the Festival was Katz (I believe, and I don't remember his first name), but he has since left, taking quite a few from the repertory company with him. I would encourage any looking into the performance history of this play to research this production; it may not have had the world-wide acclaim of others, but I would find it hard to believe that a better one has been done in recent years. ----------------------- "There is a long road yet," said Gandalf. "But it is the last road," said Bilbo. Todd M. Lidh lidht@guvm Georgetown University ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 29 May 1993 08:35:47 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0338 Re: Filmscripts Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 338. Saturday, 29 May 1993. (1) From: Patricia E. Gallagher Date: Friday, 28 May 1993 9:49:24 -0500 (CDT) Subj: Branagh's "Henry V" Script (2) From: Milla Riggio Date: Friday, 28 May 1993 17:20 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0332 Filmscripts (3) From: Jon Enriquez Date: Friday, 28 May 1993 09:37 EDT Subj: Re: Filmscripts (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Patricia E. Gallagher Date: Friday, 28 May 1993 9:49:24 -0500 (CDT) Subject: Branagh's "Henry V" Script I purchased a copy of the "Henry V" script from Trafalgar Square, the US distributor for the book's publisher (Chatto & Windus); it was still available last year. Trafalgar Square can be reached at : PO Box 257 North Pomfret, VT 05053 Their toll-free number is: 800-423-4525 Patricia Gallagher (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Milla Riggio Date: Friday, 28 May 1993 17:20 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0332 Filmscripts HELP! HELP! HELP! In answer to Georgianna's note about books out of print: The word is now definitely in on the Henry V filmscripts: unavailable through ordinary channels anywhere, England, Canada, U.S.A. I don't have time to scour second-hand bookstores since I'm looking for these for essentially immediate use. My secretary suggested that I ask if anyone has a copy who might be willing to fed ex it to me AT MY EXPENSE, of course (I have an account no. if there are any takers). My bookstore can clear the rights so that we can copy the text to make it available. Anyone willing? I promise you a quick return of your book, plus (as they say in the professional sports leagues) some "future considerations" if any there can be that would repay the loans. Thanks, Milla Riggio (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jon Enriquez Date: Friday, 28 May 1993 09:37 EDT Subject: Re: Filmscripts I forget the original intent of this query, so I don't know if this is new news or even helpful, but I was just cruising past the bookstore and saw a book of Branagh's *Ado* -- script, notes, pix, introduction. It's from Norton (never seen a movie tie-in from them before!), $14/C$19.99. Jon Enriquez The Graduate School Georgetown University ENRIQUEZJ@guvax (Bitnet) ENRIQUEZJ@guvax.georgetown.edu (Internet) ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 29 May 1993 08:44:45 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0339 Re: Editions of the Plays Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 339. Saturday, 29 May 1993. (1) From: Larry Schwartz Date: Friday, 28 May 93 09:19:44 CDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0336 Which Edition(s) to Use? (2) From: Ron Strickland Date: Friday, 28 May 1993 09:53:16 +22306512 (CDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0331 Editions of the Plays (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Larry Schwartz Date: Friday, 28 May 93 09:19:44 CDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0336 Which Edition(s) to Use? When I queried the members of this list last year about which editions of single copies of the plays I should consider purchasing, the few responses I received steered me to the Arden Shakespeare editions. So, the shelves of the Hamon Library at Southern Methodist University and, now, the library at North Dakota State University are that much fuller. I also heard/read somewhere that the Arden editions are being re-edited; can anyone confirm this? An approval slip from Blackwell North America has recently crossed my desk, featuring a book by Douglas Bruster: "Drama and the Market in the Age of Shakespeare." It is the first in a new series, Cambridge studies in Renais- sance literature & culture, out of Cambridge U P. Can anyone comment on this book or on the series? Thanks. Larry Schwartz, Humanities Librarian North Dakota State University Fargo, ND (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ron Strickland Date: Friday, 28 May 1993 09:53:16 +22306512 (CDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0331 Editions of the Plays Concerning which edition or editions of the plays to teach from, I've taken to encouraging students to bring whatever editions they have to class--anthology or single-play editions. I usually order either the Riverside, Bevington, or Pelican for the bookstore, but then tell students that if they already have the plays in some other edition, that's ok. Then during class discussions we watch for the textual differences that arise from various editorial choices and for different effects of presentation in the footnotes, introductions, etc. These differences prompt good discussions--sometimes involving a student who might otherwise not be inclined to talk much but now gets drawn into the discussion simply because he or she happens to have a different text. The extra opportunities for discussion of historical contexts, textual problems, etc. offset the minor nuisance of dealing with different pagination among the texts during class readings. ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 29 May 1993 08:50:29 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0340 Re: The Chandos Portrait Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 340. Saturday, 29 May 1993. From: John Mucci Date: Friday, 28 May 93 13:36:18-0400 Subject: Others on Chandos Anent the Chandos portrait and the mention of David Piper's pamphlet by Nick Clary: it is of interest that Piper's actual comment is-- "The Chandos is an authentic English portrait of the period; the costume with the small plain collar and earring dated to the *close* of the 16th century; the portrait has been subject to extensive rubbing which draws attention to the beard, moustache & forehead which have suffered some distortion. The identity of the Chandos as an authentic likeness of the Bard has not been proven; its pedigree before 1719 has not been established." And also, from Ivor Brown's book *Amazing Monument* (1939): "The discovery of "Genuine Shakespeare Portraits" has been going on briskly ever since the 18th cntury. The most reputable of the rivals to the Droeshout has been ther Chandos portrait, now in the National Gallery and alleged to have been painted by Burbage & passed on to us through the hands of Sir William Davenant, the Poet Laureate of Charles II, who used to boast that he was Shakespeare's bastard. That is as may be. So are all the Shakespeare portraits." John Mucci GTE VisNet ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 29 May 1993 08:53:59 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0341 A *MND* Performance Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 341. Saturday, 29 May 1993. From: Constance Relihan Date: Friday, 28 May 1993 12:15 CST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0337 *MND* Performance The Alabama Shakespeare Festival is currently presenting *MND* as well, under the direction of Carol Delk Thompson. It is a rollicking production, staged to emphasize broad, physical humor. Calling 1-800-841-4273 will put you in contact with the ASF box office. I'm sure they could easily connect you with Thompson as well. ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 29 May 1993 08:59:38 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0342 InterScriptia Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 342. Saturday, 29 May 1993. From: William Schipper Date: Thursday, 27 May 1993 08:02:57 -0400 Subject: InterScripta The following announcement is being distributed to a large number of lists. We apologize for the inconvenience such duplication will cause. INTERSCRIPTA- A Topical On-line Forum for Medievalists Existing discussion lists such as ANSAX-L, ChaucerNet, and MEDTEXTL provide a valuable and exciting forum for sharing information in our field. Rapid dissemination of data and spontaneous exploration of topics are vital characteristics of these lists, but those of us who subscribe to more than one list often find that these characteristics are not always advantageous; we receive more information than we can digest, and we are sometimes frustrated by the repetition, randomness, and lack of focus in topical discussions. Interscripta is being developed as an on-line discussion group that will address these concerns. Rather than providing a completely open forum for unbounded proliferation of ideas, Interscripta will focus on discussion of a specified topic for a designated period of time; the topic will change on a regular basis. Each topic will be proposed and moderated by a scholar in the field, and at the close of the discussion, the moderator will shape the material into an article which will be distributed to all participants for review and commentary before its final revision. Finished articles will be published in the on-line journal Interscripta. The developers of this project believe that Interscripta will provide a forum for directing and focussing our electronic discussions into organized bodies of material representative of cutting edge work in our field. Our approach encourages collaborative work, and our method of publication allows finished articles to be made available without the lag time of traditional journals. This project is not intended to displace existing discussion lists; in fact, we encourage potential moderators to scan the archives of medieval studies lists in search of topics that deserve to be honed and polished for electronic publication. In the spirit of collaboration which is at the heart of this project, the opening topic will be a discussion of the project itself, its goals and future orientation. All those who wish to participate in this formative discussion may subscribe to Interscripta by sending the message: "sub interscripta [your name]" to listserver@morgan.ucs.mun.ca. Please direct questions and comments to: Deborah Everhart (everhart@cats.ucsc.edu) or William Schipper (schipper@morgan.ucs.mun.ca). ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 30 May 1993 07:44:59 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0343 Re: Editions of the Plays; Filmscripts Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 343. Sunday, 30 May 1993. (1) From: John Drakakis Date: Saturday, 29 May 93 14:51:11 BST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0339 Re: Editions of the Plays (2) From: Milla Riggio Date: Saturday, 29 May 1993 14:23 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0338 Re: Filmscripts (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John Drakakis Date: Saturday, 29 May 93 14:51:11 BST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0339 Re: Editions of the Plays Larry Schwarz asks if the Arden editions are being re-edited. The answer is yes. The general editors for the series are Richard Proudfoot and Ann Thompson. John Drakakis University of Stirling (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Milla Riggio Date: Saturday, 29 May 1993 14:23 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0338 Re: Filmscripts To all: I did get help on the filmscript crisis, from a wonderful volunteer who responded privately. Thanks for all the citations, bookstore names, and such from others. --Milla Riggio ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 30 May 1993 07:51:36 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0344 Wisconsin Shakespeare Festival and *MND* Production Query Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 344. Sunday, 30 May 1993. From: Tom Loughlin Date: Saturday, 29 May 1993 9:11 pm EDT Subject: Wisconsin Shakespeare Festival 1993 The Wisconsin Shakespeare Festival will produce three Shakespearean comedies this season - *A Midsummer Night's Dream*, *All's Well That Ends Well*, and *The Merry Wives of Windsor.* Festival dates are July 12-August 14. The WSF is located on the campus of the University of Wisconsin- Platteville in the air-conditioned Center for the Arts. Platteville is located approx. 70 miles SW of Madison, or 22 miles NE of Dubuque, IA. AWTEW is under the direction of Artistic Director Tom Collins, MWW directed by Associate AD Tom Goltry, and MND directed by guest director Tom Loughlin :-)!. This year's festival will feature a fully-reconfigured stage in the classic Renaissance/Elizabethan style. You can call 608-342-1298 for ticket information. The WSF is a professional non-Equity company now entering its 17th season. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * So much for the publicity blurb| Since there is a thread going relative to MDN performances, I thought I'd try something a bit unusual. As you may have noticed, I am going to direct the production this summer. It's my fourth whack at the show, second as director. My first attempt was at my home institution - a fairly safe rendition set in a neoclassic look circa 1804 (French Empire style). What I'd like to do here is share with you my "concept" (a dreaded word) for the show and have you all whack away at it to test its merits and failings, to see if you think it will play and what its potential pitfalls are. Won't that be fun?| First of all, my immediate limitation was a cutoff date of 1624 for this year's festival. No play could be set beyond that year. This is to more or less keep within the Renaissance look of the new stage setting. We've been doing som modern-dress "minimalist" productions but they haven't been selling well. I simply can't stand setting it in "period" - classical Greece - because nothing looks worse than actors running around in kitons reciting WS (to me, anyway). Going Elizabethan, though, just doesn't quite make it for the characters either. After toying somewhat with high Middle Ages (strong belief in fairies and the like, plus strong authoritarian overtones), I thought about a Byzantine look, Greece circa 1200-1400. I thought this might provide a strong contrast and a completely different look to the other two shows, both in a generally English look. I also took a cue from another production of MND I saw as a respondent for ACTF. Barbara Blackledge of Indiana University-Pennsylvania set the fairy world with a decidedly Indian look, taking her cue from the Titania's line "Why art thou here, come from the farthest steppes of India?" I intend to use and expand on that look for the fairy kingdom, underscoring it with sitar and tambura music. The whole production should then take on a more eastern flavor all the way around. The mechanicals will retain a Greek craftsman feel to them, with perhaps a Zorba-style dance at the end for the "bergomask." It should give the play a more exotic feel to average western viewers, and enhance the mystery within the play, something I think is a very strong element of the play itself. Will all this help thematically? Who knows? Youth rebelling against authority is true in all cultures, as is the pursuit of love and desire. The eastern cultures are very aware of nature and its forces, so the fairy world as a force of nature can be played up. I'll take any other constructive or deconstructive criticism as grist for the mill. And, of course, this is why I subscribe to SHAKSPER. My main use of this list has always been to pick the brains of its members to find what little twists and turns I can pick up to further enhance my performances in or productions of Shakespeare. It's become an indispensible resource to me in my work as an artist. Thanks, Hardy|||| --------------------------------------------------------------- Tom Loughlin * BITNET Dept. of Theatre Arts * loughlin@fredonia.bitnet SUNY College at Fredonia * INTERNET Fredonia NY 14063 * loughlin@jane.cs.fredonia.edu Voice: 716.673.3138 * Fax: 716.673.3397 * "Hail, hail Freedonia, land of * the brave and free." G. Marx --------------------------------------------------------------- ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 1 Jun 1993 05:36:12 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0345 Qs: WordPerfect List; Summer Shakespeare in Mid-Atlantic Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 345. Tuesday, 1 June 1993. (1) From: Katherine West Date: Monday, 31 May 93 5:44:14 EDT Subj: Wordperfect List (2) From: Blair Kelly III Date: Monday, 31 May 93 19:10:49 EDT Subj: Shakespeare in NYC/NJ/Philly this summer? (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Katherine West Date: Monday, 31 May 93 5:44:14 EDT Subject: Wordperfect List Does anyone know of an e-mail discussion list for Wordperfect and how to subscribe? I am having some strange problems - I am working on my thesis and letters are being replaced by nonsense characters - HELP!! Thanks in advance. Katherine West kwest@epas.utoronto.ca [Please respond directly to kwest@epas.utoronto.ca] (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Blair Kelly III Date: Monday, 31 May 93 19:10:49 EDT Subject: Shakespeare in NYC/NJ/Philly this summer? I will be in the New York City/ New Jersey / Philadelphia area this summer. Does anyone know of any Shakespeare productions that will be taking place in that area this summer? --- Blair Kelly III bfkelly@afterlife.ncsc.mil ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 1 Jun 1993 05:37:14 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0346 Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan Festival Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 346. Tuesday, 1 June 1993. From: Peter Scott Date: Monday, 31 May 1993 17:58:33 -0600 (CST) Subject: Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan Festival, 1993 This season we present three productions in rotation... Much Ado About Nothing: Romance and humour unfold and take flight in this unique setting - Shakespeare's beloved comedy in, of all places, the insect world! The White Devil: Written by Shakespeare's contemporary, John Webster, this grand and grim tale is a chilling complement to the warm and whimsical Much Ado. Beautiful, bloody, corrupt and cruel. The Merry Widow: Frolic with the company of Prairie Opera as they present Franz Lehar's delightful and elegant operetta, The Merry Widow, sung in English. Friday July 2 to Sunday August 15 Phone 306-652-9100 for more information or e-mail scottp@herald.usask.ca ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 2 Jun 1993 06:21:22 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0349 ACH-ALLC93 Conference -- Last Call Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 349. Wednesday, 2 June 1993. From: ACH-ALLC93 Conference Date: Tuesday, 01 Jun 1993 11:45:45 -0400 (EDT) Subject: ACH-ALLC93 Conference - Last Call LAST CALL: ACH-ALLC93 -- the joint international conference of the Association for Computers and the Humanities and the Association for Literary and Linguistic Computing -- will be held at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, June 16-19, 1993. The current draft of the conference program -- of interest to anyone who develops, provides, or analyzes electronic text -- appears below. Highlights of the conference include keynote addresses by Clifford Lynch and Hugh Kenner; a report on the Text Encoding Initiative; special-interest-group meetings on Teaching Humanities Computing, the Patrologia Latina Database, and the Oxford Text Archive; a text-analysis workshop using TACT; a Software Fair with dozens of presentations; and vendor displays from major commercial producers of electronic texts and analytical software. A registration form and other conference-related information can be obtained in several ways: by anonymous ftp or gopher from the ach_allc93 directories at guvax.georgetown.edu or from Paul Mangiafico, Project Assistant, by email at ach_allc93@guvax.georgetown.edu; by surface mail at 238 Reiss Science Building, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057; or by telephone 202- 687-6096 (voice) and 202-687-6003 (fax). ACH-ALLC93 CONFERENCE SCHEDULE PLENARY EVENTS AND TRACK I TUESDAY, JUNE 15 9:00 Registration at Copley Formal Lounge 1:30 Optional Tour of Washington, DC (from Village C) 2:00 ACH Executive Committee Meeting (Room 550 ICC) 4:30 ALLC Executive Committee Meeting (Room 550 ICC) 6:00 Welcome Cocktail Party at Leavey Center Esplanade Sponsored by Chadwyck-Healey Inc and Oxford University Press WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16 9:00 Welcome and Opening Remarks Welcomes: Mr. John J. DeGioia, Associate Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer for the Main Campus; Rev. Robert B. Lawton, S.J., Dean, Georgetown College; Susan K. Martin, University Librarian; Nancy Ide, President, Association for Computers and the Humanities; Susan Hockey, President, Association for Literary and Linguistic Computing Keynote Speaker: Clifford Lynch, Director of Library Automation, Office of the President, University of California 11:00 Vocabulary Studies Chair, Christian Delcourt (Universite/ de Lie\ge) Douglas A. Kibbee (University of Illinois) The History of Disciplinary Vocabulary: A Computer-Based Approach to Concepts of 'Usage' in 17th-Century Works on Language Terry Butler, Donald Bruce (University of Alberta) Towards the Discourse of the Commune: Computer Aided Analysis of Jules Valles' Trilogy Jacques Vingtras 2:00 Interrogating the Text: Hypertext in English Literature (Panel) Harold Short (King's College, London), Chair Patrick W. Conner, Rudolph P. Almasy (West Virginia University) Corpus Exegesis in the Literature Classroom: The Sonnet Workstation Mike Best (University of Victoria) Of Hype and Hypertext: In Search of Structure Stuart Lee (Oxford University) Hypermedia in the Trenches: First World War Poetry in Hypercard -- Observations on Evaluation, Design, and Copyright 4:00 The Computerization of the Manuscript Tradition of Chre/tien de Troyes's "Le Chevalier de la Charrette" (Panel) Joel Goldfield (Plymouth State College), Chair and Reporter Karl D. Uitti (Princeton University) Old French Manuscripts, the Modern Book, and the Image Gina L. Greco (Portland State University) The Electronic Diplomatic Transcription of Chre/tien de Troyes's "Le Chevalier de la Charrette (Lancelot):" Its Forms and Uses Toby Paff (Princeton University) The 'Charrette" Database: Technical Issues and Experimental Resolutions 5:45 ALLC Annual General Meeting (Reiss 103) 8:00 Report of the Text Encoding Initiative (Reiss 103) THURSDAY, JUNE 17 9:00 Hypertext Applications Chair: Roy Flannagan, Ohio University John Lavagnino (Brandeis University) Hypertext and Textual Editing Risto Miilumaki (University of Turku) The Prerelease Materials for Finnegans Wake: A Hypermedia Approach to Joyce's Work in Progress Catherine Scott (University of North London) Hypertext as a Route into Computer Literacy 11:00 Statistical Analysis of Texts Chair, Joel Goldfield (Plymouth State College) Thomas B. Horton (Florida Atlantic University) Finding Verbal Correspondences Between Texts David Holmes (The University of the West of England), Michael L. Hilton (University of South Carolina) Cumulative Sum Charts for Authorship Attribution: An Appraisal Lisa Lena Opas (University of Joensuu) Analysing Stylistic Features in Translation: A Computer-Aided Approach 2:00 The Wittgenstein Archives at the University of Bergen (Panel) Claus Huitfeldt (University of Bergen), Chair Claus Huitfeldt, Ole Letnes (University of Bergen) Encoding Wittgenstein Claus Huitfeldt (University of Bergen) Manuscript Encoding: Alphatexts and Betatexts Alois Pichler (University of Bergen) What Is Transcription, Really? 4:00 ACH Open Meeting (Reiss 103) 5:30 Reception in Leavey Conference Center 7:00 Keynote Speaker Introduction, Roy Flannagan (Ohio University) Hugh Kenner, Franklin and Calloway Professor of English, University of Georgia 8:00 Conference Banquet in Leavey Conference Center FRIDAY, JUNE 18 9:00 Text Encoding and Encoded Text Chair, Lou Burnard (Oxford University) Nancy Ide (Vassar College), Jean Veronis (GRTC/CNRS) An Encoding Scheme for Machine Readable Dictionaries Peter Flynn (University College, Cork) Spinning the Web - Using WorldWideWeb for Browsing SGML Claus Huitfeldt (University of Bergen) MECS - A Multi-Element Code System 11:00 Statistical Analysis in Literature and Philosophy Chair: Helmut Schanze, (Universitat Gesamthochschule) Wilfried Ver Eecke (Georgetown University) Computer Analysis of Hegel's Phenomenology of Mind Tony Jappy (University of Perpignan) The Verbal Structure of Romantic and Serious Fiction Thomas Rommel (University of Tuebingen) An Analysis of Word Clusters in Lord Byron's Don Juan 2:00 Music Applications Chair, Gordon Dixon (Manchester Metropolitan University) Daniel C. Jacobson (University of North Dakota) Multi-Media Environments for the Study of Musical Form and Analysis John Morehen (University of Nottingham) Computers and Authenticity in the Performance of Elizabethan Keyboard Music 4:00 Signs, Symbols, and Discourses: A New Direction for Computer-Aided Literary Studies -- New Responses (Panel) Paul A. Fortier (University of Manitoba), Chair Donald Bruce (University of Alberta) Towards the Implementation of Text and Discourse Theory in Computer- Aided Analysis Paul Fortier (University of Manitoba) Babies, Bathwater, and the Study of Literature Joel D. Goldfield (Plymouth State College) An Argument for Single-Author and Other Focused Studies Using Quantitative Criticism: A Collegial Response to Mark Olsen Peter Shoemaker (Princeton University) and Gina L. Greco (Portland State University) Computer-Aided Literary Studies: Addressing the Particularities of Medieval Texts Ellen Spolsky (Bar-Ilan University) Have It Your Way and Mine: The Theory of Styles Greg Lessard and Johanne Be/nard (Queen's University) Computerizing Ce/line Mark Olsen (University of Chicago) Critical Theory and Textual Computing SATURDAY, JUNE 19 9:00 Overview of Methodologies Chair, Mark Olsen (University of Chicago) Christian Delcourt (Universite/ de Lie\ge) Computational Linguistics from 500 BC to AD 1700 Catherine N. Ball (Georgetown University) Automated Text Analysis: Cautionary Tales Jean-Jacques Hamm, Greg Lessard (Queen's University) Do Literary Studies Really Need Computers? 11:00 Featured Speaker Introduction, John Roper (University of East Anglia) John Burrows (University of Newcastle, Australia) Noisy Signals? Or Signals in the Noise? 11:30 Closing Ceremony Comments by Nancy Ide, President, Association for Computers and the Humanities; Susan Hockey, President, Association for Literary and Linguistic Computing; Michael Neuman, Local Organizer, ACH-ALLC93; Pierre Lafon, Local Organizer, ALLC-ACH94. TRACK II TUESDAY, JUNE 15 (Same as Track I above) WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16 (Same as Track I above) 9:00 Welcome and Opening Remarks 11:00 Statistical Analysis of Corpora Chair, Nancy Ide (Vassar College) Hans van Halteren (University of Nijmegen) The Usefulness of Function and Attribute Information in Syntactic Annotation R. Harald Baayen (Max-Planck-Institute for Psycholinguistics) Quantitative Aspects of Lexical Conceptual Structure Elizabeth S.Adams (Hood College) Let the Trigrams Fall Where They May: Trigram Type and Tokens in the Brown Corpus 2:00 Discourse and Text Analysis Chair, Estelle Irizarry (Georgetown University) Greg Lessard, Michael Levison (Queen's University) Computational Models of Riddling Strategies Walter Daelemans, Antal van den Bosch (Tilburg University), Steven Gilles, Gert Durieux (University of Antwerp) Learning Linguistic Mappings: An Instance-Based Learning Approach Michael J. Almeida, Eugenie P. Almeida (University of Northern Iowa) NewsAnalyzer - An Automated Assistant for the Analysis of Newspaper Discourse 4:00 Computer-Assisted Learning Systems Chair, Randy Jones (Brigham Young University) Kazys Baniulis, Bronius Tamulynas, Kestutis Pocius, Saulius Simniskis, Daiva Dmuchovska, Jolanta Normantiene (Kaunas University of Technology) Computer-Based Lithuanian Language Learning System in Humanities Programs Eve Wilson (University of Kent at Canterbury) Language of Learner and Computer: Modes of Interaction Floyd D. Barrows, James B. Obielodan (Michigan State University) An Experimental Computer-Assisted Instructional Unit on Ancient Hebrew History and Society 5:45 ALLC Annual General Meeting 8:00 Report of the Text Encoding Initiative THURSDAY, JUNE 17 9:00 Parsing and Morphological Analysis Chair, Paul Fortier (University of Manitoba) Hsin-Hsi Chen, Ting-Chuan Chung (National Taiwan University) Proper Treatments of Ellipsis Problems in an English-Chinese Machine Translation System Jorge Hankamer (University of California, Santa Cruz) keCitexts: Text-based Analysis of Morphology and Syntax in an Agglutinating Language Juha Heikkila, Atro Voutilainen (University of Helsinki) ENGCG: An Efficient and Accurate Parser for English Texts 11:00 Phonetic Analysis Chair, Joe Rudman (Carnegie Mellon University) Wen-Chiu Tu (University of Illinois) Sound Correspondences in Dialect Subgrouping Ellen Johnson, William A. Kretzschmar, Jr. (University of Georgia) Using Linguistic Atlas Databases for Phonetic Analysis 2:00 Data Collection and Collections Chair, Antonio Zampolli (Istituto di Linguistica Computazionale) Shoichiro Hara, Hisashi Yasunaga (National Institute of Japanese Literature) On the Full-Text Database of Japanese Classical Literature Ian Lancashire (University of Toronto) A Textbase of Early Modern English Dictionaries, 1499-1659 Dionysis Goutsos, Ourania Hatzidaki, Philip King (University of Birmingham) Towards a Corpus of Spoken Modern Greek 4:00 ACH Open Meeting 6:15 Reception in Leavey Conference Center 7:00 Keynote Speaker 8:00 Conference Banquet in Leavey Conference Center FRIDAY, JUNE 18 9:00 Invited SIGIR Panel on Information Retrieval Edward Fox (Virginia Technical University), Chair and Presenter Electronic Dissertation Project Elizabeth D. Liddy (Syracuse University) Use of Extractable Semantics from a Machine Readable Dictionary for Information Tasks Robert P. Futrelle (Northeastern University) Representing, Searching, Annotating, and Classifying Scientific and Complex Orthographic Text 11:00 Technological Enhancements Chair, Mary Dee Harris (Language Technology) Yannis Haralambous (Lille, France) ScholarTeX Kathryn Burroughs Taylor (McLean, Virginia) Transferring Automatic Speech Recognizer (ASR) Performance Improvement Technology to Optical Character Recognition David J. Hutches (University of California, San Diego) Lexical Classification: Examining a New Tool for the Statistical Processing of Plain Text Corpora 2:00 Historical Information Systems Chair, Willard McCarty (University of Toronto) Espen S. Ore, Anne Haavaldsen (Norwegian Computing Centre for the Humanities) Computerizing the Runic Inscriptions at the Historic Museum in Bergen Daan van Reenen (Free University, Amsterdam) Early Islamic Traditions, History and Information Science Angela Gilham (Tyne and Wear, UK) Knowledge-Based Simulation: Applications in History SATURDAY, JUNE 19 9:00 The British National Corpus: Problems in Producing a Large Text Corpus Gavin Burnage (Oxford University Computing Service), Chair and Presenter Roger Garside (Lancaster University) Frank Keenan (Oxford University Press) 11:00 Featured Speaker 11:30 Closing Ceremony (Same as Track I above.) TRACK III TUESDAY, JUNE 15 (Same as Tracks I and II above) WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16 (Same as Tracks I and II above) 9:00 Welcome and Opening Remarks 11:00 The Academical Village: Electronic Texts and the University of Virginia (Panel) John Price-Wilkin (University of Virginia), Chair Kendon Stubbs (University of Virginia) David Seaman (University of Virginia) David Gants (University of Virginia) Edward Ayers (University of Virginia) 2:00 Networked Information Systems Chair, Eric Dahlin (University of California, Santa Barbara) Malcolm B. Brown (Dartmouth College) Navigating the Waters: Building an Academic Information System Charles Henry (Vassar College) The Coalition for Networked Information (CNI), the Global Library, and the Humanities Christian-Emil Ore The Norwegian Information System for the Humanities 4:00 Information Resources for Religious Studies Chair, Marianne Gaunt (Rutgers University) Michael Strangelove (University of Ottawa) The State and Potential of Networked Resources for Religious Studies: An Overview of Documented Resources and the Process of Creating a Discipline-Specific Networked Archive of Bibliographic Information and Research/Pedagogical Material Andrew D. Scrimgeour (Regis University) Cocitation Study of Religious Journals 5:45 ALLC Annual General Meeting 8:00 Report of the Text Encoding Initiative THURSDAY, JUNE 17 9:00 Documenting Electronic Texts (Panel) Annelies Hoogcarspel (Center for Electronic Texts in the Humanities), Chair TEI Header, Text Documentation, and Bibliographic Control of Electronic Texts Richard Giordano (Manchester University) Lou Burnard (Oxford University) 11:00 Preserving the Human Electronic Record: Responsibilities, Problems, Solutions (Panel) Peter Graham (Rutgers University), Chair Gordon B. Neavill (University of Alabama) W. Scott Stornetta (Bellcore) 2:00 Networked Electronic Resources: New Opportunities for Humanities Scholars (Panel) Christine Mullings (University of Bath), Chair HUMBUL: A Successful Experiment Richard Gartner (Bodleian Library) Moves Towards the Electronic Bodleian: Introducing Digital Imaging into the Bodleian Library, Oxford Jonathan Moffett (Ashmolean Museum) Making Resource Databases Accessible to the Humanities 4:00 ACH Open Meeting 6:15 Reception in Leavey Conference Center 7:00 Keynote Speaker 8:00 Conference Banquet in Leavey Conference Center FRIDAY, JUNE 18 9:00 Developing and Managing Electronic Texts Centers (Panel) Mark Day (Indiana University), Chair and Presenter Anita Lowry (University of Iowa) John-Price Wilkin (University of Virginia) 11:00 Design Principles for Electronic Textual Resources: Integrating the Uses, Users and Developers (Panel) Susan Hockey (Center for Electronic Text in the Humanities), Chair Nicholas Belkin (Rutgers University) Elaine Brennan (Brown University) Robin Cover (Dallas, TX) 2:00 What Next After the TEI? Call for a Text Software Initiative (Panel) Nancy Ide (Vassar College), Chair Malcolm Brown (Dartmouth College) Mark Olsen (University of Chicago) Jean Veronis (CNRS, Marseille) Antonio Zampolli (Istituto di Linguistica, Pisa) Representative of GNU Free Software Foundation 4:00 Issues in Humanities Computing Support (Panel) Charles D. Bush (Brigham Young University), Chair and Presenter Eric Dahlin (University of California, Santa Barbara) Terry Butler (University of Alberta) Kathleen Russell (University of Maryland) Malcolm Brown (Dartmouth College) Harold Short (King's College, London) Representative (CTI Centre for Textual Studies, London) SATURDAY, JUNE 19 9:00 The Scholar's Workbench and the "Edition:" Legitimate Aspiration or Chimera (Panel) Frank Colson (University of Southampton), Chair and Presenter The Debate on Multi-Media Standards Manfred Thaller (Max-Planck-Institu%t fu%r Geschichte) Exploiting Datasets Using Kleio under Microcosm Dino Buzzetti (University of Bologna) Masters and Books in Fourteenth Century Bologna Frank Colson, Wendy Hall (University of Southampton) Towards a Multi-Media Edition 11:00 Featured Speaker 11:30 Closing Ceremony ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 2 Jun 1993 06:27:11 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0350 Unusual Fire Effect for *Hamlet* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 350. Wednesday, 2 June 1993. From: Zac Spitzer Date: Wednesday, 2 Jun 93 00:20:16 +1000 Subject: Unusual Fire Effect for Hamlet In about 1 and a half months I am doing a production of Hamlet, I am the Lighting Designer/Tech/Director etc and for the opening scene, the one written by Will Shakespeare, the director and I have envisaged the three characters of Marcellus, Horatio and Bernardo huddled around a little fire which will have been seen to of gone out and then having the ashes stirred summoning a glow from the "coals." This would be the only light on stage. The stage is a thrust stage with an audience of about 190. The entire setup will be visible, it will be placed on a small platform at the back of the stage atop some steps. Power can be supplied through the trap on the platform which is used for Ophelia's grave. My idea for creating this effect is to have two or three heating elements ( longish ones ) running on a very slow chase to provide flicker. Has anybody tried this? Anyone had problems doing this or forsee some? Any other suggestions are welcome, but what I imagine the effect to be like it, this method seems to be far more realistic than the more traditional methods. What about the ghost????? Zac Spitzer Melbourne, Australia ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 2 Jun 1993 06:05:12 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0347 Re: The Chandos Portrait Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 347. Wednesday, 2 June 1993. From: Nick Clary Date: Tuesday, 01 Jun 1993 08:25:43 -0500 (EST) Subject: The Chandos Portrait Although I do not find the quotation provided by John Mucci in the pamphlet from which I quoted directly, Piper's position is certainly unchanged in the text from which Mucci has quoted. Perhaps a second title supersedes the 1964 National Portrait Gallery publication to which I referred? By the way, in the Introduction to the 1964 pamphlet, I find the following: "Unfortunately, a great many writers have not drawn what appears to be one obvious conclusion--that if the renderings of the likeness are very unsubtle, it may be rash to base subtle conclusions upon them. The Droeshout engraving may give the impression that the sitter had two right, or left, shoulders, or eyes; the Chandos painting has been condemned out of hand as being of a Jew. Better perhaps to accept, if cautiously, the portraits as not very skilful attempts at maps--they at least agree on certain salient and idiosyncratic features, notably the unusual dome forehead. They are all we have, and we are probably lucky to have as much....Most of the images reproduced in the following pages are attempts by posterity to make good the deficiency of contemporary portraits. It may be that they reflect those of succeeding generations more than the original spirit they tried so to compass. It may well be also that Shakespeare would have viewed their attempts with skepticism: "Not marble, nor the gilded monuments/Of princes, shall outlive this powerful rime..."(p.3). I would be interested to learn whether Piper's tune has changed since the time of this publication. Nick Clary clary@smcvax.smcvt.edu ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 2 Jun 1993 06:11:31 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0348 Re: Summer Shakespeare in Mid-Atlantic Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 348. Wednesday, 2 June 1993. (1) From: Naomi Liebler Date: Tuesday, 1 Jun 93 08:40:00 EST Subj: RE: Qs: WordPerfect List; Summer Shakespeare in ... (2) From: Jean Peterson Date: Tuesday, 1 Jun 1993 15:27:30 -0400 Subj: Shakespeare in Performance (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Naomi Liebler Date: Tuesday, 1 Jun 93 08:40:00 EST Subject: RE: Qs: WordPerfect List; Summer Shakespeare in ... To Blair Kelly III, who wanted to know about Shakespeare productions in the NY-NJ-Philly area this summer: If Jim Lusardi or June Schlueter don't get to you first, I'll tell you. The best and most comprehensive listing there is of performances in what New Yorkers call the "metropolitan area" (true hegemonists, we New Yorkers), subscribe yourself to SHAKESPEARE BULLETIN. It's like $10 for a whole year, or maybe it went up to $15 (can't remember). Send it to either of those two named above at Dept. of English, Lafayette College, Easton, PA 18042. There are literally dozens of productions every summer, too many to list in an e-mail reply, and they're all over the area, including, but not exclusively, the New York Shakespeare Festival (free, in Central Park), and the New Jersey Shakespeare Festival (not free, at Drew University in Madison, NJ) and lots and lots of small theaters in and outside of the three cities. Have fun. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jean Peterson Date: Tuesday, 1 Jun 1993 15:27:30 -0400 Subject: Shakespeare in Performance Response to Blair Kelly III on performances of Shakespeare: The New York Shakespeare Festival Delacorte Theater/Central Park offerings this summer are *Measure for Measure* (with Kevin Kline! what fun!) July 1-25th; and *All's Well* from August 5-29. The New Jersey Shakespeare Festival in Madison is offering, I believe, *Othello*, *Shrew*, and a staged reading of *Venus & Adonis*; also what promises to be a provocative, disturbing and radical *Measure for Measure* (directed by Mark Milbauer, whose work I have seen and can recommend). Call the NJSF for info. about dates, etc (box office 201-408-5600); you might also ask about their annual colloquium in August. Happy Trails Jean Peterson Bucknell University ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 3 Jun 1993 06:09:47 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0351 R: *MND* Production Query Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 351. Thursday, 3 June 1993. From: David Richman Date: Wednesday, 2 Jun 1993 10:18:13 -0400 (EDT) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0344 *MND* Production Query On Ton Loughlin's *MND*: Quite intriguing. The Byzantine setting, with its connotations of Yeats, "Miracle, bird, or golden handiwork," would deeply enrich the great scenes with Titania and Oberon. I wonder a bit about the mechanicals. Their names, language, and jokes have always impressed me as very English, as if a piece of Windsor Forest had been picked up and spatially and temporally transplanted. Why not, in the best alternate-world tradition, graft a piece of your festival's *MWW* production on to *MND*? Whimsical, but . . . I must do a very stripped-down *MND* next spring for the University of New Hampshire's series of travelling classics. Eight performers, two trucks, minimal scenery, no theatrical lights. The production will travel to many high schools and libraries across New Hampshire. I may follow Tom's example and pick some SHAKSPER brains about this production as well. Good Luck with *MND*. David Richman University of New Hampshire ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 3 Jun 1993 06:22:51 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0352 Re: Summer Shakespeare in the Mid-Atlantic Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 352. Thursday, 3 June 1993. From: Tom Loughlin Date: Wednesday, 2 Jun 1993 10:46 am EDT (14:46:34 UT) Subject: Shakespeare IN NY/NJ Blair, Certainly you should check out Shakespeare in Central Park if you're in NYC for the summer. I know not what they're doing, but someone on this list probably does and will post eventually. There is also a New Jersey Shake- speare Festival which is located on the campus of either Princeton or Rutgers, I forget which. I don't know about the Philly area, but if you're that far you might as well head to Baltimore and see if you can catch the "Shakespeare on a flatbed truck," the official title of which I don't know, and then continue to DC to see what's up at the Shakespeare Theatre. Sorry this is so vague, but there is stuff around. [New Jersey Shakespeare Festival (Drew University): Shr., Oth., MM (adpt.), and Venus and Adonis; Shakespeare on Wheels (University of Maryland Baltimore County); Shakespeare Theatre's Shakespeare Free for All: Ado. I'll contact the editors of *The Shakespeare Newsletter* today to see if they will let me make available my summer festival list prior to its publication in the upcoming issue. --hmc] ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 3 Jun 1993 06:26:06 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0353 Re: Unusual Fire Effect for *Hamlet* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 353. Thursday, 3 June 1993. From: Kevin Berland Date: Wednesday, 2 Jun 93 14:59 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0350 Unusual Fire Effect for *Hamlet* If by "heating elements" you mean those thingies through which an electrical current runs to produce heat (toaster, hair-dryer elements, electric fires, etc.), DO NOT DO IT. A live heating element onstage is a definite fire risk. Furthermore, because they cool so slowly, they'd be a menace to the actors or stagehands carrying them offstage, and a continuing menace offstage. Convincing fire effects can be done in other ways. Try this, for one: if you do not need your audience to see the coals themselves (a raised hearth or oil-drum), then you can mount a light covered with a light-flame coloured gel, with an eccentric wheel motor-mounted above, containing random pieces of darker gels -- that'll take care of the flickering. It can be turned on at the right time (gradually) by your lighting tech offstage. If you need the coals visible you could try to find the glass or plastic coals used in the old artificial fires (a junk shop?).... Good luck -- Kevin Berland ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 3 Jun 1993 11:25:33 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0354 *SNL* 1993 Shakespeare Summer Festivals List Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 354. Thursday, 3 June 1993. From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Thursday, June 3, 1993 Subject: *The Shakespeare Newsletter* 1993 Summer Festivals List SHAKSPERean, In response to the many requests of late regarding various summer festivals, I am posting to all the first version of the Shakespeare Summer Festivals 1993 list that I prepared for *The Shakespeare Newsletter*. A more complete list will appear in the upcoming Spring issue with the possibility of further additions in the Summer issue. I would like to thank the editors, John Mahon and Tom Pendleton, for giving their permission to distribute the list in this fashion even before it has appeared in print. =============================================================================== *The Shakespeare Newsletter* Shakespeare Summer Festivals 1993 Spring 1993 Compiled by Hardy M. Cook Bowie State University ALABAMA SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL, 1 Festival Drive, Montgomery, AL 36117-4605. (205) 271-5300. 22nd. Season. Kent Thompson, Artistic Director. In repertory *MND*, March 16-July 10; *1H4*, April 6-July 11; *2H4*, May 25-July 10. Also *Heartbreak House, Blithe Spirit, Dumas*. AMERICAN PLAYERS THEATRE, P.O. Box 819, Spring Green, WI 53588. (608) 588- 2361. 14th Season. June 14-Oct. 3 in repertory. *The School for Wives*, opens June 25; *MV*, opens June 26; *Shr.*, opens July 3; *1H4*, opens Aug. 7. CALIFORNIA SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL, 2531 Ninth Street, Berkeley, CA 94710. (510) 548-3422. 19th season. June 18-Oct. 10. Michael Addison, Artistic Director. Performances at Bruns Memorial Amphitheatre. *WT*, June 16 (Penny Metropulos); *Jn.*, July 7 (Chris Barton); *AYL*, Aug. 11 (Nagle Jackson); *Ham.*, Sept. 15 (Michael Addison). CARMEL SHAKE-SPEARE FESTIVAL, P.O. Box 7174, Carmel, CA. (408) 649-0340. Stephen Moorer, Artistic Director. Sept. 4-Oct. 10. *R3*. (Jeffrey T. Heyer); *Ham.* (Brian Donoghue). Also staged readings frm Shake-speare Apocrypha, musical concerts, amd children's theater. Outdoors at historic 1910 am phitheatre. COLORADO SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL, University of Colorado, P.O. Box 261, Boulder, CO 80309-0261. (303) 492-0554. 36th Season. Richard Devin, Prodcuing Artistic Director. June 25-Aug. 15. *Wiv.*, opens June 25 (Tom Markus). *Tmp.*, opens June 26 (James M. Symons). *Lr.*, opens July 2 (Peggy Shannon). *Per.*, opens July 3 (Joel G. Fink). Rotating in repertory. 150 person company. GEORGIA SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL, 4484 Peachtree Rd., N.E., Atlanta, GA 30319. (404) 264-0020. Richard Garner, Producing Director. June 11-Aug. 15. *Cyrano de Bergerac, H5, *and *The Taming of the Shrew: A New Musical* in repertory. Performances in 400-seat air-cooled, tent theatre. Pre-show activities and picnic grounds. HOUSTON SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL, University of Houston Drama Department, Houston, TX 77204-5071. (713) 743-3003. 19th Annual. July 30-Aug. 14. Sidney Berger, Producing Director. *MND* (Carolyn Boone). *H5* (Sidney Berger). Outdoors in Miller Outdoor Theatre, Hermann Park. IDAHO SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL, P.O. Box 9365, Boise, ID 83707. (208) 336-9221. June 3-Sept. 18. *Quilters*, June 3-26; *MND*, July 1-Aug. 29; *Tartuffe*, July 15-Aug. 28; *Err.*, Aug. 4-Sept. 18. ILLINOIS SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL, P.O. Box 6901, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61761. (309) 438-2535. 16th Annual. June 25-Aug. 7. John Sipes, Artistic Director. *R3*, opens June 25 (John Sipes); *Per.*, opens June 26 (Bruce Longworth). Music, outdoors. Sunday matinees, interpreted performances for the hearing impaired. MONTEREY BAY THEATREFEST, P.O. Box 7174, Carmel, CA. (408) 649-0340. Stephen Moorer, Artistic Director. June 19-Aug. 1. The Plantagenets (Shake-speare's *1H6, 2H6, 3H6*) -- Part 1: Henry VI (Moorer); Part 2: Rise of Edward IV (Moorer). Also Shakespeare Human Chess Game, Fairy Tale Theatre, and Musical Review. Outdoors at historic Custon House Plaza at Fisherman's Wharf, Monterey. NEW JERSEY SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL, Drew University, 36 Madison Ave., Madison, NJ 07940 (201) 408-5600. 31th Annual. Bonnie J. Monte, Artistic Director. June 9- Sept. 25. *Shr.*, June 9-26 (Dylan Baker); *Oth.*, July 21-Aug. 7 (Robert Walsh); *Err.*, Sept 1-25 (Bonnie J. Monte); *MM* adapt., July 13-24 (David Becker & Mark Milbauer); *Venus and Adonis*, July 25-26. Annual Shakespeare Colloquium, July 24-25. Monday night classic fim series. Student matinees for all Main Stage plays. NORTH CAROLINA SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL, P.O. Box 6066, High Point, NC 27262-6066. (919) 841-NCSF. 17th Season. Louis Rackoff, Artistic Director. Gian Paul Morelli, Managing Editor. Aug. 14-Oct. 2. *Shr., MV, Lr.* in repertory. 1000 seat theatre. Outreach Tours. OJAI SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL, P.O. Box 575, Ojai, CA 93024. (805) 646-WILL. 11th Annual. July 31-Aug. 15. Paul Backer, Artistic Director. *Rom.* and *Shr.* (Backer) in repetory. Pre-show madrigal music in the Park. OKLAHOMA SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL, P.O. Box 1074, Durant, OK 74702. (405) 924- 0121. Molly Risso, Artistic Director. *JC*, *TN*, and 4 other plays. OLD GLOBE THEATRE, P.O. Box 2171, San Diego, CA 92112. (619) 239-2255. Jack O'Brien, Artistic Director. *Lr.*, July 10-Aug. 29 (Jack O'Brien); *AWW*, Sept. 10-Oct. 17 (Sheldon Epps). OREGON SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL, P.O. Box 158, Ashland, OR 97520. (503) 482-4331. 53rd. Season. Feb. 19-Oct. 31. Henry Woronicz, Artistic Director. Angus Bowmer Theatre: *R3*, Feb. 19-Oct. 31 (James Edmondson). The Black Swan: *Cym.*, Feb. 25-May 2 (Henry Woronicz). The Elizaabethan Theatre: *Ant.*, June 9-Oct.3 (Cynthia White). Concerts, lectures, summer classes, teachers' symposia, summer seminars for high school juniors, backstage tours, exhibit center. Write or call for detailed brochure. ORLANDO SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL, 30 South Magnolia, Suite 250, Orlando, FL 32801. (407) 423-6905. 4th Season. Stuart Omans, Artistic Director. April 1-May 2. *Err.* and *AYL*. PENNSYLVANIA SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL, Allentown College, Center Valley, PA 18034. (215) 282-WILL. Gerard J. Schubert, Producing Director. *TN*, June 16-July 3; *Mac.*, July 14-31; *Beauty & the Beast*, June 23-July 31. SAN FRANCISCO SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL, P.O. Box 590479, San Francisco, CA 94159- 0479. (415) 666-2222. 11th Annual. August-October. Performing in San Francis co, Oakland, and San Jose. Outdoors. Free. SHAKSPEARE AT THE RUINS, THE FOUR COUNTY PLAYERS, P.O. Box 1, Barboursville, VA 22923. (703) 832-5355 or (800) 768-4172. *Ado*, Aug. 6-22. Thurs., Fri, Sat. 8pm, Sun. 5 pm. Performed at the Barboursville Vineyards. SHAKESPEARE FREE FOR ALL AT CARTER BARRON AMPHITHEATER, 301 East Capitol Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003. (202) 5473-8745 or 426-0486. 3rd. An nual, June 5-20. Michael Kahn, Artistic Director. *Ado*. Workshops, tours, and discussions. SHAKESPEARE IN DELAWARE PARK, 681 Main St., P.O. Box 1264, Buffalo, NY 14205. (716) 852-6638. 18th Annual. Saul Elkin, Founder/Artistic Director. June 29- July 17. *MND*, June 29-July 17 (Saul Elkin); *Rom.*, July 27-Aug. 15 (Yossi Yzraeli). Outdoors in Delaware Park Rose Garden. Free Admission. Tues.-Sun. 8:00 pm. SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK, Suite 310, 3113 South University, Fort Worth, TX 76109. (817) 923-6698. 16th Annual. Michael Muller, Producing Director. *MND*, June 16-July 3; *MM*, July 8-July 18. Trinity Park Playhouse. Peformances begin at 8:30 pm. Free admission Tuesday and Saturday. $3.00 for adults on Wed., Thurs., Fri., and Sat. STRATFORD FESTIVAL OF CANADA, Stratford, Ontario, Canada N5A 6V2. (519) 273- 1600. 41th Season. David Williams, Artistic Director. May 31-Nov. 13. *Ant.*, May 31-Oct. 17; *MND*, June 2-Nov. 13; *Jn.*, June 1-Sept. 18. THE THEATER AT MONMOUTH, Cumston Hall, P.O. Box 385, Monmouth, ME 04259. (207) 933-9999. 24th Annual. Richard Sewell, Artistic Director. June 11-Aug. 29. *TN*, *Old Times, Tartuffe, She Stoops to Conquer, The Seagull, and Rumplestilskin* in repertory. THREE RIVERS SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL. 1617 Cathedral of Learning, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260. (412) 624-PLAY. 14th Season. Laura Worthen, Artistic Director. Stephen Foster Memorial Theatre: *Ado*, May 28-June 12 (Christopher Sellbie); *MND*, June 24-July 10 (Harold J. Surratt). UTAH SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL, Southern Utah University, 351 E. Center Street, Cedar City, UT 84720. (801) 586-7878. 32th Season. Fred C. Adams, Executive Producer. R. Scott Phillips, Managing Director. June 24-September 4. Adams Outdoor Shakespearean Theatre: *MND*, *R2*, *Tim.* Randall L. Jones Theatre: *Our Town, Tartuffe, The Royal Family*. Renaissance music, *The Greenshow, The Royal Feaste*, backstage tours, workshops, and many seminars. VIRGINIA SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL, College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795. (804) 221-2660. July 2-July 25. *JC*, opens July 2; *AWW*, opens July 9. In repertory through July 25. WISCONSIN SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL, Center for the Arts, U of W, Platteville, WI 53818-3099. (608) 342-1298. 17th Season. July 9-Aug. 14. Thomas P. Collins, Artistic Director. *MND*, opens July 9; *Wiv.*, opens July 14; *AWW*, opens July 16. In repertory. "Talk-backs" and Backstage tours. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 4 Jun 1993 06:22:18 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0355 Re: Unusual Fire Effect for *Hamlet* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 355. Friday, 4 June 1993. (1) From: James McKenna Date: Thursday, 03 Jun 1993 09:21:42 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0350 Unusual Fire Effect for *Hamlet* (2) From: Denis Knowles Date: Thursday, 3 Jun 93 15:31:36 PDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0350 Unusual Fire Effect for *Hamlet* (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: James McKenna Date: Thursday, 03 Jun 1993 09:21:42 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0350 Unusual Fire Effect for *Hamlet* Can't say much about the fire, but for the ghost, here's an idea: in the US we have glow-in-the-dark paint that can hold its glow for a fair amount of time. If you keep the ghost in a bright room until he goes on, he should be quite spectral. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Denis Knowles Date: Thursday, 3 Jun 93 15:31:36 PDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0350 Unusual Fire Effect for *Hamlet* I agree with Kevin Berland. Avoid actual fire producing, heat retaining elements always. I did technical direction for a Boston area chamber opera group and now do high school productions. Adults are no more cautious, and sometimes less cautious, than high schoolers. I also recommend a built up unit. I would use a small fixture like some of the newer PARs I've seen mounted on a base directed at a mirror with a hard plastic 'coal' mock up that could handle the ashes and actual stirring. Surround that with your fire edge, sticks, rocks, whatever. I would build the hard plastic coal bed out of pieces of car tail lights or other such plastic. Get different models of tail lights, the colors do vary. If can put a hole in the stage direct smoke machine through it. Hit the smoke just before the lights come up and the overall effect should be what you want. Good luck. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 4 Jun 1993 06:27:47 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0356 Re: *MND* Production Query Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 356. Friday, 4 June 1993. From: Steve Urkowitz Date: Thursday, 03 Jun 93 22:51:20 EDT Subject: Re: *MND* Production Query A quick thought and a request to Tom Loughlin: the thought is to have very specific images of the places "offstage" that they are entering from and going towards. Those entrances and exits, if done in full breathing imagination, get the action going even before the actor steps onto the stage. Lay on 14th century Indian prints of hunters, lovers, emperors, and artisans until your actors can invent Indian clothing jokes ad lib, and draw maps of town gates, hunting spots, and the aunt's house a few miles outside of town. If the actors "see" those places, then the audience will more willingly join in the game and "see" those places too. The joys of research then get made apparent to the players. It also makes good material for programs and to post in lobbies. The request: Could you circulate a description of the theatre? I've always wanted to work on a Globe-geometry stage, audience all around, two doors, and that gigantic 25x45 that I want to believe was the platform (evidence to the contrary be damned!). A report from years ago from somewhere in Australia (?) told about the intimacy of audience from groundlings at the actors' feet up to 60 degrees or more above the horizontal. Tell us, tell us . . . (Tell me about the rabbits again, George . . .) As ever, Steven the Stage Geometer Urkowitz SURCC@CUNYVM ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 4 Jun 1993 06:37:57 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0357 Shakespeare Santa Cruz; Q: Guest Account in London Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 357. Friday, 4 June 1993. (1) From: Thomas A. Berson Date: Thursday, 3 Jun 93 14:43:09-PST Subj: Shakespeare Santa Cruz (CA) (2) From: Robert Burke Date: Thursday, 03 Jun 1993 16:15:27 -0500 (CDT) Subj: Guest Account in London (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Thomas A. Berson Date: Thursday, 3 Jun 93 14:43:09-PST Subject: Shakespeare Santa Cruz (CA) Here's an additional listing for the Shakespeare Summer Festivals 1993 compiled by the Editor and distributed as SHK 4.0354. SHAKESPEARE SANTA CRUZ, Performing Arts, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064. (408) 459-4168. Danny Scheie, Artistic Director. In repertory July 15 - Sept 5. *Comedy of Errors, All's Well That Ends Well, Doctor Faustus* (Marlow), and *Damn Yankees*. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Robert Burke Date: Thursday, 03 Jun 1993 16:15:27 -0500 (CDT) Subject: Guest Account in London Since I am leaving for London next Monday, Can you tell me if there is somewhere in London where I may get a guest account so that I can exchange electronic mail with my home college in Kansas City? Phone in London will be 081 560 1924. I will be there starting some time Tuesday, 8 June, until 30 JULY. Thanks for any help. Robert Burke, S. J., Professor of English, Rockhurst College, Kansas City, Missouri 64110 [Please reply privately. --hmc] ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 5 Jun 1993 07:49:58 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0358 Re: 1993 Summer Shakespeare Festivals Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 358. Saturday, 5 June 1993. (1) From: Ron Macdonald Date: Friday, 04 Jun 1993 10:33:51 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Addition to Festival List (2) From: Steve Schrum Date: Friday, 4 Jun 93 14:22 EDT Subj: Re: Shakespeare Santa Cruz; Q: Guest Account in London (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ron Macdonald Date: Friday, 04 Jun 1993 10:33:51 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Addition to Festival List SHAKESPEARE & COMPANY, The Mount, P.O. Box 865, Lenox, MA 01240. (413) 637-3353. Tina Packer, Artistic Director. May 28-Sept. 5. *JC*, opens May 28. *TC*, opens July 1. *MND*, opens July 16. *TN*, opens July 22. *H VI*, opens Aug. 19. Mainstage Theatre (*MND*) outdoors on the grounds of Edith Wharton's Berkshire estate. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Steve Schrum Date: Friday, 4 Jun 93 14:22 EDT Subject: Re: Shakespeare Santa Cruz; Q: Guest Account in London I didn't know Shakespeare wrote DAMN YANKEES! Yes, it's a joke for this Friday afternoon, but not one too far from real life. A few years ago I worked at Shak Santa Cruz during the "Jealousy Season" (WT, OTHELLO, and AMADEUS). SSC usually does one non-Shakespeare for variety. My wife reported that, in line at the ladies restroom, two local matrons were discussing AMADEUS. They hadn't known that Will S. wrote a play about Mozart. They would have been more overwhelmed had they realized the true genius of Shakespeare, who could write a play about a composer not yet born in Shakespeare's lifetime! Steve Schrum Penn State Hazleton ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 5 Jun 1993 08:28:04 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0359 New on the SHAKSPER FileServer: PERFORM PACKAGE Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 359. Saturday, 5 June 1993. From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Saturday, June 5, 1993 Subject: New on the SHAKSPER FileServer: PERFORM SEMINAR Package SHAKSPEReans, Since I became the editor of SHAKSPER, I have tried to encourage innovative uses of the Conference and its FileServer. We are, in many ways, pioneers in an emerging medium. Our creativity sets the parameters of that medium -- SHAKSPER is truly what we make it. With this flourish, I am pleased to announce yet another use for SHAKSPER. A few weeks ago, I was contacted by SHAKSPERean Lyn Tribble of Temple University. On the behalf of the members of the NEH Seminar "Shakespeare and the Languages of Performance," which met at the Folger Shakespeare Library over the past academic year, Professor Tribble inquired if the SHAKSPER FileServer might be an appropriate place for the members of this seminar to store the workbook they were compiling as a result of their explorations. My YES response barely contained my glee at being able to have the SHAKSPER FileServer used to disseminate a body of information of great potential benefit to anyone who teaches Shakespeare. In her note that accompanied these files, Professor Tribble wrote the following: The workbook is the joint production of the NEH Institute, "Shakespeare and the Languages of Performance," directed by Lois Potter and held at the Folger Library once a month from September to May. We hope that the workbook will be useful to our fellow Shakespeareans and that it might initiate further exchanges about pedagogical issues. Because of the size of the Workbook, I am making it available as a "package." SHAKSPEReans may retrieve PERFORM PACKAGE from the SHAKSPER Fileserver by issuing the interactive command, "TELL LISTSERV AT UTORONTO GET PERFORM PACKAGE SHAKSPER." If your network link does not support the interactive "TELL" command (i.e., if you are not directly on Bitnet), or if LISTSERV rejects your request, then send a one-line mail message (without a subject line) to LISTSERV@utoronto.bitnet, reading "GET PERFORM PACKAGE SHAKSPER." Should you have difficulty receiving this file, please contact me at or . For an updated version of the file list, send the command "GET SHAKSPER FILES SHAKSPER" in the same fashion. For further information, consult the appropriate section of your SHAKSPER GUIDE. The excerpt below contains the contents and a few paragraphs of the introduction to the Workbook. ****************************************************************************** Shakespeare and the Languages of Performance Folger Shakespeare Library September 1992-May 1993 Electronic Workbook Feel free to copy and distribute as you like CONTENTS I. Introduction Lois Potter, Univ. of Delaware II. Reviewing A. The Art of Reviewing Lois Potter, Univ. of Delaware B. Student Reviewing Evelyn Tribble, Temple Univ. III. Directing Students in Class A. Performance as Close Reading: Notes on Directing Non-Actors in the Classroom Kurt Daw, Keenesaw State Univ. B.Finding a Place to Play: Teaching in Non-traditional Spaces Garry Walton, Meredith College C.How to Direct Student Scenes in Class David Sauer, Spring Hill College IV. Using Media in the Classroom A. Using Slides in Class Lois Potter B. Text, Eyes, and Videotape: Screening Shakespeare in the Classroom Stephen Buhler, Univ. of Nebraska C. Some Suggestions for Videotaping Performances & Classes David Kranz, Dickinson College V. Bringing Acting Companies To Campus Garry Walton VI. Performance History in the Classroom A. Performance History and the Lecture Class, Among Others Stephen Buhler B. Theatre History and Performance Reconstruction Sally Banes, Univ. of Wisconsin Madison VII. Acting Techniques A. Voice and Text Mary Corrigan, Univ. of California, San Diego B. Shurtleff Meets Shakespeare Kate Pogue, Houston Community Central College VIII. Writing Assignments A.The Writing Component in Shakespeare and Performance Courses: Generating Student Responses Ann Christensen, Univ. of Houston B. Writing About Performance Geri Jacobs, Jackson Comm. College C. Writing in the Classroom Michael Shea, Southern Conn. State D. Towards a Director's Conception: Writing Assignments in the Shakespeare Classroom Deborah Montouri, Univ. of Missouri, Columbia IX. Multicultural Approaches Expanding cultural horizons through classroom performances & workshops Milla Riggio, Trinity College X. Seventeen Ways of Looking at Hamlet The whole group XI. Bibliography: Shakespeare & Performance The whole group INTRODUCTION Lois Potter, University of Delaware "Shakespeare and the Languages of Performance" was a new departure for the Folger Institute: a course meeting one weekend a month throughout the academic year rather than for an intensive period, like the NEH summer institutes, or one afternoon a week, like the other Folger seminars. The new format was primarily the idea of Lena Orlin, director of academic programs at the Folger. She felt that an Institue with a strongly pedagogical emphasis would work best if spread over a whole academic year, so that members could try out ideas raised in the seminars and report back on the results. After Lena asked me to direct this course we worked together on its structure, each of us contributing about half the suggestions for speakers and projects. The plan was to balance theory and practice, scholarship and its application in pedagogical terms, sessions with hands-on experience and talk-sessions. Two of the events were to be open to the public: Harry Berger's lectures in November and (with a limit on numbers) Ralph Cohen's visit with the Shenandoah Shakespeare Express in March. We were lucky in that we did not have to modify this plan at all: thanks to Lena's careful advance planning and the prestige of the Folger, everyone we asked was able to come at the time we wanted. Two sessions, apart from the introductory one, were dedicated to the group's own work. At the halfway point, in February, individual members were to present projects about their teaching. In our last session in May, we were to produce something that would be a record of the year's work. My previous experience of directing a seminar at the Folger had convinced me that it helps if a group has a tangible goal at which to aim--in this case, a workbook based on the information and ideas resulting from the seminar. So this too was built into the course from the beginning. ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 6 Jun 1993 19:45:04 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0360 WSF Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 360. Sunday, 6 June 1993. From: Tom Loughlin Date: Saturday, 5 Jun 1993 1:23 pm EDT (17:23:30 UT) Subject: WSF Stage Space Steve asked about the stage space at Wisconsin. I can tell you that the actual theatre itself is small and intimate, seating at a maximum about 225. The floor seats about 180 and there are two balcony levels which are only one row deep each. The theatre is modeled after the Cottleworth (sp?) Theatre in England as far as architectural patterns go. The theatre is a thrust, since two rows of floor seats and the balcony wrap around the stage. The theatre is long rather than wide: if you're sitting in the front row the depth of the stage is pretty interesting. The actual on-stage elements have changed over the years. I've played on that stage when it contained only two levels, giving it a flat and long look. There was also a time when the stage was very Elizabethan in the sense that it was totally symmetrical, with an above and a below, and two staircases on either side with a landing platform halfway up at about the level of the first balcony (which allowed for entrances and exits through the first balcony). This year there is a new design for the on-stage space which I have not even seen yet, so I'll have to do all my initial blocking on the fly this year. It's a very open, intimate space which allows for a good balance between large spectacle and large acting without denying the ability to create quiet, intimate moments. --------------------------------------------------------------- Tom Loughlin * BITNET Dept. of Theatre Arts * loughlin@fredonia.bitnet SUNY College at Fredonia * INTERNET Fredonia NY 14063 * loughlin@jane.cs.fredonia.edu Voice: 716.673.3138 * Fax: 716.673.3397 * "Hail, hail Freedonia, land of * the brave and free." G. Marx --------------------------------------------------------------- ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 9 Jun 1993 06:46:15 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0361 Margaret, Lilith, and Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 361. Wednesday, 9 June 1993. From: Malvina Engelberg Date: Tuesday, 08 Jun 1993 15:33:05 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Margaret, Lilith, and Shakespeare Is there evidence to support the notion that Shakespeare was anti-semitic? I ask this in part because I find striking similarities between Shakespeare's Margaret in Henry VI (1, 2, 3) and Richard III, and Lilith of the Old Testament. If indeed Shakespeare was anti-semitic that might perhaps explain --at least to me-- why he chose to write her into four plays and did not repeat that particular technique again. According to the Old Testament and Talmudic interpretation, Lilith was a demonic female noted for prowling at night. Some biblical interpretations suggests that she was a strong, powerful, and feared female somehow associated with the murder of children. I think what I'm implying is that if Shakespeare was anti-semitic, then that is demonstrated by his characterization of Margaret. Furthermore, his fear of powerful women is all the more frightening and distasteful when placed in the hands of the "usurious Jews." I have read a rare few analyses of Margaret's characterization. For some reason she is neglected in the criticism. What I have read suggests that she is part of the French triad that indicates Shakespeare's fear of French power (Rackin). I think Marilyn French contends that Margaret is the symbol of legitimacy and to my knowledge that's about all that exists in terms of Margaret. I wonder if the other members of the network have any particular reading of Margaret's importance and whether they agree or disagree with my contention that she is symbolic of Shakespeare's anti- semitic attitude? I look forward to hearing from my learned colleagues. Thanks Malvina Engelberg University of Miami ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 10 Jun 1993 05:56:23 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0362 Re: Margaret, Lilith, and Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 362. Thursday, 10 June 1993. (1) From: Jon Enriquez Date: Wednesday, 09 Jun 1993 09:49:50 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0361 Margaret, Lilith, and Shakespeare (2) From: Phyllis Rackin Date: Wednesday, 9 Jun 1993 12:01:19 +22306256 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0361 Margaret, Lilith, and Shakespeare (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jon Enriquez Date: Wednesday, 09 Jun 1993 09:49:50 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0361 Margaret, Lilith, and Shakespeare As others will undoubtedly point out, we had a lively discussion about Shakespeare's anti-Semitism in February and March, mostly in the context of *Merchant of Venice*; you should send a message to the LISTSERV to get those files. They include many useful references to literature on the subject, and make for good reading in themselves. To sum up: One camp holds that, since the characters in the plays make various unfavorable references to Jews and Jewry, Bill *is* anti-Semitic. A second camp points out that by 20C standards, Elizabethan Britain as a whole was anti-Semitic, and Shakespeare was a man of his time. A third camp (to which I belong) says it's pointless to attempt to characterize a playwright or fictionwright on the basis of what some of his characters may or may not say, since we cannot attribute *all* feelings and beliefs of *all* characters to their authors. But, as I say, get the log files, read for yourself, and make up your own mind. By the way, thanks for suggesting the parallel between Margaret and Lilith; this poorly read correspondent hasn't seen it before, and it makes for interesting food for thought. Jon Enriquez The Graduate School Georgetown University ENRIQUEZJ@guvax (Bitnet) ENRIQUEZJ@guvax.georgetown.edu (Internet) (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Phyllis Rackin Date: Wednesday, 9 Jun 1993 12:01:19 +22306256 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0361 Margaret, Lilith, and Shakespeare James H. Forse in "Why Boys for (wo)Men's Roles? or Pardon the delay, 'the Queen was shaving'" *Selected Papers from the West Virginia Shakespeare and Renaissance Association*, 15 (1992), pp. 6-27, makes the intriguing suggestion that Margaret's part was played by Shakespeare and that Greene's reference to the "upstart Crow" as a "tiger's heart wrapt in a woman's hide" alludes to that fact. P.S. I don't understand why a Lilith connection would imply that Shakespeare was antisemitic. To my mind, MV provides much better evidence, but I hope we won't open that discussion again because it never seems to lead anywhere. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 10 Jun 1993 05:58:58 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0363 Re: *MND* Production Query Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 363. Thursday, 10 June 1993. From: Jon Enriquez Date: Wednesday, 09 Jun 1993 10:02:53 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: *MND* Production Query Tom, Your concept for *MND* sounds cool. I don't have much to offer in the way of comments on the idea itself, because I'm culturally ignorant of the setting (darn these American schools...). However, I have some information that may or may not be of use to you. I saw *MND* at APT, the other big Shakespeare venue in Wisconsin, last summer. Some things worked very well for this production (notably the conception of Puck, the use of the open-air theatre, and the unnamed fairy attendants). You may end up being compared to this production. If you think it will be helpful to have comments on it, on the list or privately, let me know. If you think it will be distracting or interfere with your working processes, I'll keep my mouth shut. Jon Enriquez The Graduate School Georgetown University ENRIQUEZJ@guvax (Bitnet) ENRIQUEZJ@guvax.georgetown.edu (Internet) ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 11 Jun 1993 06:47:03 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0364 *Ado* in DC Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 364. Friday, 11 June 1993. From: Todd Lidht Date: Thursday, 10 Jun 93 09:52:31 EDT Subject: *Ado* in DC Well, much talk has been made about Branaugh's movie version of *Ado*, and I am still waiting to see it; however, I thought I would pass along some thoughts about the stage version presented at the Carter Barron Amphitheater in Washington, DC. This version is directed by Michael Kahn, who also directed the *Hamlet* which the Folger Institute group reviewed in Lois Potter's PERFORM package. (Hardy can make sense of that last statement, I believe.) David Birney as Benedick is remarkable, a delight on an otherwise average stage. Caitlin O'Connell as Beatrice is passable, but not nearly as funny or entertaining as Birney. Many of the supporting characters are played weakly, but for a show that charges no admission, it is a remarkably good production. The set, a realistic Italian villa and courtyard, is an excellent back- drop, allowing for quick entrances and exits as well as "distance learning" (i.e., eavesdropping). The lighting is well done, though some technical problems caused abrupt darkness on portions of the set. (I should mention that I watched the play under a severe thunderstorm warning, and there was a fifteen minute rain delay.) Costuming was of a mixed sort, with the ladies dressed in late 1800s-style and the men in 1920s uniforms and suits. However, the juxtaposition of periods was not very noticable. Overall, I felt the play was well directed. A good assortment of characters could be found at any given time, but some serious questions arose. First is character of Claudio. Mark Philpot, an ex-soap opera actor, provides what can be best described as a weak performance in a potentially pivotal role. His never-changing delivery (I overheard one audience member say, "Doug Winer," a la Saturday Night Live) made for a tedious time, especially when he was expected to put more than two sentences together. Unfortunately, he was matched with an actress not much more gifted than he: Lisa Gay Hamilton as Hero. Nowhere was this more evident than in the two "duping" scenes (when the Prince, Leonato and Claudio conspire to trick Benedick into thinking Beatrice is woefully in love with him and Hero and her maids do the same to Beatrice). Birney makes this scene the funniest in the entire play, full of cheap gags and pratfalls, but wonderful just the same. After being watered, disinfected, and chopped at with pruning shears, Birney affects a bewildered, decidedly "unproud" manner, bringing the audience to tears. He interacts with the audience directly, and eventually has us all cheering him on. The only grimaces in this scene came when Philpot spoke, even for the briefest of moments. His conspiratorial tone could be exchanged for his melancholy tone, his angry tone, his happy tone, his sorrowful tone, etc, without anyone taking notice. On the strength of this scene comes a wholly unbalanced parallel scene. O'Connell actually makes this scene as good as it is. The same sense of play between the Prince and Leonato is gone from the exchanges between Hero and her maids; lines are forced, and Hamilton sounded as if she was reading from the script, not speaking the dialogue. The scene generates nothing but token chuckles from the audience and is, overall, a disappointment, especially in comparison to the excellently done previous scene with Benedick. I cannot help but find some fault with the directing in this. The "gags" of the first scene, all believable in context, are nonexistent in the second scene, almost as if there were a conscious decision not to devote any time to finding the humor in the scene. However, even had the director taken a stronger hand, I fear the quality of actors would still have hampered the Beatrice scene. Birney's only rival on the stage is Floyd King, a regular on the Folger stage. King's Dogberry is a broad as a barge, but twenty times funnier. He managed to bring out memories of the gravediggers, of Touchtone (whom King played last year at the Carter Barron), and even of Falstaff (though not as intelligent) while keeping the "country bumpkin" charm of the character. King's flawless delivery (as well as the excellent dialogue!) makes for some of the most uproarious bits in the show. King's all-too- brief twenty minutes on the stage are worth the trip. Again, however, it is Birney who carries the show and makes the production a remarkable success. For those of us hard-pressed to attend the amount of theater we would like due to the rising cost, it is heartening to know that good, quality theater can be seen for free. The actors, designers and director spared no expense; this was not a "scaled-down" version of the original. I have seen full-blown Broadway shows which lacked the energy and atmosphere of this show. In the end, I found myself quite pleased that I had taken the time to go. The amphitheater is in a lovely park area, perfect for picnicking before the show. The Carter Barron also offers educational workshops and sign interpreters, so anyone can enjoy the show and learn more about theater at the same time. All in all, a tremendous resource for theater and a wonderful show for those of us who still enjoy seeing a rollicking Shakespeare comedy. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 11 Jun 1993 06:49:53 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0365 Re: Margaret, Lilith, and Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 365. Friday, 11 June 1993. From: Naomi Liebler Date: Thursday, 10 Jun 93 10:54:00 EST Subject: RE: SHK 4.0362 Re: Margaret, Lilith, and Shakespeare The logic of the connection between Margaret, Lilith, and ant-semitism escapes me. It is apparently dependent on a number of assumptions: IF Margaret is a figure of Lilith, and IF that figure must be received negatively, and IF all such negative receptions must be read as "anti"-SOMETHING, and IF a negative reference to an O. T. figure (mind you, an apocryphal one at that) must imply anti-semitism, then perhaps the logic works. But that's many too many IFs for me. Moreover, why would any representation of an angry old woman with an ax to grind necessarily imply anything but an angry old woman with an ax to grind (which Margaret certainly is by the time of R3)? And maybe, just maybe, she's got good reason to grind that ax? By the same creative logic--though I hesitate even to suggest it--we'd have to read the Weird Sisters as a representation of 3 Liliths, thus triple anti-semitism. God forbid! My guess is that the retention of a single character through 4 plays marks something other than demonization--perhaps it marks a kind of homage? After all, Shakespeare only granted such retention to three other figures, so far as I know: Henry IV and the guy who became the mirror of all Christian princes, and Falstaff. And Margaret has them all beat, 4 plays to 3. P.S.--while we're on the subject of strange logic, one of my students told me yesterday that one of my colleagues told HER that Henry V's anger over the slaughter of the "poys and the luggage" was a clear sign of Henry's--and thus also of Shakespeare's--pedophilia! Anybody want to take that up? ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 13 Jun 1993 08:04:28 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0367 Summer Shakespeare in the Washington, D.C., Area Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 367. Sunday, 13 June 1993. From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Sunday, June 13, 1993 Subject: Summer Shakespeare in Washington, D.C. Area Those of us who live in the Washington, D.C., area or who are visiting it this summer are fortunate to have a wealth of Shakespearean productions available to us. Branagh's *Much Ado About Nothing* continues to play in movie theaters in D.C. and Northern Virginia, while Kahn's *Much Ado* can be seen for free at the Carter Barron Amphitheater through June 20 (202-543-8745). The Washington Shakespeare Company's *The Tempest* plays for two more weeks at the Gunston Theatre (703-739-9886). On June 15, the Shenandoah Shakespeare Express begins a three-week run at the Elizabethan Theatre at the Folger Library. This year's offering from the SSE are *Antony and Cleopatra*, *Romeo and Juliet*, and *A Midsummer Night's Dream* (202-544-7077). The Arena Stage will offer preformances of Elizabeth Egloff's *The Swan* and an adaptation of *Macbeth* free from June 17-20 in the Old Vat Theatrer (202- 488-3300). On July 2, the National Shakespeare Company will be appearing at the Tawes Theatre at the University of Maryland, College Park, with *The Comedy of Errors* (301-405-6538). In late July and early August, the University of Maryland Baltimore County's Shakespeare on Wheels will be performing in a number of locations in the area (301-455-2476). There is, of course, also community theater. My twelve-year old daughter enacted Lysander last weekend at the Greenbelt Arts Center's Youth Players production of *A Midsummer Night's Dream*. What a feast! ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 13 Jun 1993 07:20:47 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0366 Re: Margaret, Lilith, and Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 366. Sunday, 13 June 1993. From: William Godshalk Date: Saturday, 12 Jun 1993 23:26:38 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0361 Margaret, Lilith, and Shakespeare Malvina Engelberg hints that commentary on Margaret in the Henry VI plays and in RICHARD III is rare. May I direct her to the bibliographies of Judith Hinchcliffe and James A. Moore (Garland Shakespeare Bibliographies)? Margaret has not been neglected by the critics. Thomas McNeal in SQ 9 (1958):1-10, traces Margaret's origin to KING LEIR rather than Jewish myth. Harold Brooks traces a Senecan origin (MLR 75, 1980:721-37). And let's not forget those 16th century history books that Louis B. Wright surveys for us. If Lillith is going to be added to the list of possible sources, I think we need some specific, concrete parallels. In what precise ways is Lillith like Margaret? Yours, Bill Godshalk ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 14 Jun 1993 06:20:40 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0368 SSE Summer Schedule Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 368. Monday, 14 June 1993. From: Ralph Alan Cohen Date: Sunday, 13 Jun 1993 19:09:10 -0500 (EST) Subject: [SSE Summer Schedule] Dear Hardy, It's a bit late to make your summer list of festivals, but I'd like to tell your subscribers that they can catch the Shenandoah Shakespeare Express and its three shows -- ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA, MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM, and ROMEO AND JULIET -- at the following places. From 16 June to 3 July, we'll be at the Folger Elizabethan Stage; from 6 July to 31 July we'll be at our home space -- Thomas Harrison Middle School in Harrisonburg, VA; and from 9 August to 21 August we'll be at the Boston Center for the Arts. We just returned from Piccolo Spoleto where we're told we wowed them. For details phone 1-800 SAY PUCK. All subscribers should know that unlike the case with Branagh's MUCH ADO, their criticisms of the SSE will actually have an effect on the shows since we tinker with them until the end of our season in December. Thanks. Ralph Alan Cohen ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 15 Jun 1993 05:58:26 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0369 Duncan Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 369. Tuesday, 15 June 1993. From: Robert F. O'Connor Date: Tuesday, 15 Jun 1993 15:59:04 +1000 Subject: Duncan Dear Shakespeareans, At the risk of bringing up an old debate, there was a discussion about 'Macbeth' earlier this year (March), some of which touched upon the subject of Duncan. I am interested in people's reactions to the idea that, despite the various laudatory remarks made about him, Duncan was in fact a weak king, someone along the lines of Henry VI (at least in Shaksepearean terms). This weakness is the cause of the rebellion and invasion at the beginning and the play, and, arguably, all that follows. I know this is not an original idea - I am not claiming it is - but I have come across only scattered references to it, and no serious explorations of it. Any comments? ROC ********************** * Robert F. O'Connor * ocoreng@durras.anu.edu.au * English Department * Australian National University ********************** ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 16 Jun 1993 06:33:57 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0370 Re: Duncan Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 370. Wednesday, 16 June 1993. (1) From: John Drakakis Date: Tuesday, 15 Jun 93 14:59:27 BST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0369 Duncan (2) From: Ron Macdonald Date: Tuesday, 15 Jun 1993 10:43:08 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Duncan (3) From: Stephen Orgel Date: Tuesday, 15 Jun 93 13:57:27 PDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0369 Duncan (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John Drakakis Date: Tuesday, 15 Jun 93 14:59:27 BST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0369 Duncan In response to the view that Duncan was a "weak" king, the much praised Trevor Nunn production of the early 1970s with Ian McKellen as Macbeth, Judi Dench as Lady Macbeth, and (I think) Gruffydd Jones as Duncan, makes much of this reading. Logically I am not sure that it makes much sense. Duncan is a king who trusts absolutely, but he is also a king who can say: "There is no art to find the mind's construction in the face". I've always found that line perplexing because it can be interpreted in two radically opposed ways. (a) there is no need of art to deduce thought from outward appearance because the face transparently reflects the mind or (b) no art can possibly deduce from visual appearance the operations of the mind. This is rather like Othello's statement at III.iii.124ff: Therefore these stops of thine fright me the more: For such things in a false disloyal knave, Are tricks of custom; but in a man that's just, They are close denotements, working from the heart, That passion cannot rule. The point about this speech is that we already know that Iago is "a false disloyal knave" and so the irony is trenchant in that it reflects upon a vulnerability in strength that Othello possesses. The same is true up to a point in the case of Duncan. How can he tell what Macbeth will do? The difficulty, which is there from the very beginning in the play, is crystallized later at IV.iii.22ff when Malcolm appears to be testing Macduff: Angels are bright still, though the brightest fell; All things foul would wear the brows of grace, Yet Grace must still look so. The issue here then is not the weakness of character, so much as the weakness of a structure which encourages ambition but which can no longer contain the energies which the encouragement of that ambition releases. John Drakakis Department of English Studies University of Stirling (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ron Macdonald Date: Tuesday, 15 Jun 1993 10:43:08 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Duncan Seems to me James Calderwood has some interesting speculations about Duncan in _If It Were Done: Macbeth and Tragic Action_ (U. of Massachusetts Press, 1986). This might be, at least, a place for Robert O'Connor to start. In general, the obvious good guys in _Macbeth_ become more problematic under close scrutiny. Banquo's passivity despite his conviction of Macbeth's villainy reminds us of the stake he has in the usurpation, for Macbeth's ascendancy confirms part of a prophecy that includes the promise concerning Banquo's issue; Macduff's patriotic high-mindedness fails to mask the fact that the price of patriotism has been the desertion of his wife and children and their brutal murders; Malcolm's curious lack of affect upon receiving the news of his father's bloody death can suggest that he, like Banquo, has a certain stake in the voiding of the Scottish throne. When, at the very end, the victorious Malcolm points to the usurper's severed head impaled on a pike and calls Macbeth and his lady "this dead butcher and his fiend-like queen," we may be brought up short: dead Macbeth certainly is, a butcher, perhaps; but surely he has not cut off his own head. Fair is foul and foul is fair, as we may recall the witches observing early on, and Duncan is surely guilty at least of a failure to recognize the potential for lethal violence in all men and not just in a bunch of unruly Norwegians and the odd traitor from his own ranks. Indefinition, as Stephen Booth has reminded us, is a property of the play. That might be another good place to start: _King Lear, Macbeth, Indefinition, and Tragedy_ (Yale U. Press, 1983). --Ron Macdonald (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Stephen Orgel Date: Tuesday, 15 Jun 93 13:57:27 PDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0369 Duncan A really brilliant discussion of the problematic nature of Duncan as king is Jonathan Goldberg, SPECULATIONS: MACBETH AND SOURCE, in SHAKESPEARE REPRODUCED, eds. Jean Howard and Marion O'Connor (Methuen 1987). Also, see Harry Berger, Jr., "The Early Scenes of Macbeth: Preface to a New Interpretation," ELH 47 (1980). Cheers, Stephen Orgel ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 17 Jun 1993 07:22:20 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0371 Re: Duncan (con't) Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 371. Thursday, 17 June 1993. (1) From: Naomi Liebler Date: Wednesday, 16 Jun 93 08:18:00 EST Subj: RE: SHK 4.0370 Re: Duncan (2) From: Steve Urkowitz Date: Thursday, 17 Jun 93 06:22:36 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0370 Re: Duncan (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Naomi Liebler Date: Wednesday, 16 Jun 93 08:18:00 EST Subject: RE: SHK 4.0370 Re: Duncan I thought I had seen the following citation on this SHAKSPER list once before, but perhaps I saw it on another list, in response to a similar inquiry. Anyway, someone recommended David Norbrook's essay, "MACBETH and the Politics of Historiography," in POLITICS AND DISCOURSE, ed. Kevin Sharpe and Steven N. Zwicker (Berkeley: UC Press, 1980-something): 78-116, on the mythologizing and mystification of Duncan. I haven't seen this book yet, but it's on my list of things to read sometime in my lifetime. The original recommender thought very highly of it; perhaps Robert O'Connor will too. Epistemological difficulties do indeed abound in MACBETH with its insistence on equivocation, ambiguity, and what Stephen Booth has so brilliantly named "indefinition." It makes perfect sense (if that's the right way to talk about that which defies logic) to include Duncan in the discourse of "fair and foul." Holinshed depicted him as a weak king; what Shakespeare did with that is the topic of a rather lengthy discussion unsuitable to e-mail messages. My own personal favorite among contributions to the discussion is this bit from Kenneth Muir's introduction to the Arden edition of the play: "it is never possible to determine the exact share of blame to be allotted after a crime to the three factors, heredity, environment, and personal weakness; and only the morally complacent could witness a good performance of MACBETH without an uneasy feeling that if they had been so tempted they might conceivably have so fallen. We cannot divide the world into potential murderers and those who are not" (xlix). Thus the ambiguity, equivocation, fair-and-foul-ness fall back upon the audience, where they belong, or what's the point of "sitting at a play"? (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Steve Urkowitz Date: Thursday, 17 Jun 93 06:22:36 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0370 Re: Duncan Michael Long, THE UNNATURAL SCENE: A STUDY IN SHAKESPEAREAN TRAGEDY (1976) sees Duncan as Shakes'eare's embodiment of an Apollonian vision, " . . . lyrical conceptions of the community and continuity of human doings practiced in open responsiveness to the sap of natural life. It is a vision of what is creative and delighting (as well as "ordered") in the experience of social life. Its tones are festal contentment, but a contentment which is animated and vivified rather than inert. It is pacific, but not passive. If we take out some of the key words from the play which support the conception we see they are not only "seated," "sure and firm-set," "royalty," "gentle," and "dignity"; they are also "plenteous," "wanton in fulness," "nimbly," "bounteous," "wooingly." . . . This Apollonianism if there at the beginning of MACBETH before the hero's "deed" ransacks and ravages it. It is there again at the end when the castle is "gently rend'red" and the ransacker overcome. And it is there throughout the night and winter horror of the central part of the play, its images tormentingly ineradicable from the mind of Macbeth, tormentingly present to him in the life of Banquo, agonizingly out of reach as he tries to force "mirth," "cheer," and "pleasure" into his now derelict social life, and amazingly (to him) incapable of being wiped from the lives of others no matter how thorough and far-reaching his violence. It is always against the background of the sweeping lyric life of this Apollonianism that we see the tragic misery and dwarfing of the central figure who has cut himself off from sleep, pleasure and friendship, and from the fertility and vastness of "multitudinous seas," "the casing air" and the "sure and firm-set earth." He is not only "cabined, cribbed, confined, bound in" but cabined, cribbed, confined and bound in while the bright and delightful spaciousness of the earth goed on "nimbly and sweetly, " vexing him with the "cherubin" and "sightless couriers" that image its unstoppable life, and eventually outrunning his reserves of violent resistance with a "moving grove" carried by unrough youths in their "first of manhood." We take onle a part of the experience of MACBETH if we respond simply to the terror of black incantation, deliberate violation and eventually hardened habituation of his poisoned mind. To take the play fully (its terror is not thereby averted) we must take this exuberant sense of delighted life, projected in a spacious lyricism cut off from which the hero will dwindle peak and pine like the sailor whose fate at the hands of the witches prefigures that of Macbeth. Then, like Enobarbus, he will "joy no more." (Long, pp.233-234). What John Drakakis suggests is the weakness of the sociopolitical structure represented by Banquo is also the strength of such communities. They are indeed vulnerable to Macbeth's pathologies, but even Macbeth sees that he has been rewarded and encouraged. The amazing delight I get in my university community may be tempered by the grumpy academics soured against the possibilities of learning and teaching, but I get out there with Duncan to dance, to plant gardens, to build benches in the sterile niches of modernist architecture anyway. Unlike Duncan, Henry VI does not represent himself with full hearted engagement in his world, and alas his world has too many Macbeths to allow much Apollonianism to survive. But as I write this the morning sun's nearly flat but briliant light defines the runners on a pier and the ferry-boats cutting through the Hudson outside my window. Good day, 7:04am, New York City. As ever, Steve Urkowitz SURCC@CUNYVM ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 21 Jun 1993 08:23:25 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0373 MLA Shakespeare Through Performance Verification Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 373. Saturday, 19 June 1993. From: Milla Riggio Date: Thursday, 17 Jun 1993 17:22 EST Subject: [MLA Shakespeare Through Performance Verification] Dear SHAKESPEREANS! At last, the promised notes -- highly impersonal but important as verification -- for those on the MLA Shakespeare Through Performance teaching volume list. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WITHIN A WEEK IF YOU HAVE NOT GOTTEN YOUR LETTER. As I prepared the list of labels, it looked short to me, and I fear that i may have lost a name or ten in transmitting the list from my e-mail to my secretary. LET ME KNOW ALSO, IF YOU WILL, IF YOU DO GET THE MAILING. THAT IS IMPORTANT,TOO. And if you have any questions to suggest for the questionnaire that you'd particularly like to answer, please send those to me, preferably by e-mail, though any mail will do. I'm leaving for Washington on June 28 and won't be back until August but my secretarial staff will be working away during July. Best, Milla Riggio ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 21 Jun 1993 08:23:55 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0374 Explicating Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 374. Saturday, 19 June 1993. From: Tom Derrick Date: Friday, 18 Jun 93 15:03:07 EST Subject: Explicating Shakespeare: O thou dull god In 1991 the Educational Testing Service used Henry's soliloquy on insomnia (2H4 3.1.1-31) as part of an Advanced Placement exam taken by about 90,000 high school students. For an essay about I. A. Richards' Shakespeare criticism, I am interested in hearing of other large-scale tests requiring close reading of a Shakespearean passage. Do the O or A level exams or Open University exams in Britain, for example, test students' ability to explicate Shakespeare? What about the National Teachers exam in the U.S.? By large-scale tests, I mean examinations given to more than 30 people, say, at one sitting. Tom Derrick "It is not madness That I have utt'red. Bring me to the test, And I the matter will reword, which madness Would gambol from." ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 21 Jun 1993 09:03:26 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0375 Another Re: Duncan Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 375. Monday, 21 June 1993. From: William Godshalk Date: Friday, 18 Jun 1993 22:00:53 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0371 Re: Duncan (con't) Michael Long's THE UNNATURAL SCENE, as Steve Urkowitz says, is worthy reading - for many reasons, including Long's comments on MACBETH. Howsomever, my own dark vision sees it differently these days. Duncan is probably just as self serving as everyone else in Shakespeare's imagined Scotland. After Banquo and Macbeth win the war for him, does he appoint either of them as the next king? No way. He appoints his do-nothing son - who is perhaps just as bad as he later presents himself in the play. Do you believe that he's merely testing Macduff? Many of my students - cynical worldlings - believe that he's giving an accurate presentation of his character. Can you prove otherwise? Banquo is a time server - as his final soliloquy indicates. Macduff leaves his family to the tender mercies of the evil king he has distrusted from the beginning. Macduff's castle, by the way, is on the coast of Fife - a ruin that you can see today. Why couldn't he bring his family along with him to England? (If you tell me that I'm mixing history and literature, I'll cheer. I relish the distinction. New Historicists and Cultural Materialists must remain silent.) In any case, Macduff is not Mr. Nice Guy. I used to think that he was, but Shakespeare gives him a chance to explain why he left his children and wife behind - and Macduff says - nothing. No, no, Scotland is a chthonic world - no Apollonian breezes blowing through this bleak waste land. If anything, England's King Edward serves as a contrast to the Scottish kings. As to ambiguity, who is Bellona's bridegroom? A good case can be made for Macduff, though the editors usually assure us that it's Macbeth. I'd expect the Thane of Fife to be fighting the battle in Fife. If he isn't, what is Macduff doing during the battle? Oh, dear! Could he be fighting with the rebels? Am I asking questions that should not be asked? If Macbeth hadn't bumped off Duncan, would Macduff have done the job for him? (Or was it REALLY Lady's dad?) But thought's the slave of life, and life time's fool, and time that takes survey of all other world must have a stop. Yours, Bill Godshalk ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 22 Jun 1993 05:56:29 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0376 R: Another Re: Duncan Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 376. Tuesday, 22 June 1993. From: John Drakakis Date: Monday, 21 Jun 93 15:29:00 BST Subject: SHK 4.0375 Another Re: Duncan I don't think that you'd need to be a new historicist or cultural materialist to realise that poor Bill Godshalk has got a peculiar attack of characteritis. Macduff's absence from his family is symptomatic of something much larger in the play. If what Godshalk says is correct, then Macduff's "feeling" the death of his wife and family is a sham, and there is little evidence for that other than the kind of unbridled chewing on the insane root that takes the reason prisoner. The Malcolm question is more dificult to resolve. The question is WHY does he test Macduff. Perhaps UNLIKE his father, whom we might regard from a modern perspective as being politically naive (i.e. he isn't machiavellian enough, but like Altofront in The Malcontent (1605) he is "too suspectless"), Malcolm knows the problems of evil masquerading as good even though he has done nothing evil himself. In a play where it is often difficult to tell the difference between the two from surfaces, this is an important point, and indicates that Malcolm is unlikely to become the prisoner of the ambition which his father's straighforwardly feudal system produces. As for guessing who might have bumped off Duncan had Macbeth not done so, this seems to me to be equally fruitless. Banquo has almost as much motive for doing so but doesn't, and he says why at the beginning of Act 2: "Merciful powers, restrain in me those thoughts that nature gives way to in repose". The interesting question is, surely, what "thoughts" he's referring to. What IS it that Banquo is afraid of in his unconscious? Macbeth, I suggest, is the epitome of that which in his waking hours Banquo (and possibly Macduff too) represses. Cheers, John Drakakis Dept. of English Studies University of Stirling ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 22 Jun 1993 05:59:54 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0377 R: Explicating Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 377. Tuesday, 22 June 1993. From: Bhattacharya Sumangala Date: Monday, 21 Jun 1993 17:13:30 -0500 (CDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0374 Explicating Shakespeare Secondary and higher secondary board exams in literature in India generally have a section on Shakespeare in which students have to write an essay based on close reading of a passage. Sumangala Bhattacharya ac05@sol.acs.unt.edu University of North Texas ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 22 Jun 1993 06:03:29 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0378 Prounciation Question Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 378. Tuesday, 22 June 1993. From: John Massa Date: Monday, 21 Jun 93 15:23 CST Subject: Pronunciation question How should the "a" be pronouced in the following: NURSE: ...I'll take him down, and a were lustier than he is, and twenty such jacks. I know it means "he" but I've heard it pronounced like "ah," "eee," and "ay." Are any of these "correct" or is the pronunciation controversial? Or is it a dialect? John Massa John-Massa@uiowa.edu ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 22 Jun 1993 07:43:13 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0379 Antony and Cleopatra Query Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 379. Tuesday, 22 June 1993. From: Susan Welch Date: Tuesday, 22 Jun 1993 6:03:56 -0500 (CDT) Subject: Ant. and Cleo query Shakespeareans: As Antony is "the abstract of all faults/That all men follow," so Shakespeare gives us a Cleopatra who is the abstract of all faults that all women follow, at least in the stereotypical view of the times. As Adelman has shown, although the poetry about Cleopatra tells of her infinite variety, and the poetry that comes from her own mouth shows us a person of subtlety and imagination, the action of the play presents an ironic contrast to this sublimity. In the action, we see "her teasing and lying, her erotic daydreaming, her pleasure in reminding the eunuch Mardian of his physical disability, her oriental despotism in dealing with messengers, and the like." (David Bevington). I'm about to teach this play to college undergraduates for the second time in as many months (on June 22 and 24), and find myself more and more dismayed by what I feel to be misogyny in this portrait. Cleopatra's willfulness and disregard for others -- her insistence on commanding at sea when she has no experience in captainship, her utter disregard for her children's future and well-being, her lying to Antony about her death to see what he will do, all conjure up a woman who is never "free from childishness," a demonic and poisonous force who finally is only able to give her love fully to Antony when it can no longer do him any good. Is there any possible sympathetic interpretation of Cleopatra? My students see Antony as Dagwood Bumstead, Cleopatra as a silly/and or demonically destructive person (I had a roommate who was just like that, they say)...except for one extraordinary student who said that Antony and Caesar are parvenus but Cleopatra comes from an ancient line of royalty, is superior to Antony and Caesar in every way, is practically a goddess, and can do whatever she wants...in sum, these jerks were lucky that she gave them the time of day. Or does Antony and Cleopatra have to be looked at as a period piece, like The Merchant of Venice, so steeped in its own prejudices that the characterization of Cleopatra must look to us now as stilted and unsatisfactory -- relying on assumptions on the part of the audience that no longer exist? Please send any responses to me at srwelch@alex.stkate.edu. Thanks Susan Welch College of St. Catherine St. Paul, Minnesota ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 23 Jun 1993 06:09:05 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0380 Re: Cleopatra Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 380. Wednesday, 23 June 1993. From: Milla Riggio Date: Tuesday, 22 Jun 1993 09:49 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0379 Antony and Cleopatra Query Dear Susan: Your query sounds as good as anything to start up a summertime discussion on SHAKESPER so I'll reply through the network, rather than privately, partly because I have a theory about Cleopatra that I haven't tested anywhere, and if anyone wants to respond to this, or tell me where it's all been carefully proved or disproved already, that would be great. I would answer that you're being misled by the Renaissance tracts to dismiss Shakespeare's Cleopatra. She is, in my quirky interpretation, the imaginative center of the play. In fact, I could argue that her re- creation of Antony in Act V in "His legs bestrid the ocean" is the poet's achievement, the making of the myth out of the man that Anthony was not (could not have) been ("Think you there was or might have been such a man...."?). In this sense, Cleopatra, the woman of the night, associated with the moon, with fertility, with imaginative creation speaks as a poet herself, and she creates with poetic virility. She has ALL the children in the play, so it matters little in a sense how practically she protects them. She is the antidote to the "holy, cold, and still disposition" of the virtuous Octavia, surely the "best" of the Romans, but still no match for Anthony's blood. Cleopatra is a "wonderful piece of work," a "queen," a "lass unparallel'd," (and you may resist the objectification and potential diminution these terms suggest, but the play incorporates them in to a portrait of a fascinating, irresistible woman). She is, and this is my argument, also the poet, and HER myth of Anthony (as ultimately Shakespeare's myth of both Anthony and her) transcends the tawdry reality of their lives. When teaching this play, I liken Cleopatra to Hedda Gabler; In Ibsen's play, Thea is the moral person, but this is not a play about moral goodness. And Shakespeare's play is not about duty, good husbandry or good huswifery. It celebrates the dungy earth of Egypt where Anthony is most himself, and where poetic creation can afford to create myth at the expense of the ordinary round of life. Cleopatra is a MISERABLE warrior, but then Shakespeare never much idealizes war, and he certainly would not welcome the addition of female troops (the latest form of liberation for women would definitely not please him). So she is VERY destructive in the battle. But otherwise, she represents the energy that not only fascinates but that also creates: living children and poetic myths. An alternate social and ethical order, and not by any means an inferior one, as presented in the play. By the way, Ralph Cohen in this year's Shenandoah Shakespeare Express production of the play is trying to give Cleopatra a kind of Eastern cult anti-Christianity energy that would support some kind of inter- pretation like this. It's fairly commonplace to argue for the fecundity and fertility of Egypt against the sterile heroism of Rome. My wrinkle on that argument is to link Cleopatra with the poet, with imagination itself. Okay. Shoot away. Best, Milla Riggio ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 23 Jun 1993 06:18:56 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0381 Rs: Re: Duncan Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 381. Wednesday, 23 June 1993. (1) From: Nina Walker Date: Tuesday, 22 Jun 93 11:11:19 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0376 R: Another Re: Duncan (2) From: Kay Stockholder Date: Tuesday, 22 Jun 93 11:39:44 PDT Subj: SHK 4.0376 R: Another Re: Duncan (3) From: William Godshalk GODSHAWL@UCBEH.SAN.UC.EDU> Date: Tuesday, 22 Jun 1993 23:13:57 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0376 R: Another Re: Duncan (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Nina Walker Date: Tuesday, 22 Jun 93 11:11:19 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0376 R: Another Re: Duncan In answer to John Drakakis' query about what Banquo's threatening thoughts "in repose" might be, let me offer a guess. "Vaulting ambition"-- something we all may struggle with. Most of us tame those demons (and Banquo is certainly more like most of us than Macbeth) but who of us haven't given thought 'naturally' to achieving power through some evil short cut? We all have ambition and we all struggle with 'means and ends' questions. The stakes for Banquo, however, are pretty high. God knows I'd certainly be tempted. Nonetheless, there's always a Macbeth in the wings whose reason gives way to the temptation of achieving power in one giant leap, always leaving behind the corpses of those in the way -- literally or figuratively. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kay Stockholder Date: Tuesday, 22 Jun 93 11:39:44 PDT Subject: SHK 4.0376 R: Another Re: Duncan Perhaps Macduff left his family behind so that Macbeth could kill them, and thereby express the familial depths of destructiveness associated with unwarranted aspiration. (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Godshalk GODSHAWL@UCBEH.SAN.UC.EDU> Date: Tuesday, 22 Jun 1993 23:13:57 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0376 R: Another Re: Duncan I want to thank Dr. Drakakis for his diagnosis of my critical disease, characteritis. He further hints that I have done some "unbridled chewing on the insane root." (Well, call me horse!) Actually, it was juniper berries, I confess. Drakakis tells us that Malcolm "has done nothing evil himself." In fact, what he means is that the audience does not see Malcolm doing an evil act - what ever that might be. But then the audience does not SEE Macbeth kill Duncan, though most members of the audience assume that he has. So, what Drakakis calls "an important point" is really AN IMPORTANT ASSUMPTION. Any audience member is free not to make that assumption. Why should I assume that Malcolm's confession at the beginning of 4.3 is false, while his recantation (4.3.115ff, Oxford text) is true? Sure, he's testing Macduff - agreed, but where does the truth lie? What have I written to convince Drakakis that I believe Macduff's "feelings" (4.3.204-37) to be a complete sham? Even opportunists have feelings, perhaps deep feelings, for ought I know. Witness Bolingbroke parting with Gaunt - or Bolingbroke mourning over his dead cousin. Ah, the fruitful river of the eye, the dejected haviour of the visage, together with all forms, moods, shows of grief. Might a man play these actions? Might a man who "wants the natural touch" (4.2.9) not sham a feeling that he does not have? As for my speculations about the potential of multiple murderers of Duncan, I admit that I was "playing" a la Thurber. But once you've drunk of the insane juniper berry, you can hardly restrain yourself - or, so I've found. Drakakis gives Banquo's "thoughts" (2.1.8) a merciful reading, and goes on, apparently, to suggest that Banquo "represses" his knowledge of Macbeth during "his waking hours." Nevertheless, Banquo is wide awake at the beginning of Act 3, where he voices his suspicions of Macbeth and his own ambitions. If he suspects Macbeth of murder, why does he present himself as Macbeth's loyal courtier? My answer is because he's been coopted by Macbeth (2.1.21-28). Macbeth carefully makes his bid, and Banquo accepts it. But what really interests me in Drakakis' response to my cynical meanderings is: "Macduff's absence from his family is symptomatic of something much larger in the play." From his present comments, I'm not sure what that something larger is, but I would like to know. Soberly yours, Bill Godshalk ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 23 Jun 1993 06:22:35 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0382 SSE 1993 Season Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 382. Wednesday, 23 June 1993. From: Blair F. Kelly Date: Wednesday, 23 Jun 93 06:55:55 EDT Subject: [SSE 1993 Season] I just finished seeing all three plays of the Shenandoah Shakespeare Express's 1993 season. Of the three plays, I thought that their Anthony and Cleopatra was the best, closely followed by a good Midsummer Night's Dream. I did not enjoy their Romeo and Juliet as much. (I freely admit that it is not one of my more favorite of the Bard's plays. But I keep going in the hope that one of these times Juliet will wake up in time for a happy ending!) I felt that the performance was a bit rushed (which is a new experience for me as usually I am yawning by the final scene). Plus I was put off by Mercutio's death speech - he hardly seemed hurt enough to die a few minutes later. I liked the balcony scene done with the Folger's balcony, and wonder how it plays when the troupe is traveling and does not have a balcony? (At the Folger, Juliet was able to pace and move about on the balcony.) I did like Juliet's raised eyebrows, tilted head, and lowered voice for the line "And what satisfaction can you have tonight?" All the acting by every member of the company was excellent. (I will not single out any performer as that would slight those whom I did not mention. They really are talented.) I like this company's philosophy of running each production as close to a running time of two hours as possible, without intermission (or interval, as my British friends would say). (Question for the theater experts - In Shakespeare's time, would productions have had intermissions/intervals?) And of course, their interaction with the audience really gets one involved if one sits near the front of the house! This year I felt that there was more improvisation by the company than last year - I liked it. A small recommendation - instead of having someone in a suit introduce the company, I would have preferred if the introduction had been given by the swing actor/actress who was not playing in the performance. I really liked the introductions by the performers of their (multiple) parts in Anthony and Cleopatra. I highly recommend this company. What plays are they thinking about next season? From seeing this company last year and this year, I would say that they do best with the comedies and lesser known works of the Bard. It is hard for a traveling troupe to compete with the major works against established theaters. But then I am happy to be proven wrong! ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 23 Jun 1993 17:46:33 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0383 Macduff Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 383. Wednesday, 23 June 1993. (1) From: Phyllis Rackin Date: Wednesday, 23 Jun 1993 10:13:51 +22306256 (EST) Subj: Re. Macduff (2) From: Herbert Donow Date: Wednesday, 23 Jun 93 09:44:03 CST Subj: Macduff and Cleopatra (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Phyllis Rackin Date: Wednesday, 23 Jun 1993 10:13:51 +22306256 (EST) Subject: Re. Macduff Maybe Macduff has to leave his family to join the army of righteousness and his wife and children have to be killed because this is a play where men are tainted by associations with women. Neither Duncan nor Banquo has a wife, and the first credential Malcolm offers when he decides to abjure what he calls the "taints and blames" he laid on himself to test Macduff is, "I am yet unknown to women" (IV.iii). (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Herbert Donow Date: Wednesday, 23 Jun 93 09:44:03 CST Subject: Macduff and Cleopatra Two brief observations: a) Macduff is a significant character who achieves that significance rather late in the play. Prior to the 4th act he is little more important than Ross. Questions about his character (why he abandons his family and so forth and why he looms so large in Macbeth's mind) might have been answered in a missing scene--one of those many of us believe were lost before the printing of F1. Macbeth, to his credit, was one who consulted with his wife (unlike Brutus or Hotspur); Macduff, had we that significant scene to prove it, neglected his wife and felt it unnecessary to share his thoughts with her. Someone needs to write "Macduff" including all the facts that Shakespeare undoubtedly intended to provide us but carelessly lost. b) As one of late middle years, I have long been taken with Cleopatra. She appeals to us older guys. Proof of her extraordinary powers lies in the fact that the most lyrical piece of poetry in the play comes from the tongue of a most prosaic solder -- Enobarbus -- as he describes "her infinite variety." What can one say but "O, rare for Antony"? Herbert Donow Southern Illinois University ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 23 Jun 1993 17:55:34 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0384 Re: Cleopatra Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 384. Wednesday, 23 June 1993. (1) From: Kay Stockholder Date: Wednesday, 23 Jun 93 10:06:44 PDT Subj: SHK 4.0379 Antony and Cleopatra Query (2) From: Al Cacicedo Date: Wednesday, 23 Jun 1993 13:46:34 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: 4.0379, Ant and Cleo query (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kay Stockholder Date: Wednesday, 23 Jun 93 10:06:44 PDT Subject: SHK 4.0379 Antony and Cleopatra Query For me the strength of the play lies in the imperfection of its lovers along with the power of their love. Cleopatra is divided between her love and her desire to survive, while Antony is divided between his fear of and desire for the feminine in his world. Out of their self-division they each betray the other, and themselves in the process. I don't see why one can't have sympathy for imperfect figures; if we were called upon to give our imaginative understanding only to perfect people we would not have much need of it. After all, Antony and Cleopatra, apart from the placement in the world and perhaps their love of self-dramatizing, are considerably more like most people than Romeo and Juliet. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Al Cacicedo Date: Wednesday, 23 Jun 1993 13:46:34 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: 4.0379, Ant and Cleo query I think that *Antony and Cleopatra* is a difficult play in large part because it presents so strong a female character in Cleopatra that those virile Roman *viri* react with all too characteristic male fear and loathing. That perspective is the first thing we hear in the play, and it's tempting to agree with what's said. But to say that Cleopatra is proof of Shakespeare's misogyny seems to me wrongly to agree with the masculinist perspective of Philo and Demetrius at the outset of the play. She is a strumpet only if one agrees that female sexuality ought to be licenced as Rome licences it -- and, I think, the play does not look too kindly on the Roman way of marriage. Nor am I sure that Cleopatra is so careless of her children as you suggest. Octavius's almost voyeuristic description of Antony and Cleopatra's public enthronement after Antony abandons Octavia makes Antony the giver of kingdoms and empery: but the recipients are Cleopatra and her children. Again, to agree that those children are disgusting because they are "unlawful issue" (3.6.7) is to think of Octavius as the defining voice of the play. I'd pursue the idea of your astute student, and consider the way in which Cleopatra uses her sexuality to counter the abysmally bad political position of Egypt in a Roman world. And I would also pursue the idea that there's much of Venus in the presentation of Cleopatra. Bevington is right that one can see Cleopatra's haling about of the messenger as an example of eastern despotism; but compare the meeting of Venus with Adonis in "Venus and Adonis" (especially 25-42) and you will see that love is not the "soft and delicate desires" of male fantasy such as Claudio feels for Hero in *Much Ado* (1.1.303). One can make the identification with Venus problematic, of course. After all, Venus participates in characteristics of female power that Janet Adelman, in *Suffocating Mothers*, identifies with male paranoia. But, I think, the paranoia depends on the fact of female power. In other words, Octavius and the Roman world demonize Cleopatra because she is so self-determining a woman. I agree with those writers who are unsure of Cleopatra's motivation: does she only seek to manipulate Antony or does she love him? But I also wonder whether the two things are incompatible. I do think, however, that the end of the play presents a transcendental Cleopatra, whose "immortal longings" (5.2.281) are real and, perhaps, definitive of her relationship with Antony, the "Husband" (287) to whom she now goes. By the way, according to civil, or "Roman" law, the illegitimate children of parents who end up marrying become legitimate: so if we take Cleopatra at her word, those bastasrd kids that Octavius abominates become legitimate. Anyway, if you're looking for misogyny in the play, of course it's there in the language of Rome. But the play presents an alternative language that I find to be remarkably unmisogynistic. Ultimately that language may simply mystify the real outcome of the play -- after all, Cleopatra and Antony do end up dead while Octavius lives on as the "sole sir o' th' world" (5.2.120). Octavius is pitiably prune-like -- nowhere more so than when he first sees Cleopatra and must ask "Which is the Queen of Egypt" (5.2.112) -- but maybe world empire requires a prune instead of a plum. In any case, I think that even Octavius' success is undermined in the course of the play. So, as Octavius foresees the "time of universal peace" (4.6.4) that his victory will inaugurate, the play reminds us, as it has done several times before, that "Great Herod" reigns in Palestine. I imagine that any Christian audience must hear in the name of Herod a reference to the birth of that "one greater man," to borrow Milton's phrase, who will undo Octavius much as Octavius has undone Cleopatra and Antony. Just a reading from Reading, PA Al Cacicedo (alc@joe.alb.edu) Albright College ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 23 Jun 1993 18:00:39 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0385 Collier Query Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 385. Wednesday, 23 June 1993. From: Kathryn Murphy Anderson Date: Wednesday, 23 Jun 93 12:32:30 -0400 Subject: Collier query Recently while working on my dissertation I've come across several references to Jeremy Payne Collier and his forgeries. I'd appreciate knowing some references to material that could help me get up-to-date on Collier, his work, what he is believed to have done, and how it was ascertained that he forged texts or data. Thanks, SHAKSPERians. Kathryn Murphy Anderson, English Department, Boston University. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 23 Jun 1993 18:05:18 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0386 Cleo Laine, John Colicos, BBC Time-Life Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 386. Wednesday, 23 June 1993. From: David McFadden Date: Wednesday, 23 Jun 1993 14:09:37 -0400 Subject: Cleo Laine, John Colicos, BBC Time Lifez 1: This morning shortly after eleven on CBC Radio (AM version) they played a recording of Cleo Laine singing Sonnet 18 set to music by John Beckwith. Has anyone on line heard (of) this recording, and if so do you know if Cleo has done anything else along these lines? It was very pretty, and with a bit of a bluesy beat. The program was a replay of an old Lister Sinclair "Ideas" instalment, called "Nectar and Ambrosia--Part 3." 2: On CBC Radio about a few weeks ago they ran a wonderful new audio version of King Lear, produced and directed by John Juliani and starring John Colicos as Lear. Colicos was superb, his voice subtly becoming less imperious and startlingly more human from scene to scene, and Cordelia (didn't catch the name of the actress) sobbed in a most heart-stabbing manner. The tape is available for purchase by calling Vancouver: 800-665-5516 or by fax at 604-948-0158. Don't have the price right now. (I hereby affirm I have no connection, commercial or otherwise, with this enterprise. I'm doing this for free.) A friend says he met Colicos by chance in a pub a few months ago and he not only mentioned that he was doing a radio version of Lear but was so enthusiastic about it he started delivering the "Howl Howl Howl" speech in such a convincing manner that the entire noisy pub was rendered silent. 3: Switching from the CBC to the BBC--I was chatting with Paul Roberts of the BBC Toronto office this morning and he says the BBC-Time Life Shakespeare video series (ca. 1980) will in about 18 months become commercially available first in the U.S., then in Canada, rather than just through institutions etc. They'll be about Can$50 per cassette, or a shade under Can$1,000 for the whole collection. Most of you will be familiar with the series I'm sure, but for those who aren't I should say that each play is given in full, straightahead, no editing, and brilliant casting and sets. I've only seen a few of them but so far but highlights have been: a. Charles Gray's unforgettable portrayal of Pandarus in Troilus and Cressida. Does anyone know anything else about the work of this fine actor? b. Ben Kingsley as one of the aggrieved husbands in Merry Wives. c. The wonderful otherworldly setting in Comedy of Errors. A long shot: Does anyone know of a superfluous set of these tapes that could be sold on a second-hand basis? If so, I'm definitely interested, since I lack institutional affiliation, though any responses to this query can be e-mailed to me at: --David McFadden ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 24 Jun 1993 06:01:56 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0387 [was unnumbered and lacked subject line] Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 387. Thursday, 24 June 1993. (1) From: Jerald Bangham Date: Wednesday, 23 Jun 1993 20:32:13 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0385 Collier Query (2) From: Tad Davis Date: Wednesday, 23 Jun 93 20:19:01 -0400 Subj: RE: SHK 4.0385 Collier Query (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jerald Bangham Date: Wednesday, 23 Jun 1993 20:32:13 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0385 Collier Query >Recently while working on my dissertation I've come across several >references to Jeremy Payne Collier and his forgeries. I'd appreciate >knowing some references to material that could help me get up-to-date >on Collier, his work, what he is believed to have done, and how it was >ascertained that he forged texts or data. There is a discussion of John Payne Collier in F. E. Halliday's "The Cult of Shakespeare", Thomas Yoseloff, 1960. There is probably a more recent source, but this is a very enjoyable book. Jerry Bangham jbangham@kudzu.win.net (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Tad Davis Date: Wednesday, 23 Jun 93 20:19:01 -0400 Subject: RE: SHK 4.0385 Collier Query Regarding Collier: Schoenbaum, SHAKESPEARE'S LIVES, has about 20 pages on the subject. He ends with one of the last things Collier ever wrote: "I am bitterly sad and most sincerely grieved that in every way I am such a despicable offender I am ashamed of almost every act of my life. [signed] J. Payne Collier, Nearly blind." Among the references Schoenbaum cites: Collier, An Old Man's Diary, Forty Years Ago; for the Last Six Months of 1832 (London, 1871). Collier, Autobiography. Henry B. Wheatley, Notes on the Life of John Payne Collier; with a Complete List of His Works, and an Account of Such Shakespeare Documents as Are Believed to Be Spurious (London, 1884). J.O. Halliwell[-Phillipps], Observations on the Shaksperian Forgeries at Bridgewater House (London, 1853). N.E.S.A. Hamilton, An Inquiry into the Genuineness of the Manuscript Corrections in Mr. J. Payne Collier's Annotated Shakspere (London, 1860). Tad Davis davist@a1.relay.upenn.edu ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 24 Jun 1993 06:06:07 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0388 [was 4.3088] Re: Cleopatra Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 388. Thursday, 24 June 1993. From: Michael Best Date: Wednesday, 23 Jun 93 17:25:01 PDT Subject: Cleopatra On Cleopatra and the attitudes of traditional critics, who see it as the tragedy of Antony and wonder why there is a fifth act, there is a wonderfully witty and intelligent article as long ago as 1976, by L. T. Fitz, "Egyptian Queens and Male Reviewers: Sexist Attitudes in *Antony and Cleopatra* Criticism," Shakespeare Quarterly. If I recall correctly, even the footnotes in this article well repay reading. Al Cacicedo says some good things about the bemused and threatened attitudes of the Romans in the play -- attitudes that have often been adopted wholly by those writing on it. One way of approaching the conflicting value systems of Rome and Alexandria is to take the opening speeches by Philo and Demetrius as articulating a thesis that is systematically subverted, or at least questioned, by the rest of the action. I also find it interesting to explore the ways that Shakespeare leaves so many issues open, when you compare his version with Plutarch/North. Critics often run to Plutarch to reassure themselves that Cleo did in fact persuade Antony to fight by sea, where Shakespeare has Antony the first to announce it, and Cleopatra simply backing him up -- Antony having earlier dared Pompey to fight by sea as well. . . . on the other Cleo (Laine), the orchestra would be her husband's -- Johnny Dankworth's -- and the two have collaborated on a whole recording, Shakespeare and All That Jazz. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 24 Jun 1993 06:15:27 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0389 Re: Cleo Laine Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 389. Thursday, 24 June 1993. (1) From: Jerald Bangham Date: Wednesday, 23 Jun 1993 20:43:21 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0386 Cleo Laine, John Colicos, BBC Time-Life (2) From: Simon Rae Date: Wednesday, 24 Jun 1993 10:50:57 +0100 Subj: RE: SHK 4.0386 Cleo Laine (3) From: John Drakakis Date: Thursday, 24 Jun 93 11:14:00 BST Subj: SHK 4.0386 Cleo Laine, John Colicos, BBC (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jerald Bangham Date: Wednesday, 23 Jun 1993 20:43:21 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0386 Cleo Laine, John Colicos, BBC Time-Life >1: This morning shortly after eleven on CBC Radio (AM version) >they played a recording of Cleo Laine singing Sonnet 18 set to >music by John Beckwith. Has anyone on line heard (of) this >recording, and if so do you know if Cleo has done anything else >along these lines? It was very pretty, and with a bit of a >bluesy beat. I'd assume that the music was by John Dankworth, Ms. Laine's husband. They appeared together on "St. Paul Sunday" several years back and performed several songs to Shakespeare's words. The only recording I have that would be relivant is "Lo! Hear the Gentle Lark" on "Sometimes When We Touch", an album with Cleo and James Galway. Jerry Bangham jbangham@kudzu.win.net (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Simon Rae Date: Wednesday, 24 Jun 1993 10:50:57 +0100 Subject: RE: SHK 4.0386 Cleo Laine "If music be the food of love - play on, give me excess of it" has long been one of Cleo Laine's standards - probably set to music by her husband John Dankworth - together they represent a fair chunk of the (older) UK jazz establishment. I remember "food of love" from 20 plus years age ... and also recently in a late-night tv concert. (Just for positional information ... they live just down the road from where I am now, their house includes The Stables ... a sort of personal jazz concert/gig venue which attracts all sorts of musicians. In the summer they play host to Music Summer Camps ... lots of kids under canvas making all sorts of music for a week.) Getting back to Cleo's recordings - I would think any record/CD catalogue would show her output ... but she does all sorts of music/tunes/writers all with a unique jazz style - not just the Bard! Cheers Simon The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John Drakakis Date: Thursday, 24 Jun 93 11:14:00 BST Subject: SHK 4.0386 Cleo Laine, John Colicos, BBC On Cleo Laine on Shakespeare, yes there is an LP which used to be available called, I think Cleo Laine sings Shakespeare, which has a number of settings to jazz of the Sonnets. There's a terrific track on the LP called Dunsinane Blues, of some slight singificance to the current SHAKESPER debate about Macbeth. The LP is some years old now, but I think it's still available. Cheers John Drakakis Department of English Studies University of Stirling ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 24 Jun 1993 06:26:16 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0390 New on the SHAKSPER FileServer: HOWELL BBC Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 390. Thursday, 24 June 1993. From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Thursday, June 24, 1993 Subject: New on the SHAKSPER FileServer: HOWELL BBC As of today, SHAKSPEReans may retrieve my essay "Jane Howell's BBC First Tetralogy: Theatrical and Televisual Manipulation" (HOWELL BBC) from the SHAKSPER Fileserver. SHAKSPEReans can retrieve HOWELL BBC by issuing the interactive command, "TELL LISTSERV AT UTORONTO GET HOWELL BBC SHAKSPER." If your network link does not support the interactive "TELL" command (i.e. if you are not directly on Bitnet), or if LISTSERV rejects your request, then send a one-line mail message (without a subject line) to LISTSERV@utoronto, reading "GET HOWELL BBC SHAKSPER." Should you have difficulty receiving this file, please contact me at or . For an updated version of the file list, send the command "GET SHAKSPER FILES SHAKSPER" in the same fashion. For further information, consult the appropriate section of your SHAKSPER GUIDE. ******************************************************************************* Jane Howell's BBC First Tetralogy: Theatrical and Televisual Manipulation Jane Howell began her two-year project of taping the plays of Shakespeare's first tetralogy for *The BBC TV Shakespeare* with a conception of the sequence as a continuous whole. Further, she chose to use not only the same actors but the same production crew and set throughout.[1] Her "signature" is stylized and presentational: she is perfectly content to use television in the service of the theatrical and the artificial. Her basic televisual strategy is that of depth-of-field with ensemble compositions and long, continuous takes ("part of the production's fundamental approach"), recorded with wide-angle camera lenses (*BBC 3 Henry VI*, 23). She does use montage during the battle sequences from the end of *1 Henry VI* through *Richard III*, but montage is the exception and not the rule -- confined for the most part to recording the fighting.[2] That Howell directed all four plays allows us to explore the consequences of her particular approach to putting Shakespeare before us on the small screen. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 25 Jun 1993 07:38:36 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0391 Re: Charles Gray Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 391. Friday, 25 June 1993. (1) From: Kenneth S. Rothwell Date: Thursday, 24 Jun 1993 11:17:16 -500 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0386 Cleo Laine, John Colicos, BBC Time-Life (2) From: Stanley D. McKenzie Date: Thursday, 24 Jun 1993 15:26:00 +0000 Subj: RE: SHK 4.0386 Cleo Laine, John Colicos, BBC Time-Life (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kenneth S. Rothwell Date: Thursday, 24 Jun 1993 11:17:16 -500 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0386 Cleo Laine, John Colicos, BBC Time-Life David McFadden's inquiry about Charles Gray and the BBC/Time-Life The Shakespeare Plays series reminds me that Gray also played Caesar in Julius Caesar, the Duke of York in R2, and Solinus in Err. He has also been seen on the BBC in 1972 as Antonio in MV and, I believe, in 1974 as Malvolio in TN, though the latter two productions were not a part of the BBC series but regularly transmitted programs in the UK. Ken Rothwell (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Stanley D. McKenzie Date: Thursday, 24 Jun 1993 15:26:00 +0000 Subject: RE: SHK 4.0386 Cleo Laine, John Colicos, BBC Time-Life Your students will be most familiar with Charles Gray in "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" as the vilified Inspector, at whom I believe it is still traditional for the audience to shout obscenities every time he appears on screen. Gray also, of course, is wonderful as Caesar in the BBC "Julius Caesar." Stan McKenzie ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 25 Jun 1993 07:44:29 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0392 Re: Collier Query Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 392. Friday, 25 June 1993. (1) From: Kenneth S. Rothwell Date: Thursday, 24 Jun 1993 10:51:08 -500 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0385 Collier Query (2) From: Nick Clary Date: Thursday, 24 Jun 1993 12:37:28 -0500 (EST) Subj: John Payne Collier, 1789-1883, ed. (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kenneth S. Rothwell Date: Thursday, 24 Jun 1993 10:51:08 -500 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0385 Collier Query Dear Kathryn Anderson, Just for starters, you could look at S. Schoenbaum's >Shakespeare's Lives< (Oxford: Clarendon, 1970), 348-61, where with his usual wit and irony, Schoenbaum recounts the melancholy and dismal tale. Ken Rothwell (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Nick Clary Date: Thursday, 24 Jun 1993 12:37:28 -0500 (EST) Subject: John Payne Collier, 1789-1883, ed. If your library has a sufficiently powerful microfiche reader and a copy of THE MICROBOOK LIBRARY OF ENGLISH LITERATURE (PART I: BEGINNINGS TO 1660), which is a valuable resource for those whose institutional collections are limited, you may be happy to discover 37 separate titles edited by John Payne Collier, including reprints of many rare early texts gathered under a single cover for the first time. Others have already provided additional suggestions, but you will surely be delighted by what you find in Collier's many introductions, notes, comparisons, and interpretive accounts. In the 1840's, particularly, the number of publications under his editorship is staggering. Collier, as you must know already, was not his own worst or his only critic. Nick Clary clary@smcvax.smcvt.edu ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 25 Jun 1993 07:47:47 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0393 CFP: Shakespeare at Kalamazoo Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 393. Friday, 25 June 1993. From: Joan Hartwig Date: Thursday, 24 Jun 93 16:17:22 EDT Subject: Shakespeare at Kalamazoo CALL FOR PAPERS Two sessions at the Twenty-ninth International Congress on Medieval Studies, May 5-8, 1994, are devoted to papers specifically relating Shakespeare to the broader canvas of cultural history, sponsored by "Shakespeare at Kalamazoo." Session topics are (1) Shakespeare in the Tradition of the Performing Arts and (2) Shakespeare and Cultural Continuity. This year's chair, who will be choosing papers for presentation, is Debbie Barrett-Graves, English Department, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506. Because Dr. Barrett-Graves is not yet on E-mail, please send abstracts and queries to Joan Hartwig no later than September 15, 1993. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 25 Jun 1993 07:53:57 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0394 Colicos and Lear 1993 Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 394. Friday, 25 June 1993. From: Mary Jane Miller Date: Thursday, 24 Jun 93 20:35:26 -0400 Subject: COLICOS AND LEAR 1963 COLICOS AND LEAR 1963 Nathan Cohen , the acerbic critic of the Toronto Star called the 1963 Stratford production of King Lear one of the best he had seen there. Director Michael Langham allowed me to watch rehearsals over a six week period. Green almost - M.A. that I was, I had no idea what a rare privilege I was given. In fact, as the only body in the theatre without a function, I recorded his notes as he watched the 'tech dress'. CAST: Regan- Diana Maddox; Goneril- Fran Hyland; Cordelia- Martha Henry; Cornwall; Leo Ciceri; Albany- William Needles; Kent- Tony Van Bridge; Gloucester- Mervyn Blake; Fool - Eric House. Two things worth sharing: (1) Langham to Gon. Reg. Corn. and Alb. in an early rehearsal: "No no no. You are playing it backward. You aren't monsters yet. You don't know it's the greatest storm since the deluge. He's just been impossible again and it's raining." (2) During the rehearsals that I saw, the actors never once got through the blinding of Gloucester. They'd dry or make a wrong move or break up -- anything to avoid having to endure that scene from beginning to end. There is, as we all know, nowhere to hide on a thrust stage. Part of it was Ciceri's anxiety about bringing his spurred heel down on Blake without hurting him. But I think the major problem was the emotional power of the scene and the sense of complicity that deveoped among those on and off the stage as the scene developed. I've seen many Lears in the 30 years since, but Colicos' voice is the one I still hear when I teach the play. The recent CBC radio production [I only heard the last act] proved to me that Colicos has not forgotten it either. Mary Jane Miller, Dept. of Film Studies, Dramatic and Visual Arts, Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, L2S 3A1. ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 26 Jun 1993 08:00:45 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0395 Re: SSE 1993 Season Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 395. Saturday, 26 June 1993. From: Ralph Alan Cohen Date: Friday, 25 Jun 1993 13:19:00 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0382 SSE 1993 Season To answer Blair Kelly's question about what the Shenandoah Shakespeare Express will be doing in our 94 Season: MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, OTHELLO, and TAMING OF THE SHREW. We called this season our *Season of Love*; we're toying with the idea of calling next season our *Season of Bile.* By the way, Blair Kelly, thank you for your suggestion that our swing person (an actor that alternates with another in the role so that we have a spare in the event of illness) introduce the plays. We have debated endless whether or not to do an introduction, and this sounds a good approach. Thanks also for your encouraging words. Ralph A. Cohen ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 26 Jun 1993 08:04:44 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0396 Re: Shakespeare Through Performance Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 396. Saturday, 26 June 1993. From: Milla Riggio Date: Friday, 25 Jun 1993 13:38 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0290 Re: Shakespeare Through Performance DEAR SHAKSPEReans: I will be out of touch during the month of July. If you are on the MLA Performance volume list and need to contact me, please WRITE me at Professor Milla Riggio (or Mrs. Margaret Grasso)/English Department, Trinity College, Hartford, Ct. 06106. I will be back online for only a week or so in early August, so for all practical purposes think of me as gone from June 28 to August 23. Enjoy the summer. I hope you have gotten your verifying letters by now. If so, or if not, please write me at Trinity. Many thanks, Milla Riggio ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 26 Jun 1993 08:08:47 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0397 Re: Duncan Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 397. Saturday, 26 June 1993. From: Joan Hartwig Date: Friday, 25 Jun 93 23:15:02 EDT Subject: Re: Duncan In Holinshed, Duncan (or Duff) is a weak king. Are we confusing source with play? One of the exciting aspects of Shakespeare's playwrighting is his handling of sources. In Holinshed, Banquo HELPS Macbeth murder Duncan. We can see that Shakespeare decided not to use this "fact" for a reason (whether it be to please James, who reportedly was a descendant of Banquo's, or because Shakespeare had other dramaturgically plausible reasons). On the latter subject, if Shakespeare is crafting a play according to the accepted structural procedures of analogical positioning, why not read Malcolm's exaggerated reiteration of Macbeth's hideous offenses as a parody meant to bring the audience to its senses--after being inside a character with whom it sympathizes --to a clearer view of what it means to do what Macbeth has done. We don't sympathize with Malcolm because Shakespeare doesn't want us to. Yet Malcolm serves his purpose in the DRAMATIC scheme because he helps us to see that Macbeth IS a "butcher." Note that the Malcolm scene follows immediately upon the butchering of Macduff's wife and children, which WE see but which neither Malcolm nor Macduff knows about. It might be worth re-reading Holinshed's account of the Malcolm/Macduff scene to see exactly how closely Shakespeare follows the chronicler's account, and, more to the point, what details he varies. Is it necessary to ignore Shakespeare's meticulous crafting of scenic sequence in order to psychoanalyze (according to very current nineteenth- century theory) every motion a fictional character from pre-seventeenth- century makes? Even when that fictional character is based upon "historical" reportage? P.S. To Bill Godshalk: you do know that Juniper berries destroy the nerve ends whereas distillations from whole grains are not known to affect the same areas. Respectfully suggested, Joan Hartwig ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 26 Jun 1993 08:12:18 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0398 NEH Younger Scholars Program Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 398. Saturday, 26 June 1993. From: Al Cacicedo Date: Friday, 25 Jun 1993 22:29:31 -0400 (EDT) Subject: NEH Younger Scholars Program I have questions which although not about Shakespeare, may be of interest to some of you, particularly those who teach at small colleges such as mine. Has anyone at a small school (1000-2000) had much success in getting NEH grants for younger scholars? I'd be eager to hear about the experiences of people at schools with middling reputations. There's a little bit of sour grapes in what follows, but I honestly think that the way the younger scholars program is arranged benefits students in larger and richer schools. In such schools arranging for a sponsor might be a matter of going down the hallway and knocking on a series of professors' doors, and waiting for someone (probably a recently hired junior faculty for whom the small amount of money offered for the work might be tempting) and then making use of the facilities at hand. In a school like mine, we have only two people who do "early" literature, and so a major reason for a student's seeking a stipend is to go away so that she can hear new voices and get new perspectives. My school also has nothing in the way of manuscripts or unedited primary sources, so another reason for a student to seek a stipend is to have access to a good library. Believe me, the search for someone at a first-rate institution who might be willing to sponsor a student he or she does not know is daunting for even the brightest and most persevering student. Why doesn't the NEH sponsor summer seminars for younger scholars to be run much as are the summer seminars for us big boys and girls? Just a-reading in Reading, PA Al Cacicedo (alc@joe.alb.edu) Albright College ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 26 Jun 1993 08:18:56 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0399 The SHAKSPER NOMAIL Option Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 399. Saturday, 26 June 1993. From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Saturday, June 26, 1993 Subject: The SHAKSPER NOMAIL Option Dear SHAKSPEReans, With summer upon us, many of you will be away from your accounts. If so, please be sure to use the NOMAIL option to suspend temporarily SHAKSPER mailings. When you return, just reset your option to MAIL. To set the NOMAIL option, send the following one-line message, "SET SHAKSPER NOMAIL," to LISTSERV@UTORONTO.BITNET. To resume mailing, send the "SET SHAKSPER MAIL" command to LISTSERV. For further details, consult your SHAKSPER GUIDE or contact me at HMCook@boe00.minc.umd.edu ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 27 Jun 1993 07:40:54 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0402 Query: Shakespeare's Syntax Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 402. Sunday, 27 June 1993. From: Steven Schaufele Date: Saturday, 26 Jun 1993 16:22:09 +1200 Subject: Query: Shakespeare's exploitation of syntactic options [This query arrived from someone who is not a member of SHAKSPER. Most properly any responses should be sent directly to fcosws@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu; however, if you think your reponse would be of interest to the members of our conference, please send a COPY to SHAKSPER also. --hmc] I recently posted the following query on LINGUIST, and was advised to send it also to this address: I've recently gotten interested in investigating the use of syntactic options (i.e. syntactically different but semantically equivalent constructions -- e.g. voice distinctions, variation in adverb placement) in Shakespeare's plays, especially as tools in characterization. Can anybody direct me to any research that has been done in this area? ------ Dr. Steven Schaufele c/o Department of Linguistics 712 West Washington Ave. University of Illinois Urbana, IL 61801 4088 Foreign Languages Building 707 South Mathews Street 217-344-8240 Urbana, IL 61801 fcosws@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 27 Jun 1993 07:30:13 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0401 Playgoing in England 1993 Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 401. Sunday, 27 June 1993. From: Cliff Ronan Date: Saturday, 26 Jun 1993 21:11:50 -0500 (CDT) Subject: Playgoing in England 1993 June 26, 1993 I wish I had reported on my May playgoing in England earlier. But better late than never. If SHAKSPEeans get a chance to see *The Changeling* at the RSC Barbican Pit they should. And they might want to call ahead for tickets, since even in May they were hard to get for anything in the Pit. The box office number is 71-638-8891. Malcolm Storry plays a blond psychopathic football player of a DeFlores to Cheryl Campbell's cheerleader, the most vivacious and pretty coed ever to have that job. The virginity tests are outrageously funny, reflecting poorly on the leaden-headed Alsemero, skillfully played by Michael Siberry. Ron Cook's handling of the lead in the adaptation of Brome's *Jovial Crew* is one of the best things in the Pit's wonderful performance of that play. The best of the other Tudor-Stuart productions I saw was the RSC RST Stratford *Lear*, where stage devices with no textual basis worked actually very well (a Daliesque globe that splits oven and fills the stage with running sand). The RNT *Macbeth*, as an earlier posting rightly said, deserves to be avoided. Passable overally and interesting in a scene or two (O'Donnell's Touchstone) is the RSC Barbican *AYL*; and overall, the same group's *Ant* is sporadically half-interesting. But about both these productions ther are to many moments of intellectual dullness, directorial and acting somnolence. Half the plays that had huge stages frittered away the texts on catchy stage design and showy technological inventions. Exceptions included *Beggar's Opera* (since closed), *Trelawney of the 'Wells'*, and the aforementioned *Lear.* West End theaters still seem able to present exciting and reliable productions, to judge from the Wilde, Shaffer, O'Casey, and Rattigan I saw there, and of course the small NATIONALLY subsidized theater like the RNT Cottesloe, the Donmar, the Royal Court, the Almeida, and I presume the Swan and Other Place in Stratford. I stress national subsidy because I attended a Webster-Brecht-Auden *Duchess of Malfi* under borough sponsorship in Chelsea, much to my immediate chagrin. I understand that present and future plays for this summer include RSC Barbican's *Taming* *Taming* and *Winter's Tale, RSC Stratford's *Caesar*, *Ghosts,* *Country Wife*, *MV*, *Tmp*, and Goldoni's *Venetian Twins*. Later there will be *AWW,* *Tamburlaine*, and *Wallenstein* in London. I do not know what the National Theatre's offerings will be at the same times. Gloriously, the play is still more the thing in England than anywhere else in the world. Cliff Ronan, Southwest Texas SU ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 27 Jun 1993 17:08:36 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0400 Re: NEH Younger Scholars Program Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 400. Sunday, 27 June 1993. From: Naomi Liebler Date: Saturday, 26 Jun 93 12:00:00 EST Subject: RE: SHK 4.0398 NEH Younger Scholars Program Dear Al (et al), I think your suggestion that NEH sponsor "younger scholars" seminars is EXCELLENT -- and I hope someone who has NEH's "ear" takes it up. If not, you might write to NEH directly: for 29 cents, you could be doing a huge service! I too had a student turned down -- my insitution is pretty large in terms of population (it's a state college) but it is certainly not "first-rate" and its research facilities are pitiful. Our students do have limited access to the holdings at other colleges, and I mean LIMITED, but there's little opportunity HERE to train them to know what to look for and how to find it. Because we are a state college, we get students with an enormous range of abilities and potential, and these are almost always undeveloped. Moreover, our students for the most part sing a song that goes like this : "If I were really any good, I'd be at ...." (fill in the blank). The sad part of all this is that some of them, quite a few in fact, are natively brilliant, and without the opportunities you speak of, they'll never know. To wit, in all my years of teaching here, only ONE student even had the gumption to apply for that NEH Younger Scholars program, and as I said, she was turned down. The rest of them say, "Who, me?" Maybe the Folger folks (are you listening?) would be interested in expanding the wonderful, excellent programs they currently offer to pre-college students, and extend them to college students, with, of course, some kind of support from NEH. Thanks for raising the issue. Naomi C. Liebler Dept. of English Montclair State College (NJ) "liebler@apollo.montclair.edu" ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 28 Jun 1993 06:52:50 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0403 Discussion Group on Bibliography Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 403. Monday, 28 June 1993. From: Germaine Warkentin Date: Sunday, 27 Jun 1993 14:53:45 -0500 Subject: Discussion group on Bibliography In addition to the lists below, I have permission to cross-post to FICINO, SEDIT-L, and SHAKSPER. GW > This message is being posted to exlibris, sharp-l and bibsoft. > Apologies for any duplication. > > The Bibliographical Society of Canada/La Societe bibliographique > du Canada wishes to announce that it is sponsoring a new > discussion group, BIBSOCAN, dealing with the subject of > bibliography. While the above groups discuss ancillary aspects > they do not address themselves specifically to questions of a > bibliographical nature. It is the hope of the Society that the > group will not be confined to Canadian bibliography and > bibliographers but will be international in scope. > > To subscribe please send a message as follows: to: Bitnet: LISTSERV@UTORONTO.BITNET Internet: LISTSERV@VM.UTCC.UTORONTO.CA > saying "sub bibsocan ". For further information > please get in touch with the moderator, Sandra Alston, University > of Toronto (alstons@vm.utcc.utoronto.ca or > alstons@utorvm.bitnet". ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 29 Jun 1993 06:20:20 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0404 Re: Cleopatra Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 404. Tuesday, 29 June 1993. From: Mary Ellen Zurko Date: Monday, 28 Jun 93 11:07:09 EDT Subject: Antony and Cleopatra Query In the book "Shakespeare's Women" (I've forgotten the author, though it was also a woman), there is a section on Cleopatra. The radical re-reading given to Cleopatra (and, in fact, all the women in the book) is to take her seriously (as in respectfully, not deadly), and evaluate her actual words and actions. It's amazing how much more difficult it is (at least for me) to believe and respect a woman in Shakespeare who has traditionally been portrayed and criticized as insincere, than it is to believe and respect a man in Shakespeare with similar critical baggage (for example, Polonius). Also, Enobarbus is not assumed to be an objective commentator, but a character with an agenda, like any other. Mez (zurko@tuxedo.enet.dec.com) [I believe the book mentioned here is Irene Dash's *Wooing, Wedding, and Power: Women in Shakespeare's Plays*, Columbia UP, 1981. --hmc] ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 30 Jun 1993 21:23:28 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0405 Proposal for Fair Use Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 405. Wednesday, 30 June 1993. From: Cynthia L. Wimmer Date: Wednesday, 30 Jun 93 11:14 EDT Subject: Proposal for Fair Use Because I've sent the following memo and proposal to several lists and to some individuals by surface mail, some of you will receive duplicates, and I apologize for any inconvenience that duplication causes. Please feel free to share these with anyone you feel will be interested and to invite them to join those who will be writing in support of the proposal. Thank you for your attention and support. Cynthia ***** June 30, 1993 Memo to: Scholars and Teachers of Theatre, Performance, and Dramatic Literature From: Cynthia Wimmer, English Department, University of Maryland at College Park Re: Proposal to Actor's Equity Association for fair use of archival video tapes The attached proposal will be mailed on July 1, 1993. In my contacts with Nancy Donahoe of Actor's Equity, she has indicated that with the recent move to allow artists who appear on television talk shows to present video segments of their performances, the union seems to be moving in the direction of allowing greater, though still limited, circulation of these simulations of productions. This proposal emerges from my discussions with Nancy and from my own work as a scholar and teacher of dramatic scripts and performance analysis. Actor's Equity will be far more likely to consider modifying their policies regarding duplication of archival videos if many scholars and teachers write letters in support of this proposal. Some members of the larger academic community, such as Richard Schechner and Jackson Bryer, have already pledged to write letters of support; others, such as John Fuegi, are going to draft their own arguments to persuade Actor's Equity to modify their contracts with holding institutions. Our sense is that if Actor's Equity agrees to allow limited duplication, the five other unions who currently have similar prohibitions on duplication (International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, United Scenic Artists, American Federation of Musicians, Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers, and Dramatists Guild) will follow Equity's lead and agree to modification of their contracts. Please read this proposal and consider writing in support of some modification of the Actor's Equity contracts with holding institutions. Please mail letters of support after July 2, 1993. Thank you. ***** July 1, 1993 Mr. Conard Fowkes Pay-T.V. Committee Actor's Equity Association 165 West 46th Street New York, New York 10036 Re: Proposal for fair use of archival video tapes Dear Mr. Fowkes, This letter requests that Actor's Equity allow theatre scholars and teachers nonprofit fair use of segments of archival video tapes in order that we might better train students in awareness and appreciation of live theatre and thereby assist more fully in building a broader economic base of support for theatrical productions by building theatre audiences. Currently, duplication of any portions of archival tapes is prohibited by the contracts between six unions and various holding institutions: the Research Library of the Lincoln Center Branch of the New York Public Library, the Martin Luther King Memorial Library in Washington, D.C., the San Francisco Performing Arts Library and Museum, and theatres which are members of LORT. The contracts stipulate that the videos be viewed only at the holding institutions, that they not be duplicated, and that they are used for scholarship only. Of course, the contracts were formulated so that the work of artists would be protected, and certainly all of us who work in any capacity in this field agree that policies are necessary to safeguard theatre artists being paid for their work. However, the restrictive way in which these goals are reflected in the current contracts is not in the best interest of the artists such policies are designed to benefit. Those of us who research and teach in this area stimulate the interest and appreciation of people who ultimately support theatre and its artists. Rather than depriving artists of income for their work, through our scholarship and teaching we seek to expand the segment of society that regularly and devotedly supports their work by buying tickets and donating funds. From the students we teach we often create audience members. Though the contracts allow the videos to be viewed for scholarly purposes, the primary purpose of scholarship is preparation for teaching, and it is this link between what teachers are permitted to see and what we can show our students that the contracts fail to take into account. We need your help to kindle more students' excitement for theatre, to cultivate their taste for theatre, and to teach them the wonder of live performance. Video segments can provide a much needed instructional bridge between scripts and live performance. We need to teach students the visual and aural literacy to engage more fully with performance. By viewing films, students are trained to allow the eye of the camera, the film editor, and the film director to determine their selection of focus. In contrast, through presenting selected portions of these archival videos of stage productions, teachers would be able to develop our students' performance literacy as they view an entire stage, to point out choices and interpretations while stage action is occurring, to encourage them to make sense of what they are seeing and to see themselves as potentially interactive participants with live performers, rather than as passive hearers and watchers of a cinematic production unable to be affected by their presence. We simply cannot communicate these ideas and allow for questions and discussion in a theatre during a performance. We need the latitude to move our scholarship and our teaching into the technological expanses now available to prepare our students better for the experiences of live theatre. Because of the restrictions on our use of archival videos, theatre educators have been denied the basic pedagogical technique used in related fields. The fair use practices developed throughout the past century have given all those who teach other art forms an advantage those of us who teach dramatic literature, theatre, and performance have not had: the ability to bring simulations of the particular art works being studied into the classroom. Scholar-teachers of written texts can cite passages from copyrighted works and discuss them with their students; those studying film can readily obtain and show their primary texts to auditors; art historians can procure permission to reproduce pictures of their subjects to include in their scholarship and teaching, as can those examining architecture. Videos which simulate the primary material of theatre exist, but we are unable to make fair use of them because of these contracts. Both the current contracts and our national copyright laws manifest the same desire to protect artists' work and livelihood. According to the Copyright Act of 1909, these archival tapes are considered "unpublished" because limited distributions are not generally held to constitute publication. Unpublished works enjoy common law protection, rather than copyright protection, because they are generally assumed not to have been released for public criticism or comment; however, these archival tapes record public events which are regularly available for analysis and scholarly and educational purposes and are thus public and analogous to copyrighted material, material which falls under legal fair use provisions. The fair use provision (United States Code, title 17, section 107) allows scholars and educators to quote or reproduce small portions of copyrighted works in various media without obtaining permission of the copyright holder. Circular 21 from the Copyright Office, Library of Congress, describes these provisions: [T]he fair use of a copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies of phonorecords or by any other means specified by that section, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright. In determining whether the use made of a work in any particular case is a fair use the factors to be considered shall include-- (1) the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes; (2) the nature of the copyrighted work; (3) the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; and (4) the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work. The duplication and use of short segments of these archival videos for the limited and nonprofit purposes of "teaching," "criticism," "scholarship," or "research" would be specifically constituted as fair use were these videos copyrighted. Precedent for public showings of video segments of plays has already been set. Video recorded portions of live plays may be shown during television reviews of plays and now for actors' appearances on talk shows. Although such airings promote individual plays and artists, they do not do as much as in-depth education can to build theatre audiences in general. This letter proposes that addenda to the existing contracts which parallels fair use provisions be drawn. Such addenda would permit duplication of segments of archival tapes, with stipulations on the number of segments per performance (perhaps two or three for a full-length play), or the duration of segments (perhaps ten minutes), or the percent (perhaps five percent) permitted to be duplicated. The addenda should additionally stipulate that the work of the artists be properly credited and precisely what form that documentation must take and what information it must include. A thriving theatre industry is what all of us who love this art form seek to perpetuate. Permitting fair use of archival videos will benefit not only teachers and students, but all theatre artists. Thank you for your consideration and prompt attention to this proposal. Sincerely, Cynthia L. WIMMER Email:CM74@umail.umd.edu Phone:(301)595-4515 ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 30 Jun 1993 21:30:20 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0406 Shakespeare in N. Georgia Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 406. Wednesday, 30 June 1993. From: John Mucci Date: Wednesday, 30 Jun 93 17:37:00-0400 Subject: Shakespeare in N. Georgia I've run across a most interesting offering for this summer in the northern woods of Georgia which might be of interest to any SHAKSPERians in the area. I quote from the blurb: "No tights, just fights! -- Shakespeare's HENRY V as you've never seen it before, performed by a troupe of seven oddly-shaped actors from New York and North Georgia. This modern production combines Shakespeare's finest poetry with live music in a modern setting. Discover the adventure, passion, and romance of Shakespeare's most famous history in a production that finally fractures the 2-hour barier. Directed by Brent Glenn, presented at the Sautee-Nacoochee Arts & Community Center, a rural schoolhouse under restoration in the historic Sautee-Nacoochee Valleys in the N.E. Georgia mountains. Call 706-878-3300, contact Penny Pinson." I'd love to know just how oddly shaped those passing through this more-than-two-hour spectacle brought it off. J.Mucci GTE VisNet Stamford, CT PS. The performances run the second and third weeks of July; contact them for further details. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 1 Jul 1993 09:59:12 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0407 *The Spanish Tragedy* in Philadelphia Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 407. Thursday, 1 July 1993. From: Cary M. Mazer Date: Thursday, 1 Jul 93 10:17:51 EDT Subject: The Spanish Tragedy Friends, SHAKSPER subscribers in the Philadelphia area may be interested to know that the Red Heel Theatre will be presenting a script-in-hand reading of *The Spanish Tragedy* by Thomas Kyd, under my direction, this coming Tuesday, July 6th, at 5:45 PM at the Art Alliance, 18th St. and Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia. Cary M. Mazer ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 2 Jul 1993 06:30:53 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0408 Montecchi and Cappelletti Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 408. Friday, 2 July 1993. From: Jon Callas Date: Thursday, 1 Jul 93 08:43:05 PDT Subject: Montecchi & Cappelletti [Nota Bene: This comes from an internal DEC discussion group on historical antiquity, which we informally designate as being up to the Renaissance, or even a little later if it's pertinent, interesting, or both. I found it quite interesting. Joe Gobbini is a part-time historian who lives in Italy. -- Jon Callas] ================================================================================ Note 193.11 Famous Male-Female Couples 11 of 11 COLEOS::GOBBINI 50 lines 30-JUN-1993 14:13 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -< Romeo Montecchi and Giulia Cappelletti >- I'm sure you have recognized Juliet and Romeo, although Shakespeare anglicized their names. This famous couple has become the symbol of love contrasted by group loyalties. Stories like theirs will happen and be told as long as there are family/national/racial loyalties, and sexual attraction to overcome them. Which is like saying: forever. The case of Bosko Brkic' and Admira Istvic' which happened a couple of months ago shows how actual the situation is. Anyway, Giulietta and Romeo probably existed for real. Shakespeare based his story on a tale by Matteo Bandello, written around 1550. Bandello was a Franciscan friar and a provincial superior of his order, besides being a prolific short story writer. He says the story was narrated to him as true fact. Certainly the incredible details (e.g. the poison that simulates death) must have been added along the way, unless Bandello added them on his own. But the Montecchi and Cappelletti families really existed, and really had a feud. Dante mentions them in Purgatory as an example of feuding families. He is addressing Emperor Heinrich VII, asking him to come to Italy, give it a stable government, and suppress all the inter-city wars and inter-family feuds: Vieni a veder Montecchi e Cappelletti, Monaldi e Filippeschi, uom senza cura, questi gi` tristi e color con sospetti. (Come, you careless man, come and see Montecchi and Cappelletti, Monaldi and Filippeschi, the former already in open strife and the latter about to start one.) Dante wrote this at some time between 1305 and 1310. He spent much of his exile in Verona, so he knew what he was talking about. Supposing Giulietta and Romeo really existed, their story may have happened at any time between Dante's time and 1550, but probably close to 1300. When Bandello wrote, it was already a century-old tale, transmitted by word of mouth and amplified in the telling. Besides, feuds don't last that long; after two or three generations one of the two families (or both) becomes extinct. So if we say it happened between 1300 and 1350 we have a good probability of being right. Giulietta's house and tomb that are shown to tourists in Verona, are fakes. The house is a real old house, which, since it had not been renovated since the 1400's, and was located on Via Cappelli, was arbitrarily designated as the the Cappelletti family house. It had no balcony, so one was taken from a neighbouring house and added to it. You can't have Shakespeare's balcony scene without a balcony, can you? This was done in the early 1800's. Likewise, Giulietta's supposed sarcophagus is only a medieval carved-stone cattle trough. Let the tourist beware! Joe G. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 2 Jul 1993 06:34:05 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0409 Re: NEH Younger Scholars Program Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 409. Friday, 2 July 1993. From: Bernice W. Kliman Date: Thursday, 1 Jul 1993 20:07 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0400 Re: NEH Younger Scholars Program I agree with Naomi Liebler about a crying need for the sorts of seminars the Folger offers high school students. What happens when an institution becomes a member of the Folger Consortium? How much does it cost? Do they accept less-than-first-class institutions? Yours, Bernice W. Kliman ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 2 Jul 1993 06:37:15 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0410 Q: A Pocket Complete Works Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 410. Friday, 2 July 1993. From: Zip Kellogg Date: Thursday, 01 Jul 93 20:34:17 EDT Subject: A pocket complete works Is anyone aware if there is a small (portable) complete works of Shakespeare? I've seen the Viking Portable Shak, but it's very selective (incomplete) and isn't as small, for example, as the pocket Bibles that are published. So, what is the smallest complete works that's in print or generally available through normal used book dealers? Any help or suggestions appreciated. Zip Kellogg, U. of Southern Maine ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 3 Jul 1993 08:55:05 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0411 Re: A Pocket Complete Works Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 411. Saturday, 3 July 1993. From: Larry Schwartz Date: Friday, 02 Jul 93 08:47:41 CDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0410 Q: A Pocket Complete Works Though it would be very difficult to fit it in your pocket, Oxford UP does publish a "compact" edition (9.5" h x 7" w) of the Wells and Taylor complete works. It's less difficult to take into the bathtub than the full-size edition, but it's still too unwieldy to be really comfortable. A paper- bound, yet still sewn (rather than perfect-bound), edition would be ideal. The ISBN number for this edition is 0198117477. larry schwartz humanities librarian north dakota state university fargo (is that REALLY the sun?) nd ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 3 Jul 1993 08:59:22 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0412 Re: Two-Hour Barrier Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 412. Saturday, 3 July 1993. From: Mary Ellen Zurko Date: Friday, 2 Jul 93 05:22:06 PDT Subject: re: 2 hour barrier >in a production that finally fractures the 2-hour barier. [...] >I'd love to know just how oddly shaped those passing through this >more-than-two-hour spectacle brought it off. Actually, given the context, and some of the reviews of other productions of Shakespeare I've been reading, I assumed what is meant is _less_ than 2 hours. Of course, *Dogs Hamlet* comes in under 2 hours as well... Mez ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 3 Jul 1993 09:07:16 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0413 Re: Margaret, Lilith, and Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 413. Saturday, 3 July 1993. From: Bernice W. Kliman Date: Friday, 2 Jul 1993 13:31 EDT Subject: Re: Margaret, Lilith, and Shakespeare Re: SHK 4.0361 I don't see the connection between Lilith and anti-semitism, even if Shakespeare is thinking of Lilith when creating Margaret. I think Irene Dash has written perceptively about Margaret in her excellent book *Women in Shakespeare*. Re: SHK 4.0365 Re: Margaret, Lilith, and Shakespeare Re Henry V's anger about the boys and the luggage: is there any proof that Henry is angry about THAT and not about the fact that the French are still on the field? Let's forget Olivier and Branagh for a moment. The boys and the luggage are not on stage and by the time Henry enters Fluellen is talking about something else altogether. The audience has been given ample time to forget the boys and the luggage as anything else but an infraction of the rules of war (that is, their killing is the infraction, not the boys themselves). All of this was brought out by Joan Hartwig in a brilliant paper she presented at Shakespeare at Kalamazoo last May. Cheers, Bernice ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 3 Jul 1993 09:14:52 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0414 Moby Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 414. Saturday, 3 July 1993. From: Tom Loughlin Date: Friday, 2 Jul 1993 2:29 pm EDT (18:29:23 UT) Subject: Moby Shakespeare I was wondering - I have seen the Moby Shakespeare e-text files, but I noticed they did not contain line numberings. Are there any e-text editions which do contain line numberings? Line numbers are a big help when you are preparing a prompt book for a production. I know editions are available on disk commercially, but it would be nice to get them through public access. Rather than tie up the list, send responses directly to: loughlin@ucs.uwplatt.edu unless you think your response might be of interest to others. Thanks. ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 3 Jul 1993 09:22:01 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0416 Re: Duncan Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 416. Saturday, 3 July 1993. From: Bernice W. Kliman Date: Friday, 2 Jul 1993 20:18 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0375 Another Re: Duncan Re Duncan: I agree that a performance, a very bleak one indeed, could present a Duncan and a Macduff and a Malcolm and a Banquo who are as bad as you think they could be. Would it be a good production? Has anyone ever seen one that makes everyone bad. I think Polanski comes fairly close, but there the society is benighted and not totally corrupt. There is hope, if only a glimmer. Yours, Bernice ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 3 Jul 1993 09:27:19 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0415 Radio *R&J* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 415. Saturday, 3 July 1993. From: Ellen Edgerton Date: Friday, 02 Jul 1993 15:25 ET Subject: Radio *R&J* I understand that the Renaissance Theatre Company did another full-length radio play a couple months ago on BBC 3: *Romeo and Juliet* this time. Does anyone know if this recording is going to be made available on tape or CD, as their *Hamlet* from last year was? (and if so, where it can be obtained?) Ellen Edgerton Syracuse University ebedgert@suadmin.syr.edu ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 4 Jul 1993 07:57:17 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0419 Re: A Pocket Complete Works Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 419. Sunday, 4 July 1993. From: Katherine West Date: Saturday, 3 Jul 1993 11:03:35 -0500 (EDT) Subject: Re: A Pocket Complete Works Have you seen the paperback edition of the Alexander text? It's not exactly pocket-size either, but it's one of the smallest ones I've seen, and it's fairly cheap ($16.95 in Canada). ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 4 Jul 1993 07:52:06 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0417 Folger Program for High School Students Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 417. Sunday, 4 July 1993. From: Cynthia L. Wimmer Date: Saturday, 03 Jul 93 10:34 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0409 Re: NEH Younger Scholars Program The Folger currently has a program for high school students. Those who participate are from various schools in the D.C. area. About fifteen students (recommended by their schools and selected by the institute) attend a class once a week throughout the entire school year, do assignments, and, I believe, a final paper, and receive credit for the course. A person (different each class) involved in the current production speaks with the group and covers a different aspect of the play or the particular Folger production. The students also attend a researsal and see the final production. The program is the High School Shakespeare Institute and the director is Dr. Louisa Newlin (Folger Shakespeare Library, 201 East Capitol Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 -- (202)544-4600). The program has only been in existence a year or two, but the funding is there for it to continue, a few more years at least, but probably not to expand it. I did a class for the group this spring and found the participants to be really outstanding and enthusiastic. For more information, you can contact Louisa, a dedicated and approachable teacher herself; you may say I referred you, if you like. Hope this information is helpful. Have a great holiday weekend, folks. Cynthia L. Wimmer English Department University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742 Email:CM74@umail.umd.edu Phone:(301)595-4515 ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 4 Jul 1993 07:55:19 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0418 Everyone-Looks-Bad *Macbeth* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 418. Sunday, 4 July 1993. From: Naomi Liebler Date: Saturday, 3 Jul 93 10:38:00 EST Subject: RE: SHK 4.0416 Re: Duncan Re Bernice's inquiry about a MACBETH where "everyone looks bad": William Reilly's (I think that's his name) 1989 film "Men of Respect" is just such a production. I ran it as part of my mini-summer session course in Sh. on Film, after my students had already seen the Polanski, the BBC, the Sarah Caldwell/Lincoln Center, and the Welles versions. They loved it, and so did I, though I thought it a lot funnier on this viewing than I did when I saw it for the first time. My favorite line (the first murderer to Macbeth on the order to kill Banquo): "Fageddaboutim. He's a ghost!" Second favorite (Macbeth in battle): "Nyah. Born a women, all a yiz." And last but certainly not least, "Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow" is reduced to one word, spoken by Macbeth to his image in a mirror: "IDIOT!" ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 7 Jul 1993 21:40:41 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0420 A Late Look at *Much Ado* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 420. Wednesday, 7 July 1993. From: Ellen Edgerton Date: Wednesday, 07 Jul 1993 14:26 ET Subject: A Late Look at *Much Ado* Branagh's *Much Ado* has only recently made it to the screens in my town, so this posting comes a little late compared to some of the others I've read. Being a great admirer of Branagh's *Henry V*, I wasn't expecting *Much Ado* to be as good. It wasn't, but I was surprised at how good it was, and also how weak. This is a lovely, problematic movie that, even when considered as strictly a Branagh film and not as the newest member of the filmed canon, is not as strong as it ought to be. That said, I am surprised at how its opening sequence is often being written off as "A Big Moment." Branagh's films in general typically seem to have strong openings, and this is no exception. It's exciting and flashy, but it also serves virtually the same purpose as did the Prologue in Branagh's *H5*. With his Prologue for that film, Branagh seemed to be addressing theatres full of glowering theatrical critics and scholars: "This is cinema, not theatre. Deal with it!" Aside from the obvious -- the presence of the Chorus on a film soundstage, the noise of the camera tracking him -- this Prologue seemed to also give some of the play's most famous lines strange, hauntingly literal new implications: the "muse of fire" was nothing less than the light flickering on a motion picture screen, where the "flat, unraised spirits" play; the "thoughts that now must deck our kings" were not imagination in the mind's eye, but rather, >thoughts<, thoughtful consideration of the play's characters and themes. To Branagh, the movies >are< "the brightest heaven of invention." *Much Ado* finds Branagh as devoted as ever to that (frankly delightful) conceit, but I think it's pretty obvious that his eye was on a different audience this time. *Ado* has no Prologue of its own, but using the prerogatives of cinema, Branagh imposes one. His audience this time, perhaps, are people who have never been to the theater in their lives. If Branagh had to convince his audience for *H5* that >movies< are wonderful, with *Ado* he has to convince them that >Shakespeare< is wonderful. In his notes for this film, Branagh remarks on his decision to open the movie with Shakespeare's words ("Sigh no more, ladies") on the screen. Branagh feels they will be unfamiliar to a modern audience, but in another sense, they are very -- unpleasantly -- familiar: his audiences knows Shakespeare all too well from dry, boring black and white words on a page. This is an audience to whom Shakespeare means "reading." Branagh, apparently understanding his mission, chooses to begin at this point. If Branagh grabbed his skeptical audience by the lapels in *H5*'s Prologue, in *Ado* he seems to take a gentler, more comprehensive approach with a possibly equally skeptical group. Beginning at the beginning, the elements are added: a warm, human voice (Emma Thompson's) reading the words; a picture (Leonato's painting); music, of course; and finally, a flurry of glorious motion, as Don Pedro and his men thunder lustily home from the front. Words + people + music + pictures + motion = movie. What the opening moments of *H5* and *Ado* have in common is the fact that Kenneth Branagh is on a high holy mission to bring such disparate audiences to one foreign world: Shakespearean movieland. *H5*'s audience is thrust into it; *Ado*'s audience is gently led. In both films, this Shakespearean movieland is a place: in *H5*, a mysterious space bounded by great double doors through which we enter and exit; in *Ado*, a sunny Italian villa where all the action occurs, and which the audience must leave (by way of 90-foot crane shot) at the end. In fact, you will not find a clearer summation of the Renaissance Theatre Company's attitude towards the plays of William Shakespeare than in this opening sequence of *Ado*. One is reminded of Branagh's comments about his decision to remake *H5*: "I wanted to clear away all the dust and cobwebs from the play." In *Ado*, the characters go at this with a vengeance -- stripping off uniforms, tossing away dirty old clothes like so much farty old Shakespeah, scrubbing off grime, revelling in the naked humanity underneath. This is Kenneth Branagh speaking, not Hollywood. I enjoyed *Ado* as entertainment, but I wish it had shown as much imagination and thoughtfulness as this fine opening sequence. From time to time, Branagh's strengths as a director do come through in this film, but not enough to make it even as half good an effort as *H5*. The movie is as delightful and assuredly funny (even with some of its faults, as the mishandling of Dogberry) as one could wish, yet at the same time, there is the distinct sense that too much has been trimmed and left by the wayside. It's hard >not< to like this film, and at the same time, it's impossible not to be disappointed, too. Branagh's dedication to filmed Shakespeare is admirable, even heroic, but it is a difficult goal. Branagh is a populist, a traditionalist, a movie buff and a working student of Shakespeare all at the same time. He clearly has a mission, but that's not enough to turn out art. With *Much Ado*, it seems, he aims impossibly high, if his preface to his screenplay is any indication. Can you add a new play to the filmed canon (in English, anyhow), a comedy no less (which haven't exactly had a great track record of working on screen), have it be actually funny, >and< prove that you can cast popular American actors >and< be faithful to the play in the meantime >and< have it make a lot of money at the box office? (and film it in 100-degree temperatures?) Branagh says "yes." His finished film says "Well...not exactly." *Ado* is a funny film. What's more, it's surprisingly light on physical comedy; in both screenings I attended, I found the audience laughing at the words -- for all the right reasons. (Except, again, with Dogberry; audiences laughed mainly at his teeth.) I witnessed at least one "conversion" -- the classic case of a loudly complaining moviegoer dragged along to a "cultural experience," mumbling astonishedly at the end, "I actually understood that!" Make no mistake, *Ado* has that strength. On this count, it's a triumph. But it falls short when Branagh takes on his other self-imposed challenges; I guess I'll start with the non-Shakespeareans. Of the four, Denzel Washington as Don Pedro is the only one who vindicates Branagh's contention that *Much Ado* could profit from a non-British presence. Washington delivers Shakespearean prose and verse pleasantly enough, and has moments of real grace. One wonders if Branagh isn't on to something here. Unfortunately, Branagh also misuses one decent actor (Michael Keaton) and has cast two actors who can barely act, however well they look their parts -- Keanu Reeves as Don John, and Robert Sean Leonard as Claudio. Leonard has some nice moments but his dramatic talents are spent long before Claudio's most important scenes are over. Leonard's problems only compound *Ado*'s other problem -- as others have noted, the overcutting and deemphasis of the play's darker elements. When the time comes for Leonard to deliver the dark, heartrending stuff, he's not there. And yet again, *Ado* >does< have some extremely moving moments. The wedding scene and mutual profession of love between Benedick and Beatrice are wonderfully staged, as well performed as you could wish. This is clearly from the same director of *H5*. If only such convincing darkness didn't have to come out nowhere in Branagh's screenplay! I disagree with the comments posted earlier here on SHAKSPER that the violence towards Hero was too much. In this film, the characters are all physical towards each other (perhaps a little too much so); they embrace, hold hands, grope each other, dance. When darkness comes, it seems only fitting it should be as equally passionate. Physically, there's nothing amiss with the staging. The scene is a highlight of the film. But the informality of the staging of previous scenes harms the overall impact, as others here have ventured. There are other glimpses of the same Branagh who directed *H5* -- little ones, to be sure, but they count. A quick look at the horrified Margaret as she realizes her complicity in Hero's downfall...a Bea buzzing around Emma Thompson as she lounges in a tree...the leaving of Don Pedro alone at the chapel at the finish. The members of the Renaissance Theatre Company do not disappoint, even in the smallest roles. And I must say that I will defend Patrick Doyle, to the death if necessary. If *Much Ado*, as Branagh conceived it, was a bigger bite than he could fully chew, it's to his credit that he conceived it at all. As Branagh says in his preface to *Ado*'s screenplay, the question of "why" do a project is very important. Branagh may have several motives for the projects he chooses to film, but they seem to me to be in part markedly different from the motives of others who have gone before. Benedick is not exactly an Olivieresque sort of role. *Much Ado*, while a lovely play, is a play which nobody bothered to film in its native tongue until now. Why? Branagh gives his reasons, but I also suspect he is a Shakespearean filmmaker who is more interested in the genre than simply enshrining a memorable performance, or trawling for meaning, or making money off of populism. If there's such a thing as a "complete" Shakespeare film, I get the feeling Branagh is out to find it. He does not reach it with this film, but I don't think this is the last we've heard of him. Perhaps a cinema retelling of Renaissance's own production of *Twelfth Night* -- from what I understand, it had a more subdued treatment than *Much Ado* receives here -- would give this filmmaker a clearer second shot at a filmed comedy. *Much Ado* deserves criticism, but it's a delightful movie nevertheless. Quips and sentences and paper bullets of the brain should not awe Branagh out of the career of his humor, which is clearly to put Shakespeare on film. I remain very interested to see if he will find what he's looking for. Ellen Edgerton Syracuse University ebedgert@suadmin.syr.edu ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 12 Jul 1993 11:50:59 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0422 "The Three-Minute HAMLET" Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 422. Monday, 12 July 1993. From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Monday, July 12, 1993 Subject: "The Three-Minute HAMLET" SHAKSPEReans, To brighten up the summer lull, I'm sending out a transcription of "The Three-Minute HAMLET," a song recorded by Shamus Kennedy at Washington, D.C.'s Ireland's Four Provinces. In the segue, Kennedy identifies that song as being "written by a Scottish school teacher of English." Kennedy goes on to say that the teacher "could never interest his class in Shakespeare, so he wrote this song to see if he could get the buggers' attention for at least three minutes." A student of mine gave me a tape of this song last year, so I don't have any information about the album or the name of the Scottish school teacher, both of which I would welcome. Any errors in transcribing the lyrics are clearly mine own. I would like to thank my daughter Melissa for helping me get the words down. Her ear and her ability to memorize lines are fair superior to my own, and I cheerfully acknowledge my debt to her. ******************************************************************** The Three-Minute HAMLET There was a king nodding in his garden all alone, When his brother in his ear poured a little bit of henbane, Stole his brother's crown and his money and his widow, But the dead king waft and got his son and said, "Now, listen, Kiddo. I've been killed and it's your duty to take revenge on Claudius; Kill him quick and clean; and tell the nation what a fraud he is." The kid said, "Right, I'll do it, but I'll have to play it crafty, So no one will suspect me I'll let on that I'm a dafty." So for all except Horatio, and he counts him as a friend, Hamlet, that's the kid, lets on he's round the bend; And because he's not yet willing for obligatory killing, He tries to make his uncle think he's tuppence off the shilling; Takes a rise out of Polonius; treats poor Ophelia vile; Tells Rosencrantz and Gildenstern that Denmark's "Bloody vile"; Then a troop of traveling actors, like Seven-Eighty-four, Arrived to do a special one, that gig at Elsinore. Hamlet, Hamlet, acting balmy. Hamlet, Hamlet, loves his mommy. Hamlet, Hamlet, hesitating, He wonders if the ghost's a fake, and that is why he's waiting. So Hamlet writes a scene for the players to enact, So Horatio and he could watch and see if Claudius cracked. The play was called "The Mousetrap," not the one that running now, And sure enough, the King walked out before the scene was through. Now, Hamlet's got to prove his uncle gave his dad the dose. The only trouble being now that Claudius knows he knows. So while Hamlet tells his mommy her new husband's not a fit man, Uncle Claud takes out a contract with the English King as hit-man. Hamlet, Hamlet killed Polonius and hid corpus delicti. 'Twas the King's excuse to send him for an English hempen necktie With Rosencrantz and Gildenstern to make quite sure he got there, But Hamlet jumped the boat and put the finger straight on that pair. When Laertes heard his dad's killed in the bedroom by the arras, He comes running back to Elsinore tout de suite hot-foot from Paris. And Ophelia with her dad killed by the man she was to marry, After saying it with flowers, she committed hari-kari. Hamlet, Hamlet, ain't no messin'. Hamlet, Hamlet, learned his lesson. Hamlet, Hamlet, Yorrick's trust. Convinced them all men good or bad at last must come to dust. Then Laertes lost his cool and was demanding retribution. The King said, "Keep your head, and I'll supply you with solutions." So he arranged a sword fight for the interested parties With a blunted sword for Hamlet and a sharp one for Laertes. And to make double sure that the old-belt-and-brace was limed, He arranged a poison sword tip and a poisoned cup of wine. The poison sword got Hamlet but Laertes went and fluffed it 'Cause he got stabbed himself and he confessed before he snuffed it. Now, Hamlet's mommy drank the wine, and as her face turned blue, Hamlet said, "I think this King's a baddy through and through." Well, "Incestuous, murd'rous, damned Dane," he said to be precise And made up for hesitating once by killing Claudius twice, 'Cause he stabbed him with his knife and forced the wine between his lips, And he said, "The rest is silence," and he cashed in all his chips; And they fired a volley over him that shook the top-most rafter; And Fortinbras, knee-deep in Danes, lived happy ever after. Hamlet, Hamlet, end of story. Hamlet, Hamlet, very gory. Hamlet, Hamlet, I'm on my way. And if you think that was confusing, you should read the bloody play. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 12 Jul 1993 07:40:17 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0421 *Cardenio* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 421. Monday, 12 July 1993. From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Monday, July 12, 1993 Subject: *Cardenio* Would anyone care to comment on the following item that appeared in today's *Washington Post*? "Shakespeare's Lost Play" A New York document expert says he has identified William Shakespeare's lost play, "Cardenio," in the British Museum Library, Newsweek magazine reports. By comparing the penmanship of Shakespeare's will with that of the untitled, unsigned 1612 manuscript, Charles Hamilton has determined that the lettering is the same on both documents. "I wouldn't have any trouble proving in court that this is Shakespeare's handwriting," he told the magazine. "Cardenio" -- co-written by Shakespeare -- was never produced and presumed lost. Some literary scholars have insisted that the drama is not up to the author's usual standards. Compiled by Meredith Fisher. *The Washington Post*, Monday, July 12, 1993: B3. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 12 Jul 1993 13:25:37 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0423 More Info on Reported *Cardenio* MS? Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 423. Monday, 12 July 1993. From: Tom Horton Date: Monday, 12 Jul 93 09:42:23 -0400 Subject: More Info on Reported *Cardenio* MS? Anyone know more details about the reported discovery of *Cardenio*? In particular, can anyone tell me more about Charles Hamilton, the person who says he found the manuscript in the British Museum Library? Is this old news that I've missed? (I ask because of the reference in the article to the fact that literary scholars have studied the text.) If no one know more, I'll wait until the new issue of *Newsweek* comes out. BTW, in case this is news to everyone else, here's the Reuter story as it appeared in *The Palm Beach Post* on page 3 of the July 12 edition: NEW YORK -- A New York document expert said he found William Shakespeare's lost play, *Cardenio*, in the British Museum Library, *Newsweek* magazine reported. In the magazine's July 19 edition, Charles Hamilton said the play Shakespeare co-wrote in 1612, which was never produced and presumed lost, was identified using handwriting analysis. Hamilton compared the penmanship in Shakespeare's will with that in the manuscript of an untitled, unsigned 1612 play in the British Museum Library. The magazine said that literary scholars have insisted that the drama is not up to Shakespeare's standards but Hamilton said the lettering was the same as his other works. "I wouldn't have any trouble proving in court that this is Shakespeare's handwriting," he was quoted as saying. Hmm. No mention Fletcher as co-author, and the phrase "never produced" seems to be contrary to the records of the play's court performances. What's journalism coming to? Thanks for any info. Tom P.S. As some of you may know, I'm excited about this because of the work I've done on using statistical analysis of word rates in assigning authorship of individual scenes of *Henry VIII* and *The Two Noble Kinsmen* to either Shakespeare and Fletcher. It would be interesting to see how the traits I found in that work are distributed in this manuscript. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 13 Jul 1993 07:15:45 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0424 Re: *Cardenio* MS Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 424. Tuesday, 13 July 1993. (1) From: Larry Schwartz Date: Monday, 12 Jul 93 13:07:40 CDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0423 More Info on Reported *Cardenio* MS? (2) From: Robert O'Connor Date: Tuesday, 13 Jul 1993 09:44:36 +0700 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0421 *Cardenio* (3) From: Tad Davis Date: Monday, 12 Jul 93 19:41:41 EDT Subj: Cardenio (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Larry Schwartz Date: Monday, 12 Jul 93 13:07:40 CDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0423 More Info on Reported *Cardenio* MS? Some sketchy details about Charles Hamilton, as drawn from the 1976 _Current Biography_ yearbook, pp. 171-173 Born Dec. 24, 1913 Address: Charles Hamilton Galleries, Inc., 25 E. 77th St., NYC. Noted dealer of autographs. The first autograph he collected was that of Rudyard Kipling. Translated the _Aeneid_ into English blank verse while a student at Beverly HIlls High School (long before it became "90210"). Became the first student in UCLA's English department to complete all of the work for the M.A. in one year. Founded Charles Hamilton Autographs, Inc. in 1953. Has written several books, including (most germane to this list) "In Search of Shakespeare: a reconaissance into the poet's life and handwriting" (San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1985). One of the more interesting claims made by Hamilton in this book was that, during the writing of the will, Shakespeare suffered a stroke. This claim was based upon the change in the style of orthography of the document. Hamilton was also one of the first authoritative debunkers of the Hitler diary forgeries. larry schwartz, humanities librarian north dakota state university fargo, nd (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Robert O'Connor Date: Tuesday, 13 Jul 1993 09:44:36 +0700 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0421 *Cardenio* I recently saw a book advertised as "Shakespeare's Lost Play", but that was a text of "Edmund Ironside". I suppose we shall have to wait for a 'Collected Un-Works' (with "Two Noble Kinsmen" and "Woodstock" as well) before we can judge for ourselves! ROC ********************** * Robert F. O'Connor * ocoreng@durras.anu.edu.au * English Department * Australian National University ********************** (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Tad Davis Date: Monday, 12 Jul 93 19:41:41 EDT Subject: Cardenio I read the news reports about Charles Hamilton and "Cardenio," but they were sketchy. Here's what I gather, though: (1) the play itself wasn't really "found," right? It was a known manuscript, just not something that was officially classed in the canon. (2) the comparison was made on the basis of the handwriting in Shakespeare's will (not just the signatures but the actual text of the will itself). To accept this you have to accept Hamilton's controversial thesis that Shakespeare wrote his own will. This was detailed in his book "In Search of Shakespeare" of a few years ago -- the one that suggested Thomas Quiney may have hastened Shakespeare's end with a little "inheritance powder" (i.e. arsenic). I found his analysis of the handwriting in the will fascinating, especially where he creates a "signature" by pasting together letters from the will and comparing them to known signatures. But it would be safe to say the jury is still out on that one, wouldn't it? In other words Hamilton took a known artifact and reinterpreted it against "evidence" which is itself a reinterpretation. Which doesn't mean he isn't right. Tad Davis davist@a1.relay.upenn.edu ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 13 Jul 1993 07:23:17 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0425 Re: "The Three-Minute HAMLET" Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 425. Tuesday, 13 July 1993. (1) From: James Schaefer Date: Monday, 12 Jul 1993 12:27:15 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0422 "The Three-Minute HAMLET" (2) From: John Drakakis Date: Sunday, 11 Jul 93 19:39:00 BST Subj: SHK 4.0422 "The Three-Minute HAMLET" (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: James Schaefer Date: Monday, 12 Jul 1993 12:27:15 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0422 "The Three-Minute HAMLET" Aha! Another case of variant texts. I have a tape of a folk singer, Michael Cooney (sp?), singing the 3-minute *Hamlet* on Garrison Keillor's old "Prairie Home Companion" show back in 1989, and if my memory serves me well, there are substantial differences between that version and this one. Of such differences are living art made. Jim Schaefer, Georgetown Univ. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John Drakakis Date: Sunday, 11 Jul 93 19:39:00 BST Subject: SHK 4.0422 "The Three-Minute HAMLET" The name of the Scottish i.e. Glaswegian schoolteacher is Adam McNaughton. I'm afraid that I don't have any information on the album that the song is taken from. Cheers, John Drakakis Department of English Studies University of Stirling ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 13 Jul 1993 07:25:55 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0426 Another Re: *Cardenio* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 426. Tuesday, 13 July 1993. From: Leo Daugherty Date: Tuesday, 13 Jul 93 04:21:45 -0700 Subject: Cardenio Re the queries of Hardy Cook and Tom Horton: Charles Hamilton is apparently a highly regarded handwriting expert of longstanding reputation, but his previous work on Shakespeare hasn't produced much agreement. One of his claims of five or six years ago, for example, was that Shakespeare was murdered -- by poison, if I remember rightly. I've forgotten the name of his book on Shakespeare (it's in my office, and I'm on summer vacation in another town), but it was pub. in the '80s, by Scribners as I recall, went to paperback, and is still in print. Tom is right in saying that the early-breaking journalism is a bit odd: my inference from its words is that Hamilton has identified a BL MS. as "Cardenio" which is untitled there, known to scholars, and not thought of Shakespearean quality by them. We'll all know in a week or so, anyway, if there's much indication that this is anything interesting or just another bust. Hope springs eternal. Leo Daugherty p.s.: Hi, Tom Horton. Maybe, if you strain hard, you'll remember me from Edinburgh ten years ago, where I'd gone to learn what all you literary statistics guys were up to. I remember you fondly. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 13 Jul 1993 07:30:09 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0427 MLA Computer Research Policy Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 427. Tuesday, 13 July 1993. From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Tuesday, July 13, 1993 Subject: MLA Comuter Research Policy [The following appeared on HUMANIST. --HMC] The Modern Language Association (MLA) has recently adopted a policy that endorses the giving of credit toward reappointment, tenure and promotion for computer-related work (in research, teaching or service), with the usual external review of such work. In an effort to encourage review, MLA's Committee on Computers and Emerging Technologies (CET) is identifying journals (print or electronic) that publish reviews of computing software and applications in the humanities (especially for literature, foreign language and linguistics, writing and related fields). Please send the names of such journals and information about contacting them (including electronic addresses when possible) to: HSchwart@indycms [Helen Schwartz, English Department, Indiana U-Purdue U at Indianapolis (IUPUI), 425 University Blvd., Indianapolis, IN 46202] PLEASE POST THIS NOTICE ON OTHER RELEVANT ELECTRONIC BULLETIN BOARDS. Thank you. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 14 Jul 1993 08:51:44 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0428 Re: *Cardenio* MS Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 428. Wednesday, 14 July 1993. (1) From: Peter David Seary Date: Tuesday, 13 Jul 1993 09:28:03 -0500 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0423 More Info on Reported *Cardenio* MS? (2) From: John Mucci Date: Tuesday, 13 Jul 93 07:36:38-0400 Subj: Hamilton & Cardenio (3) From: Jon Callas Date: Tuesday, 13 Jul 93 11:00:45 PDT Subj: Questions on apocryphal plays (4) From: Steve Urkowitz Date: Tuesday, 13 Jul 93 21:24:05 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0424 Re: *Cardenio* MS (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Peter David Seary Date: Tuesday, 13 Jul 1993 09:28:03 -0500 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0423 More Info on Reported *Cardenio* MS? Concerning the penmanship of the lost manuscript of Cardenio and Shakespeare's will--I know the signatures on the will are considered authentic, but it is news to me the will is Shakespeare's holograph. Where does this leave Charles Hamilton? It is quite possible, I suppose, that the person who wrote out Shakespeare's will might also have transcribed Cardenio. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John Mucci Date: Tuesday, 13 Jul 93 07:36:38-0400 Subject: Hamilton & Cardenio For those of you seeking a little more information on Charles Hamilton, discoverer of _Cardenio,_ understand that he has been around for many years as a handwriting expert. He advertises in every issue of the *NY Times Book Review* for his autograph and manuscript business, and he was the celebrated authority who deemed (and rightly so) that the "Hitler Diaries" were fakes a number of years ago. He is also an ardent Shakespeareophile, and has written a book titled "In Search of Shakespeare, A Reconnaissance into the Poet's Life and Handwriting," published by HBJ in 1985. (Among his other works are "Scribblers and Scoundrels," "The Robot that Helped to Made a President," and "Great Forgers and Famous Fakes." The catch is (and this is related to the comments that _Cardenio_ is "inferior to the Bard's other works") that in "In Search of Shakespeare" he tells us that the will of Shaksper of Stratford-on-Avon was holographic (and it changes appearance halfway through because its author suffered a massive stroke while writing it--possibly because he was poisoned, and that possibly through the agency of Richard Quiney), and we have a great many examples of Shaksper's handwriting, which includes marginalia in a 1587 edition of Hollinshed (among other books), the previously suspected fragments from _Thomas More,_ all the draft applications for the coat of arms, the also previously-suspected scribbled coversheet of the "Northumberland MS." and quite possibly the sketch of the actors in _Titus_ appearing above the passage ascribed to the penmanship of Henry Peacham. Although his chapters on penmanship, the secretary hand, and some of the other Elizabethan's habits of letter writing are fascinating and very entertaining reading, his thesis is so embroidered with self-indulgent fantasy that it is all but totally incredible. An example of the last trait is Hamilton's penchant for writing out famous Shakespearean passages, using cutouts of individual letters from the will, and stringing them together to make it appear as their author must have originally written them. When he seriously puts forth that the question now is, "Did Shakespeare write Bacon's Essays?" I find it has gone off deeper than the deep end. John Mucci GTE VisNet, Stamford, CT (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jon Callas Date: Tuesday, 13 Jul 93 11:00:45 PDT Subject: Questions on apocryphal plays I've been reading the missives about Cardenio with interest, and forwarding them along to interested people. A number of us though, have questions about the apocryphal plays, "Two Noble Kinsmen" and "Woodstock" being ones recently mentioned. Would someone be good enough to tell us interested lay-people about those two plays, and other apocyphal ones as well? Thanks, Jon Callas (4)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Steve Urkowitz Date: Tuesday, 13 Jul 93 21:24:05 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0424 Re: *Cardenio* MS Though Charles Hamilton's speculations get a little hairy IN SEARCH OF SHAKESPEARE, I believe that I read in a summary of Don Foster's on-going work on the "rare-word" vocabularies in the plays that the last will and testament fits right into the complicated trajectories of Shakespeare's word uses (though we'll have to wait a bit while Don's computer grinds through more text and he gets into print with the details and the data). -- ASIDE: my son works for an agency that has a payroll computer so old, he says, that it's water-powered. -- Anyway, can anyone with magical bibliographical skills tell us all if there are extant transcriptions or photocopies of this CARDENIO ms? Gary Taylor has been sending out and getting readings of a quite nice invention of a CARDENIO: my wife and I attended a reading of the script at the NY Shakespeare Festival Public Theatre last year. I guess it was composed on a video screen, but it bears the marks of Taylor more than Shakespeare (or rather Taylor being Shakespearean). ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 14 Jul 1993 13:32:57 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0429 Latest Re: *Cardenio* MS Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 429. Wednesday, 14 July 1993. (1) From: Peter David Seary Date: Wednesday, 14 Jul 1993 10:22:03 -0500 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0428 Re: *Cardenio* MS (2) From: Fran Teague Date: Wednesday, 14 Jul 93 09:52:29 EDT Subj: Cardenio and 2nd Maiden's Tragedy (3) From: Fran Teague Date: Wednesday, 14 Jul 93 11:04:37 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0428 Re: *Cardenio* MS:51:44 EDT (4) From: Ship Shand Date: Wednesday, 14 Jul 1993 11:21 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0428 Re: *Cardenio* MS (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Peter David Seary Date: Wednesday, 14 Jul 1993 10:22:03 -0500 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0428 Re: *Cardenio* MS Does anyone know whether the BL manuscript of *Cardenio* has any signs of association with Lewis Theobald? He claimed (and I believe him) to have had three manuscripts of the play, which he adapted with considerable success (at the box office) as *Double Falshood; or, the Distrest Lovers*. I suppose that discovery of a MS of *Cardenio* goes some way towards vindicating Theobald against charges (most recently made by Harriet C. Frazier, *A Babble of Ancestral Voices: Shakespeare, Cervantes, and Theobald* [The Hague: Mouton, 1974]) that *Double Falshood* is simply a forgery. I don't believe that Frazier's views are seriously entertained, and I accept the arguments put forward by John Freehafer in "Cardenio, by Shakespeare and Fletcher," PMLA, 84 (1969) and Stephan Kukowski, "The Hand of John Fletcher in *Double Falshood*," *Shakespeare Survey*, 43 (1991). For those who may not know Freehafer's article, his conclusions are as follows: it appears that Theobald did indeed possess three manuscripts of *Cardenio*; that *Cardenio* was written by Shakespeare and Fletcher; that it was based on the 1612 Shelton translation of *Don Quixote*; that *Cardenio* was cut and perhaps altered during the Restoration period, then altered by Theobald; that Theobald's lack of forthrightness in dealing with the authorship of the play resulted from his patron's erroneous belief that the original play was wholly by Shakespeare and his desire to protect his reputation as a Shakespeare scholar; and that Theobald probably destroyed no manuscripts of *Cardenio*. (p. 513) Incidentally, Brean S. Hammond, "Theobald's *Double Falshood*: An 'Agreeable Cheat'?" *Notes and Queries*, 229 (1984), suggests that one of Theobald's manuscripts may have survived in the Museum of Covent-Garden Playhouse until the fire at the theatre on 19 September 1808. Also, my copy of *Double Falshood* (1728) once belonged to W.W. Greg, whose MS notes indicate that he thought the play a forgery. In holding his view, Greg was probably influenced by David Nichol Smith's hostile account of Theobald in the Introduction to *Eighteenth Century Essays on Shakespeare* (first ed., Glasgow: J. MacLehose, 1903; 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1963). To return to my initial question: does anyone know if the manuscript of *Cardenio* in the BL has any association with Theobald? Peter Seary (pseary@epas.utoronto.ca) (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Fran Teague Date: Wednesday, 14 Jul 93 09:52:29 EDT Subject: Cardenio and 2nd Maiden's Tragedy My morning paper said that the work Hamilton was arguing for was _The Second Maiden's Tragedy_ MS in the British Museum. This has been edited with great care by Anne Lancashire in the Revels Plays series. What Lancashire tells the reader is that SMT is one of several plays in Lansdowne MS 807; the others are Francis Jaques's _Queen of Corsica_, Bugbears, and a fragment of Robert Wild's Benefice. The title comes from Sir George Buc who was the Master of the Revels. In licensing it for acting, he wrote on the MS, "This second Maydens tagedy (for it hath no name inscribed) may wth the reformations bee acted publikely. 31. octobr. 1611. G. Buc." So the original had no title nor author at all. Lancashire goes through the authorship question pretty thoroughly, finally deciding Middleton's the likeliest candidate. According to her notes, the only one to make a case for Sh was E. B. Everitt, in _The Young Shakespeare: Studies in Documentary Evidence_ (1954), which she calls "implausible." Checking the work itself I see no connection to Don Quixote, from which the name Cardenio comes. Looks like a dud to me. (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Fran Teague Date: Wednesday, 14 Jul 93 11:04:37 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0428 Re: *Cardenio* MS:51:44 EDT More on Cardenio and Co. Jon Callas asks about other apocryphal plays. In 1653 the play Cardenio "by Mr. Fletcher and Shakespeare" was registered by Humphrey Moseley; at the same time he entered _The Merry Devil of Edmonton_ as being by Shakespeare;"Henry ye first and Hen: ye 2d by Shakespeare and Davenport." In 1660 Moseley enters "The History of King Stephen; Duke Humphrey, a Tragedy; Iph is & Ianthe or a marriage without a man, a Comedy, by Will. Shakespeare." > Moreover in 1664, seven plays are added to Shakespeare's collected works: Pericles, Locrine, The First Part of Sir John Oldcastle, Thomas Lord Cromwell, The London Prodigal, The Puritan, and A Yorkshire Tragedy. To learn more about these, check any standard Shakespeare reference book under "Apocrypha." There are lots of other candidates: Birth of Merlin, Edward III, Arden of Feversham. My old edition of Bevington (and it is old--the 1980 one) has an excellent appendix on these works. It also reminds me that Lewis Theobald's play _The Double Falshood or the Distressed Lovers_ is based on (tah dah) CARDENIO!! Pre-sumably anyone who wants to track down the Theobald and the 2nd Maiden's Tragedy can find out very quickly indeed if the two are related--handwriting or not. (4)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ship Shand Date: Wednesday, 14 Jul 1993 11:21 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0428 Re: *Cardenio* MS This morning's paper tells me that Hamilton's *Cardenio* is in fact the well-known MS of Middleton's *Second Maiden's Tragedy*. Oh well, I guess we can all go back to the beach. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 15 Jul 1993 16:35:17 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0430 Re: *Cardenio*; Q: Number of Actors in Sh.'s Company Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 430. Thursday, 15 July 1993. (1) From: Al Cacicedo Date: Thursday, 15 Jul 1993 0:14:44 -0400 (EDT) Subj: RE: SHK 4.0428, *Cardenio* MS (2) From: Katherine West Date: Thursday, 15 Jul 1993 16:01:47 -0500 (EDT) Subj: Acting Companies (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Al Cacicedo Date: Thursday, 15 Jul 1993 0:14:44 -0400 (EDT) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0428, *Cardenio* MS *The Philadelphia Inquirer* for 14 July (Happy Bastille Day!) reports that the play identified as *Cardenio* is listed in the BL Catalogue as *The Second Maid's Tragedy*. As others have said, we'll have to stay tuned for further reports. Just a-reading in Reading, PA Al Cacicedo (alc@joe.alb.edu) Albright College (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Katherine West Date: Thursday, 15 Jul 1993 16:01:47 -0500 (EDT) Subject: Acting Companies Fellow SHAKSPERIANS: I am trying to finish my first thesis chapter, and I need a quick answer to the following question: How many actors were in Shakespeare's company, and what was the average number of actors for an Elizabethan company? A rough number will do - thanks in advance!! Katherine West U of Toronto ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 16 Jul 1993 07:18:03 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0432 Q: The Canon Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 432. Friday, 16 July 1993. From: Brian Sobus Date: Thursday, 15 Jul 1993 14:29:52 -0400 Subject: UnShakespearean Ever since the discussion began on *Cardenio*, I've been wondering about two things (actually, more than two things have been on my mind, but I'll try to stick with two): 1) What is the status of plays like Pericles and the Two Noble Kinsmen? They are both in a 1936 ed. of Shakespeare that I have. 2) Where can I find a list of plays that are considered to be Shakespeare's but have not been proven to be his? After I get such a list, where do I find copies of the plays so that I can read them? If a tree falls in a forest.... Oh...one more thing would anyone be interested in having these plays as searchable and annotatable texts files on CD-ROM. They, of course, would appear on screen exactly as they would on paper... -Brian ravens@wam.umd.edu ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 16 Jul 1993 07:14:35 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0431 Joyce and Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 431. Friday, 16 July 1993. From: S. W. Reid Date: Thursday, 15 Jul 93 15:33:54 EST Subject: Joyce and Shakespeare A while back (April, actually) a query regarding the `Scylla and Charybdis' episode in *Ulysses* and Stephen Dedalus's theory of Hamlet got responses from several members of SHAKSPER. Subsequently it was posted on MODBRITS, our computer conference on Modern British and Irish Literature, because the questions about early 20C views seemed equally relevant to that `list'. I thought SHAKSPER subscribers might be interested in the results. These follow the initial queries, which provide a context now forgotten by some, perhaps. S. W. Reid Kent State University SReid@KentVM.Kent.EDU Susan Harris of UNC Chapel Hill writes: "1) Is the factual information Stephen uses to back up his claim true? I.e., "did Shakespeare really leave Ann Hathaway his second best bed? Was his son's "name really Hamnet? Did he really beat his lead actor (I forget the name) to "an assignation? Etcetera. "2) If this information is not true, would it have been accepted as true at "the time of Ulysses (June 4 1904?) If not, where would Stephen have gotten "it? "3) Does the conclusion Stephen draws about Shakespeare's brother having had "an affair with Ann seem completely wacko to those of you who make this kind "of conjecture for a living, or is it plausible? "4) Would it have seemed plausible in 1904? After John Cox suggested that Harris read Rene Girard's chapter on Joyce's reading of Shakespeare in Girard's *A Theater of Envy*, Harris wrote to ModBrits and added the following to her query: "Someone on the Shakespeare network recommended that I read the chapter on "*Hamlet* and *Ulysses* in Rene Girard's *A Theater of Envy* (`Do You Believe "Your Own Theory?'). I liked the argument, but was surprised by some of the "claims he makes therein about Joyce scholarship. He discusses Stephen's final "repudiation of his own theory (`Do you believe your own theory? -No') and "then says, `As far as I know, all critics of this text regard this *no* as "final'. Is this true? Are there really, as Girard seems to claim, no other "critics who have taken Stephen's theory seriously? * * * * * * * * * * * My edition of Don Gifford's _Ulysses Annotated_ (Berkeley: U. of CA Press, 1988) gives this information: `The principal sources for the free-wheeling and largely fictional biography that Stephen performs in this episode are George Brandes, _William Shakespeare_ (London, 1898), cited as Brandes in the notes to this episode; Frank Harris, _The Man Shakespeare and His Tragic Life Story_ (New York, 1909), cited as Harris; and Sidney Lee, _A Life of William Shakespeare_ (London, 1898), cited as Lee' (p. 192). Gifford also gives numerous specific references to the episode--his notes are well worth checking out. Acting strictly from rather fuzzy memory, I believe we do know from Shakespeare's will about the bequest of the bed, and his son was named Hamnet, but I believe all the rest is pretty speculative and proto-Freudian. Hope this helps. Chris Loschen, Brandeis University Loschen@Brandeis * * * * * * * * * * * In response to Susan Harris's queries about Joyce and Shakespeare: Although I haven't read Girard's chapter, judging from the remark she quotes about Stephen's negative reply about believing his own theory I would say Girard's scholarship in this instance is incomplete, to say the least. A review of the extensive literature on `Scylla and Charybdis' would reveal a range of responses to the query, including the hypothesis that Stephen, sensing the obvious skepticism of his listeners, indulges in a defensive lie. A quick glance at the text shows that Stephen immediately thinks to himself `I believe, O Lord, help my unbelief' -- surely indicating that no careful reader could take Stephen's remark at face value without making a supporting argument. The biographical record also indicates that Joyce probably believed a good deal of Stephen's theory. In any case, all this has been worked over by William Schutte, Hugh Kenner, and no doubt many others. Which is not to say that no more can be said, but that Girard probably didn't bother to do any research. On Shakespeare's will: an article in the *New York Review of Books* sometime over the last two years surveys the will and what's known about it (indeed, he did leave his wife his second best bed), and the conclusions, I recall, are not inconsistent with Stephen's theory. And so far as I remember, the meager facts on which Stephen builds his theory (the marital separation, etc) are accepted as true. There is a long tradition of biographical speculation about Shakespeare, and Stephen easily could have read a great deal of it in 1904 in the very library in which he delivers his theory. Mark Wollaeger, Yale University MWollae@YaleVM ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 17 Jul 1993 07:37:21 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0433 Film and Videotape Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 433. Saturday, 17 July 1993. From: Tad Davis Date: Friday, 16 Jul 93 15:37:45 EDT Subject: Film and Videotape I was talking to a friend about Shakespeare on TV, in particular about two productions of "King Lear," and was reminded of an issue that has always bothered me. There is a clear visual difference between something that was taped and something that was filmed. The contrast is particularly sharp in many BBC programs, where indoor scenes are often taped and outdoor scenes are often filmed. What has frustrated me for years is finding a way of describing this difference. I know it when I see it; it's an immediate and exact response; yet I can't think of any words, except possibly "texture," that even point in the right direction. A similar difference occurs in the audio world: listen to a radio play and listen to a movie soundtrack. There is a distinctive quality to each; neither can be confused for the other. But why? Which components of the experience are the critical ones? Has anyone else pondered this? Does anyone know of a learned discussion of this curious phenomenon? Is this one of those categories of experience, like how to keep your balance when riding a bike, that CAN'T be put into words? Tad Davis davist@a1.relay.upenn.edu ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 17 Jul 1993 07:44:02 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0434 Shakespeare's Company Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 434. Saturday, 17 July 1993. From: John Mucci Date: Friday, 16 Jul 93 15:04:01-0400 Subject: Shakespeare's Company In "The Doubling of Parts in Shakespeare's Plays," Arthur Colby Sprague says that "In number of actors, a London company at the end of the 16th century, with its 8 or 10 sharers and half-dozen hired men was well off." -- meaning of course, that there were enough people to play the roles in Shakespeare's Histories in the 16 or so in the Company. J.Mucci GTE VisNet, Stamford, CT [The Shenandoah Shakespeare Express gets along using twelve performers for each show, including this season's *Antony and Cleopatra* in which one actor doubles five roles. --HMC] ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 18 Jul 1993 07:02:19 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0435 Re: Film and Videotape; Q: Boys Playing Women Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 435. Sunday, 18 July 1993. (1) From: Cary M. Mazer Date: Saturday, 17 Jul 93 22:03:35 EST Subj: Boys Playing Women: What Kind of Voice? (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Cary M. Mazer Date: Saturday, 17 Jul 93 22:03:35 EST Subject: Boys Playing Women: What Kind of Voice? When boy actors played the parts of women, did they use their natural voices or did they act feminine voices? Any info on this is appreciated. J. Gao Australian National University ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 19 Jul 1993 07:50:22 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0436 Re: Boys Playing Women Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 436. Monday, 19 July 1993. From: Phyllis Rackin Date: Sunday, 18 Jul 1993 21:52:55 +22306256 (EST) Subject: Re: Boys Playing Women > When boy actors played the parts of women, did they use their natural voices > or did they act feminine voices? Any info on this is appreciated. How would a boy's "natural" voice differ from a woman's? ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 20 Jul 1993 08:39:27 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0437 Re: Film and Videotape Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 437. Tuesday, 20 July 1993. From: James Schaeffer Date: Monday, 19 Jul 1993 10:58:34 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0433 Film and Videotape Actually, I thought the BBC Shakespeare series had some videotaped outdoor sequences; *As You Like It* comes to mind. I was trying to be a professional photographer at one point in my life; based on that, I might suggest these reasons for the differences: Film has a great tonal range, but the visual experience is limited technically by the number of frames per second and the depth of field resulting from the film speed (slower film -> must have lens apeture open wider -> less depth of field). Video seems to have less of a tonal range, and is also and limited by the number of lines per screen and scans of those lines per second. Because of these, it has a less rich image, at least with the non-High Definition TV standard we have in the United States -- this is what all the hype about HDTV is about: getting video that is equal to film in visual quality. But video is more sensitive to light, which means the lenses can be "stopped down" farther (i.e., smaller apetures) which gives greater depth of field than film, and gives us what seems to be a more natural (put quotes around that) visual image. (There are ways film can get around this by fooling our eyes: I've been told that for *Citizen Kane*, a special lens was developed that alternated every other frame with a near and a far focal point. Our eye "sees" the sharp image better than the blur, so in that scene in which Kane is way back against that huge fireplace in San Simeon and his wife is close up front, they both seem to be in focus, in apparent defiance of the laws of optics.) More technically-minded people can tell you much more about all this, but I think those are some of the operating factors. Jim Schaefer schaefej@guvax.georgetown.edu Graduate School (202) 687-4478 Georgetown Univ. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 20 Jul 1993 08:42:52 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0438 Boys Playing Women Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 438. Tuesday, 20 July 1993. From: Jie Gao Date: Tuesday, 20 Jul 93 15:20:21 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0436 Re: Boys Playing Women >Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 436. Monday, 19 July 1993. > >From: Phyllis Rackin >Date: Sunday, 18 Jul 1993 21:52:55 +22306256 (EST) >Subject: Re: Boys Playing Women > >> When boy actors played the parts of women, did they use their natural voices >> or did they act feminine voices? Any info on this is appreciated. > >How would a boy's "natural" voice differ from a woman's? Then it must have been very young boys that the companies hired. I am still trying to imagine what effects a significant discrepancy in the ages of the actors (as men and women) would bring to the performance, and how would that affect the audience's gender perception. In Chinese Qun-qu, the cast is always all-female by default; actresses playing men's parts try to feign male voices to the degree of clear gender distinction. Of course costumes also help in this highly symbolic drama. But when we consider boy playing woman playing man in Shakespeare, we would expect the actor to be distinctively manly or womanly (not just in costumes) as the occasion requires? Jie Gao Australian National University ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 20 Jul 1993 08:48:05 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0439 Q: Shakespeare's Knowledge of Languages Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 439. Tuesday, 20 July 1993. From: Zip Kellogg Date: Monday, 19 Jul 93 16:57:45 EDT Subject: Shak's use of foreign languages Can anyone direct me to a book chapter, article, or similar item in which Shakespeare's knowledge and use of foreign languages is discussed? Thanks for any assistance. Zip Kellogg, U. of Southern Me. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Jul 1993 07:13:54 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0440 Reply to Film and Videotape Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 440. Wednesday, 21 July 1993. From: Mary Jane Miller Date: Tuesday, 20 Jul 93 09:12:22 -0400 Subject: Reply to Film and Videotape Tad Davis questioned the differences in film and video tape -- what follows, Tad, is a quite technical answer of potential interest to the Conference. Tape, until very recently, was characterized by bright flat lighting, fewer colour gradations and was shot the multiple camera technique (several cameras simultaneously). Film has been much more sensitive to lower levels of light and has thousands more colour shades and is shot by the master shot/reverse shot technique (single camera, reshot from many angles, etc). With the new tape technology, the two are converging. Re radio: Each acoustic space has its own sound ambiance which your ear detects and which a mike recording "wild sound" picks up. Sound mixes for movies may involve 16 or more separate sound tracks all overlayed. Radio plays are seldom that elaborate, although superb radio plays like those of Pinter, Beckett and Cooper use music sound effects and silence itself in ways impossible to an experience overlaid with theatricals, filmed or taped images. Note that with the new technology, most TV post production, and archiving is done with digital tape and the master for broadcast is on tape, even if the original was filmed, but this is quite a recent development. P.S. Does anyone remember when Peter Brook compared the clumsiness of film imaging to the overlays and disolves of a line of Shakesperian dialogue. I can't find the article in my files anywhere. Mary Jane Miller Dept. of Film Studies, Dramatic and Visual Arts Brock University St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. L2S 3A1 Phone (416) 688 5550, ext 3584, FAX (416) 682 9020, e-mail mjmiller@spartan.ac.brocku.ca ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Jul 1993 07:22:13 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0441 [was 4.041] Re: Shakespeare's Knowledge of Languages Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 441. Wednesday, 21 July 1993. From: James Harner Date: Tuesday, 20 Jul 1993 13:37:29 -0500 (CDT) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0439 Q: Shakespeare's Knowledge of Languages Try George Watson, "Shakespeare and the Norman Conquest: English in the Elizabethan Theatre," +Virginia Quarterly Review+ 66 (1990): 613-28. Jim Harner ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 21 Jul 1993 07:41:57 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0442 Re: Boys Playing Women Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 442. Wednesday, 21 July 1993. (1) From: Fran Teague Date: Tuesday, 20 Jul 93 09:26:54 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0438 Boys Playing Women (2) From: Timothy Bowden Date: Tuesday, 20 Jul 93 08:55:17 PST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0438 Boys Playing Women (3) From: Kay Stockholder Date: Tuesday, 20 Jul 93 12:19:44 PDT Subj: SHK 4.0438 Boys Playing Women (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Fran Teague Date: Tuesday, 20 Jul 93 09:26:54 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0438 Boys Playing Women At the Shakespeare Association meeting in Kansas City, Bruce Smith presented a very interesting paper on this very subject of voices, gender, and age. As for the age of the boys, I believe that while a few of the boy actors were 12 or 13, the great majority of them were in their late teens and early twenties. The books by Harold Hillebrand and Michael Shapiro would be useful here. Re Cardenio again, a student sends me note that Hamilton will publish his "edition" of Cardenio with Glenbridge Publishing Ltd. of Lakewood, Colorado. And re the foreign languages, I've always found it interesting that in H5 the Frenchmen speak English and the Frenchwomen speak French. (In the current Georgia Shakespeare Festival production, the Katherine-Alice scenes are really wonderful, better than other parts of production. The Shrew they're doing is astonishing and worth a trip to Atlanta.) (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Timothy Bowden Date: Tuesday, 20 Jul 93 08:55:17 PST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0438 Boys Playing Women I have to confess a bit of perplexity of my own when I try to imagine the orientation of an audience to any drama wherein the greatest love scenes in the language are played out by a man to a young boy. I recall also the discomfiture of the various profs who attempt to explain away the dynamics of the finest love poetry in English written from an aging poet to his young lord. Begs the question, I suppose; was the actual, rather than the mock, gender makeup onstage a part of the emotional involvement of the audience? I'm assuming somewhere this point has been taken up by the scholars, but don't know precisely where... ========================================================= tcbowden@clovis.felton.ca.us (Timothy Bowden) uunet!scruz.ucsc.edu!clovis.felton.ca.us!tcbowden Clovis in Felton, CA ========================================================= (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kay Stockholder Date: Tuesday, 20 Jul 93 12:19:44 PDT Subject: SHK 4.0438 Boys Playing Women Since the womanliness of female characters in the comedies is called to audience attention by the text, I would suppose that Shakespeare would expect his boy actors to to convey a feminine impression even when dressed as boys. In these plays I think that the boy dressed as girl who plays a boy does deliberately flirt with the audience awareness of the male actor and play on the conssequent complextity of gender relationships. I don't think that this is so in the tragedies, where nothing in the text calls attention to the fact that the woman are played by boys. To suppose that the fact of boy actors is always relevant to the significance of the play rests on the assumptions of cultural materialism. That is, it assumes that the material reality must have signiicant reverberation in literary works, and that the imagination cannot function independently. I think that this is a mistaken view. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 22 Jul 1993 07:14:55 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0442 Re: Joyce and Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 443. Thursday, 22 July 1993. From: Lee A. Jacobus Date: Wednesday, 21 Jul 93 14:47:34 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0431 Joyce and Shakespeare For Stephen's theories see the work of Schutte, Vincent Cheng, Clive Hart, and others who discuss them. The issue of the second best bed is complex and may have a legal slant that is not evident today, making it much less reprehensible than it sounds to Stephen. On the name of Shakespeare's son, Eric Sams has been holding forth in recent TLS's to defend the view that Hamnet is a later misspelling of Hamlet, which Sams suggests must have been the real name. Stephen would not have known this, but it's not far-fetched to say he suspects it. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 22 Jul 1993 07:24:32 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0443 Re: Boys Playing Women Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 444. Thursday, 22 July 1993. (1) From: Helen Whall Date: Wednesday, 21 Jul 1993 14:01:28 -0400 (EDT) Subj: boys and voices (2) From: Grady Matthew Lupo Date: Wednesday, 21 Jul 1993 21:48:45 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0442 Re: Boys Playing Women (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Helen Whall Date: Wednesday, 21 Jul 1993 14:01:28 -0400 (EDT) Subject: boys and voices About boy actors and women's voices: let's not forget some obvious textual evidence that voicing the woman's part was at least an issue on Shakespeare's stage. In *A Midsummer Night's Dream*, when Flute objects to playing Thisbe because he has a beard coming, Peter Quince assures him he can both use a mask and "speak as small as you want." (Interesting side note: how "marked" were those twenty-year old actors who stayed clean shaven off stage to play women when on?). The voracious Bottom butts in, claiming he wants that part too and will speak "in a monstrous little voice"(I.ii.48-51). O.K., Shakespeare is parodying some kind of playing style here, as would seem to be the (more complex) case in Hamlet's complaints about tragedians and clowns. But doesn't the Flute-Quince-Bottom exchange suggest Shakespeare's "professional" actors have found a way (more subtle?) of "speaking like a woman?" At a minimum, the joke seems to rely on an audience assuming there will be differences between boy's and women's voices. And probably boy's and girl's. Anyone heard the Vienna Girls Choir lately? :-) Helen Whall HWhall@hcacad.holycross.edu (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Grady Matthew Lupo Date: Wednesday, 21 Jul 1993 21:48:45 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0442 Re: Boys Playing Women I recall hearing from an old Shakespearean professor that part of the fun of As You Like It and other plays in which "women" dress like men derived from the fact that boys were playing women playing men -- a fact that would have been foremost in the minds of the audience of Shakespeare's time. He further proposed that Shakespeare was able to get away with having strong, independent female characters in these same plays, because of the fact that boys, and not actual women, were playing the roles, thus in some way lampooning the very women being depicted. I have one question, however. I no longer remember the source, but I heard once that the main reason that boys were used in place of women was due to the fact that Elizabeth did not want any other woman drawing attention away from her, as a stage actress would have. Is this just a vicious rumor or is there any truth to this? Matt Lupo ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 23 Jul 1993 07:50:46 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0445 *Ado* Redo Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 445. Friday, 23 July 1993. From: Hope A. Greenberg Date: Thursday, 22 Jul 1993 12:09:39 -500 (EDT) Subject: Much Ado Redo Though this topic was thoroughly discussed, thought you all might enjoy this opinion from the other side of the fence, which obviously presents quite a different viewpoint...... ************************************************************************ Organization: School of Computer Science, CMU Date: Wed, 21 Jul 1993 14:34:57 GMT Sender: ecl@cbnewsj.cb.att.com (Evelyn C. Leeper) Lines: 49 MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING A film review by Jon A. Webb Copyright 1993 Jon A. Webb Kenneth Branagh's adaptation of Shakespeare's play was filmed in the villa where the woman who posed for "Mona Lisa" lived, and the film is filled with the influence of the lush sensuality of the location. I was struck especially by the presence of water in the film, as water also figures prominently in the background to "Mona Lisa" (da Vinci was concerned at the time about the many mechanisms for moving water from place to place). I wonder if the painting influenced the movie, or the villa influenced them both, or if da Vinci's engineering work influenced the villa and then the movie. Branagh does a great job of opening up the play. Often stage plays seem stiff and awkward as movies, which depend so much more on imagery and less on words. Branagh takes moments from the play and expands them into effective scenes. For example, the arrival of the Prince turns into a sequence of his men arriving on horses, the hurried washing of the men and women in the ubiquitous water, ending in their meeting as two opposing military forces might meet during a cease fire. I wasn't as happy with the play itself. Kenneth Branagh and his wife Emma Thompson play the principals, and are a lot of fun to watch (exchanging witty barbs) until they fall in love, and they have little reason to continue being in the play. At that point, the story turns into a ridiculous farce. Part of the problem here is that the story is based on the actions of the two young lovers, the man played by Robert Sean Leonard and the woman whose name I don't recall. Since it's pretty obvious what is going to happen, and the characters don't have very much interesting to say, the movie drags a little. Michael Keaton rescues the film at this point, though. He plays one of Shakespeare's comic relief roles, and does it so well I think that that Shakespeare himself would have been proud to see it. He was hilarious. He really showed how a great actor can turn a minor role into something memorable. I thought Denzel Washington was appropriately regal as the Prince. He is always fun to watch. Keanu Reeves was okay as the villainous Prince's half-brother. The ending of the film, with its widening circles of joyful dancing, makes the audience feel part of the action and inspires one to applause. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 23 Jul 1993 07:55:57 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0446 Re: Hamnet Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 446. Friday, 23 July 1993. From: Stephen Orgel Date: Thursday, 22 Jul 93 10:24:17 PDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0442 Hamnet The Sams theory is untenable. The Shakespeare twins were named Hamnet and Judith after their parents' friends and neighbors Hamnet and Judith Sadler--when they had a son they called him William. See Schoenbaum's COMPACT DOCUMENTARY LIFE, p. 94. Stephen Orgel ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 23 Jul 1993 08:00:11 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0447 French in *Henry V* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 447. Friday, 23 July 1993. From: William Kemp Date: Thursday, 22 Jul 93 20:56:34 EDT Subject: re: French in HENRY V Fran Teague's observation that the French men in HENRY V speak English while the French women don't returns my attention to something I've been wondering about. Why can't Henry speak French? The obvious answer is that his clumsy efforts to speak an effete foreign tongue support both the patriotic "all England" theme and the hearty male warrior theme. Of course. But I can't help wondering if something more interesting is going on. Henry IV -- the real Henry IV -- certainly spoke French. On at least one occasion he spontaneously wrote a chatty letter in French to supporters (or staff -- I can't remember off the top of my head) when he was travelling in the west country. The supporters, incidentally, were English. But I can't find similar hard evidence that his son was equally bilingual. Does anyone know? I've checked modern biographies to no avail. Put against John Fisher's argument (PMLA 1992,107: 1168-1180) that both Henries pursued a deliberate English-first policy -- including support of poets such as Chaucer, who wrote in English -- Shakespeare's vivid dramatization of a monolingual Henry V becomes an interesting bit of history-writing. Is this another one of Shakespeare's deft original touches, or is he just processing a widely held assumption? Bill Kemp Mary Washington College Fredericksburg, Va. wkemp@s850.mwc.edu ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 23 Jul 1993 08:22:13 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0448 Re: Boys Playing Women Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 448. Friday, 23 July 1993. (1) From: William Godshalk Date: Thursday, 22 Jul 1993 20:58:23 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0443 Re: Boys Playing Women (2) From: Tom Loughlin Date: Thursday, 22 Jul 1993 10:40 pm EDT (Fri, 23 Jul 93 02:40:25 UT) Subj: Boys Playing Women (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Godshalk Date: Thursday, 22 Jul 1993 20:58:23 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0443 Re: Boys Playing Women At the 1992 Shakespeare and Renaissance Association of West Virginia meeting, James Forse suggested that at least some of the major roles in Shakespeare's plays were acted by mature female impersonators. I've skimmed the printed essay, "ROMEO AND JULIET: A Play for All Seasons," in SELECTED PAPERS 16 (1993): 88-117, and I'm not sure the idea got into the printed version. Paul Yachnin pointed out that other scholars (I can't remember whom) also espoused the idea. If indeed mature female impersonators took the roles of, say, Cleopatra and Lady Macbeth, then we would have to change our ideas of the boy actors. They played only minor roles. In this case, THE CRYING GAME would give us some grasp of what a female character looked like on Shakespeare's stage. She looked and sounded like a mature woman. When Cleopatra thinks of seeing "Some squeaking Cleopatra boy my greatness" (Riverside V.ii.220), we do not have irony, but the disdain of the female impersonator for a boy actor. But is there any firm evidence (beyond the three bearded sisters) that mature men played females on the Renaissance stage? Yours, Bill Godshalk (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Tom Loughlin Date: Thursday, 22 Jul 1993 10:40 pm EDT (Fri, 23 Jul 93 02:40:25 UT) Subject: Boys Playing Women I'd just like to inject a slight word of caution into the discussion about boys playing women. The original question, it seemed to me, based itself upon the assumption that an attempt at verisimilitude was at the heart of Shake- speare's theatre. I find many time in talking to people in Shakespearean discussion that the tendency to attach modern notions of theatre to the Eliz- abethan stage is common. When I teach Shakespearean acting, and even in my attempts to direct graduate students in Shakespeare productions, I find that the hardest habit to break is the habit of thinking realistically. Thus, the question "Did boys try to act or sound like women?" is a question which only someone with a 20th-century notion of what theatre is would ask. Understand that I am not saying that the question is without merit nor is unworthy of discussion or research. It is one of those theoretical questions to which we will probably never know the real answer. What I am saying is that ultimately I believe such a question would never have mattered to Shakespeare or to his audience, since they had an entirely different understanding of the theatrical event and its purpose and meaning. Shakespeare was probably way ahead of his time in that he had a very clear and advanced notion of "the mirror up to nature," but even so that idea was clearly limited to speech and action, not to scenery or other re-creative efforts towards "realism." ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 23 Jul 1993 08:31:30 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0449 SSE Contest; *SQ* Teaching Shakespeare Issue Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 449. Friday, 23 July 1993. From: Ralph Alan Cohen Date: Thursday, 22 Jul 1993 13:57:58 -0500 (EST) Subject: [SSE Contest; *SQ* Teaching Shakespeare Issue] I'd like to make two announcements -- one sublime and one ridiculous and I won't say which is which: The Shenandoah Shakespeare Express would like to announce a contest for members of SHAKSPER. Each year we give our season a name. This year's plays were *Antony and Cleopatra*, *Romeo and Juliet*, and *Dream*, so we called it the "Season of Love." Next year we'll be doing *Othello*, *Much Ado*, and *Shrew*, and we're looking for a name for the season (the name will go on T-shirts, programs, etc.). So far we've thought of the "Season of Bile," but we thought we'd let SHAKSPER-ians suggest a name. Winning entry will receive a T-shirt, a season poster, and our thanks. Announcement #2: In 1995 *The Shakespeare Quarterly* will be devoting one of its issues to teaching Shakespeare. Anyone interested in submitting an article can send it to me, Ralph Alan Cohen c/o Mary Tonkinson *Shakespeare Quarterly* Folger Shakespeare Library 201 East Capitol Street, S.E. Washington, D.C. 20003 I will be abroad until January 1994, but I should be able to acknowledge sub- missions shortly after that. Our deadline will October 1994. ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 24 Jul 1993 08:09:12 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0450 Re: SSE Contest Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 450. Saturday, 24 July 1993. (1) From: Bernice W. Kliman Date: Friday, 23 Jul 1993 08:43 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0449 SSE Contest (2) From: Tad Davis Date: Friday, 23 Jul 93 10:45:26 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0449 SSE Contest (3) From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Saturday, July 24, 1993 Subj: SSE Contest (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Bernice W. Kliman Date: Friday, 23 Jul 1993 08:43 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0449 SSE Contest Dear Ralph, How about "The Season of Lies?" There are plenty in all the plays, for both evil and well-meaning reasons. Have a good trip! Bernice (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Tad Davis Date: Friday, 23 Jul 93 10:45:26 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0449 SSE Contest How about "Season of the KnifeTongued"? Or maybe "With Tongues Like Knives." It's a bit much to fit on a T-shirt, though. If you have to say "Season of," it gets a little cramped. Good luck! Tad Davis davist@a1.relay.upenn.edu (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Saturday, July 24, 1993 Subject: SSE Contest I would suggest "The Season of Misunderstandings" or "The Season of Misprision." ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 24 Jul 1993 08:12:20 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0451 Re: *Henry V* and French Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 451. Saturday, 24 July 1993. From: Peter Ayers Date: Friday, 23 Jul 1993 08:24:59 -0400 Subject: Henry V and French With respect to Bill Kemp's recent comment, surely whatever else Henry is, he is not monolingual; as Katherine points out in V.ii.188-9, his French is better than her English, and certainly up to the task of defining his own priorities in 180-4. He claims linguistic incompetence here as elsewhere, but here as elsewhere, it is a singularly disingenuous self- definition. The real issue seems to be power; Henry is now in a position to make others bow to his language, literally and metaphorically. Peter Ayers Dept. of English Memorial University ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 24 Jul 1993 08:17:35 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0452 Re: Boys Playing Women Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 452. Saturday, 24 July 1993. From: Steve Urkowitz Date: Friday, 23 Jul 93 19:19:02 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0443 Re: Boys Playing Women Some further thoughts about boys or men playing women, and vocal qualities. Male singers who sing counter-tenor parts, not monstrously but with real strength, work in the range of female "traditional" alto and sometimes soprano ranges. Though I had worked with such singers for many years, I didn't ever think about them speaking. Then a few years ago I saw the Cheek By Jowl all-male company playing As You Like It. The actor playing Rosalind cultivated the higher ranges of his voice, and he sounded -- but more important, I guess, also acted -- convincingly female. Hmmm . . . . is but thinking makes it so. "Twas a wonderful production, thrilling vocally, and many occasional songs were performed a cappella by the company together wi' lots of singers working in their falsetto ranges. Those sounds were deeply contrasted with the "natural" alto ranges of the actor playing Rosalind. So there are lots of different ways to achieve those effects, some comic, others graceful. as ever, Steve Urkowitz "who can sing both high and low . . ." ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 25 Jul 1993 08:44:27 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0454 Re: SSE Contest Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 454. Sunday, 25 July 1993. (1) From: Rick Jones Date: Saturday, 24 Jul 1993 9:42:23 -0500 (CDT) Subj: RE: SHK 4.0449 SSE Contest (2) From: Katy Egerton Date: Saturday, 24 Jul 93 14:52 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0450 Re: SSE Contest (3) From: James Schaefer Date: Saturday, 24 Jul 1993 18:49:18 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0450 Re: SSE Contest (4) From: Al Cacicedo Date: Sunday, 25 Jul 1993 0:09:05 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0449 SSE Contest (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Rick Jones Date: Saturday, 24 Jul 1993 9:42:23 -0500 (CDT) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0449 SSE Contest "Don't Believe Your Ears"? "Three Plays, but Only One Hero"? [sorry, couldn't resist] ;-> rj (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Katy Egerton Date: Saturday, 24 Jul 93 14:52 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0450 Re: SSE Contest Since I think "Season of Bile" has a nice ring to it, how about "Season of Guile"? or "Season of Snares"? Kate Egerton (egerton@uncmvs.oit.unc.edu) (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: James Schaefer Date: Saturday, 24 Jul 1993 18:49:18 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0450 Re: SSE Contest There are a lot of abused women in the plays, but I'm not sure "Season of Abuse" is good PR! Jim Schaefer Georgetown Univ. schaefej@guvax.georgetown.edu (4)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Al Cacicedo Date: Sunday, 25 Jul 1993 0:09:05 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0449 SSE Contest How about A Season of Salt? Al Cacicedo (alc@joe.alb.edu) Albright College ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 25 Jul 1993 08:48:08 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0455 Re: French in *Henry V* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 455. Sunday, 25 July 1993. From: William Kemp Date: Saturday, 24 Jul 93 10:35:42 EDT Subject: re: H5 and French Peter Ayers objects to my calling Henry V monolingual, pointing out that (as Katherine says) his French is better than her English, and that Henry is able to cobble up one sentence of clumsy French ("Je quand sur le possession de France, et quand vous avez le possession de moi, donc votre est France et vous etes mienne"). He does manage another phrase in French (la plus belle Katherine du monde, mon tres cher et devin deesse), and he also grasps the gist of several things Katherine says. He is, Ayers argues, playing a game, making others "bow to his language, literally and metaphorically." Partly, I guess, we disagree over what 'monolingual' means. I emphathize with Henry in this scene because my French is just about as bad as his seems to be, and I *know* I'm monolingual. The interpretive issue seems to be whether or not Henry is so machiavellian that he pretends lack of fluency to batter Katherine. Surely the scene is about power; he is imposing his will on Katherine. But isn't it also about wooing? He's charming her too. More to the point, he's charming us. As I said in my first posting, his lack of French fits with the bluff warrior dimension of his persona ("If I could win a lady at leapfrog. . ."), and it echoes the patriotic arrangements Shakespeare has chosen (Welsh, Scottish, Irish, English captains). Those connections make little sense if Henry is pretending ignorance of French, and I see nothing in the play which suggests that he's deceitful in that way. When one character sets out to deceive another, Shakespeare lets us know what's going on. Here, Henry just can't speak French. He's monolingual. While suspecting power is characteristic of our time, I'm not willing to view all charcters who have and exercise power as mean-spirited brutes (not, I realize, what Peter Ayers claimed of Henry). Bill Kemp Mary Washington College Fredericksburg, Va. wkemp@s850.mwc.edu ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 25 Jul 1993 13:50:12 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0453 Re: Boys Playing Women Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 453. Sunday, 25 July 1993. (1) From: William Godshalk Date: Saturday, 24 Jul 1993 11:10:16 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0448 Re: Boys Playing Women (2) From: Kay Stockholder Date: Saturday, 24 Jul 93 18:19:44 PDT Subj: SHK 4.0448 Re: Boys Playing Women (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Godshalk Date: Saturday, 24 Jul 1993 11:10:16 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0448 Re: Boys Playing Women I suppose one should not reply to one's own questions, but I saw MUCH ADO again last night (I still love it, and think it's better the second time!), and I was struck with II.i.32-36 (Riverside). Leonato says to Beatrice: "You may light on a husband that hath no beard." She replies: "What should I do with him? dress him in my apparel and make him my waiting-gentlewoman?" I realize that this is not wonderful evidence about stage practice, but it does SUGGEST that a beardless male can play the part of a female character. Doesn't it? Questionably yours, Bill Godshalk (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kay Stockholder Date: Saturday, 24 Jul 93 18:19:44 PDT Subject: SHK 4.0448 Re: Boys Playing Women I agree strongly with Tom Loughlin's comment on the non-realistic conventions of the Elizabethan stage. Though I imagine some voice differentiation could be achieved either by boys, or by mature men using higher registers of their voices, as Steve Urkowitz suggests. I think this is part of the same problem that bessets productions that have the actors try to speak Shakespeare's poetry as though it were prose, that is, the voice and facial expressiveness such as a modern person would imagine herself using in a comparable situtation. One can't prove it, of course, but I think that Shakespeare assumed that the poetry would convey its own message, and that he had a different conception of the voice and gesture that would suit the lines than we do. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 26 Jul 1993 07:12:46 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0456 Q: "Moonlighting" Episode Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 456. Monday, 26 July 1993. From: James B. Anderson Date: Sunday, 25 Jul 1993 20:36:07 CST Subject: RE: SHK 4.0317 R: Filmscripts Has the Folger, or anyone else, obtained a copy of the "Moonlighting" episode based on Shrew? I would like to get a copy. Thanks anyone. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 27 Jul 1993 08:44:19 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0457 Re: "Moonlighting" Episode Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 457. Tuesday, 27 July 1993. From: Georgianna Ziegler Date: Monday, 26 Jul 1993 09:55:46 -0500 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0456 Q: "Moonlighting" Episode The Folger, so far, has been unable to get a copy of this episode, though we would like one. If anyone has any information about its availability, please let us know! Thanks.. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 27 Jul 1993 08:56:15 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0458 Re: SSE Contest Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 458. Tuesday, 27 July 1993. (1) From: Cornelius Novelli Date: Monday, 26 Jul 1993 12:11 EDT Subj: SSE CONTEST (2) From: Charles Neuringer Date: Monday, 26 Jul 1993 13:55:52 -0500 (UTC -05:00) Subj: [SSE Contest] (3) From: Kenneth S. Rothwell Date: Tuesday, 27 Jul 1993 08:40:55 -500 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0450 Re: SSE Contest (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Cornelius Novelli Date: Monday, 26 Jul 1993 12:11 EDT Subject: SSE CONTEST How about SEASON OF MASKS? Neil Novelli Le Moyne College Syracuse NY 13214 (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Charles Neuringer Date: Monday, 26 Jul 1993 13:55:52 -0500 (UTC -05:00) Subject: [SSE Contest] Since I lust after the T-shirt, I'll submit SEASON OF THE EGO's SEASON OF EGOMANIA SEASON OF THE EGOTISTS or SEASON OF JEALOUSY AND PRIDE Maybe more later- Charlie Neuringer Psychology Department University of Kansas Lawrence, Kansas 66045 neuringer@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kenneth S. Rothwell Date: Tuesday, 27 Jul 1993 08:40:55 -500 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0450 Re: SSE Contest I like many of the suggestions for the SSE Contest. But purely for alliterative purposes I propose "Summer of Sham." There is enough faking, misleading, deceiving, conniving, counterfeiting, deluding, altering and plain lying in each of the three plays to create massive amounts of shamming. Ken Rothwell ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 27 Jul 1993 09:14:14 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0459 Re: French in *Henry V* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 459. Tuesday, 27 July 1993. (1) From: Luc Borot Date: Monday, 26 Jul 93 18:47 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0455 Re: French in *Henry V* (2) From: John Mucci Date: Monday, 26 Jul 93 15:56:53-0400 Subj: Lingua Franca (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Luc Borot Date: Monday, 26 Jul 93 18:47 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0455 Re: French in *Henry V* From Prof Luc Borot On Languages Dear all, The frog will croak on Hal's French, as he croaked on other sundry matters appertaining to froggishness and frogness. I would like to remind my mono-lingual English-speaking colleagues that, as a bilingual, I am aware of differences between historical forms of French and English. Some 'mistakes' in Harry's French are rather archaisms, resembling the form of French which the HISTORICAL Harry would have spoken in the 1st half of the 15th century. Would Ole Bill have been aware of French philology? Nope... but he may easily have read in French sources or had someone give him examples of French from, say, XVth century French chronicles... It DOESN'T sound like the French Shakespeare's froggish contemporaries would have spoken. Refer to the note published by my friend and master Prof. Jean Fuzier in Notes and Queries 32 (1981), 97-100, "'Ie quand sur le possession de France': a French crux in *H5* solved?". It is quoted in Andrew Gurr's New Cambridge Shakespeare. Buvez frais, as Rabelais would have wished you in the days of yore when he taught medicine at Montpellier (in the 1520s). Luc (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John Mucci Date: Monday, 26 Jul 93 15:56:53-0400 Subject: Lingua Franca There was a very famous production of HENRY V in which the French spoke French, at Stratford, Connecticut (I believe it was 1967). It was staged with costumes rather like hockey outfits, and was played out on an evil-looking playground. Whenever the French spoke together, the lines were all translated into a very believable Gallic, delivered with great passion and gusto. Two young "translators," meanwhile, emerged from the wings with hand- held microphones, and recited Shakespeare's text in flat, expressionless tones, as though they were giving a U.N. simulcast. It was a very effective trope. As an aside, I do hope that the "deesse" Katherine, as reported by Bill Kemp, was divin and not devin, which would make her a soothsayer. Then again, maybe she was. J. Mucci Stamford ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 27 Jul 1993 09:18:29 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0460 Re: Boys Playing Women Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 460. Tuesday, 27 July 1993. From: John Mucci Date: Monday, 26 Jul 93 15:17:08-0400 Subject: Acting Women So far as boys playing women go, it was not only a convention in the theatre at the time, but also was very common in the church choir to have boys singing in a separate vocal-range. I am somewhat amused by the question "how a boy's natural voice could differ from that of a woman's"--as one could certainly not mistake the sound of the Vienna Boy's Choir for a group of women singing. Of course it was a long-standing (albeit melancholy) tradition to keep a countertenor's voice in that high vocal range throughout the performer's life through an unreversible surgical procedure (I don't think one could say "he's come from a long line of _castrati_"). So the quality of sound was certainly something heard often and not only in the theatre. So far as some adult men playing the more mature female roles go, remember that the theatre has always attracted a number of males who are very comfortable in female garb, and who, regardless of sexual orientation, might be thought of as effeminate in street dress as well as costume, and who if gifted with histrionic talent, would be an asset to a theatre company. I believe in the film _Orlando_, Queen Elizabeth is played by Quentin Crisp, which is a brilliant stroke of casting (he also played Lady Bracknell in _Importance of Being Earnest_)--and after all, when Sarah Bernhardt played Hamlet, and Ellen Bateman played Richard III, I don't think anyone batted an eye so far as verisimilitude was concerned. John Mucci GTE VisNet/Stamford CT ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 28 Jul 1993 07:32:08 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0461 Re: Boys Playing Women (Boys' Voices) Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 461. Wednesday, 28 July 1993. (1) From: Phyllis Rackin Date: Tuesday, 27 Jul 1993 12:40:13 +22306256 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0460 Re: Boys Playing Women (2) From: Antony Hammond Date: Tuesday, 27 Jul 1993 12:40:35 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Boys' voices (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Phyllis Rackin Date: Tuesday, 27 Jul 1993 12:40:13 +22306256 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0460 Re: Boys Playing Women Coriolanus doesn't seem that sure about the differences between the voices of eunuchs, women, and boys. See III.ii. 111-117, where he worries about the prospect that his "throat of war" will "be turn'd. . . into a pipe/Small as an eunuch, or the virgin voice/ That babies lull asleep" and his sight will be obscured by "schoolboys' tears." I think there's always a danger when we speculate about these matters and invoke post-Shakespearean examples like the Vienna Boy's Choir as evidence for our speculations that we'll mistake contemporary cultural constructions for universal and "natural" differences. >So far as boys playing women go, it was not only a convention in the theatre at >the time, but also was very common in the church choir to have boys singing in >a separate vocal-range. I am somewhat amused by the question "how a boy's >natural voice could differ from that of a woman's"--as one could certainly not >mistake the sound of the Vienna Boy's Choir for a group of women singing. Of >course it was a long-standing (albeit melancholy) tradition to keep a >countertenor's voice in that high vocal range throughout the performer's life >through an unreversible surgical procedure (I don't think one could say "he's >come from a long line of _castrati_"). So the quality of sound was certainly >something heard often and not only in the theatre. > >[paragraph deleted] > >John Mucci >GTE VisNet/Stamford CT (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Antony Hammond Date: Tuesday, 27 Jul 1993 12:40:35 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Boys' voices A few points on the boy/female voice business. First, to endorse wholeheartedly Tom Loughlin's admirable contribution of 23 July. Getting actors and students to abandon the conventions of realism is perhaps the single most important challenge in modern Shakespearian production and study. Secondly, I do not know either of any firm evidence that major roles were played by adult female impersonators. It's a notion hard to square with, for example, Ben Jonson's extended praise of Richard Robinson in *The Divel is an Asse* act 2 scene 8, or Pepys's famous encomium on Kynaston (*Diary*,7 January 1661). But anyway, the fact that the Witches in Macbeth are bearded hardly means that they had to be played by adults, as Bill Godshalk says; false beards are common enough in theatres. Thirdly, I think John Mucci has muddied the waters a little with his contribution posted on 27 July, through some confusions in musical terminology. Since I teach and write on opera as well as Shakespeare, may I have a go at straightening this out? Point 1: The castrato voice was created, as the name makes clear, by castrating boys before puberty. The resulting sound was affirmed by eighteenth-century writers on singing to be quite different from the female soprano or alto: to be bigger and brighter in sound, with a more penetrating timbre. There are useful books that give accounts of the written evidence; and there is also audible evidence. Alessandro Moreschi, the last castrato soprano of the Sistine Chapel choir, actually made a few (very bad) recordings in about 1905. These have been reissued on CD, and while one may be reasonably baffled by Moreschi's poor musicianship and worse taste, the sounds are not those that a female soprano would have made, recorded by the acoustic process at the same time. Point 2: The male counter-tenor (the subject of endless confusion) is properly what would be called a falsettist. (John Mucci says castration was undertaken "to keep a counter-tenor's voice in that high vocal range", thereby adding to the confusion: unbroken boy's voices are soprano or alto; the counter-tenor is an *adult* voice.) In other words, a counter-tenor has trained his falsetto register rather than his `normal' voice. Falsettists are common (and highly acomplished) in the music in Russian Orthodox Churches, and since Alfred Deller re-popularized the vocal type, have become common in performances of western baroque music. Another odd vocal type is the French *haut-contre* which perhaps, but I'm still not certain, was the French equivalent of counter-tenor; yet in Rameau's operas some of the roles for haut-contre can betaken by a very high-voiced regular tenor (the title-role of *Platee* is a case in point). Castrati did not appear in French opera, and the haut-contre seems to have had something of an equivalent function. When Gluck revised his *Orfeo ed Euridice* for Paris, Orfeo was converted from an alto castrato role to one for haut-contre. A counter-tenor does not have to have been a boy soprano or alto, though that is a frequent career path. But no-one with any experience would be likely to mistake the relatively thin, bodiless quality of the counter-tenor for a female singer in the same range (there are exceptions, but let's not get carried away into too much detail). So: three different sounds: the boy soprano or alto, singing naturally in his unbroken voice; the counter-tenor using falsetto to make, as an adult, something like the sounds of the unbroken voice, and the castrato, whose vocal timbre, range, volume, were all substantially greater and different from the others. And the castrato (poor chap) has nothing whatever to do with the debate in question! None of this says much about what boys sounded like in female roles on the Elizabethan stage! Except insofar as the boys of the important London schools who became members of the children's companies would undoubtedly have been trained in their school choirs as well as in their dramatic performances. In other words, they would presumably have learned how to project and support the voice, no doubt a useful accomplishment in a crowded Elizabethan theatre. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 28 Jul 1993 07:57:53 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0462 Thanks: Cleopatra Query Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 462. Wednesday, 28 July 1993. From: Susan Welch Date: Tuesday, 27 Jul 1993 17:07:59 -0500 (CDT) Subject: Yo, Cleo -- thanks, Shakespeareans To the Shakespeareans who took the time to share with me their insights about the character of Cleopatra, I want to express my deep gratitude. Because of your questions, references and opinions, my classes, as well as my reflections about those classes, were full of richness and excitement: The students, exposed to many different considerations and perspectives, were experimental and bold in their own interpretations. Although Cleopatra had her usual detractors, it was wonderful to hear many of students, in response to Phyllis Rackin's essay, respond exuberantly to Cleopatra's recklessness and boldness in action and language. We had in class our share of women who side with the critics cited by L.T. Fitz who "have been readier to sympathize with the murderer (Macbeth) than with a wanton woman," applying a pernicious double standard: "Cleopatra is repeatedly criticized for thinking of anything but Antony: this would seem to follow from the sexist precept that nothing but love is appropriate to a woman's thoughts." "...when Antony follows his fervent protestations of love for Cleopatra by leaving Egypt to patch up his political situation in Rome through marriage to Octavia, he receives nothing but critical praise -- for putting first things first and attempting to break off a destructive relationship with Cleopatra." Many thanks to Michael Best for referring me to L.T. Fitz's essay, "Egyptian Queens and Male Reviewers: Sexist Attitudes in Antony and Cleopatra Criticism," SHAKESPEARE QUARTERLY, 1977. My colleague Sister Margery Smith pointed out to me that since we never hear Cleopatra in soliloquy, we never know the truth of her heart. I suppose this will always add an obliqueness to any interpretation of her character. I used Jonathan Miller's BBC film of the play which drew some negative reviews. Students were appalled that while Iras and Mardian, her servants, were people of color, Cleopatra herself was white. Since she refers to herself as black, and is referred to throughout as tawny, dark, etc., students perceived an insulting racist implication in the casting of a white woman in the hero role, causing them to dismiss the entire production. Someone has suggested Tina Turner for the Cleopatra role, a casting idea with which my students strongly concurred. Although I could go on and on, I will show my real gratitude to you by not doing so. I close by thanking the Shakespeareans who have added greatly to my appreciation and understanding of this magnificent play and its central character: Michael Best, Mary Ellen Zurko (I have ordered "Shakespeare's Women" but haven't gotten it yet), Bob White at The Citadel, Jamey Saeger, University of Pennsylvania, (thanks for referring me to Phyllis Rackin's "Shakespeare's Boy Cleopatra, the Decorum of Nature, and the Golden World of Poetry, " PMLA 87 (1972), John Massa, University of Iowa (thanks for the Maggie Thatcher comparison -- i.e., Maggie Thatcher didn't discourage all that 'Iron Lady' talk -- every little psychological advantage helps a leader and, then as now, "nice guys" didn't always last long in power), Nina Walker, Northeastern University (thanks for opening other doors of thought about Cleo's character -- you showed me how, in their exchanges, Cleopatra wins out over Antony time and time again), Milla Riggio, (thanks for your marvelous discussion of Cleopatra as a poet and the imaginative center of the play), Herbert Donow, Southern Illinois University, Kay Stockholder ("if we were called upon to give our imaginative understanding only to perfect people we would not have much need of it"), Al Cacicedo, Albright College ("Anyway, if you're looking for misogyny in the play, of course, it's there in the language of Rome. But the play presents an alternative language that I find to be remarkably unmisogynistic. Ultimately that language may simply mystify the real outcome of the play -- after all, Cleopatra and Antony do end up dead while Octavius lives on as the "sole sir o' the world"). And thanks again to Dr. Margery Smith, CSJ, The College of St. Catherine, St. Paul, MN, and to all of you for an exhilarating exchange. Susan Welch The College of St. Catherine srwelch@alex.stkate.edu ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 28 Jul 1993 08:01:05 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0463 Re: Henry V's French Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 463. Wednesday, 28 July 1993. From: Herbert Donow Date: Tuesday, 27 Jul 93 16:45:11 CST Subject: Henry V's French The comments about Hal's French fail to note what may be the most important point--that his attempt to speak French displays his predisposition to be a good husband. Mortimer, in HIV, Pt. 1, is determined to learn Welsh so that he can communicate with his wife. In this desire he is markedly different from his cousin Hotspur, who is unable to communicate with Kate, even though they both speak the same tongue. Being willing to communicate with their wives distinguishes Shakespeare's (and Bembo's) ideal heroes from their flawed and more traditional brethren. Herb Donow Southern Illinois U. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 28 Jul 1993 08:05:34 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0464 Re: SSE Contest Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 464. Wednesday, 28 July 1993. From: Ann Miller Date: Tuesday, 27 Jul 1993 17:28:38 -0500 (EST) Subject: SSE Contest I'd like to suggest a "Season of Manipulation" for next year's offerings. Ann ***************************************************** Ann E. Miller Reference/Government Documents Carrier Library James Madison University Harrisonburg, VA 22807 (703) 568-6929 BITNET: fac_amil@jmuvax INTERNET: fac_amil@vax1.acs.jmu.edu ***************************************************** ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 29 Jul 1993 07:08:42 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0465 Donne Studies Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 465. Thursday, 29 July 1993. From: Joan Hartwig Date: Wednesday, 28 Jul 93 16:35:04 EDT Subject: Donne Studies ATTENTION SHAKSPER-ians INTERESTED IN JOHN DONNE CALL FOR PAPERS Kate Frost, Department of English, University of Texas at Austin, PAR 108, Austin, Texas, 78712-1164, welcomes abstracts for the newly reinstated "Donne Studies" session at the International Congress for Medieval Studies to be held May 5-8, 1994, at Kalamazoo, MI. Abstracts should include title of paper, name of author, complete mailing address, institutional affiliation, (if any) of the author, and confirmation of a 20-minute reading time. Any area of Donne studies will be appropriate. Submission of abstract deadline is September 15, 1993. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 29 Jul 1993 07:17:08 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0466 Re: SSE Contest Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 466. Thursday, 29 July 1993. (1) From: Joseph Lawrence Lyle Date: Wednesday, 28 Jul 93 17:13:40 -0400 Subj: SHK 4.0450 SSE contest (2) From: Eric Eliason Date: Wednesday, 28 Jul 1993 10:07:44 (CDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0464 Re: SSE Contest (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Joseph Lawrence Lyle Date: Wednesday, 28 Jul 93 17:13:40 -0400 Subject: SHK 4.0450 SSE contest "Season of Deceivin'" is a bit unfinished, so I suppose I have to go with "Season of Deceit" Jay Lyle (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Eric Eliason Date: Wednesday, 28 Jul 1993 10:07:44 (CDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0464 Re: SSE Contest If "Season of ... " is not the requisite formula for the contest, I'd like to suggest "Girl Trouble." Eric Eliason Gustavus Adolphus College St. Peter, MN 56082 eliason@nic.gac.edu ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 29 Jul 1993 07:23:10 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0467 Q: Computers and Shakespeare Studies Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 467. Thursday, 29 July 1993. From: Jeffrey Nyhoff Date: Wednesday, 28 Jul 93 12:21:05 -0700 Subject: [Computers and Shakespeare Studies] I made a request similar to this one some time ago, but I received little response. Consequently, I sheepishly resubmit: My dissertation work in part involves a consideration of the impact of electronic textuality upon Shakespearean scholarship. Consequently, I would be extremely grateful to hear from anyone who makes use of computer multimedia in their work. Even a short note would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance, Jeff Nyhoff UC Berkeley nyhoff@garnet.berkeley.edu ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 29 Jul 1993 07:27:52 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0468 OSF 1994 Playbill Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 468. Thursday, 29 July 1993. From: Thomas A. Berson Date: Wednesday, 28 Jul 1993 14:42:02 -0700 Subject: OSF 1994 Playbill Fellow SHAKSPERians, Here is a preliminary look at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival's playbill for the 1994 season. This playbill, like any playbill, is subject to change. At Ashland ---------- On the Elizabethan Stage (outdoors, a modern version of the Wooden O, seats 1200): *The Tempest*, *Much Ado About Nothing*, and *Two Noble Kinsmen*. In the Angus Bowmer Theater (600 seats): *Hamlet*, Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman's *You Can't Take It With You*, Allan Cubitt's *The Pool of Bethesda*, Lanford Wilson's *Fifth of July*, and Jean Anouilh's *The Rehearsal*. In the Black Swan Theater (140 seat black box, intimate): David Mamet's *Oleanna*, George C. Wolfe's *The Colored Museum*, and one play still to be announced. Other activities include OSF Institute symposia and workshops for teachers and students. At Portland ----------- Brian Friel's *Dancing at Lughnasa*, Pierre Corneille's (adopted by Tony Kushner) *The Illusion*, *The Comedy of Errors*, Lanford Wilson's *Fifth of July*, and Cheryl L. West's *Jar the Floor*. ----------- For further information or to get on the mailing list contact the box at (503) 482-4331. See you there, --Tom Berson ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 29 Jul 1993 07:32:21 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0469 Re: French in *Henry V* (Mortimer) Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 469. Thursday, 29 July 1993. From: Al Cacicedo Date: Thursday, 29 Jul 1993 1:16:48 -0400 (EDT) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0463 Re: Henry V's French On Herb Donow's remarks on Mortimer as one of Shakespeare's "ideal heroes" because he wishes to learn how to communicate with his wife, I'd urge everyone to read Matthew Wikander's *The Play of Truth and State: Historical Drama from Shakespeare to Brecht* (Johns Hopkins, 1986), who argues that Mortimer is literally bewitched by Glendower, and that his marriage to Glendower's daughter presents the moral folly of rebellion as a parallel to Hotspur's political folly in the same scene. The argument involves complex analyses of the play, to which I cannot do justice here. Phyllis Rakin, whose discussion of Mortimer in *Stages of History: Shakespeare's English Chronicles* (Cornell, 1990) refers to Wikander's book, also puts in question the ideality of Mortimer's "heroism": "His manhood lost to female enchantment,the heir of Richard II never appears on the fields of battle where English history is made" (171) Just a-reading in Reading, PA Al Cacicedo (alc@joe.alb.edu) Albright College ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 30 Jul 1993 07:09:16 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0470 Re: Boys Playing Women Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 470. Friday, 30 July 1993. (1) From: Terence Hawkes Date: Thursday, 29 Jul 93 15:50 BST Subj: RE: SHK 4.0448 Re: Boys Playing Women (2) From: Helen Whall Date: Thursday, 29 Jul 1993 14:02:04 -0400 (EDT) Subj: more on boys' voices (1)----------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Terence Hawkes Date: Thursday, 29 Jul 93 15:50 BST Subject: RE: SHK 4.0448 Re: Boys Playing Women I can't see any reason why the males who played women in Shakespeare's plays shouldn't have been mature men. Perfectly satisfactory careers as 'female impersonators' are common in a number of theatrical traditions -eg the Japanese. It's worth bearing in mind too that the term 'boy' could then carry the implication of 'servant' or 'slave' even for mature males -a usage that persists here and there in the modern world. Hence Cleopatra's complaint about the squeaking actor and, more interestingly, Coriolanus' extreme reaction when the term is applied to him. Terence Hawkes, University of Wales, Cardiff PS There's also the tradition of Pantomime in British theatre, in which -to this day- the 'Dame' is played by a man (and of course the part of Principal Boy is played by a woman). (2)----------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Helen Whall Date: Thursday, 29 Jul 1993 14:02:04 -0400 (EDT) Subject: more on boys' voices As usual, Phyllis Rackin's fine ear for Shakespearean voices locates yet another interesting textual pressure point. But rather than ending the discussion on boy actors, women's voices and Renaissance musical training/knowledge, might not the *Coriolanus* passage point us back toward metadramatic moments less complicated by the layers of parody which shroud Bottom, Flute, and even Cleopatra's fears of a squeaking boy? (I still think these deserve comment, by the way). We do have Viola's initial decision in *Twelfth Night* to disguise herself as a eunuch, as well as the Duke's oddly strained request that Cesario sing a song (II.iv)--a song which in fact Feste must be summoned to sing. In the instance of a boy playing a girl playing a boy, this seems, if nothing else, like some kind of theatrical smoke and mirror game. Perhaps such references blur the line between a boy's voice--or a female impersonator's, if such there were on the Renaissance stage--and a woman's. But if so, a perceived need to blur seems implicit. Most assuredly, we cannot know what kind of acting conventions were employed by actors to convey their varied roles, male and female, but that vocal manipulation was important does seem amply justified by yet another metadramtic moment in *Twelfth Night*. In IV.ii, we watch how an actor prepares to double a role. In playing Sir Topas for Malvolio, Feste dawns a new gown and a beard, despite the fact that Malvolio cannot see him. He then moves in and out of his Topas/Feste voices to interview Malvolio. (At the end of the play, Feste will remind us of the importance of "vox"). Perhaps *King Lear* is even more self-reflexive. Gloucester, after all, almost "Hears through" Edgar's disguise in the suicide/rescue scene. Voices would seem to change on Shakespeare's stage, even if we cannot be sure what happened after a boy actor's voice did so. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 30 Jul 1993 07:24:00 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0471 Re: Computers; *Henry V*; "Moonlighting"; SSE Contest Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 471. Friday, 30 July 1993. (1) From: Rick Jones Date: Thursday, 29 Jul 1993 11:47:15 -0500 (CDT) Subj: RE: SHK 4.0467 Q: Computers and Shakespeare Studies (2) From: Jean Peterson Date: Thursday, 29 Jul 1993 13:01:46 -0400 Subj: Henry 5 (3) From: Kenneth S. Rothwell Date: Thursday, 29 Jul 1993 09:06:21 -500 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0457 Re: "Moonlighting" Episode (4) From: Mark Sandona Date: Thursday, 29 Jul 1993 10:35:52 -0400 (EDT) Subj: RE: SHK 4.0449 SSE Contest; *SQ* Teaching Shakespeare Issue (1)----------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Rick Jones Date: Thursday, 29 Jul 1993 11:47:15 -0500 (CDT) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0467 Q: Computers and Shakespeare Studies >My dissertation work in part involves a consideration of the impact of >electronic textuality upon Shakespearean scholarship. Consequently, I would be >extremely grateful to hear from anyone who makes use of computer multimedia in >their work. Even a short note would be much appreciated. Jeff: I can't help directly, but perhaps indirectly... at this year's ATHE conference, there will be a panel entitled "Developing Multimedia Learning Aids for the Study of Shakespeare". It features primarily (though not exclusively) some folks from the U. of South Dakota: Ronald Moyer and Cheryl Feight. You might want to contact them directly. Rick Jones rjones@cornell-iowa.edu (2)----------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jean Peterson Date: Thursday, 29 Jul 1993 13:01:46 -0400 Subject: Henry 5 Just a note to add to the debate about Henry: someone (sorry, I forget who) recently posted the claim that Henry doesn't lie. But as Katherine shrewdly points out, "de tongues of de mans is be full of deceits"! Among Henry's notable whoppers is the promise that "he today that sheds his blood with me/Shall be my brother" etc.--after the battle, the "conditions" of people like Pistol are clearly not "gentled." (Is it fit this soldier keep his oath?). And instead of challenging Williams directly as he promises ("If ever I live to see it...") Henry sets up Fluellen--with a lie--to cudgel him by proxy. Come, come, a better instance say I! Jean Peterson Bucknell University (3)----------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kenneth S. Rothwell Date: Thursday, 29 Jul 1993 09:06:21 -500 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0457 Re: "Moonlighting" Episode The inquiry about the "Moonlighting" Episode of ^Shr.^ probably doesn't have a satisfactory answer. I suspect that ABC-TV is the place to begin but it in turn may not own the rights outright. They may belong to the original sponsor of the show, transmitted on Nov. 25, 1986, from "an idea by William Budd." Perhaps even the actors share in the ownership. The result can be a tangle. See Jack Oruch's review of this spritely performance, which is politically correct in its feminist slant, in ^Shakespeare on Film Newsletter^ 11.2 (April 1987). If only it were as simple to use film and video for research and teaching purposes as it is to use books. Perhaps one day it will be. Ken Rothwell (4)----------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Mark Sandona Date: Thursday, 29 Jul 1993 10:35:52 -0400 (EDT) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0449 SSE Contest; *SQ* Teaching Shakespeare Issue I think "Season of ..." will prove to be an unwieldy paradigm. I'd choose a phrase from MND: BY ANOTHER'S EYES Mark Sandona Hood College ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 31 Jul 1993 09:42:53 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0472 Re: Computers and Shakespeare Studies Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 472. Saturday, 31 July 1993. From: Tom Blackburn Date: Friday, 30 Jul 1993 11:39:21 +0000 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0467 Q: Computers and Shakespeare Studies >My dissertation work in part involves a consideration of the impact of >electronic textuality upon Shakespearean scholarship. Consequently, I would be >extremely grateful to hear from anyone who makes use of computer multimedia in >their work. Even a short note would be much appreciated. Jeff, With my research assistant Melissa Shaner, I have just completed a hypercard stack which presents four different rendition of two soliloquies each from Hamlet and Macbeth in QuickTime movies digitized from video with Video Spigot and Adobe Premiere software. With the movies the stack takes more than 200 megabytes, so we have to run it from servers at the moment. I intend to use the stack in classes and seminars to work on notions of the relation between script and production choices and on issues of interpretation as illuminated by those choices. Tom Blackburn, Department of English, Swarthmore College tblackb1@cc.swarthmore.edu ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 3 Aug 1993 07:19:47 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0473 *H5*: Mountjoy in Performance Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 473. Tuesday, August 3, 1993. From: Ellen Edgerton Date: Monday, 02 Aug 1993 13:57 ET Subject: *H5*: Mountjoy in Performance I was wondering if anything has been written in the past 20 years or so about the seemingly slowly expanding significance of Mountjoy the Herald as a minor character in different productions (stage or screen) of *H5*. It's obvious that Shakespeare had somewhat more than a perfunctory interest in the character to start with, but I am curious about when it became commonplace for directors to start taking lines away from other minor French characters (Rambures, Grandpre, etc) in the play and giving them to Mountjoy. It seems to me yet another interesting (albeit minor) example of how the plays evolve in performance. I have read comments by Oliver Ford-Davies who played Mountjoy in Terry Hands' 1975 production. It was interesting how many of his comments on the character confirmed my impression of Mountjoy as a "serious character" actually capable of development. I definitely got this impression from Christopher Ravenscroft's Mountjoy in Branagh's film from 15 years later (a presentation of this character which, to me, seemed to go even beyond Ford-Davies' interpretation). So my question is, how long has this been going on? For a long time, or since only relatively recently? Any information would be appreciated, not just on this character but on minor characters in any play who seem to have received added emphasis over the years in performance. Ellen Edgerton Syracuse University ebedgert@suadmin.syr.edu ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 3 Aug 1993 07:23:09 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0474 Re: Computers and Shakespeare Studies Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 474. Tuesday, August 3, 1993. From: Michael Mullin Date: Monday, 2 Aug 1993 15:43:25 -0500 (CDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0472 Re: Computers and Shakespeare Studies With my research associate Eric Johnson I'm developing a hypermedia CD-Rom on the subject of Shakespeare Across Cultures that includes video extracts from productions, interviews with scholars and theatre artists, promptbooks, and of course text (the Folio, foreign languages, and literal translations). I'd like to know if anyone has materials that I might use, either as archival, "research only viewing" for a book, or as "non-theatrical" fair-use for an NEH funded exhibition we're putting together for major public libraries and per- forming arts spaces. I just returned with material from the ROC, PRC, South Korea, and Japan. Any- one with information on Africa, India, or Latin America--or just interested in the subject and project--please get in touch. The e-mail address: motley@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu Michael Mullin Department of English ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 4 Aug 1993 07:27:43 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0475 Re: Montjoy in Performance Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 475. Tuesday, August 3, 1993. From: Bruce Sajdak Date: Tuesday, 03 August, 1993 Subject: *H5*: Montjoy in Performance It has beee a while since I've read these two articles, but I remember that both deal with Montjoy - especially the second one. Scrimgeour, Gary J. "The Messenger as a Dramatic Device in Shakespeare." _Shakespeare Quarterly_, Volume 19, Number 1 (Winter, 1968) 41-54. (_Shakespeare Index_ #F244) Young, Daniel Lane. "Honorable Heralds and Manipulative Messengers in Shakespeare's Second Tetralogy." _CCTE: Conference of College Teachers of English of Texas. Proceedings_, Volume 47 (September, 1982) 14-19. Hope this helps. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 5 Aug 1993 07:28:31 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0476 [was shk] Re: French in *Henry V* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 476. Thursday, 5 August 1993. From: Fran Teague Date: Wednesday, 04 Aug 93 09:08:52 EDT Subject: Henry and French RE the discussion about Henry's French: I'm embarrassed to admit that I know of a splendid essay on the various languages in that play. The essay is by Alan Powers and titled "'Gallia and Gaul, French and Welsh': Comic Ethnic Slander in the Gallia Wars." It will appear in a collection I'm editing, _Acting Funny: Comic Theory and Practice in Shakespeare's plays_ (hence the embarrassment -- I don't want to be tooting my own horn, but the piece really is good). The collection is from a Shakespeare Association seminar and Fairleigh Dickinson will publish it this fall. Fran Teague, Univ of Georgia ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 5 Aug 1993 07:32:42 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0477 Re: Mountjoy in Performance Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 477. Thursday, 5 August 1993. From: Steve Urkowitz Date: Wednesday, 04 Aug 93 21:27:16 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0473 *H5*: Mountjoy in Performance Ellen Edgerton's query about the growth of Mountjoy in modern production triggers my memory about the "development" of the character between the Q1 and the Folio texts. But I've been too long away from the documents. Again, Don Foster's rare-word calculations point to this as one of Shakespeare's own roles. C'mon, Don Foster! Steve Urkowitz SURCC@CUNYVM ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1993 16:53:39 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0478 Q: MIT Multimedia Presentations at SAA Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 478. Tuesday, 10 August 1993. From: Jeff Nyhoff Date: Tuesday, 10 Aug 93 10:50:22 -0700 Subject: [MIT Multimedia Presentations at SAA I missed the acclaimed MIT multimedia presentations at SAA this past April. Can anyone describe them and/or identify the presenters? Thanks, Jeff Nyhoff UC Berkeley nyhoff@garnet.berkeley.edu ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 11 Aug 1993 07:04:37 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0479 Q: ISGC Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 479. Wednesday, 11 August 1993. From: Robert O'Connor Date: Wednesday, 11 Aug 1993 11:41:10 +0700 Subject: ISGC Dear fellow SHAKSPERians We recently had Professor Andrew Gurr here in Australia giving talks on, among other things, the Rose excavations and (briefly) the Globe project. While I have seen a little information in various publications on the latter subject, I am curious as to where the project - and particularly the reconstruction - currently stands. Would anyone out there have any recent information, or at least some advice as to where I could get some? Perhaps even an address for the ISGC? Ta ROC ********************** Robert F. O'Connor ocoreng@durras.anu.edu.au English Department Australian National University ********************** ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 11 Aug 1993 09:47:17 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0480 *ALl's Well* in Central Park Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 480. Wednesday, 11 August 1993. From: Steve Urkowitz Date: Wednesday, 11 Aug 93 07:38:46 EDT Subject: All's Well in Central Park Rush to New York to see the Richard Jones production of ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL. It is a delight, pleasures leaping out from all dimensions of theatrical imagination. Saw it last night and have spent the intervening time weaving ideas about theatricalizing these scripts for my own forthcoming fall production of TWELFTH NIGHT. Magic and healing, music and transformations and meta-theatrical laughter and a door that opens out into eternity . . . AND the woman who play s Diana was my student at City College, and my daughter works at the scene shop that produced the set. The ticket regime is to stand on line with a picnic blanket all afternoon. Or you can come at 6 or 7pm for a shorter line if some were not given out, or if the ticket-holders don't show up. Earlier in the season it is also possible to send in a contribution in return for tickets -- I don't know if that still happens. This one will glow in your mind happily for decades. Steve Urkowitz SURCC@CUNYVM ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 12 Aug 1993 07:33:46 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0481 Re: *All's Well" in Central Park Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 481. Thursday, 12 August 1993. (1) From: Nick Clary Date: Wednesday, 11 Aug 1993 10:33:16 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0480 *All's Well* in Central Park (2) From: Hilary Thimmesh Date: Wednesday, 11 Aug 1993 10:49:05 -0500 (CDT) Subj: ALL'S (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Nick Clary Date: Wednesday, 11 Aug 1993 10:33:16 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0480 *All's Well* in Central Park Thanks for the good news on ALL'S WELL. Could you tell more about the "magic and healing" that you saw onstage? Incidentally, if you are doing a stage version of TWELFTH NIGHT, you might wish to capitalize on what you can find out about mirror technology and mirror uses at the end of the 16th century in England. The Duke's astonished response to what he sees in 5.1, will be all the more enriched by what you discover and how you choose to employ it: One face, one voice, one habit, and two persons-- A natural perspective that is and is not. Keep us posted on your musings and let us know how you theatricalize the script. Nick Clary clary@smcvax.smcvt.edu (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Hilary Thimmesh Date: Wednesday, 11 Aug 1993 10:49:05 -0500 (CDT) Subject: ALL'S Dear Steve: Thanks for your rave review of the Central Park "All's Well." There's no way that I'm going to see it but, I'm particularly interested in the play right now having spent most of July reading J.P. Kemble's 1811 stage version compared to Garrick's older version and Thomas Bowdler's ex- purgated text. Bowdler didn't find much to remove and surprisingly left the sexual references in the last scene intact. Garrick played up Parolles; Kemble very carefully shifted lines and scenes to make Helena a rather wist- ful romantic heroine. I would be interested to know more about the Central Park production. Is it straightforwardly Shakespeare's text, weighty lines and all? How does the older generation come off--the Countess, the King, LeFew, the Clown? What's this business about a window into eternity? I'll be happy to hear anything more you want to say about this production. Thanks! Hilary Thimmesh, St. John's (MN) ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 12 Aug 1993 07:38:42 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0482 Re: ISGC Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 482. Thursday, 12 August 1993. From: Kenneth S. Rothwell Date: Wednesday, 11 Aug 1993 10:15:24 -500 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0479 Q: ISGC The address for the ISGC is as follows: The International Shakespeare Globe Centre Bear Gardens, Bankside Liberty of the Clink Southwark, London SE1 9EB TEL/ 071 620 0202 FAX/ 071 928 7968 His friends will be interested and pleased to learn that the Director, Sam Wanamaker, has recently been honored by the Queen with the designation of "Honorary Commander of the British Empire (CBE)." Ken Rothwell ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 12 Aug 1993 07:43:08 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0483 Re: MIT Multimedia Presentation at SAA Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 483. Thursday, 12 August 1993. From: Nick Clary Date: Wednesday, 11 Aug 1993 10:08:29 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0478 Q: MIT Multimedia Presentations at SAA The April SAA meeting's Plenary Session "The Computer and the Study of Shakespeare in Performance" was moderated by David Bevington (Chicago). The presenters included Janet H. Murray (MIT) on "The Shakespeare Interactive Archive and the Evolution of Literary Hypermedia," Larry Friedlander (Stanford) on "Multimedia and Theater: From Performance Theory to Performance Practice," and Peter S. Donaldson (MIT) on "Ghostly Texts and Virtual Performances: Old Hamlet in New Media." The MIT project centers on Hypermedia/Hypertext constructions that currently focus on ROMEO AND JULIET and HAMLET. The big-screen show was both exciting and impressive. As an interactive pedagogica tool, such texts will open doors and windows to vistas that students of Shakespeare will find refreshing as well as clarifying. Bernice Kliman, coordinator of the MLA New Variorum HAMLET team, is in working contact with the MIT group. Certainly initiatives like this will prove their scholarly worth beyond classroom applications. As Bernice has already said on more than one occasion, hypermedia/hypertext is a variorum format for the computer-age. Nick Clary clary@smcvax.smcvt.edu ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 12 Aug 1993 08:13:44 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0484 Q: Audio Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 484. Thursday, 12 August 1993. From: John Ottenhoff Date: Wednesday, 11 Aug 1993 12:19:31 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Audio Shakespeare The director of my college's library has proposed buying a complete set of audio tapes for Shakespeare's plays. Any ideas out there about a good set of tapes and vendors thereof? Thanks John Ottenhoff / Alma College ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 13 Aug 1993 10:01:56 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0485 Re: Audio Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 485. Friday, 13 August 1993. (1) From: Tad Davis Date: Thursday, 12 Aug 93 9:35:35 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0484 Q: Audio Shakespeare (2) From: Gardner Campbell Date: Thursday, 12 Aug 1993 14:33:41 -0700 (PDT) Subj: RE: SHK 4.0484 Q: Audio Shakespeare (3) From: Celine Gura Date: Thursday, 12 Aug 1993 04:36:26 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0484 Q: Audio Shakespeare (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Tad Davis Date: Thursday, 12 Aug 93 9:35:35 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0484 Q: Audio Shakespeare I know of four sets of more or less complete Shakespeare, and I still run across them in the odd bookstore or two. Caedmon and Cambridge both produced Shakespeare series, with the complete texts of the plays. The Caedmon recordings, directed by Howard Sackler, are particularly elaborate, and feature people like Paul Scofield playing Hamlet and Lear, Sean Connery (if memory serves) playing Hotspur, and a host of other notables. I find the pace of the Caedmon recordings to be a bit slow; on the other hand, when I was a junior in college and they were available at the Richmond Public Library, I used to check them out on the weekends and spend hours listening to them over and over again. They're designed for people who really want to drink deep. The Cambridge recordings are a little faster-paced but the acting is more formal, a little more shallow in some way. Where the Caedmon series is an audio "experience," the Cambridge series seems more like a recording of a stage production. Neither would be intelligible to someone who was not otherwise familiar with the play. (Since they're complete, though, it's possible to follow along in the script.) The BBC has a series of recordings too, but I'm not sure if it's the complete set. I've heard the Lear with Alec Guiness and it's quite good. The recent CBC production of Lear drew much praise on this list recently, but I haven't heard it. There are two sets of abridged performances that are still around: the "Living Shakespeare" series, about an hour per play, with introductions by Bernard Grebanier. Name-brand actors, great production values (lots of music and sound effects), probably a good way for high school students to make contact with the text, hacked and pared as it might be. Spoken Arts also has a series of recordings produced by Micheal MacLiammor and the Dublin Gate Theater, again about an hour per play. The emphasis here is more on the sound of the poetry, with longer chunks of individual speeches than the Living Shakespeare set. LS gives a more carefully proportioned view of the story; SA lets you revel in the language. I'm very much interested in other responses to this query. I've recently become intrigued (again) with the idea of radio drama, which was always my first love. It seems to me an ideal Shakespeare for audio would be about two hours long, requiring many cuts, but not as many as the one-hour versions; with period music and realistic sound effects, and the occasional BRIEF narration (under protest). I don't know if anyone's ever tried it this way. Tad Davis davist@a1.relay.upenn.edu (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Gardner Campbell Date: Thursday, 12 Aug 1993 14:33:41 -0700 (PDT) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0484 Q: Audio Shakespeare I can't speak to the plays on audio cassette, but I can vouch for a lovely two-cassette edition of the complete *Sonnets* on Argo, read by Richard Pasco (of the RSC--Jacques in the BBC *As You Like It*). Hearing all the sonnets read, in order, by such a superlatively good reader as Pasco, effects transport ... for this listener, anyway. Gardner Campbell University of San Diego Campbell@usdcsv.acusd.edu (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Celine Gura Date: Thursday, 12 Aug 1993 04:36:26 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0484 Q: Audio Shakespeare John- I did a very brief search this morning for you and you might want to try calling some of these places and inquiring about the complete works: Educational AV Pleasantville, NY 1-800-431-2196 Precision Video and Audio Bellwood, IL 312-544-7770 Audio Partners Auburn CA (couldn't track phone #) American Audio Prose Library Columbia MO 1-800-447-2275 Annenberg/CPB S Burlington VT 1-800-learner These are from my database which came up under a search of "audio" and "humanities". I am putting word out to the librarians on my media mailing list(Media-L%bingvama.bitnet@mitvma.mit.edu) and I will write with more info. Celine Gura (celineg@lib.rpslmc.edu) Media Acquisitions Coordinator Rush University LRC 312-942-6799 ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 13 Aug 1993 14:56:38 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0486 *The Tempest* by the Sea Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 486. Friday, 13 August 1993. From: Peter Ayers Date: Thursday, 12 Aug 1993 08:23:48 -0400 Subject: *The Tempest* by the Sea References to Shakespeare in Central Park prompt me to suggest that any visitor to Newfoundland for the rest of August might want to experience a rather tempestuous Tempest performed on the ocean at Logy Bay, 10 minutes from central St. John's, on Aug. 15, 18, 22, and 25, starting at 6:00 pm. It is not for the faint of heart; if the weather is warm (not likely), insect repellent is advised; otherwise lots of woolies and blankets are appropriate. As Gonzalo, I get to deliver what seems the appropriate commentary: "Some heavenly power guide us from this fearful country." on the positive side, it is a very strong production with the best set in history; how many other productions have humpback whales surfacing regularly in the background? ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 13 Aug 1993 14:58:13 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0487 New List Announcement: H-RHETOR Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 487. Friday, 13 August 1993. From: H-Rhetor Date: Wednesday, 11 Aug 1993 13:40:57 -0700 (MST) Subject: Announcing a New List: H-RHETOR History of Rhetoric Discussion List FORMAT ------ H-RHETOR is moderated by Gary Hatch of Brigham Young University (gary_hatch@byu.edu). Posts to the list are collected by the moderator and distributed in digests daily. Announcements of interest and notes from the moderator may be sent as singular messages. MISSION ------- H-RHETOR is an international electronic discussion group based at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). H-RHETOR will provide a forum for scholars and teachers of the history of rhetoric, writing, and communication. There are no geographical or chronological boundaries. Subscription is free; subscribers will automatically receive messages in their computer mailboxes. Messages can be saved, discarded, printed out, duplicated, or relayed to someone else. It's like a newsletter that is free and published daily. The primary purpose of H-RHETOR is to enable historians to communicate current research and research interests; to discuss new articles, books, papers, approaches, methods and tools of analysis; and to test new ideas and share comments and tips on teaching. H-RHETOR will have an editor and an editorial board. H-RHETOR will try to stimulate dialogues in the discipline among historians of rhetoric worldwide. It will publish syllabi, outlines, handouts, bibliographies, guides to termpapers, listings of new sources and archives, and reports on new software, datasets and cd-roms. Subscribers will write in with questions, comments, and reports. H-RHETOR will post announcements of conferences, fellowships, and jobs. We expect many messages at first will be of the "how can I do this with my computer?" variety and also "where can I locate such-and-such?" Please send them in, for someone on the list will be able to help. H-RHETOR will publish paper abstracts, conference reports, and book reviews, but it will not be an electronic journal. SUBSCRIPTIONS ------------- To subscribe, send this email message via BITNET to LISTSERV@uicvm: SUB H-RHETOR firstname surname school Example: SUB H-RHETOR Gary Hatch Brigham Young Univ. If you use Internet instead of Bitnet, the same message goes to LISTSERV@uicvm.uic.edu. Capital or lower case does not matter, but spelling does; note spelling of LISTSERV. There are no dues or fees of any kind. Subscribers only need an address on Bitnet or Internet, which is often provided free to faculty and students by campus computer centers (the consultants there, or your departmental guru, can explain how to send an e-mail message via Bitnet or Internet). Commercial email operations like CompuServe and America OnLine have Internet connections from H-RHETOR to your mailbox. PRODIGY currently lacks an Internet connection. On CompuServe, our address is: INTERNET:LISTSERV@UICVM.UIC.EDU CANCELLING A SUBSCRIPTION ------------------------- To cancel your subscription, send this e-mail message via BITNET to LISTSERV@uicvm: SIGNOFF H-RHETOR If you use Internet instead of Bitnet, the same message goes to LISTSERV@uicvm.uic.edu. NOMAIL ------ If you want to maintain your subscription but stop the flow of messages temporarily, send this message via BITNET to LISTSERV@uicvm: SET H-RHETOR NOMAIL To start the flow of messages after setting NOMAIL, send the following message to LISTSERV@uicvm: SET H-RHETOR MAIL If you use Internet instead of Bitnet, the same messages go to LISTSERV@uicvm.uic.edu. Please set NOMAIL if you will be away from your computer for more than a few days; otherwise, the mail starts piling up. SPONSORSHIP ----------- H-RHETOR is sponsored by the H-Net project of the UIC History Department, with support from the College and ACLS. (Support from NEH is pending.) H-Net is a broad initiative to establish electronic communications among historians and to educate historians in the use of electronic media. Gary L. Hatch of Brigham Young University (gary_hatch@byu.edu) is the list moderator; Professor Richard Jensen is the director of H-Net. Write to Jensen anytime at u08946@uicvm for further information about H-Net (or phone him at home at 615-552-9923). H-Net serves as the education division of the History Network, an organization established to coordinate the efforts of historians in using Internet and Bitnet. H-Net sponsors other lists pitched to academics. Find out more about these lists by contacting Richard Jensen or Gary Hatch. EDITORIAL BOARD --------------- Announcement of the H-RHETOR Editorial Board is forthcoming. Gary Hatch Brigham Young University English Department 3146 JKHB Provo, UT 84602 (801) 378-2402 gary_hatch@byu.edu ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 14 Aug 1993 09:54:14 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0488 Re: Audio Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 488. Saturday, 14 August 1993. (1) From: Georgianna Ziegler Date: Friday, 13 Aug 1993 09:44:00 -0500 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0484 Q: Audio Shakespeare (2) From: Ellen Edgerton Date: Friday, 13 Aug 1993 10:39 ET Subj: Re: Audio Shakespeare (3) From: Nick Clary Date: Friday, 13 Aug 1993 11:54:32 -0500 (EST) Subj: Audio Shakespeare (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Georgianna Ziegler Date: Friday, 13 Aug 1993 09:44:00 -0500 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0484 Q: Audio Shakespeare The Folger gets a lot of audio and video Shakespeare materials. One catalog lists Caedmon records as having 14 Shakespeare plays in 34 audiocassettes for $280. The BBC has some audio cassettes also, but only for 4 plays. The only complete set we know of is the BBC Shakespeare video, 37 plays for $2500. Perhaps if your library contacted Caedmon directly, they might find that more are available. The catalog we have with this information is on Shakespeare and is put out by The Writing Company, 102000 Jefferson Boulevard, Room K01, P.O. Box 802, Culver City, CA 90232-0802. Phone 1-800-421-4246; FAX 310-839-2249. Hope this is helpful. Georgianna (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ellen Edgerton Date: Friday, 13 Aug 1993 10:39 ET Subject: Re: Audio Shakespeare If you don't need the complete audio set right away, you might want to wait until the Renaissance Theatre Company is done with their series on Random Century Audiobooks. At the rate they are planning on doing the entire canon (one play every spring), they ought to have a complete set recorded by 2029. These are full-length productions available on cassette and CD (which allows for the interesting though silly possibility of Shuffle-Play Shakespeare). So far they have done HAMLET and ROMEO AND JULIET, and plan to do KING LEAR next spring. I wasn't terribly impressed with their HAMLET, though it had its moments. The production values are absolutely superb, however; this is Shakespeare with an emphasis on "ear." It's perhaps the only uncut HAMLET I've heard that didn't make me want to gnaw my leg off out of boredom, which I suppose counts for something. Ellen Edgerton Syracuse University ebedgert@suadmin.syr.edu (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Nick Clary Date: Friday, 13 Aug 1993 11:54:32 -0500 (EST) Subject: Audio Shakespeare You may wish to add to your list of audio recordings a wonderfully illuminating series published by Sussex Tapes International, under the title APPROACHES TO SHAKESPEARE. These tapes (each cassette addresses a single play) present a scholarly converstation/debate on one side and alternate readings of a small array of speeches and dramatic moments from the play on the other. In the case of the OTHELLO tape, for example, R. A. Foakes and Kenneth Muir discuss some of the salient critial questions concerning the principal characters (side 1), and John Barton directs the actors through alternate readings of the same speeches, which illuminate distinct character possibilities within the script. I am not certain how many of the plays are included in this series. Those that I have include HAMLET, OTHELLO, KING LEAR, MACBETH, and THE TEMPEST. Perhaps someone else can supply further information. The dealer that handled these tapes in the 1970's was Holt Information Systems (the price then was $11 per play). Nick Clary clary@smcvax.smcvt.edu ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 16 Aug 1993 08:29:15 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0489 Q: MILTON-L Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 489. Monday, 16 August 1993. From: Daniel Pigg Date: Friday, 13 Aug 93 17:23:54 EDT Subject: Milton-L?? Does anyone know the e-mail address for Milton-L? Thanks. Daniel Pigg Department of English University of Tennessee at Martin IVAD@UTMARTN.BITNET ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 17 Aug 1993 07:22:05 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0490 Re: MILTON-L Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 490. Tuesday, 17 August 1993. (1) From: Tom Blackburn Date: Monday, 16 Aug 1993 10:44:28 +0000 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0489 Q: MILTON-L (2) From: Joseph Lawrence Lyle Date: Monday, 16 Aug 1993 12:32:42 -0400 Subj: Milton-L (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Tom Blackburn Date: Monday, 16 Aug 1993 10:44:28 +0000 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0489 Q: MILTON-L The email address for Milton-l is Milton-l@urvax.urich.edu. Enjoy. Cheers, Tom Blackburn Tom Blackburn tblackb1@cc.swarthmore.edu (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Joseph Lawrence Lyle Date: Monday, 16 Aug 1993 12:32:42 -0400 Subject: Milton-L "Milton-L is a moderated list. Letters should be sent to Milton-L@URVAX.BITNET (or Milton-L@urvax.urich.edu for Internet nodes). Questions and subscription requests should be sent to Kevin J.T. Creamer at Milton-request@URVAX.BITNET (or Milton-request@urvax.urich.edu)." Thus Creamer. --Jay Lyle ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 17 Aug 1993 07:27:05 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0491 Wanamaker's CBE Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 491. Tuesday, 17 August 1993. From: John Drakakis Date: Monday, 16 Aug 93 17:19:00 BST Subject: [Wanamaker's CBE] I understand that there has been some transatlantic genuflecting in response to the apparent fact that Sam Wanamaker has been given an honorary CBE. Far be it from me to dampen the enthusiasm of some of my more naive Shakespearean colleagues. I'm left wondering what one has to DO to get an honorary CBE (Commander of the British Empire!) Aside from helping to oust a few roadsweepers from their depot in Southwark, and contributing to the further impoverishment of still one of the poorest boroughs in England, I guess it must have something to do with the National Bard! It also, if my memory serves me right, has something to do with Harry and Leona Helmsley among others! John Drakakis Department of English Studies University of Stirling Scotland ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 17 Aug 1993 07:31:47 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0492 Q: Travelling Troupes Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 492. Tuesday, 17 August 1993. From: Paul Budra Date: Monday, 16 Aug 93 11:17:27 PDT Subject: Travelling Troupes A graduate student stumped me with a question that I hope someone out there can answer. Have there been any RECENT studies of the fortunes of travelling actor troupes during the glory days of the public theatre in London? Specifically, do we know what the troupes were playing in the backwaters of remote counties in the 1580s and 1590s? Were they taking pared down, or pirated, versions of Tamburlaine on the road? Or were they hauling out old standards they thought would please provincial tastes? I'm not interested in what the major troupes did during plague years, but rather in their less glorious, hard-working cousins. I'd rather not read through all of the REED project if I can avoid it.... Many thanks. Paul Budra, Dept. of English, Simon Fraser U, Burnaby BC ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 17 Aug 1993 07:34:12 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0493 Re: *The Tempest* by the Sea Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 493. Tuesday, 17 August 1993. From: Kevin Berland Date: Monday, 16 Aug 93 16:24 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0486 *The Tempest* by the Sea Will there be incidental music (say, Figgy Duff's Tempest song)? - K. Berland ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 18 Aug 1993 07:12:48 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0494 *Shakespeare and the Classroom* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 494. Wednesday, 18 August 1993. From: Tom Blackburn Date: Tuesday, 17 Aug 1993 11:23:30 +0000 Subject: Shakespeare and the Classroom Colleagues, I want to call to your attention a new "mini-journal," . Edited by Herb Coursen, the journal's first issue was published this spring. Herb solicits notice of productions and conferences, book reviews in the area of teaching Shakespeare, abstracts of articles on teaching the bard, brief essays on new approaches and program for teachers, input from College and University teachers, from Secondary Schools and from theatres. Two issues a year are planned; subscriptions are $4 to Eve McManus, Ohio Northern University, Ada, OH 45810. Editorial queries to H. R. Coursen, English Dept., Bowdoin College, Brunswick, ME 04011. Cheers, Tom Blackburn Tom Blackburn tblackb1@cc.swarthmore.edu ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 18 Aug 1993 07:17:12 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0495 Re: *The Tempest* by the Sea Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 495. Wednesday, 18 August 1993. From: Peter Ayers Date: Tuesday, 17 Aug 1993 09:14:39 -0400 Subject: *The Tempest* To answer Kevin Berland's query, the incidental music for this production was not the marvellous Figgy Duff, but omni-purpose Vivaldi-esque stuff. It wouldn't much matter what was used, since the pounding of the surf against the cliffs tends to reduce its importance most of the time. Peter Ayers Memorial University ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 19 Aug 1993 06:59:19 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0496 The Everyman Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 496. Thursday, 19 August 1993. From: Tad Davis Date: Wednesday, 18 Aug 93 9:41:56 EDT Subject: The Everyman Shakespeare Time to put on my cheerleader's hat again and congratulate J.M. Dent on the new Everyman Shakespeare, edited by John F. Andrews. I found the texts of four of the plays in the campus bookstore yesterday, and immediately started in on Macbeth. The text is that of the 1990 Guild Shakespeare from Doubleday (something else I missed in my travels), with revisions; copiously annotated on facing pages, with chronology, foreword by a noted theatre professional (Zoe Caldwell in the case of Macbeth), introduction and brief history of the criticism of the play. I find the notes helpful, pointing out not only meanings but possible stage business and parallels to other passages in the same play (many of which I'd missed in the case of Macbeth). But the really remarkable thing is the text itself: it's both conservative and radical -- conservative because it conserves, without emendation, many of the original Folio readings (and presumably Quarto readings for plays that have one); and radical for the same reason. I admit I have a fondness for offbeat textual analysis, and it's not an area where I have any expertise at all. But I admire the daring that prints Macbeth's famous line in its original form: "I dare do all that may become a Man; / Who dares no more is none." I don't find this line as incomprehensible as most editors of Shakespeare, who have been unable to keep their hands off it. I can't wait to see what happens to the sleaded pole-axe on the ice. In passing, I would also like to salute one of my favorite lines: "Though his Bark cannot be lost, / Yet it shall be Tempest-tost." There's something about this that is, as so often in Shakespeare, so perfectly put that I can't help laughing with delight whenever I read it. Tad Davis davist@a1.relay.upenn.edu ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 20 Aug 1993 07:11:16 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0497 Re: Travelling Troupes Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 497. Friday, 20 August 1993. From: Zanne Westfall Pardee Date: Thursday, 19 Aug 93 15:12:19 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0492 Q: Travelling Troupes I wrote about travelling troupes from a somewhat earlier period in *Patrons and Performance*, 1990 OUP. This may be of some help to your student. Suzanne Westfall WS#1@LAFAYACS.BITNET ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 20 Aug 1993 07:16:21 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0498 Re: Audio Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 498. Friday, 20 August 1993. From: David Richman Date: Thursday, 19 Aug 1993 16:44:06 -0400 (EDT) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0485 Re: Audio Shakespeare I have been an avid listener to audio Shakespeare for many years. Don't know if the recordings I will mention are still in print, but I am certain they are available, as Tad Davis mentioned, in used book and record stores. Especially good in the Caedmon series--in addition to those Tad Davis mentioned--are *Coriolanus* with Richard Burton and Jessica Tandy. I can't read *Coriolanus* without hearing Burton's voice. Also *The Winter's Tale* with John Gielgud as Leontes, George Rose as Autolycus and Peggy Ashcroft as Paulina. The Olivier-Smith-Finlay *Othello* has been recorded, as has the older (1943) Robeson-Hagen *Othello*. It is fascinating to compare and contrast these vintage performances. Robeson is surprisingly restrained and dignified, while Hagen's sexuality (she was in her early twenties at the time) astonishes the listener (at least this listener.) In the 'thirties, a series of hour-long Shakespeare broadcasts with Hollywood stars went out over the radio. These have also been recorded and released in a box set. They include Humphrey Bogart as Hotspur, Orson Welles as Orsino, and a *Much Ado* with Leslie Howard and Rosalind Russell--not to to forget an Edward G. Robinson Petruchio. Each play takes an hour or less, so purists will tremble at the abridgement. Nonetheless, the performances make for a fascinating document in a previous generation's approach to Shakespearean acting. David Richman ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 23 Aug 1993 09:05:37 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0499 Shakespeare in LA Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 499. Monday, 23 August 1993. From: John Massa Date: Friday, 20 Aug 93 10:43 CST Subject: Looking for some Shakespeare in LA on August 28 I'm going to be in Los Angeles August 28, 1993 and I was wondering if any SHAKSPERians out there had some suggestions for a good/interesting Shakespearean production in the area on that day. Since this is so specific, you should probably respond directly to me. John John-Massa@uiowa.edu ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 23 Aug 1993 09:08:18 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0500 Q: Shakespeare and Audio Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 500. Monday, 23 August 1993. From: John Mucci Date: Friday, 20 Aug 93 16:22:28-0400 Subject: Shakespeare & Audio I believe the original question concerned a complete set of Shakespeare on audio, but having read through so many interesting titles suggested on SHAKSPER, I thought I'd inquire: does anyone know what the earliest recorded Shakespeare passage was, and who recorded it? I had heard that Edwin Booth made a recording in the late 1880's, but I've never seen it catalogued in any archive, and certainly haven't found it in a recorded collection. I also believe there is a Berliner record of the 1890's called "Marc Antony's Curse," but I have been unable to ascertain whether it was Shakespeare or not. John Mucci GTE VisNet Stamford, CT ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 24 Aug 1993 07:03:02 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0501 Q: Syllabi and Papers Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 501. Tuesday, 24 August 1993. From: James Schiffer Date: Monday, 23 Aug 1993 10:28:57 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Syllabi and Papers Dear Colleagues, It's that time of the year again, time to prepare syllabi for the fall. I was wondering if some of you would be willing to answer the following questions: 1) How many plays do you read in your Shakespeare course during the semester? (For our two semester Shakespeare sequence, I usually teach twelve plays during each 14-week semester; some of my Shakespearean friends--and most of my students--think that is too many.) 2) How many papers do you assign? 3) What kinds of papers do you assign? Are they long or short? Do they involve reading and responding to criticism? Do they involve performance? Enquiring minds want to know. Thank you. James Schiffer Hampden-Sydney College ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 24 Aug 1993 07:06:42 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.04502 Re: Booth Recording Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 502. Tuesday, 24 August 1993. From: Jerald Bangham Date: Monday, 23 Aug 1993 19:59:22 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0500 Q: Shakespeare and Audio > I had heard that Edwin Booth made a recording in the >late 1880's, but I've never seen it catalogued in any archive, and >certainly haven't found it in a recorded collection. I believe Booth is on Frank Packard's "Styles in Shakespearean Acting from 1890 to 1950." I have a copy on reel-to-reel tape. If I remember correctly, the selection (*Othello*, I believe) is very short and fairly hard to understand. I haven't hooked up my reel-to-reel machine for quite a while and am not sure it is working. I may try to get it running and check out the tape if I can find time. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Jerry Bangham Internet: jbangham@kudzu.win.net * * 1209 Market Street CIS 70075,136 * * Port Gibson, MS 39150 Voice & fax (601) 437-4107 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 25 Aug 1993 07:50:58 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0503 Re: Syllabi and Papers Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 503. Wednesday, 25 August 1993. (1) From: John Ottenhoff Date: Tuesday, 24 Aug 1993 10:17:45 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0501 Q: Syllabi and Papers (2) From: Ronald Dwelle Date: Tuesday, 24 Aug 93 13:08:00 EST Subj: Copy/comment papers (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John Ottenhoff Date: Tuesday, 24 Aug 1993 10:17:45 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0501 Q: Syllabi and Papers >1) How many plays do you read in your Shakespeare course during the >semester? Last winter, in an upper-level undergrad Shakespeare course I taught 12 plays--1 a week after getting introductory stuff accomplished. Yes, some of my students complained that it was too much and we certainly didn't finish most discussions, but for the most part we liked the pace. >2) How many papers do you assign? >3) What kinds of papers do you assign? Are they long or short? Do they involve reading and responding to criticism? Do they involve performance? I had students writing in 3 different modes: 1)for each play they contributed responses to a computer conference (on the Vax), sharing responses to class discussions and issues raised by me or classmates (computerphobes submitted a 1-page response statement); 2)twice during the term each student had to read a critical article, be ready to introduce the critical position into the class discussion, and write up a brief paper summarizing and analyzing the article. This assignment helped a lot with class discussions; 3)and I had them write a longer paper, preferably one that concentrated on the critical literature, but performance or pedagogy (I had lots of future teachers) were options. John Ottenhoff/Alma College (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ronald Dwelle Date: Tuesday, 24 Aug 93 13:08:00 EST Subject: Copy/comment papers In response to Mr. Schiffer's questions: For our sophomore/junior Shakespeare course, I normally teach 5 or 6 plays, always one history, one comedy, one tragedy, one romance, and then whatever else strikes my fancy for the semester. I've done this at three colleges in the last 20 years and have always assumed it was standard. What I've been doing lately is some unusual writing assignments, and I'd like to recommend them for others to consider. For years, I assigned the normal two short critical papers and one longer (quasi)research paper, but I became increasingly dissatisfied with the results since the students seemingly were not "getting" Shakespeare. (I also thought things were getting worse--for the usual blame-TV, drugs, self-centeredness, aging-teacher reasons.) After considerable experimentation and failure, I've arrived at a simple writing exercise which seems to work well. I require the students to write daily (that is, twice a week, for a Tuesday/Thursday class). They must first copy a passage of our current play ("Choose a part that you think is really good"), for 15 minutes. Then, for 15-25 minutes, they must "respond" to the passage they've copied. I insist that they say something about both the content and the style of the passage, but otherwise leave things wide open. I "grade" these things rapidly, giving 0-10 points (add 'em up at the end of the semester and there's your grade), with the peculiar wrinkle that if they make ANY mistake in the copying, I will grade the writing "5" (which of course is a low F). I am amazed at the results. On one hand, I am shocked to learn the variation in background and knowledge in what seems to be a homogeneous group of middle-class students. For example, several dozen times in the last few years I've had students append a little question at the end of their comment: "Why does Shakespeare begin each line with a capital letter?" Many don't recognize or understand how anything unrhymed can be poetry. Others (often not English majors) plunge into metaphor and image analysis that is stunningly interesting to me--I credit the close attention to the text during copying as the springboard for this good stuff. The most positive thing is that the students use their written commentary as the beginning point for class discussion, and this has turned my undergraduate Shakespeare classes into an absolute joy, besides being a hell of lot less work than preparing/modifiying lectures or trying to figure out discussion-starters. Each student seems to come into the classroom having just made a discovery of something new or significant to them in the text and (if I can just keep my mouth shut) they will tell it to the other 29 people there, in considerable detail. The downside of the assignment is that I have lots of handwritten papers to read (I find that the copying must be done in handwriting, ala the French comp methods, and not on typewriter or word processor, or it won't work). But, as I said, I can read them fast, mark them hardly at all, and my total work is about the same as the old two-short and one-long paper grading burden. What the students lose is an introduction to scholarly analysis and study, since this approach is almost entirely critical (and I haven't found a good way to move toward scholarship, with the copy/comment as the beginning point). But then, I say, this is undergraduate study. Please excuse my going-on here (actually, the problem is that my e-mail writing is technically uneditable for reasons that are beyond my understanding). But I have found so few things that really work well in 20 years of teaching Shakespeare that I forgive myself the prolixity. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 25 Aug 1993 07:56:03 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0503 Ohio Shakespeare Conference: Second CFP Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 504. Wednesday, 25 August 1993. From: William Godshalk Date: Tuesday, 24 Aug 1993 18:27:10 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Second Call for Papers SHAKESPEARE AND THE SENSES OF SHAME Second Call for Papers The Ohio Shakespeare Conference 1994 University of Cincinnati and Xavier University March 3-6, 1994 Deadline for submission is November 1, 1993. Papers are welcome on any and all aspects exploring the significance of shame to Shakespeare's characters, ideas, times, and theatre. Topics may include: the physiology, sociology, and psychology of shame shame and privacy, shame and exposure the guilty intimacies among actors, authors, and audiences. Send two copies of abstracts to W. L. Godshalk and Jonathan Kamholtz, Department of English, University of Cincinnati, OH 45221-0069. Phone: 513-861-9527 E-mail: Godshawl@UCBEH.san.uc.edu ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 25 Aug 1993 08:04:57 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0505 Wanamaker's Globe Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 505. Wednesday, 25 August 1993. From: Stephen Miller Date: Wednesday, 25 AUG 93 09:24:36 BST Subject: WANAMAKER'S GLOBE This morning was a fine crisp sunny morning in London and I decided to walk along Bankside. Workmen on Sam Wanamaker's GLOBE site were erecting scaffolding. There are now two sections of two bays each of the oak super- structure of the Globe in place, facing each other. The new scaffolding is on the North side and it looks as though one section of two bays is to be extended by another two bays. I do not have more details at the moment, but thought I could at least send along some direct observation. Stephen Miller King's College London UDLE031 ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 26 Aug 1993 08:44:46 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0506 Re: "Moonlighting" Episode Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 506. Thursday, 26 August 1993. From: Phyllis Gorgain Date: Tuesday, 24 Aug 1993 16:45:06 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0457 Re: "Moonlighting" Episode I have my own off-the-air copy of the show, so it's not very sharp. I have used it for small classes, who find it utterly disgusting, by the time it is over....I am eager to hear what others think of it. Cheers, Phyll Gorfain. Dept. of English, Rice Hall Oberlin, OH 44074 ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 26 Aug 1993 08:52:11 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0507 Qs: Shakespeare and Mythology; PD E-Text Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 507. Thursday, 26 August 1993. (1) From: Herbert Donow Date: Wednesday, 25 Aug 93 11:27:14 CST Subj: Shakespeare and Mythology (2) From: Michael S. Hart Date: Wednesday, 25 Aug 93 08:20:46 CDT Subj: Public Domain Etext of Shakespeare (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Herbert Donow Date: Wednesday, 25 Aug 93 11:27:14 CST Subject: Shakespeare and Mythology A graduate student asked me to suggest some readings on Shakespeare and mythology. My own list is rather old, over 20 years. Any suggestions about recent books and articles (Ovid, Greek, etc.)? A few good titles from my friends, and I can probably tell her that I stayed up half the night hunting these things down. Herb Donow Southern Illinois U. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Michael S. Hart Date: Wednesday, 25 Aug 93 08:20:46 CDT Subject: Public Domain Etext of Shakespeare As another year approaches Project Gutenberg once again is planning the creation and distribution of a Public Domain Etext of Shakespeare. If you have a favorite edition in the Public Domain that you think this Etext should be based on, even if for only a few works, please advise. Thank you, Michael S. Hart, Professor of Electronic Text Executive Director of Project Gutenberg Etext Illinois Benedictine College, Lisle, IL 60532 No official connection to U of Illinois--UIUC hart@uiucvmd.bitnet and hart@vmd.cso.uiuc.edu ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 26 Aug 1993 08:58:06 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0508 Re: Booth Recording Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 508. Thursday, 26 August 1993. From: Tom Loughlin Date: Wednesday, 25 Aug 1993 7:23 pm EDT (23:23:26 UT) Subject: Shakespeare and audio I actually possess a copy of the Edwin Booth tape doing a passage from *Othello*. It was given to me by the now-retired founder of our theatre dept. as a piece for my Acting in Shakespeare class. It's quite old and is, I believe, the oldest known recording of a Shakespearean passage. The recording is tinny, but you can hear the deep, resonant quality of the voice. It's quite fascinating. I don't personally know of how it is archived in any way, so I couldn't tell you how to get hold of it. Tom Loughlin SUNY College at Fredonia ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 26 Aug 1993 09:01:27 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0509 Re: Syllabi and Papers Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 509. Thursday, 26 August 1993. From: William Godshalk Date: Wednesday, 25 Aug 1993 22:26:20 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: Syllabi and Papers At the University of Cincinnati we are stuck with the modified quarter system, and the quarter is usually about ten weeks long these days. I spend the first week telling my students about the Tudors (and me), and from then on we read one play a week, say, nine plays. To me that seems just about right. Each Monday my students either take a quiz or turn in a short paper. I begin the quizzes during the first weeks with simple questions: who did what to whom and when and why? By the middle of the quarter I'm giving them passages to identify, and by the end I'm asking them to both identify and comment upon. By short paper I mean 250 words, and I've developed an instruction sheet for the no-bullshit paper. I've found that a good student can say a whole lot in 250 words, and the word limit forces all the students to select. I think of these short papers as exercises, and I give a different exercise every other week. I'm not afraid of "meaning," so I feel free to ask my students to collect references from a play (e.g., food, clothes, trials, blood) and to come up with a meaning. And since I have a terminal case of characteritis, I can also ask my students to analyze a minor character, and so on and on. I never give the same assignment twice. Life is too brief. And I don't assign critical or theoretical essays. Of course, all this is for undergraduates. For graduate students, I either do a play a day, or a day a quarter! Yours, Bill Godshalk ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 27 Aug 1993 07:34:21 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0510 Re: Booth Recording Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 510. Friday, 27 August 1993. From: James Schaefer Date: Thursday, 26 Aug 1993 09:27:19 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Tom Loughlin's recording of Edwin Booth This is a wonderful piece of documentation from the age before electronically-mediated performance. He notes that the resonant voice is still audible through the tinniness of the recording. Does anyone out there know people involved in the remastering of old recordings? I've read reviews of recently issued CD's of singers from the turn of the century in which the sound has not only been cleaned up to remove clicks and pops and his, but has also been reworked to compensate for the frequency limitations of the original recording device. This sounds (?) like a good candidate for such reworking. Perhaps someone at the Folger knows someone at the Smithsonian who knows.... Jim Schaefer Gerogetown University schaefej@guvax.georgetown.edu ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 27 Aug 1993 07:42:53 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0511 Re: Syllabi and Papers Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 511. Friday, 27 August 1993. From: Douglas Lanier Date: Thursday, 26 Aug 1993 16:04:29 -0400 (EDT) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0501 Q: Syllabi and Papers I typically teach nine plays in a semester for the introductory Shakespeare course. Any more and there seems no time for any discussion or classroom activity; any less and the students don't get a sufficient taste. For essays, I typically assign three sorts: for each play, at least two short writing assignments on passages or a range of tightly chosen topics (these are no more than a paragraph long, ask for explication or some sort of interpretive conclusion, and serve as discussion starters; I grade them with a check, a check minus or a check plus); a four page essay for each group of three plays, on various topics or issues that I assign (this is given as a take-home mid-term); and a final research project of eight pages or more. Students can in the last case opt out for a performance project as a substitute for the research paper (I've also approved set or costume designs, illustrations for plays, even storyboard shooting scripts for film versions a student has conceived). One caution: with the "creative" projects, I always require a two-page paper suggesting in detail the concept behind the project. That way, if the student forgets her lines or isn't the draftsman he thought he was, you can still judge the general merit of the project. Usually about a third of the class takes the "creative project" option, and it makes for a wonderful last day of class as the students present their creative work. I hope that this is useful. Bet, Douglas Lanier, University of New Hampshire ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 27 Aug 1993 07:54:27 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0512 Rs: Shakespeare and Mythology Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 512. Friday, 27 August 1993. (1) From: Georgianna Ziegler Date: Thursday, 26 Aug 1993 12:21:03 -0500 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0507 Qs: Shakespeare and Mythology; PD E-Text (2) From: Leo Daugherty Date: Friday, 27 Aug 93 03:54:39 -0700 Subj: Shakespeare and Mythology (3) From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Friday, August 27, 1993 Subj: Shakespeare and Mythology (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Georgianna Ziegler Date: Thursday, 26 Aug 1993 12:21:03 -0500 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0507 Qs: Shakespeare and Mythology; PD E-Text There is a brand new book out by Jonathan Bate, "Shakespeare and Ovid," OUP, 1993. It was just reviewed in the London Review of Books. Georgianna (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Leo Daugherty Date: Friday, 27 Aug 93 03:54:39 -0700 Subject: Shakespeare and Mythology Regarding Herbert Donow's question, there's just a ton of stuff on Shakespeare and mythology, but a good, accessible new text is Charles and Michelle Martindale, SHAKESPEARE AND THE USES OF ANTIQUITY (London and New York: Routledge, 1990). Best, Leo Daugherty The Evergreen State College (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Friday, August 27, 1993 Subject: Shakespeare and Mythology Herbert Donow's student may wish to consult Donna B. Hamilton's *Virgil and THE TEMPEST: The Politics of Imitation*, Ohio State University Press, 1990. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 30 Aug 1993 08:47:29 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0513 Re: Shakespeare and Mythology Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 513. Saturday, 28 August 1993. From: Kenneth S. Rothwell Date: Friday, 27 Aug 1993 10:03:24 -500 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0507 Qs: Shakespeare and Mythology; PD E-Text Dear Herbert, Be sure to include Ted Hughes's ^The Goddess of Complete Being^ London: Faber & Faber, 1992, then ask the student to explain it to me. I'm fascinated, dazzled, intrigued but not entirely convinced I should be. As a sidebar Janet Malcolm's current brilliant piece on Sylvia Plath in ^The New Yorker^ should accompany it. Yours in support of longer bibliographies for graduate students, Ken Rothwell ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 30 Aug 1993 09:36:34 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0515 Re: Wanamaker's Globe Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 515. Monday, 30 August 1993. From: John Drakakis Date: Monday, 30 Aug 93 10:42:00 BST Subject: SHK 4.0505 Wanamaker's Globe I wonder if in Stephen Miller's next communication from the Globe site he might mention the 7 million pounds compensation which Southwark borough council were ordered to pay to a property developer at an earlier stage in the life of this project. Also is he aware that two intending financial contributors to the project in the USA have been prosecuted on charges of tax evasion. Or maybe he's so besotted with the idea of a Globe theatre on or near the original site, that these small matters are of no concern to him. I'd like to see a monument on the site to the seven (or was it eleven?) roadsweepers who were so unceremoniously displaced from their depot to make way for the unrestrained exercise of misplaced idealism to operate unchecked. Perhaps in his spare time he might like to tutor the local populace in matters such as typical Shrove-Tuesday festivities. Even more, he might like to participate in them himself. How direct does Mr. Miller want his observation? Best wishes John Drakakis ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 30 Aug 1993 09:31:56 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0514 Shakespeare via gopher Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 514. Monday, 30 August 1993. From: John Jacob Spitzer Date: Sunday, 29 Aug 1993 11:46:29 +1000 (EST) Subject: Another E-text Source For those of you on this list with full access to internet via a gopher utility there is a complete works of Shakespeare available via menus. Make sure that your gopher server that you get online with is Gopher2.tc.umn.edu Chose option 6 - libraries (Arrow keys work) Next Menu: Chose option 1 - Electronic Books Next Menu: Chose option 3 - By title Next Menu: Chose option 9 - Complete Works of Shakespere You then can chose which style of play you want. eg. comedy, tragedy, history etc From there you can chose which play Then you can chose which ACT you want to access. If you want to save the file, what you can do is select ACT 1 then quit at the first more prompt, chose the 's' option and enter the file name you want to use to save the act under. Be warned, my gopher utility doesn't append so use different names for each act. Enjoy! Zac Spitzer Lighting Designer ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 30 Aug 1993 22:00:43 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0516 Re: Wanamaker's Globe Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 516. Monday, 30 August 1993. (1) From: Edward T Bonahue Date: Monday, 30 Aug 93 11:41 EDT Subj: Wanamaker's globe (2) From: Jerald Bangham Date: Monday, 30 Aug 1993 19:11:00 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0515 Re: Wanamaker's Globe (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Edward T Bonahue Date: Monday, 30 Aug 93 11:41 EDT Subject: Wanamaker's globe To many of us here in the States, John Drakakis's interesting details about the Globe project are not widely known. I'd be interested in hearing more about how the project is being received by both academics and the general public in Great Britain. *IS* worthwhile information being recovered? Are Britons generally receptive to the cost of recovering/reproducing what is there? Would the whole thing have been better off left buried? Personally, I admire Dr. Drakakis's vitriol, but I can't help but think there must be *something* to be learned from recovering the thing itself. --Ed Bonahue University of North Carolina (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jerald Bangham Date: Monday, 30 Aug 1993 19:11:00 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0515 Re: Wanamaker's Globe >I'd like to see a monument on the site to the seven (or was it eleven?) >roadsweepers who were so unceremoniously displaced from their depot to >make way for the unrestrained exercise of misplaced idealism to operate >unchecked. Considering the number of high-rise office buildings being built in the area, it strikes me as highly unlikely that the dustmen's lot would have remained inviolate even without the theatre project. It also seems likely that the local economy will benefit from the influx of tourists into the neighborhood. Jerry Bangham jbangham@kudzu.win.net ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 31 Aug 1993 10:51:01 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0517 Re: Wanamaker's Globe Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 517. Tuesday, 31 August 1993. From: Michael Mullin Date: Tuesday, 31 Aug 1993 00:03:54 -0600 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0516 Re: Wanamaker's Globe With respect to John D., whom I have known for years from the International Shakespeare Conferences sponsored by the University of Birmingham at the Shakespeare Institute in S/A: Whether or not the Globe restored rises on the South Bank or not, the project holds obvious importance in the present British political scene, especially the Labour-Tory or working class-merchant class conflict. And John D. stands firmly on the Labour side, to the far left. Many theatre artists and scholars do not take such a narrow and parochial view. Peggy Ashcroft and others lay down in the dirt to prevent the bulldozing of the site; the Wanamaker effort enjoys wide support around the world. The Cut and the Southwark area around Waterloo station have long been an eyesore--beset by an underclass of beggars and homeless alcoholics panhandling for drinks or drugs. If the Globe restored ameliorates this condition--and the local council can earmark money to do so if it sees fit--so much the better. Merely obstructing the building in the vain belief that it will harm the indigent or the working poor is codswallop. The sort of Labour cant that discredited the party and kept Maggy the Great in office lo those many years. Come on, John. Give it a rest and get with the best. Michael Michael Mullin motley@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu University of Illinois ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 31 Aug 1993 10:56:24 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0518 Renaissance Conference Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 518. Tuesday, 31 August 1993. From: Georgianna Ziegler Date: Tuesday, 31 Aug 1993 10:12:10 -0500 Subject: Renaissance Conference Nancy Klein Maguire has asked that we post a reminder about the following conference: EUROPE AND WHITEHALL: SOCIETY, CULTURE, AND POLITICS, 1603-1685 Massachusetts Center for Renaissance Studies, U of Mass. October 28-31, 1993 Please address requests for information to Nancy Maguire (FAX 202- 675-0313) or to R. Malcolm Smuts (FAX 617-265-7173). Thanks! ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 1 Sep 1993 10:00:32 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0519 Re: Wanamaker's Globe Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 519. Wednesday, 1 Sept. 1993. (1) From: Gabriel Egan Date: Tuesday, 31 Aug 93 17:23:21 +0100 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0517 Re: Wanamaker's Globe (2) From: Terence Hawkes Date: Wednesday, 1 Sep 93 13:55 BST Subj: RE: SHK 4.0517 Re: Wanamaker's Globe (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Gabriel Egan Date: Tuesday, 31 Aug 93 17:23:21 +0100 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0517 Re: Wanamaker's Globe >The Cut and the Southwark area around Waterloo station have long been an >eyesore--beset by an underclass of beggars and homeless alcoholics panhandling >for drinks or drugs. If the Globe restored ameliorates this condition--and >the local council can earmark money to do so if it sees fit--so much the >better. Indeed, some of the worst effects of fourteen years of Tory rule can be seen in this part of town. If John Drakakis is right about the sacking of dustmen by the local council (and I welcome views on this, since I didn't hear the news reports myself), then I think that this indicates that the priorities of those behind the restoration project are not enlightened. It would not be surprising if the net 'winners' in this situation are middle-class Shakespeareans (like myself) and not the local population. This need not be the case. If John Drakakis or anyone else can suggest ways in which we can all be 'winners' then I too favour the Globe restoration. If not, I for one can live without it. > Merely obstructing the building in the vain belief that it will harm the > indigent or the working poor is codswallop. The sort of Labour cant that > discredited the party and kept Maggy the Great in office lo those many years. Many, many kinds of cant and dissembling kept the Tories in office, but surely not the views expressed by John Drakakis. The Labour party has failed throughout its period of opposition to present policies that any socialist (whether working or middle-class) could wholeheartedly support. Gabriel Egan g.egan@ucl.ac.uk (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Terence Hawkes Date: Wednesday, 1 Sep 93 13:55 BST Subject: RE: SHK 4.0517 Re: Wanamaker's Globe At least Michael Mullin allows that the Globe project HAS a political dimension. However, it goes well beyond the material issues raised on the South Bank site. What does he think the function of these phony links with a past "Golden Age" really is? Why has the British government recently legislated that the study of Shakespeare shall become compulsory at every level of the education system? Why has Prince Charles, this summer, instigated his own Shakespeare summer school at Stratford? Has it got absolutely nothing to do with our imminent absorption into Europe? With Ireland? With the declining fortunes of the House of Windsor? Think about it, Michael -as presumably Sam "Commander of the British Empire" Wannamaker has. Terence Hawkes, University of Wales, Cardiff. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 1 Sep 1993 10:10:51 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0520 Re: Booth Recording Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 520. Wednesday, 1 Sept. 1993. From: Mark Webster Date: Tuesday, 31 Aug 1993 22:27:25 +0000 Subject: Re: Booth Recording There is a compact disc re-recording of the Booth *Othello* that I found by accident a few years ago. It is on the *Pearl* label and is titled *Great Shakespeareans*. It is produced by Pavilion Records Ltd. Sparrows Green, Wadhurst E. Sussex, England I'm not sure it's a great improvement over the record, but it is interesting nonetheless. It also includes recordings of Beerbohm Tree, Ben Greet, Henry Ainley, John Barrymore and others. I hope it's still available. Good luck. Mark Webster University of Texas at Austin ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 1 Sep 1993 10:31:54 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0521 Karaoke Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 521. Wednesday, 1 Sept. 1993. From: Fran Teague Date: Wednesday, 01 Sep 93 09:36:56 EDT Subject: Karaoke Shakespeare Recently, University of Georgia got a letter from James C. Wade III that might amuse you. He says that he and his brother Stuart "have developed the world's first Karaoke Shakespeare system"; "The plays available so far are _Julius Caesar, Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Macbeth, Some Like It Hot, and The Merry Wives of Windsor._" But wait--there's more! "Naturally, we are working at breakneck speed on all the rest of Shakespeare's stuff, and plan to move on to other English Lit. biggies as soon as we can. We have heard rumors that Mitsubishi is working on a complete set of Karaoke Milton, so the competition is bound to heat up soon." The letters includes blurbs from Harvard ("We had a blast!") and Oxford "We can hardly wait for _Beowulf_!"). Who else has been approached? Did anyone get a demo tape? And why is this missive dated August 23 and not April 1? ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 1 Sep 1993 20:47:00 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0522 CFP: PNRC Conference Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 522. Wednesday, 1 Sept. 1993. From: Robert Knapp Date: Wednesday, 1 Sep 93 11:00:09 U Subject: PNRC Conference Call for Papers The Pacific Northwest Renaissance Conference Reed College, Portland OR 18-19 March 1994 Beating the Bounds: The Formation and Interaction of the Disciplines in Early Modern Europe Plenary Speakers: Lorraine Daston Professor of History and History of Science Department of History, University of Chicago Lorraine Helms San Francisco Clown School Thomas Laqueur Professor of History Department of History, University of California at Berkeley ______________________________________________________ Papers and proposals for sessions are invited on all aspects of the culture and society of early modern Europe, c. 1300-1700. The organizers especially encourage papers and proposals that would permit the interdisciplinary exploration of such questions as the relationship between art, literature, and science, the engagement with non-European cultures, the relationship between ethics and political philosophy and practice, the history of rhetoric and literary scholarship, the protocols of representation, the reconstruction of epistemologies, etc. Abstracts and proposals should reach the organizers by 1 November 1993; acceptances will be made by 20 December; completed papers should be received by 1 February 1994. Robert S. Knapp Roger Porter Department of English Department of English Peter Parshall David Harris Sacks Department of Art and Art History Department of History Reed College 3203 SE Woodstock Blvd. Portland, OR 97202 (503) 771-1112 FAX (503) 777-7769 e-mail ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 1 Sep 1993 20:51:31 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0523 Re: Karaoke Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 523. Wednesday, 1 Sept. 1993. From: John Cox Date: Wednesday, 01 Sep 1993 16:41:02 -0500 (EST) Subject: [Re: Karaoke Shakespeare] Fran Teague's mention of Karaoke Shakespeare reminds me of a display put on in the hypertext session last April in Atlanta. One stands in front of a video display monitor while it shows a picture of an actor playing a role from Shakespeare. From a prompter, one responds to the picture with the lines from a role of one's choosing--Juliet responding to Romeo, for example. While this exchange is going on, the whole procedure is videotaped. One can then play the videotape back, watching oneself interact with the actor, for all the world as if one were really in the film with that person. My memory is that an interactive display of this kind is planned for the new Globe on Bankside. If they can afford it, the unemployed dustmen can make videotapes of themselves playing a Shakespearean role opposite an actor of their choosing. Maybe they will regard this as adequate compensation for the loss of their jobs. John Cox ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 2 Sep 1993 08:23:02 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0524 Re: Wanamaker's Globe Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 524. Thursday, 2 Sept. 1993. (1) From: William Godshalk Date: Wednesday, 01 Sep 1993 21:37:58 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0519 Re: Wanamaker's Globe (2) From: Leo Daugherty Date: Thursday, 2 Sep 93 02:36:44 -0700 Subj: Wanamaker's Globe (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Godshalk Date: Wednesday, 01 Sep 1993 21:37:58 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0519 Re: Wanamaker's Globe I've just read Terence Hawkes's comment again, maybe for the fourth time, and then I read the last paragraph of the last chapter (not the Postscript) of MEANING BY SHAKESPEARE. Hawkes seems to be able to smell out a plot behind any action, and the plot is always a right-wing, conservative, Tory plot. In fact, reading Shakespeare is a conservative act, and building a theatre is an act of colonial aggression. As we say here in the Colonies, "get real." I assume that Hawkes has read Shakespeare's plays and poems. I assume that this reading of Shakespeare's words has not turned Hawkes into a rabid conservative, and I can assure him that when I began reading Shakespeare's works I was a conservative, and when I finished I was not. I assume that Shakespeare himself was not a conservative, not a proto-Tory. And, please, don't be so tedious as to accuse me of anachronism. I suggest that those who believe that Shakespeare is a conservative plot get out of the bardbiz and into the revolutionbiz or the politicalbiz. Run for political office. Become a spokesperson for a political party or movement. But, please, do not read another word written by Shakespeare, and never teach his plays to young or old students. But, now that I think about it, perhaps reading Shakespeare's plays does corrupt the mind - of some people. Goodnight, Wm Godshalk (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Leo Daugherty Date: Thursday, 2 Sep 93 02:36:44 -0700 Subject: Wanamaker's Globe Re the recent postings by John Drakakis, Gabriel Egan, and Terence Hawkes: Jesus, I haven't heard rhetoric like this since my last campus building takeover 25 years ago. Hawkes, in particular, really took me back: What does [Michael Mullin] think the function of these phony ties with a past "Golden Age" really is? Why has the British government recently legislated that the study of Shakespeare shall become compulsory at every level of the education system? Why has Prince Charles, this summer, instigated his own Shakespeare summer school at Stratford? Has it got absolutely nothing to do with our imminent absorption into Europe? With Ireland? With the declining fortunes of the House of Windsor? Think about it, Michael -- as presumably Sam "Commander of the British Empire" Wanamaker has. What can I say but the obvious? There's only one person on the Globe who will be able to expose this Moriartian SOB for what he is and tell the true story, and that's Oliver Stone. I can put you in touch. People gotta know! Leo Daugherty ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 2 Sep 1993 08:28:30 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0525 Re: Audio Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 525. Thursday, 2 Sept. 1993. From: Michael Sharpston 33167 Date: Thursday, 02 Sep 1993 06:38:00 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Audio Shakespeare I grew up to a tape-recorded Guielgud as Hamlet, off the BBC: I have never heard anyone do it better, including many live stage performances. I am thinking particularly of the soliloquies. Now that Auntie BBC has slimmed, and is supposed to be enterprise-oriented and all, if such radio versions have not yet been commercialized by her perhaps we SHAKSPERians could give her a nudge?? Michael Sharpston msharpston@worldbank.org ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 4 Sep 1993 08:48:39 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0526 Re: Wanamaker's Globe Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 526. Saturday, 4 Sept. 1993. (1) From: Gabriel Egan Date: Thursday, 02 Sep 93 13:53:25 +0100 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0524 Re: Wanamaker's Globe (2) From: Bill Denning Date: Friday, 03 Sep 1993 00:11:08 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0524 Re: Wanamaker's Globe (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Gabriel Egan Date: Thursday, 02 Sep 93 13:53:25 +0100 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0524 Re: Wanamaker's Globe What Shakespeare 'was' (ie radical or conservative) is not knowable, and not really the issue here. I happen to think his works are quite radical and extremely politicized. The interesting question (for me, at least) is the uses of Shakespeare and particularly the way these radical texts have been employed to conservative ends. I would like to resist these appropriations; not because I am against appropriation (it's inevitable) but because I wish to advance other, alternative, appropriations. For me bardbiz = politicalbiz, so long as 'biz' is 'what we do' and not simply synonymous with 'industry' in the capitalist sense. > What does [Michael Mullin] think the function of these phony > ties with a past "Golden Age" really is? Why has the British > government recently legislated that the study of Shakespeare > shall become compulsory at every level of the education system? > Why has Prince Charles, this summer, instigated his own > Shakespeare summer school at Stratford? Has it got absolutely > nothing to do with our imminent absorption into Europe? With > Ireland? With the declining fortunes of the House of Windsor? > Think about it, Michael -- as presumably Sam "Commander of the > British Empire" Wanamaker has. > > What can I say but the obvious? There's only one person on the Globe > who will be able to expose this Moriartian SOB for what he is and tell > the true story, and that's Oliver Stone. I can put you in touch. People > gotta know! Terence Hawkes has asked these questions, and I would like to hear some answers - because I have only a vague sense of the some of the things that Terence is hinting at. May we please discuss these, rather than dismiss them as leftie-paranoia? Regards Gabriel Egan g.egan@ucl.ac.uk (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Bill Denning Date: Friday, 03 Sep 1993 00:11:08 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0524 Re: Wanamaker's Globe IMHO flame wars need not apply. Bill ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 4 Sep 1993 08:51:38 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0527 Prostitutes Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 527. Saturday, 4 Sept. 1993. From: Edward T Bonahue Date: Friday, 03 Sep 93 11:56 EDT Subject: Prostitutes A colleague and I are wondering about the dress of prostitutes on the Shakespearean stage. In brief, what would the boys playing these parts have worn? Would they, for instance, seek to dress like the prostitutes standing or sitting within a stone's throw of the stage, i.e., in the audience? Would such imitation be possible for boys? Was there a certain mark or convention that could identify a female character immediately as a prostitute? Alan Dessen's *Elizabethan Stage Conventions* doesn't have this, but it seems to me I've read something on this somewhere. Does anyone have some sources, either twentieth-century or early modern? ... Thanks tons, Ed Bonahue University of North Carolina ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 4 Sep 1993 08:53:45 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0528 Q: Papp's *Shrew* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 528. Saturday, 4 Sept. 1993. From: Joan Hartwig Date: Friday, 03 Sep 93 14:25:20 EDT Subject: Papp's "Shrew" Does anyone know where to rent or purchase the video tape of Joseph Papp's Shakespeare in Central Park production of "Kiss Me Petruchio" from "The Taming of the Shrew" with Meryl Streep and Raul Julio? I think this was originally made for television. --Joan Hartwig ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 6 Sep 1993 08:35:02 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0529 Shakespeare's Politics Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 529. Monday, 6 Sept. 1993. From: Chris Kendall Date: Sunday, 5 Sep 1993 00:01:40 -0600 (MDT) Subject: Shakespeare's Politics The recent debate over Wanamaker's Globe, particularly the entry from Gabriel Egan: > What Shakespeare 'was' (ie radical or conservative) is not knowable, and > not really the issue here. has led me to submit a query that relates to a work I'm undertaking. A friend remarked that he had not been interested in Shakespeare until very recently, and that interest began with a book that argued that the bard was quite a political radical, seen against the backdrop of his time. My friend had always thought him to be something of a cheerleader for the crown, a political toady of the "bread and circuses" persuasion, which, for him, rendered anything he wrote to be beneath serious consideration, except as an example of "good writing." Signally amazed by this point of view, I rejoined that Shakespeare's political views were the last thing I considered important about the man, inasmuch as what has allowed his work to endure four centuries has nothing to do with its political correctness, and everything to do with the beauty of his poetry, and his astonishing perception of the human condition. Before I could draw another breath, my friend proposed that we collaborate on a piece of theatre to debate this question, and that is the work I mentioned. If anyone would care to offer anything in this line, opinions, suggested reading, whatever, I promise to steal shamelessly from it in holding up my end of the bargain. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 6 Sep 1993 08:43:41 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0530 Re: Papp's *Shrew* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 530. Monday, 6 Sept. 1993. From: Kenneth S. Rothwell Date: Sunday, 5 Sep 1993 16:27:51 -500 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0528 Q: Papp's *Shrew* Dear Joan, The 1993 catalog of The Writing Company lists *Kiss Me, Petruchio*. col. 58 min. VHS $79.00 (FLM221V-K3) on pg. 11. I can't guarantee the accuracy of this information as video titles come and go in dealers' hands as swiftly as the women talking of Michelangelo. Films Inc. may still have the 16mm version. For The Writing Company, call (800) 421-4246. or write to 10200 Jefferson Blvd., Room KO, Box 802, Culver City, CA 90232-0802. Good luck! As Ever, Ken ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 7 Sep 1993 07:10:40 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0531 Re: Shakespeare's Politics Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 531. Tuesday, 7 Sept. 1993. (1) From: Gabriel Egan Date: Monday, 06 Sep 93 15:02:48 +0100 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0529 Shakespeare's Politics (2) From: David Bank Date: Monday, 6 Sep 93 20:25:38 BST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0529 Shakespeare's Politics (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Gabriel Egan Date: Monday, 06 Sep 93 15:02:48 +0100 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0529 Shakespeare's Politics > Signally amazed by this point of view, I rejoined that Shakespeare's > political views were the last thing I considered important about the man, > inasmuch as what has allowed his work to endure four centuries has nothing > to do with its political correctness, and everything to do with the beauty > of his poetry, and his astonishing perception of the human condition. By political correctness, I understand something like 'a body of agreed codes of speech and behaviour, working within a agreed set of values (eg anti- racism, anti-sexism)'. This is not what I mean by Shakespeare's political radicalism, quite the opposite in fact. It is because such agreement did not exist, and many of the values which are 'general' now (and I know that's a sweeping statement) came out of the conflicts of this period, that Shakespeare cannot be politically correct, but is nonetheless radical. What excites me is how Shakespeare engages with questions such as power relations, imperialism, gender roles etc, and reveals inherent contradictions in the value-system of his day. Concerning 'the human condition': for many Marxists, there is no singular human condition, but rather a lot of conditions that arise in a lot of specific material conditions. Liberal humanist teaching of Shakespeare has always advanced the idea that Shakespeare had a piercing insight into a 'human condition' that was universal. Cultural materialists (a group I optimistically include myself in) argue that the 'condition' that Shakespeare had insight into was the very specific one of his own period, with all its seething political conflicts. Cultural materialists also generally argue that liberal-humanism attempts to pass off its own politics and values as universal, and does so for very clear political reasons. Shall I elaborate, or mention some possible reading? Preferrably, some of the members of this LISTSERV who have written on this subject could join in and explain much better than I can. Looking forward to a thorough debate on this.. Regards ********************************* * Gabriel Egan g.egan@ucl.ac.uk * ********************************* (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: David Bank Date: Monday, 6 Sep 93 20:25:38 BST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0529 Shakespeare's Politics *re* Shakespeare's Politics. A colleague of mine buys a mag. called _Fortean Times_, subtitled "The Journal of Strange Phenomena". A recent issue has an article on alphanumeric markings on butterflies' wings. The Callicore butterfly of Argentina has '89'; a Riodininae has 'F', "perfectly formed". And so on. [Issue 70, August/Sept. 93]. For some reason the easiest character to find is 'O' - which is either the letter or zero according to cognitive disposition or expectation. Unless of course you're a monolingual Chinaman. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 7 Sep 1993 22:12:23 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0532 Re: Wanamaker's Globe Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 532. Tuesday, 7 Sept. 1993. From: John Drakakis Date: Tuesday, 07 Sep 93 13:24:00 BST Subject: SHK 4.0524 Re: Wanamaker's Globe I'm often bemused by what passes for critical thought when the issue of Shakespeare is raised. Bill Godshalk seems to think that so long as you make a noise then this will be adequate compensation for ignorance. I read Terence Hawkes' contribution to this debate and can see nothing in it to which I would wish to take exception. All this has nothing whatever to do with whether Shakespeare the man was a conservative or not. It has to do with the ways in which a body of texts attributed to him are used as icons in our (i.e. British) culture. There is an irony- lost, obviously on Godshalk- in the fact that an American should wish to rebuild the Globe AND that his efforts should be rewarded with a particular kind of royal honour. On this side of the Atlantic, where politics is not an optional add-on, some of us find this matter interesting. There are, of course, further complications, some of which I outlined in a chapter I contributed to Graham Holderness's collection The Shakespeare Myth. There is much more of an offensive nature in the papers of the Friends of The Globe which I was shown by a former member of the committee. Hawkes's pointing to the larger cultural issues involved serves merely to underline the complexities of this case. Michael Mullin's comments, however, are rather more disturbing. The Globe Newsletters CLAIM universal support for the project, but I find that difficult to believe. Peggy Ashcroft may well have lay down in the dirt to prevent bulldozing of the site; if she did then she may not have got the location exactly right, and she can count herself very lucky that I wasn't driving the bulldozer. As for Mullin's punch-and-judy analysis of my "narrow" and "parochial" politics, all I can say is that I guess from a distance of 3500 miles it might look like that. But what surprises me is that the non-political Mullin is really interested in making Southwark's streets safe for tourists! "The Cut and the Southwark area around Waterloo station have long been an eyesore- beset by an underclass of beggars and homeless alcoholics panhandling (sic) for drink or drugs". Now I realize that it must be very incovenient for those of us engaged in serious scholarly pursuits to be reminded of certain harsh realities. Anyone who suggests that you clean the streets by erecting replicas of Globe theatres seems to me to be suffering from a narrowness of vision that I could not contemplate in the wildest nightmare. I leave Michael Mullin with this "fact"; that there is more of a need for affordable housing in Southwark than there is for a theatre which, in its original guise, had the good sense to regard itself as impermanent. I don't know what "labour cant" he refers to which allegedly kept "Maggie the Great in office". Maybe he's been following too uncritically the fulminating missives of Tory Central Office. As things stand, the best candidates for cleaning the streets of Southwark were the roadsweepers who were so unceremoniously deprived of their depot by the proselytizing zeal of Sam Wanamaker CBE and a bunch of actors driving Porsches. Cheers Michael! See you in Stratford. John Drakakis ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 7 Sep 1993 22:31:45 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0533 Re: Papp's Shrew; Computers; ISGC Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 533. Tuesday, 7 Sept. 1993. (1) From: Georgianna Ziegler Date: Tuesday, 07 Sep 1993 13:49:33 -0500 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0530 Re: Papp's *Shrew* (2) From: Milla Riggio Date: Tuesday, 07 Sep 1993 13:03:33 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0474 Re: Computers and Shakespeare Studies (3) From: Milla Riggio Date: Tuesday, 07 Sep 1993 13:08:35 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0479 Q: ISGC (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Georgianna Ziegler Date: Tuesday, 07 Sep 1993 13:49:33 -0500 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0530 Re: Papp's *Shrew* Films Incorporated, 5547 N. Ravenswood Ave., Chicago IL 60640 also has plenty of copies of the Papp *Shrew* for $79. plus $5. shipping. Betsy Walsh, who orders films at the Folger, called them, and they assured her the tapes were available. Phone: 800-323-4222. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Milla Riggio Date: Tuesday, 07 Sep 1993 13:03:33 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0474 Re: Computers and Shakespeare Studies Dear Michael Mullin: Your posting on SHAKSPER reminds me that one of the omissions in the questionnaire that will be coming out for the Shakespeare volume has to do with computer-assisted teaching materials. I'll try to correct that error before the mailing (The MLA now has the questionnaire!). More importantly, you may well want to consider an article yourself dealing with that subject for the book. What do you think? Other suggestions? From others, as well? Best, Milla Riggio (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Milla Riggio Date: Tuesday, 07 Sep 1993 13:08:35 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0479 Q: ISGC Dear Robert O'Connor: This is not really a response to your query, since it was published in 1990 and you no doubt know the book, but in case you do not, refer to Christine Eccles THE ROSE THEATRE, a Routledge book, for a history of the theatre and the campaign to restore the theatre; the book walks you through early 1990. --Milla Riggio ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 7 Sep 1993 22:43:20 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0534 Re: Shakespeare's Politics Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 534. Tuesday, 7 Sept. 1993. (1) From: Robert Mullin Date: Tuesday, 07 Sep 1993 10:56:49 -0600 (CST) Subj: Re: Shakespeare's Politics (2) From: Bill Denning Date: Tuesday, 07 Sep 1993 14:15:08 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0531 Re: Shakespeare's Politics (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Robert Mullin Date: Tuesday, 07 Sep 1993 10:56:49 -0600 (CST) Subject: Re: Shakespeare's Politics Subject: Shakespeare's Politics Gabriel Egan: Political correctness is "... a body of agreed codes of speech and behaviour, working within an agreed set of values ... such agreement did not exist ..." for Shakespeare's time. And then further along in the same paragraph ... "What excites me is how Shakespeare engages with ... the value-system of his day." R. Mullin: The value system existed, but there was not agreement? Is that the crucial distinction? Gabriel Egan: "Concerning 'the human condition': for many Marxists, there is no singular human condition, but rather a lot of conditions that arise in a lot of specific material conditions." R. Mullin: Is it not rather the case that Marxists deny the `universal human condition' because of its alleged singularity? And may we not then at least grant it the characteristic of universal singularity, albeit a veritable chaos of material circumstances to be apprehended (described, rather) by means only of some Brownian statistical model? Gabriel Egan: Liberal humanist teaching of Shakespeare has always advanced the idea that Shakespeare had a piercing insight into a 'human condition' that was universal. R. Mullin: Universal within the subset of entities yclept `human,' I trust. A necessary distinction lest a dangerous equivocation seize us. And I had thought the liberal humanist view was that Shakespeare had merely shone one of the strongest lights in the effort to locate that human condition. Did he actually find it? Gabriel Egan: Cultural materialists ... argue that the 'condition' that Shakespeare had insight into was the very specific one of his own period ... R. Mullin: Is that specificity temporal? What years specifically, then? Or conceptual. What specific issues? Or geographical/conceptual? Which issues unsullied then by `les etrangeres'? Gabrial Egan: ... liberal-humanism attempts to pass off its own politics and values as universal ... Tendentious phraseology, this of the cultural materialist ... May it not be said as clearly ... `liberal-humanism, operating openly as the enquiry-driven, anti- entropic endeavor that it is, continually attempts to broaden the applicability of its principles and their consequent insights.' I could not find a way to work in "attempts to pass off." Honest! ****** I enter this field with trepidation, unfamiliar as I am with the language and distinctions of 'cultural materialism.' If my questions are too parochial for the general consideration of list- members, perhaps someone will let me know ... politely, off-line, so to speak. Sincerely, R. Mullin (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Bill Denning Date: Tuesday, 07 Sep 1993 14:15:08 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0531 Re: Shakespeare's Politics Gabriel Egan writes: >By political correctness, I understand something like 'a body of agreed codes >of speech and behaviour, working within a agreed set of values (eg anti- >racism, anti-sexism)'. I would agree with this definition of 'politically correct', with the caveat that the 'agreement' is inferred by the person using the term. The term 'politically correct' has become very popular with the media and liberal politicians here in the U.S. over the last couple of years. Probably views in favor of preserving the environment could also be included along with anti-racism and anti-sexism. Personally I support many of the viewpoints that are presumed to be politically correct, but I absolutely abhor the use of the term. To me it is _very_ presumptive to use such a term, and is reminiscent of political regimes such as Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union under Joseph Stalin. Political correctness would be right at home in works such as "1984", "Darkness at Noon", or "One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich". While each of us in a free society has every right to agree or disagree with a particular political viewpoint, and of course to express our own views, how can any of us possibly categorize our views or those of others as being correct or incorrect? The whole thing makes my skin crawl. >Liberal humanist teaching of Shakespeare has always advanced the idea that >Shakespeare had a piercing insight into a 'human condition' that was universal. >Cultural materialists (a group I optimistically include myself in) argue that >the 'condition' that Shakespeare had insight into was the very specific one of >his own period, with all its seething political conflicts. It is true that Shakespeare's understanding of the human condition may have been specific to his own time, but the insights that he offers can also be applied to other times, including ours. I frequently marvel at the technological innovations we have created, such as this electronic message, but often despair at the realization that in spite of our technological progress, from a social perspective we are not much different that people in previous ages. War, famine, dishonesty, etc. continue to plague us. What makes Shakespeare seem universal to me is that although the language, clothing, living conditions, etc. in his plays are all quite different than our own, at the core of his works people behave the same today as in his time. I frequently see people acting just like various characters in Othello, King Lear, and Measure For Measure, to name but a few. >Cultural materialists also generally argue that liberal-humanism attempts to >pass off its own politics and values as universal, and does so for very clear >political reasons. I agree with this statement, even though I might be considered to be a liberal-humanist myself. I'm also looking forward to further discussion. Best regards, Bill ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 8 Sep 1993 22:51:39 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0535 Re: Shakespeare's Politics Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 535. Wednesday, 8 Sept. 1993. (1) From: Bernice Kliman Date: Wednesday, 8 Sep 1993 06:05 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0534 Re: Shakespeare's Politics (2) From: Gabriel Egan Date: Wednesday, 08 Sep 93 12:51:05 +0100 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0534 Re: Shakespeare's Politics (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Bernice Kliman Date: Wednesday, 8 Sep 1993 06:05 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0534 Re: Shakespeare's Politics Richard Levin, in an article in Centennial Review recently, points out what I believe is true: that Poliitical Correction is a negative code word by right wingers. It is used to bash those who favor political awareness. Right- wingers, and those who have bought their arguments, use the red herrings of censorship, Facism, and the like, to undercut those who argue against racism, for feminism, &c. I would like to see LHs take back the expression PC, get the sneer out of it, and use it to mean our own individual efforts to hone our social consciousness. On another matter: when did the idea of flaming enter our discourse? I mean the use of the term? On another matter: Surprise, surprise that John Drakakis doesn't find anything in Terry Hawkes's message to take exception to. Cheers, Bernice (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Gabriel Egan Date: Wednesday, 08 Sep 93 12:51:05 +0100 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0534 Re: Shakespeare's Politics > The value system existed, but there was not agreement? Is that the crucial > distinction? Essentially, yes. I should have said "the value-systems of his day", and emphasized that it is the conflict between value-systems, and contradictions within value-systems, which Shakespeare is engaging. Perhaps it would be better to be using terms such as dominant, residual, and emerging ideologies (see Raymond Williams *Marxism and Literature* for definitions). > Is it not rather the case that Marxists deny the `universal human > condition' because of its alleged singularity? And may we not then at least > grant it the characteristic of universal singularity, albeit a veritable chaos > of material circumstances to be apprehended (described, rather) by means only > of some Brownian statistical model? Marxist denial of the 'universal human condition' is a denial that the condition exists indepedent of material circumstances and is somehow applicable at all times in all places as a constant core of human-ness. The old liberal humanist maneuvre was to deny that the conflicts in Shakespeare plays were located historically, geographically, and politically; the new one seems to be to admit the plenitude of 'human conditions' but deny that they are in anyway amenable to analysis because they are "a veritable chaos" (if I may borrow your apt phrase without accusing you of holding this view). I see the latter maneuvre in much post-modernism with its "scepticism towards meta-theories" (this phrase was recently offered in response to call for the shortest definition of postmodernism, in The Guardian newspaper, London) > Gabriel Egan: Cultural materialists ... argue that the 'condition' that > Shakespeare had insight into was the very specific one of his own period ... > > R. Mullin: Is that specificity temporal? What years specifically, then? Or > conceptual. What specific issues? Or geographical/conceptual? Which issues > unsullied then by `les etrangeres'? Specifically, issues such as the nature of political power, sexuality, colonialism, race, etc., in pre-revolutionary England. I say "etc." because I know of cultural materialist works that illuminate the presence of these themes in Shakespeare's plays, but the list is not intended to deny other themes. Could you clarify the last question concerning 'les etrangeres' (= ?the strangers) > Gabrial Egan: ... liberal-humanism attempts to pass off its own politics and > values as universal ... > > Tendentious phraseology, this of the cultural materialist ... May it not be > said as clearly ... > > `liberal-humanism, operating openly as the enquiry-driven, anti- entropic > endeavor that it is, continually attempts to broaden the applicability of its > principles and their consequent insights.' > > I could not find a way to work in "attempts to pass off." Honest! I sneak myself toward the suspicion that Mr Mullin has cast me as the mouse in his ever-popular cat drama :-) (Apologies to Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie for the plagiarism). Re: Bill Denning's Objections to Term Political Correctness It seems to me that "the media and liberal politicians" employ the term deliberately to evoke totalitarian systems such as those you mention and so make your skin crawl. The intention is to tar anti-racism, anti-sexism, and concern for ecological issues with the same brush (of though-control). I have heard people who support the viewpoints which are 'pc' use the term to denote the gap between their professed views and some gut-reaction that they've had, as in "I know it's not politically correct to say so, but some gays/blacks/women are so cute/male/unfriendly." Generally, I think using the term thus is to fall into the trap laid by racist homophobic sexist ungreen media/politicians; let's leave the term to the enemy and argue about the issues. Re: Shakespeare's Universialism Without denying the historical specifity, I too see much continuity between the world of the plays and our (or rather my) own. Hence the relevance to our times...the conflicts are still with us. Universality implies that the conflicts are inescapable, and I reject that. ********************************* * Gabriel Egan g.egan@ucl.ac.uk * ********************************* ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 8 Sep 1993 22:54:30 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0536 Re: Prostitute's Dress Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 536. Wednesday, 8 Sept. 1993. From: Helen Ostovich Date: Wednesday, 8 Sep 1993 15:49:03 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0527 Prostitutes It seems to me that the most explicit clothing references for whores is in Ben Jonson's BARTHOLOMEW FAIR: whores wore green sleeves or over-dresses and crimson skirts or petticoats. Check Acts 4 and 5. Helen Ostovich ostovich@mcmaster.ca ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 9 Sep 1993 21:01:59 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0538 Q: Christopher Sly; Re: Prostitute's Death Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 538. Thursday, 9 Sept. 1993. (1) From: Ronald Dwelle Date: Thursday, 09 Sep 93 09:07:37 EST Subj: Christopher Sly (2) From: Georgianna Ziegler Date: Thursday, 09 Sep 1993 11:34:51 -0500 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0536 Re: Prostitute's Dress (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ronald Dwelle Date: Thursday, 09 Sep 93 09:07:37 EST Subject: Christopher Sly Does anyone know of recent (say last 25 years) productions of Taming of the Shrew which included the Christopher Sly induction? Is so, what was done with him later in the play? Thanks in advance. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Georgianna Ziegler Date: Thursday, 09 Sep 1993 11:34:51 -0500 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0536 Re: Prostitute's Dress The reference from Helen Ostovich that whores in BARTHOLOMEW FAIR are said to wear green sleeves reminds me that I once heard that such is the reference in the popular song, *Greensleeves.* ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 9 Sep 1993 20:55:27 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0537 [was unnumbered] Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 537. Thursday, 9 Sept. 1993. (1) From: Milla Riggio Date: Thursday, 09 Sep 1993 09:55:58 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0535 Re: Shakespeare's Politics (2) From: Bill Denning Date: Thursday, 09 Sep 1993 02:56:59 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0535 Re: Shakespeare's Politics (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Milla Riggio Date: Thursday, 09 Sep 1993 09:55:58 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0535 Re: Shakespeare's Politics On the questions of Shakespeare, politics, and culture, I want to weigh in, albeit at somewhat lightweight poundage, on the side of Mssrs. Drakakis and Hawkes, to this extent and in this way: There are many "Shakespeares" out there for each of us and the Shakespeares that I like only marginally, if at all, include the one behind the altar, surrounded by incense, and inviting -- through his many surrogates, of course -- mass genuflection. This is the Shakespeare to whom we build the monuments being debated in this conversation, and the worship of THIS BARD tends to result in over-elaborate and over-expensive productions, designed to fill the citadels built to house them. When I teach Shakespeare I tell my students not to expect altars and incense and, I encourage them to walk through the course with hobnailed boots. In terms of productions, I prefer performances like JULIUS CAESAR SET IN AFRICA, a production Naomi Liebler led me to in the Village a couple of years ago, filled with African dance, drumming, textiles, face painting and resonant with the wonderful language that we do love so much to read and hear. But language, whether beautiful or not, is of course not value-free; it comes with its own cultural baggage, and I prefer to hear Shakespeare's language being created and re-created by voices finding it for themselves in whatever large or small stage or space they occupy. I was blown away a year or so ago by Steve Urkowitz's staging of the farce THE FOUR P'S. Steve took four students (including African-Americans and one Latino) who had never acted before, and with good vocal training, engaged them in a production that made this sixteenth-century farce sound more like modern street drama than a "historicall recreated" monument to or memory of the past. In the process, Steve probably taught those young men more about history than they will learn in most courses they take -- about palmers and apothecaries and so forth. Even the sexist joke on which the play turns was defused by the sense of its somehow being an insiders joke on oneself. I took a bunch of college students, who had staged OTHELLO, into an inner city high school to play some scenes and we engaged in a terrific conversation, particularly as it turned out about the women in the play, most specifically about the way Cassio treated his "ho'," who was, the students concluded, considerably more honest "than those who thus abuse[d]" her. This was an interesting experience, mainly because it was FUN! If these are plays, than let's PLAY with Shakespeare, not worship him. Those of us who work with early drama have for much too long tended to equate "authenticity" with historical recreation. We could NOT achieve any such thing, even if we knew (as we never will) what that means. If we airlifted a Shakespearean production into our very midst, from say 1596, it would be altered by virtue of US: who we are, the language we speak, the clothes we wear. So I favor drama that finds its place among us, alive and lively. As the Nike commercial say, I like to see actors and students who JUST DO IT. What this may have to do with political correctness, I will let others decide. And here endeth the sermon for the day. Best, Milla Riggio P.S. If anyone wants to know, JULIUS CAESAR SET IN AFRICA is available for touring to colleges and universities. Naomi Liebler and I have both hosted it at our respective academies, with stunning success. The choreographer, drummers, and director will give acting, dancing, drumming workshops, and they will fill YOUR theatres, or your cafe (it was originally staged in the Nuyorican Poets Cafe in New York), or your black box. They bring 30 or so actors, drummers, and dancers, and the entire experience is a real WOW. If you want to know how to arrange this, ask.... M.R. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Bill Denning Date: Thursday, 09 Sep 1993 02:56:59 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0535 Re: Shakespeare's Politics Bernice Kliman asks: >>On another matter: when did the idea of flaming enter our discourse? I mean >>the use of the term? I made use of the term about a week ago in a response to one of the messages regarding Wannamaker's Globe. I believe the exact phrase I used was, "IMHO flame wars need not apply". "Flame" is a termly widely used on Internet, netnews, and other electronic venues to describe vituperative messages. I felt that some contributors to that discussion were descending into personal attacks. "IMHO" is an acronym for "in my humble opinion". I don't know whether or not others have used the term "flame" here. Best regards, Bill Denning ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 10 Sep 1993 15:23:41 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0539 Re: Christopher Sly and Induction Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 539. Friday, 10 Sept. 1993. (1) From: Jerald Bangham Date: Thursday, 09 Sep 1993 22:21:46 Subj: Shrew & Sly (2) From: John Massa Date: Friday, 10 Sep 93 09:01 CST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0538 Q: Christopher Sly (3) From: Timothy Pinnow Date: Friday, 10 Sep 93 10:27:28 CDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0538 Q: Christopher Sly (4) From: Tom Loughlin Date: Friday, 10 Sep 1993 11:04 am EDT (15:04:50 UT) Subj: Christopher Sly (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jerald Bangham Date: Thursday, 09 Sep 1993 22:21:46 Subject: Shrew & Sly >Does anyone know of recent (say last 25 years) productions of >Taming of the Shrew which included the Christopher Sly induction? > >Is so, what was done with him later in the play? Bill Alexander's touring production for the RSC opened July 20 at the Barbican. The Sly subplot has "been adpted into modern English." I believe that an earlier production this season at Regent's Park also made use of Sly. There are a number of reviews of the Alexander production in Volume XIII of _Theatre_Record_. I'm sure that the same publication carried the Regent's Park production in an earlier issue. Jerry Bangham (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John Massa Date: Friday, 10 Sep 93 09:01 CST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0538 Q: Christopher Sly Regarding what to do with Christopher Sly in "SHREW," the American Players Theater's production this summer in Spring Green, Wisconsin, started out in the tavern, which sort of turned into the wealthy guy's house where the play within the play (i.e., SHREW) was performed. Sly and his entourage sat around and watched the play, sometimes being selected by the traveling players for bit parts, which they botched up as best they could. It added another dimension to the fun, and the whole thing worked quite well. It was a rather traditional SHREW; I don't think having Sly hang around would have worked for a "dark" SHREW told from Kate's point of view, for example, because seeing the "audience within the audience" on stage keeps you from taking anything very seriously. One problem to think about though: how to have Sly and his fellows in the "audience" on stage REACT appropriately (i.e., not looking blankly into space) to the play they are seeing without DISTRACTING the real audience from the play. John John-Massa@uiowa.edu (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Timothy Pinnow Date: Friday, 10 Sep 93 10:27:28 CDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0538 Q: Christopher Sly In response to Ronald Dwelle's query about Christopher Sly in recent productions, I remember witnessing a *Shrew* at the American Players Theatre in Spring Green, Wisconsin in 1985 which featured old Sly. Since American Players at that time was devoted to using unedited Norton-Hinman Folio texts (bit of an oxymoron) you can pretty much see what they did with the piece. To be honest, I have to concentrate extremely intently to remember him in anything but the opening. This is because it is probably the best piece of Shakespeare I have ever witnessed--Randall Duk Kim's Petruchio was absolutely hysterical--so I sat in the front row and distracted the rest of the audience with my guffaws. All outdoors on a beautiful autumn afternoon in the rolling Wisconsin coutryside. Life should be so good. (4)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Tom Loughlin Date: Friday, 10 Sep 1993 11:04 am EDT (15:04:50 UT) Subject: Christopher Sly On the question of performance of *Shrew* featuring the induction: it appears that the induction is becoming more and more popular to stage. I played Christopher Sly in the Wisconsin Shakespeare Festival production of the play in 1990. We ended the production by featuring an "addendum" to the play (the author of which was not Shakespeare but some other clever person whose name escapes my immediate attention but who wrote the piece I believe for a Stratford Ontario production) wherein Sly, having drunk himself to sleep by the end of the "play," is again put out on the street where the lord originally found him. He's awakened out of his drunken sleep by the same hostess who threw him out in the beginning of the induction, and considers that all he experienced was a fabulous dream. The hostess advises him that, if he goes home, he is sure to face an angry wife, to which Sly replies that, thanks to his dream, he now knows how to "tame a shrew" (at which, of course, we are left to understand that he will fail miserably). This summer the American Players Theatre in Spring Green WI also staged *Shrew* with the induction, using the same ending. They added the interesting innovation that the "company of actors" ran out of actors, and so Sly was induced to perform the role of the Pedant, with the lord taking on the role of Vincentio. The hostess of the inn played the Widow. The WSF version also featured Sly interrupting the action on several occasions with other recently written inserts, the most notable one being the moment where Vincentio is about to be taken to prison and Sly interrupts and takes the old man's side, loudly and drunkenly proclaiming that, since he is the "lord" of the manor, he decrees that the old mand shall NOT go to prison. I find that when the induction is used, the overall sense of the Kate/Petruchio relationship has much more of an element of "play acting", and removes the tinge of realism which productions without the induction seem to generate in audiences. We really can see the relationship as "not real" because the whole "play-within-a-play" scenario makes it so for us (What's "real is Sly's world), and maybe we have not been sharp enough for giving credit to WS for using a convention which very effectively diffuses the seeming harshness of Petruchio towards Kate. Tom Loughlin loughlin@fredonia.bitnet ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 10 Sep 1993 16:58:55 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0542 Jewish Stereotypes Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 542. Friday, 10 Sept. 1993. From: Milla Riggio Date: Friday, 10 Sep 1993 08:12:54 -0500 (EST) Subject: Jewish Stereotypes Some months ago, there was a discussion of Shylock and Co. which I have no desire to reopen, but suddenly I find myself in need as quickly as possible of all possible sources on Jewish stereotypes in the late middle ages and Renaissance. I'd welcome help here. Can you lead me to primary and secondary sources that will help inform a panel I have been asked by the Hartford Stage Co. to lead on stereotypes (Hartford Stage is, guess what, doing The Merchant of Venice). Thanks. Milla Riggio ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 10 Sep 1993 16:55:36 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0541 Theatre in and around Philadelphia Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 541. Friday, 10 Sept. 1993. From: Cary M. Mazer Date: Friday, 10 Sep 93 9:17:46 EDT Subject: Two Noble Kinsmen Friends, Just a reminder to subscribers within theatregoing distance of Philadelphia that the Red Heel Theatre is presenting *Two Noble Kinsmen* at the Walnut Street Studio, September 15-October 3. For information, call 215 765-1715. Steven Urkowitz has brought to my attention that there is a TNK in New York, presented by "Falstaff Presents" at the Theatre Row Theatre, September 5-19. Meanwhile, a new theatre company (of completely unknown abilities) called the Philadelphia Theater of Classical Works has announced a *King John*, April 2-23. Novel Stages, a Philadelphia Company that has been around for a few years, announced a while ago that they would be doing *Cymbeline* in the fall, but the company's financial status is now in question, and their susbcription brochures, ominously, have not been sent out yet. Otherwise, Villanova is doing MND, February 3-26; Temple is doing *Merchant* March 24-April 2; Penn is doing a student-directed workshop of *Merchant* later this fall; the Philadelphia Drama Guild is doing *Othello*, Apr. 15-May 1; Red Heel is doing *The Changeling*, April 14-May 1, and a reading series TBA; and the Independent Eye is remounting their masks-and-puppets *Macbeth* (recently seen in Pittsburgh) in Philadelphia in January. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 10 Sep 1993 15:55:59 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0540 Re: Shakespeare's Politics and Wanamaker's Globe Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 540. Friday, 10 Sept. 1993. (1) From: Al Cacicedo Date: Thursday, 9 Sep 1993 21:46:32 -0400 (EDT) Subj: His Globe/our globe (2) From: Michael Sharpston Date: Friday, 10 Sep 1993 08:17:00 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Shakesp/ Politics/ PC/ Reality etc. (3) From: Terence Hawkes Date: Friday, 10 Sep 93 13:21 BST Subj: RE: SHK 4.0532 Re: Wanamaker's Globe (4) From: James McKenna Date: Friday, 10 Sep 1993 11:36:27 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0531 Re: Shakespeare's Politics (5) From: James McKenna Date: Friday, 10 Sep 1993 11:54:30 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0532 Re: Wanamaker's Globe (6) From: Gareth M Euridge Date: Friday, 10 Sep 93 13:50:21 EDT Subj: Re: Shakespeare's Politics (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Al Cacicedo Date: Thursday, 9 Sep 1993 21:46:32 -0400 (EDT) Subject: His Globe/our globe I agree emphatically with Gabriel Egan's point that there is much continuity between the political and affective worlds of Shakespeare and my/our own. In some ways, in fact, the difference between then and now is that the contestation of hegemonic positions in both the affective and the political realms is explicit. For instance, recently I have been reading much about the laws concerning marriage in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. I am absolutely astonished about how undefined the state of matrimony really is, and indeed how sharply different are the definitions of competing centers of authority--canon and common laws primarily, but also what social historians call "the community," particularly in reaction to poor women, doubly marginalized as they sometimes are. In any case, one gets the sense that the possibility of effective contestation is always present in this period. That's what makes the plays especially vibrant, for me, at least. Al Cacicedo (alc@joe.alb.edu) Albright College (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Michael Sharpston Date: Friday, 10 Sep 1993 08:17:00 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Shakesp/ Politics/ PC/ Reality etc. I read with great interest and approval Milla Riggio on how to interpret Shakespeare (SHK 4.0535). My only additional comment might be that the aims of a teacher are (legitimately) different from someone who is thinking of the General Public, whatever exactly that means. You may wish to educate the latter also, but they did not specifically sign up for it, and you are probably going to have to do so more surreptitiously (vide Bernard Shaw, explicit in the Prefaces, implicit in the Plays). Shakespeare does tend de facto to have a ritualistic quality. The old lady was in some important sense right when she complained that "Hamlet" was full of cliches. Shakespeare provides commonplaces of the English language, the most frequently quoted source after the Bible. (Not necessarily with the source known to the speaker -- say in the case of "More in sorrow than in anger" for example). I see it as absolutely appropriate to shake this up, as Milla Riggio suggests. The Royal Shakespeare Theatre usually does, (cf. the Comedie Francaise which at least at one stage used rather to embalm poor Racine). Alas, sometimes they go overboard, as if RST House Rules on directions to actors ran: "You must never say any line with a similar cadence or emphasis to any known previous production". Applying this apparent Rule in its full rigour to say "To be or not to be" or "Now is the winter of our discontent", you end up with some truly bizarre results, which at their worst destroy both the poetry and the sense. Possibly for that reason I have seen wonderful minor Shakespeare at Stratford-upon-Avon, but a better "Hamlet" over here at the Folger in Washington D.C. (by the way, I am myself a Brit, to get that on the table). I certainly do not want to get fully embroiled in the Wanamaker Globe saga, one would need a very careful 'take' on all the various contexts involved. I sympathize however with the pleas for some restraint in the flaming. Labelling a flame a flame also helps. Clearly however Shakespeare can be used by both Left and Right for their own purposes, appropriately or inappropriately viewed as nefarious by someone sufficiently separated on the Left-Right spectrum. Lastly, reality (to some extent an automatic contradiction in terms, both in the theatre and in electronic interactions). In one important sense modern practice is to move AWAY from reality. Shakespeare has very few parts for non-White actors or actresses, so now they are accepted in other parts. We now have close blood relatives (say two brothers) totally different colours in a production. Is this closer to 'reality'? -- clearly not. Does it require a new leap in the 'willing suspension of disbelief? -- absolutely. I admit to having had serious doubts about this change myself, on precisely those grounds. A first class Ghanaian as Mercutio, in the RST Stratford, changed my views: I would have been the poorer if he had not been allowed to play that role (and obviously there are major employment/career implications for any actor/ actress who is not White). So here is one way we have recently (last decade, mainly) moved away from reality, and I applaud it. And Shakespeare himself clearly plays with reality, rather than always trying to maximize the audience's sense of it: the play within a play in Hamlet, Chorus in Henry V. So much from an amateur: over to the professionals. Michael Sharpston msharpston@worldbank.org (All views expressed are of course personal ones) (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Terence Hawkes Date: Friday, 10 Sep 93 13:21 BST Subject: RE: SHK 4.0532 Re: Wanamaker's Globe Gabriel Egan seems to me to be doing a fine job and it's heartening to have these issues discussed seriously. On a specific matter: don't ANY of our colleagues in The Republic find it slightly distasteful that an American citizen should accept the title "Commander of the British Empire" with an apparently straight face? Terence Hawkes (Poststructuralist to the Queen). (4)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: James McKenna Date: Friday, 10 Sep 1993 11:36:27 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0531 Re: Shakespeare's Politics In reply to the attack on humanistic reading of Shakespeare: I had wondered deeply about the value of so-called eternal verities in Shakespeare's work until I heard Maya Angelou speak, quoting long passages from Shakespeare from memory, recalling them from her childhood. Shakespeare had written for her, she said. This, too, I pondered, since I was quite sure that, whoever he had written for, it was not Maya Angelou. Now despite the hefty amount of cultural materialist reading I've done in the past year, I find myself unable to shake the feeling that seething politics is an inadequate explanation for Shakespeare's intensity. Understanding--or at least being aware of--those politics brings us closer to a literal understanding of his works, but of what value is that if our souls are unmoved? There are many who will think my position soft, lacking rigor. Appreciation is best left to each of us in privacy, I've heard. But I disagree. We lose ourselves if we allow any of us to appropriate Shakespeare for political purposes, or bog down in disputes over whose appropriation is rightest (or leftest). I say, Can you love the man? If yes, then let's talk. If no, then I'm not sure what we can talk about. (5)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: James McKenna Date: Friday, 10 Sep 1993 11:54:30 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0532 Re: Wanamaker's Globe Dr. Drakakis, Your contributions on the politics of the attempt to reconstruct the Globe have been exciting and I am grateful for them. A concern nags at me, though. I recall that the goal of politics is not debate itself but the accomplishment of works in the here and now. The imperialist goals of further inflating Shakespeare's memory seem clear enough, and you have convinced me, but I must ask, what are you doing concretely to right the wrong you've uncovered? It seems to me a sterile righteousness that points the finger then rests. Again, my sincere thanks for your insights. I lood forward to more. Best wishes. (6)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Gareth M Euridge Date: Friday, 10 Sep 93 13:50:21 EDT Subject: Re: Shakespeare's Politics Another votive at the shrine of Bardolatory: The Ohio State University Bulletin (description of courses) includes a section on 200 level English courses which are generally "intro" to this and that. Amidst the generally neutral tone (i.e. Intro to fiction: "study . . . of the important themes and techniques of fiction) we find English 220 (intro to Shakey): "an interpretation of fundamental human experience." I did not know as a graduate teaching associate that the cure of souls fell within my domain! Gareth M. Euridge ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 11 Sep 1993 08:51:50 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0543 Re: Jewish Stereotypes Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 543. Saturday, 11 Sept. 1993. From: Phyllis Rackin Date: Friday, 10 Sep 1993 19:58:28 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0542 Jewish Stereotypes Jim Shapiro at Columbia has been working on the subject of antisemitic stereotypes in the period. I don't know whether he's a subscriber to SHAKSPER, so you might want to contact him directly, but he has lots of interesting information. ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 11 Sep 1993 08:54:43 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0544 Re: Sly and Induction Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 544. Saturday, 11 Sept. 1993. From: Katherine West Date: Saturday, 11 Sep 1993 08:02:49 -0500 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0539 Re: Christopher Sly and Induction I know this doesn't refer to a modern production of Taming of the Shrew, but you may be interested in two eighteenth-century adaptations of the Sly induction material - both titled "The Cobler of Preston", one by Christopher Bulloch and one by Charles Johnson, both performed in 1716. Both adapters create afterpieces solely from the Sly material. While we're on the subject of Shakespeare's politics (and appropriation of Shakespeare for political agendas), in Johnson's "Cobler of Preston" Sly is a supporter of the Jacobite Rebellion in 1715, and is punished by the lord for his political dealings; the play ends with Sly vowing his loyalty to his lord and to King George. Bullock chastises Johnson for using Shakespeare and the theatre for such "unworthy" aims, and boasts that his adaptation has the "real" Shakespeare with "no politics". Both adaptations are available in Cornmarket Press editions and well worth a quick read. Katherine West U of Toronto (I am writing my thesis on adaptations of the comedies in the eighteenth century) ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 12 Sep 1993 07:47:00 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0545 Shakespeare and Politics Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 545. Sunday, 12 Sept. 1993. From: Al Cacicedo Date: Saturday, 11 Sep 1993 12:07:54 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Politics again I sympathize with James McKenna's sense that "that seething politics is an inadequate explanation for Shakespeare's intensity." I'm sure we've all read pedestrian applications of political ideas to Shakespeare and other writers. On the other hand, keep in mind the fundamental American feminist position, that the personal is political, and perhaps "seething politics" become seething personal trauma. Consider a young woman in 1595, at the height of "illegitimate" births in England, who is convinced to do the deed of kind because her beau has promised her marriage. She is assuming what Katherine Salter asserts in 1564, "that after a couple have talked of matrimony it is lawful for them to have carnal copulation" (quoted by Susan Dwyer Amussen, *An Ordered Society*, p. 110). Salter in her turn is expressing the popular vision of marriage by spousals that is ultimately derived from canon law. As the canon lawyer, Henry Swinburne, says in his *Treatise of Spousals* (published in 1686, but probably written around 1600), such promises followed by consummation represent "the Substance, and indissoluble Knot of Matrimony" (p. 14). What neither Salter nor my imaginary woman of 1595 recognizes is that canon law and parliamentary law are in conflict precisely on the question that Swinburne states. So when my imaginary woman, now pregnant, takes her case to her local JP, she does so because she is caught in the political crossfire of two competing sources of authority. Furthermore, when the JP laughs her out of court because she is common and her rapist (as I think he can legitimately be called) is gentle, and the "community" agrees that the preservation of property supersedes whatever spousal rights she may have under contested canon law--then she encounters another aspect of the politics of early modern England. I really do not see that the "seething politics" in cases such as this are emotionally flat. Sorry for the length. Al Cacicedo (alc@joe.alb.edu) Albright College ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 12 Sep 1993 21:38:04 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0546 Re: Wanamaker's CBE Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 546. Sunday, 12 Sept. 1993. From: John Lavagnino Date: Sunday, 12 Sep 1993 11:17 EDT Subject: Re: Wanamaker, CBE In response to Terence Hawkes's inquiry: no, I at least don't find it distasteful that an American citizen should accept a title like "Commander of the British Empire"; I find it amusing. Cultures vary from country to country, not just from century to century; I can believe that this honor (and the Globe business generally) can seem appalling to those in the UK, but in the context of American culture it all looks different. Titles like CBE, to us, are one of those quaint things they have over in Merrie England that make it such an interesting tourist attraction, and I'd accept such a title too just for the fun of it. Well, I'd probably decide not to, as a gesture of support for friends in the UK who are against such things, but you see what I mean. Recall the incident in *The Portrait of a Lady* when Isabel Archer, newly arrived in England, is introduced to Lord Warburton: she says, ``Oh, I hoped there would be a lord; it's just like a novel!'' She refuses to marry him all the same. John Lavagnino Department of English and American Literature, Brandeis University ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 14 Sep 1993 09:20:40 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0547 Re: Shakespeare's Politics and Wanamaker's CBE Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 547. Tuesday, 14 Sept. 1993. (1) From: Chris Kendall Date: Sunday, 12 Sep 1993 22:41:47 -0600 (MDT) Subj: Shakespeare's politics (2) From: Kenneth S. Rothwell Date: Monday, 13 Sep 1993 14:12:36 -500 (EDT) Subj: Re: Shakespeare's Politics and Wanamaker's Globe (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Chris Kendall Date: Sunday, 12 Sep 1993 22:41:47 -0600 (MDT) Subject: Shakespeare's politics James McKenna's words: > I find myself unable to shake the feeling that seething politics is > an inadequate explanation for Shakespeare's intensity. > Understanding--or at > least being aware of--those politics brings us closer to a literal > understanding of his works, but of what value is that if our souls > are unmoved? are close to describing the point of view that led me into this question and the debate with the friend I mentioned. I thank Gabriel Egan for initiating this discourse at such a lofty pitch. I confess to being largely ignorant of cultural materialism, but do not intend to remain so. And thanks to all of you for volunteering your knowledge and opinions. (But please don't take this thanks as a period to our discussion.) I have one point to contend with Mr McKenna: can the author of "How many ages hence Shall this our lofty scene be acted over In states unborn and accents yet unknown?" be fairly said not to have been writing for Maya Angelou? Chris Kendall (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kenneth S. Rothwell Date: Monday, 13 Sep 1993 14:12:36 -500 (EDT) Subject: Re: Shakespeare's Politics and Wanamaker's Globe Dear Terry Hawkes: The latest blast about Sam Wanamaker's CBE compels me to creep out of the closet and admit that I was the "naive" dupe who set off this uproar. In replying to an Australian e-mail query about the address of the Globe Bankside, I gratituously added that my friend Sam Wanamaker had recently been made an Hon. CBE. Maybe I thought that I was somehow basking in the reflected glory. Little did I suspect that I was oppressing Southwark streetsweepers, condoning contributions from wicked innkeepers, and cheerleading for British imperialism. I feel sorry for the Southwark streetsweepers, though in Burlington, Vermont, the streetsweeping is quaintly mechanized. I don't think money laundering for worthy causes should be too closely examined; G.B. Shaw wonderfully explores that ethical dilemma with Andrew Undershaft and the Salvation Army in Major Barbara. As for political Shakespeare, the bard is large enough to contain multitudes. No, as an American I feel neither guilt nor qualms over my delight in Sam Wanamaker's honorary title. If Ronald Reagan can be showered with honors why not Sam Wanamaker? I interpreted the queen's gesture as recognition of his prodigious labors. The Bankside playhouse will be his monument. Let's hope that the "flaming" over this non-issue soon diminishes to embers. As our [Episcopalian] bishop always used to say, "Go in peace and remember the poor." Ken Rothwell ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 14 Sep 1993 09:38:52 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0548 Re: Jewish Stereotypes Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 548. Tuesday, 14 Sept. 1993. (1) From: Herbert Donow Date: Monday, 13 Sep 93 09:30:50 CST Subj: Jewish stereotypes (2) From: David Richman Date: Monday, 13 Sep 1993 16:49:12 -0400 (EDT) Subj: RE: SHK 4.0542 Jewish Stereotypes (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Herbert Donow Date: Monday, 13 Sep 93 09:30:50 CST Subject: Jewish stereotypes An article I came across a couple of years ago might serve Milla Riggio's purposes: "Case Studies in Censorship: Censoring The Merchant of Venice" published in 19 (1991): 55-69. Thomas Nashe also gives us an idea about contemporary Jewish stereotypes in Christs Teares Over Jerusalem: "Let us leave of the Proverbe which we use to a cruel dealer, saying, Goe thy waies, thou art a Jewe; and say, Goe thy waies, thou art a Londoner. For then Londoners, are none more hard harted and cruel." Thanks also to those of you who gave me recent titles on Shakespeare and mythology. They were quite helpful. Herb Donow, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: David Richman Date: Monday, 13 Sep 1993 16:49:12 -0400 (EDT) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0542 Jewish Stereotypes Anthony Hecht, in a book of essays called *Obligatti* has an interesting essay on *Merchant of Venice* that delves deeply into medieval and Renaissance views of Jews and Judaism. The essay is a fine place to start, because he cites many sources. Good luck. David Richman ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 14 Sep 1993 09:48:48 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0549 Re: Sly and Induction Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 549. Tuesday, 14 Sept. 1993. (1) From: Larry Schwartz Date: Monday, 13 Sep 93 09:31:29 CDT Subj: Christopher Sly (2) From: Blair Kelly III Date: Tuesday, 14 Sep 1993 08:34:36 -0400 Subj: Sly in Shrew (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Larry Schwartz Date: Monday, 13 Sep 93 09:31:29 CDT Subject: Christopher Sly On my one and only trip, thus far, to England 11 years ago, I went to the RSC production of "Taming" at Stratford, and the Christopher Sly induction was used then. I think that the platform he was on remained onstage for the whole play, but I'm a little hazy about it. ls. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Blair Kelly III Date: Tuesday, 14 Sep 1993 08:34:36 -0400 Subject: Sly in Shrew One of my favorite productions of The Taming of the Shrew was a 1990 production by the Royal Theatre of York. They left in the introduction of Christopher Sly as a drunken lout on whom a passing lord decides to play a joke. He has Sly dressed in fine clothes and has his servants do what Sly asks. Then the play of the Shrew is performed for Sly. During the first Katherine scene, she is played by the young male page --- who had dressed up as Sly's wife. But then Sly falls asleep, and the rest is his dream. Now an actress was Katherine. And what a spitfire of a Katherine she was! But she was well matched with Petruchio (the lord). By the end he had tamed her. But her final speech ``Thy husband is thy lord, thy life, thy keeper, thy head, they sovereign'' is not a speech by a subdued Kate, but by a wiser Kate. It was an excellent performance. At the end, Sly wakes up, returns to his real wife, and gets a punch in the nose for tying to act like in the play. One thing that this company did that I really liked was involve the audience. At the interval they sold drinks on stage and invited everyone up. (It was hot under those lights! No wonder the performers were sweating up a storm.) The performers wandered around talking to people and started singing popular Italian opera tunes. At the end of the interval they got several people to do a medieval dance on the stage. And they had several people from the audience play the servants when Petruchio is throwing one of his fits and complaining that things are not good enough for his Kate. It was great! Blair Kelly III bfkelly@afterlife.ncsc.mil ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 14 Sep 1993 09:53:41 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0550 Q: Shakespeare Reading Groups Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 550. Tuesday, 14 Sept. 1993. From: Blair Kelly III Date: Tuesday, 14 Sep 1993 08:56:38 -0400 Subject: Questions about Shakespeare reading groups From 1988-1991, I had the good fortune to live in Cheltenham, England. While there I joined the Cheltenham Shakespeare Society. This group of amateur Shakespeareans gathers once a fortnight to read one of the Bard's works. Each member takes a different character and tries to put as much acting into their voice as possible. This was the last surviving chapter (of which my British friends were aware) of the British Imperial Shakespeare Society which started prior to 1900, had chapters in various parts of the British Empire, but sadly seems to have died around the time of the World War II. When I returned to Washington, D.C., I was lucky enough to find another reading group devoted to the Bard, the Washington Shakespeare Reading Group, which follows a similar format. This one had been started by an English major (now a pastor in NW DC) in 1990. Now for my questions: 1. Does anyone know of any other active Shakespeare reading groups? I would be very much interested in contacting such. 2. Does anyone know of any history of Shakespeare reading groups (and in particular of the British Imperial Shakespeare Society)? 3. Hardy - Would it be helpful to have a list of active reading groups (with contact persons) in your directory of Shakespearean organizations? I can provide references to the two of which I am aware. Blair Kelly III bfkelly@afterlife.ncsc.mil ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 14 Sep 1993 09:58:16 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0551 CFP: Computers & Texts Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 551. Tuesday, 14 Sept. 1993. From: Stuart Lee Date: Tuesday, 14 Sep 1993 14:30:00 BST Subject: _Computers & Texts_ CALL FOR PAPERS Computers & Texts CALL FOR PAPERS Newsletter of the CTI Centre for Textual Studies Computers & Texts has now been running for over two years and is the newsletter of the Computers in Teaching Initiative Centre for Textual Studies, based at Oxford University Computing Services. It has a selection of short articles relating to computer-aided learning in textual studies, a section devoted to the Office for Humanities Communication, and has a mailing of over 2,000 world-wide. This issue will concentrate on software development. Format: Submissions should be of approximately 1000 words although this is open to discussion with the editors. Footnotes should be limited and placed at the end of the article. References to published works should be of the form (Smith, 1992) with full bibliographical details given at the end of the article. Screen dumps are accepted, preferably in TIFF or PICT format for the Macintosh. Deadline: 15 October, 1993 Computers & Texts (issue 6) This issue will continue on from some of the themes explored in Computers & Texts 5. In the last issue problems of integrating software into the classroom were discussed. In this issue we would like to focus on the pedagogical implications of the designing and creation of new software. We would like contributions from anyone who has written their own software with relation to the teaching of humanities subjects, in particular those of literature, linguistics, classics, theology, theatre arts & drama. Material is especially welcome on interface design, structuring the software, and evaluation procedures. Send all details to: Lorna Hughes or Stuart Lee Research Officers CTI Centre for Textual Studies Oxford University Computing Services 13 Banbury Road Oxford OX2 6NN Tel:0865-273221 Fax:0865-273221 E-mail: CTITEXT@UK.AC.OX.VAX ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 15 Sep 1993 10:57:25 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0552 Re: Shakespeare Reading Groups Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 552. Wednesday, 15 Sept. 1993. (1) From: Fran Teague Date: Tuesday, 14 Sep 93 10:07:48 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0550 Q: Shakespeare Reading Groups (2) From: Jon Enriquez Date: Tuesday, 14 Sep 1993 18:00:31 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0550 Q: Shakespeare Reading Groups (3) From: Cary M. Mazer Date: Wednesday, 15 Sep 93 9:33:59 EDT Subj: B.E.S.S. (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Fran Teague Date: Tuesday, 14 Sep 93 10:07:48 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0550 Q: Shakespeare Reading Groups There's quite a lot about a reading group in the Joseph Crosby letters at the Folger. John Velz and I edited excerpts of this collection under the title _"One Touch of Shakespeare"_ for the Folger Press. I also did a little note on the reading club for Shakespeare Newsletter long ago and would be happy to send you a copy if you send my your surface/snail mail address. Michael Bristol's book on Shakespeare in America has some interesting info on the various American Shakespeare Societies, and I believe Georgianna Ziegler's collection on Furness has as well if my memory is not completely wonky. WARNING: Bad joke follows. The reference to surface/snail mail above reminds me of a joke. Junk mail, as we can surely all agree, is annoying. People often notice that the junk mail that comes in over a computer network is really more annoying than that received in the surface mail. The reason, of course, is obvious: The e-mail of the specious is far deadlier than the snail. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jon Enriquez Date: Tuesday, 14 Sep 1993 18:00:31 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0550 Q: Shakespeare Reading Groups My wife's grandmother is a long-time member of a Shakespeare reading group in her small Oregon town. The group (I don't have an exact name) is at least 70 years old. The impression I get is that, whatever its origins, it is mostly a social circle rather than a literary society; I don't believe that Grandmother is or was ever much of an actress, although that could just be my wife talking. If you would like to try to contact this group, drop me a note off-list and we'll try to pursue it, either through Grandmother or some other source. Jon Enriquez The Graduate School Georgetown University ENRIQUEZJ@guvax (Bitnet) ENRIQUEZJ@guvax.georgetown.edu (Internet) (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Cary M. Mazer Date: Wednesday, 15 Sep 93 9:33:59 EDT Subject: B.E.S.S. I too am interested in turn-of-the-century reading groups, especially the one you mention, which was actually called the British EMPIRE Shakespeare Society, no doubt to generate B.E.S.S. as its acronym. In the late 1900s and early 1910s, B.E.S.S. sponsored not only local amateur reading groups, but public semi-staged script-in-hand readings in London. These were widely sought after acting professional gigs, and at the same time universally generally resented by actors in the profession. B.E.S.S. could secure the services of the actors for next to nothing, because the actors hoped the reading might lead to a real job with a prominent actor-manager who might be considering doing the play. Knowing this, the actor-managers would use B.E.S.S. and exploit the actors for a free try-out of the material. Someone else who would be interested in any and all material is Jonathan Rose, in the History department of Drew University, and President of the Society for the History of Authorship, Reading and Publishing (SHARP). Rose is working on working-class reading in late Victorian and Edwardian Britain. To my knowledge, he is not on e-mail, so anyone with information to share can reach him by snail mail at Drew. Cary M. Mazer University of Pennsylvania ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 15 Sep 1993 10:59:17 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0553 Re: Jewish Stereotypes; Sly and Induction Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 554. Wednesday, 15 Sept. 1993. (1) From: Jay L Halio Date: Tuesday, 14 Sep 1993 10:50:48 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0542 Jewish Stereotypes (2) From: Dennis Kennedy Date: Tuesday, 14 Sep 1993 19:47 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0539 Re: Christopher Sly and Induction (3) From: Nate Johnson Date: Tuesday, 14 Sep 93 20:52:18 EDT Subj: *Taming of the Shrew* Induction (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jay L Halio Date: Tuesday, 14 Sep 1993 10:50:48 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0542 Jewish Stereotypes > Some months ago, there was a discussion of Shylock and Co. which I have no > desire to reopen, but suddenly I find myself in need as quickly as possible of > all possible sources on Jewish stereotypes in the late middle ages and > Renaissance. I'd welcome help here. Can you lead me to primary and secondary > sources that will help inform a panel I have been asked by the Hartford Stage > Co. to lead on stereotypes (Hartford Stage is, guess what, doing The Merchant > of Venice). Thanks. > > Milla Riggio See John Gross's book, *Shylock*, recently published. My edtion of *Merchant* is imminent from Oxford U.P. and has some useful info, too. Jay Halio (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Dennis Kennedy Date: Tuesday, 14 Sep 1993 19:47 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0539 Re: Christopher Sly and Induction It's reasonably common now to open with the Sly Induction. Then, three choices: use the material from Taming of A Shrew that follows Sly through; rewrite that material or write new stuff; forget about Sly textually and leave him on stage, or bring him back on stage occasionally, as a mute commentator. Or, as Bogdanov did in 1977, turn him into the Petruchio. The stage histories by Holderness and by Haring Smith will fill in some detail. For an overview, look at Samuel Leiter's Shakespeare Around the Globe, which give capsule treatments for the period 1945-85. Hello, Ron. (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Nate Johnson Date: Tuesday, 14 Sep 93 20:52:18 EDT Subject: *Taming of the Shrew* Induction Two or three years ago I saw a touring production by (I think) the National Shakespeare Company which staged both the Induction and a contrived conclusion. The setting, Wells College, made the play's gender dynamics all the more poignant. If memory serves, Sly roamed the audience during scene changes (or was it only during intermission) and as the spectators near him grew aware of his belching, snoring presence, a ripple of laughter would spread from wherever he happened to sit down. I don't think the other characters from the Induction returned to stage (probably doubled parts, but I've lost the program) except to intervene when Sly interrupted the Vincentio/Merchant scene with "There'll be no going to prison here." At the end of the play, Sly woke up by himself (echoes of Bottom) and delivered a speech on his amazing dream: "I dreamt I was in a college of women who admired me..." (much laughter). I'm sorry my memory isn't more detailed. --Nate Johnson ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 15 Sep 1993 10:59:55 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0555 CFP: Graduate Student Conference Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 555. Wednesday, 15 Sept. 1993. From: Charlie Jones Date: Tuesday, 14 Sep 1993 12:57:21 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Call for Papers--Graduate Student Research CALL FOR PAPERS What's Eating You? The State University of New York at Buffalo's Department of English Announces Its Third Annual Graduate Student Conference March 19, 1994 Featuring This Year's Topic Of CONSUMPTION Suggested areas of exploration include the following: BODY: Figures of Consumption, Addicts, The Blob, Cannibals, Epicures, Gluttons (for Punishment), Gourmets, Gourmands, Leeches, Mouths, Parasites, Predators, Prey, Prostitutes, Suckers, Sycophants, Ulcers, Vampires, Worrywarts, Consumptive Bodies . . . FOOD: Appetite (for Destruction), Bodily Consumption Bistros, Cooking, Feasting, Sales, Soul Food, Canned Goods, Canon Goods, Food for Thought, Food for (Book) Worms, Food Fads, Bread Lines, Cafe Culture . . . MONEY: Acts of Consumptions, Advertising, Buying, Bohemia, Conspicuous Consumption, Good Taste, Bad Taste, Acquired Taste, Fashion Trends, Wasting Time, Wasted Money, Mass Marketing, Consuming Capital, Consuming Fiction . . . TEXT: Cookbooks, Crockery, Half-Baked Ideas, Consumer's Digest, Consumer Reports, Media Consumption, Figuring Consumption, Disfiguring Consumption, Eating Your Words, Eating Your Heart Out, Consuming Passion . . . DISEASE: AIDS, TB, Eating Disorders, Indulgence, Excess, Exposure . . . To Participate, please submit a 500-word abstract or ten-page paper with abstract no later than November 15, 1993, to: Charlie Jones Department of English 302 Clemens Hall SUNY Buffalo Buffalo, NY 14260 or, by e-mail to: Internet: V4048NPK@ubvmsd.cc.buffalo.edu Bitnet: V4048NPK@UBVMS For further information call Charlie Jones at (716) 883-4215 or Anne McGrail at (716) 884-6609. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 15 Sep 1993 10:58:19 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0553 Re: Shakespeare, Politics, The Globe, Wanamaker Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 553. Wednesday, 15 Sept. 1993. (1) From: Joseph Lawrence Lyle Date: Tuesday, 14 Sep 1993 12:05:14 -0400 Subj: Re: Shakespeare's Politics and Wanamaker's Globe (2) From: Gabriel Egan Date: Tuesday, 14 Sep 93 16:37:37 +0100 Subj: Re: Shakespeare's Politics and Wanamaker's Globe (3) From: Robert O'Connor Date: Wednesday, 15 Sep 1993 12:18:54 +0700 Subj: Shakespeare, The Globe, Politics, Wanamaker . . . . . . . . (4) From: Terence Hawkes Date: Wednesday, 15 Sep 93 14:35 BST Subj: Re: Shakespeare's Politics and Wanamaker's CBE (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Joseph Lawrence Lyle Date: Tuesday, 14 Sep 1993 12:05:14 -0400 Subject: Re: Shakespeare's Politics and Wanamaker's Globe Re James McKenna's observation that "politics" does not seem to exhaust the experience of Shakespeare: There is a middle ground. The left (to speak reductively) argues that we are merely politics; the right (to speak reductively) argues that we transcend politics. But politics are not "mere" politics. The left is correct that we are largely constructed within certain political circumstances; the right is correct that we continue to feel, to whatever extent, free, individual, subjective, singular. When the politics of subjectivity is argued intelligently, it neither debases subjectivity nor dismisses politics; rather, both can be conceived as what we live. (This argument occurs in a rather different form in Stephen Fallon's *Milton Among the Philosophers). Tentatively-- Jay Lyle (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Gabriel Egan Date: Tuesday, 14 Sep 93 16:37:37 +0100 Subject: Re: Shakespeare's Politics and Wanamaker's Globe >Lastly, reality (to some extent an automatic contradiction in terms, both in >the theatre and in electronic interactions). In one important sense modern >practice is to move AWAY from reality. Shakespeare has very few parts for >non-White actors or actresses, so now they are accepted in other parts. We now >have close blood relatives (say two brothers) totally different colours in a >production. Is this closer to 'reality'? -- clearly not. Does it require a >new leap in the 'willing suspension of disbelief? -- absolutely. I admit to >having had serious doubts about this change myself, on precisely those grounds. >A first class Ghanaian as Mercutio, in the RST Stratford, changed my views: I >would have been the poorer if he had not been allowed to play that role (and >obviously there are major employment/career implications for any actor/ actress >who is not White). So here is one way we have recently (last decade, mainly) >moved away from reality, and I applaud it. And Shakespeare himself clearly >plays with reality, rather than always trying to maximize the audience's sense >of it: the play within a play in Hamlet, Chorus in Henry V. How did you feel about Denzel Washington playing Don Pedro in Branagh's recent *Much Ado...*? I have scene a production at the National Theatre in London of *King Lear* in which the choice of a black actor to play Edmund (a bastard) seemed deliberately to make a point. I took the point to be that Edmund's inferior social position and disinheritance was in some way analogous to the oppression of black people. Would anyone, especially those who saw this production (RSC at the National, South Bank, Brian Cox as Lear, Ian McKellen as Kent, November 1990 I think) care to say what they make of this? As for Washington as Don Pedro, the presence of a black man as successor in a legitimate blood-line and a white man as the illegitimate, struck me as interesting but not necessarily intended to make a point. Does anyone think Branagh (assuming it was his decision as director) wanted to make a point of not making a point? IE that we have reached a point where we just accept actors as actors and do not notice colour. I agree there are major employment implications surrounding this subject, and do not have a firm opinion myself. Since 'realism' generally prevents women from playing men's roles and vice versa these days, is there a different principle needed for black people playing white and vice versa? Does anybody know the ratio of men to women in the acting profession - there are (I think) more male parts in the canon than female. Gabriel Egan g.egan@ucl.ac.uk (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Robert O'Connor Date: Wednesday, 15 Sep 1993 12:18:54 +0700 Subject: Shakespeare, The Globe, Politics, Wanamaker . . . . . . . . Dear SHAKSPEReans Guilty! An innocent query of mine about the Globe Reconstruction - inspired at least in part by a recent vist by Andrew Gurr, and Christine Eccles' book - seems to have set off quite a debate. But I do wonder - with some other correspondents - what the relevance of the nationality of the chief instigator of the project has, or indeed any awards he may have garnered. Isn't this, in the classic phrase, getting a little far from the text? I recently saw Olivier's 'Henry V' again, for the first time in about five years, and it bought back to me something that Andrew Gurr said while he was here in Canberra, namely that none of the people involved in the project expect it to answer all the questions about Elizabethan staging and performance, to say nothing of the questions the project itself seems to have raised. Olivier's film presented his own (highly amusing, if nothing else) picture of an Elizabethan playhouse in its hey-day; we all know there are any number of such pictures idling in the minds of Shakespearean scholars and historians. Professor Gurr also suggested that one of the things the Globe Centre will have to do, once it was up and running, is spend several years simply experimenting with the stage and the space and so on. I for one will be more than happy to learn (and, if I am very lucky, lost out here in the antipodes, see) the results of these experiments. But I don't expect them to settle anything. Likewise, if there is anything I have learned thus far, half-way through my PhD, it is not tom expect any resolution of debates about Shakespeare and politics. Fascinating, all the same. Irrelevant side-note: having recently moved into a postgrad-only college here at ANU, I have had a number of people in various fields asking me the old question: is there anything left in Shakespeare to write about. I wish I could have shown some of them excerpts of this debate! Robert F. O'Connor ocoreng@durras.anu.edu.au English Department Australian National University (4)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Terence Hawkes Date: Wednesday, 15 Sep 93 14:35 BST Subject: Re: Shakespeare's Politics and Wanamaker's CBE To Kenneth Rothwell: Hallo Ken! Of course I can only share your delight when Commanderships of the British Empire are doled out to deserving citizens of the US. My idea that the term 'British Empire' might have a special resonance for a citizen of the Republic clearly has no historical or material basis. Silly old me. As for the absurd notion that Shakespeare might -just ever so marginally- have been used as part of various political strategies from time to time, well I'm genuinely relieved to hear that the Bard inhabits a sphere beyond that sort of thing. Thank God no one ever thought of doing a film, say, of Henry V before the D-Day landings. What a disaster that would have been! Blair Kelly's mention of the British Imperial Shakespeare Society can only be inflammatory in the circumstances. Is he some sort of Cultural Materialist? See you in Stratford! Terry Hawkes ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 16 Sep 1993 09:39:13 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0558 Re: Jewish Stereotypes Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 558. Thursday, 16 Sept. 1993. From: Milla Riggio Date: Wednesday, 15 Sep 1993 22:56:02 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0548 Re: Jewish Stereotypes Dear Herb and David: Thanks for the references to Jewish stereotypes. They will be helpful. I'm just beginning to get into the project myself; Ruth Mellinkoff's stuff (articles and books) on Cain and on Judas and even on the horned Moses are helpful. Right now, I'm looking in particular for instances of Jews with knives -- the "whetting the knife motif" and, harder to locate, the motif of the Jew as nay-sayer to pleasure (as a hater of masques and music). Best, Milla Riggio ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 16 Sep 1993 09:30:41 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0556 Shakespeare, Stone, and History Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 556. Thursday, 16 Sept. 1993. From: David Richman Date: Wednesday, 15 Sep 1993 13:25:21 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: Shakespeare's Politics and Wanamaker's Globe I was amused to read Oliver Stone's name in a recent posting (alas! not so recent by now) about the Wanamaker-Globe controversy. Like Shakespeare, Stone is making theatrical uses of historical narrative. Again like Shakespeare, Stone may be driven by an overtly political purpose. (The purpose or intention of a playwright or filmmaker is endlessly debatable.) What is less debatable, I think, is the fact that Stone, like Shakespeare, is drawing extensively on sometimes partisan historical narrative. Both use political assassination as the raw material for theatrical or cinematic endeavor. Each deliberately departs from the facts--to the extent that these are knowable--and attempts to set forth in action a deeper truth about the assassination of Henry VI, or Julius Caesar, or Richard II, or JFK. "The deep truth is imageless" says Shelley, but perhaps it can be expressed in theatrical action. It is profitable to compare Stone's uses of his \ narrative sources (Garrison, Prouty, Marrs) to Shakespeare's uses of his narrative sources (More, Hollinshed, Hall.) I am currently at work on a book on W.B. Yeats's plays. When I finish that (many years from now), I may undertake a book on theatrical uses of history From Shakespeare to Stone. I will, that is, if someone else doesn't tackle the subject first. Cheers, David Richman University of New Hampshire ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 16 Sep 1993 09:35:28 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0557 [was unnumbered] shPRINT Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 557. Thursday, 16 Sept. 1993. From: John Jacob Spitzer Date: Thursday, 16 Sep 1993 09:49:25 +1000 (EST) Subject: Twelfth Night Production History I'm am currently for an audition to a course researching, then designing my own set, etc for a fictitious production of the Twelfth Night. Could anybody on the list who has seen productions of the play which involved interesting staging, with sets etc contact me? My intention is to gather the ideas that previous productions have incorporated so that I can come up with my own original version. Just a background, the course is at NIDA, The National Institute of Dramatic Art in Australia. ( Where Mel Gibson amongst others trained.) I am auditioning for the Technical Production Course. It's a hard course to get into, but I desperately want to. Thanks for any responses in advance. E-mail or via the list! Zac Spitzer Lighting Designer jjs@ariel.ucs.unimelb.edu.au ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 16 Sep 1993 09:49:10 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0559 Re: Shakespeare, Politics, The Globe, Wanamaker Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 559. Thursday, 16 Sept. 1993. (1) From: Michael Mullin Date: Thursday, 16 Sep 1993 00:35:01 -0600 Subj: Re: Shakespeare, Politics, The Globe, Wanamaker (2) (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Michael Mullin Date: Thursday, 16 Sep 1993 00:35:01 -0600 Subject: Re: Shakespeare, Politics, The Globe, Wanamaker Flame on O Mighty Hawkes, Flame On! My not-so-sainted Irish former mother-in-law informed me once, dear Terry, that "Sarcasm was the Devil's weapon." How well you employ it, and with such gusto. I must say, however, that it somewhat tinges your sincerity. By this I mean no ad hominem, for as one Gael to another (we Irish and Welsh are after all blood bonded by culture and genes) I delight in your effusions almost as much as I disagree with your conclusions. So to one and all, let's stir the pot again, and so to bed. With deep affection for yourselves and an eyebrow raised for views expressed-- Michael Mullin PS. Want to put them on videotape? I'll be in London the first week in October filming for an exhibition on "Our Shakespeares:" Shakespeare Across Cultures." I'd love to have a chance to record your views to be included in the potpourri. Or perhaps John or Alan or somebody else could speak for your position. This is no put-on. We're making a CD-ROM to go with the exhibition, and I firmly believe that all views ought to be represented--in living color if possible. Give me a call at 217/356-0033 or email me at motley@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu). Eh? O to be in the Arden, now that Autumn's here! Cheers, mates, Michael (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kenneth S. Rothwell Date: Thursday, 16 Sep 1993 09:11:42 -500 (EDT) Subject: Re: Shakespeare, Politics, The Globe, Wanamaker Dear Terry Hawkes, Much thanks for responding to my apolitical commentary, which is of course covertly political, as we all know. There is much to say on the subject, which I too hope we can continue to explore if I make it to Stratford in August. Best wishes, Ken Rothwell ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 16 Sep 1993 20:16:19 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0563 [was unnumbered] shPRINT Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 563. Thursday, 16 Sept. 1993. From: Hope A. Greenberg Date: Thursday, 16 Sep 1993 12:38:59 -500 (EDT) Subject: Re: *Twelfth Night* Production Design For what it's worth: I once saw a production of Twelfth Night set on an ocean liner in the 1920s, decent costumes, minimal sets. It worked vaguely but the setting didn't add anything special to the work and in some ways detracted from it slightly. Hope A. Greenberg Academic Computing University of Vermont Burlington, VT 05405 ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 16 Sep 1993 20:08:16 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0561 Re: Jewish Stereotypes Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 561. Thursday, 16 Sept. 1993. (1) From: John Cox Date: Thursday, 16 Sep 1993 11:52:48 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0558 Re: Jewish Stereotypes (2) From: Jean Peterson Date: Thursday, 16 Sep 1993 11:56:57 -0400 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0558 Re: Jewish Stereotypes (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John Cox Date: Thursday, 16 Sep 1993 11:52:48 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0558 Re: Jewish Stereotypes Milla, Try calling Gail Gibson at Davidson College. (I don't think she's on either SHAKSPER or PERFORM.) She did some terrific work on medieval Jewish stage stereotypes in her dissertation, which I've seen, though it's not in print. John Cox (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jean Peterson Date: Thursday, 16 Sep 1993 11:56:57 -0400 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0558 Re: Jewish Stereotypes >Right now, I'm looking in particular for instances of >Jews with knives -- the "whetting the knife motif" and, harder to >locate, the motif of the Jew as nay-sayer to pleasure (as a hater of >masques and music). Then you MUST MUST MUST contact Jim Shapiro (Columbia University)! Best, Jean Peterson Bucknell University ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 16 Sep 1993 20:11:52 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0562 Re: Shakespeare Reading Groups Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 562. Thursday, 16 Sept. 1993. From: Georgianna Ziegler Date: Thursday, 16 Sep 1993 12:13:09 -0500 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0550 Q: Shakespeare Reading Groups The Shakspere Society of Philadelphia, founded in 1861, is one of the oldest, continually operating groups of the sort in existence. It is still all-male; still meets about once a month during the fall, winter, and spring; and still reads and discusses one or two plays a year. It was founded by the likes of Horace Howard Furness, Asa Israel Fish, and other Philadelphia lawyers, and its membership is still a mixture of professional men and academics. There also used to be a West Phila. Shakespeare group, all women, that met, but I don't know if they are still in existence. There were actually many such groups in the 19th and early 20th centuries--interesting if one could get a history together. Michael Bristol is one person who is working on the Shakespeare cultural phenomenon in this period. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 16 Sep 1993 20:00:15 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0560 Denzel Washington, Race, and Casting Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 560. Thursday, 16 Sept. 1993. (1) From: Ellen Edgerton Date: Thursday, 16 Sep 1993 09:43 ET Subj: Denzel Washington in *Much Ado* (2) From: Jon Enriquez Date: Thursday, 16 Sep 1993 09:58:48 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Race and Casting (a spinoff from Politics, etc.) (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ellen Edgerton Date: Thursday, 16 Sep 1993 09:43 ET Subject: Denzel Washington in *Much Ado* Gabriel Egan wonders if Kenneth Branagh was trying to make a point by not making a point with the casting of a black actor as a prince in *Much Ado About Nothing*. I'm reasonably certain that it was not so much an artistic consideration as a box-office one, and not so much a political/ cultural one as just this director's general curiosity about eclectic casting. In a Messina with characters with names like Hugh Oatcake and Frances Seacole, I personally hardly find a black prince "out of place." It's also interesting that in Shakespeare's day, Italy was considered decadent and strange, the California of its time. That a few viewers would consider the presence of a black prince in this play to be similarly decadent (or culturally incorrect) and strange seems, in a way, poetically fitting. There is one interesting quirk to the casting of Washington which I'm sure Branagh might not have considered. In his notes for the movie Branagh goes on a bit about *Much Ado*'s passing similarities to *R&J* and *Othello* -- *R&J* as expressed in the impulsive young lovers Claudio and Hero, and *Othello* presaged in the "pre-Iago" figure of Don John. Despite the fact that Shakespeare developed these plays from different sources, the similarities that *Much Ado* has to both the prior and the later play are hard to ignore. If Don John can be seen as a pre-Iago figure, who's the pre-Othello? (Claudio, the jealous dupe? Don Pedro, the military commander whose patronage of another man helps make the object of revenge? Both? Neither?) My cousin, who teaches a 12th-grade English class, has started off her semester with *Othello* and some of her students who saw *Much Ado* over the summer thought Don John was similar to Iago, and thought it was "neat" that there was a black actor playing the character that Don John was mad at. They of course don't know about the different sources Shakespeare used, but to me it does seem to pose a valid question: Just what motivated Shakespeare to choose these particular sources, anyway? As I said before, I think this is just a coincidental quirk of casting in *Much Ado*, but it's interesting to look at this film and see hints of both what probably >was< in Shakespeare's career (*R&J*) at the time that *Much Ado* was probably written (and if you listen carefully, you can hear that the Claudio-Hero love theme sounds suspiciously like "Tonight" from WEST SIDE STORY); and what was to come. If Branagh did in fact want to suggest this, he certainly succeeded -- at least to some of my cousin's 12th-graders. Ellen Edgerton ebedgert@suadmin.syr.edu (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jon Enriquez Date: Thursday, 16 Sep 1993 09:58:48 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Race and Casting (a spinoff from Politics, etc.) On the subject of race and casting, I submit that sometimes "non-realistic" casting is intended to make a point and sometimes it isn't. I've heard of a Mississippi production of *R&J* where the Montagues are all black and the Capulets all white; obviously, race matters here. A few years ago the Folger did *Othello* with a black man playing Iago. That suggested two things: that Iago was evil, not merely racist, and that blacks too often struggle with each other rather than working together against their common oppressors. Obviously, race matters. On the other hand, I don't think it matters in Branagh's *Ado*; it didn't matter when I acted in *R2* with a white Gaunt and black Bolingbroke; it didn't matter in a recent *R3* I saw where Buckingham was black. The plays were written for white male casts; in an era when white males make up a fraction of the talent pool, you either have to decide to restrict yourself to that fraction or find ways to broaden the cast. In cases like these, race -- and for that matter gender -- doesn't matter. Jon Enriquez The Graduate School Georgetown University ENRIQUEZJ@guvax (Bitnet) ENRIQUEZJ@guvax.georgetown.edu (Internet) ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 21 Sep 1993 07:25:09 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0564 Unexpected Interruption Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 564. Tuesday, 21 Sept. 1993. From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Tuesday, 21 September 1993 Subject: Unexpected Interruption Dear SHAKSPEReans, There has been an unexpected interruption in the mailing of SHAKSPER digests since Thursday, September 16. The Mailer on my end would not send messages out over the Internet, while they, nevertheless, managed to get to me. I assume that the problem was corrected some time on Monday; however, I have been involved in a family matter that has occupied me since then -- she arrived at 4:11 this morning, weighing in at a hefty eight pounds, twelve and a half ounces. Once I catch up on my sleep, I'll catch up on the recent submissions. --Hardy ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 22 Sep 1993 07:24:23 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0565 [was 4.0465] Re: Sly and Induction Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 565. Wednesday, 22 Sept. 1993. From: Helen Ostovich Date: Thursday, 16 Sep 1993 21:13:36 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0538 Q: Christopher Sly; Re: Prostitute's Death Re Christopher Sly and the full induction: An outdoor performance of SHREW in Earl Bales Park, Toronto, used the full induction. Sly watched most of the play from a balcony, drinking copious amounts of ale, and periodically falling asleep. Near the end of the play, when Bianca is sneaking off to marry "Cambio", the servants arrange an impromptu entertainment to distract anyone who might notice that the two lovers are missing. They require a third body for a sound-and-light show, and co-opt Sly. The hilarious part of all this is that Sly had clearly been bored by merely watching the players, but once he became a player himself, even though it was only a tableau, he got right into the spirit of the thing. I think that is the cleverest use I've ever seen made of Sly in the latter part of the play. Helen Ostovich ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 22 Sep 1993 07:37:49 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0566 Re: *Twelfth Night* Production History Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 566. Wednesday, 22 Sept. 1993. (1) From: Robert R. Burke Date: Thursday, 16 Sep 1993 21:36:09 -0500 (CDT) Subj: Re: Twelfth Night Production History (2) From: Kenneth S. Rothwell Date: Tuesday, 21 Sep 1993 09:09:58 -500 (EDT) Subj: Re: Twelfth Night Production History (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Robert R. Burke Date: Thursday, 16 Sep 1993 21:36:09 -0500 (CDT) Subject: Re: Twelfth Night Production History Kenneth Branagh's Renaissance Theatre Company did a beautifully gauze-like Twelfth Night in 1987 at Riverside Studios in London. I do not know who designed, but I remember being very impressed - and that coming from someone who played Orsino years ago in a local college production. Hope it works out for you. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kenneth S. Rothwell Date: Tuesday, 21 Sep 1993 09:09:58 -500 (EDT) Subject: Re: Twelfth Night Production History > For what it's worth: I once saw a production of Twelfth Night set on an > ocean liner in the 1920s, decent costumes, minimal sets. It worked vaguely > but the setting didn't add anything special to the work and in some ways > detracted from it slightly. Dear Hope, Was that a Folger Shakespeare Library production of *12th Night*? The shipboard one, I mean. I saw it and found it very Cole Porterish, sort of an Elizabethan *Anything Goes*. These impudent directors love to re-appropriate Shakespeare to their own ends. No use trying to stop them. Ken Rothwell ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 22 Sep 1993 07:46:41 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0567 Re: Shakespeare, Politics, The Globe, Wanamaker Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 567. Wednesday, 22 Sept. 1993. (1) From: Terence Hawkes Date: Friday, 17 Sep 93 11:41 BST Subject: Re: Shakespeare, Politics, The Globe, Wanamaker Dear Mike Mullin, I'm sure your former Irish mother-in-law knew the difference between Sarcasm and Irony. For instance, being Irish, she might well have appreciated the fact that some of the key scenes in Olivier's Henry V (eg the battle of Agincourt) were shot in IRELAND. I can almost hear her chuckling. Mind you, nothing POLITICAL involved, eh Mike? Sadly, I'm not Welsh: quite the reverse. Your man, Terry Hawkes (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John Drakakis Date: Wednesday, 22 Sep 93 11:42:00 BST Subject: SHK 4.0540 Re: Shakespeare's Politics an James McKenna asks what I'm doing about the whole question of Wanamaker's Globe project. It's a fair question, though it doesn't admit of any simple answer. Wanamaker has gone around soliciting the support of academics, and has managed that very successfully. I'm an academic, and I've refused my support; in fact I've written openly against it. If James McKenna's mind is changed as a result of all this then he too will think twice before he's asked to support such a project. That's two of us. It seems to me that on the other side of the Atlantic there are only two forms of political involvement- either you're a "limousine liberal" ( which I understand is a term of abuse) or you go out and buy a gun. I think that you have at your disposal many more subtle forms of political action, though I'm sure that the traditions are different in the USA from the UK. David Smith's rather crude attempt at name calling carries no currency here whatsoever, so he'd better understand that outside the USA Americanese of the kind he speaks does not rule OK. John Drakakis ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 22 Sep 1993 07:53:52 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0568 Second CFP: ALLCAH '94 Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 568. Wednesday, 22 Sept. 1993. From: Elaine M Brennan Date: Friday, 17 Sep 1993 11:05:55 EDT Subject: Second Call for Papers: ALLCACH '94 Association for Literary and Linguistic Computing Association for Computers and the Humanities "CONSENSUS EX MACHINA" Joint International Conference ALLC-ACH94 April 19-23, 1994 Paris Second Call for Papers: The ALLC-ACH conferences are the major forum for literary, linguistic and humanities computing. A particular focus of the conference "Consensus ex Machina" will be the methodological impact of computer science and mathematics on the humanities. Resorting to computer science and to mathematics is now often the most dramatic attempt to impart more objectivity (and consequently more consensus) to the humanities. What obstacles does such an undertaking meet? What successes can it claim? What failures must it admit to? Is there a way forward which will increase our knowledge and understanding of the humanities? LOCATION The conference will be held at La Sorbonne which stems from a college founded in 1253 by Robert de Sorbon and presently hosts the Universities of Paris IV (Arts and Humanities) as well as the famous /Ecole des Chartes (History). Accommodation for participants will be available in the lively Latin Quarter through the conference travel agency. The Latin Quarter and la Sorbonne can be very easily reached from Paris airports and stations thanks to the metro and the RER (regional express network). PROGRAMME The Paris conference will be held in April 1994. Its programme will be as follows: Tuesday 19th morning: welcome Tuesday 19th afternoon: opening and sessions Wednesday 20th: sessions Thursday 21th morning: sessions Thursday 21th afternoon: excursion (Versailles) Friday 22th morning and afternoon: sessions Friday 22th evening: banquet Saturday 23th morning: sessions TOPICS The Association for Literary and Linguistic Computing and the Association for Computers and the Humanities invite submissions on computer-aided topics in literature, linguistics and the language- oriented aspects of the humanities disciplines such as history, archaeology and music: statistical methods for text analysis, text encoding, text corpora, computational lexicography, machine translation, etc. LANGUAGES The official languages of the conference will be English and French. However papers can also be presented in another EEC language provided that they bear on the corresponding linguistic or literary themes. The coding scheme used in this announcement for French words is : /e = e + acute accent, /E = E + acute accent, \e = e + grave accent and \a = a + grave accent. REQUIREMENTS Proposals should describe substantial and original work. Those that concentrate on the development of new computing methodologies should make clear how the methodologies are applied to research and/or teaching in the humanities and should include some critical assessment of the application of those methodologies in the humanities. Those that concentrate on a particular application in the humanities (e.g., a study of the style of an author) should cite traditional as well as computer-based approaches to the problem and should include some critical assessment of the computing methodologies used. All proposals should include conclusions and references to important sources. ABSTRACT LENGTH Abstracts of 1500 words should be submitted for presentations of 25 minutes. Abstracts of 2500 words should be submitted for lectures of 45 minutes (state of the art themes only). FORMAT FOR SUBMISSIONS Electronic submissions are strongly encouraged. Please pay particular attention to the format given below. Submissions which do not conform to this format will be returned to the authors for reformatting, or may not be considered if they arrive very close to the deadline. All submissions should begin with the following information: Title: title of paper Author(s): names of author(s) Affiliation: of author(s) Contact address: full postal address E-mail: electronic mail address of main author (for contact), followed by other authors (if any) Fax number: of main author Phone number: of main author ELECTRONIC SUBMISSIONS These should be plain ASCII text files, not files formatted by a word processor, and should not contain tab character or soft hyphens. Paragraphs should be separated by blank lines. Headings and subheadings should be on separate lines and be numbered. Notes, if needed at all, should take the form of endnotes rather than footnotes. References, up to six, should be given at the end. Choose a simple markup scheme for accents and other characters that cannot be transmitted by electronic mail, and include an explanation ot the markup scheme after the title information. Electronic submissions shoud be sent to: ALLCACH@BLIULG11 with the subject line " Submission for ALLC-ACH94." PAPER SUBMISSIONS Submissions should be typed or printed on one side of the paper only, with ample margins. Six copies should be sent to the ALLC-ACH94 Programme Chair: Christian Delcourt, BELTEXT-Li\ege, Universit/e de Li\ege, place Cockerill, 3, B-4000 Li\ege, Belgium. DEADLINES: October 15th, 1993 (proposals of papers). December 15th, 1993 (notification of acceptance) February 15th, 1994 (advance registration) PUBLICATION OF PAPERS A selection of papers presented at the conference will be published in the series "Research in Humanities Computing" edited by Susan Hockey and Nancy Ide and published by Oxford University Press. Another one will be published as a special issue of T.A. Information. PROGRAM COMMITTEE Proposals will be evaluated by a panel of reviewers who will make recommendations to the Program Committee comprised of: Christian Delcourt, Chair Universit/e de Li\ege (ALLC) Elaine Brennan Brown University (ACH) Gordon Dixon Manchester Metropolitan University (ALLC) Paul A. Fortier University of Manitoba (ACH) Joel D. Goldfield Plymouth State College (ACH) Susan Hockey Rutgers and Princeton Universities (ALLC) Antonio Zampolli Universit\a degli Studi di Pisa (ALLC) Michael Neuman Georgetown University (ACH) Andr/e Salem, Local Organizer /Ecole normale sup/erieur de Saint-Cloud (ALLC) INQUIRIES Please address your inquiries to the ALLC-ACH94 Local Organizers: Andr/e Salem and Maurice Tournier, CNRS-INaLF, Lexicom/etrie et textes politiques, /Ecole Normale Sup/erieure, avenue de la Grille d'Honneur, F-92211 Saint-Cloud, France. Phone: 00+33+1+47.71.91.11 Fax: 00+33+1+46.02.39.11 ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 22 Sep 1993 07:59:21 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0569 Renaissance Drama Job Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 569. Wednesday, 22 Sept. 1993. From: Kevin Berland Date: Sunday, 19 Sep 93 22:38 EDT Subject: Renaissance Drama job Penn State is searching for a Tenured Full Professor in Renaissance Drama (with at least some interest in Shakespeare). The successful candidate will have at least two books of his or her own words and a rising national reputation. The appointee may currently be an Associate Professor with the second book in press, or already a senior Full. Anyone interested is invited to contact the search committee chair, Robert D. Hume (HB1@PSUVM). Department of English, Penn State, University Park, PA 16902. Home phone: 814-234-2355; office: 814-863-2344. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 22 Sep 1993 08:27:43 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0570 Re: Denzel Washington, Race, and Casting Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 570. Wednesday, 22 Sept. 1993. (1) From: Tom Horton Date: Monday, 20 Sep 93 15:16:08 -0400 Subj: SHK 4.0560 Denzel Washington, Race, and Casting (2) From: Susan Harris Date: Monday, 20 Sep 1993 17:40:17 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0560 Denzel Washington, Race, and Casting (3) From: Siobhan Perricone Date: Monday, 20 Sep 1993 15:46:17 -0500 (EST) Subj: Race and Casting (4) From: Jerald Bangham Date: Tuesday, 21 Sep 1993 18:52:14 Subj: Race, and Casting (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Tom Horton Date: Monday, 20 Sep 93 15:16:08 -0400 Subject: SHK 4.0560 Denzel Washington, Race, and Casting Regarding what one might surmise about Kenneth Branaugh's intentions when he cast Denzel Washington as the prince, this exact question was asked after the screening of the film at SAA in Atlanta back in April. For what it's worth, the PR guy from the production company who was there to answer questions said something to the effect of, "We took the best actors available who were suited for the part, and race never entered into it." Tom (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Susan Harris Date: Monday, 20 Sep 1993 17:40:17 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0560 Denzel Washington, Race, and Casting On Washington, race, and casting: I'm jumping in late and this may be redundant, but I agree with the point whoever it was made about race mattering or not mattering depending on how nontraditional casting is used. I also don't think it is "meant" to matter in Branagh's "Ado," any more than casting Americans for Claudio and Don John was meant to matter. To a certain extent, though, the choice to cast Washington would inevitably bring the audience's internalized emotions and attitudes about race into play just as a casting decision that intended to do so would. For instance, I think my reaction to Don Pedro being left behind for the big dance scene was affected by the fact that he was the only Black actor in the film. I'm also interested to know if anyone remembers the National (I think it was the National) Theater's production of "The White Devil" a couple years ago, in which Violetta, Flamineo, and their mother and younger brother were all Black while everyone else was white. I thought it was an odd decision and brought in some strange resonances, particularly the mother's speech over the younger son's dead body--what was originally a lament about family-on-family violence started to look like a commentary on Black-on-Black violence. Did anyone else see this production and have the same reaction? Susan Harris scharris@gibbs.oit.unc.edu (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Siobhan Perricone Date: Monday, 20 Sep 1993 15:46:17 -0500 (EST) Subject: Race and Casting When we did "A Midsummer Night's Dream" last year, we had a black Oberon playing against a very white Titania. They were also cast as Hippolyta and Theseus. It was really cool, but I don't think the director was trying to make a political statement. Hmm... (4)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jerald Bangham Date: Tuesday, 21 Sep 1993 18:52:14 Subject: Race, and Casting >On the subject of race and casting, I submit that sometimes "non-realistic" >casting is intended to make a point and sometimes it isn't. I've heard of a >Mississippi production of *R&J* where the Montagues are all black and the >Capulets all white; obviously, race matters here. I was in the production. I might point out that we also had a female Tybalt. Also our Juliet opens tonight in "LA PD Blue" which we don't get to see in Mississippi. One interesting comment from a local cast member. The show opened with a brawl between black students in the local high school and white students from the local military academy. The cast member pointed out that there is no fighting between black and white students (except for things sponsored by Mississippi Cultural Crossroads - the organization that was responsible for R & J - there is little interaction at all). However, when the high school was all white, the high school students fought the military school students all of the time. The racial conflicts are expressed in quite different ways. I guess that the point of my comments is that, while it was a really amazing production with great original music, I'm not sure that the white vs. black aspect of the show really worked. Jerry Bangham jbangham@kudzu.win.net ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 22 Sep 1993 08:32:54 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0571 Q: The Chorus in Shakespeare's Plays Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 571. Wednesday, 22 Sept. 1993. From: Nicholas Clary Date: Tuesday, 21 Sep 1993 12:40:26 -0500 (EST) Subject: The Chorus in Shakespeare's Plays I have been sending SHAKSPER postings along to students in my Shakespeare class. One young woman, who is considering in a research project on ROMEO AND JULIET, is wondering whether the scholars on our list might send her some information or give her some things to think about concerning the role of the chorus in Romeo & Juliet. She has written a discussion-preparation sheet for class and is now interested in writing a research essay on the chorus in Shakespeare's plays. She has noticed detected what she calls "a choral effect" in Richard III. As she says, "I'm interested in what Shakespeare was trying to do by adding this effect." How might we help this young student? Address your replies to Sarah Thank you, Nick Clary clary@smcvax.smcvt.edu ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 22 Sep 1993 08:35:03 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0572 Re: Jewish Stereotypes Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 572. Wednesday, 22 Sept. 1993. From: Ed Pechter Date: Tuesday, 21 Sep 1993 18:49:38 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0561 Re: Jewish Stereotypes Some funny & interesting & smart commentary in Philip Roth's last novel, which was (what a coincidence) called *Operation Shylock*. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 22 Sep 1993 08:39:27 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0573 New List: ETEXTCTR Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 573. Wednesday, 22 Sept. 1993. From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Wednesday, September 22, 1993 Subject: New List: ETEXTCTR The following announcement recently appeared on HUMANIST. Humanist Discussion Group, Vol. 7, No. 0193. Friday, 17 Sep 1993. New discussion list: ETEXTCTR@RUTVM1 At the first Humanities Computing Summer Seminar, organized by the Center for Electronic Texts in the Humanities in August 1992, the librarian participants suggested that there be some way for participants and other librarians actively developing electronic text centers to come together and share their experiences so that all could benefit and expand their expertise. As a result of this suggestion, the ALA ACRL Discussion Group on Electronic Text Centers was established in January 1993, with Marianne Gaunt (Associate University Librarian at Rutgers University) as its Chair. At the first meeting of this group, in June 1993 in New Orleans, a suggestion was made and accepted to take this further and set up an electronic discussion list for electronic text centers. This list has now been established. Its name is ETEXTCTR (Discussion Group on Electronic Text Centers), and will be administered from the listserv at Rutgers University, listserv@rutvm1 or listserv@rutvm1.rutgers.edu. It is a moderated list, meant to cover broad issues: budgets, acquisitions, cataloging, public services, management, training and staff development, etc. but to be focused initially on full-text files that are primarily monographic in nature rather than e-journals or numeric data files. If you would like to join in with this discussion, or would like to learn from the discussion among others, please subscribe to this list by sending a message to listserv@rutvm1 (bitnet address) OR listserv@rutvm1.rutgers.edu (internet address) Leave the subject line blank, and send as the body of the message the following line subscribe etextctr Firstname Lastname where Firstname is your first name and Lastname is your last name. The minutes of the first meeting of the ALA ACRL Discussion Group on Electronic Text Centers will be posted to this list shortly. You may respond to these minutes through the list, or post questions, comments or ideas on anything related to the development of electronic text centers. Send your postings to etextctr@rutvm1 (bitnet) OR etextctr@rutvm1.rutgers.edu If you have any questions about this list, or problems with technicalities, please write to the moderator, Annelies Hoogcarspel, at hoogcarspel@zodiac or hoogcarspel@zodiac.rutgers.edu. I look forward to a good discussion! Annelies Hoogcarspel P.S. I am new at moderating a list, so please bear with me :-). Center for Electronic Texts phone: (908) 932-1384 in the Humanities fax: (908) 932-1386 169 College Avenue bitnet: hoogcarspel@zodiac New Brunswick, NJ 08903 internet: hoogcarspel@zodiac.rutgers.edu ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 22 Sep 1993 08:47:02 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0574 Thanks Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 574. Wednesday, 22 Sept. 1993. From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Wednesday, September 22, 1993 Subject: Thanks Dear SHAKSPEReans, My wife Kathy, my elder daughter Melissa, and I thank you all for your kind words and thoughts regarding the birth of Rebecca Mary Elizabeth Cook. Forgive me my brief moment of fatherly pride. --Hardy PS: The unexpected interruption was indeed the Mailer problem; I expected Rebecca several weeks ago. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 23 Sep 1993 08:04:06 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0575 Re: Shakespeare, Politics, etc. (Next to the Last Words) Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 575. Thursday, 23 Sept. 1993. (1) From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Thursday, September 23, 1993 Subj: Re: Shakespeare, Politics, etc. (2) From: Tad Davis Date: Wednesday, 22 Sep 1993 09:40:17 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Enough already (3) From: David Bank Date: Wednesday,22 Sep 93 20:12:58 BST Subj: Re: Shakespeare, Politics, The Globe, Wanamaker (4) From: William Godshalk Date: Wednesday, 22 Sep 1993 20:52:23 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: Shakespeare, Politics, The Globe, Wanamaker (5) From: Kevin Berland Date: Wednesday, 22 Sep 93 22:33 EDT Subj: Re: Shakespeare, Politics, The Globe, Wanamaker (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Thursday, September 23, 1993 Subject: Re: Shakespeare, Politics, etc. It seems to me that this particular discussion has run its course. In fairness to all concerned, I will allow one more round of submissions, and then I ask those who wish to continue the discussion to do so privately. This, of course, does not preclude discussion of any of the issues raised in this thread in the future. --Hardy M. Cook Editor of SHAKSPER (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Tad Davis Date: Wednesday, 22 Sep 1993 09:40:17 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Enough already Could we back off the political labeling and name-calling? It's gotten to be downright unpleasant. Tad Davis davist@a1.relay.upenn.edu (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: David Bank Date: Wednesday,22 Sep 93 20:12:58 BST Subject: Re: Shakespeare, Politics, The Globe, Wanamaker To Hawkes *everything* is political, which is (a) why he has nothing specific, *a propos* or interesting to say, (b) why he has to resort to ad hominem to say it. It is quite impossible to conduct useful correspondence in this fashion. Put up - or shut up. (4)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Godshalk Date: Wednesday, 22 Sep 1993 20:52:23 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: Shakespeare, Politics, The Globe, Wanamaker In APPROPRIATING SHAKESPEARE: CONTEMPORARY CRITICAL QUARRELS, Brian Vickers devotes part of his seventh chapter to the Cultural Materialists. He "started life in a miner's cottage in South Wales" (414). He admits: "It is perfectly possible, of course, that reactionary teachers exist, and that they might appropriate aspects of the play [CORIOLANUS] as supporting their views, just as neo-Althusserians do for theirs, and just as naive patriots do in times of national danger. In which case, though, if my experience of class-rooms is at all typical, they are soon likely to find intelligent and independent pupils objecting . . ." (415). It's that last part that I like. As Vickers emphasizes, working-class children aren't necessarily stupid or ignorant. Yours, Bill Godshalk (5)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kevin Berland Date: Wednesday, 22 Sep 93 22:33 EDT Subject: Re: Shakespeare, Politics, The Globe, Wanamaker I'd really like to know how one can be "just the opposite" of Welsh. Please explain. Kevin Berland ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 23 Sep 1993 08:25:36 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0576 Re: Denzel Washington, Race, and Casting Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 576. Thursday, 23 Sept. 1993. (1) From: Tad Davis Date: Wednesday, 22 Sep 1993 09:34:31 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: Denzel Washington, Race, and Casting (2) From: Nancy W Miller Date: Wednesday, 22 Sep 93 13:00:04 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0570 Re: Denzel Washington, Race, and Casting (3) From: Nina Walker Date: Wednesday, 22 Sep 93 15:40:06 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0570 Re: Denzel Washington, Race, and Casting (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Tad Davis Date: Wednesday, 22 Sep 1993 09:34:31 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: Denzel Washington, Race, and Casting To me, the real question is not why Branagh cast Denzel Washington, who can act, but why he cast Keanu Reeves, who can't. Reeves's performance is the major blot on an otherwise delightful film. (Even Michael Keaton's performance, strange as it was, didn't bother me as much; at least he was doing SOMETHING.) Tad Davis davist@a1.relay.upenn.edu (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Nancy W Miller Date: Wednesday, 22 Sep 93 13:00:04 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0570 Re: Denzel Washington, Race, and Casting Can we stand one more comment about Branagh's casting of _Much Ado_? I can't help thinking that Denzel Washington and the other American actors (who, for the most part, stood out as significantly less talented than the British actors) were cast as a double-edged sword: a) to try to coax a presumably unlettered American audience into attending (and thus funding) the film; and b) to offer a gentle (?) dig against Americans via the contrast between acting abilities. Personally, I can't imagine why anyone would cast Keanu Reeves in anything, and I'm certain he could have found a host of talented American actors, well-trained in Shakespeare, if he had tried. (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Nina Walker Date: Wednesday, 22 Sep 93 15:40:06 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0570 Re: Denzel Washington, Race, and Casting I, too, am coming to the discussion late, having been away most of the summer. It is one that interests me however and I'd like to add.... Color blind casting is nothing new to those of us who are opera fans. It has become old news, as well it should. As a subscriber to the ART in Cambridge, MA (American Repertory Theatre) I can vouch for its continued success for some time now. This, however, I believe to be somewhat beside the point--to the best of my recollection Branaugh's casting is a first in film. Thus it takes on an added significance. It's a breakthrough, I hope, albeit a little discussed one. As a matter of fact, I am suspect of the lack of discussion in the press criticism and review. Silence on the subject is deafening. Were the critics pretending they didn't notice? I'd sooner the truth--they'd prefer to distance themselves from the subject and hope it will just go away. I don't believe for a minute the PR response that Washington was cast because he was best for the role. He's a fine actor but as we know Shakespeare is a specialty. I do believe that Branaugh and Washington must have been bracing for an adverse response and the PR response is the proper challenge to it. It's very regretable that response never came so that we might have aired some of the dirty linen that lurks behind all kinds of film casting. Branaugh and Washington are too intelligent not to have been ready for the argument that never came. Washington cast as one of two blood brothers was not done without thought. This role makes it impossible to ignore. To Susan Harris: Yes, I was also effected by the scene you speak of, almost exactly as you were. I expect we will be bringing our own context to such situations for some time to come if color blind casting ever makes progress. However, as with opera, eventually we will become blind to the color of the performer, as long as the performer is truly the best for the job. In this case, Washington (who may himself never be a great Shakespearan actor) opened the door for all those young non-white actors and actresses who may be inspired and must wait until some convoluted setting is invented for a staging of Shakespeare's play. Three cheers for Branaugh and Washington and for everyone willing to discuss their doubts and impressions. I fear, however, the film powers that be are keeping this discussion in the closet. So much for progress. I expect we'll see this again in film now that Branaugh has broken the barrier. Perhaps in my lifetime it will move beyond classics and into popular film. It should, of course, not threaten any drama in which race is a 'character'and racial casting is necessary to the context. There's room for both. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 23 Sep 1993 08:39:00 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0577 Job Announcement Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 577. Thursday, 23 Sept. 1993. From: University of Toledo Date: Wednesday, 22 Sep 1993 16:46:49 -0500 (EST) Subject: SHAKSPER: Job Opportunity UNIVERSITY OF TOLEDO: Tenure-track Assistant Professorship with specialty in Shakespeare and English Renaissance Literature. Ph.D. required by date of appointment. Publications desirable. We strongly encourage women and members of minority groups to apply. Send letter of application and dossier (to include curriculum vitae and three letters of reference) by November 12 to: John Boening, Chair, Department of English, The University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43606-3390. An Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/D/V. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 23 Sep 1993 08:42:09 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0578 Re: Sly and Induction Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 578. Thursday, 23 Sept. 1993. From: William Proctor Williams Date: Wednesday, 22 Sep 93 18:14 CDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0465 Re: Sly and Induction I'm on Study Leave and have probably missed part of this discussion, but the RSC production of 1992? used the Induction and made the actors in it take minor parts in the main action . William Proctor Williams Department of English Northern Illinois University DeKalb, IL 60115 ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 23 Sep 1993 08:46:23 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0579 SSP Seminar Announcement Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 579. Thursday, 23 Sept. 1993. From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Thursday, September 23, 1993 Subject: SSP Seminar Announcement The following announcement appeared on HUMANIST. Humanist Discussion Group, Vol. 7, No. 0203. Wednesday, 22 Sep 1993. Society for Scholarly Publishing Seminar Series ---------- PROFIT, TECHNOLOGY & SCHOLARSHIP A One-Day Seminar Examining Their Relationships Sheraton Suites ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA Monday, October 18, 1993 ---------- This seminar examines the effects of technology on publishing and scholarship in the 1990s, as well as the economics of electronic scholarly publishing. We will consider the impact of technology _and_ profits on the relationships between publishers and scholars. This seminar will benefit: o Publishers with electronic publishing programs who want to learn more about the effects of technology on scholarship. o Publishers considering electronic publication who are concerned about the economics of electronic publishing and the market demand for electronic formats. o Scholars and librarians who are concerned about the effect of technology and profits on the scholarly mission. o Anyone interested in learning about the future of scholarship and scholarly communication in the electronic age. ---------- 8:00 - 9:00 Registration 9:00 - 10:15 SESSION I: IS PROFIT POSSIBLE? Eric Calaluca (Paratext) - Back to Basics: Publishing is Publishing Dick Wood (UMI) - Risk-taking and the Electronic Publishing Environment (UMI/IEEE Project) Speaker from Knight-Ridder - Bringing Electronic Publications to the Consumer: Economic Considerations 10:45 - 12:00 SESSION II: SUPPORTING SCHOLARSHIP OR THWARTING PUBLISHING? Jane Rosenberg (National Endowment for the Humanities) Role of the Grant Making Foundation in Electronic Publishing Mike Neuman (Georgetown University Academic Computing Center) - Self-Publishing vs. Working with the Publisher: the Best of Both Worlds 12:00 - 1:00 Lunch 1:00 - 2:15 SESSION III: TECHNOLOGY: DOES THE PUBLISHER _HAVE_ TO GET INVOLVED? Royalynn O'Connor (Oxford University Press) - Pushed or Pulled: Seventy Titles and Still Going; Does it Make Sense? Carolyn Dyer (READEX) - The Scholarly Market: Are Demands Driving the Publisher? William Mathews (Research Publications) - Placing the Format in its Proper Perspective 2:45 - 4:00 SESSION IV: SCHOLARSHIP: BYTING THE DUST? OR REACHING FULL POTENTIAL? David Seaman (University of Virginia Electronic Text Center) - Supplying the Scholar with Integrated Resources: the Seamless Information System Susan Hockey (Center for Electronic Texts in the Humanities) - Beyond the Reference Tool: Large Full Text Databases and their Importance to Scholarship ---------------------------------------------------------------------- PROFIT, TECHNOLOGY & SCHOLARSHIP REGISTRATION FORM Last Name: First Name: Title: Organization: Address: City: State: ZIP: Phone: FAX: E-Mail: Do you need disabled or other special services? If so, please describe: Vegetarian meal required? ___ SSP Member: Early Registration - $195 Postmarked after October 8 - $245 ___ Non-Member: Early Registration - $245 Postmarked after October 8 - $295 $_________ Amount Enclosed ___ This form confirms a FAX registration ___ Check made payable to SSP ___Visa ___ MC Credit Card #: Name of Cardholder: Signature: ---------------------------------------------------------------------- CANCELLATION POLICY: Full refund for cancellation received at least one week prior to the seminar date. All others subject to $50 service fee. There are no refunds for cancellations received less than 72 hours prior to the seminar. Mail this form to: SSP Seminar Registration 10200 West 44th Avenue Suite #304 Wheat Ridge CO 80033 Phone: 303 422-3914 FAX: 303 422-8894 ---------- Marcia Tuttle University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill tuttle@gibbs.oit.unc.edu ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 24 Sep 1993 06:44:39 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0580 Re: Shakespeare, Politics, etc. Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 580. Friday, 24 Sept. 1993. From: Edward Pechter Date: Thursday, 23 Sep 1993 09:13:03 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: Shakespeare, Politics, etc. (Next to the Last Words) On the Simpsons last night, Marge starts a protest about tv cartoon violence. Itchy and Scratchy become loving friends. Everybody stops watching tv & starts playing creatively. Then the coalition of concerned parents mounts a protest because Michelangelo's David is coming to Springfield, with full frontal nudity. Marge is perplexed. She drops her protest. People go back to watching mindless violence on tv. The show ends with Marge and Homer looking at David. Marge is sad. Don't worry, says Homer, with his jerky grin. All the schoolkids will come see the statue anyway, because the school will make them. (This is what's called an open ending.) I blather on about the Simpsons by way of registering a protest about Hardy's intervention. How can we be sure the politics discussion has run its limits? Sure, it's repetitive, and there have been longeurs, but to my mind it's nothing compared with the endless expense of sensibility on Branagh's Much Ado (I can't even figure why that one got started, let alone won't end). I keep getting things out it that I find interesting and useful. For instance, that the same issues look so different from Britain & N America we probably shouldn't even be calling them the same issues. (I remember John Lavagnino [sic?] as having been the person who made that point the most clearly, but others have implied it as well.) That seems to me an interesting point, even a Theoretically Interesting Point (what are the implications for the Lear texts, say, or for how we create meaning by Shakespeare, say?). But would we have gotten there if the discussion hadn't been allowed to keep going? You never know enough until you know too much--something like that. Ditto on "flaming." Well, I'm going back to lurking in my tent now and reading John Stuart Mill and John Locke & all those other nasty bourgeois liberals. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 24 Sep 1993 07:15:56 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0581 Re: Color-Blind Casting and More Ado Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 581. Friday, 24 Sept. 1993. (1) From: Ellen Edgerton Date: Thursday, 23 Sep 93 06:49:43 PST Subj: Re: Denzel Washington, Race, and Casting (3) From: Celine Gura Date: Thursday, 23 Sep 1993 15:40:58 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: Denzel Washington, Race, and Casting (5) From: William Godshalk Date: Thursday, 23 Sep 1993 16:21:29 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Keanu Reeves (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ellen Edgerton Date: Thursday, 23 Sep 1993 08:52 ET Subject: Denzel Washington and race-blind casting Just wanted to add one more thing, in response to Nina Walker's comments on this subject: The Royal Shakespeare Company first cast a black performer in a lead role in 1985 -- Josette Simon, who played Rosaline in *Love's Labour's Lost*. If I'm not mistaken, one of her costars in that production was Kenneth Branagh, who played the King of Navarre. If so, he certainly would have had an opportunity to observe the pros and cons of race-blind casting in that production. Ellen Edgerton Syracuse University ebedgert@suadmin.syr.edu (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Timothy Bowden Date: Thursday, 23 Sep 93 06:49:43 PST Subject: Re: Denzel Washington, Race, and Casting > From: Nina Walker > ---------to the best of my recollection Branaugh's casting is a first > in film. Thus it takes on an added significance. It's a breakthrough, I > hope, albeit a little discussed one. Any truth to the rumor Shakespeare in the Park is mounting in New York a production featuring a Harlem street troup of black actors and actresses of _Othello_ with Tom Hanks in the title role? (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Celine Gura Date: Thursday, 23 Sep 1993 09:57:02 Subject: Re: Denzel Washington, Race, and Casting I think we are spending way too much time arguing over the casting and missing a significant point to the creation of this film. About the only contact most American high school students have with Shakespeare is in the classroom with a reading of Romeo and Juliet and if they are lucky the also get to see the one of several movie versions of it. The general public is not too interested in Shakespeare and about the only place you here conversation regarding the bard is in Universities. I applaud Branagh for his wide variety in actors because they represent and attract several different stratas of society that would not normally be interested in Shakespeare. Given I can not stand Keanu and think he really stinks as an actor. "Canoe" as a group of my friends and I call him here is very attractive and addresses the teenage crowd who probably would not go to a movie if they were told it was Shakespeare but tell them that Keanu is in it and they would grealty consider it. Denzel speaks to the African Americans and I would say everyone. He is a brillant actor and has broadened his audience with the great performance of Malcom X. He addresses the African Americans who would normally shun away from Shakespeare and shows that it is not just a "white thang" while also becoming a role model for young African American Actors and Actresses who aspire to play significant roles in the movies. Just a little side note- this is not Denzel's first dab at Shakespeare he has done Othello on the stage in his earlier years. I also think Michael usually known for his comedic roles addresses the older adults who are not interested in Shakespeare. His most recent role was in Batman who is a character from a lot of the baby boomers childhood. By casting these actors Branagh is breaking the form that has been imposed on Shakespeare over the years. That Shakespeare's plays are not for the normal public to understand. You ask a complete stranger on the streets to name a play by Shakespeare and if they can answer it certainly won't be Much Ado. IF you do get an answer besides "Who?" it would probably be Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare wrote for the general public and should still be for the general public. Hats off to Branagh for his attempt to make Shakespeare part of everyone's life through the screen. I hope he continues to do screen versions of Shakespeare. Celine Gura Media Acquisitions Coordinator Rush University (4)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: David Richman Date: Thursday, 23 Sep 1993 15:40:58 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: Denzel Washington, Race, and Casting One of the things I admired most about the *Much Ado* film, about which I admired many things, was Washington's performance. For me, he was appropriately authoritative and wry. His scene with Beatrice "Will you have me lady?"-- a difficult and delicate one--could not, in my view, have been done better. Of course, he and Branaugh broke important new ground in the area of "color-blind" casting. But he also belonged in that film. I'm not sure that Don John or Claudio did. David Richman University of New Hampshire (5)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Godshalk Date: Thursday, 23 Sep 1993 16:21:29 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Keanu Reeves I realize that Keanu Reeves has taken a good deal of negative criticism for his interpretation of Don John. However, I found his Don John right on target: young, petulant and not very dangerous. Were he dangerous, Don Pedro would hardly give him the run of the house. Nor did I think the American actors were perceptibly inferior to the Brits. Come on! Give us yanks a break. Yours, Bill Godshalk ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 24 Sep 1993 07:19:19 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0582 Q: Variorum *Shrew* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 582. Friday, 24 Sept. 1993. From: Herbert Donow Date: Thursday, 23 Sep 93 15:44:47 CST Subject: Shrew Has the variorum edition of Taming of the Shrew been completed? Who is or will be the editor? Herb Donow Southern Illinois University ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 24 Sep 1993 13:40:44 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0583 Re: Shakespeare and Politics (The Discussion Continues) Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 583. Friday, 24 Sept. 1993. (1) From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Friday, September 24, 1993 Subj: Shakespeare and Politics (2) From: Stephen Miller Date: Friday, 24 SEP 93 13:49:04 BST Subj: A Concluding word (3) From: Dennis Kennedy Date: Friday, 24 Sep 1993 09:55 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0580 Re: Shakespeare, Politics, etc. (4) From: John Cox Date: Friday, 24 Sep 1993 08:58:46 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0580 Re: Shakespeare, Politics, etc. (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Friday, September 24, 1993 Subject: Shakespeare and Politics SHAKSPEReans, The emerging consensus seems to be that my intervention into the recent discussions involving Shakespeare, Politics, The Globe, and Wanamaker was uncalled for. My attempt was not in any manner related to the subjects under discussion, and I took the step with great trepidation. I was concerned, rather, with the tone of many of the comments. I will, of course, continue to circulate digests of submissions related to these issues and hope that my intervention will not become a topic itself and that the subjects of the discourse will be the issue, not the discourse itself. Apologetically, Hardy M. Cook (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Stephen Miller Date: Friday, 24 SEP 93 13:49:04 BST Subject: A Concluding word Near the beginning of the recent discussion on Wanamaker's Globe I offered a brief description of the building work as I observed it one month ago on the South Bank. (A photo of the new section appeared in The (London) Times on Wed, 22 Sep 1993, p. 18; though I am no advocate of that journal, it does get spread about.) Also, I am no particular advocate for Wanamaker's project, though John Drakakis suggested that I might be 'besotted' in reply to my brief note. In fact, several month's ago I recall letters complaining that I was making points inimical to Wanamaker's project. Assailed from both sides, ah well. I did not reply sooner because I was away during the week after I sent the first message and because an alteration of machines here in early September meant that I missed some SHAKSPER files, and, hence, probably, part of the discussion. Stephen Miller UDLE031 @ BAY.CC.KCL.AC.UK (revised address) (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Dennis Kennedy Date: Friday, 24 Sep 1993 09:55 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0580 Re: Shakespeare, Politics, etc. I want to register support of Edward Pechter recent note. I think the editor's attempt to end the discussion of Shakespeare and Politics is a weak decision and should not be accepted by the subscribers. It is itself, in the most direct way, a political decision - and demonstrates precisely why arguments, even angry arguments, about our political positions are necessary if we are to understand Shakespeare as a cultural force. It's clear from some of the postings that some subscribers have not thought very deeply about Shakespeare in the material world, whereas others have done so and have much to say that is worth listening to. If what some subscribers say is offensive to others, isn't that the point of conferring? To discover where we draw the line? Dennis Kennedy University of Pittsburgh (4)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John Cox Date: Friday, 24 Sep 1993 08:58:46 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0580 Re: Shakespeare, Politics, etc. Hardy, I agree with Ed Pechter about the Wanamaker Globe and the discussion it has generated. I'm interested not only in the cross-cultural differ- ences but in differences within the same culture. One of our British colleagues just told another one to "put up or shut up." This is almost as good as Commons Question Time. I say, "Let 'er roll!" John Cox ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 24 Sep 1993 15:09:34 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0584 Two Queries: Olivier *R3*; Shakespeare Video Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 584. Friday, 24 Sept. 1993. (1) From: Andrew R. Murphy Date: Friday, 24 Sep 1993 10:44:32 -0500 (EST) Subj: Olivier's RICHARD III (2) From: Nick Clary Date: Friday, 24 Sep 1993 10:48:34 -0500 (EST) Subj: Video Shakespeare (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Andrew R. Murphy Date: Friday, 24 Sep 1993 10:44:32 -0500 (EST) Subject: Olivier's RICHARD III I'm a student of Shakespeare who needs some help on a research topic. I'm interested in comparing Olivier's performance in the film version of RICHARD III with that of the myth of the vampire. I got this idea from the scene in which Richard and Lady Anne kiss for the first time. As she departs, she touches her throat, and as the camera switches to Richard, his pale complexion has become more colorful. I'd also like to make a broader comparison of the film as fitting into the horror genre. This is for a research paper on performance aspects, so any help would be greatly appreciated. Andrew R. Murphy shaksper.dis@smcvax.smcvt.edu clary@smcvax.smcvt.edu (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Nick Clary Date: Friday, 24 Sep 1993 10:48:34 -0500 (EST) Subject: Video Shakespeare I have heard good things about a modernized version of ROMEO AND JULIET that was performed at the Chicago Art Institute in the fall of 1988. Does anyone know whether there was a video made of this production and, if so, where it can be purchased? Nick Clary clary@smcvax.smcvt.edu ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 25 Sep 1993 09:46:31 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0585 Re: More Ado; Race/Class -- US/UK Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 585. Saturday, 25 Sept. 1993. (1) From: Susan Harris Date: Friday, 24 Sep 1993 11:29:39 +0501 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0581 Re: Color-Blind Casting and More Ado (2) From: Al Cacicedo Date: Saturday, 25 Sep 1993 1:06:20 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Race/Class; US/UK (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Susan Harris Date: Friday, 24 Sep 1993 11:29:39 +0501 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0581 Re: Color-Blind Casting and More Ado Just wanted to concur with the poster who liked Washington's scene with Emma Thompson. I thought Washington, in general, was *great*, but that scene in particular stood out for me as one of the high points--I think it showed Branagh's originality better than some of the other decisions. Every other time I've seen *Much Ado* that scene has been tossed off as another bit of banter--playing it the way they did, Branagh, Thompson and Washington gave us more insight into both Pedro and Beatrice in about thirty seconds than I've seen in entire productions. Also, someone mentioned Josette Simon playing Juliet in 1985--she was the female lead in that production of *The White Devil* that I was talking about. I didn't get to see her because she was ill the day we went, but she was supposed to have been what really made that production happen. This may have been true, because not much was happening the night I went (although that may have been Webster's fault). Susan Harris scharris@gibbs.oit.unc.edu (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Al Cacicedo Date: Saturday, 25 Sep 1993 1:06:20 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Race/Class; US/UK Edward Pechter wonders why the casting of Denzel Washington in Branagh's *Ado* continues to enthrall, but "politics" is out. The answer, I think, is that race has the same political inflection in the US that class has in the UK. After all, I remember George Bush once saying that there are no class differences in the US. On the other hand, he never doubted that race is an objective category. Well, I guess I'll summer in Kenne- bunkport next year too. On the central issue that Pechter raises, is the phrase "communities of discourse" a term of art one can usefully apply to the "Theoretically Interesting Point" about different emphases on the two sides of theAtlantic? Al Cacicedo (alc@joe.alb.edu) Albright College ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 25 Sep 1993 09:59:25 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0586 SHAKSPER Discussions Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 586. Saturday, 25 Sept. 1993. (1) From: Bill Denning Date: Friday, 24 Sep 1993 15:00:17 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: Shakespeare and Politics (The Discussion Continues) (2) From: Ellen Edgerton Date: Friday, 24 Sep 1993 14:48 ET Subj: Terms of discourse on SHAKSPER (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Bill Denning Date: Friday, 24 Sep 1993 15:00:17 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: Shakespeare and Politics (The Discussion Continues) Hardy Cook writes: >>The emerging consensus seems to be that my intervention into the recent >>discussions involving Shakespeare, Politics, The Globe, and Wanamaker was >>uncalled for. My attempt was not in any manner related to the subjects under >>discussion, and I took the step with great trepidation. I was concerned, >>rather, with the tone of many of the comments. I will, of course, continue to >>circulate digests of submissions related to these issues and hope that my >>intervention will not become a topic itself and that the subjects of the >>discourse will be the issue, not the discourse itself. Personally I am neutral as to whether or not this particular discussion continues. Some of the commentary has been very insightful and informative, and some of it hasn't. I would like to point out that all electronic distribution lists are "owned", i.e. managed by one or more individuals who put a great deal of time & effort into this task. In the case of SHAKSPER, it's Hardy Cook. I doubt very much that he is paid for this, but rather is doing it on a voluntary basis so that all of us can enjoy exchanging our views & ideas. Occasionally guiding the discussion is part of the manager's job. I have no problem with the concept of limiting discussion when _in the opinion of the list manager_ it becomes necessary. Some of the members of this list work on VAX/VMS systems, and may participate in VAX NOTES discussions that are similar to this one. The technology is different, but the idea is the same. All VAX NOTES conferences have one or more moderators, who on occasion may set certain notes "hidden", i.e. non-readable, and on occasion may set an entire topic or conference "nowrite", when it becomes approriate to terminate discussion. Dennis Kennedy writes: >>If what some subscribers say is offensive to others, isn't that the point of >>conferring? To discover where we draw the line? I would encourage all correspondents to exercise restraint in their choice of wording. As to expressing any particular point of view, I think that diverse ideas encourage healthy, constructive discussion. Best regards, Bill (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ellen Edgerton Date: Friday, 24 Sep 1993 14:48 ET Subject: Terms of discourse on SHAKSPER While I don't condemn anyone for any line of conversation, and I have no opinion on Hardy Cook's intervention, I would like to point out that the subject lines of each mailing from SHAKSPER very clearly contain what the discussion is about. Therefore, those of us who are "pretentious" enough to care about the "relevant" topic of Shakespeare and politics ought to be able to engage in conversation without annoying people, and those of us who are "shallow" enough to care about the "interesting" topic of Kenneth Branagh's *Much Ado* ought to be able to do the same. Translation: There is such a thing as a "delete" key. It won't kill you to use it once in a while. Ellen Edgerton Syracuse University ebedgert@suadmin.syr.edu ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 25 Sep 1993 10:14:38 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0587 Rs: *R3*; Whores; Q: *H5* on TV Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 587. Saturday, 25 Sept. 1993. (1) From: Kevin Berland Date: Friday, 24 Sep 93 16:37 EDT Subj: Two Queries: Olivier *R3*; Shakespeare Video (2) From: Ronald Dwelle Date: Friday, 24 Sep 93 18:37:15 EST Subj: Whores & all that (a-political!) (3) From: Robert O'Connor Date: Saturday, 25 Sep 1993 18:13:14 +0700 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0580 The Simpsons (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kevin Berland Date: Friday, 24 Sep 93 16:37 EDT Subject: Two Queries: Olivier *R3*; Shakespeare Video Re: Olivier's R3 -- there's an interesting cinematographic genealogy here. Some of the effects used here (the shadows, the angles, &c.) owe much to expressionist film, especially Eisenstein (try to see the whole Ivan the Terrible, and compare it to R3, perhpas), and, of course, Nosferatu. An interesting idea... -- Kevin Berland (who is still waiting, by the way, to hear from Mr. Hawkes how one can be "just the opposite" of Welsh) (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ronald Dwelle Date: Friday, 24 Sep 93 18:37:15 EST Subject: Whores & all that (a-political!) I'm afraid I missed part of this conversation (summer break and all), but I did see a note on the typical dress of prostitutes, with a reference to Jonson's Bartholemew Fair. Can anyone on the list direct me to a discussion of popular perceptions of prostitutes in Shakespeare's time? I haven't found anything bookwise or article-wise, but am wondering if there might be a stray thesis unpublished somewhere (or a book I've overlooked). I am particularly interested in understanding the context of Hamlet's line of self-recrimination about how me must "like a whore unpack my heart with words"(II,ii,570), as though whores were known for volubility rather than action (not a modern notion, right?). (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Robert O'Connor Date: Saturday, 25 Sep 1993 18:13:14 +0700 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0580 The Simpsons Edward Pechter writes: >On the Simpsons last night, Marge starts a protest about tv >cartoon violence. Itchy and Scratchy become loving friends . . . I've seen that episode. Twice. I'm glad to find out that it isn't only Australian Television that seems to subsist on repeats. BUT - on that issue, and alongside the discussion about 'Much Ado', can anyone tell me whether Branagh's film of 'Henry V' has been shown on television anywhere yet? It has been some time since any of the Bard's films have graced the small screen here in Oz - not even the BBC productions. There is an 'alternative' (ie ethnic) TV station which will occassionally show some version or another but the main networks don't touch it. I think that this relates to a comment that has been made about Branagh's new film, that the American actors have been thrown in at least in part to help break into that market. The question is, is this possible, or even necessary? ROC Robert F. O'Connor ocoreng@durras.anu.edu.au English Department Australian National University ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 26 Sep 1993 08:04:48 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0591 Re: The Chorus in Shakespeare's Plays Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 591. Sunday, 26 Sept. 1993. From: Steve Urkowitz Date: Saturday, 25 Sep 93 21:49:59 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0571 Q: The Chorus in Shakespeare's Plays Without telling your student what the effect of a chorus might be, since different actors and productions generate radically different effects, you might have her look at the Q1 texts of R&J and H5 to see how different scripts offer different possibilities. Good luck. Steve Urkowitz SURCC@CUNYVM ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 26 Sep 1993 08:18:15 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0592 MLA Tenure Guideline (Emerging Technologies) Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 592. Sunday, 26 Sept. 1993. From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Sunday, September 26, 1993 Subject: MLA Tenure Guidelines The following, which appeared on HUMANIST, may be of interest. Humanist Discussion Group, Vol. 7, No. 0211. Friday, 24 Sep 1993. Date: Fri, 24 Sep 1993 14:42:09 -0500 (EST) From: JSOSNOS@uoft02.utoledo.edu Subject: Guidelines for Software Reviews for Tenure? REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON EXISTING GUIDELINES FOR SOFTWARE REVIEWS The Emerging Technologies Committee of the Modern Language Discussion is gathering information on any existing guidelines for evaluation of computer-related work during tenure and promotion reviews. If you know of such guidelines please send an email message to James Sosnoski JSOSNOSKI@MIAVX1.ACS.MUOHIO.EDU If you happen to be in possession of a copy of such guidelines it would be much appreciated if you sent a copy to The Emerging Technologies Committee % Bettina Huber The Modern Language Association 10 Astor Place New York, NY 10003 ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 26 Sep 1993 07:44:38 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0588 Re: *H5* on TV Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 588. Sunday, 26 Sept. 1993. (1) From: Daniel Traister Date: Saturday, 25 Sep 93 10:24:09 EDT Subj: Televised *Henry V* (2) From: Robert Burke Date: Saturday, 25 Sep 1993 14:01:28 -0500 (CDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0587 Rs: *R3*; Whores; Q: *H5* on TV (3) From: Ellen Edgerton Date: Saturday, 25 Sep 1993 17:39 ET Subj: *H5* on TV (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Daniel Traister Date: Saturday, 25 Sep 93 10:24:09 EDT Subject: Televised *Henry V* If I remember correctly, Branagh's *Henry V* has been broadcast on "premium" movie channels (cable television) in the USA (e.g., Cinemax; Showtime), and is scheduled to be *re*-broadcast on one or the other of these next month (October--*if* I remember correctly a quick flip through the October cable guide which arrived last week but is at home rather than at the office). Dan Traister Special Collections, Van Pelt-Dietrich Library University of Pennsylvania (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Robert Burke Date: Saturday, 25 Sep 1993 14:01:28 -0500 (CDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0587 Rs: *R3*; Whores; Q: *H5* on TV Branagh's ' Henry V' was shown on KCPT (Kansas City Public Television) sometime last year during their fund drive. (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ellen Edgerton Date: Saturday, 25 Sep 1993 17:39 ET Subject: *H5* on TV In answer to the question about whether or not *Henry V* (1989) had been aired on TV in the United States, the answer is yes -- twice on PBS (in spring 1992 and this past spring), and also on The Disney Channel, which somewhat oddly is the only American cable network to have the rights to it. A friend of mine who works at a PBS affiliate tells me that *Much Ado About Nothing* is slated to turn up on PBS next spring, but I haven't heard anything to confirm that. *Much Ado* has also been released in the former Soviet Union this past week (one print in Moscow). Supposedly it is the first Western film to be shown in theaters in first-run there in many years, if not the first time ever. Ellen Edgerton ebedgert@suadmin.syr.edu ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 26 Sep 1993 07:49:37 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0589 Re: SHAKSPER Discussions Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 589. Sunday, 26 Sept. 1993. From: William Proctor Williams Date: Saturday, 25 Sep 93 10:20 CDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0586 SHAKSPER Discussions I find this discussion a bit pointless. SHAKSPER is a moderated list. I take that to mean that Hardy Cook has the duty and the reponsiblity to "moderate" it. Although that does not allow him the right to only put out what he believes in, it does give him the right to participate, to suggest, to warn, and (if need be) to delete. If this troubles some perhaps they should start their own UNMODERATED list on Shakespeare and experience the joys of screens full of messages from cranks which is the lot of those of us who subscribe to such lists. I support Hardy Cook!!! William Proctor Williams Department of English Northern Illinois University DeKalb, IL 60115 ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 26 Sep 1993 08:01:14 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0590 Film Casting; Color-Blind and Color-Aware Casting Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 590. Sunday, 26 Sept. 1993. (1) From: Nina Walker Date: Saturday, 25 Sep 93 13:43:29 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0581 Re: Color-Blind Casting and More Ado (2) From: Phyllis Gorfain Date: Saturday, 25 Sep 1993 17:39:13 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0581 Re: Color-Blind Casting and More Ado (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Nina Walker Date: Saturday, 25 Sep 93 13:43:29 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0581 Re: Color-Blind Casting and More Ado To all those who responded to my commentary on Denzel Washington and the casting issue, I'm appreciative. Although I disagree that there has been too much discussion of the subject, I have had my say and would like to move on to another subject that seemed to develop as a result--the issue of popular appeal in film casting. I certainly agree with Celene Gura that Branaugh probably has this on his agenda, and I agree wholeheartedly with its huge value. However, I can't resist saying that I think Branaugh is not an original here but rather following in the footsteps of Franco Zeffirelli who has done this with such great success. The casting of American screen idols who can give reasonable performances, as Mel Gibson does, is incredibly important in introducing young, otherwise disinterested, audiences to the world of Shakespeare. For that we should all be grateful. Having said this, I would like to undermine the argument somewhat by saying that more is needed to achieve this popular response than just a popular American screen star and both Zeffirelli and now Branaugh seem to understand this completely. Both have emphasized action and location as much as stardom in their productions. Taking the action and location off the stage environment and out of the enclosed and restricted settings we are used to is an intergral feature of their productions that appeals to the resistant novice as much as the star. I can guarantee that Kevin Kline on video in *Hamlet* puts my students to sleep regardless of their fascination with Kline. By the way, a good number of my students do not come willingly to Shakespeare (as someone suggested.) They come in an Intro to Lit class, required in all majors. I use the Zeffirelli and Gibson film to plant the seeds which I hope will bring them voluntarily to the elective British Lit class later on. It works. I expect *Much Ado* will as well. When I saw *Much Ado* there was spontaneous applause from the audience--the "base, common and popular" audience. This is a rarity in the movies and it gives me heart. Note to Timothy Bowden: When, if ever, Tom Hanks appears as *Othello* you can be sure I'll see it. To Ellen Edgerton: Thanks for the bit of Branaugh history. Nina Walker (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Phyllis Gorfain Date: Saturday, 25 Sep 1993 17:39:13 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0581 Re: Color-Blind Casting and More Ado Just to add a few more anecdotes about color-blind and color-aware (a term?) casting: Denzel Washington played a terrific -- not great, but very fine -- Richard III in a Shakespeare in the Park production about three or four years ago. In the same production, a very fine black actor, whose name has slipped my mind, played Queen Margaret; in these cases, I believe, color was not a body-trait which we were to take as significant, as semantically rele- vant. But when Josette Simon played Rosaline in LLL, or when other black actors do so, as one did last year at the Stratford Festival in Canada, I believe this is not "color-blind casting." Too many references are made to Rosaline's dark eyes and brow (though Berowne instructs Costard to deliver his letter to "her white hand," III.i.168) that the actor's own coloring will be not be relevant. Finally, the teasing that Berowne endures from his mates, once they learn he has joined them in forswearing his vows but has taunted them as if he hadn't, centers on Rosaline's dark features. The king's first put-down to Berowne is: "By heaven, thy love is black as ebony." (IV.iii.243) and the repartee continues for another 35 lines, with many insults and paradoxes bandied to praise and dispraise "black." I have been fascinated, in the theatre, as to how to take these very cruel remarks, which, in the context of having not just a woman with dark hair and eyes as Rosaline, but a black woman of African descent, seem to me racist. Yet we seem not to be asked to see the King and the other young men as racists, at the same time that the lines cannot be taken in a "color-blind" context, for color clearly matters. How have other people interpreted and judged some moments in the theatre? It is clear that the contest between the men becomes an occasion for Berowne to prove his wit, his ability to excuse anything, paradoxically praise the apparently unworthy term "black," and "prove her fair, or talk till doomsday here," (IV.iii.270), just as he will be asked to provide proof that their "loving [is] lawful" and their "faith not torn." But what does this behavior "mean" in the theatre with a black actor playing Rosaline in our time? I find the theatrical signals confusing and morally perplexing. What have others felt and thought? Incidentally, I am teaching a colloquium for first and second-year students called "The Performative Impulse," co-taught with Prof. Roger Copeland, a theatre historian from our Theatre program. We have one class for "Problematic Pleasures" and another called "Beyond Performance," where we deal with questions of gaze, limits to willing suspension of disbelief, that which cannot be framed as representation, etc., and there deal with questions of casting. Any good readings or theory along these lines would be welcome! Thanks. Greetings from Oberlin. Phyllis Gorfain, fgorfain.@ocvaxa.cc.oberlin.edu ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 27 Sep 1993 09:37:37 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0593 Re: Whores, etc. Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 593. Monday, 27 Sept. 1993. (1) From: Nancy W Miller Date: Sunday, 26 Sep 93 11:26:20 EDT Subj: Re: Whores, etc. (2) From: Lars Engle Date: Monday, 27 Sep 93 08:18:43 CST Subj: RE: "like a whore unpack my heart with words" (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Nancy W Miller Date: Sunday, 26 Sep 93 11:26:20 EDT Subject: Re: Whores, etc. This is in response to Ronald Dwelle's question about the volubility of whores. Much of my current work focuses on the problem of women's chastity in early modern England, and I've found a very widespread conflation between silence and chastity (and, hence, volubility and unchastity), both of which are firmly rooted in social order--sexuality and access to discourse are both privileges of authority (and so denied to a large extent to women). Shrews, scolds, and whores often appear to be nearly interchangeable terms (it just depends upon which aspect of aberrent behavior one wishes to emphasize). See Joseph Swetnam's _Arraignment of lewde, idle, froward, and unconstant women_ (1617) for a good illustration of the misogynistic extreme of this conflation. Although Hamlet's line is indicative of a common perception, Shakespeare often separates the terms, and problematizes this conflation. To Robert F. O'Connor, re Branagh: _Henry V_ was recently broadcast in the U.S. on our Public Broadcasting System (perceived as "highbrow" by many Americans and rife with British imports). I'm the one who made the comment about American actors appealing to American interests: I'm not sure how well this works in terms of box office profits, but the Americanization of Shakespeare has certainly been attempted before (Mel Gibson's _Hamlet_, for instance, was perceived as a wholly American production because Gibson appears in so many successful American films.) The issue may be less a nationalistic one, on second thought, than simply one of familiarity with a particular face. Does anyone have some more informed ideas on this than I do? (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Lars Engle Date: Monday, 27 Sep 93 08:18:43 CST Subject: RE: "like a whore unpack my heart with words" I happened to come across a comment in Mary Ellen Lamb's *Gender and Authorship in the Sidney Circle* (Madison: UWiscP, 1990), p. 5, citing Peter Stallybrass's well-known essay "Patriarchal Territories," to the effect that "a married woman who would 'chafe and scold' at her husband risked classification as 'next to harlots, if not the same with them.' This classification passed into English law, so that a man who slandered a woman as a 'whore' could defend himself by stating his meaning as 'whore of her tonge,' not 'whore of her body.'" This seems to explain what Hamlet means, though there is doubtless (as usual) a further level of suggestion that his burst of expressive volubility compromises his bodily integrity much in the way that whores who sell sex might be thought to compromise theirs -- Hamlet's ranting speech includes the nightmare of having someone "give him the lie in the throat as deep as to the lungs," thus imagining speech as penetration. Lars Engle U. of Tulsa thus penetrating him with speech integrity ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 27 Sep 1993 09:42:58 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0595 NEACH: New Directions Panel Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 595. Monday, 27 Sept. 1993. From: Heyward Ehrlich Date: Monday, 27 Sep 1993 08:28:42 EDT Subject: Oct 20 NEACH: New Directions Panel An Invitation from NEACH: Northeast Association for Computers and the Humanities [Please distribute this announcement but forgive any cross-listings] Where is humanities computing heading? NEACH invites you to a special panel on NEW DIRECTIONS IN HUMANITIES COMPUTING on Wednesday, October 20, 1993 at 1:30 p.m. room 25B, the IBM Building, 590 Madison Avenue at 57th Street, in New York City. The event, the first of 1993-1994, marks the start of NEACH's tenth anniversary season. The pace of change is increasing in such areas as text analysis, networking, the human-computer interface, artistic creativity, new operating capabilities, and multimedia. The members of the panel will select for discussion significant changes and unexpected challenges as well as opportunities that will face us in the mid-1990s. The panel members for New Directions in Humanities Computing will present overviews, explore special topics, and share discussions in their areas of expertise: Susan Hockey, Center for Electronic Texts in the Humanities Joseph Raben, SCHOLAR listserv, CUNY Kurt DeBelder, Bobst Library, New York University Louie Crew, Academic Foundations, Rutgers University Put the NEACH meeting schedule for 1993-1994 on your calendar: Wed. Oct. 20 New Directions in Humanities Computing Panel: Hockey, Raben, DeBelder, Crew Tues. Nov. 9 The Alliance for Writing with Computers Trent Batson (Gallaudet & George Mason) Wed. Dec. 8 To be announced All NEACH meetings are free and open to the public. Reservations are not required, but seating space may be limited. NEACH usually meets on the second Tuesday or the second Wednesday of the month from October to May. NEACH is an affiliate of the ACH, the Association for Computers and the Humanities. Joint ACH/NEACH membership is available. All visitors to the IBM Building must obtain a pass at the entry desk on the ground floor: ask for "NEACH" or the "Humanities." For membership information, please contact Nan Hahn, NEACH sec'y-treas., 322 Second St., Dunellen, NJ 08812. Heyward Ehrlich, NEACH President (ehrlich@andromeda.rutgers.edu) ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 27 Sep 1993 09:40:46 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0594 Re: *H5* and *Ado* Videos Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 594. Monday, 27 Sept. 1993. From: Diana Henderson Date: Sunday, 26 Sep 1993 13:29 EST Subject: Henry V/Much Ado videos KB's Henry V has been shown here on PBS. Does anyone know if the Much Ado directed by A.J.Antoon, produced by Papp, & starring Sam Waterston and Kathleen Widdoes, is available? It was shown on t.v. during the '70s, & if I remember correctly the Pedro/Beatrice exchange had a richness similar to the more recent movie version. Diana Henderson, Middlebury College ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 28 Sep 1993 17:22:38 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0597 Re: Whores, etc. Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 597. Tuesday, 28 Sept. 1993. From: Bernice Kilman Date: Monday, 27 Sep 1993 10:21 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0593 Re: Whores, etc. Could the expression also refer to a whore's salacious language encouraging her customer, lying about her own arousal to arouse him? Thus unpacking her heart with mere words, not connected to the true feelings of her heart. This is not to deny the connection between silence and chastity in other instances. Bernice ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 28 Sep 1993 17:19:09 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0596 Color-Blind and Color-Aware Casting Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 596. Tuesday, 28 Sept. 1993. (1) From: Simon Rae Date: Monday, 27 Sep 1993 15:32:56 +0100 Subj: RE: SHK 4.0581 Re: Color-Blind Casting (2) From: Sean Lawrence Date: Monday, 27 Sep 1993 13:42:33 -0300 Subj: Film Casting; Color-Blind and Color-Aware Casting (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Simon Rae Date: Monday, 27 Sep 1993 15:32:56 +0100 Subject: RE: SHK 4.0581 Re: Color-Blind Casting Quick comment on this ... I remember my mother enthusing about (it was too long ago to 'rave about') Paul Robeson as Othello at the RSC, Stratford in the 50s/(very early 60s). That wasn't without it's problems then ... there were mutterings against communism and politics etc. The "race thing" ran the "'red' thing" a poor second I remember. > ... The Royal Shakespeare Company first cast a black performer > in a lead role in 1985 -- Josette Simon, who played Rosaline in *Love's > Labour's Lost*. ... > Ellen Edgerton > Syracuse University > ebedgert@suadmin.syr.edu Simon Rae (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Sean Lawrence Date: Monday, 27 Sep 1993 13:42:33 -0300 Subject: Film Casting; Color-Blind and Color-Aware Casting Hi! I hate to keep this discussion going until it dies of extreme old age, but I'd like to know if anyone proposed that the disjunction of Don Pedro's and Don John's race might suggest that they had different mothers, that only one is legitimate, and that the dynamic of jealousy might be similar to that between Edgar and Edmund in King Lear. Sorry if this has come up before, Sean Lawrence. (MAFEKING@AC.DAL.CA) ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 28 Sep 1993 18:55:42 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0601 Q: Editing *Ham.* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 601. Tuesday, 28 Sept. 1993. From: Annalisa Castaldo Date: Tuesday, 28 Sep 93 08:27:48 EDT Subject: Editing *Ham.* query Hello, I'm new to SHAKSPER, but already I'm finding the discussions interesting. However, this is a query for a paper I'm doing for a graduate seminar. I'm writing about the First (Bad) Quarto of *Hamlet* and its status as an editing text or source. I'm especially interested in any recent, hyper-text work done with the three texts of *Hamlet*. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. Annalisa Castaldo Temple University V796CF01@TEMPLEVM.EDU ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 28 Sep 1993 18:48:01 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0600 Re: Everyone-Looks-Bad Macbeth Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 600. Tuesday, 28 Sept. 1993. From: Anthony Korotko Hatch Date: Monday, 27 Sep 1993 12:37:56 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Bernice's inquiry re Macbeth productions where "everyone looks bad" Another work which may be of interest is Ionesco's MACBET. Ascribing to absurdist tradition it removes the elements of tragedy/tragic hero and casts the characters adrift within a less structured world revealing what one editor describes as "the senseless barbarism at the root of Shakespeare's play." It's a great play. I also saw the film, MEN OF RESPECT, but didn't really care for it. The film, for me, seemed only concerned with updating the language and the setting of MACBETH. Somehow, though, by choosing New York gangsters (Hollywood New York Gangsters) it lacked any kind of perspective. All that was communicated was "hey, these guys are rotten and they kill each other." In the least inspired production of Shakespeare's original the character Macbeth usually has somewhere to go, morally and socially. In MEN OF RESPECT he starts out at the bottom of society in a completely corrupt environment, no less, and stays there. Perhaps a more ambiguous setting (a political convention, a university drama department?!?) would have provided a little tension. (And the line-for-line "trans- lations" into slang seemed so very obvious where nothing else was added to the drama.) I have to admit, though, that the film might be better if one expects to laugh at the piece but when I first viewed the film I felt I wasn't supposed to be laughing. Anthony Korotko Hatch boston wit_akh@flo.org ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 28 Sep 1993 19:05:31 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0603 Thanks Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 603. Tuesday, 28 Sept. 1993. From: Nick Clary Date: Monday, 27 Sep 1993 15:34:49 -0500 (EST) Subject: Thanks Dear SHAKSPERians, Amid the flurry of feathers, I hope that many of you noticed how free of acrimony can be the exchanges of information and opinion between SHAKSPERians intent on sharing their enthusiasms and interests. In this light, I would like to thank all of you who have taken the time to respond to the inquiry and the request that were made by a pair of youthful and eager students of Shakespeare. By the way, they are reading ROMEO AND JULIET at the moment. I hope that our friendly feuding does not create the a bad impression of our city. Of course, there will always be as many Tybalts as Mercutios among us. Again, thanks to all of you who have taken the time to provide directions or promptings. May our conversations go on. Yes, Hardy, all of them. Nick Clary clary@smcvax.smcvt.edu ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 28 Sep 1993 17:37:51 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0598 Re: SHAKSPER Discussions Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 598. Tuesday, 28 Sept. 1993. (1) From: Zanne Westfall Pardee Date: Monday, 27 Sep 93 11:17:03 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0589 Re: SHAKSPER Discussions (2) From: James Callahan Date: Monday, 27 SEP 1993 11:31 -00 Subj: Good ol' Hardy (3) From: William Godshalk Date: Monday, 27 Sep 1993 22:39:04 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0589 Re: SHAKSPER Discussions (4) From: Timothy Bowden Date: Sunday, 26 Sep 93 16:19:20 PST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0589 Re: SHAKSPER Discussions (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Zanne Westfall Pardee Date: Monday, 27 Sep 93 11:17:03 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0589 Re: SHAKSPER Discussions I echo William P. Williams in his vote for a moderated list. Any of you who would like to experience the drudgery of deleting 25 or more crank, silly, irrelevant, useless messages PER DAY should subscribe to one of these "open-minded" discussions groups. After a few days away from your E-mail, you'll be ready to unsubscribe, providing your institution hasn't already cut you off for taking up too much space. The saddest thing about such list is that the annoyance factor frequently causes the subscriber to miss the really interesting stuff buried in the sludge, and to flee from lists that could be really valuable if they weren't so clogged with trivial nonsense. Go Hardy! (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: James Callahan Date: Monday, 27 SEP 1993 11:31 -00 Subject: Good ol' Hardy Down with Hardy, long live the new regime. I'm for Hardy, long live Hardy. If these messages look familiar, don't fret, participate, I'm going to start a new UNMODERATED list on the discussion about Hardy Cook -- the myth and the reality. I am tentatively titling it HARDLYHARDY and it will be open only to discussions about Hardy Cook's life and his SHAKSPER dream. All those who would like to participate in this UNMODERATED list please email me and I might be able to squeeze you into my schedule. You must be admitted to this UNMODERATED list by me and I will screen every message for content and adjust it where it seems appropriate. If there is an unappropriate topic being discussed (such as Hardy's shoe size, or where he ate lunch) then it will be censored with the phrase "NOTABOUTHARDY" please respond, as I am desperate for views on Hardy. Jim Callahan S3CALLAH@i.love.hardy.edu or HARDLYHARDY @ insig.dribble.univ (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Godshalk Date: Monday, 27 Sep 1993 22:39:04 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0589 Re: SHAKSPER Discussions Yes, it seems to me that Hardy does have the responsibility to end a discussion when it becomes too, too heated. After we cool down, we can go at it again - maybe. Yours, Bill Godshalk (4)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Timothy Bowden Date: Sunday, 26 Sep 93 16:19:20 PST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0589 Re: SHAKSPER Discussions > From: William Proctor Williams > I find this discussion a bit pointless. SHAKSPER is a > moderated list. I take that to mean that Hardy Cook has the duty > and the reponsiblity to "moderate" it. Although that does not allow > him the right to only put out what he believes in - Oh, yes it does. I run a list, and I can tell you it puts out precisely what I believe in, which is according to its charter and rules out the ad hominem entirely. I donate my time and my machine, and my responsibility is strictly to my host for mail, for which pleasure I pay a fee. I see now and again some sniveling along these wires, mostly from those who are too young to have experienced the joys of responsibility, demanding that their voices be sponsored no matter the content (or lack of it). I don't have time to play Mister Rogers myself, but I concede full and complete First Amendment rights to those who do who also are willing to pony up the requisite funds and force to form their own play pens. That's freedom of speech in the real world. Timothy Bowden tcbowden@clovis.felton.ca.us ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 28 Sep 1993 18:03:20 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0599 Assorted Rs & Qs: Productions, esp. TV & Video Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 599. Tuesday, 28 Sept. 1993. (1) From: Jerry White Date: Monday, 27 Sep 93 11:59:44 CDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0566 Re: *Twelfth Night* Production History (2) From: Timothy Dayne Pinnow Date: Monday, 27 Sep 93 12:53:50 CDT Subj: Henry V on Television (3) From: Howell Chickering Date: Monday, 27 Sep 1993 15:36:01 -0500 Subj: Brooke 1970 MSND Video? (4) From: Kenneth S. Rothwell Date: Tuesday, 28 Sep 1993 08:21:11 -500 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0594 Re: *H5* and *Ado* Videos (5) From: Jay L Halio Date: Monday, 27 Sep 1993 16:01:45 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0594 Re: *H5* and *Ado* Videos (6) From: John Ottenhoff Date: Tuesday, 28 Sep 1993 13:54:21 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0594 Re: *H5* and *Ado* Videos (7) From: Walter Cannon Date: Tuesday, 28 Sep 1993 15:40:19 -0500 (CDT) Subj: Ben Jonson (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jerry White Date: Monday, 27 Sep 93 11:59:44 CDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0566 Re: *Twelfth Night* Production History Robert R. Burke recently commented on the Riverside Studio production of Twelfth Night directed by Kenneth Branagh in 1987. The designer was Bunny Christie, and lighting was by Jon Linstrum. By the way, music was by Paul McCartney and Pat Doyle. I too enjoyed this melancholy interpretation of the play, especially Anton Lesser's Feste. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Timothy Dayne Pinnow Date: Monday, 27 Sep 93 12:53:50 CDT Subject: Henry V on Television In reply to Robert O'Connor: Branagh's *Henry V* has been seen in the U.S. on both cable television networks and once on broadcast this summer. From what I remember of the ratings, it did not do well at all in that medium (though my memory may be faulty). I guess most folks found it easier to catch some gratuitous cop show that watch Shakespeare on a small screen some Saturday evening. Timothy Dayne Pinnow Dept. of Speech-Theater St. Olaf College pinnow@stolaf.edu (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Howell Chickering Date: Monday, 27 Sep 1993 15:36:01 -0500 Subject: Brooke 1970 MSND Video? Speaking of videos, a chemist friend of mine asked me recently if there were a video of the Peter Brook 1970 production of MSND. He'd seen it in London and recalled it as "probably the most memorable experience of my life." I haven't been able to locate such a video, though there was much report and even a book written about the production. Does anyone know if a video exists? Chick Chickering HDCHICKERING@AMHERST (4)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kenneth S. Rothwell Date: Tuesday, 28 Sep 1993 08:21:11 -500 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0594 Re: *H5* and *Ado* Videos A few years ago the Papp Ado could be rented for $100 plus postage from the New York Shakespeare Festival on 16 mm film. The address is 425 Lafayette St., New York City NY 10003. Call 212-598-7109. Not available on video so far as I know. Ken Rothwell (5)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jay L Halio Date: Monday, 27 Sep 1993 16:01:45 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0594 Re: *H5* and *Ado* Videos > KB's Henry V has been shown here on PBS. Does anyone know if the Much Ado > directed by A.J.Antoon, produced by Papp, & starring Sam Waterston and > Kathleen Widdoes, is available? It was shown on t.v. during the '70s, & > if I remember correctly the Pedro/Beatrice exchange had a richness similar > to the more recent movie version. Alas, Ms. Henderson, the Papp *Much Ado* is not available. I tried years ago to get a copy to replace the one I had taped off screen, to no avail. Problems with the union contract, we were informed, when we wrote to the Public Theater to inquire. Meanwhile, the old copy I had has since crumbled, so that a VCR cannot pick up the signal anymore. A great loss, as this was (I agree) a truly fine production. Jay Halio (6)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John Ottenhoff Date: Tuesday, 28 Sep 1993 13:54:21 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0594 Re: *H5* and *Ado* Videos This just in from the Samuel Goldwyn Company: "The Samuel Goldwyn Company in cooperation with the educational community, is reaching out to students across the country with its film "Much Ado About Nothing"; [sic] offering a special "MUCH ADO ABOUT EDUCATION" program beginning September 29." They're offering discounted tickets, free study guides and posters. Branagh's book w/ screenplay adaptation and introduction, notes, and photos about the making of the film will be available at half price through October. No doubt referring to recent SHAKSPER discussions, Goldwyn's Tom Rothman said, "This is our way of giving something to the educational community, promoting education and great entertainment, and proving, once and for all, that they are not mutually exclusive." Branagh states, "The importance of "MUCH ADO" is that it presents a whole series of emotional and spiritual challenges that we--young, old, male, and female--continue to face when we love...." Check it out! Call 1-800-6-GOLDWYN for the "Much Ado About Education" hotline. (7)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Walter Cannon Date: Tuesday, 28 Sep 1993 15:40:19 -0500 (CDT) Subject: Ben Jonson I'm teaching a Ben Jonson seminar this winter and am looking for films or videos of Jonson plays and/or masques. I know about the 1967 BBC production but have not located anything else. Any suggestions? Walter W. Cannon Central College Pella, Iowa 50219 CANNONW@CENTRAL.EDU ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 28 Sep 1993 19:02:26 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0602 Shakespeare's Universality Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 602. Tuesday, 28 Sept. 1993. From: David Schalkwyk Date: Tuesday, 28 Sep 93 15:52:07 SAST-2 Subject: Shakespeare's Universality I've only just joined SHAKSPER and caught the tail end of the discussion about Shakespeare's politics/universality, so I don't know if this intervention is either oportune or even permissible. However, here goes. The conflict between the universalists and the historicists about the universality (and, by implication, the politics) of Shakespeare's plays may in part be traced to two incompatible conceptions of language: an empiricist view which regards the meaning of a concept ("love") to be the name for a particular kind of human behaviour or set of feelings on the one hand, and a Saussurean view in terms of which the concept is the creation of a linguistic system, which then "cuts up" or constitutes the world as we think we know it. In the former case the concept is "given" with the behaviour, in the latter it is either entirely independent of it or constitutes that behaviour. Since intuitively there appears to be a large degree of consistency in the ways human beings act and feel across time it appears to the first group that concepts have not changed and that Shakespeare speaks for all time. To the second the opposite is the case. As the relations between the sigifiers in the system change, the concepts themselves change, carving up a new and different "reality". The mistake made by the universalists is to assume that concepts are the names for entities in the world; the problem that arises for the historicists is to bring reality and concepts together without reducing the former to the latter. I think Ludwig Wittgenstein can help here because he suggests not merely that the meaning of a word is its use in the language, but also that a word is sometimes explained by pointing to its bearer. In other words, while Wittgenstein denies the empiricist notion that concepts are the names of things, he avoids the linguistic idealism of Saussure by showing how things are appropriated into language. Thus a word may be defined by using an aspect of the real world (no scare quotes) as a sample, as when I show a child a red patch and say by way of definintion "This is red". The sample then becomes a rule of representation, a paradigm for the use of the word. It is the use, explained in this way by reference to real samples, that is the meaning, or the concept. The samples are therefore criteria, mobilised in historical and social circumstances, by which the concepts are established. These criteria can and do change with different material, political, philosophical, economic conditions. The world is therefore being continually appropriated and reappropriated in different ways to define, criterially the concepts we use. The signifiers, however, remain the same, giving the impression that the concept has not changed. Back to Shakespeare: is it not possible that in Shakepeare we see concepts that are being used criterially with regard to particular kinds of human behaviour and emotion, i.e. that certain kinds of behaviour (real behaviour, especially on stage) are being held up (or reexamined) as samples or paradigms of a range of concepts, but that the kinds of behaviour which *we* regard as paradigmatic of those concepts may have changed. The behaviour may have maintained a certain degree of historical continuity (universalism), but its appropriation as the grounds of concepts may have changed (historicism). What is interesting about Shakespeare is that he may be holding up the criterial paradigms up to scrutiny and reexamination, or showing the tensions between competing concepts and their realtion to behaviour? Is there only one concept of love in *Much Ado*, for example, and how is the concept of love established? Finally, of course, I am trying to offer an alternative conception of language for the historicist camp which can come to terms with indisputable contuities, continuities which the universalists see, but mistake for conceptual continuities. Language and reality can be brought together without reducing the one to the other (in either direction) and at the same time the nature of historical change may be pinpointed more exactly, with reference to all the issues of politics, economics and so on that materialists emphasise. I think that this model shows why universalism seems to be so palpable to empiricists, while indicating the blind spot at the heart of that position, and also where historicists are mistaken in turning a blind eye to the continuities (*material* continuities) of human behaviour that make different conceptual appropriations possible. This is very sketchy, and requires further elaboration. I am currently working on an extended piece on Wittgenstein, Saussure and the problems of reference and history and invite anyone with similar interests, or constuctive criticism, to continue the discussion. David Schalkwyk University of Cape Town ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 29 Sep 1993 08:37:28 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0604 Re: Color-Blind and Color-Aware Casting Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 604. Wednesday, 29 Sept. 1993. (1) From: Stephen Orgel Date: Tuesday, 28 Sep 1993 16:57:36 -0700 (PDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0596 Color-Blind and Color-Aware Casting (2) From: James Schaefer Date: Tuesday, 28 Sep 1993 22:31:49 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0596 Color-Blind and Color-Aware Casting (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Stephen Orgel Date: Tuesday, 28 Sep 1993 16:57:36 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0596 Color-Blind and Color-Aware Casting It's my recollection that in Trevor Nunn's Winter's Tale at Stratford in 1969, the RSC cast a black Jamaican youth as Time. Since he had a lovely lilt but an incomprehensible accent, the point was clearly not textual. Stephen Orgel (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: James Schaefer Date: Tuesday, 28 Sep 1993 22:31:49 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0596 Color-Blind and Color-Aware Casting re: Sean Lawrence's thought about two mothers: That's what I automatically assumed when I saw the film. Thus, color and race where not irrelevant, just a fact for which I made a reasonable assumption that nothing else in the film either contradicted or supported--which, in the land of drama, would seem to be about as neutral as you can get, and therefore a successful example of "color-blind" casting. Jim Schaefer Georgetown University schaefej@guvax.georgetown.edu ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 29 Sep 1993 08:51:40 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0606 Q & R: Shakespearean Videos Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 606. Wednesday, 29 Sept. 1993. (1) From: Chris Kendall Date: Tuesday, 28 Sep 1993 13:11:54 -0600 (MDT) Subj: Swedish Hamlet (2) From: Bernice Kliman Date: Tuesday, 28 Sep 1993 22:18 EDT Subj: Assorted Rs & Qs: Productions, esp. TV & Video (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Chris Kendall Date: Tuesday, 28 Sep 1993 13:11:54 -0600 (MDT) Subject: Swedish Hamlet Did anyone see the subtitled Swedish Hamlet that was shown on PBS perhaps five years ago? I do not recall the director's name, but the script was cut to bare essentials, the setting stark, the atmosphere haunting. If anyone knows if or where a videotape of this production is available, please advise. Chris Kendall | ckendall@carl.org (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Bernice Kliman Date: Tuesday, 28 Sep 1993 22:18 EDT Subject: Assorted Rs & Qs: Productions, esp. TV & Video The best source for distributors of films and videos is Kenneth S. Rothwell's Shakespeare on Screen, published Neal-Schuman in 1990. The Papp archive has been turned over to the Lincoln Center Theater Collection, a splendid resource for both Shn and non-Shn drama on video. Worth a detour--to see the Papp *Ado* and many other delights. Yours, Bernice ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 29 Sep 1993 08:41:21 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0605 Re: Whores, etc. Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 605. Wednesday, 29 Sept. 1993. From: Michael Sharpston 33167 Date: Tuesday, 28 Sep 1993 20:57:00 -0400 (EDT) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0593 Re: Whores, etc. Following the excellent comments of Nancy Miller and Lars Engle, I think there are various things going on here: (a) Somewhat feminist thinking is no doubt right that those with more power or status are freer to either express their sexuality or hold the floor ("access to discourse') -- and that discouraging women by custom and disapprobation from both behaviours represents male social dominance in some fashion. (b) At the same time people of either gender, of their own accord, can feel they are 'prostituting themselves' if they find themselves relying excessively on either method of self-expression, in a way where they do not feel able to be selective, in control. (c) You can also intone (b) as a way of getting at people re (a). Cf. "whore of her tongue". (d) Prostitutes, particularly low-class ones -- "drabs" -- may indeed often have found themselves impotent against various of Fortune's insults (customers who cheat or abuse them, whatever). The social limitation on their sexual or verbal expressiveness hardly applied with them as to higher-class women, so it may have been correct observation that they unpacked their heart with words, and fell a-cursing. And of course, this whole speech of Hamlet is about his unwonted feeling of impotence. Michael Sharpston msharpston@worldbank.org (any views expressed are my own personal ones) ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 30 Sep 1993 14:56:16 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0609 Re: Shakespeare and Politics Discussion Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 609. Thursday, 30 Sept. 1993. (1) From: Jon Enriquez Date: Wednesday, 29 Sep 1993 09:37:32 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0598 Re: SHAKSPER Discussions (2) From: Terence Hawkes Date: Wednesday, 29 Sep 93 15:37 BST Subj: Re: Shakespeare, Politics, etc. (3) From: Nate Johnson Date: Wednesday, 29 Sep 93 21:20:06 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0580 Re: Shakespeare, Politics, etc. (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jon Enriquez Date: Wednesday, 29 Sep 1993 09:37:32 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0598 Re: SHAKSPER Discussions I thought this one would die, but I guess not... I thought the point of Hardy's intervention was a comment on the increasingly ill-mannered and ad hominem nature of the postings. We haven't been subject to flaming on this list; quite the contrary, in fact. Surely the editor has the authority to insist on a certain standard level of etiquette. Should he have cut off debate on the topic itself? Probably not, as Hardy himself acknowledges; moreover, the discussion appears to have died of its own accord. Forward. Jon Enriquez The Graduate School Georgetown University ENRIQUEZJ@guvax (Bitnet) ENRIQUEZJ@guvax.georgetown.edu (Internet) (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Terence Hawkes Date: Wednesday, 29 Sep 93 15:37 BST Subject: Re: Shakespeare, Politics, etc. Dear Kevin Berland: In fact, I said 'quite the reverse' (not 'just the opposite') in respect of being Welsh. It's reputedly what Oscar Wilde used to say when asked if he were English. I'm afraid it has a political (sshh!) as well as a cultural (and even, in his case, sexual) dimension. Think about it. Dear Bill Godshalk: Yes I know that Brian Vickers ridicules the idea that right-wing teachers (say) might ever be able to appropriate CORIOLANUS. But what does he think happened in Nazi Germany? CORIOLANUS was so expertly appropriated there that when US forces arrived in Berlin in 1945, they banned all productions of the play for that reason. Dear David Bank: Is this what you mean by 'specific'? Terry Hawkes (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Nate Johnson Date: Wednesday, 29 Sep 93 21:20:06 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0580 Re: Shakespeare, Politics, etc. Hardy, As much as I understand your motivations for wanting to close down the Shakespeare and Politics discussion, I have to second Edward Pechter's comment. Although I haven't yet felt compelled to jump in, I find this discussion to be one of the most interesting yet on SHAKSPER (it fits quite closely with my own research interests, I admit). It gives me, as a graduate student, an idea of what I'm getting myself into, among other things. Of course, since you do all the work, your decision on the matter should be respected. --Nate Johnson ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 30 Sep 1993 14:35:00 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0607 Re: Color-Blind and Color-Aware Casting Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 607. Thursday, 30 Sept. 1993. (1) From: Jon Enriquez Date: Wednesday, 29 Sep 1993 09:33:03 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0596 Color-Blind and Color-Aware Casting (2) From: Al Cacicedo Date: Thursday, 30 Sep 1993 0:03:30 -0400 (EDT) Subj: RE: SHK 4.0604 Re: Color-Blind and Color-Aware Casting (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jon Enriquez Date: Wednesday, 29 Sep 1993 09:33:03 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0596 Color-Blind and Color-Aware Casting Simon Rae: You're talking about a different animal, I think. Ellen's comment referred to the first time a black actor had been cast as a "white" character at RSC. Moreover, the popular impression of Robeson was utterly unlike that of Denzel Washington; Robeson's leftist leanings would have made him a suspicious character in that time even if he were white. Jon Enriquez The Graduate School Georgetown University ENRIQUEZJ@guvax (Bitnet) ENRIQUEZJ@guvax.georgetown.edu (Internet) (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Al Cacicedo Date: Thursday, 30 Sep 1993 0:03:30 -0400 (EDT) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0604 Re: Color-Blind and Color-Aware Casting If we agree that Branagh's casting of racially different half- brothers is made probable by Don Pedro's having an African and Don John's a European mother, do we also think it probable that the heir of an Iberian crown is half African? That reminds me of the director I spoke to once, who wanted to make *Much Ado* as zany as possible because, he said, who ever heard of Spanish princes ruling Sicily! I at least think that the colonial status of Sicily in relation to the Arragonian half-brothers is important. However, a zany *Much Ado* worked well, as does Branagh's delicious one (for the most part). In this case, I prefer to accept actors as actors, as Gabriel Egan suggested some time ago. Al Cacicedo (alc@joe.alb.edu) Albright College ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 30 Sep 1993 14:48:27 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0608 Re: Ben Jonson Videos and More Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 608. Thursday, 30 Sept. 1993. (1) From: Fran Teague Date: Wednesday, 29 Sep 93 09:43:39 EDT Subj: Jonson Productions (2) From: Kenneth S. Rothwell Date: Wednesday, 29 Sep 1993 16:33:44 -500 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0599 Assorted Rs & Qs: Productions, esp. TV & Video (3) From: Terry Craig Date: Thursday, 30 Sep 1993 09:34:16 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Ben Jonson, MTV Shakespeare (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Fran Teague Date: Wednesday, 29 Sep 93 09:43:39 EDT Subject: Jonson Productions I know of three possible Jonson productions that might be of use to Walter Cannon. The first of these is the Canadian Broadcasting Company film of a cut-down _Volpone_. I remember seeing this one in the 1970s in Austin, but have no idea how one would go about ordering it. My memory is that the prod. was excellent. Second, the French silent film version of _Volpone_ is available on videotape. I ordered it from a specialty catalogue. I emphatically do not recommend this one, unless you're a diehard Jonsonian. The quality is poor, the version is Zweik, and students loathe it. A third possibility is _The Honey Pot_ starring Rex Harrison, Susan Hayward, Cliff Robertson, Maggie Smith, Capucine. It's a re-writing of _Volpone_ that transforms it into a murder mystery. It's too long for most students, but could generate some interesting discussion (e.g., when does it stop being _Volpone_? Do the shifts work? Why are the legacy hunters changed to women?) Such re-workings are often more fun in a classroom than straight renditions. I use Kurosawa with Shakespeare's tragedies, Mazursky's _Tempest_ and _Forbidden Planet_ with TMP; Men of Respect with MAC; Dresser with LR; Bedazzled with Doctor Faustus; and Heathers with Changeling. I especially recommend that last to anyone doing Renaissance drama courses; students love arguing about whether the pairing is justified or not. Now if only a film had been made of George C. Scott in Larry Gelbart's re-working of _Volpone_: _Sly Fox_! (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kenneth S. Rothwell Date: Wednesday, 29 Sep 1993 16:33:44 -500 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0599 Assorted Rs & Qs: Productions, esp. TV & Video Dear Walter Cannon, Two Volpones on video that I know of are: (1)Volpone, dir. Maurice Tourneur, w. Harry Baur, Louis Jouvet, France, 1939. In French with English subtitles. B&W. 80 min. (2) The Honey Pot, dir. Joseph Mankiewicz, w. Rex Harrison, Susan Hayward, Cliff Robertson, Maggie Smith. USA 1967. 131 min. A witty modernization of Jonson's play focusing on the timeless motif of legacy-hunting. I can't remember if it's in color or B&W. I think the latter. You'll need to canvass dealers to see who carries them. Facets Video, 1517 W. Fullerton St., Chicago, ILL 60614 (CAll 1-800-331-6197) might be a good bet. They have a huge inventory. Ken Rothwell (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Terry Craig Date: Thursday, 30 Sep 1993 09:34:16 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Ben Jonson, MTV Shakespeare Re Ben Jonson: Insight Media advertises a video of *Volpone* for $59.95 (80 minutes, in French with subtitles), but it appears to be an old one--1939. Insight Media 121 West 85th Street New York NY 10024-4401 (800)-233-9910 (212)-721-6316 Re *Merchant of Venice*: Given the interest in recent months in Shylock and anti-Semitism (all very valuable and serious), I thought I'd pass along what happened in my Shakespeare class the other day. The students were discussing Shylock's "conversion" and wondering whether it was really necessary for Antonio et al to insist that Shylock become a Christian. Most agreed that it was of course not necessary, that it was downright awful. Then Mark, in the back of the room, said, "Of course it was necessary. If they hadn't done it we'd never have had that great song from R.E.M." And he smiled and started to sing, "'That's me in the corner / That's me in the spotlight / Losin' my religion . . . '" MTV Shakespeare. Terry Craig WVNCC New Martinsville, WV ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 30 Sep 1993 16:53:56 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0610 Re: Swedish TV *Hamlet* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 610. Thursday, 30 Sept. 1993. (1) From: Skip Shand Date: Wednesday, 29 Sep 1993 10:02 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0606 Q & R: Shakespearean Videos (2) From: James Schaefer Date: Wednesday, 29 Sep 1993 10:19:42 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0606 Q & R: Shakespearean Videos (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Skip Shand Date: Wednesday, 29 Sep 1993 10:02 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0606 Q & R: Shakespearean Videos Re the Swedish TV Hamlet: Don't know where you can purchase it, but you can visit it at the Folger, if you have a chance. And you're right: it's quite terrific, from its insinuations of Gertrude's complicity in the murder, to court business conducted while the nightshirted king washes up after royal sex, to direct eye-contact between Hamlet and Claudius in "Now might I do it pat," to the growing and almost insurmountable weariness of the Prince, to a very unsettling final scene in which Horatio tries to tell Hamlet's story to folks who are walking away and ignoring him, already entirely attached to Fortinbras (shades of Lee Blessing's *Fortinbras*). Don't have director and cast in front of me, but I'll put it up later if no one else does. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: James Schaefer Date: Wednesday, 29 Sep 1993 10:19:42 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0606 Q & R: Shakespearean Videos RE: Swedish production of the haunted Dane I didn't see it, but the production of *Hamlet* referred to was directed by Ingmar Bergman and was presented live at (I believe) the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Jim Schaefer Georgetown University schaefej@guvax.georgetown.edu ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 30 Sep 1993 18:43:37 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0613 Re: Editing *Hamlet* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 613. Thursday, 30 Sept. 1993. From: Tad Davis Date: Wednesday, 29 Sep 1993 13:11:20 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0601 Q: Editing *Ham.* It doesn't qualify as "hypertext" in the formal electronic sense, but try "The Three-Text Hamlet: Parallel Texts of the First and Second Quartos and First Folio," edited by Paul Bertram and Bernice W. Kliman (AMS, 1991). Tad Davis davist@mercury.umis.upenn.edu ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 30 Sep 1993 18:33:50 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0611 Re: Whores, etc. Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 611. Thursday, 30 Sept. 1993. From: Nancy W Miller Date: Wednesday, 29 Sep 93 10:23:06 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0605 Re: Whores, etc. Michael Sharpston certainly has a valid point that whores may very well have been voluble, scolding, etc. as their only line of defense. Margaret Cavendish (yes, noble, but not blind to women's conditions at various social levels) writes in her _CCXI Sociable Letters_ (1664) something to the effect of, "women, having no swords to uphold, use the only weapon available--their tongues." I wonder if the scold's bridle was used among the lowest classes (including whores) in London as readily (it seems) as in other parts of the country. (I'm terribly sorry I'm drawing a blank as to the author of that informative essay on _Shrew_ in a recent issue of _SQ_, "Bridling Scolds and Scolding Brides . . . ." Forgive my faulty memory.) ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 30 Sep 1993 18:40:04 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0612 ACTER at the University of Richmond Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 612. Thursday, 30 Sept. 1993. From: Louis Schwartz Date: Wednesday, 29 Sep 1993 14:30:24 -0400 (EDT) Subject: ACTER at University of Richmond Dear SHAKSPERians: A non-subscribing colleague here in the English Department asked me to forward the following message to the list for the benefit of those who might be in the Virginia area in October: A.C.T.E.R. at the University of Richmond "Actors from the London Stage," also known as ACTER ("A Centre for Theatre Education and Research"), will be in residence at the University of Richmond, Virginia, October 18-24. Hamlet will be performed at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday, October 19, 22, and 23. Admission is free and open to the public. To guarantee a seat, telephone (804) 289-8271 between 3:00 and 5:00 p.m., EST, from October 4. For more information, telephone the English Department, (804) 289-8287. Actors touring with the group this fall are Sam Dale (playing Hamlet, Fortinbras, Barnardo), Jonathan Donne (Horatio, Laertes, Rosencrantz, Guildenstern), Miranda Foster (Gertrude, Ophelia), David Howey (Claudius, Ghost, Player King), and William Russell (Polonius, Gravedigger, Osric, Marcellus). All have had extensive experience in British theatre, appearing with the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal National Theatre, the Leeds Playhouse, Birmingham Repertory, and others. If you are in the area, the group's bare-bones, actorly performances are very much worth a glance. Louis Schwartz English Department University of Richmond Richmond VA, 23173 (804) 289-8315 SCHWARTZ@URVAX.URICH.EDU ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 30 Sep 1993 18:49:46 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0614 Job Announcement Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 614. Thursday, 30 Sept. 1993. From: Richard J Sherry Date: Thursday, 30 Sep 1993 04:54:01 EDT Subject: Job Opportunity Position Announcement: Asbury College Assistant Professor of English, to begin 8/94. Teach courses in English composition, undergraduate world literature survey classes, and upper-division classes in pre-1660 English literature, including Chaucer, Renaissance, Milton, and possibly Shakespeare. Standard 12-hour load per semester (4 classes), including composition, general education literature, period and major figure courses; committee work as appropriate, advising students. Qualifications: Ph.D. in hand. Asbury College is an interdenominational, coeducational liberal arts college, founded in 1890, with a commitment to provide a Christian liberal arts education within the context of a Wesleyan-Arminian theological confession. The college's goal is to enable students to develop the whole person through a clear integration of faith and learning, resulting in service to God and others. Personal commitment to the doctrinal distinctives of the institution is expected of all faculty. Closing date for applications is 30 November 1993, although the deadline may be extended as circumstances warrant. Address inquiries to Dr. Richard J. Sherry, Chair, Division of English and Communication Arts, Asbury College, 1 Macklem Drive, Wilmore, KY 40390, 606/858-3511 x2120. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 1 Oct 1993 17:47:00 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0616 Re: Swedish *Hamlet* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 616. Friday, 1 October 1993. From: Skip Shand Date: Thursday, 30 Sep 1993 22:18 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0610 Re: Swedish TV *Hamlet* I don't know whether the Swedish *Hamlet* that was inquired about was the Bergman--I thought it was the 1984 made-for-TV production directed by Ragnar Lyth, and starring Stellan Skarsgard and Mona Malm. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 1 Oct 1993 17:50:32 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0617 Re: Color-Blind and Color-Aware Casting Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 617. Friday, 1 October 1993. From: William Godshalk Date: Thursday, 30 Sep 1993 22:32:35 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0607 Re: Color-Blind and Color-Aware Casting Regarding Don Pedro, how does Al Cacideo know that is the heir of an Iberian crown? I don't remember that passage in the play, and the concordance suggests that "Spain" and "Spanish" aren't used in MUCH ADO, and Shakespeare and his Committee don't seem to have used Iberian. Yours, questioningly, Bill Godshalk ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 1 Oct 1993 18:05:25 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0619 Re: Ben Jonson Videos Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 619. Friday, 1 October 1993. From: Stephen Orgel Date: Thursday, 30 Sep 1993 20:48:33 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0608 Re: Ben Jonson Videos Re: Fran Teague on the French Volpone, it is emphatically not silent, the version is a beautiful one by Stefan Zweig (not Zweik), it has some of the most ravishing classic Comedie Francaise acting preserved on film, my students think it's great, and I agree with them. DO try it again--it's a treasure. Stephen Orgel ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 1 Oct 1993 17:41:44 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0615 Scolds Article Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 615. Friday, 1 October 1993. (1) From: Jean Peterson Date: Thursday, 30 Sep 1993 19:31:32 -0400 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0611 Re:scolds (2) From: William Godshalk Date: Thursday, 30 Sep 1993 22:40:46 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0611 Re: Whores, etc. (3) From: Phyllis Rackin Date: Friday, 1 Oct 1993 12:56 EST Subj: scolding brides (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jean Peterson Date: Thursday, 30 Sep 1993 19:31:32 -0400 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0611 Re:scolds >I wonder if the scold's bridle was used among the lowest classes (including >whores) in London as readily (it seems) as in other parts of the country. (I'm >terribly sorry I'm drawing a blank as to the author of that informative essay >on _Shrew_ in a recent issue of _SQ_, "Bridling Scolds and Scolding Brides . . >. ." Forgive my faulty memory.) The essay is by Lynda Boose. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Godshalk Date: Thursday, 30 Sep 1993 22:40:46 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0611 Re: Whores, etc.OP The author of "Scolding Brides and Bridling Scolds: Taming the Woman's Unruly Member" is Lynda Boose. Bill Godshalk (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Phyllis Rackin Date: Friday, 1 Oct 1993 12:56 EST Subject: scolding brides This message is worth relaying only if others haven't yet responded with the same information: The [excellent] SQ article mentioned by Nancy W. Miller was authored by Lynda Boose. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 1 Oct 1993 18:00:28 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0618 Re: Shakespeare and Politics Discussion Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 618. Friday, 1 October 1993. (1) From: William Godshalk Date: Thursday, 30 Sep 1993 22:57:59 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0609 Re: Shakespeare and Politics Discussion (2) From: David Bank Date: Friday, 1 Oct 93 18:05:18 BST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0609 Re: Shakespeare and Politics Discussion (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Godshalk Date: Thursday, 30 Sep 1993 22:57:59 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0609 Re: Shakespeare and Politics Discussion The immediate source for Terence Hawkes' reply to me (and Brian Vickers!) is Hawkes' MEANING BY SHAKESPEARE, p. 45, and he cites THE READER'S ENCYCLOPEDIA OF SHAKESPEARE, by Oscar Campbell and Edward Quinn - as well as Brockbank's Arden edition, 84-86. Now, I haven't got to the library yet to check these sources, but I'm interested in just what our occupying forces banned. For instance, did they ban all complete editions of Shakespeare's plays, or simply tear out the pages that contained CORIOLANUS? Bill Godshalk (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: David Bank Date: Friday, 1 Oct 93 18:05:18 BST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0609 Re: Shakespeare and Politics Discussio I want to lodge a complaint. We started out (around the beginning of Sept.) trying to discuss "Shakespeare's Politics". Later, the subject heading drifted to "Shakespeare and Politics". Then "Shakespeare, Politics, etc." Terry Hawkes then enters the scene talking about somebody's non-existent Irish grandmother, Coriolanus and the Nazis, Schweppes and Wildean sexuOh-culturOh poWerticks. Terry asks "is this what mean by specific?" Well no, actually. Unless the scope of this discussion is so wide that it excludes nothing. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 1 Oct 1993 18:13:43 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0620 Re: Editing *Hamlet* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 620. Friday, 1 October 1993. (1) From: Steven Urkowitz Date: Friday, 01 Oct 93 00:16:39 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0613 Re: Editing *Hamlet* (2) From: Jay L Halio Date: Friday, 1 Oct 1993 14:09:48 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0601 Q: Editing *Ham.* (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Steven Urkowitz Date: Friday, 01 Oct 93 00:16:39 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0613 Re: Editing *Hamlet* I'd suggest that a hypertext HAMLET would be a fascinating project requiring highly imaginative stacking. The connections among the versions bounce in strange and often non-linear ways. The relatively easy Q2-F interactions would be simple, but as several modern essays seem to demonstrate, they're not nearly as compelling as the juicy extravagancies of q1-q2-F layerings. Steve Urkowitz SURCC@CUNYVM (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jay L Halio Date: Friday, 1 Oct 1993 14:09:48 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0601 Q: Editing *Ham.* See Thomas Clayton, ed., *Hamlet When First Published*, U of Delaware Press. Jay Halio ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 2 Oct 1993 09:04:42 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0621 Re: Jonson Videos; Editing *Ham*; Don Pedro; Scolds Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 621. Saturday, 2 October 1993. (1) From: Helen Ostovich Date: Friday, 1 Oct 1993 23:23:37 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0599 Assorted Rs & Qs: Productions, esp. TV & Video (2) From: William Godshalk Date: Friday, 01 Oct 1993 21:15:47 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0620 Re: Editing *Hamlet* (3) From: Al Cacicedo Date: Fri, 1 Oct 1993 23:28:36 -0400 (EDT) Subj: RE: SHK 4.0617 Re: Color-Blind and Color-Aware Casting (4) From: Helen Ostovich Date: Friday, 1 Oct 1993 23:32:53 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0611 Re: Whores, etc. (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Helen Ostovich Date: Friday, 1 Oct 1993 23:23:37 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0599 Assorted Rs & Qs: Productions, esp. TV & Video RE: Ben Jonson and the request from Walter Cannon for Jonson videos. It's news to me that ANY videos exist. What is on the BBC video? VOLPONE? Or is it scenes from assorted plays? Where can one get this BBC video? As far as I knew, Jonson on video was simply not available -- something like trying to find Jonson on stage, in North America at least. Helen Ostovich McMaster University (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Godshalk Date: Friday, 01 Oct 1993 21:15:47 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0620 Re: Editing *Hamlet* I also recommend Yashdip Bains's recent "The Incidence of Corrupt Passages in the First Quarto of Shakespeare's HAMLET," N&Q 40 (1993): 186-192, an urbane defense of the First Quarto that questions the theory of memorial reconstruction: a must. Yours, Bill Godshalk (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Al Cacicedo Date: Fri, 1 Oct 1993 23:28:36 -0400 (EDT) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0617 Re: Color-Blind and Color-Aware Casting Don Pedro is Prince of Arragon, I thought. Maybe I'm wrong? More questioningly yours, Al Cacicedo (4)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Helen Ostovich Date: Friday, 1 Oct 1993 23:32:53 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0611 Re: Whores, etc. Re: "Bridling Scolds and Scolding Brides . . I believe the article was by Linda Boose. Helen Ostovich McMaster University ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 2 Oct 1993 09:08:58 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0622 Re: *Coriolanus* Ban Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 622. Saturday, 2 October 1993. From: William Godshalk Date: Friday, 01 Oct 1993 21:58:04 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0609 Re: Shakespeare and Politics Discussion Regarding Hawkes's assertion that productions of CORIOLANUS where banned by American forces when they reached Berlin in 1945, last night I was replying to Hawkes's book which does not mentioned "productions." In MEANING BY SHAKESPEARE, Hawkes writes: "CORIOLANUS was banned by occupying American forces when they reached Berlin in 1945" (45). THE READER'S ENCYLOPEDIA OF SHAKESPEARE does not mention this ban, but describes a French fascist version "freely translated from the English original" (146), a French fascist adaptation. In other words, this is not Shakespeare's play, but Hawkes in MEANING BY SHAKESPEARE (45) makes no distinction between right-wing adaptations and the thing-in-itself. But onward to Germany. For his account of the American occupying forces banning CORIOLANUS, Hawkes relies on Philip Brockbank's Arden edition: "The American authorities banned the play in the early years of occupation after the Second World War" until 1953 (86). But apparently we are again talking about "translations, adaptations, and independent versions" (Brockbank, 85), not Shakespeare's play. Brockbank cites Dirk Grathoff, "Dichtung versus Politik: Brechts 'Coriolan' aus Gunter Grassens sicht," BRECHT HEUTE 1 (1971): 169, as his source for the American ban on Nazi versions of CORIOLANUS. (Sorry about the missing umlaut. I couldn't figure out how to put it in.) Grathoff's article is not immediately available to me so I can't at present give more details about this intriguing subject. Of course, why did the American High Command ban CORIOLANUS? I guess they figured out that he was really gay. And what does all this have to do with what I call "Shakespeare"? CHANG, which means (for those of you who have or have had young children) "little or nothing at all." Keep smiling, the universe is laughing behind our backs: Bill Godshalk ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 3 Oct 1993 15:09:25 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0623 Re: Editing *Ham*; Don Pedro; Politics; Scolds Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 623. Sunday, 3 October 1993. (1) From: Gabriel Egan Date: Saturday, 02 Oct 93 14:39:04 +0100 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0620 Re: Editing *Hamlet* (2) From: William Godshalk Date: Saturday, 02 Oct 1993 20:05:13 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: Jonson Videos; Editing *Ham*; Don Pedro; Scolds (3) From: Dennis Kennedy Date: Saturday, 2 Oct 93 12:34:37 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0615 Scolds Article (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Gabriel Egan Date: Saturday, 02 Oct 93 14:39:04 +0100 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0620 Re: Editing *Hamlet* > I'd suggest that a hypertext HAMLET would be a fascinating project requiring > highly imaginative stacking. The connections among the versions bounce in > strange and often non-linear ways. The relatively easy Q2-F interactions > would be simple, but as several modern essays seem to demonstrate, they're not > nearly as compelling as the juicy extravagancies of q1-q2-F layerings. How about weaving Stoppard's *Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead* into it? Perhaps as a separate project for teaching, without all the Q and F layerings. Gabriel Egan g.egan@ucl.ac.uk * (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Godshalk Date: Saturday, 02 Oct 1993 20:05:13 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: Jonson Videos; Editing *Ham*; Don Pedro; Scolds My apologies to Al Cacicedo. Yes, as far as I know Arragon (or Aragon) is in Spain. And the script is pretty definite that Don Pedro is the prince thereon. I guess Terence is right: we farm boys can be pretty ignorant. Yours in SHAME, Bill Godshalk (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Dennis Kennedy Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0624 Landmark for SHAKSPER; New on the SHAKSPER FileServer Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 624. Sunday, 3 October 1993. From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Sunday, October 3, 1993 Subject: Landmark for SHAKSPER; New on the SHAKSPER FileServer Dear SHAKSPEReans, I am pleased to announce that, as of Sunday, October 3, 1993, SHAKSPER has 403 active members. When I became SHAKSPER's editor in May of 1992, the membership was in the lows 230s. Since then, I have been delighted by our conference's continued growth and vitality. SHAKSPEReans may wish to order any or all of the files in the New Member Package to get a clearer idea of who we are. This Package contains the following: Filename Filetype Filelist Description -------- -------- -------- ----------------------------------- NEWMEMBR PACKAGE SHAKSPER (The complete New Member Package) DISCUSS INDEX_1 SHAKSPER (An index to SHAKSPER's first-year discussions) DISCUSS INDEX_2 SHAKSPER (An index to SHAKSPER's second-year discussions) DISCUSS INDEX_3 SHAKSPER (An index to SHAKSPER's third-year discussions) DISCUSS INDEX_4 SHAKSPER (An index to SHAKSPER's fourth-year discussions) SHAKSPER ANNOUNCE SHAKSPER (Announcement of SHAKSPER Conference) SHAKSPER LOG9308 SHAKSPER (The August 1993 Log) SHAKSPER LOG9309 SHAKSPER (The September 1993 Log) SHAKSPER LOG9310 SHAKSPER (The October 1993 Log -- in progress) SHAKSPER GUIDE SHAKSPER (The Member's Guide to SHAKSPER) SHAKSPER FILES SHAKSPER (SHAKSPER Fileserver File Listing) SHAKSPER MEMBERS SHAKSPER (SHAKSPER Membership List) SHAKS-12 BIOGRAFY SHAKSPER (The Fourteenth File of Member Biographies) SHAKS-13 BIOGRAFY SHAKSPER (The Fifteenth File in progress) If you would like to get copies of all of the SHAKSPER Member Biographies, you can retrieve them by issuing the interactive command, "TELL LISTSERV AT UTORONTO GET BIOGRAFY PACKAGE SHAKSPER." If your network link does not support the interactive "TELL" command (i.e. if you are not directly on Bitnet), or if LISTSERV rejects your request, then send a one-line mail message (without a subject line) to LISTSERV@utoronto, reading "GET BIOGRAFY PACKAGE SHAKSPER." For further information, consult the appropriate section of your SHAKSPER GUIDE. As of today, SHAKSPEReans may also retrieve two papers of new SHAKSPER members from the SHAKSPER Fileserver -- Douglas Green's "New-Minted Shakespeare: Old Currency in a New Classroom Economy" (CLASSRM ECONOMY) and Marta Oliveira's "Shakespeare's Sonnet LXXIII and Love" (SONNET73 AND_LOVE). SHAKSPEReans can retrieve CLASSRM ECONOMY by issuing the interactive command, "TELL LISTSERV AT UTORONTO GET CLASSRM EONOMY SHAKSPER." If your network link does not support the interactive "TELL" command (i.e. if you are not directly on Bitnet), or if LISTSERV rejects your request, then send a one-line mail message (without a subject line) to LISTSERV@utoronto, reading "GET CLASSRM ECONOMY SHAKSPER." SHAKSPEReans can retrieve SONNET73 AND_LOVE by issuing the interactive command, "TELL LISTSERV AT UTORONTO GET SONNET73 AND_LOVE SHAKSPER." If your network link does not support the interactive "TELL" command (i.e. if you are not directly on Bitnet), or if LISTSERV rejects your request, then send a one-line mail message (without a subject line) to LISTSERV@utoronto, reading "GET SONNET73 AND_LOVE SHAKSPER." Should you have difficulty receiving any of these files, please contact the editor, or . ******************************************************************************* New-Minting Shakespeare: Old Currency in a New Classroom Economy (1993 SAA Research Seminar Paper: Postmodern Pedagogies/Early Modern Classrooms) What is much less clear is how we can get beyond this particular ideology. For Shakespeare as fetish has, in this time of perceived crisis in the humanities, become the ideology of our age. (Garber 250) What all this activity means for Shakespeareans mainly concerned with teaching the works of the playwright to the relatively uninitiated is not immediately clear. (Willson 207) Given developments in contemporary literary theory, especially as they address our own personal, pedagogical, and political concerns, given the changing function of the teacher in the classroom, and given the changing constituents of the undergraduate classroom, teaching Shakespeare today can be rather confusing, an endless succession of compromises that compromise. On the one hand, our institutions, students' parents and families, and even students themselves often expect (and sometimes demand) courses in "greats" like Shakespeare. The motivation may be unabashedly materialistic: potential employers might be impressed by students' liberal education, so some students want names that they can trade on. Or it may be a subtler but equally troubling matter of self-worth, one that our very means of making a living--teaching Shakespeare--validates: familiarity with Shakespeare signifies being educated, intelligent, etc. On the other hand, many of us who teach Shakespeare want to disrupt both universalist views of the Bard as a reservoir of abiding truths and the often unconscious connections between the study of Shakespeare and the worth of one's education. At the very least we want students to recognize and question the 'value' of Shakespeare in several senses. ******************************************************************************* SHAKESPEARE'S SONNET LXXIII AND LOVE I will try to examine here some aspects of Shakespeare's Sonnet LXXIII (see Appendix) which I hope will try to shed some light on Shakespeare's concept of love and its relation to time. It has been argued by Jan Kott *(Shakespeare our contemporary) that Shakespeare's sonnets may be read as drama. Indeed, in them we find three characters, a man, a youth and a woman, and the various stages of their relation, which passes through friendship, love, jealousy, etc, are there explored as they will also be in a variety of moods throughout the plays. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 4 Oct 1993 21:35:20 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0625 Qs: Bergman *Ham*; Il Moro; *Tempest* w/ Zimbalist Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 625. Monday, 4 October 1993. (1) From: Sean Lawrence Date: Sunday, 03 Oct 1993 16:16:58 -0300 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0616 Re: Swedish *Hamlet* (2) From: Sean Lawrence Date: Sunday, 03 Oct 1993 16:24:07 -0300 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0617 Re: Color-Blind and Color-Aware Casting (3) From: Gardner Campbell Date: Monday, 4 Oct 1993 11:30:08 -0700 (PDT) Subj: *The Tempest*, with Efram Zimbalist, Jr.--query (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Sean Lawrence Date: Sunday, 03 Oct 1993 16:16:58 -0300 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0616 Re: Swedish *Hamlet* Is the Bergman Hamlet available in English? Or does it use sub-titles or voice-overs? Yours, Sean Lawrence. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Sean Lawrence Date: Sunday, 03 Oct 1993 16:24:07 -0300 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0617 Re: Color-Blind and Color-Aware Casting About the possibility of a person of African extraction becoming a prince in Italy, does anyone know why Lodovico Sforza was known as "Il Moro?" Does this imply that he was a Moor? Thanks, Sean Lawrence (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Gardner Campbell Date: Monday, 4 Oct 1993 11:30:08 -0700 (PDT) Subject: *The Tempest*, with Efram Zimbalist, Jr.--query Over the weekend I ran across a laserdisc video of *The Tempest* (127 minutes, so I'm guessing the cuts are minimal) starring Efram Zimbalist, Jr. (I hope I've got that last name spelled right.) Does anyone know anything about this performance? It seems to date from the mid or late 1980's, but I'm not sure. Since I don't find the BBC *Tempest* very attractive, I'd love to have stumbled upon a gem--but is it? Gardner Campbell Campbell@usdcsv.acusd.edu ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 4 Oct 1993 21:44:44 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0626 Re: *Coriolanus* Ban; *R&G Are Dead* and *Hamlet* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 626. Monday, 4 October 1993. (1) From: Cary M. Mazer Date: Monday, 4 Oct 93 8:43:40 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0622 Re: *Coriolanus* Ban (2) From: Jean Peterson Date: Monday, 4 Oct 1993 11:58:17 -0400 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0623 Re: Editing *Ham* (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Cary M. Mazer Date: Monday, 4 Oct 93 8:43:40 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0622 Re: *Coriolanus* Ban William Godshalk may (for all I know) be accurate in correcting Terence Hawkes's statement about the ban on _Coriolanus_ in occupied Berlin, noting that the ban may have only extended to "translations, adaptations, and independent versions." But he should consider that EVERY production of a playscript is a translation, adaptation, and/or independent version, and that no production--whether by the King's men, the BBC, the RSC, or at Wanamaker's Globe--isn't. Cary M. Mazer University of Pennsylvania (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jean Peterson Date: Monday, 4 Oct 1993 11:58:17 -0400 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0623 Re: Editing *Ham* >How about weaving Stoppard's *Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead* >into it? Perhaps as a separate project for teaching, without all >the Q and F layerings. Director Gordon McCall DID "weave" *R&G are Dead* into a provocative, very dark production of *Hamlet* at University of British Columbia a few years back. If this is of interest, there's a review/description of the production in *Shakespeare Bulletin* 10, Winter 1992. Jean Peterson Bucknell University ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 6 Oct 1993 07:09:26 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0627 Shakespeare Reading Groups Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 627. Wednesday, 6 October 1993. From: Blair Kelly III Date: Monday, 4 Oct 1993 22:15:35 -0400 Subject: Shakespeare Reading Groups My thanks to all the members of SHAKSPER who sent me references about Shakespeare reading groups. I finally got down the other weekend to the local university library and was able to find some of them. The book "One Touch of Shakespeare" by Fran Teague and John Velz (excellently indexed!) gave me the reference to "The Shakespeare Society of Philadelphia" in the Shakespeare Quarterly (1952). I found this to be an excellent article and learned that the Shakespeare Society of Philadelphia claims to be the oldest Shakespeare Society in continuous existence, dating back to 1861. As Georgianna Ziegler has mentioned, this group is still in existence and has a restricted membership list. If some kind person would send me their current secretary's address, I will make sure that the Washington Shakespeare Reading Group sends them fraternal regards come the Bard's birthday. I would also appreciate any more recent references on this Society. My thanks also to Fran Teague who sent me a copy by post of her May 1977 Shakespeare Newsletter article "A 19th Century Shakespeare Reading Club", which nicely summarized the discussion about reading groups mentioned in "One Touch of Shakespeare". Around 1878, Zanesville, Ohio had a Shakespeare Reading Club, one of whose founders was a relative of President Fillmore. I had less luck finding much about the British Empire Shakespeare Society. I did find a reference to the Society in the book "Nothing to Repent: The Life of Hesketh Pearson" by Ian Hunter. Pearson was secretary around 1912. Pearson's autobiography "Hesketh Pearson by Himself" was not at the this university library, although I found a reference to it at another library that I hope to visit soon. What I would really like is an article about the British Empire Shakespeare Society similar to the one I found for the Shakespeare Society of Philadelphia. If anyone knows of such or runs across any other references, please let me know. Now for some addresses and contact persons for the active reading groups with which I am familiar. The Cheltenham Shakespeare Society, Cheltenham (Gloucester), England meets approximately fortnightly from fall through spring, and welcomes new members. I found out about the group by their notice in the Cheltenham Town Library. They meet at various members' houses. Some current members are Allan and Rhoda Bloome, phone (94) 29970, and Mrs. Betty Webley, phone (0242) 515452. If anyone contacts them, please kindly remember me to them. The Washington Shakespeare Reading Group meets approximately fortnightly throughout the year. Meetings are held in the basement of the Palisades Community Church, 5200 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. New members are welcome. The phone (202) 966-7929 should reach the church office which will know our current schedule. (Or you may contact me by email, bfkelly@afterlife.ncsc.mil) [Hardy - how about putting these two references in the SHAKSPER directory file?] If any member of SHAKSPER will be in the DC area in the near future, the Washington Shakespeare Reading Group's upcoming readings (which begin promptly at 7:30 pm) are: Friday October 8 Much Ado About Nothing Saturday October 23 Henry V And if any member of SHAKSPER knows of any other active reading groups, please let me know. --- Blair Kelly III bfkelly@afterlife.ncsc.mil ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 6 Oct 1993 07:22:28 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0628 Re: *Tempest* Videos Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 628. Wednesday, 6 October 1993. (1) From: Stephen Orgel Date: Monday, 4 Oct 1993 21:36:31 -0700 (PDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0625 Qs: Bergman *Ham*; Il Moro; *Tempest* w/ (2) From: Kenneth S. Rothwell Date: Tuesday, 5 Oct 1993 08:17:02 -500 (EDT) Subj: Re: Bergman *Ham*; Il Moro; *Tempest* w/ Zimbalist (3) From: John Massa Date: Tuesday, 5 Oct 93 11:02 CST Subj: Zimbalest "Tempest" (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Stephen Orgel Date: Monday, 4 Oct 1993 21:36:31 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0625 Qs: Bergman *Ham*; Il Moro; *Tempest* w/ Re: video Tempests. The Zimbalist version is "songsy-dancy"; my students dissolve in giggles at it, and I find it a little embarrassing. I believe it derives from a Stratford, Conn. production. I concur in finding the BBC version disappointing, singularly bleak; and to cut so short a play really is perverse. There is an ancient live-video performance available with Maurice Evans as Prospero, Roddy MacDowell as Ariel and (sit tight) Richard Burton as Caliban. It's cut--I think it was for an hour show-- and constricted by the demands of the medium in c. 1952, but there are amazing things in it. The superlative Giorgio Strehler production is now available on tape in Italy, but if you order it from abroad it is perfectly easy to have it translated into US format (and anyhow, AIWA now makes a machine that will play all formats through US tv monitors), and though there are no subtitles, the action is entirely clear, since it's a very precise translation of the play (though, oddly, the masque is cut). It's magnificent, one of the great modern Shakespeare productions, worth the effort of getting ahold of. Strehler's great Lear, by the way, is also available. Those are all the Tempests I know; I omit Prospero's Books; if the Jarman Tempest were available, I'd recommend it. Cheers, Stephen Orgel (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kenneth S. Rothwell Date: Tuesday, 5 Oct 1993 08:17:02 -500 (EDT) Subject: Re: Bergman *Ham*; Il Moro; *Tempest* w/ Zimbalist Dear Gardner Campbell, The Tempest that you refer to is one of a series made by Bard Productions in rivalry with the BBC Shakespeare Plays. The release date I have is 1985. The big selling point was to use American actors whom American students could identify with. So far as I know the series was never completed, though about six exist, some well received others denounced. The fate of all Shakespeare series. The series was recently available through Facets Media in Chicago and many other mail order outlets. Ken Rothwell (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John Massa Date: Tuesday, 5 Oct 93 11:02 CST Subject: Zimbalest "Tempest" The set, costumes, and acting in this "Tempest" were awful, in my opinion. I turned it off after 30 minutes and decided to just read the play again. Zimbalest was unprepared for the part. So for me, it was definitely not a "gem" -- but there's no accounting for taste... John John-Massa@uiowa.edu ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 6 Oct 1993 07:31:31 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0629 Re: Il Moro; *Coriolanus* Ban Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 629. Wednesday, 6 October 1993. (1) From: Al Cacicedo Date: Monday, 4 Oct 1993 23:01:55 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: "Il Moro" and "Moor" (2) From: William Godshalk Date: Monday, 04 Oct 1993 23:14:28 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: *Coriolanus* Ban; *R&G Are Dead* and *Hamlet* (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Al Cacicedo Date: Monday, 4 Oct 1993 23:01:55 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: "Il Moro" and "Moor" In reply to Sean Lawrence's question about whether being called "Il Moro" means that one is a "Moor," I can only report the common usage in Cuban Spanish, which applies the term "moro" to anyone of "European" descent with particularly dark skin. I can only conjecture that the same is true in Italian. Good luck trying to figure it out! Al Cacicedo (alc @joe.alb.edu) (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Godshalk Date: Monday, 04 Oct 1993 23:14:28 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: *Coriolanus* Ban; *R&G Are Dead* and *Hamlet* I understand Cary Mazer's point, but I like to say that every production is an "interpretation" of one of Shakespeare's script. What Philip Brockbank was writing about in 1976 was scripts and subsequently performances. I think that there is a difference between "interpreting" Shakespeare's script and performing an adapted script or a freely translated script. Compare MACBETH and, say, MCBIRD. (I hope that's the right spelling.) Sincerely, Bill Godshalk ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 6 Oct 1993 07:37:17 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0630 Q: Asimov's GUIDE Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 630. Wednesday, 6 October 1993. From: Kenneth S. Rothwell Date: Tuesday, 5 Oct 1993 08:25:37 -500 (EDT) Subject: [Query: Asimov's GUIDE] Recent discussions of the historical context for Much Ado prompt me to ask if anyone out there has used Isaac Asimov's Guide to Shakespeare for information about historical contexts in the plays. Asimov was a prodigiously prolific author who remained unintimidated from undertaking the most massive projects imaginable. Guides to the Bible, Guides to the History of the world, Guides to Shakespeare. You name it. I've heard that he published over 300 books. He was also as everyone knows a talented writer of sci-fi. Because his Guide to Shakespeare is totally undocumented and because it seemed doubtful that anyone who wrote so much could remain accurate, I always used his two-volume work with some trepidation, but use it I did. Perhaps with some feelings of guilt, as though the chairman was about to catch me preparing my lectures from Cliff's Notes. His section on Don Pedro of Aragon in Vol. I of the Guide (p. 545) seems very helpful to me. So far as I know this book was never reviewed in a Shakespeare journal nor does it appear widely in bibliographies. Is there someone on the List more knowledgeable than I about it who would like to comment on its value? I heard Asimov speak at an MLA convention several years ago and was impressed by the man's unpretentiousness and obvious sincerity. He was not unwilling to make his meaning plain. Awed by Asimov, Ken Rothwell ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 6 Oct 1993 07:42:51 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0631 Q: Adaptations of Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 631. Wednesday, 6 October 1993. From: Cora Eng Date: Tuesday, 5 Oct 1993 17:10:11 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Adaptations of Shakespeare Dear Shakespeareans: I am an English major working on an honors paper examining adaptations of Shakespeare. I will be looking at three outstanding adaptations that did more than just modernize or transpose Shakespeare from one medium to another. The artist I am looking at made the adaptation so unique that it became a work of art in its own right. My first area of study is Jane Smiley's *A Thousand Acres*. Does anyone have any ideas, thoughts or info on this novel adaptation of *King Lear*? I am also interested in your feelings about this adaptation. Are you pleased with the result? Does it shed any light on Shakespeare and his text? Does the novel cause you to re-evalutate the play? Do you think Shakespeare would approve of what J. Smiley has done? As a new subscriber I am in awe of your queries and responses. I find them enlightening, educational, and entertaining! Thanks for letting me air my area of study. Cora Eng Hood College ceng@merlin.hood.edu ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 7 Oct 1993 12:12:46 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0632 Re: Asimov's GUIDE Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 632. Thursday, 7 October 1993. (1) From: James Schaefer Date: Wednesday, 06 Oct 1993 09:58:18 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0630 Q: Asimov's GUIDE (2) From: Robert Burke Date: Wednesday, 06 Oct 1993 16:49:52 -0500 (CDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0630 Q: Asimov's GUIDE (3) From: William Godshalk Date: Wednesday, 06 Oct 1993 21:07:15 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0630 Q: Asimov's GUIDE (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: James Schaefer Date: Wednesday, 06 Oct 1993 09:58:18 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0630 Q: Asimov's GUIDE Three cheers for Kenneth Rothwell for admitting that he gleans ideas and insights about Shakespeare wherever he can, including from biochemist/ mathematician/popular sci-fi writers! We all want to promote solid scholarship. But as one of my two dissertation advisers told me, everything is grist for the mill; and as the other one said, she rather have a student with enthusiam that needs disciplining than a plodding, unimaginative performer/scholar. Amateurism in its basic sense (loving what one does) is what got most of us into this business in the first place, and we should encourage it in others. Jim Schaefer schaefej@guvax.georgetown.edu (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Robert Burke Date: Wednesday, 06 Oct 1993 16:49:52 -0500 (CDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0630 Q: Asimov's GUIDE I have always found Asimov a treasure-trove of answers to the questions which most of us never think to ask - but which students are probably asking. For example: I think he tells us how far Mantua is from Verona. I have never cheked out his answer on a map, but I presume he is ac- curate. My students seem to value him, if only because he is a name they recognize. Glad to know someone else has found him interesting. (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Godshalk Date: Wednesday, 06 Oct 1993 21:07:15 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0630 Q: Asimov's GUIDE Regarding Ken Rothwell's comments on Asimov, I've never used the Guide (but I'll certainly check it out now). I was, however, at Asimov's talk at the MLA, and I heartily agree with you: he was great. I went away with a new respect for him. Yours, Bill Godshalk ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 7 Oct 1993 12:39:14 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0634 Re: Adaptations: Smiley's *Acres* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 634. Thursday, 7 October 1993. (1) From: Katy Egerton Date: Wednesday, 06 Oct 93 14:28 EDT Subj: Re: Adaptations - Jane Smiley's _A Thousand Acres_ (2) From: Ed Pechter Date: Wednesday, 06 Oct 1993 19:14:01 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0631 Q: Adaptations of Shakespeare (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Katy Egerton Date: Wednesday, 06 Oct 93 14:28 EDT Subject: Re: Adaptations - Jane Smiley's _A Thousand Acres_ Smiley's _A Thousand Acres_ recasts the Lear story in the Iowa farm crisis of the early 1980's. Ginny (Goneril) is the principle speaker, and her telling of the tale highlights, among other things, an intriguing reading of the play in terms of gender. Cordelia is almost a non-presence, Lear an abusive father, etc.. I've been a fan of Smiley's for a long time, and while I prefer her novellas ("The Age of Grief" and _Ordinary Love & Good Will_), I thought that _ATA_ deserved its Pulitzer. In terms of studying the links with/departures from Lear, what about the "punishments" - the blinding of Gloucester (ammonia poisioning) and Rose's (Reagan's) breast cancer interested me specifically. cheerio - Kate Egerton (egerton@uncmvs.oit.unc.edu) (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ed Pechter Date: Wednesday, 06 Oct 1993 19:14:01 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0631 Q: Adaptations of Shakespeare To Cora Eng, I wouldn't get hung up on *A Thousand Acres* as an "adaptation" of *King Lear*; "adaptation" suggests that Smiley was based in *Lear* when writing her novel, but it seems to me the other way round. The novel has its own concerns and energy and makes use of *Lear* to suggest resonances of the heroic and mythic: this book isn't limited to The Fate of the Family Farm. Would you really want to get into specific similarities between, say, Gloucester and the other farmer who gets blinded? You COULD do that, if you wanted to, but I don't think it would be very useful. On the other hand, if that's what your prof wants . . . Good luck. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 7 Oct 1993 12:46:19 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0635 Two Queries: A Name and Variorum Project Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 635. Thursday, 7 October 1993. (1) From: Herbert Donow Date: Wednesday, 6 Oct 93 11:30:39 CST Subj: Moor / Moro (2) From: Ed Pechter Date: Wednesday, 06 Oct 1993 19:14:01 -0500 (EST) Subj: [Variorum Editors] (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Herbert Donow Date: Wednesday, 6 Oct 93 11:30:39 CST Subject: Moor / Moro A recent note about moor-moro prompt me to ask the following: I have a student named Mattimore. Her family is from Ireland. When I asked her if she traces her lineage to Spain (Matamoros), she thought I must be crazy for asking? Is there anyone out there who knows about that name, or names like it? Herb Donow Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ed Pechter Date: Wednesday, 06 Oct 1993 19:14:01 -0500 (EST) Subject: [Variorum Editors] To Anyone Who Knows, Who's in charge of the new new Variorum Shakespeare project, and where can I reach them? Since this is not of general interest, feel free to write to me privately. Many thanks. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 7 Oct 1993 12:58:04 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0636 Q: Shakespeare in Watergate Haerings Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 636. Thursday, 7 October 1993. From: Nate Johnson Date: Wednesday, 06 Oct 93 16:03:34 EDT Subject: Shakespeare in Watergate Query Does anyone know how I can identify Shakespearean references (especially Senator Ervin's) in the 12,000 pages of Watergate hearing transcript? "Shakespeare," unlike "Ehrlichmann" is not one of the indexed categories. Please reply privately unless your response is of general interest. --Nate Johnson ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 7 Oct 1993 12:31:46 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0633 Re: *Tempest* Videos Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 633. Thursday, 7 October 1993. (1) From: Jeff Nyhoff Date: Wednesday, 6 Oct 93 07:43:06 -0700 Subj: [Re: *Tempest* Videos] (2) From: Jean Peterson Date: Wednesday, 6 Oct 1993 11:17:40 -0400 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0628 Re: *Tempest* Videos (3) From: Mary Jane Miller Date: Wednesday, 6 Oct 93 14:21:47 -0400 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0628 Re: *Tempest* Videos (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jeff Nyhoff Date: Wednesday, 6 Oct 93 07:43:06 -0700 Subject: [Re: *Tempest* Videos] I'm missing something: in a single sentence, Mr. Orgel dismisses "Prospero's Books" from a consideration of productions of _The Tempest_, as if the reasons for doing so should be obvious. Was this film collectively dismissed by this discussion group upon its release? In any case, I cannot agree. I must argue that hypermedia treatments of Shakespeare's plays (e.g. the MIT presentations at SAA last April), ultimately approach a striking similarity to "Prospero's Books," and consequently I cannot think of a more timely film for consideration in a Shakespeare course. Regardless, can someone suggest where in the group archives I might find previous discussion of the film? Thanks, Jeff Nyhoff UC Berkeley [To locate past discussions, I would suggest that you first search the four indexes to the past discussions -- DISCUSS INDEX_1 (1990), DISCUSS INDEX_2 (1991), DISCUSS INDEX_3 (1992), DISCUSS INDEX_4 (1993). After you have the digest numbers, you can either order the appropriate monthly log or use a gopher server to get to the Conference's LISTSERV ARCHIVES at the University of Toronto to read the appropriate digests. --HMC] (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jean Peterson Date: Wednesday, 6 Oct 1993 11:17:40 -0400 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0628 Re: *Tempest* Videos >Dear Gardner Campbell, The Tempest that you refer to is one of a series >made by Bard Productions in rivalry with the BBC Shakespeare Plays. The >release date I have is 1985. The big selling point was to use American >actors whom American students could identify with. So far as I know the >series was never completed, though about six exist, some well received >others denounced. Just another word about the Bard productions: there was a review of this *Tempest* in *Shakespeare Film Newsletter* some years ago; I recall that the critic made some intelligent associations between Zimbalist as Prospero and the political climate of the '80's--Prospero for the Reagan Years! (I think there was also some reference to Zimbalist's association with the religious right). Afraid I can't give you the date of the issue, but maybe you can track it down. I have seen the Bard *Shrew*, and it is so awful it must be seen to be believed. Which is not to say it isn't food for thought--especially since Bard sells itself as offering "definitive" versions of the plays as pedagogical resource. Jean Peterson Bucknell University (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Mary Jane Miller Date: Wednesday, 6 Oct 93 14:21:47 -0400 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0628 Re: *Tempest* Videos Has anyone mentioned the film made of Peter Brook's extraordinary workshop on *The Tempest*, with Brook talking about his own vision. It is full of vivid sound and physical imagery with a Japanese Ariel in kimono, everyone else in blacks, done in, on and around an audience seated on scaffolding and on a bare platform. The only props which I remember are a set of coloured scarfs used at the end. Actors names elude me but I could check an off-air tape of it after [the Canadian] Thanksgiving coming up. Whether it's available on video I don't know - but it does provoke some interesting discussion in class when I have used it. As much for what Brook said about the play as for his realization of it. I would guess that the time it was made is the early 70's. I'll dig further if anyone needs to know more. Mary Jane Miller, Dept. of Film Studies, Dramatic and Visual Arts, Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, L2S 3A1. e-mail: mjmiller@spartan.ac.brocku.ca ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 7 Oct 1993 13:05:28 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0637 Shakespeare and Politics Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 637. Thursday, 7 October 1993. From: Piers Lewis Date: Thursday, 07 Oct 1993 07:22:13 -0600 (CST) Subject: Shakespeare and Politics. It might help some, mulling over this vast topic, to distinguish between the uses that particular plays might contingently be put to from time to time, by this group or that, and the ideas and attitudes that are integral to the plays themselves. That Coriolanus caught fascist or nazi fancies--as T. S. Eliot foresaw--may or may not tell us something about the play; we need to know a lot more than we do about the way they were reading it. Chances are they didn't understand it. Whatever we might want to say about Coriolanus, he's not a fascist. Can you imagine him joining or forming a political party? Leading marches, presiding over mass meetings? Waving flags, shouting slogans, whipping up frenzied mobs? Getting him to acknowledge obligations toward family and friends--much less the state--is like pulling teeth; and political abstractions mean nothing to him. He's entirely a-political, a complete individualist and proud of it: self- sufficient, self-enclosed, needing no one, a law unto himself, the author of his own being. That at any rate is how he sees himself. All he cares about is honor, which for him is absolutely valuable in itself, regardless of considerations, its own absolute reward, the standard by which all other goods are to be valued. Therefore nothing he does, no matter how extraordinary, satisfies him. He is, perhaps, Shakespeare's supreme egoist. Shakespeare's plays are full of people who resemble Coriolanus in this: like him they make absolute demands, of themselves or others or the world; or place an absolute value on some quality or virtue, like honor or love or sincerity or chastity. Such people do not fare well in the world of Shakespeare's plays. The greatest and most absurd of these absolutists is Coriolanus--who, thinking he can banish Rome, family and friends and find a world elsewhere, learns that the world is everywhere much the same. The wine he drinks is made of grapes, as Iago would say. Shylock demands an absolute revenge. Isabella places an absolute value on her own chastity. Othello's soul has to be perfect and so must Desdemona's; so a wink and a nod from Iago is all it takes to drive him mad. Hamlet demands absolute certainty, absolute virtue and absolute revenge--at first. Cordelia demands absolute sincerity--real instead of artificial feelings--and instantly (in S.L. Goldberg's memorable phrase) they are all swept out to sea. Shakespeare's finest and most attractive realist is Prince Hal who learns more from the witty and immoral Falstaff than *The Book of the Courtier* or *The Faerie Queene*. (Does Shakespeare ever allude to either of those books?) And so on. To be thinking in this way about 'value' is a political stance or idea is it not? Particularly in the late 16th century when everyone was claiming to know the absolute truth of God's will. Piers Lewis ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 8 Oct 1993 20:17:13 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0644 Re: Shakespeare and the Watergate Hearings Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 644. Friday, 8 October 1993. From: Phyllis Rackin Date: Friday, 8 Oct 1993 09:56:19 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0636 Q: Shakespeare in Watergate Hearings I'd be interested in the answers to this query, and I'll bet others would too. > Does anyone know how I can identify Shakespearean references (especially > Senator Ervin's) in the 12,000 pages of Watergate hearing transcript? > "Shakespeare," unlike "Ehrlichmann" is not one of the indexed categories. > > Please reply privately unless your response is of general interest. > > --Nate Johnson > ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 8 Oct 1993 20:27:06 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0638 Re: Asimov's GUIDE Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 638. Friday, 8 October 1993. (1) From: E. H. Pearlman Date: Thursday, 07 Oct 1993 10:17:46 -0600 (MDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0632 Re: Asimov's GUIDE (2) From: Laura White Date: Thursday, 07 Oct 1993 13:29:35 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0632 Re: Asimov's GUIDE (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: E. H. Pearlman Date: Thursday, 07 Oct 1993 10:17:46 -0600 (MDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0632 Re: Asimov's GUIDE re: Asimov, who wrote over three hundred books. Asked, at the end of his life, what he'd do differently if he could do it over, replied, "Type faster." (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Laura White Date: Thursday, 07 Oct 1993 13:29:35 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0632 Re: Asimov's GUIDE What a bit of serendippity to have Asimov's Guide discussed two days after I plucked it off the shelf as a curiosity and ONE day after I used it to teach Hamlet in a survey class. He is very clear-minded, very common-sensical, and, yes, he does anticipate the kinds of questions our students ask. (This is a great List, Mr. Cook.) --Laurie White, UNCGreensboro WHITEL@steffi.uncg.edu ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 8 Oct 1993 20:30:17 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0639 Re: *Tempest* Videos and SFN/SB Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 639. Friday, 8 October 1993. (1) From: Mathilda M. Hills Date: Thursday, 07 Oct 93 16:20:07 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0625 *Tempest* w/ Zimbalist (2) From: Bernice Kliman Date: Thursday, 7 Oct 1993 21:09 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0633 Re: *Tempest* Videos (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Mathilda M. Hills Date: Thursday, 07 Oct 93 16:20:07 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0625 *Tempest* w/ Zimbalist The Efram Zimbalist *Tempest* is dreadful amateurish stuff. Sorry to disappoint you. Mathilda Hills (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Bernice Kliman Date: Thursday, 7 Oct 1993 21:09 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0633 Re: *Tempest* Videos Dear Viewers, Just a reminder that the Shakespeare on Film Newsletter has now merged with the Shakespeare Bulletin, giving us more pages per year for media than we had before. Ken Rothwell and I have recently produced an index of the first 16 years of SFNL (the whole production as a separate entity) and it can be purchased from the editors of the Shakespeare Bulletin, James Lusardi and June Schlueter, Lafayette College. We would all (i.e., Ken, June, Jim and I) like to encourage you to write about your favorite video versions of Tempest and other plays. I hope Steven Orgel will write about the Italian Tempest and reveal from whom the tape can be ordered. Unless I missed something in the index, the only Tempests that SFNL has discussed are Schaefer (a delight), Jarman, *The Stuff of Dreams* (re a stage production) and of course the BBC. Send two copies of essays and notes on film and video to any of us. Thanks, Bernice ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 8 Oct 1993 20:37:55 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0640 Re: What's in a Name Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 640. Friday, 8 October 1993. (1) From: Mark Morton Date: Thursday, 07 Oct 1993 17:40:37 -0600 (CST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0635 Two Queries: A Name and Variorum Project (2) From: Kenneth McCoy Date: Thursday, 7 Oct 1993 20:16:37 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0635 (matamoro) (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Mark Morton Date: Thursday, 07 Oct 1993 17:40:37 -0600 (CST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0635 Two Queries: A Name and Variorum Project I recall reading that the name "Costello" (as in "Elvis") is from the Spanish "Castello". When the Armada was approaching Britain (from the north, sneakily) and then got scattered by the gracious gales of God, some of the Spanish sailors were cast on to the shores of Ireland. "Castello" became "Costello" and this event is also supposed to explain why some people of Irish descent have black hair and a darker complexion. Mark Morton (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kenneth McCoy Date: Thursday, 7 Oct 1993 20:16:37 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0635 (matamoro) I have heard that the "Black Irish" are so-called because of their supposedly Spanish-Moorish lineage. So there's really no reason why your friend should look at you in any unusual way for asking. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 8 Oct 1993 20:39:09 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0641 Re: New Variorum Shakespeare Project Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 641. Friday, 8 October 1993. (1) From: Georgianna Ziegler Date: Thursday, 07 Oct 1993 17:33:23 -0500 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0635 Two Queries: A Name and Variorum Project (2) From: Bernice Kliman Date: Thursday, 7 Oct 1993 20:58 EDT Subj: New Variorum Shakespeare Project (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Georgianna Ziegler Date: Thursday, 07 Oct 1993 17:33:23 -0500 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0635 Two Queries: A Name and Variorum Project The Variorum Shakespeare project is under the auspices of the MLA. According to the Sept. MLA DIRECTORY, there are 10 members of the committee, which is chaired by David Kastan of Columbia U. (see listing on p. 643 of the DIRECTORY). (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Bernice Kliman Date: Thursday, 7 Oct 1993 20:58 EDT Subject: New Variorum Shakespeare Project Dear Ed Pechter: Since the answer >may< be of general interest, I am responding through the list: MLA is publishing the NV Shakespeare texts, with AYL, MM, and ANT already published (three massive hardcover books available for $100 from MLA). Err, H5, Lr, and WT are coming along well. Ham, on which I am working, is about ten years away from completion (with luck and a few grants). The General Editor is Richard Knowles, U of Wisconsin. He's on the net but does not read or answer his mail. Write to him at Madison. The project has a page in the Shakespeare Newsletter, now published at Iona College by Tom Pendleton. Information of general interest appears there periodically. It's fun to work on this project, at least for someone like me. I am learning a lot and enjoying it. Yours, Bernice ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 8 Oct 1993 20:54:01 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0642 Re: Adaptation: Smiley's *Acres* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 642. Friday, 8 October 1993. From: Bernice W. Kliman Date: Thursday, 7 Oct 1993 20:48 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0634 Re: Adaptations: Smiley's *Acres* I admire Smiley's work very much too. She's great on relationships in all her writing and wonderfully so in *ATA*. I agree that it does not pay to list the correspondences. What is wonderful about Smiley is the way she uses some ideas (like the blinding) but then changes it unexpectedly or she does not use another plot feature at all. Smiley strikes me as being as original in her use of her source as Shakespeare can be with his. Fun to write about. Enjoy! Bernice W. Kliman ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 8 Oct 1993 20:56:00 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0643 Two Announcements: CRRS and ExLibris Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 643. Friday, 8 October 1993. From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Friday, October 8, 1993 Subject: Two Announcments: CRRS and ExLibris I thought the following two annoucement may be of interest to some SHAKSPEReans. =============================================================================== From FICINO Discussion - Renaissance and Reformation Studies: The Centre for Reformation and Renaissance Studies in Victoria College at the University of Toronto sponsors lectures and seminars throughout the year which may be of interest to subscribers to FICINO. On Tuesday October 19, 1993, Professor Charles Nauert (History, University of Missouri) will present the Centre's twenty-ninth annual Erasmus lecture: "Refashioning the Universities: Renaissance and Reformation". Professor Nauert is the author of The Age of Renaissance and Reformation (1981) and Agrippa and the Crisis of Renaissance Thought (1965). The talk will be held in Alumni Hall, Victoria College, at 4:00 pm. =============================================================================== CHANGE: ExLibris - Rare books and Special Collections List ExLibris has changed hosts since it was first announced in 1990: EXLIBRIS on LISTSERV@RUTVM1.BITNET or LISTSERV@RUTVM1.RUTGERS.EDU EXLIBRIS is an unedited news and discussion group for the purpose of discussing matters related to rare book and manuscript librarianship, including special collections and related issues. Membership is open to anyone who wishes to subscribe. The contents are archived as is usual for LISTSERV groups (see below). The address of the listserv, for housekeeping matters including subscribing and unsubscribing, is either of: LISTSERV@RUTVM1.BITNET LISTSERV@RUTVM1.RUTGERS.EDU (capitalization is unimportant) To subscribe to the list send e-mail to one of the addresses above with the following command in the BODY of the e-mail: SUBSCRIBE EXLIBRIS your full name Eg. subscribe exlibris Johann G. Gutenberg Be sure the message is contained in a single line. If you are willing, it is helpful to include institutional identification on the same line, as: SUBSCRIBE EXLIBRIS your full name, institution name Eg. sub exlibris Johann G. Gutenberg, Deutsches BuchenMachen You may leave the list at any time by sending the SIGNOFF EXLIBRIS command to a LISTSERV address (above). You may also wish to use the SET EXLIBRIS NOMAIL command (to LISTSERV) to temporarily suspend your participation (e.g. for vacations or other absences) and the SET EXLIBRIS MAIL command to resume mail delivery. The address of the group (for messages, *not* for subscribing or other housekeeping -- see above) is either of: EXLIBRIS@RUTVM1.BITNET EXLIBRIS@RUTVM1.RUTGERS.EDU (capitalization is unimportant) Please be aware that your local system REPLY mechanism may or may not direct your message to EXLIBRIS. It may only go to the email address attached to the message you are replying to. In such a case (you'll be able to see) you should MAIL to EXLIBRIS rather than REPLYing to the message. It is considered a courtesy to include your name and institution at the TOP of your message for identification (our email addresses are often a bit terse). Contributions sent to this list are automatically archived. You can obtain a list of the available archive files by sending an "INDEX EXLIBRIS" command to LISTSERV@RUTVM1. These files can then be retrieved by means of a "GET EXLIBRIS filetype" command, or using the database search facilities of LISTSERV. Send an "INFO DATABASE" command for more information on the latter. This discussion group has been set up and is maintained through the good offices of staff members of Rutgers University Computing Services and the Rutgers University Libraries at Rutgers -- The State University of New Jersey, who reserve the right to discontinue or modify this service for any reason and at any time. Owner: Peter Graham psgraham@gandalf.rutgers.edu Rutgers University Libraries Rutgers -- The State University of New Jersey 169 College Avenue / New Brunswick, N. J. 08903 Phone: (908) 932-5908 Fax: (908) 932-5888 Editor's Note: Do not confuse the EXLIBRIS@RUTVM1 list with one by the same name on LISTSERV@UMRVMB (for UMR Library Users). mgh ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 9 Oct 1993 20:57:48 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0645 Videotape of Jonson's *Oberon* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 645. Saturday, 9 October 1993. From: Thomas G. Bishop Date: Saturday, 9 Oct 93 14:49:50 -0400 Subject: Videotape of Jacobean Masque Available Dear SHKASPEReans, I do not know if it is proper to make these kinds of commercial announcements on a BBS, but the following item seemed like it might be of interest to subscribers, or to their libraries. Please pass it on to any other interested parties who might like the information. What follows is a press release designed for general readers, then an order form. As my techincal expertise at load documents up and down is faulty, there may be formatting errors below, for which I beg indulgence. Please pass on this notice to anyone else who might be interested, including librarians. Anyone who wants more information is welcome to contact me at the address below and I'll provide it. Yours, Tom Bishop Press Release: "Oberon, the Fairy Prince" CLEVELAND, October 10, 1993. Jacobean masques--the Broadway musicals of the Shakespearean age--are rarely performed nowadays, despite their highly entertaining mix of music, dance, and comedy. If you missed the recent performance of Ben Jonson's masterpiece "Oberon, the Faery Prince," performed last March to standing-room-only audiences at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, don't despair. The performance is now available on videotape, complete with a documentary about masques in general and this reconstruction of "Oberon" in particular. Included with the video is a commemorative facsimile of the 1616 print of the masque, from a copy of the original edition in the CWRU Special Collections Library. Presented jointly by the CWRU Departments of Music, English, and Theater, and the Cleveland State University Departments of English and Theater, the production includes a delightful combination of solo and choral singing, instrumental ensembles of Renaissance winds and strings, dancing, and drama. The directors were: Barrie Rutter, Artistic Director of Northern Broadsides and a veteran of the Old Vic and Royal Shakespeare companies, who directed the staging; David Douglass, director of The King's Noyse of Boston, who led the musical forces with his violin; Ken Pierce of the Ken Pierce Baroque Dance Company of Boston, who choreographed the dances, directed the dancers, and danced the title role; Eugene Hare of Cleveland State University, who executed the stage sets and costumes based on the surviving drawings by Inigo Jones for the original production. Ross W. Duffin, chair of the CWRU Music Department, reconstructed six missing songs, and Peter Holman, director of The Parley of Instruments, arranged the dance music. "Oberon" was conceived as a showpiece for the Prince of Wales, Prince Henry (older brother of the ill-fated Charles I). It was performed on New Year's Day, 1611, before the King and Queen--with Henry as the lead masquer--in the Banqueting House at Whitehall Palace. Ben Jonson's script, shows intriguing signs of an emerging political rivalry between Henry and his father, King James. Jonson's song-lyrics were originally set to music by Alfonso Ferrabosco II, Prince Henry's music tutor, and the dances were composed by Robert Johnson, a royal lutenist, who also set some of the songs for Shakespeare's plays. The characters in Oberon include a band of rollicking satyrs, led by Silenus. Next come the fairies and ultimately, Oberon with his attendants. Others in the cast are noted Cleveland singers Mark Duer, Coeli Ingold, Quentin Quereau, and Janet Youngdahl. A special aspect of this production is that the layout and dimensions of the Excelsior Ballroom are virtually identical to those of the Banqueting House at Whitehall where Oberon was first staged, and which burned down in 1619. For more information about the videotape of Oberon, contact the Department of Music, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106-7105, phone 216- 368-2400. VHS videocassette of OBERON: $ 62.50 Shipping and handling: $ 3.00 Credit Card Surcharge: $ 2.50 __________________________________________________________________ Order Form I would like to order ________ copy/copies of the videocassette of OBERON. Enclosed is my check or moeny order (Payable to: CWRU) for $65.50 per videocassette. Or charge my credit card $68.00 per videocassette. Name ______________________________________________________ Address ____________________________________________________ City ____________________________________ State ______ Zip _____ Telephone ___________________________________________________ Visa/MC/Disc________________________________ Exp. Date ________ Signature (required for credit card sales) ________________________ Send this form completed with your check or money order to: OBERON Video, Department of Music, CWRU, Cleveland OH 44106-7105. -- Tom Bishop Dept of English Case Western Reserve University Cleveland, OH 44106.(tgb2@po.cwru.edu) ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 9 Oct 1993 21:04:38 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0646 *Coriolanus* Ban Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 646. Saturday, 9 October 1993. From: Balz Engler Date: Saturday, 9 Oct 1993 19:43:56 +0100 Subject: SHK 4.0637 Shakespeare and Politics Re: Coriolanus in Germany (1) We should remember that plays are always used for a purpose in a production--even if the purpose is the glorification of a "timeless" classic. (2) The American authorities were well aware of the political implications of *Coriolanus*, as immediately becomes clear once we move beyond one or two marginal sources in English. I have not had a chance to look into this, but just opening E.L. Stahl's *Shakespeare und das deutsche Theater* (Stuttgart 1947) on p. 732, I found the following paragraph, which I have translated into English: "In the American zone, in which immediately theatre officers were appointed by the occupation authorities, a kind of index was published in the late summer of 1945, as a "suggested reference guide", in which *Hamlet*, *Macbeth*, *Richard III*, *King Lear*, and, under the motto of "the pursuit of happiness", all the comedies are specially mentioned. On the appended "Black List" certain classical works, normally "musts of a good repertory", are designated as unsuitable for a German audience at the present moment, among them *Julius Caesar* and *Coriolanus*, because of its "glorification of dictatorship"." This neatly supports Terry Hawkes's point, doesn't it? Balz Engler University of Basel, Switzerland ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 11 Oct 1993 17:43:34 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0647 Re: Shakespeare, the Watergate, and More Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 647. Monday, 11 October 1993. (1) From: Tom Horton Date: Monday, 11 Oct 93 09:43:25 -0400 Subj: SHK 4.0644 Re: Shakespeare and the Watergate Hearings (2) From: Steve Urkowitz Date: Monday, 11 Oct 93 15:19:57 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0644 Re: Shakespeare and the Watergate Hearings (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Tom Horton Date: Monday, 11 Oct 93 09:43:25 -0400 Subject: SHK 4.0644 Re: Shakespeare and the Watergate Hearings > Does anyone know how I can identify Shakespearean references (especially > Senator Ervin's) in the 12,000 pages of Watergate hearing transcript? > "Shakespeare," unlike "Ehrlichmann" is not one of the indexed categories. Question: Are the 12,000 pages in machine-readable form? If they are, I don't know if I have a good answer. (If they aren't, I *know* I have an answer, but not a good one!) I'm interested in the sort of questions scholars want to about text using machine-readable texts and search strategies. I'm particularly interested in finding allusions, intertextual references, etc. between texts using computers. Tom ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dr. Thomas B. Horton, Assistant Professor Dept. of Computer Science and Engineering, Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton, FL 33431 USA Phone: 407/367-2674 FAX: 407/367-2800 Internet: tom@cse.fau.edu Bitnet: HortonT@fauvax (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Steve Urkowitz Date: Monday, 11 Oct 93 15:19:57 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0644 Re: Shakespeare and the Watergate Hearings I'm trying to recall where I saw an article about this subject . . . COLLEGE ENGLISH perhaps? Sorry I can't get closer. In another area, people might like to know that THE VIDEO CATALOG (800-733-2232) has for sale the Brannaugh HENRY V, and two notable RSC productions: Trevor Nunn's ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA with Janet Suzman as a delicious, sizzlingly erotic Queen of Egypt, and Jonathan Miller' s production of MERCHANT OF VENICE with Laurence Olivier, Joan Plowright. They go for $19.95 each. For anyone able to come to NYC, Michael Langham's Stratford Ontario production of two summers ago, TIMON OF ATHENS, with Brian Bedford playing Timon, will be here from mid-October to early December. I saw it in Canada on the smallest of the Stratford stages, and it was magnificent. Shamelessly addicted to the commodified Bard, Stage Urkvideowitz surcc@cunyvm ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 11 Oct 1993 17:51:36 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0648 Two Announcements: Call for Submissions and Papers Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 648. Monday, 11 October 1993. From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Monday, October 11, 1993 Subject: Two Announcements: Call for Submissions and Papers [The following two announcements recently appeared on FICINO and may be of interest to SHAKSPEReans. --HMC] (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- _COMITATUS_ A JOURNAL OF MEDIEVAL AND RENAISSANCE STUDIES Submissions are invited to _Comitatus_, a journal devoted to publishing new scholars (either working toward doctoral degrees, or having completed such work within the previous three years). Of particular interest are articles with a pronounced interdisciplinary emphasis on any topic in medieval or Renaissance history, literature, theology, philosophy, the sciences, and the fine arts. We also seek unpublished, original translations of culturally or historically interesting works. Submissions should be no more than 30 pages in length, including notes, and should follow _The Chicago Manual of Style_. Recent articles include the following: --Bourges to Geneva: Methodological Links Between Legal Humanists and Calvinist Reformers --_Richeut_: A Translation from Old French --Women in Power: Fontevrault and the Paraclete Compared --Eckbert of Schoenau and Catharism --Criseyde's _Routhe_ DEADLINE: January 31, 1994 Send submissions (snail-mail) to: B. Sullivan, editor _Comitatus_ Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies University of California, Los Angeles 405 Hilgard Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90024-1485 310.206.1992 310.825.0655 fax (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- PLEASE DISTRIBUTE AS WIDELY AS POSSIBLE -- CALL FOR PAPERS Enjoy springtime in the south! Announcing the 51st annual meeting of the SOUTHEASTERN RENAISSANCE CONFERENCE -- the second oldest renaissance conference in the US -- APRIL 8-9, 1994, at North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina. Now receiving papers for inclusion on the program -- may be on any aspect of Renaissance studies -- of approximately 20 minutes reading time. Send 2 copies of papers to Professor Dale B. J. Randall President Southeastern Renaissance Conference Department of English Box 90015 Duke University Durham, NC 27708 Complete papers only; no abstracts or proposals, please. Postmark no later than January 15, 1994. A selection of Conference papers will be published in the Conference journal RENAISSANCE PAPERS. To become a member of the Southeastern Renaissance Conference and receive all Conference mailings, send annual dues of $12.50 (includes registration fee for Conference and subscription to the Conference journal RENAISSANCE PAPERS) TO: Professor John N. Wall Secretary-Treasurer Southeastern Renaissance Conference Department of English Box 8105 North Carolina State University Raleigh, NC 27695-8105 OR CONTACT VIA E-MAIL: jnweg@unity.ncsu.edu ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 12 Oct 1993 16:00:37 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0649 Re: Color-blind Casting Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 649. Tuesday, 12 October 1993. From: Douglas Green Date: Tuesday, 12 Oct 93 12:20:58 -0500 Subject: Re:4.0590 Color-blind Casting "I find the theatrical signals confusing and morally perplexing. What have others thought and felt?" Phyllis Gorfain's question brought to mind a fine production of "The Winter's Tale" at the Guthrie, which cast African-American actors as Hermione, Paulina, and Camillo. How self-consciously and to what effect? Well, Hermione's "trial" was powerfully affected: Her long black hair was gone; the actress's own hair, unstraightened and close-cropped, was revealed; she was dressed in a burlap sack and her hands were shackled: there was no question that the Guthrie had imported the imagery, relations, and injustice of American slavery into this Shakespearean depiction of marriage--heightening the textual focus on conjugal power relations (whose perspective prevails, whose voice is heard, etc.). Whether or not one likes the interpretation, the scene was striking and effective theatrically. But the effect of the casting of Paulina and Camillo was more problematic. As adherents to the 'truth' and exemplars of 'higher good,' the casting--however blind--did link them to Hermione, because after the scene above one could not ignore color: it had become a primary theatrical signifier. Unfortunately making all the characters played by black actors purveyors of Truth simply casts them in one of the roles to which they have traditionally been consigned in American mythology: the touchstones of integrity. I'm not sure there is much way around slipping into such (unconscious?) iconographical shorthand. (The automatic satisfaction of middle American audiences in seeing two 'black characters' paired up at the end in contrast to the uneasy reunion of the racially mixed couple raises further problems, whatever promises it may also afford.) But the production underscores the problems of trying to mix color-conscious and color-blind casting, especially in the U.S. where the history of slavery is likely to surface. Douglas E. Green, green@augsburg.edu / (612) 330-1187 Campus Box #13, English Dept., Augsburg College, Minneapolis, MN 55454 ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 13 Oct 1993 08:26:15 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0650 Q: *Ado* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 650. Wednesday, 13 October 1993. From: Blair Kelly III Date: Tuesday, 12 Oct 1993 19:13:37 -0400 Subject: Much Ado About Nothing We read Much Ado About Nothing this weekend at the Washington Shakespeare Reading Group. Two questions for my learned SHAKSPER companions: 1. Many years ago I heard an English teacher read from a (published) essay with a title something like "Where did Hero sleep?" This was a humorous (but serious) essay. After all, Maragaret is seen leaning out of Hero's bedroom window. Where was Hero? The essay also discusses the fact that we are told that up until that night Beatrice had always slept in the same room as Hero. Can anyone provide me with a reference from these admittedly sketchy clues? 2. Leonato's penance for Claudio includes And since you could not be my son-in-law, Be yet my nephew. My brother hath a daughter, Almost the copy of my child that's dead, And she alone is heir to both of us. Is this Beatrice? In other words, is Beatrice the daughter of Antonio? Or does Leonato have another niece? (Another member of the reading group and I disagree on this point. Please help adjudicate.) --- Blair Kelly III bfkelly@afterlife.ncsc.mil ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 13 Oct 1993 08:29:32 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0651 Endowed Chair in Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 651. Wednesday, 13 October 1993. From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Wednesday, October 13, 1993 Subject: Endowed Chair in Shakespeare Position: English Institution: U of North Carolina-Charlotte Location: North Carolina English: The University of North Carolina at Charlotte seeks a distinguished scholar and teacher for an endowed chair in Shakespeare. A successful applicant will have evidence of superior teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels and a distinguished record of publications in Shakespeare. Experience in, and a commitment to, community service is desirable. Candidates should currently hold the rank of Professor, or be qualified to assume that rank upon appointment to this position. Salary commensurate with qualifications of successful applicant. Minorities and women are encouraged to apply. Review of applications will begin November 15, 1993 and continue until position is filled. Interviews will be held at MLA in December. Send letter of application, curriculum vitae, and four letters of reference to: Chair, Search Committee for Distinguished Professor in Shakespeare, Department of English, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina 28223. AA/EOE. From: The Chronicle of Higher Education, October 6, 1993 Categories: English language and literature, Humanities, Faculty and Research Positions. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 14 Oct 1993 10:59:06 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0652 SSE at St. Michaels\ Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 652. Thursday, 14 October 1993. From: Nick Clary Date: Wednesday, 13 Oct 1993 09:37:40 -0500 (EST) Subject: The Express Dear Colleagues and Friends, The Shenandoah Express will be at Saint Michael's College on Monday, October 18, to perform A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM. The performance will be staged in the McCarthy Arts Center, Recital Hall, at 8 pm. If you are in the area for any reason at all, including a look at the brilliant foliage or a look at other yet-brilliant leaves in one of our regional libraries, please come by to see the show. It is free and open to the public. If you are traveling by car, the College is located just outside of Burlington -- take exit 15 off I-89 North and you will find the McCarthy Arts Center inside the entrance to the campus at the top of the hill on the left. Call or e-mail a posting if you have any questions. Nick Clary clary@smcvax.smcvt.edu ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 14 Oct 1993 11:04:00 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0653 Re: *Ado* Query Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 653. Thursday, 14 October 1993. From: Jean Peterson Date: Wednesday, 13 Oct 1993 11:17:00 -0400 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0650 Q: *Ado* Reply to Blair Kelly: Re: "Where did Hero sleep?"-- Lewis Carroll asked the same question of Ellen Terry (in *The Story of my Life*, by Ellen Terry); the letter is reprinted in the Signet edition of *Much Ado*, and it's a hoot. >2. Leonato's penance for Claudio includes > > And since you could not be my son-in-law, > Be yet my nephew. My brother hath a daughter, > Almost the copy of my child that's dead, > And she alone is heir to both of us. > >Is this Beatrice? My students say no. They pointed out that Claudio's "punishment" is that he promises to marry a woman "almost the copy" of the one he threw away, and inherit BOTH Leontes' & Antonio's fortunes. Or as they put it, "Some penance!" Jean Peterson Bucknell University ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 14 Oct 1993 11:15:39 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0654 Macbluff Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 654. Thursday, 14 October 1993. From: Douglas Lanier Date: Wednesday, 13 Oct 1993 15:19:45 -0400 (EDT) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0647 Re: Shakespeare, the Watergate, and More This article is not on Shakespeare and the Watergate hearings, but it is of a similar genre and is immensely entertaining: Barry Edelstein, "Macbluff: The Clarence Thomas Shakespeare Festival," NEW REPUBLIC 205 (November 11, 1991), p. 13. Enjoy. Douglas Lanier University of New Hampshire ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 14 Oct 1993 12:08:51 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0655 New on the SHAKSPER FileServer: AGAINST THEGRAIN Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 655. Thursday, 14 October 1993. From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Thursday, October 14, 1993 Subject: New on the SHAKSPER FileServer: AGAINST THEGRAIN As of today, SHAKSPEReans may retrieve Ron Strickland's "Shakespeare Against the Grain" (AGAINST THEGRAIN) from the SHAKSPER FileServer. This essay was originally published, in a slightly shorter version, in *Teaching Shakespeare Today: Practical Approaches and Productive Strategies*. James Davis and Ronald Salomone, editors. Urbana: National Council of Teachers of English, 1993. SHAKSPEReans can retrieve AGAINST THEGRAIN by issuing the interactive command, "TELL LISTSERV AT UTORONTO GET AGAINST THEGRAIN SHAKSPER." If your network link does not support the interactive "TELL" command (i.e. if you are not directly on Bitnet), or if LISTSERV rejects your request, then send a one-line mail message (without a subject line) to LISTSERV@utoronto, reading "GET AGAINST THEGRAIN SHAKSPER." Should you have difficulty receiving this file, please contact the editor, or . For an updated version of the file list, send the command "GET SHAKSPER FILES SHAKSPER" in the same fashion. For further information, consult the appropriate section of your SHAKSPER GUIDE. Below is an excerpt from this essay: Teaching Shakespeare Against the Grain At the present moment, college literary study is caught between two conflicting, though essentially conservative, agendas: the nostalgic demand for the preservation of trad- itional values, on the one hand, and the insistent urgency of the quasi-vocational and pre-professional mission of the modern university on the other hand. On the face of it, the Shakespeare course seems well-suited to the former goal, and ill-suited to the latter. Traditionalist scholars and neoconservative politicians have rushed to defend Shakespeare against a perceived onslaught of "lesser" writers--particularly women and people of color--who, they argue, would displace Shakespeare from the canon and the curriculum. At the same time, many vocationally-oriented students question the value of required humanities courses, such as Shakespeare, which seem to have little relation to their career goals. I don't think teachers of Shakespeare should cater to either of these positions, but, on the other hand, we shouldn't ignore them. Instead, we should focus our courses at least partly on an analysis of the ways "Shakespeare" (as an icon of cultural literacy) gets defined or represented in relation to different sets of values. By identifying the socio-cultural coordinates from which Shakespeare is variously appropriated or resisted by groups within the academy and the society at large we can begin to produce what Jerry Herron has described as a sort of "crit- ical" literacy: a contingent set of terms and rhetorical prac- tices which will enable us to openly and self-consciously engage in the (often masked or suppressed) ideological conflicts through which social values are established (117-29). As an exploratory effort toward developing a "critical liter- acy" approach to Shakespeare, I will briefly critique what I see as the two most pernicious ideological functions of Shakespeare study in the academy: the use of Shakespeare as an ideological underpinning for a quietist, apolitical individualism; and the production of Shakespeare as a class talisman or commodity fet- ish of upper middle class taste. Then I will discuss several strategies for engaging students in a critical analysis of "Shakespeare" as a social phenomen. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 15 Oct 1993 10:41:32 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0656 Re: *Ado* Query Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 656. Friday, 15 October 1993. From: Michael Friedman Date: Thursday, 14 Oct 1993 17:09:21 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0650 Q: *Ado* I don't have an answer to Blair Kelly's first question, but I'll take a quick stab at the second. There is no evidence in the text of *Ado* to indicate that Beatrice *is* the daughter of Antonio, merely that she is the niece of Leonato, perhaps the daughter of another sibling now dead, since Leonato refers to himself as "her uncle and her guardian" (2.3.163). It's doubtful that Leonato would be her guardian if her own father were still living, and it's also doubtful that she would be able to speak so freely about her own choice of a husband without arousing fatherly ire, as Kate does. However, my own students also often make the assumption that Leonato is referring to Beatrice when actually he is simply making his niece up as part of his ruse to reincorporate Claudio into his family. Michael Friedman University of Scranton ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 16 Oct 1993 10:03:43 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0657 Re: * Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 657. Saturday, 17 October 1993. From: Phillis Gorfain Date: Friday, 15 Oct 1993 14:00:11 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0656 Re: *Ado* Query I agree with Michael Friedman about Beatrice being an implausible referent for Leonato's deceptive requirement that Claudio marry Antonio's daughter and sole heir; the test involved, moreover, is that Claudio will agree to someone sight unseen and indeed later be required to plight his troth without seeing her face. If he was to understand the referent as Beatrice, or if we were to do so, we would wonder about Leonato's betrayal of his own enthusiastic participation in the plot to bring Beatrice and Benedick together! Phyllis Gorfain Oberlin College "fgorfain@ocvaxa.cc.oberlin.edu" ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 16 Oct 1993 10:08:19 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0658 *Coriolanus* Ban (Politics and Appropriation) Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 658. Saturday, 17 October 1993. From: William Godshalk Date: Friday, 15 Oct 1993 22:03:52 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Politics and appropriation? I would suggest, for the sake of argument, that the knowledge we now have of the U.S. Army ban of CORIOLANUS and JULIUS CAESAR does not prove Terry Hawkes's point. His point, I take it, is that CORIOLANUS was appropriated by the Nazis in postwar Germany and was therefore outlawed by the Americans. We now learn that JC was also banned. Am I wrong in believing that the American soldiers outlawed the plays because the plays were seen as politically incorrect, rather than because the Nazi remnant (was there one?) actually tried to appropriate the plays as rallying points? The Americans, if I'm correct, didn't give the Nazis a chance to appropriate CORIOLANUS. Is this another case of military intelligence? Is West Point really a secret hotbed of Shakespeare interpretation? Where I see a clear case of appropriation is in Mel Brooks's THE PRODUCER. From Bangor (Pennsylvania, not Wales), I remain, skeptically yours, Bill Godshalk ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 17 Oct 1993 08:31:48 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0659 Politics of *Coriolanus* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 659. Sunday, 18 October 1993. From: Nina Walker Date: Saturday, 16 Oct 1993 13:23:28 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0637 Shakespeare and Politics I'm in complete agreement with Piers Lewis's insightful analysis of the more enduring politics in *Coriolanus*, those that transcend the particular time and place connotations we give it. To add to the discussion I would ask if perhaps you think that the banning came about because of events that took place at a Paris performance shortly before WWII in which Communists and Fascists rioted each claiming that *Cor* was propaganda for the other side? This might have been fresh in the minds of the authorities. Also, I would add, if it hasn't already been mentioned that a reading of B. Brecht's notes on the play is enlightening and supportive of Piers Lewis's argument (see Brecht, *Brecht on Theatre*, trans, John Willett (London:Methuen & Co.,1964). George Eliot made a careful study of *C* in preparation for her novel, *Felix Holt the Radical*. Echoes from the play and epigrams to lead off the chapters are evidence as well as her own notes. In *Felix* she endows her hero (a working man and radical democrat) with the very same characteristics Lewis ascribes to Coriolanus. Eliot's book was and is considered her "political" novel just as *C* has been dubbed Shakespeare's political play. I agree that on a particular philosophical level they both are, raising questions about democracy, aristocracy, moral virtue in governance, individual merit vs. the demands of a populace, and questions of class interest. However, the way in which Eliot framed her novel and hero incurred the same reaction that Shakespeare's play has triggered. According to a peer assessment at the time of Eliot's publication : "And each party and school are determined to see their own side in it--the religious people, the non religious people, the various sections ...the educated, the simple, the radicals, the Tories, the socialists, the intellectual reformers...the critics, the metaphysicians, the artists, the Positivists, the squires, are all quite convinced that it has been conceived from their point of view." On quite another track, I am interested in Coriolanus's tragic flaw and the role it plays in his undoing. It doesn't take long for his enemies to figure out that he cannot control his temper. If the right buttons are pushed, he's certain to lose it and become his own worst enemy. Am I all alone, or did anyone relate this to the movie *A Few Good Men*. I thought the Jack Nicholson character to be very much like Coriolanus and a central feature of the plot is the defense lawyer's sense that if he can push the right button, Colonel Jessup will explode on the stand and do himself in. Tom Cruise's calculations of the Colonel's reaction is based on his feeling early on that the Colonel has an uncontrollable rage (handy in the warrior class) and he can tap it. This is reminiscent of Brutus and Sicinius's manipulation of Coriolanus's flaw. To wander even farther afield of the orginal intent, I have an unrelated request. My daughter is student teaching in a 6th grade classroom and they are about to tackle *MSND* She asks for any suggestions you might have for approaching the play with this age group. Someone has suggested an animated version done on HBO. Do you know where we can get a copy? Any other ideas will be much appreciated. Thanks in advance, Nina Walker ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 17 Oct 1993 20:56:10 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0660 Re: *MND* on Video and Film Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 660. Sunday, 17 October 1993. From: Jay L Halio Date: Sunday, 17 Oct 1993 10:27:05 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: The *Dream* on film (or videotape) I don't know the animated version alluded to, but there's no need to resort to caricatures. The Peter Hall film (1969), now available on videotape, is still the best. The BBC is not quite as good, but OK. Papp's production, filmed live at the Delacorte, has some good things in it, especially the New Yorker mechanicals, but Hurt slaughters the verse and the Puck, whom the kids might enjoy, is a travesty (the kids would enjoy her--yes, he's played by a woman--for very wrong reasons). The old Reinhardt film is better, if you can take the orchestra of elves and goblins playing Mendelssohn. But why not let the 6th graders just plunge in, reading the script, or a shortened version of it, and act out the scenes themselves? I have seen even younger children do wonders with such a script (consult Helen Gadsby at the Wilmington Montessori School in Wilmington, DE). Why patronize youngsters, who are quite capable of enjoying this play (and many others, too) without the aid of animated cartoons? Get them on their feet, as the Folger's Peggy O'Brien would say, and be prepared for some wonderful surprises. Jay Halio P.S. No, I did not make the connection between *Cor* and *A Few Good Men*. I wonder if the author did? It's just plausible. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 19 Oct 1993 11:52:43 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0661 *MND* Teaching Ideas Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 661. Tuesday, 19 October 1993. From: Steve Urkowitz Date: Tuesday, 19 Oct 93 08:37:42 EDT Subject: MNSD Teaching Ideas The best source I know of is the Cambridge School Shakespeare edition prepared by Linda Buckle and Paul Kelly (ISBN 0-521-40904-7) about L3 (that tries to be "three British pounds sterling" $5-6. US?). Each page of the text (taken from the most recent Cambridge University Press edition) has a facing page with activities keyed for individual students, students working in pairs, students working in small groups of three-four-five, and whole-class events. The activities involve inventive games, research activities, writing exercises, reading aloud games, suggested discussion topics centered on illustrations that the text provides from productions, etc. Here's one page's worth: (at the top of the page there is a brief summary of the action: "Hermia clings to Lysander as he insults her and tells her he hates her." Then: LYSANDER'S INSULTS ([an activity] in pairs) Make a list of Lysander's insulting descriptions of Hermia in lines 25 7-63 (leaving out the racist "Ethiop" and "tawny Tartar" -- Elizabethans thought that a tan was unladylike, since ladies didn't walk much in the open air). One person then reads the list at the other: get as much venom in them as you can." It goes on with another activity for pairs, then one for groups of four to six, then another in pairs. Of course, we can do many other things with the ways one may want to handle "Ethiop" and "tawny Tartar," but the licensing of play-acting within a classroom -- the pedagogical forms -- that this edition offers makes it a valuable guide. Good luck! Steve Pedagogowitz SURCC@CUNYVM ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 20 Oct 1993 13:08:41 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0662 Re: *MND* Teaching Ideas Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 662. Wednesday, 20 October 1993. From: Nina Walker Date: Wednesday, 20 Oct 1993 12:57:36 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0661 *MND* Teaching Ideas Thank you to all who contributed so wisely to my daughter's question about *MSND* and the 6th graders. We loved the suggestions and she is very quickly going to execute them. To those of you who hoped that we would let the students stand on their feet, I agree completely. My problem was, and is, that the 6th grade confounded me. How to stand them on their feet was the object of my request and you all certainly came through. Many, many thanks. Nina Walker ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 22 Oct 1993 10:18:23 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0663 Q: *Romeo and Juliet* and Dracula Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 663. Friday, 22 October 1993. From: Mary Jane Miller Date: Thursday, 21 Oct 93 20:43:07 -0400 Subject: *Romeo and Juliet* and Dracula My students were struck by the number of images connoting blood/bloodless and [to them] bloodsucking in R and J. After we had been over the 'mnemonic irrelevances' they were bringing to the play, they asked me if Shakespeare could have known the vampire myth in any form. Not being expert on Elizabethan folklore, I promised them that I would ask the NET. They read some of our conversations because I post a selection on our drama lit bulletin board along with reviews of plays and notices of upcoming theatre. The exploration of the issues involved in colour-blind casting was particularly interesting to them, given the rapidly changing demographics of the cities in Southern Ontario. Mary Jane Miller, Dept. of Film Studies, Dramatic and Visual Arts, Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, L2S 3A1. e-mail: mjmiller@spartan.ac.brocku.ca ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 23 Oct 1993 10:09:48 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0664 Re: *Romeo and Juliet* and Dracula Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 664. Saturday, 23 October 1993. From: Elizabeth Miller Date: Friday, 22 Oct 1993 13:42:09 -0400 Subject: *Romeo and Juliet* and Dracula I should like to comment on Mary Jane Miller's query re Shakespeare and vampire lore. My knowledge of vampire legend in Elizabethan England is non-existent, though I am well versed in vampire literature of the 19th and 20th centuries. I'd be interested in knowing whether there were any vampire legends making the rounds in Shakespeare's time. There are certainlt many "vampiric" images in the plays, especially *Julius Caesar* and *Macbeth*. I have taken special notice of them this term as I am teaching both plays in a Shakespeare course and teaching *Dracula* in another course. Elizabeth Miller Memorial University of Newfoundland emiller@kean.ucs.mun.ca ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 23 Oct 1993 10:12:46 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0665 Guthrie *Othello* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 665. Saturday, 23 October 1993. From: Piers Lewis Date: Friday, 22 Oct 1993 07:29:38 -0600 (CST) Subject: *Othello* The Guthrie plays it straight in *Othello*, mostly. Carping critics think that's cause for complaint. I found it enthralling. What a great play. Be sure to see it for yourself if you should happen to be in or around the Twin Cities before November 14. Piers Lewis ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 24 Oct 1993 08:56:01 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0666 Re: Elizabethan Vampires Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 666. Sunday, 24 October 1993. From: Kenneth McCoy Date: Saturday, 23 Oct 1993 18:32:16 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0664 Re: *Romeo and Juliet* and Dracula On the subject of vampire lore in Elizabethan England, I too am unfamiliar with any specific references to vampires. However, I do know that incubi and succubi (demons appearing of male or female gender, respectively, who seduced their partners and consumed them at the peak of the sex act) are referents. One example is Helen of Troy in Marlowe's _Faustus_. It is my opinion, in fact, that Faustus sealed his fate by kissing Helen; in that moment, the demon masquerading as Helen got his soul. As far as I know, however, incubi and succubi didn't drink blood. Ken McCoy Bowling Green State University ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 24 Oct 1993 09:02:39 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0667 Q: Costuming Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 667. Sunday, 24 October 1993. From: Melissa Aaron Date: Saturday, 23 Oct 1993 17:09:02 +0200 Subject: [Costuming] I'm doing research upon costuming in Caroline masque and drama. I'm particularly interested in costumes that were given by the court or by patrons to the public companies. If anyone has any suggestions I should follow up on, I would deeply appreciate it. Related to this topic I found in Andrew Gurr's The Shakespearian Stage (192) the following quotation from a letter from Henrietta Maria to Archbishop Laud "you may be confident that no Part of these thing yt are come to our hands, shall be suffered to bee prostituted upon any Mercenary Stage, but shall bee carefully Reserv'd for our owne Occasion and particular Entertainments att Court." The citation is to an article by Kenneth R. Richards called "Changeable Scenery" in Theatre Notebook 23, (1968) on p. 18, and doesn't indicate the possible original source. Any ideas? There are no copies of this journal at UW-Madison. ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 24 Oct 1993 09:12:22 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0668 Q: Email in Washington, D.C. Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 668. Sunday, 24 October 1993. From: John Gouws Date: Sunday, 24 Oct 1993 10:55:33 +0200 (EET) Subject: E-mail in D.C. When I am in Oxford I can easily obtain a signon as part of the understanding that visiting academics enjoy reciprocal e-mail privileges. Certainly, any visiting academics to my university have immediate signons created for them. I shall be spending next January and February at the Folger and wonder if any of the DC institutions would be able to give me access. -- John Gouws - Department of English - Rhodes University P.O. Box 94 - Grahamstown 6140 - South Africa Internet: enjg@kudu.ru.ac.za Telephone: (0461) 318402 or 318400 ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 25 Oct 1993 08:17:17 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0669 *Tower of London* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 669. Monday, 25 October 1993. From: Peter Scott Date: Sunday, 24 Oct 1993 07:11:29 -0600 (CST) Subject: "Tower of London" Arts and Entertainment channel is showing "Tower of London" on Wednesday. The blurb reads: (1939, Drama) Basil Rathbone, Boris Karloff. In 15th century England, Richard III orders his sadistic executioner to dispose of all who would stand between him and the throne" ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 25 Oct 1993 08:22:50 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0670 Shakespeare Conference in Perth, Australia Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 670. Monday, 25 October 1993. From: Charles Edelman Date: Monday, 25 Oct 93 08:27 Subject: Conference in Perth, Australia Australian and New Zealand Shakespeare Association Third Conference: Readers, Audiences, Players. 20-25 February, 1994, University of Western Australia, Perth PROGRAMME Sunday 20 Feb. 6 - 7.30 pm Delegates arrive, barbecue welcome, registration Monday 21 Feb. 9.30 - 10 am Registration 10 - 11 am Opening address 11.30 am - 5 pm Papers Tuesday 22 Feb. 9.30 am - 5 pm Papers Wednes. 23 Feb. 9.30 am - 1 pm Papers afternoon Choice of excursions or schools workshop Thursday 24 Feb. 9.30 am - 5 pm Papers 6.30 - 10 pm Conference Dinner Friday 25 Feb. 9.30 am - 11 am Papers Lunch / afternoon Farewell Garden Party Other activities already planned include the Playbox Theatre Company of Melbourne's performance of KING LEAR, directed by Lech Mackiewicz, as part of the internationally renowned Festival of Perth, which will be on during the conference. PAPERS : Will normally be thirty minutes in length, with ten minutes for discussion. There may be parallel sessions. ACCOMMODATION: (All prices in Australian dollars, currently 68 U.S. cents). A range of accommodation is available: single student rooms at St George's College ($38 per night), Kingswood College (own facilities, single or double, $55 per person), Sullivan's Hotel (relative luxury, breakfast not included, $63 or $66 per person). Both colleges are on edge of UWA campus and within easy walking distance of all venues. Sullivan's Hotel is approx. 30 minutes walk along the bank of the Swan River to UWA, or 5 minute bus ride (regular service). BOOK LAUNCHES: Some are already arranged; if you would like an Australian launch of your book please advise. GENERAL INFO: The Australian and New Zealand Shakespeare Association was inaugurated at its first conference, Monash University, Melbourne, in 1990. The second conference was hosted by the University of Adelaide in 1992. As well as members from Australia and New Zealand, it has members from all parts of the world. The University of Western Australia is generally conceded to be one of the world's most beautiful university campuses. The architecture is Spanish in influence and there are extensive gardens and grounds, all situated on the shore of the Swan River. Theatres on campus include the New Fortune (a replica of the original Fortune) the Octagon (not unlike Stratford Ont.), and the smaller Dolphin. The Sunken Garden is an atmospheric outdoor space, as is the Somerville Auditorium, which is used for the extensive Film segment of the Festival of Perth. The Festival of Perth will be on when our conference is held. Programmes are available from the Festival of Perth, University of W.A., Nedlands, W. Australia, 6009. Major theatre, musical, and dance companies from many parts of the world are scheduled to appear. Fremantle is less than 30 minutes drive (regular bus service) from the University. It is an Italian harbor city, known as host for the America's Cup races in the '80s, and is a cultural and gastronomic capital. Beaches face west over the Indian ocean, and provide the most gentle and unpolluted swimming conditions in the world. Rottnest Island and Margaret River are easily accessible for day-trips, the former a haven for miniature kangaroos called quokkas, those seeking solitude, and bibulous tourists, the later for wineries, fine cheeses, and giant karri-gums. MORE INFORMATION / REGISTRATION FORMS FROM, AND EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST TO: If using EMAIL, contact me, Charles Edelman, at Edith Cowan University, with this address: c.edelman@cowan.edu.au If you would like to contract the conference convener, Professor Bob White, you will have to use FAX, telephone, or slow mail: Professor R.S. White, English Department, University of W.A., Nedlands, W. Australia 6009. Phone: 61 9 380 2116. FAX: 61 9 380 1030. Exchange the worst part of the northern winter for Perth summer, take advantage of the low Aussie dollar, and come to Perth. You will not want to leave. Charles Edelman, English Department, Edith Cowan University, Mt Lawley, W. Australia, 6050. c.edelman@cowan.edu.au ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 25 Oct 1993 08:37:34 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0671 Re: Vampires Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 671. Monday, 25 October 1993. From: Nick Clary Date: Monday, 25 Oct 1993 08:30:25 -0500 (EST) Subject: Vampires In AN ANTIDOTE AGAINST ATHEISM BY Dr. Henry More (London, 1653) you will find the following: "One night a certain theologer was sitting with his wife and children about him, exercising himself in music, according to his usual manner, a most grievous stink arose suddenly, which by degrees spread itself into every corner of the room. Hereupon he commends himself and his family to God by prayer. The smell nevertheless is increased...so that they were forced to leaved the room. He and his wife had not beem in bed a quarter of an hour, but they find the same stink in the bedchamber, of which, while they are complaining one to another, out steps the spectre from the wall, and creeping to his bedside, breathes upon him an exceedingly cold breath of so tolerable stinking and malignant a scent as it beyond all imagination and expression, and surely from the grave...as from a vampire" (rpt. THE OCCULT IN ART by Owen S. Rachleff, 1990). In this effort to identify a mysterious "spectre," it would appear that by the middle of the 17th century in England, the vampire was a familiar enough figure to help categorize the unfamiliar experience here. In J. Downing's 4th edition A COLLECTION OF SEVERAL PHILOSOPHICAL WRITINGS OF DR. HENRY MORE (London, 1712), he includes an Appendix to the said Antidote quoted above. You may find this and publications like it, quite engaging and pertinent. Nick Clary clary@smcvax.smcvt.edu ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 26 Oct 1993 09:29:46 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0672 Rs: Costuming; Email in Washington, D.C. Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 672. Tuesday, 26 October 1993. (1) From: Joseph Lawrence Lyle Date: Monday, 25 Oct 1993 12:05:36 -0400 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0667 Q: Costuming (2) From: Georgianna Ziegler Date: Monday, 25 Oct 1993 17:37:01 -0500 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0668 Q: Email in Washington, D.C. (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Joseph Lawrence Lyle Date: Monday, 25 Oct 1993 12:05:36 -0400 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0667 Q: Costuming Peter Stallybrass gave a paper on clothing and the stage at the GEMCS conference this month; he seemed to have a lot of leads from REED on tiring account books. --Jay Lyle (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Georgianna Ziegler Date: Monday, 25 Oct 1993 17:37:01 -0500 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0668 Q: Email in Washington, D.C. I replied to Prof. Gouws independently, but since this message has gone out to all and sundry who might have a similar question, perhaps my answer might be useful. I referred him to PSILink in Reston, Virginia, which is supposed to offer dial-in via an 800 number to individuals in the area who come equipped with a modem. Their phone number is 703-620-6651, and their name was listed in a handout from an Internet and Libraries Conference held in Phila. last December. I've never tried them, but it's probably worth a call if you plan to be in the D.C. area. Georgianna at the Folger ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 26 Oct 1993 09:40:03 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0673 Two Queries: Prompt Book and Staging *TGV* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 673. Tuesday, 26 October 1993. (1) From: Fran Teague Date: Monday, 25 Oct 93 09:44:38 EDT Subj: Prompt Book Query (2) From: Sarah Vos Date: Monday, 25 Oct 1993 18:34:26 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Staging TGV (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Fran Teague Date: Monday, 25 Oct 93 09:44:38 EDT Subject: Prompt Book Query I'm sending this message to two lists; my apologies for the overlap, but I want to be quite sure I investigate exhaustively. One of my students is working on productions of Marlowe for her dissertation. She knows that E. Kean did a production of _The Jew of Malta_ at about the same time as his production of _The Merchant of Venice_. What she hasn't been able to determine is where (if anyplace) the prompt book for the Marlowe production now is. Does anyone know? Just to show that we've done some work, she says none of the Kean biogs. that she's checked gives the info. Shattuck gives lots of information about MV production, none about JM. And a friend at the Folger says they don't have it. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Sarah Vos Date: Monday, 25 Oct 1993 18:34:26 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Staging TGV I'm a dramaturg for Calvin College's upcoming production of "The Two Gentlemen of Verona." I would love to hear what other people have done with the play and their experiences. What things worked and what didn't? How certain ideas/themes were brought out? Or, even if you have seen the play or just read it and have some ideas -- all thoughts would be helpful and appreciated. What do you think are key issues? How should they be brought out? You can reply to me either directly at svos35@ursa.calvin.edu or through SHAKSPER. Thanks in advance, Sarah Vos ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 26 Oct 1993 09:58:17 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0674 Re: *Tower of London* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 674. Tuesday, 26 October 1993. From: Bill Denning Date: Monday, 25 Oct 1993 13:24:02 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0669 *Tower of London* "Halliwell's Film Guide" gives this version of "Tower of London" two stars (out of a possible four). It goes on to say "The Shakespearean view of history played as a horror comic: despite an overall lack of pace, spirited scenes and good performances win the day." Halliwell cites the work of Basil Rathbone and photographer George Robinson as being noteworthy. The film airs at 09:00 a.m. Eastern time -- unlike may A&E programs, this one is not repeated at another time. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 27 Oct 1993 08:37:41 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0675 "Versions" of *Coriolanus* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 675. Wednesday, 27 October 1993. From: Jason Hoblit Date: Tuesday, 26 Oct 1993 13:18:07 -0700 (PDT) Subject: 'Versions' of _Coriolanus_ Forgive me as a new member for dragging out what may be an old conversation. Also forgive me for not paying sufficient attention to who espoused which view (three months of discussion is a lot to wade through). It seems to me that there is more to the discussion of 'variants' of _Coriolanus_ being banned in the American Zone after World War II. This discussion brought to my mind the more general issue of assessing 'variants' or 'adaptations' of 'Shakespeare's' plays (after all, the divergence of 'bad' quartos, _A Shrew_ and _The Shrew_, the multiple versions of _Lear_ make it almost impossible to claim that any of the printed texts are in some way a definitive 'Shakespeare' performance text). When is a play 'Shakespeare's' and when is it, say 'Irving's' or 'Kemble's' play? Kemble's 'adaptation' of _Cor_ is almost completely from Shakespeare, Sheridan, and Thomson - he does not write in new scenes. However, his productions of the play seem to be highly motivated 'revisions' that completely change the emphasis and interpretation of the play. Exclusion seems to work just as strongly as creativity in altering the possible 'meanings' of the play. To call the play Kemble's would seem to be disingenuous because he merely edited and excluded, but to call his revision Shakespeare's _Cor_ seems equally unsatisfactory. Why not call Shakespeare's plays adaptations of Holinshed, Hall, or Plutarch? In Stephen Orgel's 'What is a Text?' (Research Opportunities in Renaissance Drama 26 (1981): 3-6, reprinted in Staging the Renaissance, ed. David Scott Kastan and Peter Stallybrass, (Routledge, 1991): 83-7) the issue is raised that it is difficult to ascribe even 'original' Renaissance authorship. Given the separation of the printshop and the playhouse, the mid-production revisions that occur today (and presumable in the Renaissance), and the possibility of dynamic involvement by the actors and the entire theatre company, it is difficult to make a claim that any 'version' of 'Shakespeare's' plays is definitive. The point of all this is that it seems to me to be absurd to say that there is a difference in banning a 'version' of _Coriolanus_, and banning some authoritative _Coriolanus_ as such. To say that some performances and interpretations would be acceptable does not mean that the ban is any less significant. It merely shows what exactly motivated the ban. Any production was unlikely to be a 'full-text' production anyway. In 1988 I directed a 'full-text' production of _Cor_ which lasted nearly three-hours with the actors speaking way too fast. As soon as cuts are made (even for practical reasons) the interpretation of the play is changed and it is necessarily an interpretation favoring the remaining material at the expense of the cut or 'irrelevant' material. _______________________________________________________________ | Jason Hoblit University of Washington - Seattle | | hoblitj@u.washington.edu Home Phone: (206) 548-1107 | |_____________________________________________________________| ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 27 Oct 1993 15:29:41 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0676 [was 6.0676] Shakespeare Videos Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 676. Wednesday, 27 October 1993. From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Wednesday, OCtober 27, 1993 Subject: Shakespeare Videos SHAKSPEReans, In the past, many discussions of videos of Shakespeare's plays have taken place on this conference. A catalog came across my desk earlier this week that offers most of the Shakespeare videos of which I am aware and a few of which I've never heard. The prices also appear quite competitive, so I pass along the information from the relevant pages. Obviously, the descriptions of particular offerings must be taken with several handfuls of salt, and just as obviously I have no connection whatsoever with the company. Of course, neither do I have a budget with which to purchase any of these offerings either. Alas. Alas. --Hardy ***************************************************************************** Shakespeare Offerings on Video From: Filmic Archives The Cinema Center Botsford, CT 0604 1-800-366-1920 SHAW VS. SHAKESPEARE SERIES THE CHARACTER OF CAESAR (1970). COLOR. George Bernard Shaw, portrayed by Donald Moffatt, analyzes Shakespeare's characteri zation of Julius Caesar and compares it with his own treatment. 33 minutes. 5916. Video. $69.95 THE TRAGEDY OF JULIUS CAESAR (1970). COLOR. Shakespeare's masterpiece, focusing on Caesar's death and its aftermath, is presented as a tragedy of "political idealism." 33 minutes. 5917A. Video. $69.95 CAESAR AND CLEOPATRA (1970). COLOR. The problem of the progress of the human species is examined in Shaw's play which centers around four political murders and Caesar's reactions to them. 33 minutes. 5918A. Video. $69.95 WEST SIDE STORY (1961). COLOR. With Natalie Wood, Rita Moreno and George Chakiris. The tragic tale of Romeo and Juliet set in New York's west side. 151 minutes. 4344A. Video. $29.95. Also on LaserDisc ROMEO AND JULIET (1968). COLOR. Directed by Franco Zeffirelli, with Olivia Hussey. Shakespeare's tragic romantic couple in the critically acclaimed version. 138 minutes. 4054A. Video. $19.95 ROMEO AND JULIET (1987). COLOR. With Alex Hyde-White, Blanche Baker, Esther Rolle, Dan Hamilton, and Frederic Hehne. Shakespeare's play of young love and tragic death. 165 minutes. 4387A. Video. $59.95 ROMEO AND JULIET (1936). With Leslie Howard and Norma Sheaver. A sumptuous and Lyrical production of the tale of star-crossed lovers. 126 minutes. 5028A. Video. $24.95 ROMEO AND JULIET (1954). COLOR. With Laurence Harvey and Susan Shentall. William Shakespeare's timeless tragic tale, magnificently photographed on location in Italy. 135 minutes. 4354A. Video. $69.9S ROMEO AND JULIET (1985). COLOR. With Christopher Neame and Ann Hasson. A tragic tale of young love thwarted by a deadly rivalry is powerfully told in this compelling British production. 180 minutes. 4380A. Video. $49.95 WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (1984). COLOR. This program travels through Shakespeare's early years in Stratford to his marriage to Anne Hathaway and the London in which he worked. 30 minutes. 5932A. Video. $59.95 OTHELLO (1952). With Orson Welles, Suzanne Cloutier. Welles stars and directs in his award-winning adaptation of the William Shakespeare play. Bold in its vision and breathtaking in its visual scope. 93 minutes. 5920A. Video. $99.95 HENRY V (1989). COLOR. With Kenneth Branagh and Ian Holm. Branagh was nominated for an Oscar for his brilliant performance of Henry, in this, one of Shakespeare's greatest plays. 138 minutes. 4470A. Video. $29.95. Also on LaserDisc ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA (1974). COLOR. Featuring Star Trek's Patrick Stewart and the Royal Shakespeare Company, this towering romantic tragedy chronicles the tumultuous tale of two of history's greatest lovers 161 minutes. 5921A. Video. $24.95 ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA (1987). COLOR. With Lynn Redgrave, John Carradine, Timothy Dalton, and Anthony Geary. Shakespeare's most popular tale of two of history's most famous personages. 183 minutes. 4383A. Video. $59.95 A MIDSUMMER NlGHT'S DREAM (1960s - England). British live TV version. With Benny Hill as "Bottom." A well-mounted and literate version of Shakespeare's fantasy. 111 minutes. 212A. Video. $39.95 MACBETH (1971-USA). COLOR. Directed by Roman Polanski with Jon Finch. A violent and fatalistic handling of this Shakespearean tragedy. Brief nudity. 139 minutes. 4057A. Video. $29.95 MACBETH (1988). COLOR. Directed by Charles Warren. With Michael Jayston, and Barbara Leigh Hunt. From the witches' prophecy of Macbeth's rise to power to his inevitable fall, every moment of Macbeth is a moment to savor: rich, compelling and unforgettable. 110 minutes. 4378A. Video. $49.95 KING LEAR (1984). COLOR. With Sir Laurence Olivier and Diana Rigg. A timeless tale of greed and lust for power. It is a story of a sick old man, his scheming children, and lost loyalties. 158 minutes. 4313A. Video. $39.95 KING LEAR COLOR. Generations have thrilled to Shakespeare's King Lear, played here by Patrick Magee, in a world class production as powerful and exciting as if it had been written today. 110 minutes. 4379A. Video. $49.95 KING LEAR (1987). COLOR. With Mike Kellen, Darryl Hickman, Charles Aidman, and David Groh. Shakespeare's timeless, tragic tale of greed is a violent storm on a grand scale. 182 minutes. 4386A. Video. $49.95 THE MERCHANT OF VENICE (1973). COLOR. With Laurence Olivier, Joan Plowright. Venice, Italy comes alive with passion, conflict and betrayal as the infamous money lender Shylock seeks revenge and runs afoul of the heroine. 131 minutes. 5922A. Video. $24.95 KING RICHARD II (1987). COLOR. With David Birney, Paul Shenar, John Devlin and William H. Bassett. Shakespeare's story of a self-centered, weak King. 172 minutes. 4381A. Video. $49.95 AS YOU LIKE IT (1936 - England). With Sir Laurence Olivier and Elisabeth Bergner. A well- mounted version of the Shakespearean comedy. 96 minutes. 447A. Video. $39.95 THE SHAKESPEARE MYSTERY (1989). COLOR. The controversial theory that Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, was the true author of the plays and poems long attributed to William Shakespeare is examined. 60 minutes. 4468A. Video. $59.95 HAMLET (1990). COLOR. Directed by Franco Zeffirelli. With Mel Gibson, Glen Close, Alan Bates, and Paul Scofield. Critically acclaimed version of Shakespeare's Hamlet with a distinguished supporting cast. 135 minutes. 4519A.Video. $19.95 HAMLET (1969). COLOR. Nicol Williamson and Anthony Hopkins. Williamson gives a far more energetic portrayal of Hamlet than Olivier, with an outstanding supporting cast. 113 minutes. 4469A. Video. $69.95 JULIUS CAESAR (1970 - USA). COLOR. With John Gielgud, Richard Chamberlain, Jason Robards, and Charlton Heston. Shakespeare's classic story of greed and corruption in the Roman Empire. 116 minutes. 4052A. Video. $39.95 JULIUS CAESAR (1953). With Marlon Brando, John Gielgud and James Mason. Excellent adaptation of Shakespeare's play of political power and honor In ancient Rome. 120 minutes. 4312A. Video. $29.95 ROSENCRANTZ AND GlLDENSTERN (1990). COLOR. With Richard Dreyfuss Adapted from Tom Stoppard's 1968 stage play, a clever premise retells the events of Shakespeare's Hamlet through the eyes of these two comical, peripheral players. 119 minutes. 4732A. Video. $99.95 THE TAMlNG OF THE SHREW (1967). COLOR. With Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and Michael York. Petruchio attempts to tame his shrew, Katherine, in this Shakespearean comedy. 122 minutes. 4055A. Video. $39.95 THE MOST POPULAR VIDEO SERIES FOR LIBRARIES AND LITERATURE CLASSES! THE BBC'S SHAKESPEARE'S PLAYS This collection has revolutionized the teaching of Shakespeare. As the preeminent production of every Shakespeare play written, performances featured in these productions would otherwise be seen only by the theater elite, in London or New York. When the BBC first undertook this six-year project, it became the most ambitious undertaking ever attempted on film. The first time in the 400 years since they were written that all 37 plays would be preserved on tape. Superb productions! Stellar casts include John Gielgud, Ben Kingsley, Claire Bloom, Anthony Hopkins, Michael York, Derek Jacobi, and many others. THE BBC'S SHAKESPEARE'S PLAYS Buy the entire series and save over $1,200.00! For All 37 plays 5601A. Video. S2,500.00 Plays also available individually. A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM (1982). COLOR. An extraordinary production of an enduring comedy. The strong cast features Helen Mirren and Peter McEnery. 112 minutes. 5602A. Video. $99.95 ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL (1981). COLOR. Here Shakespeare uses one of is favorite devices--trickery. The new wife of a young count resorts to chicanery to win her husband's respect. 141 minutes. 5603A. Video. $99.95 ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA (1981). COLOR. The star of this production, Jane Lapotaire, not only looks similar to portraits of the historical Queen of Egypt, but has the range and maturity to capture her many facets. 171 minutes. 5604A. Video. $99.95 AS YOU LIKE IT (1979). COLOR. Is there a "natural difference" between a duke's daughter and a commoner? Are men really stronger than women? Or is it just society's role? Stars Helen Mirren, Brian Stirner and Richard Pasco. 150 minutes. 5603A. Video. $99.95 THE COMEDY OF ERRORS (1984). COLOR. Roger Daltrey, lead singer of the rock band "The Who" stars in Shakespeare's shortest play. 109 minutes. 5606A. Video. $99.95 CORIOLANUS (1983). COLOR. In his last tragedy, Shakespeare studies the character of a soldier. Stars Alan Howard, Irene Worth. 112 minutes. 5607A. Video. $99.95 CYMBELINE (1983). COLOR. King Cymbeline's evil second queen tries to force Princess Imogen to marry her own son. Starring Claire Bloom, Helen Mirren and Richard Johnson. 174 minutes. 5608A. Video. $99.95 HAMLET (1979). COLOR. In this richly costumed, somberly staged production, the greatest tragedy ever written maintains all the tension of a murder mystery as it examines the fundamental issues of justice, guilt and death. Derek Jacobi is a superb choice as Hamlet. 222 minutes. 5609A. Video. $99.95 HENRY IV, PART II (1980). COLOR. The boisterous Falstaff leads Prince Hal, the heir to the throne, through London's low-life taverns. Starring Jon Finch, Anthony Quayle, David Gwillim. 147 minutes. 5610A. Video. $99.95 HENRY IV, PART I (1980). COLOR. The death of Henry IV, banishment of Falstaff and coronation of Hal as Henry V. Stars Jon Finch, Anthony Quayle, David Gwillim. 151 minutes. 5611A. Video. $99.95 HENRY V (1980). COLOR. England's most admired national hero, Henry V, unites his people, invades France, deals with traitors and cements the peace. 163 minutes. 5612A. Video. $99.95 HENRY VI, PART I (1982). COLOR. The first of a trilogy, recreating Henry's early days as King. Starring Peter Benson. 185 minutes. 5613A. Video. $99.95 HENRY VI, PART II (1982). COLOR. Henry marries Lady Margaret of Annou, but she despises him for his meekness and takes Suffolk as a lover. Starring Peter Benson, Julia Foster. 212 minutes. 5614A. Video. $99.95 HENRY VI, PART III (1982). COLOR. York wins the War of Roses and forces Henry to give him succession to the crown. Starring Peter Benson, Bernard Hill. 210 minutes. 5615A. Video. $99.95 HENRY VIII (1979). COLOR. Filmed at Henry's favorite place, Leeds Castle, with its ceremonies enacted in the very rooms the King inhabited, nearly 500 years ago. Starring Claire Bloom, John Stride and Julian Glover. 165 minutes. 5616A. Video. $99.95 JULIUS CAESAR (1979). COLOR. Breaking all conventional rules of drama, Shakespeare creates neither a clear-cut hero nor a villain. Starring Richard Pasco, Keith Michell and Charles Gray as Caesar. 161 minutes. 5617A. Video. $99.95 KING JOHN (1984). COLOR. Here Shakespeare rewrites an anonymous dramatic treatment of the subject, the only time he uses such a source instead of the chronicles themselves. Stars Claire Bloom, Mary Morris. 120 minutes. 5618A. Video. $99.95 KING LEAR (1983). COLOR. This production is crisply paced, with an exemplary cast. Starring Michael Hodern, John Shrapnel, Anton Lesser. 185 minutes. 5619A. Video. $99.95 LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST (1984). COLOR. A splendid satire--some of Shakespeare's best early poetry. Starring Nicol Williamson and Jane Lapotaire. 120 minutes. 5620A. Video. $99.95 MACBETH (1984). COLOR.This savage tragedy is one of Shakespeare's most enduringly popular. The warrior Macbeth, aided by his wife, murders his king. The two embark on a gilt-ridden reign of terror. Starring Nicol Williamson and Jane Lapotaire. 148 minutes. 5621A. Video. $99.95 MEASURE FOR MEASURE (1979). COLOR. The trickiest sort of play--a comedy with tragic relief. The New York Times says, "Kate Nelligan is the image of idealized faultlessness as Isabella." 145 minutes. 5622A. Video. $99.95 MERCHANT OF VENICE (1981). COLOR. This play presents contrasts and ambiguities in the character Shylock. Is he a villain, a buffoon or tragic hero? Starring Warren Mitchell, Gemma Jones and John Franklyn-Robbins. 157minutes. 5623A. Video. $99.95 THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR (1983). COLOR. Queen Elizabeth herself is said to have requested the return of Falstaff to the Bard's stage. . .supposedly she wanted to see him in love. What Shakespeare gave Her Majesty instead was Falstaff's attempt to recoup his fortunes by seducing two respectable wives of affluent Windsor husbands. Starring Ben Kingsley. 167minutes. 5624A. Video. $99.95 MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING (1984). COLOR. The sparring wit of the confirmed bachelor, Benedick and the haughty Lady Beatrice seems to delight audiences more every year. Starring Robert Lindsay and Cherie Lunghi as Benedick and Beatrice 120 minutes. 5625A. Video. $99.95 OTHELLO (1982). COLOR. Perhaps his greatest triumph as a stage play. When the evil Iago plants the seeds of doubt in Othello's mind about Desdemonia's fidelity, audiences are held spellbound. Starring Anthony Hopkins. With Bob Hoskins as Iago. 208 minutes. 5626A. Video. $99.95 PERICLES (1983). COLOR. The Prince of Tyre, who flees upon discovering his King in an incestuous relationship. Starring Mike Gwilym and Amanda Redman. 177 minutes. 5627A. Video. $99.95 RICHARD II (1979). COLOR. A stellar cast includes Derek Jacobi, Sir John Gielgud, Charles Gray, Jon Finch and Dame Wendy Hiller. 157 minutes 5628A. Video. $99.95 RICHARD III (1982). COLOR. A huge success in its day, centered around the character of Richard of Gloucester, a self-proclaimed villain who usurps the crown. Through political marriages and military coups, this play portrays an intricate period in English history. Stars Martin Shaw and Brian Protheroe. 228 minutes. 5629A. Video. $99.95 ROMEO AND JULIET (1979). COLOR. The most popular of all Shakespeare's plays, and a "hit" for over 400 years. Full of passion and exquisite language, it expresses love in its infinite variety more than any other work in the English language. Stars Sir John Gielgud Rebecca Saire, Patrick Ryecart. 167 minutes. 5630A. Video. $99.95 THE TAMING OF THE SHREW (1981). COLOR. Among the most frequently staged plays. Its sparkling wit is matched here with an out-standing cast. John Cleese, of Monty Python, gives a portrayal of Petruchio that wins unanimous critical acclaim, praised as "an object lesson in serving Shakespeare to a present-day audience." 127 minutes. 5631A. Video. $99.95 THE TEMPEST (1980). COLOR. A dramatic romance, weaving fancy and realism. This timeless stage is set on an enchanted island, where an exiled Duke and two young lovers encounter the occult, finding good and evil in their own natures. Starring Christopher Guard and Michael Hodern. 150 minutes. 5632A. Video. $99.95 TIMON OF ATHENS (1982). COLOR. Choice calls this "a recommended version of a difficult yet interesting play." In his most cynical work, Shakespeare explores money--its virtues and its vice. Featuring strong performances by Jonathan Pryce Norman Rodway and John Shrapnel. 128 minutes. 5633A. Video. $99.95 TITUS ANDRONICUS (1984). COLOR. Set in late Roman times, this tragedy draws on mythology for brutal tales. Stars Eileen Atkins, Trevor Peacock. 120 minutes. 5634A. Video. $99.95 TROILUS AND CRESSIDA (1982). COLOR. Says Choice, "This video of Troilus and Cressida is simply excellent, and will be a valuable resource to anyone teaching the play." Stars Anton Lesser, Suzanne Burden. 190 minutes. 5635A. Video. $99.95 TWELFTH NIGHT (1980). COLOR. With practical jokes, poetry and haunting songs, this is the most subtle of Shakespeare's comedies. Starring Alec McCowen, Trevor Peacock, Felicity Kendall. 124 minutes. 5636A. Video. $99.95 TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA (1983). COLOR. In Shakespeare's earliest attempt at romantic comedy, two friends fall in love with Silvia, who is promised to another. Starring John Hudson, Joanne Pearce. 137 minutes. 5637A. Video. $99.95 THE WINTER'S TALE (1982). COLOR. A theme that occupied Shakespeare later in life: reconciliation. Wrongs committed by one generation are made right by the next. Starring Jeremy Kemp, Anna Calder-Marshall, Debbie Farrington and Margaret Tyzack. 173 minutes. 5638A. Video. $99.95 ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 28 Oct 1993 11:29:48 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0680 Q: Shakespeare and Educational Establishments Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 680. Thursday, 28 October 1993. From: Al Cacicedo Date: Thursday, 28 Oct 1993 1:00:51 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Shakespeare and educational establishments Shakspereans: Some students of mine were asking about the centrality of Shakespeare in the educational establishments of anglophone nations outside of North America and the British Isles. Is Shakespeare central to the status quo in Belize, for instance, or in Kenya, or in India, or in New Zealand, or in other ex-British colonies? If anyone can help me answer my students' query, I would be very grateful. Thanks, Al Cacicedo (alc@joe.alb.edu) Albright College ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 28 Oct 1993 11:32:30 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0677 Re: "Versions" of *Coriolanus* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 677. Thursday, 28 October 1993. (1) From: Cary M. Mazer Date: Wednesday, 27 Oct 93 9:02:30 EDT Sub: Re: SHK 4.0675 "Versions" of *Coriolanus* (2) From: William Godshalk Date: Wednesday, 27 Oct 1993 23:19:01 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0675 "Versions" of *Coriolanus* (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Cary M. Mazer Date: Wednesday, 27 Oct 93 9:02:30 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0675 "Versions" of *Coriolanus* > As soon as cuts are made (even for practical reasons) > the interpretation of the play is changed and it is necessarily an > interpretation favoring the remaining material at the expense of the cut or > 'irrelevant' material. Bravo Jason Hoblit. At risk of repeating myself, let me add, provocatively, that even if *no* cuts are made, and even if the material is spoken at a reasonable pace, the subsequent performance (to borrow the infelicitous Jonathan Miller's felicitous phrase) is a new, independent "version," that may just as well be called Kemble's or Irving's or Hoblit's, even if all the words are what's-his-name's. That's what a performance *is*, by it's very nature: not a "realization" of a script, but an independent work of art made out of a variety of raw materials, one (but not the only one) of which is the playwright's script. And it should be analyzed, evaluated, and historicized as such. Cary M. Mazer University of Pennsylvania (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Godshalk Date: Wednesday, 27 Oct 1993 23:19:01 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0675 "Versions" of *Coriolanus* I wish Terence Hawkes had never dragged the red herring of CORIOLANUS across these electronic pages. Yes, we know that Shakespeare's scripts are a vexed subject, and textual critics sometimes spend their lives studying these scripts. We know that playwrights make changes during production, and some of those changes are suggested by actors and, indeed, other playwrights. I've seen it myself in drama workshops. I believe that Shakespeare was a man of the theatre, that he was influenced by the theatre, by actors, and by other playwrights, etc. But I also believe that at a fundamental level he wrote his own plays. His plays were not written by committee. (I've seen committees trying to write simple paragraphs.) I believe there are authors. I believe that I'm writing this, for example. I know that the French killed the concept of authorship in the 1960s. I remain skeptical. I believe there's a difference between a production of MACBETH and a production of McBIRD - as I've said before, and I'll probably say again. I at least can tell the difference. And finally let me assert that aesthetics, not politics, is the basis for all human activity. In fact, we select our political affiliations on aesthetic grounds. Okay, there it is. The secret's out. Yours, Bill Godshalk ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 28 Oct 1993 11:16:36 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0678 *H5* Question Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 678. Thursday, 28 October 1993. From: Ellen Edgerton Date: Wednesday, 27 Oct 1993 09:07 Subject: *H5* Question Has anything been written (or even mentioned in passing) about a seeming discontinuity between Act IV scenes ii and iii in *H5*? I'm referring to the scenes where the French are ready to attack the English at Agincourt, and where the French herald arrives and asks Henry for ransom. In scene ii, the Constable seems very impatient to attack. He claims, "I stay but for my guard." The scene ends with the French exiting, presumably to start their attack immediately. Then, in the next scene, Montjoy shows up on the English lines and claims the Constable sent him to ask for ransom. It seems to me that these bits have been somehow reversed (especially since the Constable comments in the previous scene, "They have said their prayers" and in the next scene Montjoy arrives to inform the English that the Constable wants them to say their prayers). To me, this sequence of events doesn't seem to make complete sense -- unless Shakespeare decided to sacrifice logic for a dramatic flourish (i.e., Montjoy showing up right after the St. Crispin's Day oratory). Any thoughts on these scenes would be appreciated. Ellen Edgerton ebedgert@suadmin.syr.edu ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 28 Oct 1993 11:25:32 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0679 Two Re: Videos: Q: *Ado*; Catalog with Olivier in *MV* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 679. Thursday, 28 October 1993. (1) From: Daniel F. Pigg Date: Wednesday, 27 Oct 93 14:55:38 CST Subj: Branagh's Much Ado Availability? (2) From: Bill Denning Date: Wednesday, 27 Oct 1993 17:38:08 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Interesting catalog includes Olivier in Merchant of Venice (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Daniel F. Pigg Date: Wednesday, 27 Oct 93 14:55:38 CST Subject: Branagh's Much Ado Availability? Does anyone know when the Branagh Much Ado will be available on video cassette? I am always looking for an accessible contemporary Shakespeare production to present to my British lit. soph survey, and this version more than passes my criteria. Daniel Pigg Department of English University of Tennessee at Martin IVAD@UTMARTN.BITNET (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Bill Denning Date: Wednesday, 27 Oct 1993 17:38:08 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Interesting catalog includes Olivier in Merchant of Venice Normally my response to unsolicited mail advertising is to throw it away after looking at it for about 15 seconds. However, I received a catalog today that may be of interest to SHAKSPER subscribers. The catalog is called "SIGNALS", and is subtitled "A Catalog for Fans & Friends of Public Television." It is affiliated with WGBH in Boston, which is one of the best known public television stations here in the U.S. What caught my eye is a video tape in VHS format of a 1973 production of "The Merchant of Venice". (Note that in many countries other tape formats, such as PAL, are used.) The catalog number is 27686, and it sells for USD $19.95. Quoting from the catalog description, Shakespeare's classic comedy of love, vengeance, prejudice, and sacrifice is given a new setting -- 1860's Venice -- and a superb cast in this 1973 production. Laurence Olivier is a brilliant Shylock, demanding his pound of flesh; Joan Plowright (Olivier's real-life wife) is Portia, extolling "the quality of mercy"; and Jeremy Brett (Sherlock Holmes to PBS fans) is Bassanio in the unforgettable film version of a timeless -- and timely -- masterpiece. The catalog also lists numerous video tapes of various dramas and other programs from PBS, BBC, and A&E. In addition there are audio cassette and CD recordings of classical music, opera, and quite a number of "Christmas gift" items. The mailing address is: SIGNALS Post Office Box 64428 St. Paul, Minnesota 55164-0428 The following telephone numbers are listed: (800) 669-9696 24 hour credit card orders (612) 659-4320 FAX credit card orders (800) 998-8176 TDD number for hearing or speech impaired customers, 07:00 - 24:00 U.S. Central time, 7 days (800) 775-3104 Spanish language number (800) 669-5225 International orders, 08:00 - 20:00 U.S. Central time, Monday - Friday +1 (612) 659-4312 International orders, call originates from overseas (800) 669-5225 Customer service, 08:00 - 20:00 Monday - Friday "800" numbers are toll-free from within the U.S. I believe that they can also be called from overseas, but that there is a charge. Disclaimer: I am not affiliated in any way with WGBH, PBS, or SIGNALS, and am not advocating the purchase of any particular product. Best regards, Bill ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 29 Oct 1993 08:38:58 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0681 Re: "Versions" of *Coriolanus* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 681. Friday, 29 October 1993. (1) From: Terence Hawkes Date: Thursday, 28 Oct 93 16:59 GMT Subj: RE: SHK 4.0677 Re: "Versions" of *Coriolanus* (2) From: Dennis Kennedy Date: Thursday, 28 Oct 1993 23:33 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0677 Re: "Versions" of *Coriolanus* (3) From: Jason Hoblit Date: Friday, 29 Oct 1993 05:06:35 -0700 (PDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0677 Re: "Versions" of *Coriolanus* (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Terence Hawkes Date: Thursday, 28 Oct 93 16:59 GMT Subject: RE: SHK 4.0677 Re: "Versions" of *Coriolanus* Not guilty! The CORIOLANUS debate started on 22 Sept, when somebody seems to have gained access to a machine, sent out message quoting Brian Vickers's view that the play is politics-proof, and then had the temerity to sign Bill Godshalk's name to it. Probably a Cultural Materialist, I'd say: they'll stop at nothing. Terence Hawkes (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Dennis Kennedy Date: Thursday, 28 Oct 1993 23:33 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0677 Re: "Versions" of *Coriolanus* It's interesting how often Bill Godshalk's notes use the phrase "I believe that . . ." (I believe that there are authors, I believe that Shakespeare wrote his plays, etc.) And yet he asserts that "aesthetics, not politics, is the basis for all human activity." Hmmm. I am missing something here? I always thought that credos were ideological. Silly reformed Marxist me! Dennis Kennedy University of Pittsburgh (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jason Hoblit Date: Friday, 29 Oct 1993 05:06:35 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0677 Re: "Versions" of *Coriolanus* Bill, I am not sure that I am avoiding a *descent* into 'quiddities and quillities', but I would take issue with several of the assumptions that I believe you make in your last post (forgive me, and correct me if I missed your point or misrepresent you). First: >at a fundamental level he wrote his own plays. His plays were not written >by committee. (I've seen committees trying to write simple paragraphs.) I >believe there are authors. I believe that I'm writing this, for example. I >know that the French killed the concept of authorship in the 1960s. I >remain skeptical. I am not trying to deny that 'there are authors' or that Shakespeare ( or you or I for that matter) lacked agency, nor I am I denying the usefulness of the concept of Shakespeare 'the author'. Second: >I believe there's a difference between a production of MACBETH and a >production of McBIRD - as I've said before, and I'll probably say again. >I at least can tell the difference. I am also emphatically *not* claiming that *versions* are completely indistinguishable. It is usually even possible to recognize which *versions* are closer to *authoritative* 'Shakespearean' readings. However, some cases are clearer than others, it is not *necessarily* a cut and dried issue in all cases. Finally, the issue is one of determining what is an (or THE) *authoritative* version of a Shakespearean text. Granted _McBird_ may be clearly different from the bulk of what may be assumed to be an *original* or *authentic* text of Shakespeare. It may be easy to make an easy determination that Kemble's, Olivier's, or (to borrow Cary Mazer's term) what's-his-name's text is closer to or farther from what we consider to be an *authoritative version*. The problem comes with establishing an (or THE) standard or *authoritative* text in the first place. What is the *authoritative* _Lear_, or (to follow your choice of plays) even the *authoritative* _MacBeth_? It is not at all easy to make a clear and unequivocal determination of what (from the various Folio's and Quarto's) belongs in or out of those texts, not to mention correcting for problems with scribal and compositorial intervention. At a recent party one of my colleagues was arguing that she prefers less modern editorial intervention in the texts of Shakespeare's plays. We were chided for talking about 'work' before we could get anywhere. However, I would argue that if the printed versions of the period are privileged, editorial intervention is far from circumvented. Instead, in effect, the editorial decisions of the printers (and possibly scribes, prompters and others) are privileged as *authoritative* editorial decisions. I have no problem with minimalizing modern editorial intervention. At the same time, it is important to remember that this is no more an *original* text, nor is it possible to completely escape from 'interpreting' or to banish editorial involvement completely. Outside of making valuative judgements upon the merit of a text as *original*, or as "Shakespeare's own", at the expense of a particular reading, I have no problem with assessing a *version's* relationship to an assumed standard text. It is only when a 'standard' text is considered to be somehow unimpeachable or, in some ontologically grounded sense, *primary* that I question whether the critic is aware that s/he is not pointing to a clear line, but to a debatable range of solutions to textual problems. Praxis consists in making judgements and decisions. I do not argue that such decisions should not be made, nor that the are not valuable in, and even crucial to, our discourse. Nevertheless, in the end they cannot be founded as 'unimpeachable' or ontologically grounded. Finally: >And finally let me assert that aesthetics, not politics, is the basis >for all human activity. In fact, we select our political affiliations on >aesthetic grounds. Just as easily: we select our aesthetic grounds based upon political affiliations. Preference for *authoritative* readings is not too far from *authoritarian* politics (No, I'm not claiming that this is *necessarily* the case, nor that your politics are such). It is not so easy to erase either politics or aesthetics - there is a deep connection between the two. This connection can be seen, perhaps, in American preferences for accentuating individualism in the New Historicism (or our very preference for the 'New and Improved' label for our critical schools). Any of these 'quiddities and quillities' can be easily swept away with a 'Yes, but' followed by an appeal to praxis. The real subject of our difference over the 'red herring' is where to set the level of critical discourse. Paul de Man was correct in saying that 'The resistance to theory is a resistance to the use of language about language.' (_The Resistance to Theory_, Minnesota 1986:12) One might argue that such arguments are a 'waste of time' while practical interpretations and evaluations are being put off. One might also argue that it is just as important to question our own methods in engaging in such a practice of interpretation and evaluation. The critic may not be far from Shakespearean clowns: 'How absolute the knave is. We must speak by the card or equivocation will undo us.' (_Ham._ 5.1) Critical discourse at this level may be no more than fooling and equivocation. Perhaps I am a 'whoreson knave', but then again I always found the fools to be stimulating figures. _______________________________________________________________ | Jason Hoblit University of Washington - Seattle | | hoblitj@u.washington.edu Home Phone: (206) 548-1107 | |_____________________________________________________________| ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 29 Oct 1993 08:44:34 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0682 AIWA VCR Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 682. Friday, 29 October 1993. From: Stephen Orgel Date: Thursday, 28 Oct 1993 10:19:41 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0679 Two Re: Videos: Q: *Ado*; Catalog There is now a VCR made by AIWA that will play tapes in all formats through US video machines, and will also enable one to copy them in the US format. It lists for $479, but I've seen it advertised in NY for around $300; I bought one, and the quality, except for an occasional peculiar moment, is fine, and the color is really beautiful. This enables me to play a whole bunch of British and Italian tapes, including the Olivier MV, now available in US format, which is terrific, and even better, a 12N with Guinness as Malvolio, Richardson as Sir Toby, Plowright as Viola, and Tommy Steele (!) as Feste--this works better than you might think, though the songs have dated rather badly. The Italian tapes--Strehler's great Lear and Tempest--seem to me worth the price of the whole setup. I've no idea where one obtains European videos (I bought these on the spot), but since our library just acquired the whole set of Strehler tapes, there must be some US distributor. Hooking the whole thing up is so simple that I didn't even need to get one of my undergraduates to do it. Stephen Orgel ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 29 Oct 1993 08:47:23 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0683 Re: Costuming Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 683. Friday, 29 October 1993. From: Georgianna Ziegler Date: Thursday, 28 Oct 1993 14:32:49 -0500 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0667 Q: Costuming Hi Melissa-- The reference you have from Queen Henrietta Maria is actually found on p. 10 of Theatre Notebook, vol. 23 (1968). It is given in the context of concern voiced by William Laud of Christ Church College, Oxford, concerning stage materials and "apparel" which were being sent up to Hampton Court for a production of "The Royal Slave" in January 1636/37. He wanted to protect the University property, and the Queen writes back to reassure him. Laud's comments are taken from his "Works" edited by J. Bliss (1853), vol. v, pp. 144-6, and 153-4. The Queen's remarks are from "Bodleian Quarterly Record," 1918, II, pp. 151-2. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 29 Oct 1993 08:50:04 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0684 Ohio Shakespeare Conference: Abstracts Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 684. Friday, 29 October 1993. From: William Godshalk Date: Thursday, 28 Oct 1993 22:23:18 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Ohio Shakespeare Conference: Abstracts Ohio Shakespeare Conference Reminder Abstracts for the Conference are due November 1 - i.e., next Monday. Since time time is running out, some writers are sending their abstracts by e-mail to the above address. Of course, we are still accepting conventional mail at Department of English University of Cincinnati Cincinnati, OH 45221-0069 Bill Godshalk and Jonathan Kamholtz ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 29 Oct 1993 08:54:15 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0685 Q: New Historicist Applications Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 685. Friday, 29 October 1993. From: Kung-yu Chin Date: Thursday, 28 Oct 1993 22:08:50 -0500 (UTC -05:00) Subject: New Historicism Applications? Hi, I am newly introduced to New Historicism and find it a powerful approach. As most New Historicists seem to be experts on English Renaissance, could someone enlight me with some NH applications in other time period literature? I assume the Engish Romantic period would be a not bad guess? Chin/Kansas ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 29 Oct 1993 09:03:33 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0686 *Hamlet* on CBC Radio Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 686. Friday, 29 October 1993. From: Peter Scott Date: Friday, 29 Oct 1993 06:47:55 -0600 (CST) Subject: Hamlet on CBC Radio HAMLET TAKES TO THE AIRWAVES The production stars Kenneth Branagh and two famous former Hamlets. (London, Ontario Free Press staff) There is a quality to radio that spreads a unique, dark texture to Shakespeare's Hamlet. Whether with wind and ill weather roaring as a backdrop, or with the occasional visit from background music, such effects let the sinister and psychological gain a special advantage in pinning down and holding the mind's eye. Such an audio odyssey can be explored over four hours Monday and Tuesday nights when CBC Stereo's The Arts Tonight presents Hamlet, a production of the BBC in association with the Renaissance Theatre Company. The radio production is the effort of Kenneth Branagh, who, besides boasting an extensive list of stage productions of Shakespeare's work, has also brought the playwright to the screen with film versions of Much Ado About Nothing and Henry V. STELLAR CAST: Branagh adapted, produced, co-directed and starred in this radio presentation, and in this effort has engaged two famous former Hamlets, Derek Jacobi and John Gielgud, who appear as Hamlet's father and uncle. Rounding out the cast are Judi Dench as Gertrude, Richard Briers as Polonius, Sophie Thompson as Ophelia, James Wilby as Laertes, Christopher Ravenscroft as Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, and Emma Thompson as the Player Queen. Using a fuller text than usual, Branagh's adaptation aims to give characters the latitude to develop the full political and social context of the play. Elsinore's stony corridors and sinister nooks and crannies take on a rare chill. Branagh played Hamlet with the Renaissance Theatre Company in 1988 and repeated it in a new Britain's Royal Shakespeare Company production. In between, he recorded this production for radio. This Monday and Tuesday, 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 29 Oct 1993 09:35:15 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0687 Re: *Henry 5* Question Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 687. Friday, 29 October 1993. From: Steve Urkowitz Date: Friday, 29 Oct 93 09:14:00 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0678 *H5* Question Look for very recent stuff by Tom Berger on the Henry V texts as complex layerings of scenes and speeches that would not have been performed all together but rather picked up and mixed and matched for different occasions. Have you looked at the Q1 version of this particular interchange? I've not, this morning, but those old documents almost always pop with surprise and insight, though not answers. Steve UrQuartowitz ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 30 Oct 1993 07:50:43 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0688 [was unnumbered] shPRINT Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 688. Saturday, 30 October 1993. (1) From: Ed Pechter Date: Friday, 29 Oct 1993 09:21:18 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0685 Q: New Historicist Applications (2) From: Fran Teague Date: Friday, 29 Oct 93 09:35:17 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0685 Q: New Historicist Applications (3) From: Daniel F. Pigg Date: Friday, 29 Oct 93 08:52:31 CST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0685 Q: New Historicist Applications (4) From: Robert Knapp Date: Friday, 29 Oct 93 10:23:59 PDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0685 Q: New Historicist Applications (5) From: Melissa Aaron Date: Friday, 29 Oct 1993 19:16:33 +0200 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0685 Q: New Historicist Applications (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ed Pechter Date: Friday, 29 Oct 1993 09:21:18 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0685 Q: New Historicist Applications About non-Renaissance new historicism: Romanticism's an inspired guess. Look up Alan Liu & David Simpson. Other names in a book called *New Historicism* ed Veeser, Routledge 87. (Isn't Veeser there where you are?) Also American. Maybe the Sacvan Bercovitch-Myra Jehlen collection of essays--don't remember the name of the book. You can get lots of names looking through F. Crews essays in recent New York Reviews of Books, along with lots of interesting opinion that can get people upset. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Fran Teague Date: Friday, 29 Oct 93 09:35:17 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0685 Q: New Historicist Applications A recent collection of essays might be useful for anyone who wants to read about new historicist applications outside the Renaissance/Early Modern period. _New Historical Literary Study: Essays on Reproducing Texts, Representing History_, eds. Jeffrey N. Cox and Larry J. Reynolds (Princeton: Princeton U P, 199 3). Contributors include Ralph Cohen (the other one, not the Shenandoah Shakespeare Ralph), Katherine O'Keefe, Lee Patterson, Stephen Greenblatt, Margaret Ezell, Janet Aikins, Terence Hoagwood, Jerome McGann, Lawrence Buell, Michael Rogin, Hortense Spillers, Robert Newman, and Edward Said. I've particularly enjoyed the editors' essay that gives a history of the new historicists; there's an inherent irony in such discussion. The endnotes are thick (sometimes in more than one sense), there are wonderfully illustrated essays, and the collection is substantially livelier and more lucid than most such anthologies. (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Daniel F. Pigg Date: Friday, 29 Oct 93 08:52:31 CST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0685 Q: New Historicist Applications For NH applications in the 18th century see _The New Eighteenth Century: Theory, Politics, English Literature_, ed. Felicity Nussbaum and Laura Brown. London: Methuen, 1987. For the Middle Ages, see Lee Patterson, _Chaucer and the Subject of History_. Daniel Pigg Department of English University of Tennessee at Martin IVAD@UTMARTN.BITNET (4)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Robert Knapp Date: Friday, 29 Oct 93 10:23:59 PDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0685 Q: New Historicist Applications Brook Thomas, _The New Historicism and Other Old-Fashioned Topics_ (Princeton, 1991) critically but sympathetically surveys both the premisses of historicist interpretation and its application (old and New) to American literature in the 19th century. He engages Greenblatt in a helpful and informed way. (5)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Melissa Aaron Date: Friday, 29 Oct 1993 19:16:33 +0200 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0685 Q: New Historicist Applications >I am newly introduced to New Historicism and find it a powerful approach. >As most New Historicists seem to be experts on English Renaissance, could >someone enlight me with some NH applications in other time period literature? >I assume the Engish Romantic period would be a not bad guess? Yes, there is at least one article by Simpson called "Criticism, Politics and Style in Wordsworth's Poetry." There are some Americanist applications as well, including a book by Walter Benn Michaels--The Gold Bug, etc--and a book of essay edited by Sacvan Bercovitch and Myra Jehlen. ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 30 Oct 1993 07:57:34 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0689 Re: "Versions" of *Coriolanus* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 689. Saturday, 30 October 1993. (1) From: Ed Pechter Date: Friday, 29 Oct 1993 09:45:39 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0681 Re: "Versions" of *Coriolanus* (2) From: Ed Pechter Date: Friday, 29 Oct 1993 10:04:51 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0681 Re: "Versions" of *Coriolanus* (3) From: David Richman Date: Friday, 29 Oct 1993 11:40:54 -0400 (EDT) Subj: RE: SHK 4.0681 Re: "Versions" of *Coriolanus* (4) From: William Godshalk Date: Friday, 29 Oct 1993 23:05:53 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0681 Re: "Versions" of *Coriolanus* (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ed Pechter Date: Friday, 29 Oct 1993 09:45:39 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0681 Re: "Versions" of *Coriolanus* Terence Hawkes is in denial. "Not guilty"? Who is he kidding? Would William Godshalk have written on September 22 if Hawkes had not earlier written *Meaning by Shakespeare*? Though Hawkes shouldn't have to shoulder the whole blame. It goes back to Shakespeare. Or Plutarch. Or . . . (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ed Pechter Date: Friday, 29 Oct 1993 10:04:51 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0681 Re: "Versions" of *Coriolanus* Jason Hoblit says he's not trying to deny the usefulness of the concept of the author, but it seems to me that's exactly what he's trying to do later on when he talks about the problems of interpretation generated on the values of authentic originals. When Foucault talked about "the author function," he was trying to describe the way the idea of the author served to regulate interpretation. Foucault thought there were more interesting and useful ways of regulating interpretation. I think that's right. A case in point: Now that a consensus is emerging that Middleton wrote *The Revenger's Tragedy*, interpretation of the play has tended to domesticate it to a normalizing concept of the coherence and stability of the Middletonian canon. Too bad. I'm convinced Middleton wrote the play, but given the interpretive consequences of a criticism still basically centered in the idea of coherent authorship, it might have been better off left to Tourneur who, since so little is known about him, approximates authorlessness or anonymity. I go back to grading now (this should explain my longwindedness today, even if it doesn't justify it). (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: David Richman Date: Friday, 29 Oct 1993 11:40:54 -0400 (EDT) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0681 Re: "Versions" of *Coriolanus* At this point in the discourse, I feel the need for a little leavening levity. Charles Ludlum has one of the characters in (*Stage Blood* state: "The plays of Shakespeare were not written by Shakespeare, but by another playwright of the same name." "How now, interjections? Why, then, some be of laughing, as, ah, ha, he!" Cheers, David Richman (4)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Godshalk Date: Friday, 29 Oct 1993 23:05:53 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0681 Re: "Versions" of *Coriolanus* To Terence Hawkes: mea culpa. To Dennis Kennedy: credos are religious - and aesthetic. Forget ideology - and put color in your life. To Jason Hoblitt: we have a lot to talk about, and probably very little disagreement. But it's late, and it's Friday, and I'm going to read some Marcus Didius Falco and drink some wine. Goodnight, Bill Godshalk ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 30 Oct 1993 08:13:34 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0690 Re: *Hamlet* on CBC Radio Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 690. Saturday, 30 October 1993. (1) From: Tom Garnett Date: Friday, 29 Oct 93 10:11:27 EDT Subj: SHK 4.0686 *Hamlet* on CBC Radio (2) From: Robert Burke Date: Friday, 29 Oct 1993 15:06:45 -0500 (CDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0686 *Hamlet* on CBC Radio (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Tom Garnett Date: Friday, 29 Oct 93 10:11:27 EDT Subject: SHK 4.0686 *Hamlet* on CBC Radio Does Anyone have more information on this CBC production of Hamlet such as dates and radio frequency? If it has been already broadcast does anyone know how it may be obtained? Thanks. Tom Garnett libem002@sivm.si.edu (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Robert Burke Date: Friday, 29 Oct 1993 15:06:45 -0500 (CDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0686 *Hamlet* on CBC Radio Does anyone know how in mid-America we can hear the CBC. Thanks. ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 30 Oct 1993 08:43:54 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0692 Q: A SHAKSPER FAQ Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 692. Saturday, 30 October 1993. From: Michael Sharpston Date: Saturday, 30 Oct 1993 12:16:00 -0400 (EDT) Subject: How About a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)? It has been on my mind for some time to ask my electronic colleagues whether or not it would be appropriate to have a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) for SHAKSPER. This would be very much in the Internet tradition, and could be most helpful, particularly but not exclusively for new SHAKSPERians. I do realize that there are libraries full of books about Shakespeare and that the selection process for a FAQ would be a great challenge. But it could be rewarding. For example, I suspect I missed some of the texture of the Shakespeare and Politics debate by being so politically uncorrect that certain references passed me by. (At the same time, whoever might do an FAQ, PLEASE be dispassionate not partisan about the controversies you mention!). My belief this could be worthwhile was great enhanced by reading Bill Loos (Harvard) and his FAQ for the Tolkien group on LISTSERV @JHUVM.HCF.JHU.EDU -- this is of course a more august, academically serious forum, but perhaps the idea is still worth consideration. Even a well-considered rejection could, in the process, shed interesting light on how the traditions of Shakespearian scholarship and of Internet should intermingle. Michael Sharpston msharpston@worldbank.org ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 30 Oct 1993 08:35:55 EDT Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0691 Re: Shakespeare and Educational Establishments Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 691. Saturday, 30 October 1993. (1) From: Michael Mullin Date: Friday, 29 Oct 1993 09:19:50 -0600 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0680 Q: Shakespeare and Educational Establishments (2) From: Lars Engle Date: Friday, 29 Oct 1993 10:49:32 GMT Subj: RE: SHK 4.0680 Q: Shakespeare and Educational Establishments (3) From: Jim Forse Date: Friday, 29 Oct 1993 12:11 EST Subj: Re Shakespeare and Anglophone countries (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Michael Mullin Date: Friday, 29 Oct 1993 09:19:50 -0600 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0680 Q: Shakespeare and Educational Establishments Dear Al Cacicedo, The short answer is yes. In Anglophone countries certainly, for many many reasons, not the least the Cambridge University Entrance Examination--something like the ACT-SAT--used to determine university qualifications in the British Commonwealth and elsewhere. I don't know about Belize, though its British connection would incline me to guess that Shakespeare's on the curriculum, but I do know that in Brazil there's a center for Shakespeare studies and that Shakespeare's been used as a protest dramatist in Argentina. And it goes without saying that Shakespeare is part of the educational and theatrical cultures of Europe, East and West. I'd be interested to learn more on this subject too, as I'm doing research for a book, CD-ROM, and national exhibition entitled "Our Shakespeares:" Shakespeare Across Cultures. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Lars Engle Date: Friday, 29 Oct 1993 10:49:32 GMT Subject: RE: SHK 4.0680 Q: Shakespeare and Educational Establishments In reply to Al Cacicedo's query: Ania Loomba's *Gender, race, Renaissance drama * discusses the centrality of Shakespeare and Renaissance drama generally in Indian educational institutions, and does so very persuasively. Lars Engle, University of Tulsa (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jim Forse Date: Friday, 29 Oct 1993 12:11 EST Subject: Re Shakespeare and Anglophone countries I have a piece of indirect evidence to suggest that Shakespeare may well be a central part of education--at least in Nigeria. Following is a note I made at a conference. Unfortunately, I cannot identify the speaker's academic affiliation--did not record that. Professor W. T. Brown, "Shakespeare on Wheels," paper presented before the Shakespeare and Renaissance Association of West Virginia (23 April 1988), described that when presenting a travelling troupe to Nigerian audiences, often the audiences would echo aloud the most famous soliloquies when an actor began to deliver them. I also think A. L. Rowse's quirky "modern" translation of Shakespeare's works was in part designed for the non-British, non-American market. Jim Forse: History, Bowling Green State Univ. [Shakespeare on Wheels is a project of the University of Maryland at Baltimore County; Professor Brown, I am reasonably sure, is one of its founders and is a professor in the Theatre Department there. --HMC] ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 31 Oct 1993 07:52:50 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0693 Re: SHAKSPER FAQ Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 693. Sunday, 31 October 1993. (1) From: Nancy W Miller Date: Saturday, 30 Oct 93 8:50:10 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0692 Q: A SHAKSPER FAQ (2) From: Vint Cerf <0003786240@mcimail.com> Date: Saturday, 30 Oct 93 13:16 GMT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0692 Q: A SHAKSPER FAQ (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Nancy W Miller Date: Saturday, 30 Oct 93 8:50:10 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0692 Q: A SHAKSPER FAQ I second Michael Sharpston's motion to start up an FAQ. As a new Shakesperean, I (for one) would find such an endeavor very useful. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Vint Cerf <0003786240@mcimail.com> Date: Saturday, 30 Oct 93 13:16 GMT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0692 Q: A SHAKSPER FAQ Michael, et al, I think a SHAKSPER FAQ might be quite helpful - I imagine, however, that if it is not indexed by WAIS or organized by gopher, it may be a rather tedious document to peruse. Have you given some thought to how the potentially large quantity of information contained in such an FAQ might be organized? Vint Cerf vcerf@isoc.org ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 31 Oct 1993 07:55:37 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0694 Re: *Hamlet* on CBC Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 694. Sunday, 31 October 1993. From: Joan Hartwig Date: Saturday, 30 Oct 93 10:54:03 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0690 Re: *Hamlet* on CBC Radio Kenneth Branagh's audio *Hamlet* was on sale for 15 pounds at the Barbican when I was in London last January. It is on four audio cassettes and the package says to write to Random Century Audiobooks, 20 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London SW1V 2SA for information on titles. This must be the same production that the CBC is broadcasting=original radio recording BBC 1992. Playing time approx 3 1/2 hours. ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 31 Oct 1993 08:00:01 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0695 Authorative Texts Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 695. Sunday, 31 October 1993. From: William Godshalk Date: Saturday, 30 Oct 1993 22:49:07 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Authorative Texts Jason Hoblit has, I think, misunderstood my point about texts. I don't think I used the words "standard" or "authorative." Nor was I arguing that directors should not cut scripts, or that innovative customing and staging are anathema. No, I was merely pointing out that an adaptation like Dryden's ALL FOR LOVE should not be considered Shakespeare's ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA. I take it that Cary Mazer would not agree. Apparently Kemble and Olivier should be seen in historical context, and Shakespeare should not. I'm certainly not agruing that Shakespeare can't be appropriated. Terence Hawkes proves that he (or at least his plays) can. Certain people consciously appropriate Shakespeare for various reasons. Hawkes and Vickers among others are very interested in the processes of appropriation. In "The Materiality of the Shakespearean Text," Margreta de Grazia and Peter Stallybras (SQ 44 - current issue) exaggerate the problems of recovering historical texts. They set up an ideal of recoverability (if I may use that word), and prove that that ideal can not be obtained. Of course we can't recover the past and live in it. That's why we write history, and argue about what it must have been like in an early modern printing house. And as Grace Ioppolo, REVISING SHAKESPEARE, has emphasized along with Steve Urkowitz and others, Shakespeare was a reviser. Fifty years ago, teachers of English told their students that Shakespeare never blotted a line, never revised. Now some scholars claim that we have three distinct texts of HAMLET. Which one may be called standard or authoritative? Q1 is still hotly contested, but Q2 and Folio are not. But weren't Shakespeare's texts copied, and edited, and revised, etc.? Well, aren't contemporary texts also subject to editing, to readers who demand changes, to printers who make errors that are not caught? When we read Rick Powers' latest novel, do we say, "This really isn't his work. It's been edited, and I'll bet some of his friends read the book in manuscript and suggested changes, etc."? I don't because I expect editing and revision and a certain number of proofing errors. In working with Shakespeare's texts, we do the best we can. Standards change, and so do editing procedures. Nevertheless, Tom Stoppard is not Will Shakespeare, but then neither was the 17th Earl of Oxford. Yours in flux, Bill Godshalk ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 31 Oct 1993 08:03:04 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0696 Re: Shakespeare and Educational Establishments Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 696. Sunday, 31 October 1993. From: William Godshalk Date: Saturday, 30 Oct 1993 22:59:09 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0691 Re: Shakespeare and Educational Establishments One of my students, Melina Daly, from Argentina was educated in the afternoons (she says) at an English school. Each year they studied one or two Shakespeare plays in depth. She claims that Shakespeare was central to her study of English. Anecdotal, yeah, but maybe suggestive? Yours, Bill Godshalk ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 1 Nov 1993 12:44:12 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0697 *Twelfth Night* Production in NYC Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 697. Monday, 1 November 1993. From: Steve Urkowitz Date: Sunday, 31 Oct 93 08:56:44 EST Subject: 12th Night Production NYC Announcing a production of TWELFTH NIGHT at Baruch College and City College: November 10-12 at 7pm, November 13 at 3pm at Baruch College, Lexington Avenue at 23rd Street, in the Studio Theatre, Room 911, and at City College, Shepard Hall Room 291, entrance on Convent Avenue and 140th Street, Thursday, November 18, at 12 and 6pm. [The Baruch performances are just about sold out; we are working there in a 60-seat house.] The play is set on a mythical island at the beginning of the 20th Century, when for a brief flowering peoples from Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas built diverse and concordant communities in the islands of the Caribbean Sea. Shakespeare imagined such a world, and this production brings it into life. The play explores the delights of mirror images; delightedly it mirrors the accomplishment of concord our schools achieve and celebrate. The production is directed by Susan Spector, Speech Department, Baruch College, and Steven Urkowitz, English Department, City College. For reservations, call 387-1345, area code 212. Yikes! The prose of this advertising flyer seems heavily orotund in the electronicly fluid context of e-mail, but I'm scrambling to finish props for the show and to catch up with student papers accumulating ominously on my desk. We'll have photos and a videotape to document the production, but at the moment I wish people could come see it in its happy fullness. Best wishes, Urk SURCC@CUNYVM ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 1 Nov 1993 12:56:29 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0698 Re: Shakespeare and Educational Establishments Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 698. Monday, 1 November 1993. (1) From: Sean Lawrence Date: Sunday, 31 Oct 1993 16:20:26 -0400 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0691 Re: Shakespeare and Educational Establishments (2) From: James Schaefer Date: Sunday, 31 Oct 1993 21:38:18 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0696 Re: Shakespeare and Educational Establishments (3) From: David Schalkwyk Date: Monday, 1 Nov 93 10:46:16 SAST-2 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0680 Q: Shakespeare and Educational Establishmen (4) From: Terence Hawkes Date: Monday, 1 Nov 93 14:43 GMT Subj: RE: SHK 4.0680 Q: Shakespeare and Educational Establishments (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Sean Lawrence Date: Sunday, 31 Oct 1993 16:20:26 -0400 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0691 Re: Shakespeare and Educational Establishments About Shakespeare and education in Anglophone countries: When I told the supervisor of my honours seminar in African history that I'd rather do a master's in Shakespeare, he told me about a travelling group of Shakespearean actors he knew while at the University of Ibadan in Nigeria. They carried their equipment on a flatbed truck which also served as stage. In fact, they managed to fill the soccer stadium in Onitsha for *Macbeth*. So he comforted me with the thought that I wasn't really divorcing myself from my earlier work altogether. Just an anecdote, Sean Lawrence MAFEKING@AC.DAL.CA (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: James Schaefer Date: Sunday, 31 Oct 1993 21:38:18 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0696 Re: Shakespeare and Educational Establishments At some point in grad school I read that Shakespeare was the most frequently performed playwright in Eastern Europe; Oscar Wilde was the second most popular. This was compatible with comments some years before by a friend and former undergrad prof of mine who grew up in Hungary: he reported that he had read Shakespeare as a student, and learned English by reading the plays of Oscar Wilde. (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: David Schalkwyk Date: Monday, 1 Nov 93 10:46:16 SAST-2 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0680 Q: Shakespeare and Educational Establishmen Shakespeare has certainly played a central role in the educational establishments of South Africa, and he is used in similar ways as a mark of "culture" and "civilization". One of the earliest members of the ANC, Sol Plaatje, shows the marked influence of his Shakespearean missionary education in his own work, and it would be a fascinating research topic to trace the ways in which Shakespeare has both been appropriated and used in the process of appropriation in South Africa. Readings of Caliban vary, for instance, from fairly standard "postcolonial views" of Caliban as the oppressed (black) native, to English-speakers' jingoist readings of him as the incorrigably backward and savage "Boer" or Afrikaner. The latter readings show no sympathy for Caliban, of course, and side with Prosporo's civilizing magic. This is not really my area of expertise, although I'd like to take it up when I have some time. Martin Orkin (_Shakespeare Against Apartheid_) has done quite a bit of work in this area. He's in the English Department, University of the Witwatersrand, Wits 2050. An ex-student of mine, David Johnson, has just finished a PhD on the issue at the University of Sussex, England, and can be contacted via the English Department there. David Schalkwyk English Department University of Cape Town (4)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Terence Hawkes Date: Monday, 1 Nov 93 14:43 GMT Subject: RE: SHK 4.0680 Q: Shakespeare and Educational Establishments Dear Al Cacicedo: On Shakespeare in India, there's a lot of fascinating material in Gauri Viswanathan's *Masks of Conquest: Literary Study and British Rule in India* (New York, Columbia, 1989) Terry Hawkes ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 1 Nov 1993 14:53:04 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0700 Re: Productions of *TGV* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 700. Monday, 1 November 1993. From: Blair Kelly III Date: Sunday, 31 Oct 1993 18:55:13 -0500 Subject: Two Gentlemen of Verona Sarah Vos asked about productions of Two Gentlemen of Verona. I can remember four that I have seen. A production in 1981 in Spring Green, Wisconsin, sticks in my mind because of Crab. This Crab seemed to yawn as if on cue! In 1990, I saw a production at Chavenage house in Gloucestershire, England. These performers did an excellent job with the Shakespearean word play. The 1991 production at Stratford, England, was so good I saw it twice! It was in the Swan theatre, which has a nice intimate feel. A small band was at the back of the stage. Fifteen minutes before the production started, as the audience was taking their seats, the band started to play. (I love it when they do that --- start the action while the audience is still sitting down -- and music is the best beginning of all!) This was a production set in the 1920s. Not only did the band play, but singers came out and sang into an old-fashioned microphone. There were at least three members of the cast who sang before the production, and then a female singer took over for the rest of the production, singing at the scene changes. It was very effective, as the scene changing was choreographed with the music. The female singer sang twenties love songs like ``In the Heat of the Night'' and ending with all the cast singing ``Love is the greatest thing''. She was a bleached blonde, very thin, not my type, but by the end of the performance I was in love! (As was probably every other male in the audience!) I felt that this was the best production of the 1990-91 Stratford season. The singing definitely improved the production. The acting was all good with my favorite scene being the first scene of the Duke's which they did while he was being shaved by his groom. I like it when they set a scene doing an everyday thing, rather than just standing around saying the lines. My only criticism of this production was that their Crab seemed too much like a purebred. In 1992, at the Carter Barron open-air amphitheater in Washington D.C. the Lansburgh company did a free performance of As You Like It. But little advertised and poorly attended was a performance of Two Gentlemen put on by the student-interns of the Lansburgh company. This was a good performance with rap-style music as accompaniment and a big stuffed doll as Crab. --- Blair Kelly III bfkelly@afterlife.ncsc.mil ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 1 Nov 1993 15:08:26 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0702 Looking for a Dean Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 702. Monday, 1 November 1993. From: Piers Lewis Date: Monday, 01 Nov 1993 09:36:14 -0600 (CST) Subject: [Looking for a Dean] The College of Liberal Arts at Metropolitan State University, in St. Paul, Mn, is looking for a dean. Salary range: 51,600--87,800. Experience as Shakespeare teacher and scholar no disqualification. If you know of anyone who might be interested, please let me know. Or tell her/him to call Mary Dressel, 612-772-7736. Piers Lewis ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 1 Nov 1993 14:47:41 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0699 Re: SHAKSPER FAQ Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 699. Monday, 1 November 1993. (1) From: William Godshalk Date: Sunday, 31 Oct 1993 17:02:10 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0693 Re: SHAKSPER FAQ (2) From: Grover Smittle Date: Monday, 01 Nov 93 08:20:02 CST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0692 Q: A SHAKSPER FAQ (3) From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Monday, November 1, 1993 Subj: A SHAKSPER FAQ (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Godshalk Date: Sunday, 31 Oct 1993 17:02:10 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0693 Re: SHAKSPER FAQ Hardy, Michael, et al., I was thinking about 30 minutes ago that a team of scholars ought to redo Chambers's WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE: A STUDY OF FACTS AND PROBLEMS (1930). If we all were going to construct a(n) FAQ, perhaps we should think about going whole hog. Just a Sunday afternoon thought. I'm rereading R2, and thinking about symphonic imagery. Yours, Bill Godshalk (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Grover Smittle Date: Monday, 01 Nov 93 08:20:02 CST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0692 Q: A SHAKSPER FAQ I, for one, would welcome a Shaksper FAQ. Having just signed on, I've no idea what subjects have been covered in detail in the past. I've also no desire to re-invent the wheel if unnecessary. g. [See below for an explanation of how you can identify those subjects. --HMC] (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Monday, November 1, 1993 Subject: A SHAKSPER FAQ My thoughts about a SHAKSPER FAQ are very mixed. One part of me feels that such a FAQ is not necessary and is perhaps contrary to the way I envision this conference as operating. Let me explain. SHAKSPER is a rapidly growing conference: when I took over in May of 1992 there were some 240 members, now we are approaching 430. New members mean new ideas. My experience has been that when a subject is brought up after its initial appearance that it often is discussed from a different perspective both by new members and by those who have subscribed for some time now. Further, it seems to me that our interests in and thoughts about this body of works are dynamic. I just do not believe that much of what we discuss here can be definitively fixed and stabilized nor that our thinking about these topics remains constant -- one of the reasons that a forum such as this one can be so exciting. Previous discussions can be retreived from the FileServer by ordering the particular monthly logs of interest. The Discussion Indexes that are part of everyone's New Member Package (and that are also available on the FileServer) can be used to identify what has been discussed and to locate the monthly log in which a specific digests can be found. In addition, the gopher server at the University of Toronto contains all of the SHAKSPER monthly logs and has an interface that enables searching of a log. On the other hand, I would be more than willing to create a FAQ section in the FileServer and would make available any FAQ files that members would like to put together in this section. Bill Godshalk's suggestion above surely goes beyond what I understand FAQ files to be. Using the SHAKSPER FileServer as a place to house an electronic facts and problems file or collection of files is just the kind of creative use of the conference that I wish to encourage. Any volunteers? ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 1 Nov 1993 14:59:32 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0701 Versions of Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 701. Monday, 1 November 1993. (1) From: David Schalkwyk Date: Monday, 1 Nov 93 14:04:34 SAST-2 Subj: Versions (2) From: Piers Lewis Date: Monday, 01 Nov 1993 09:36:14 -0600 (CST) Subj: Versions of Shakespeare (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: David Schalkwyk Date: Monday, 1 Nov 93 14:04:34 SAST-2 Subject: Versions I'd like to ask what is at stake in the debate about whether or not each instance of a Shakespeare text is a "new independent 'version'" or not? In one sense the latter claim is unimpeachable, in another it runs counter not merely to common sense, but to our ability to refer across time to the same play, say _Macbeth_. For we could ask the same thing about the scores of symphonies, coins and even words. Is Beethoven's Ninth by Harnoncourt the same sympony as Beethoven's Ninth by Klemperer? Are the words I am using now the same as the ones used so far on this list or those I used yesterday? Or are they in each case "new independent versions"? Some considerations incline us to answer in one way, others in the opposite. One thing is certain: what philosophers call the type/token distinction enables us to see how and why we can refer to Beethoven's music or Shakespeare's plays as the same piece across the differences *necessitated* by repetition across time (what Derrida calls iterability), and also why we *must* continue to regard each new instance as a token of the same type in order to maintain consistency of reference. In other words, in order to speak about _Macbeth_ in the first place (even if to raise the possibility that each instantiation is new and different), we have to assume that we're referring to the same thing. Otherwise no-one would be able to discuss, advertise and ask for and about videos of the plays, stage performances, textual editions and so on. This list would not exist, and we couldn't teach _Macbeth_. On the other hand, when we start talking about the problems of an authoritative text, performance, or interpretation, thereby examining distinctions between tokens (or even begin to question the "originality" of the type itself) then difference trumps similarity and we're drawn in the opposite direction. What I think we should do is clarify *why* we should want to incline one way rather than the other. In other words, we need to move beyond affirmation or denial or even positions like "I think we're actually in agreement", and spell out what is at stake in the debate -- why it matters to talk in one way rather than the other, always remembering that the bugbear of reference (which will not go away despite Saussure) has already stacked the cards in favour of sameness. David Schalkwyk English Department University of Cape Town (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Piers Lewis Date: Monday, 01 Nov 1993 09:36:14 -0600 (CST) Subject: Versions of Shakespeare Is one version of a play as good as another? Or are some better than others? If so, what criteria do we or should we rely on in making such judgments? Or has that question already been answered? Piers Lewis ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 2 Nov 1993 12:59:25 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0702 Re: FAQ; Facts and Problems Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 703. Tuesday, 2 November 1993. (1) From: Mary Jane Miller Date: Monday, 1 Nov 93 16:18:26 -0500 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0699 Re: SHAKSPER FAQ (2) From: Tad Davis Date: Tuesday, 2 Nov 1993 09:37:22 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0699 Re: Facts and Problems (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Mary Jane Miller Date: Monday, 1 Nov 93 16:18:26 -0500 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0699 Re: SHAKSPER FAQ As a faithful reader and seldom contributor, Hardy, I agree that making several passes over a subject yields new insights- but not necessarily stable ones. Mary Jane Miller, (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Tad Davis Date: Tuesday, 2 Nov 1993 09:37:22 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0699 Re: Facts and Problems I second the motion for a revision of Chambers' "Facts and Problems," and for "The Elizabethan Stage" too. Any takers? (I'm busy this week...) One thing I'd like to see in a revision is fuller extracts. Some of the most interesting connections come from reading around the "edges" of the core material. For example, Chambers gives only a fraction of the material in the Belott vs. Mountjoy suit; we have Shakespeare's answers to the questions, but not (if I remember correctly) the full text of the original questions. Seeing the two of them together is important, and seeing other people's responses to the same questions is also important: without the context, the extracts sometimes seem to be saying something different. Tucker Brooke gave a much more satisfying extract in his small collection "Shakespeare of Stratford." The originals, in a 1910 issue of "Nebraska Studies," are hard for the general public to come by. John Shakespeare was called before the Queen's Bench in 1580, along with 140 other men around the country, for posing a threat to the Queen's peace. What was that all about? Who sponsored it, how did they collect the names? JS's surety was a tradesman from Nottingham. Who was he? How could JS have known him? Has anyone searched the Nottingham records for enlightenment? Simply recording that he was fined is a "fact" -- what it means is a "problem" that deserves full discussion of the possible implications. (A better title for the revision might be "A Study of Facts and Possibilities.") Schoenbaum's wonderful narrative is no substitute for a new collection of full, "authenticated," and set-in-context transcripts of source documents. Speaking of which, wasn't there supposed to be a major new biography, with new documents, sometime this winter? Does anyone remember this announcement, and know anything about the status of the project? Tad Davis davist@mercury.umis.upenn.edu ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 2 Nov 1993 13:16:23 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0704 Q: Ophelia's Garland Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 704. Tuesday, 2 November 1993. From: Ronald Dwelle Date: Tuesday, 02 Nov 93 08:25:35 EST Subject: My FAQ I put this inquiry on Shaksper several years ago and got no response. Perhaps now that the list of members has grown, someone will have an answer. Gertrude refers to Ophelia's garlands, made of "long purples that liberal shepherds give a grosser name" (IV, vii,171). What's the grosser name? (I notice that Bevington's recent edition glosses it as perhaps "dogstones" or "cullions"--which doesn't seem too gross, even for Gertrude. I'm guessing it's something more graphic?) ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 2 Nov 1993 13:24:38 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0705 Re: "Versions" of *Coriolanus* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 705. Tuesday, 2 November 1993. From: James Schaefer Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0707 Nubility 'Mongst the Tudor Nobility Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 707. Tuesday, 2 November 1993. From: Martin Green Date: Tuesday, 02 Nov 93 10:50:35 -0400 Subject: Nubility 'Mongst the Tudor Nobility Arthur F. Kinney, in his review of Ann Jennalie Cook's _Making a Match: Courtship in Shakespeare and his Society_ (SQ, Summer '93) states that Cook's discussion about marriagable ages in Tudor times "gives the final lie to Juliet's youth [she was 14 when married] as conventional." Well, it really doesn't, if one limits oneself to a consideration of the age of marriage of young women in England who were of the same socio-economic class as Juliet in Italy. Not ALL of these women married for the first time at the age of 14 or less, but it was so common a phenomenon that no one in Shakespeare's audience would have raised an eyebrow upon learning of Juliet's age. And Cook herself expressly notes this: she writes (at page 17) that "*except among the gentility* [emphasis supplied], the average age when women first married was the mid-twenties," and (at page 25) "if one looks for examples of extremely youthful marriages, they are easy enough to find," and she provides a number of examples, all from "the gentility": Mary Bucknell was 13 when she married Sir Ralph Verney, Katherine Grey was 13 when she married Lord Henry Herbert, and Alice Barnham was 14 when she married Sir Francis Bacon. Other examples of girls being married off at an early age - examples which would be well-known to Shakespeare's audience - are Frances Walsingham, who married Sir Philip Sidney when she was only 14 or 15; Mary Browne (the mother of the third Earl of Southampton) who married the second Earl of Southampton when she was 13; and Elizabeth Sidney (Sir Philip's daughter) who was 14 when she married the Earl of Rutland. Also, Anne of Denmark was only 14 when she married James VI of Scotland, later James I of England. These unions, of course, were entered into for economic, not romantic, reasons - which is exactly why they were more characteristic of the moneyed rather than of the nonmoneyed classes. Sometimes, these unions were formalized when the parties were still pre-pubescent, in which cases the bride and groom may not have lived together until they had reached physical maturity, but in those cases where the teen-aged brides had reached the age of puberty, the consummation of the marriage was not delayed because of the girl's age. And so, the fact that Juliet, the daughter of a rich family, was only 14 when slated for a marriage with a rich young noblemen, was not a circumstance which would have surprised or taxed the credulity of anyone in Shakespeare's audience; to the contrary, it WAS, among the well-to-do, if not conventional, at least very common, and something to which Cook's book does not purport to "give[] the final lie." Martin Green p00968@psilink.com ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 3 Nov 1993 07:50:58 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0708 Re: Ophelia's Garland Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 708. Wednesday, 3 November 1993. (1) From: Kevin Berland Date: Tuesday, 2 Nov 93 13:25 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0704 Q: Ophelia's Garland (2) From: Fran Teague Date: Tuesday, 02 Nov 93 14:36:10 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0704 Q: Ophelia's Garland (3) From: Stephen Orgel Date: Tuesday, 2 Nov 1993 17:06:36 -0800 (PST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0704 Q: Ophelia's Garland (4) From: William Godshalk Date: Tuesday, 02 Nov 1993 20:47:28 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0704 Q: Ophelia's Garland (5) From: Michael Friedman Date: Tuesday, 02 Nov 1993 21:19:37 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0704 Q: Ophelia's Garland (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kevin Berland Date: Tuesday, 2 Nov 93 13:25 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0704 Q: Ophelia's Garland It's gross enough: Dogstones = dog's testicles. -- Kevin Berland (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Fran Teague Date: Tuesday, 02 Nov 93 14:36:10 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0704 Q: Ophelia's Garland I'm not sure I know the answer to the question about Ophelia's garland, but here's an answer. In 1877 Joseph Crosby wrote, "Its botanical name is _orchis morio mas_, anciently _testiculus morionis_. _Orchis_, you know, means a _testicle_; and I presume the 'grosser name' has some relation to the masculine (_mas_) testicle, probably on account of its oval shape. One of the notes says that its various names, too gross for repetition, are preserved in _Lyte's Herbal_, 1578; and another, that _one_ of its "grosser names" was "_the rampant widow_, " a name that _Gertrude_ would not be very willing to recall." The passage is included in _One Touch of Shakespeare_, which John Velz and I edited. I see we also have a note: the grosser name may have been cuckoo-pint (pint = pintle = penis). The Wild Arum was so-called; it has a long purple spadix of phallic shape. See Karl P. Wentersdorff, "_Hamlet_: Ophelia's Long Purples," ShQtly 29 (1978): 413-17. (That's John's note, not mine, so I'll refer you to him.) (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Stephen Orgel Date: Tuesday, 2 Nov 1993 17:06:36 -0800 (PST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0704 Q: Ophelia's Garland The 'grosser name' is any one of the ones given in Lyte's 1578 Herbal; Hibbard's Oxford ed. cites priest's pintle, dog's cullions, fool's ballocks, goat's cullions, all alluding to the appearance of the roots. The note is on p. 319. Stephen Orgel (4)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Godshalk Date: Tuesday, 02 Nov 1993 20:47:28 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0704 Q: Ophelia's Garland "long purples" - Harold Jenkins' edition of HAMLET (Arden) has a good note on the passage, The flower is probably a wild orchis which has testicle-like tubers, and Jenkins records the following names: dogstones, dog's cods, cullions, fool's ballocks, and variantions on these. And Jenkins points out that we can't know precisely what Shakespeare had in mind. Personally, I think "long purple" suggests an erect penis, the flower rather than the tubers. But Farmer and Henley don't list "long purples" or "purples," nor does James Henke, GUTTER LIFE AND LANGUAGE. . . . (West Cornwall: Locust Hill Press, 1988). Shamefully yours, Bill Godshalk (5)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Michael Friedman Date: Tuesday, 02 Nov 1993 21:19:37 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0704 Q: Ophelia's Garland In case Ronald Dwelle hasn't seen it, here is editor Harold Jenkins' note in the Arden *Hamlet* on the "grosser name" to which Gertrude refers: "We cannot know which Shakespeare had particularly in mind, but recorded names for the orchis, derived (like the term *orchis* itself) from the testicle-like tubers of most species, include dogstones (L. *testiculus canis*), dog's cods, cullions, fool's ballock's, and many variations on these." ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 3 Nov 1993 09:08:24 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0709 CD-ROM Expo: Multimedia Publishing Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 709. Wednesday, 3 November 1993. From: Peter Scott Date: Tuesday, 02 Nov 1993 12:14:52 -0600 (CST) Subject: CD-ROM Expo: IBM Rolls Out Eight New Multimedia Titles 11/01/93 NB: Not for general distribution, since it came from a commercial resource... BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A., 1993 NOV 1 (NB) -- At CD-ROM Expo, IBM's Multimedia Publishing Studio (MPS) rolled out eight new interactive CD-ROM titles, including a space encyclopedia, four volumes of specialized digital imagery, and online editions of The Lawnmower Man, MacBeth, and Star Trek. MPS has been producing multimedia software since 1991, and CD-ROM titles since late 1992, officials said during a news briefing at the show. But the new market entries are the first to emerge from MPS' new Affiliated Labels Program, an effort in which IBM is teaming up with third-party developers. Also at the briefing, IBM announced delivery dates of before the end-of-the-year for a string of previously announced titles now under internal development by the company. This group includes "The Playboy Interviews," ""Adventures of Curious George and the ABCs," "Biosphere 2," and "Peter and the Wolf." The IBM studio's solo and joint ventures cover Windows, DOS and Macintosh platforms, in addition to just about every conceivable subject matter, Crista C. Freeman, director of the Affiliated Labels Program, noted at the briefing. "There's room for everything," she commented. Of the eight new CD-ROM joint productions, four run on Windows as well as Macintosh. These are "Rick Doyle Digital Imagery" and Sound Source Unlimited's "Lawnmower Man," "Star Trek, The Original TV Series," "Star Trek, The Next Generation." Two titles -- Plum Productions' "Shapes, Volume Two: Design in Nature," and "Shapes, Volume Two, Man-Made Design" now operate on the Mac only. The other two -- Andromeda Interactive's "The Interactive Space Encyclopedia" and Animated Pixels' "Karaoke MacBeth" -- are currently for DOS only. "But the ultimate intent is for all eight titles to run on Windows and Macintosh," stated Terry Jenkins, a communications consultant to IBM. The two "Shapes" titles are much more than mere collections on images, suggested Norman Clark, a partner in Plum Productions, a company based in Brockenhurst, Hants, UK. The 100 source images in each volume are supported with three variants that are overlaid with a wide variety of creative effects, meant to show the graphic possibilities of image manipulation, said Clark, also at the briefing. Further, the images are accompanied by text captions aimed at helping users analyze the composition of the natural and manmade environment. "The Interactive Space Encyclopedia" also deals with the natural and manmade environment, but in this case, the environment is that of outer space. The disk contains over 1,000 text documents, with interactive keywords, along with 2000 photos and 150 3D animations illustrating scientific concepts and moonwalks, space launches, and other spectacular events, Jonathan Taylor, president of Alamdeda, CA- based Andromeda Interactive, explained at the briefing. After the briefing, Newsbytes viewed "Interactive Space Encyclopedia" and "Karaoke MacBeth" on the exhibition floor at CD-ROM Expo. Mike Cox, creative producer, showed how the new encyclopedia lets users conduct an online exploration of outer space from a wide range of perspectives, including timelines, maps of the solar system, and searches for words, still images, and animation. The title is narrated throughout by Patrick Moore. Newsbytes also saw how "Karaoke MacBeth" permits users to play the roles of MacBeth, Lady MacBeth, MacDuff, the Witches, and other key characters in the famous Shakespearean drama. Up to 10 users can take part at once, enacting their roles against the voices of professional actors on the disk. "Karaoke MacBeth" is replete with other audio effects, as well, including blaring trumpets and the sounds of the crowd at London's Globe Theatre. On the visual front, graphics and animation are both to be found. Among the other newly announced titles, the two Star Trek titles and the virtual reality-oriented "LawnMower Man" all present full- motion video clips and sound bytes from their movie and TV namesakes. In addition, each comes with a utility that lets users assign the clips to system events and other computer functions. You might start up your computer to a clip in which Spock announces, "Computing now, Captain," for example -- or delete a file to the sound of a photon torpedo blast. "It's quite a way to liven up your desktop," Jenkins pointed out. Digital Imagery, on the other hand, is a volume of sports photos by Rick Doyle, an internationally known photojournalist whose credits include cover photos for Sports Illustrated and Surfer Magazine. The photos were scanned in on a high-end Hell 341 drum scanner and saved in TIFF formats. Also according to Jenkins, IBM's upcoming, internally developed "The Playboy Interviews" and "Adventures of Curious George and the ABCS" will be released within the next two to three weeks. "The other internally developed titles will be out by the end of the year," he added. "Curious George and the ABCs" could be the first of a series of Curious George titles, he revealed. Another title under internal development, "Biosphere 2," will take users inside of the innovative Biosphere 2 ecological research program, for an exploration of the program's technology and basic research results. (Jacqueline Emigh/19931101/Reader contact: IBM's Multimedia Publishing Studio, tel 800-898-VTGA; Terry Jenkins, Multimedia Publishing Studio, tel 404-988-9957) ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 3 Nov 1993 09:12:21 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0710 Re: Nubility Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 710. Wednesday, 3 November 1993. From: William Godshalk Date: Tuesday, 02 Nov 1993 20:55:34 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0707 Nubility 'Mongst the Tudor Nobility Juliet is supposedly 13 years old (still) when she first appears on stage. She is a fictional character, living in a fictional world. This fictional world is, of course, set in Italy which also exists in our real world. As far as I know, and I've recently reread the play, there is no direct evidence as to the fictional date of the action. My question is: how can 16th century history tell us anything - either way - about a undated, fictional Italian city and its culture? Jean Howard has asked this question more abstractly. I think it's a good question. Yours, Bill Godshalk ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 3 Nov 1993 09:16:09 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0711 Perriere Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 711. Wednesday, 3 November 1993. From: Robert O'Connor Date: Wednesday, 3 Nov 1993 17:08:10 +0700 Subject: Perriere Dear SHAKSPEReans, In an article by Franco Moretti ('"A Huge Eclipse": Tragic Form and the Deconsecration of Sovereignity' in _The Power of Forms in the English Renaissance_) I came across a reference to "The Mirrour of Policie", a translation of an earlier French work by Guillame de la Perriere. To my aggravation, I have been unable to find out anything about it. The two brief quotations used by Moretti make it sound like an anti-monarchy piece, blunt enough to have got the printer in real trouble. It is certainly one of the strongest expressions of such sentiments that I have seen from the period. Has anyone out there any more information about the "Mirrour", and is this apparent anti-monarchism an accurate representation of it? Was it a well-known work at the time? The lack of any info suggests to me that it was not, but I would appreciate any other information that people might have. Ta ROC ********************** Robert F. O'Connor ocoreng@durras.anu.edu.au English Department Australian National University ********************** ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 3 Nov 1993 13:51:50 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0712 Spirits of the Internet (Two Possibly Missed Digests) Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 712. Wednesday, 3 November 1993. From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Wednesday, November 3, 1993 Subject: Spirits of the Internet (Two Possibly Missed Digests) SHAKSPEReans, Perhaps because of the season, over the weekend some of you received double copies of some of the SHAKSPER digests and did not receive others at all. The gliches occured sometime after the digests left the University of Toronto and before they came to you. I thank everyone who informed me of the abnormalites, and I am reposting below two digests that some, including myself, did not receive. [was line of equality signs; deleted because clashes with digest separator. GIE] Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 697. Monday, 1 November 1993. From: Steve Urkowitz Date: Sunday, 31 Oct 93 08:56:44 EST Subject: SHK 4.0697 [was unnumbered repost] 12th Night Production NYC Announcing a production of TWELFTH NIGHT at Baruch College and City College: November 10-12 at 7pm, November 13 at 3pm at Baruch College, Lexington Avenue at 23rd Street, in the Studio Theatre, Room 911, and at City College, Shepard Hall Room 291, entrance on Convent Avenue and 140th Street, Thursday, November 18, at 12 and 6pm. [The Baruch performances are just about sold out; we are working there in a 60-seat house.] The play is set on a mythical island at the beginning of the 20th Century, when for a brief flowering peoples from Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas built diverse and concordant communities in the islands of the Caribbean Sea. Shakespeare imagined such a world, and this production brings it into life. The play explores the delights of mirror images; delightedly it mirrors the accomplishment of concord our schools achieve and celebrate. The production is directed by Susan Spector, Speech Department, Baruch College, and Steven Urkowitz, English Department, City College. For reservations, call 387-1345, area code 212. Yikes! The prose of this advertising flyer seems heavily orotund in the electronicly fluid context of e-mail, but I'm scrambling to finish props for the show and to catch up with student papers accumulating ominously on my desk. We'll have photos and a videotape to document the production, but at the moment I wish people could come see it in its happy fullness. Best wishes, Urk SURCC@CUNYVM [was line of equality signs; deleted because clashes with digest separator. GIE] Date: Mon, 1 Nov 1993 14:59:32 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0701 Versions of Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 701. Monday, 1 November 1993. (1) From: David Schalkwyk Date: Monday, 1 Nov 93 14:04:34 SAST-2 Subj: Versions (2) From: Piers Lewis Date: Monday, 01 Nov 1993 09:36:14 -0600 (CST) Subj: Versions of Shakespeare (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: David Schalkwyk Date: Monday, 1 Nov 93 14:04:34 SAST-2 Subject: Versions I'd like to ask what is at stake in the debate about whether or not each instance of a Shakespeare text is a "new independent 'version'" or not? In one sense the latter claim is unimpeachable, in another it runs counter not merely to common sense, but to our ability to refer across time to the same play, say _Macbeth_. For we could ask the same thing about the scores of symphonies, coins and even words. Is Beethoven's Ninth by Harnoncourt the same sympony as Beethoven's Ninth by Klemperer? Are the words I am using now the same as the ones used so far on this list or those I used yesterday? Or are they in each case "new independent versions"? Some considerations incline us to answer in one way, others in the opposite. One thing is certain: what philosophers call the type/token distinction enables us to see how and why we can refer to Beethoven's music or Shakespeare's plays as the same piece across the differences *necessitated* by repetition across time (what Derrida calls iterability), and also why we *must* continue to regard each new instance as a token of the same type in order to maintain consistency of reference. In other words, in order to speak about _Macbeth_ in the first place (even if to raise the possibility that each instantiation is new and different), we have to assume that we're referring to the same thing. Otherwise no-one would be able to discuss, advertise and ask for and about videos of the plays, stage performances, textual editions and so on. This list would not exist, and we couldn't teach _Macbeth_. On the other hand, when we start talking about the problems of an authoritative text, performance, or interpretation, thereby examining distinctions between tokens (or even begin to question the "originality" of the type itself) then difference trumps similarity and we're drawn in the opposite direction. What I think we should do is clarify *why* we should want to incline one way rather than the other. In other words, we need to move beyond affirmation or denial or even positions like "I think we're actually in agreement", and spell out what is at stake in the debate -- why it matters to talk in one way rather than the other, always remembering that the bugbear of reference (which will not go away despite Saussure) has already stacked the cards in favour of sameness. David Schalkwyk English Department University of Cape Town (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Piers Lewis Date: Monday, 01 Nov 1993 09:36:14 -0600 (CST) Subject: Versions of Shakespeare Is one version of a play as good as another? Or are some better than others? If so, what criteria do we or should we rely on in making such judgments? Or has that question already been answered? Piers Lewis ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 4 Nov 1993 09:29:52 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0716 Q: *Pericles* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 716. Thursday, 4 November 1993. From: Woody Hood Date: Wednesday, 03 Nov 93 18:46:36 CST Subject: Shakespeare's _Pericles_ I'm looking for recent scholarship, productions, etc. on Shakespeare's _Pericles_. I'm working on a project concerning gender constructions and power structures within the play. Any references or personal accounts would be appreciated. Woody Hood, University of Missouri--Columbia, c562611@mizzou1 ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 4 Nov 1993 09:03:13 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0713 Re: SHAKSPER FAQ Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 713. Thursday, 4 November 1993. From: Jon Enriquez Date: Wednesday, 03 Nov 1993 10:00:43 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0699 Re: SHAKSPER FAQ Bill Godshalk's idea is a good one, although I would join the mass who can't find time to do the work involved. However, I think the FAQ idea is (a) distinct from that project and (b) not really appropriate in SHAKSPER's case. My reasons for (b) are different from Hardy's and I think somewhat subjective, but that hasn't stopped any of us before... :-) In my experience, the kind of questions in an FAQ are limited and can be answered simply and definitively. If the subject of this list were, say, baseball, the FAQ might contain things like "What is the infield fly rule?" and "Under what circumstances does a run count on a play where the batter is out at first?" But the questions that stir themselves when I think of Shakespeare are, say, the authorship question, the sexuality question -- in other words, *controversies* rather than questions. Debate still goes on about these topics, and still we don't have definitive answers. I'm not sure what kind of questions we have in mind for such a list, so I'm kind of out on a limb here. My two cents. Jon Enriquez The Graduate School Georgetown University ENRIQUEZJ@guvax (Bitnet) ENRIQUEZJ@guvax.georgetown.edu (Internet) ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 4 Nov 1993 09:17:38 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0714 Re: Nubility and Juliet's Age Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 714. Thursday, 4 November 1993. (1) From: Jon Enriquez Date: Wednesday, 03 Nov 1993 10:13:12 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0710 Re: Nubility (2) From: Rick Jones Date: Wednesday, 03 Nov 93 12:53:03 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0710 Re: Nubility (3) From: James Forse Date: Wednesday, 3 Nov 1993 16:40 EST Subj: Juliet's age (4) From: Martin Green Date: Thursday, 04 Nov 93 00:13:14 -0400 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0710 Re: Nubility (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jon Enriquez Date: Wednesday, 03 Nov 1993 10:13:12 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0710 Re: Nubility Bill Godshalk is of course correct when he notes that *R&J* is set in a fictional Italian city, which may or may not have any relation to actual Italian places. However, I think Italian history *can* have some effect on our understanding of this play. Shakespeare chose to set the play in Italy. The characters and situations aren't especially Italian; we can transport the settings and names to France or England and still get the same story. But placing the play in an Italian context has some impact on the audience. Presumably, the audience has some ideas about Italy that are evoked by the setting, in the same way that a contemporary audience has ideas about New York that are evoked when a movie opens up with a montage of New York scenes. Unquestionably, these locational ideas are a mixture of fact, conjecture, and exaggeration. Life in Italy is not exactly the same as popular conceptions of life in Italy. But to the extent that fact matters, contemporary history does have some valid use in assessing an admittedly mythic version of a place. I'm not especially eager to support or defend the particular conclusions in the present inquiry, but I for one think history has some (limited, nuanced) value in a case like this. Jon Enriquez The Graduate School Georgetown University ENRIQUEZJ@guvax (Bitnet) ENRIQUEZJ@guvax.georgetown.edu (Internet) (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Rick Jones Date: Wednesday, 03 Nov 93 12:53:03 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0710 Re: Nubility I thought I was just going to eavesdrop on this conversation, but Bill Godshalk asks an intriguing question: "how can 16th century history tell us anything - either way - about a undated, fictional Italian city and its culture?" [I blithely ignore the fact that the question seems to be posed rhetorically.] The answer to Bill's question, it seems to me, is "quite a lot, if we tread cautiously". Shakespeare wasn't writing a diary, he was writing *plays* designed to be seen by an audience. These people, and WS himself, were obviously subject to the prejudices and perspectives of their age: hence, for example, _Richard III_ upholds the Tudor monarchy. It doesn't seem to me to be a leap of faith to suggest that Elizabethans regarded their own value system to be universal: events were either within their experience or they weren't, moral or not, etc. Lest we get carried away by our 20th century arrogance, I should note that this phenomenon is exactly what allows us to tell the good guys from the bad guys in the universe described in, say, the Star Wars movies. Thus, the average Shakespearean theatre-goer might reasonably be expected to bring to the theatre an attitude about, in this case, the appropriate age at which girls/women should marry (and when, in fact, they do). And, to me, it is useful to know what that attitude was. But at least two caveats also present themselves. First, in order to know what the attitude was, we need to know more about the situation than simply that this or that real-life girl/woman was married at this or that age. Plenty of events (e.g. surrogate parenting) are reasonably commonplace in our own society without necessarily receiving the approbation of the public at large (or of that somewhat different entity, the theatre-going public). I see little reason to believe that things have changed much in this regard in the 400 years since Shakespeare's time. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, the messages are very often more complex than they might seem at a glance. We need only look at the society which produced the golden age of Greek tragedy. This was perhaps the most self-consciously democratic culture in history (we'll leave aside questions of slavery, gender equality, etc., and concentrate on self-image), yet the tragedies center on kings and queens: the concept of monarchy is questioned no more in the plays of 5th century Athens than in the plays of 16th/17th century England. I'll leave it to those better versed in post-structuralism than I to explain the phenomenon; I merely point to its existence. Finally, none of this helps define what a given passage "means", except to its original audience. So, is attempting to understand authorial intent futile? I don't think so. But as the recent post about Chicago/Berlin references in _I Am a Camera_ makes clear, authorial intentions are ultimately unplayable: as I've been telling students for years, you can't footnote a play as you act it. And while I do believe in the value of knowledge for its own sake, I also think all facts are ultimately subject to that most damning of all questions: "So what?". Sorry if I rambled. -- Rick Jones strophius@aol.com (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: James Forse Date: Wednesday, 3 Nov 1993 16:40 EST Subject: Juliet's age Concerning Professor Godshalk's observations: I think we have to remind ourselves that there would have to be some relevence to Shakespeare's contemporary audiences. I think there is a mid-16th century temporal significance to Juliet's age. After all Shakespeare drums that age into an audience's head, unlike the lack of specificity for most other characters. I've argued elsewhere that it was a subliminal way to evoke sympathy for the plight of the Earl of Southampton, who about the time of the play was being pressured to enter into an unwanted marriage with Elizabeth Vere by his guardian Lord Burghley. To a modern audience, it is true, that insistence upon Juliet's age has little meaning, except, perhaps, to misunderstand her plight because we no longer consider 13 as an age of legal consent. I agree, if the play only refers to a *timeless* fictional Italian city there is nothing to be learned. If it relates to Shakespeare's London, as I think it does, that's another matter Jim Forse--History Dept. BGSU-in%"jforse@opie.bgsu.edu" (4)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Martin Green Date: Thursday, 04 Nov 93 00:13:14 -0400 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0710 Re: Nubility >Juliet is supposedly 13 years old (still) when she first appears on stage. She >is a fictional character, living in a fictional world. This fictional world is, >of course, set in Italy which also exists in our real world. As far as I know, >and I've recently reread the play, there is no direct evidence as to the >fictional date of the action. > >My question is: how can 16th century history tell us anything - either way - >about a undated, fictional Italian city and its culture? > >Jean Howard has asked this question more abstractly. I think it's a good >question. Well, it's a good question to ask if you're a historian doing research on undated, fictional Italian cities, in which case the history of other times in other places is irrelevant; but if you're a historian or literary scholar doing research on what SHAKESPEARE knew about undated, fictional Italian cities, the mores he imputed to them, and why, then 16th century history tells us a lot; indeed, tells us everything. M. Green p00968@psilink.com ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 4 Nov 1993 09:22:26 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0715 Much Aso about Education Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 715. Thursday, 4 November 1993. From: Peter Scott Date: Wednesday, 03 Nov 1993 13:00:33 -0600 (CST) Subject: Much ado about education Students and educators are being offered discount tickets for selected showings of the current film 'Much Ado About Nothing,' directed by Kenneth Branagh. The offer comes from the Samuel Goldwyn Company and the National Association of Theatre Owners. In addition to the film, free study guides and posters will be available locally from participating theatres. W.W. Norton, the publisher of Branagh's book about the making of the film, is offering the book at half-price during the month of October to students and educators who, with proof of seeing the film, send for it by mail. For information on how to participate call Robert Faust at (800) 6-GOLDWYN. This information appears in College & Research Libraries News (C&RL News), an 11 times per year news magazine published by the Association of College & Research Libraries, a division of the American Library Association. For additional information about C&RL News contact C&RL News Editor & Publisher, Mary Ellen Davis, at voice: (312)280-2511, fax: (312) 280-7663 or (312) 280-2515, e-mail: U38398@uicvm.uic.edu; mail: 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 5 Nov 1993 08:00:05 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0717 Re: SHAKSPER FAQ Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 717. Friday, 5 November 1993. From: Jack Lynch Date: Thursday, 4 Nov 1993 10:00:35 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0713 Re: SHAKSPER FAQ > In my experience, the kind of questions in an FAQ are limited and can be > answered simply and definitively. I agree that no one will sum up the authorship question or "Shakespeare and politics" in a few lines. But another useful function of a FAQ is to point beginners to some of the more interesting extended discussions of these things: a sort of quickie review of the literature. Of course, even the most cursory such review of Shakespeare literature would be huge, but it would certainly be more manageable than trying to _answer_ these questions definitively. -- Jack Lynch; jlynch@ccat.sas.upenn.edu ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 5 Nov 1993 08:06:24 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0718 Re: "Versions" of Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 718. Friday, 5 November 1993. From: Cary M. Mazer Date: Thursday, 4 Nov 93 11:32:28 EST Subject: Versions David Schalwyk has written: > Otherwise no-one would be able to > discuss, advertise and ask for and about videos of the plays, stage > performances, textual editions and so on. This list would not exist, > and we couldn't teach _Macbeth_. Precisely. We _don't_ teach _Macbeth_. We teach (or should be teaching) independent works of theatre that have been, or can be, created from the script that we have inherited, which bears some imprecisely defined relationship to a theatre event which was created, at one moment in history, called _Macbeth_, using (presumably) that script. And, just to be perverse, let me revise my statement about what people have been calling, in shorthand, "new independent versions." Subsequent performances are not "new indepedent _versions_" They are new, independent works of art. Once you start thinking of them as "versions," you posit an "original" that has some particular and exclusive status and validity. Cary M. Mazer The voice from the theatrical shadows ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 5 Nov 1993 08:10:46 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0719 Q: Hypertext Student Essays Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 719. Friday, 5 November 1993. From: Nick Clary Date: Thursday, 04 Nov 1993 12:35:50 -0500 (EST) Subject: Hypertext student essays Has anyone received a hypertext essay or any other non-traditional composition that has been generated on the computer in answer to an assignment in your Shakespeare course, whether undergraduate or graduate? If so, I would be most interested to hear about the assignment and/or the submission. Nick Clary clary@smcvax.smcvt.edu ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 5 Nov 1993 08:15:16 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0720 CFP: Shakespeare Across Cultures Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 720. Friday, 5 November 1993. From: John Gouws Date: Thursday, 4 Nov 1993 23:02:25 +0200 (EET) Subject: Call for papers My colleage, Laurence Wright, has asked me to post the following: ---------------------------------------------------------------- SHAKESPEARE SOCIETY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA THIRD TRIENNIAL CONGRESS Grahamstown, South Africa 7-9 July 1994 part of the National Festival of the Arts CALL FOR PAPERS Proposals are invited for papers on the theme SHAKESPEARE ACROSS CULTURES The theme should be interpreted very broadly, and could include such topics as cultural modalities in Shakespeare; Shakespeare and Gender; the appropriation of Shakespeare in different cultures; democratising Shakespeare; Shakespeare's values. Proposals and further enquiries should be sent to: Professor Laurence Wright, c/o Institute for the Study of English in Africa, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, 6140, South Africa. FAX: [27] [461] 25642 E-mail: IASEC@hippo.ru.ac.za The closing date for the receipt of proposals is 10 December 1993. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Apart from providing an opportunity for visiting one of the most interesting African countries at one of the most interesting times in its history, the co-incidence of the Congress with the National Festival of the Arts (second only to the Edinburgh Festival in size and variety) would allow participants two weeks to savour the rich cultural diversity of this country. At the present rate of exchange South Africa is a tourist bargain, so you could think of taking in a game park as well as the Huguenot winelands of the Cape (Francis Drake's "fairest cape in the whole circumnavigation of the world"). Some of the best wines go for less than $6 a bottle. Top-grade hotel accommodation is often less than $50 per person per night; B&B is much cheaper. -- John Gouws - Department of English - Rhodes University P.O. Box 94 - Grahamstown 6140 - South Africa Internet: enjg@kudu.ru.ac.za Telephone: (0461) 318402 or 318400 ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 5 Nov 1993 08:20:29 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0721 *Comedy of Errors* in Toronto Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 721. Friday, 5 November 1993. From: David McFadden Date: Thursday, 4 Nov 1993 22:46:20 -0500 Subject: Comedy of Errors The Ryerson students in Toronto are staging a very sexy and stylish and energetic production of Comedy of Errors, a ten-performance run ending Saturday night. Eighty-seat theatre, all sold out well in advance, but since they put aside a few spare tickets each night for "faculty and agents" I had no problem getting in last night. They didn't even ask for my agent's badge. The Duke of Ephesus is cruelly resplendent in drag: a long red gown, long red gloves and lots of makeup and jewellery. He's very tall and slender, about six-eight, and has everyone cowering. Aegeon is straight out of the Godfather, wearing a black pinstriped suit, black shirt, white tie, and with a red carnation in his button hole. He sports a cane and a Sicilian accent. The two Antipholi are in identical cowboy gear, and it requires some concentration from the audience members to tell them apart. No problem with the two Dromios, however. They're dressed identically in medieval jester outfits, but one is a very tall male and the other is a very short female. Both throw themselves around the stage with tremendous vigour and elasticity. The Courtesan is a very amusing New York twenties-style cigarette girl dressed in a little French maid's outfit and her speeches (she has a lot to say) are more Runyonesque than Shakespearean. A very bright and colourful production, impressively choreographed (lots of dancing and love-making) and modestly brief. Whenever the Duke and Aegeon are on they perform a tango together as they deliver their speeches. Overheard from the row behind me: "I'm no authority on Shakespeare, but I think these plays should be put on the way they were intended." ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ David W. McFadden "It takes a fool to see into the heart of comedy, a madman to see into the heart of tragedy." --Northrop Frye. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 5 Nov 1993 08:26:31 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0722 Re: Branagh *Hamlet* and Gertrude Query Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 722. Friday, 5 November 1993. From: David McFadden Date: Thursday, 4 Nov 1993 22:40:07 -0500 Subject: Branagh's Hamlet The four-hour Kenneth Branagh Hamlet which as we know ran earlier this week on CBC FM was so impressive I toddled down to Theatrebooks in Toronto and bought a copy on compact disk (three). It was $Can33, and they also had it on cassette tapes (four) for $27. Ten per cent discount when you present your Cinemateque Ontario membership card. As for the Asimov Shakespeare, which was the subject of considerable praise on SHAKSPER a few weeks ago, the fellow at Theatrebooks said the book is temporarily out of print, but a new edition is due out in the spring. A question for the experts. Claudius admits his guilt in his soliloquy in Act 3 Scene 3, but what about Gertrude? She seems to me to be innocent right up to the end of any complicity or knowledge of the murder. Am I right? Perhaps her only sin is in not wanting to know.... ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ David W. McFadden "There is special providence in the fall of a sparrow. If it be now, 'tis not to come--if it be not to come, it will be now--if it be not now, yet it will come--the readiness is all. Since no man, of aught he leaves, knows what is't to leave betimes, let be." --Hamlet "He who dies today does not have to die tomorrow." --Hemingway ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 6 Nov 1993 10:05:27 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0724 Re: "Versions" of Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 724. Saturday, 6 November 1993. (1) From: Terence Hawkes Date: Friday, 5 Nov 93 15:21 GMT Subj: RE: SHK 4.0718 Re: "Versions" of Shakespeare (2) From: William Godshalk Date: Friday, 05 Nov 1993 22:55:45 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0718 Re: "Versions" of Shakespeare (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Terence Hawkes Date: Friday, 5 Nov 93 15:21 GMT Subject: RE: SHK 4.0718 Re: "Versions" of Shakespeare Cary Mazer refers to 'the script that we have inherited' of Macbeth. Where is it? What does it look like? Terence Hawkes (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Godshalk Date: Friday, 05 Nov 1993 22:55:45 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0718 Re: "Versions" of Shakespeare Just a question: does James Joyce's ULYSSES have a kind of exclussive validity that Shakespeare's MACBETH lacks? Yours, Bill Godshalk ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 6 Nov 1993 10:24:06 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0726 Re: Hypertext Student Essays Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 726. Saturday, 6 November 1993. From: Tom Blackburn Date: Friday, 5 Nov 1993 09:15:23 +0000 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0719 Q: Hypertext Student Essays >Has anyone received a hypertext essay or any other non-traditional composition >that has been generated on the computer in answer to an assignment in your >Shakespeare course, whether undergraduate or graduate? If so, I would be most >interested to hear about the assignment and/or the submission. Nick, Not yet, but I am hoping that this will happen in a course I will be teaching next semester. The course, one of our introductory level literature units, is somewhat loosely titled "Science and the Literary Imagination." At the highest (and more or less impossible) level it attempts to look at literary texts from a variety of periods to see if and how changing "scientific" notions about the nature of the universe, the nature of causation, etc., might have affected anything from ideas of character to language and structrure. The texts thus include ones that use science as part of the subject and a few that do not. The point, however, in answer to your question is that this spring I intend to do some of the above, but also to look more directly at the differences that electronic technology may make in the idea of a text and its possibilities. This will include hypertextual and multi-media stuff from "Shakespeare's Life and Times" to some of the Story Space "fictions." My intention is also to encourage students to use resources such as Hypercard and Story Space to write their own papers. Last time around I used our campus network server system as the medium for paper exchanges, commenting and revision--this attempts to go a giant step further in the integration of computing resources into a literary curriculum. I will be happy to let you know how this works out sometime next year! Cheers, Tom Blackburn Department of English Swarthmore College Swarthmore, PA 19081-1397 tblackb1@cc.swarthmore.edu ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 6 Nov 1993 09:56:22 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0723 Re: Gertrude Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 723. Saturday, 6 November 1993. (1) From: Phyllis Rackin Date: Friday, 5 Nov 1993 10:20:00 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0722 Re: Branagh *Hamlet* and Gertrude Query (2) From: Kimberly Nolan Date: Friday, 05 Nov 1993 17:53:44 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0722 Re: Branagh *Hamlet* and Gertrude Query (3) From: Kenneth S. Rothwell Date: Saturday, 6 Nov 1993 09:41:42 -500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0722 Re: Branagh *Hamlet* and Gertrude Query (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Phyllis Rackin Date: Friday, 5 Nov 1993 10:20:00 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0722 Re: Branagh *Hamlet* and Gertrude Query > A question for the experts. Claudius admits his guilt in his soliloquy in > Act 3 Scene 3, but what about Gertrude? She seems to me to be innocent > right up to the end of any complicity or knowledge of the murder. Am I > right? Perhaps her only sin is in not wanting to know.... > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ > David W. McFadden Gertrude's inability to see the ghost in III.iv might be helpful here. When Hamlet asks, "Do you see nothing there?," she responds, "Nothing at all, yet all that is I see." (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kimberly Nolan Date: Friday, 05 Nov 1993 17:53:44 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0722 Re: Branagh *Hamlet* and Gertrude Query David McFadden has asked the very question which has been on my mind for the last two or three weeks. I do not choose to believe that Gertrude is complicit in the murder though she may well have knowledge of it. My question is whether or not Gertrude feels any real guilt for loving and marrying Claudius. The play is full of confessions, but Gerturde never makes one. I don't think her responses to Hamlet in the closet scene count as a confession. Also, I'm not sure she should feel guilty. Any thoughts? Kimberly Nolan (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kenneth S. Rothwell Date: Saturday, 6 Nov 1993 09:41:42 -500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0722 Re: Branagh *Hamlet* and Gertrude Query Dear David McFadden, To coin a cliche, you have hit the nail on the head in describiing Gertrude as a woman whose only crime is in not wanting to know. She strikes me as a woman of fashion, a seductress, emotional, occasionally compassionate (as with Ophelia), narcissistic, self-centered, self-indulgent (prone to spending a fortune on beauty products), inscrutably charming and mysterious (Mona Lisa?), a beautiful woman without pity, so to speak, but not too swift intellectually. To compound the puzzle, she has the melancholy Dane as a son. But I indulge in character criticism, which I thought was outre and to be condemned. Except it's fun. Ken Rothwell ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 6 Nov 1993 10:18:10 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0725 Re: Branagh's Video *Ado* and Audio *Hamlet* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 725. Saturday, 6 November 1993. (1) From: John Cox Date: Friday, 05 Nov 1993 14:31:54 -0500 (EST) Subj: Branagh's Much Ado on videotape (2) From: Edward Dotson <0003963467@mcimail.com> Date: Saturday, 6 Nov 93 01:02 GMT Subj: Branagh's Hamlet (3) From: Terry Craig Date: Friday, 05 Nov 1993 11:48:14 -0500 (EST) Subj: Branagh's audio Hamlet (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John Cox Date: Friday, 05 Nov 1993 14:31:54 -0500 (EST) Subject: Branagh's Much Ado on videotape Someone asked recently whether Branagh's movie of *Much Ado* were available on videotape. I received a flyer advertizing it on videotape for $90. A phone call to order it, however, met with the response that it can't be released yet because it's still showing in theaters. I was told it could be ordered pending release. The flyer is from Commedia Dell'Arte Communications Inc., P.O. Box 2128, Manorhaven, NY 11050. The phone number is 1-800-892-0860. If one is willing to wait a few months, the price is likely to come down a good deal. John Cox (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Edward Dotson <0003963467@mcimail.com> Date: Saturday, 6 Nov 93 01:02 GMT Subject: Branagh's Hamlet Kenneth Branagh's audio production of Hamlet is available on CD from Bantam Doubleday Publishing. The cost is $28.00 plus $4.50 for UPS shipping. The catalog number for the CD is 45536-2. You might want to specify that you want the CD version. The recording is also available on cassette. The address to order from is: Bantam Doubleday Publishing 2451 South Wolf Road Des Plaines, Illinois 60018 (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Terry Craig Date: Friday, 05 Nov 1993 11:48:14 -0500 (EST) Subject: Branagh's audio Hamlet Branagh's audio version of Hamlet is available in the United States from Bantam. The cost is $22.00 plus shipping and handling; a CD version is also available. The address is Bantam 666 5th Avenue New York, NY 10103 I can't vouch for the accuracy of the address since I ordered by phone: In New York: 212-354-6500 Outside NY: 800-223-6834 ext.9479 I guess I should say that I'm not associated with Bantam. Nor am I associated with Branagh, unfortunately. Terry Craig WVNCC New Martinsville, WV ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 7 Nov 1993 11:17:56 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0727 Q: Intro to Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 727. Sunday, 7 November 1993. From: David Slonosky <3NDS3@QUCDN.QueensU.CA> Date: Saturday, 06 Nov 93 15:49:31 EST Subject: Intro to Shakespeare Hello. I am new both to the list and to the world of Shakespeare. Could someone recommend a good introductory analysis of his works, as well as a reputable biography of his life? Thank you. ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 7 Nov 1993 11:23:15 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0728 Shakespeare, Ontology, and History Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 728. Sunday, 7 November 1993. From: William Godshalk Date: Saturday, 06 Nov 1993 18:03:18 -0500 (EST) Subject: Shakespeare, Ontology, and History I was pleased to see that several of us are interested in pursuing the question of the relationship of literature to history. Jean Howard asked the questions this way: "what is the nature of that relationship? Does the [literary] text absord history into itself? Does it reflect an external reality? Does it produce the real?" ("The New Historicism in Renaissance Studies," ENGLISH LITERARY RENAISSANCE 16 [l986]: 25). My question was, indeed, more than rhetorical. Like most teachers and scholars of Renaissance or early modern literature, I use history and historical documents to enlighten and enliven the literature that I teach. But can literature be used to enlighten history? In THE TAMING OF THE SHREW, we have several sets of lovers and potential lovers: Sly and his new-found "wife," Lucentio and Bianca, Katherine and Petruccio, and Hortensio and the nameless widow. Sly's wife says no when he invites her to bed - comically; Bianca controls Lucentio throughout the play and refuses to come at his insistance in the last scene; Hortensio's wife also refuses to come, and only Katherine, now Kate, comes at her husband's call. Leaving Sly and his "wife" out of our calculations, let's say that in the Renaissance two out of every three wives disregarded their husbands' commands and felt themselves quite independent within their marriages. If history can be used to read literature, then literature can be used to read history. WRONG! But why? Sherlock Holmes and John Major live in London. It is true that Holmes and Major both live in London. But they do not have the same ontological status - even though Holmes receives a great deal of mail from would-be clients. What is Katherine Minola's relationship with William Shakespeare? I don't have any good answers to my questions, and my students always fall silent when I ask them. They like to say, "Well, back in those days, that's the way it was." But if we go beyond naive assumptions about the congruence of literature and history (both as record and experience), then I for one am baffled. I can't explain how imagined, fictional worlds are related - theoretically - to the world we have dinner in. It's dinnertime. Yours, Bill Godshalk ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 7 Nov 1993 11:29:09 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0729 Q: Apartment Swap Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 729. Sunday, 7 November 1993. From: Cynthia L. Wimmer Date: Saturday, 06 Nov 93 11:52 EST Subject: Apartment? Is anyone out there interested in exchanging apartments (Washington for NYC) part or all of next summer? I have a large one-bedroom apartment with a beautiful view of Silgo Creek Park on the tenth floor of a high rise with 24-hour security and garage parking, a mile and a half from the Wheaton Metro station providing easy access to downtown Washington, the Folger, and the Library of Congress. I am looking for a place in NYC from June 1st through July 8th, preferably near Lincoln Center. The balance of the summer I plan to be traveling, taking my 85-year-old mother to visit and revisit places from Florida to Seattle and back. If you think you would find an apartment exchange advantageous, please contact me. Thanks so much! Cynthia L. Wimmer English Department University of Maryland College Park, MD 20742 cm74@umail.umd.edu (301)649-7585 ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 7 Nov 1993 11:41:54 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0730 Re: Gertrude Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 730. Sunday, 7 November 1993. (1) From: Ann M. Cox Date: Saturday, 06 Nov 93 23:27:02 EST Subj: SHK 4.0723 Re: Gertrude (2) From: Elizabeth Miller Date: Sunday, 7 Nov 1993 09:14:18 -0500 Subj: Re: Gertrude's guilt (3) From: Ronald Dwelle Date: Sunday, 07 Nov 93 10:45:34 EST Subj: SHK 4.0723 Re: Gertrude (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ann M. Cox Date: Saturday, 06 Nov 93 23:27:02 EST Subject: SHK 4.0723 Re: Gertrude Gertrude's act of marrying Claudius is not just bad judgement in choosing an evil man or being disloyal to her husband's memory, she is, in the social mores of the 17th century, committing incest. This is the reason she is so reviled. Ann M. Cox (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Elizabeth Miller Date: Sunday, 7 Nov 1993 09:14:18 -0500 Subject: Re: Gertrude's guilt I'd like to add two points. First, notice that Gertrude does not share Claudius' reaction to the play (III,ii) but rather queries Claudius "How fares my lord?" Not the sort of response one would expect from an accomplice. Secondly, there's her response to Hamlet's accusation (III,iv) "A bloody deed - almost as bad, good mother/As kill a king and marry with his brother". Note that she accepts the first part but exclaims, "As kill a king?" I don't think Gertrude would have the presence of mind to be able to "cover up" so successfully. Along with the point raised earlier by others, these show quite conclusively that she was not an accomplice to murder. Elizabeth Miller Memorial University of Newfoundland emiller@kean.ucs.mun.ca (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ronald Dwelle Date: Sunday, 07 Nov 93 10:45:34 EST Subject: SHK 4.0723 Re: Gertrude Ah, the chance to disagree (somewhat) with a former teacher! I think Ken Rothwell is too kind to Gertrude. She's a cow. The closest I see her coming to any self-understanding or reflection is in the bedroom scene when Hamlet forces her to turn her eyes inward upon herself. But, then, she recovers quite nicely by the final scene. Gertrude doesn't know about the murder and wouldn't want to know. (Hi, Ken!) ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 7 Nov 1993 12:00:27 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0731 Re: "Versions" of Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 731. Sunday, 7 November 1993. (1) From: Michael Sharpston Date: Friday, 04 Nov 1993 23:12:00 -0500 (EST) Subj: RE: SHK 4.0705 Re: "Versions" of *Coriolanus* (2) From: Cary M. Mazer Date: Sunday, 7 Nov 93 9:58:01 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0724 Re: "Versions" of Shakespeare (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Michael Sharpston Date: Friday, 04 Nov 1993 23:12:00 -0500 (EST) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0705 Re: "Versions" of *Coriolanus* In reply to James Schaefer: It seems to me extremely helpful that James Schaefer has given us a concrete example as a focus for our discussions. >Some years ago (you'll know when in a moment), I played the character >Clive in a production of Van Druten's 1951 play, *I Am A Camera*. >(For those who may not know, he drew the material from Christopher >Isherwood's *Berlin Stories*; the play later became the basis for the >musical, *Cabaret*.) Clive is a rich, ignorant (expletive deleted) >American who has no idea what is going on in Berlin around him and >couldn't care less. His character is succinctly revealed when he >describes how he had just encountered a Nazi demonstration and asks, >"Say, who are these Nazis, anyway? ... Are the Nazis the same as the >Jews?" In describing the demonstration, he says, "...we ran into a >bit of shooting.... Seemed just like Chicago." >When I delivered this throw-away line on opening night, I (and the >director and the rest of the cast) were stunned to find that it >brought down the house. Why? >This production was staged in the fall of 1968, about 100 miles from >Grant Park in Chicago. The mere suggestion of a Chicago riot was a >politically powerful metaphor for that particular audience, in that >place and at that time. The line got the same audience reaction every >night of the run. As an actor, I loved it. But years later, while >investigating the effect of context on performances, I realized this >reaction was _absolutely antithetical_ to the meaning of the play. > [Text deleted] ...In the post-Holocaust >context of the play's first performances in 1951, Clive's off-handed >comparison of the Nazi's with the largely internal violence of >Chicago's gangland wars could have been another device of the author's >to show Clive's political and moral blindness (or at least naivete) >and self-centeredness -- and by extension, the way in which these same >qualities applied to American society before the war. >The 1968 audience, composed largely of undergraduate college students, [Text deleted] ...For them, Van Druten's >simile seemed to be newly true but still accurate: the Chicago police >were like the Nazis, Mayor Richard Daley was like Hitler, and the >violence used against the student demonstrators was akin to the Third >Reich's efforts to exterminate the Jews. >But such an interpretation reverses an irreversible equation. The >simile is not "Chicago is like Berlin," but rather, "Berlin is like >Chicago," and in any case, the demonstrators in Berlin were the Nazis >themselves, not their victims. I believe that in 1951, Clive would >have been understood to have belittled the threat of the Nazis and >thereby discredited himself with the audience. By contrast, the >audience's understanding of Clive in the fall of 1968 inflated the >evil of the Chicago police, significant though it was, and made him a >sympathetic character in so far as the audience agreed with, rather >than rejected, his comparison. The result was a spontaneous, >simultaneous recognition by all present at the performance of a new >meaning that was not intended by the author, and that ripped the >delicate fabric of relationships he had constructed. >We retained the line in subsequent performances, and got the same >response each time. But by staying true to the author's text, we >imposed a meaning from our performance context that was at odds with >the play's internal context, for in every other respect, Clive's >interactions with the other characters in the play show him to deserve >nothing but our disgust. The example of the importance of audience and context is excellent, but I would not quite agree that Clive as being made a sympathetic character. Largely, the actor playing Clive, and the play-givers more generally are certainly made more sympathetic to the audience: they are in the know and known to be in the know. The audience is also likely to have become more emotionally roused (perhaps involved), yet also more conscious that they are watching a play with another historical context, a kind of dramatic irony. Cf. that wonderful early line in Sophocles' Oedipus Tyrannus: "ho pasi kleinos Oidipous" -- "Oedipus famous to all": although there of course the dramatist also was clearly in the know. Lapsing perhaps into a dialect of Cyberspeak, can I suggest that the dramatist, director, actors, and audience constitute a Virtual Community over Time and Space. There are shared meanings and resonances and ones which are not shared. New meaning is created and some resonances produce wave interference. Michael Sharpston msharpston@worldbank.org (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Cary M. Mazer Date: Sunday, 7 Nov 93 9:58:01 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0724 Re: "Versions" of Shakespeare Terence Hawkes writes: > Cary Mazer refers to 'the script that we have inherited' of Macbeth. Where > is it? What does it look like? If Terence Hawkes is hoping that I will nibble at his bait and defend the supposed authority of a supposedly stable supposedly received text, he's asking the wrong person. Assuming that his rhetorical question is a trap, he's making my point precisely. Thanks, Terry. CMM ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 8 Nov 1993 09:46:27 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0733 Re: "Versions" of Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 733. Monday, 8 November 1993. (1) From: Rick Jones Date: Sunday, 07 Nov 93 15:55:17 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0724 Re: "Versions" of Shakespeare (2) From: David Schalkwyk Date: Monday, 8 Nov 93 11:11:05 SAST-2 Subj: Versions of Shakespeare (3) From: James Schaefer Date: Sunday, 07 Nov 1993 17:03:04 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0731 Re: "Versions" of Shakespeare (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Rick Jones Date: Sunday, 07 Nov 93 15:55:17 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0724 Re: "Versions" of Shakespeare Bill Godshalk asks: "Just a question: does James Joyce's ULYSSES have a kind of exclussive validity that Shakespeare's MACBETH lacks?" The degree to which authorial intent ought to be of concern to critics is subject to debate. That plays are different from novels and poems is not. But it seems to me that if we ascribe any value *at all* to authorial intent, the least we can do is recognize that the author of _Macbeth_ intended his work to be seen, whereas the author of _Ulysses_ intended his to be read. This distinction seems at first glance hardly worth mentioning, but failure to recognize it, especially in the case of Shakespeare, is responsible for more damage in classrooms and in "learned" critical commentary than all the misguided productions in the world could ever inflict. Oh, and lest anyone wonder: yes, I do believe that some interpretations are "better" than others; I also believe that more than one interpretation can be "correct". -- Rick Jones strophius@aol.com (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: David Schalkwyk Date: Monday, 8 Nov 93 11:11:05 SAST-2 Subject: Versions of Shakespeare About Cary Mazer's suggestions. First. I did not doubt in my last post that we can make claims about the radical difference of each instance of a "work of art" from itself. I suggested that we should at the same time explain why we should want to do so. What is at stake? Second. When I said that the cards were stacked against difference by virtue of our need to refer to a "work of art" across time I was pointing out that to speak of _Macbeth_, even in *denying* that its instances are the same text/play/work/experience is to reduce the difference that Cary wishes to maintain. So, another trick question: How do we know when to go to what when we want to see a completely new art work called ..... ? Do we just go to *everything*? And what would *that* entail? David (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: James Schaefer Date: Sunday, 07 Nov 1993 17:03:04 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0731 Re: "Versions" of Shakespeare In reply to Michael Sharpston: I like the Virtual Reality image. I used the *I Am A Camera* example in my dissertation (more years ago that I care to admit), and had planned to pull it all together in a "13th chapter" that added time to a 3-axis analytical structure to create a George Gamow-like "worldline" of a play in performance. My adviser was a dear man, but a "quadratic equation *Hamlet*" (as he called it) was more than he could take. Maybe it would make more sense now. Yrs off in the ether, Jim Schaefer ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 8 Nov 1993 09:52:47 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0734 Q: *Titus* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 734. Monday, 8 November 1993. From: John C. Harrison Date: Sunday, 07 Nov 1993 18:39:31 +0300 Subject: Titus Andronicus I'm doing research of Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus and I was curious if anyone had some prior working experience with the production. I'm going to be developing a production concept for the show and I would be most interested in the style of previous productions: themes, images, and ideas addressed. If anyone has any knowledge of where I might be able to find some photographs of the production, that would also be helpful. As of right now I have plenty of dramaturgical information on the show, I am mainly interested in personal accounts of the show. If anyone has a great idea though on how the show should be done, I would be grateful to hear it. Thank you in advance, John Harrison Theatre Arts Department University of Oregon jch@oregon.uoregon.edu ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 8 Nov 1993 09:56:32 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0735 Q: Libraries Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 735. Monday, 8 November 1993. From: Robert O'Connor Date: Monday, 8 Nov 1993 14:10:51 +0700 Subject: Libraries Greetings. In my on-going search for obscure texts I have another question for my fellow SHAKSPEReans, viz: is it possible to connect to the Folger Library or Shakespeare Institute catalogues over the net, and, if so, how. I have tried every way I can think of except direct connection as, alas, I do not have the appropriate addresses. Any help? ROC ********************** Robert F. O'Connor ocoreng@durras.anu.edu.au English Department Australian National University ********************** ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 8 Nov 1993 09:24:44 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0731 Re: Shakespeare, Ontology, and History Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 731. Monday, 8 November 1993. (1) From: Sean Lawrence Date: Sunday, 07 Nov 1993 13:32:39 -0400 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0728 Shakespeare, Ontology, and History (2) From: Timothy Bowden Date: Sunday, 07 Nov 93 09:38:42 PST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0728 Shakespeare, Ontology, and History (3) From: Jack Lynch Date: Sunday, 7 Nov 1993 13:48:41 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0728 Shakespeare, Ontology, and History (4) From: Michael Friedman Date: Sunday, 07 Nov 1993 15:03:28 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0728 Shakespeare, Ontology, and History (5) From: James Schaefer Date: Sunday, 07 Nov 1993 16:45:58 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0728 Shakespeare, Ontology, and History (6) From: David Schalkwyk Date: Monday, 8 Nov 93 10:43:11 SAST-2 Subj: Shakespeare, ontology, history (7) From: Nancy W. Miller Date: Sunday, 7 Nov 93 19:41:05 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0728 Shakespeare, Ontology, and History (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Sean Lawrence Date: Sunday, 07 Nov 1993 13:32:39 -0400 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0728 Shakespeare, Ontology, and History Dear Bill, We might relate history and literature better if we think of literature as special documents, flawed like all documents, but in their own way. As literature, but very popular literature, they tell us not about the period in which they are written, so much as the perception of that period by those living in it. Therefore, in your example from *Taming*, the example of three out of four renaissance wives refusing their husbands' orders might not be taken to reflect what renaissance wives were really like (whatever that is), but to reflect what people during the renaissance took to be the norm of female behaviour. This is the same time when, if *Much Ado* is to be believed, "cuckold" and "husband" were held synonymous. Neither example means that women actually were remarkably disobedient or unfaithful, but that popular belief ascribed disobedience and unfaithfulness as normal traits of womanhood. We might draw a parallel to contemporary literature. No-one would confuse a current socially-conscious (or, if s/he is less PC, socially interested) writer with an historian. Martin Amis' *London Fields* doesn't tell us as much about life in 1990s London as would any reasonably good statistics. But he does provide an idea of how at least one Englishman, and judging by the reception of his tome, a lot of his contemporaries agree, views his life in 1990s London. Needless to say, this bears a somewhat oblique relationship to reality. I hope I've made a point in this rambling. Sean Lawrence. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Timothy Bowden Date: Sunday, 07 Nov 93 09:38:42 PST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0728 Shakespeare, Ontology, and History Let me consider how my own literary travels may offer signposts along the way towards an appreciation of actual history, and then someone tell me if it's a valid map. I mark in _Sense and Sensibility_ how the expectations of a couple of country girls are exasperated by the non-compliance of a certain suitor, to the morbid deterioration of one and the general depression of the rest of the family. The suitor indicated his intentions, as far as I can detect, merely by calling on the family more than once. And yet, despite my sense I was exploring a case of group hysteria, the author herself validated the perceptions of her characters, even to include the contrite suitor, by the end of the novel. I deduce that times in early 19th century England were very different from here and now. Is that a fair rendering? tcbowden@clovis.felton.ca.us (Timothy Bowden) (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jack Lynch Date: Sunday, 7 Nov 1993 13:48:41 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0728 Shakespeare, Ontology, and History BG: Sherlock Holmes and John Major live in London. It is true that Holmes and Major both live in London. Don't be silly. Everyone knows Holmes has retired to the country to take up beekeeping, whereas the Liberals only _hope_ Major will retire to the country. BG: But they do not have the same ontological status. ... I don't have any good answers to my questions, and my students always fall silent when I ask them. They like to say, "Well, back in those days, that's the way it was." Do they actually hold to this? Do they insist _R&J_'s Verona is a historical city in Italy, for instance, or that "That's the way it was" in Hamlet's Denmark? Or do you get the impression that this was the first answer to come to their minds, and seemed an easy way out? BG: But if we go beyond naive assumptions about the congruence of literature and history (both as record and experience), then I for one am baffled. I can't explain how imagined, fictional worlds are related - theoretically - to the world we have dinner in. A good source to get students, especially undergraduates, thinking about the problem -- that is to say, one that raises theoretical issues without resorting to theoretical jargon and obfuscation -- is an essay by Berel Lang called "Hamlet's Grandmother and Other Literary Facts," _The Antioch Review_, 44 (Spring 1986), 167-75. (The converse of its accessibility, of course, is that it wants the theoretical rigor you might expect.) The essay poses the question of whether Hamlet had a grandmother: we know from the text that he had a mother and a father, even a grandfather, but the text gives no indication of whether he had a grandmother. Lang forces us to consider what we're doing when we apply our common-sense knowledge of the "real world" -- but _of course_ he must have had a grandmother; everyone does -- to the ostensibly self- contained world of the text. It's been a while since I read it, but I remember it as the sort of thing one might use in the classroom very effectively. I'm now working on a class paper on Boswell's _Life of Johnson_, and of course the biggest question in twentieth- century Boswell studies is the relation of _The Life of Johnson_ (capital L, set italic) to the life of Johnson (lowercase L, set roman). I'm now looking at Riffaterre's _Fictional Truth_, which meditates on the theoretical problem as it appears in nineteenth-century fiction, in the hopes that some of his insights will help me approach Boswell's handling of history and such. -- Jack Lynch; jlynch@ccat.sas.upenn.edu (4)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Michael Friedman Date: Sunday, 07 Nov 1993 15:03:28 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0728 Shakespeare, Ontology, and History Along the same lines as Bill Godshalk's query about the relationship of fictional texts to history, I'm running into a similar difficulty with *Measure for Measure*. Much of the criticism on the play refers to Eliza- bethan betrothal and marriage laws, such as those concerning the custom of handfasting, to explain various questions, but such a strategy has always struck me as not entirely legitimate, for a few reasons: 1. Shakespeare's play specifically takes place in Vienna, a Catholic state, where the laws, particularly after the Council of Trent (1563) are different from those in England in 1604. 2. The only law we can be sure about in the play, the one against fornication which Angelo enforces against Claudio, is far more severe than any English law ever was, although certain Puritan divines would have liked to have seen the death penalty for fornication. Given that the laws of this fictional foreign world are clearly different from those of Shakespeare's England, what gives the critic the right to assume that all other laws, for which there is no textual evidence, are simply those of the country in which the play was written? My own answer is that we cannot simply apply the laws of the "real" world to the play world unless the text specifically invites us to do so. However, I am also open to the argument that any playwright assumes a shared body of assumptions with his or her audience that may include ideas about what is legal or illegal, right or wrong, and these shared assumptions are largely the product of living in the same society. In other words, Shakespeare knows his English audience will judge an act legal or illegal by English law, and he doesn't have to make any mention of the law even when he is placing his action in a foreign context. Can anyone throw any light on this question? Michael Friedman FriedmanM1@jaguar. uofs.edu (5)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: James Schaefer Date: Sunday, 07 Nov 1993 16:45:58 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0728 Shakespeare, Ontology, and History It's hard enough to keep straight the relationship between that which is described in the work and its _presumed_ world context, let along the (presumed?) _real_ one. Hamlet (he) exists only between "Who's there?" and "The rest is silence." That's all we've got, and we have to try to make do with it. Jim Schaefer (6)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: David Schalkwyk Date: Monday, 8 Nov 93 10:43:11 SAST-2 Subject: Shakespeare, ontology, history Bill Godschalk writes: "I can't imagine how imagined, fictional worlds are related - theoretically - to the world we have dinner in." Can we imagine how the utterance "I promise/wish/hope/imagine that I will have dinner with you tonight" is related - theoretically - to the world we have dinner in? David Schalkwyk (7)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Nancy W. Miller Date: Sunday, 7 Nov 93 19:41:05 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0728 Shakespeare, Ontology, and History William Godshalk recently commented: Like most teachers and scholars of Renaissance or early modern literature, I use history and historical > documents to enlighten and enliven the literature that I teach. But can > literature be used to enlighten history? In THE TAMING OF THE SHREW . . . > let's say that in the Renaissance two out of every three wives > disregarded their husbands' commands and felt themselves quite independent > within their marriages. If history can be used to read literature, then > literature can be used to read history. WRONG! But why. First let me say that I believe that literature CAN be used to read history (--as far as I'm concerned, literature IS history), but the relationship cannot be expressed as direct one to one correspondences: we can't use _Shrew_ as an indication of statistical probabilities. What we can do is read the way concepts and ideas are used (better yet, taken for granted) within the literature, go back and look at other written documents that engage the same ideas, compare, contrast, and come up with some theories about the ideologies of the era, etc. (This appears a bit simplistic here, I know, but others have said it much better: Montrose, R. Williams . . .). A few years ago, Sybil Wolfram, a British cultural anthropologist, visited OSU and spoke about using Trollope to explore marriage relationships in nineteenth c. England. She found him a "reliable" source. I would argue that all literature is a "reliable" source, if only one cares to look. N. Miller ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 8 Nov 1993 09:32:22 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0732 Re: Hypertext Student Essays Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 732. Monday, 8 November 1993. From: Michael Mullin Date: Sunday, 7 Nov 1993 13:03:14 -0600 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0726 Re: Hypertext Student Essays We have created a prototype CD-ROM with video clips of performances and interviews linked with text. The plan is to add more material, install it in the English Dept media center and the undergrad library, and use it as a resource for student papers. Still in the development stage at this point, though it's easy to see where it will lead, once the material's there and the navigational tools are refined. I'm keen to know more about others' experience. Please keep me posted. How about a session--informal of course--at the SAA? I might be able to locate a machine at UNM that would allow us to look at some things Michael Mullin motley@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu Department of English University of Illinois Urbana, IL 61821 USA 217/333-5858 ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 9 Nov 1993 10:25:13 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0738 Re: *Titus* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 738. Tuesday, 9 November 1993. From: Milla Riggio Date: Monday, 08 Nov 1993 10:44:22 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0734 Q: *Titus* Dear John Harrison: You don't say WHICH production of Titus you're interested in? That which starred Brian Cox? Or any at all? I don't have any information, but would suggest for starters that you might go through the list of productions in the bibliography of the Shakespeare Quarterly. Those lists include full information on the personnel involved with productions and you might well get some names to contact. There have been a numger of productions in the last few years (twice at Stratford in Canada, about 10 or 11 years apart, I believe once at the Folger, though I'mnot sure. Etc. Good luck. Milla Riggio ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 9 Nov 1993 10:35:51 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0739 Re: Libraries Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 739. Tuesday, 9 November 1993. (1) From: Milla Riggio Date: Monday, 08 Nov 1993 10:46:45 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0735 Q: Libraries (2) From: Georgianna Ziegler Date: Monday, 08 Nov 1993 13:59:15 -0500 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0735 Q: Libraries (3) From: Peter Scott Date: Monday, 08 Nov 1993 10:42:53 -0600 (CST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0735 Q: Libraries (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Milla Riggio Date: Monday, 08 Nov 1993 10:46:45 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0735 Q: Libraries Dear Robert O'Connor: I'm sure Giorgianna Ziegler will respond directly to you, but, no, the catalogues of the Folger are not as yet on-line in that way. However, Georgianna and her staff are themselves wonderfully helpful, and if she does reply she may be able to suggest ways you can direct inquiries to the staff for help. I've never done this and don't know about it. Best, Milla Riggio (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Georgianna Ziegler Date: Monday, 08 Nov 1993 13:59:15 -0500 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0735 Q: Libraries Just for the record--the Folger Library does not yet have an on-line catalog, though both modern and rare books have been cataloged on-line on RLIN (Research Library Network) for a number of years and may be found there. Other Folger books may be found on the ESTC database, accessible on CDRom or through your friendly reference librarian who has access to ESTC on an RLIN terminal. For all you computer buffs, however, help is on the way. A Folger on-line catalog is very much in the planning stages; keep tuned, it should be up and running in another couple of years or so! (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Peter Scott Date: Monday, 08 Nov 1993 10:42:53 -0600 (CST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0735 Q: Libraries > In my on-going search for obscure texts I have another question for my fellow > SHAKSPEReans, viz: is it possible to connect to the Folger Library or > Shakespeare Institute catalogues over the net, and, if so, how. I have tried > every way I can think of except direct connection as, alas, I do not have the > appropriate addresses. I maintain HYTELNET, which gives access to all known telnet-accessible libraries. Folger and SI are not yet listed. If they become available I will inform the list. Peter Scott, Manager, Small Systems, University of Saskatchewan Libraries College Drive, Saskatoon, Sask, Canada, S7N0W0 scottp@herald.usask.ca Phone 306-966-5920 FAX 306-966-6040 ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 9 Nov 1993 10:19:11 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0736 Re: Gertrude Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 736. Tuesday, 9 November 1993. (1) From: James Schiffer Date: Monday, 8 Nov 1993 14:31:17 -0500 (EST) Subj: RE: SHK 4.0723 Re: Gertrude (2) From: Kenneth S. Rothwell Date: Monday, 8 Nov 1993 15:15:08 -500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0730 Re: Gertrude (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: James Schiffer Date: Monday, 8 Nov 1993 14:31:17 -0500 (EST) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0723 Re: Gertrude 1. What about the possibility that Gertrude was guilty of adultery (before the death of Hamlet, Sr., obviously)? I have always assumed this is the Ghost's implication when he says, Ay, that incestuous, that ADULTERATE beast, With witchcraft of his wit, with traitorous gifts-- O wicked wit and gifts, that have the power So to seduce!--won to his shameful lust The will of my MOST SEEMING VIRTUOUS QUUEEN. I understand that Gertrude & Claudius would be considered incestuous even after King Hamlet has died, but would they also be considered adulterous after Hamlet, Sr., is dead? 2. Before condemning Gertrude as a "cow," we should at least acknowledge that she keeps her word to Hamlet and does not reveal to Claudius that her son is "essentially . . . not in madnesss,/But mad in craft." This fact might also support the argument that before 3.4, Gertrude has no knowledge of the murder. James Schiffer (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kenneth S. Rothwell Date: Monday, 8 Nov 1993 15:15:08 -500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0730 Re: Gertrude Dear Ronald, If anyone ever agreed with me I'd fall over in shock. Gertrude may be a "cow," as you put it, but she's a beautiful cow. Good to hear from you. Ken Rothwell ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 9 Nov 1993 11:13:31 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0742 Request for Reviews Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 742. Tuesday, 9 November 1993. From: Larry Schwartz Date: Monday, 08 Nov 93 13:42:25 CST Subject: Request for Reviews Has anyone read, or could someone point to reviews of, Ian Wilson's "Shakespeare the Evidence: unlocking the mysteries of the man and his work?" It was published in 1993 by Headline Books in London. thanks. ls. larry schwartz, north dakota state university ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 9 Nov 1993 11:17:24 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0743 Job Announcement Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 743. Tuesday, 9 November 1993. From: Daniel F. Pigg Date: Monday, 08 Nov 93 16:11:44 CST Subject: Job Announcement The University of Tennessee at Martin invites applications for the Chair of the English Department. The appointment (senior level, tenure-track) requires a doctorate in English. Candidates specializing in African-American literature, Renaissance literature, or Modern Drama preferred, although other areas will be considered. Applicants should have an excellent record in teaching and in scholarly activities. The Department is composed of twenty full-time and five part-time faculty members. Review of applications will begin on December 1, but will continue until position is filled. Send letter and dossier to Robert Cowser, Search Committee Chair, Department of English, University of Tennessee at Martin, Martin, TN 38238-2035. We are particularly interested in applications by women and minority candidates. The University of Tennessee at Martin is an EOE/AA/Title 9/Section 504/ADA employer. Daniel Pigg Department of English University of Tennessee at Martin IVAD@UTMARTN.BITNET ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 9 Nov 1993 10:45:40 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0740 Re: Ontology, Shakespeare, and History Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 740. Tuesday, 9 November 1993. (1) From: Melissa Aaron Date: Monday, 8 Nov 1993 09:18:20 +0200 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0731 Re: Shakespeare, Ontology, and History (2) From: Michael Sharpston Date: Tuesday, 09 Nov 1993 13:26:00 -0500 (EST) Subj: RE: SHK 4.0731 Re: Shakespeare, Ontology, and History (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Melissa Aaron Date: Monday, 8 Nov 1993 09:18:20 +0200 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0731 Re: Shakespeare, Ontology, and History >Along the same lines as Bill Godshalk's query about the relationship >of fictional texts to history, I'm running into a similar difficulty with >*Measure for Measure*. Much of the criticism on the play refers to Eliza- >bethan betrothal and marriage laws, such as those concerning the custom of >handfasting, to explain various questions, but such a strategy has always >struck me as not entirely legitimate, for a few reasons: I agree with you about the problematic relationship of this play to English law. However, it seems to me that some of the strength of the play lies in the ability to recognize non-English custom. For example, Isabella is a novice in the order of St. Clare. When she indicates that she would like the rule to be stricter, the audience reaction is founded upon knowledge that the Poor Clares have probably the most penetential rule in the Roman Catholic Church--yet this would hardly fall in the category of English experience after the monasteries had been dissolved. The problem with criticizing Measure for Measure in strictly legal terms is that it leaves out the conceptual struggle of mercy and justice/justification. Surely it is safer to set a play that displays religious hypocrisy and smugness in a Catholic country; where the religion is different and yet (importantly) the parallels are familiar enough to be recognizable and applicable. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Michael Sharpston Date: Tuesday, 09 Nov 1993 13:26:00 -0500 (EST) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0731 Re: Shakespeare, Ontology, and History I agree strongly with Nancy Miller's comment: "the way concepts and ideas are used (better yet, *taken for granted*) within the literature" [emphasis added]. Tells us a lot about the other time period -- particularly if we try consciously not to take our own time or place as an absolute norm. About playwright "realism" in depicting another Time and Place, I suspect (but others on SHAKSPER would be more learned) that earlier centuries cared less about that than we often do. I am thinking of all the Renaissance Madonnas happily set against Florentine countryside etc. etc. Michael Sharpston msharpston@worldbank.org ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 9 Nov 1993 11:20:29 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0744 Q: Audiences Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 744. Tuesday, 9 November 1993. From: David Schalkwyk Date: Tuesday, 9 Nov 93 09:40:17 SAST-2 Subject: Audiences I have two questions arising from incipient research projects that I would like to ask: 1) What are the most authoritative texts on the gender composition of Shakespeare's audience? 2) Is any information available on the conditions of dissemination of Elizabethan sonnets? I.e. in what form were they circulated, to what audiences, and what was the likelihood of the addressee being part of the audience? That sort of thing. If anyone would like to contact me privately, my email address is SCHALK@BEATTIE.UCT.AC.ZA. Thanks. David Schalkwyk University of Cape Town ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 9 Nov 1993 10:51:13 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0741 Re: Hypertext Conference Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 741. Tuesday, 9 November 1993. From: Kenneth S. Rothwell Date: Monday, 8 Nov 1993 15:22:08 -500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0732 Re: Hypertext Student Essays Dear Michael, Put me down for your HYPERTEXT conference. I have aleady written Nancy Hodge suggesting a seminar in 1995 in this general area. I gave your name and Pete Donaldson's as possible leaders, though maybe there are others equally eager to perform that valuable but time-consuming service. Ken Rothwell ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 9 Nov 1993 10:22:45 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0737 Re: Incest Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 737. Tuesday, 9 November 1993. From: David Glassco Date: Monday, 08 Nov 1993 13:26:18 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: Gertrude Re Ann M. Cox and Gertrude's "incest". I speak from a hearty ignorance about all this, but I have always assumed that matters of "incest" were not quite so un-ambiguous as Cox suggests. Henry VIII had recently set aside Katherine of Aragon on the grounds that since she had been previously "married" (or was it merely "affianced"?) to Arthur, his brother, their marriage was incestuous. But surely most people would have seen this manoeuvre for the self-serving bit of persiflage it really was...and would have realized that had Henry not complained, no one else was likely to. Don't we suspect that both Hammie and Hammie's dad complain so much about the "incest" because they are really horrified by all the sexual implications neither wants to face? David Glassco ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 10 Nov 1993 09:09:25 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0746 Re: "Versions" of Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 746. Wed., 10 November 1993. (1) From: John Mucci Date: Tuesday, 9 Nov 93 10:11:55-0500 Subj: Versions of Shakespeare (2) From: Terence Hawkes Date: Wednesday, 10 Nov 93 10:48 GMT Subj: RE: SHK 4.0731 Re: "Versions" of Shakespeare (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John Mucci Date: Tuesday, 9 Nov 93 10:11:55-0500 Subject: Versions of Shakespeare Concerning various versions of Shakespeare's plays, there certainly is a "core" of each play with which we are familiar, and whatever textual aberrations are found hardly shake those well-established centers of what each play is about. I don't think it's a shattering event to hear Michael Redgrave say "Oh, that this too too sullied flesh would melt..." in his recording of *Hamlet,* instead of "solid;" actually, it is rather refreshing to hear some divergences from the perhaps too-oft repeated performances of the same old interpretation. If you've seen a "traditional" D'Oyly Carte production of Gilbert & Sullivan, you know that as pleasant an experience as it may be, the next time you see a G&S you want something a little less calcified. But in thinking about just how divergent the texts are for Shakespeare's works, I find it useful to think of the canon as a kind of terminus, if you will, a sort of literary Grand Central Station, into which flow about forty wonderful twice-told tales, and out of which branch thousands of re-thinkings of those same stories. Berlioz' _Beatrice & Benedict_ would not be as delightful an operatic work if we didn't have the core of _Much Ado_ to refer to. Even something as egregious as Polanski's _Macbeth_ is either entertaining or not depending on how much you know and care about what we have as the original. I would like to know what instance in textual variations of the canon really changes the core-knowledge of the story in any of the plays. Forgive me for saying so, but if we had nothing more than the first quarto of _Hamlet_, we'd have a grossly inferior product, but we'd still have the recognizable story of Hamlet. I daresay that version could be enjoyed more than, say, _Gammer Gurton's Needle_. So far as the historical context of the 16th century goes, I have read the comments with great interest, but notice that no one has pointed out that every writer writes about his own time, no matter who or what. Despite setting or ostensible hostorical context. Thus Arthur Clarke's _Childhod's End_ is about the 1950's, despite its being set in the future (as all science fiction is meant to be about today), _Ivanhoe_ is about early 19th century Britain, and _Henry IV_ is about the last half of the 16th century. How can it be otherwise? What would the point be, to write about Verona of centuries before for a contemporary audience? Shakespeare very definitely was writing about issues contemporary to himself. The question of what those issues were is always up for debate, as I know the traditionalists believe _Macbeth_ was written to honor the ascent of James to the throne, and Oxfordians believe it was written to help the case of Mary, Queen of Scots; but nonetheless, there is too much in that play of a pointed nature to say it is only a potboiler about an early Scottish king. The theme inexorably draws one to the last half of the 16th century. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Terence Hawkes Date: Wednesday, 10 Nov 93 10:48 GMT Subject: RE: SHK 4.0731 Re: "Versions" of Shakespeare Dear Cary Mazer: Eh? Terry ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 10 Nov 1993 09:29:16 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0747 Re: Gertrude Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 747. Wed., 10 November 1993. (1) From: Ann Dean Date: Tuesday, 09 Nov 1993 10:50:14 -0500 (EST) Subj: Gertrude (2) From: Annalisa Castaldo Date: Tuesday, 09 Nov 93 15:25:09 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0730 Re: Gertrude (3) From: David McFadden Date: Tuesday, 9 Nov 1993 15:43:29 -0500 Subj: Re: Gertrude (4) From: David Glassco Date: Tuesday, 09 Nov 1993 22:50:42 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0723 Re: Gertrude (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ann Dean Date: Tuesday, 09 Nov 1993 10:50:14 -0500 (EST) Subject: Gertrude Folks, The discussion of Gertrude makes me realize that Carolyn Heilbrun's essay *Hamlet's Mother* written sometime in the late 50s and reprinted recently in a book with the same title, is still a valuable argument. Critics often seem inspired by the idea of a guilty woman to fantasize about Gertrude's sinfulness and stupidity without much textual evidence. Heilbrun argues that while Gertrude is certainly sexual, there is no reason to assume that she is stupid. Because our sense of what incest is has changed, it is important to try to think clearly about what exactly Gertrude is guilty of, if in fact she is not an accomplice in the murder. Certainly, she does not feel as much grief as would seem appropriate, and certainly she has an odd taste in second husbands. But I think it is letting our identification with Hamlet run away with us to go on and on, as he does, about her guilt, embellishing it with our own ideas of what she must have been like. Ann Dean Rutgers U. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Annalisa Castaldo Date: Tuesday, 09 Nov 93 15:25:09 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0730 Re: Gertrude For what it's worth the Q1 version of *Hamlet* (which many people believe to have at least some connection with a staged version of the Q2F version; editors often appropriate the fuller stage directions of Q1) is very clear about Gertrude's lack of guilt. I don't have a copy of the text with me, so I can't provide exact quotes. But in the closet scene, Gertrude asks Hamlet to believe that she never knew of the murder, and promises that she will protect his secret and aid him. Later, in a scene uniqe to the First Quarto, Horatio and Gertrude meet so that Horatio can tell her that he has received word of Hamlet's return from England. She again clearly declares her loyalty to her son and her intention to help him if possible. There is no proof (and much debate) about Q1's relationship to the text we call *Hamlet*. But if it does represent an acting tradition current with the play, then this view of Gertrude should, perhaps, hold some sway with us now. Annalisa Castaldo Temple University V796CF01 (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: David McFadden Date: Tuesday, 9 Nov 1993 15:43:29 -0500 Subject: Re: Gertrude Further to Gertrude: Northrop Frye in *On Shakespeare* says that, in the First Quarto, Gertrude "explicitly states that she knew nothing of Hamlet senior's murder." In an age when it wasn't unusual for kings to be murdered by usurpers (for Darwinian reasons, as has been suggested, though not by Frye to my knowledge), to ensure the realm is in the strongest hands, Claudius' guilt seems maybe not so great, particularly since he is courteous enough (and wise enough) not to burden Gertrude with all this added unpleasantness. Perhaps this was spelled out more fully in Kyd's Hamlet, which would have been fresh in theatre-goers' minds, and if so it may explain why Shakespeare didn't feel bound to get into the question in his version. If Gertrude simply accepts that it was a convenient death by snakebite, and is clever enough not to want to pry any further, then perhaps the same might be said for everyone else at court, except of course for Hamlet, whose naivete forces the appearance of the aggrieved Ghost--all of which gives added strength to an "Oedipal" interpretation of Hamlet's actions, and ensures that the play remains more interesting than, say, The Postman Always Rings Twice. It also makes Polonius seem even more of a dunce, when he keeps assuring Claudius that Hamlet's strange behaviour is on account of his love for Ophelia. David W. McFadden (4)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: David Glassco Date: Tuesday, 09 Nov 1993 22:50:42 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0723 Re: Gertrude In response to Kimberly Nolan's questions: does anyone else feel as I do that the interesting question here has to do with Hamlet Sr.? And the observation one might make there is that he smells a bit--sexually speaking--like a priss. Don't we begin to suspect that for him *all* lust is/was "shameful"? He speaks of Claudius' lust and compares it to his love which "was of that dignity/ That it went hand in hand even with the vow/ I made to her in marriage..." Dignity in the marriage bed...no wonder she was tempted by Claudius! How do we take the ensuing six lines? "But virtue, as it never will be moved/Though lewdness court it in a shape of heaven, /So lust, though to a radiant angel linked,/Will sate itself in a celestial bed/ And prey on garbage." Doesn't that sound interestingly priggish? (Where does Ham sr. see himself in that cluster of images? As a "radiant angel"? What is going on in that "celestial bed" that even satiety will not suffice?) Claudius is the Kissinger of his time...he loves handling power and power is sexy. Gertrude's guilts are about neither incest nor adultery but about being attracted sexually to her dead husband's brother--an attraction that reminds her of absences (and presences!) she cannot think about or articulate. My sense is that Ham jr is quite like his old man. He doesn't like power, and he seems to be to be a sexual innocent. His "dirty" talk to Ophelia smacks of bravado and inexperience (cf Hot and Kate in 1HIV) Does any of this sound plausible to anyone...or have I simply been marking too many essays? David Glassco trentu.ca ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 10 Nov 1993 08:57:05 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0745 Death of SHAKSPERean John F. Sullivan Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 745. Wed., 10 November 1993. From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Wednesday, November 10, 1993 Subject: Death of SHAKSPERean John F. Sullivan I learned yesterday from Chris Sullivan of the death of his father, SHAKSPERean John F. Sullivan, Professor Emeritus of the University of Windsor. Dr. Sullivan participated in many discussions on SHAKSPER, and he will be missed. Below is Chris's letter: [was line of equality signs; deleted because clashes with digest separator. GIE] Hello. This is to announce that my father, who was a subscriber to the SHAKSPER mailing list, has passed away. He was Dr. John F. Sullivan, Professor Emeritus of the University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada. During his last years, he thoroughly enjoyed reading and sometimes replying to the list, in spite of being unwell and unable to get about. In the last six months, though unable to read, he had many messages read to him. He especially enjoyed the controversy over Shakespeare and politics, because that was his special field. He died on October 22, 1993. He was a Shakespeare teacher and scholar, and will be missed by his family, former colleagues, and former students. He left unfinished an edition of Doleman's _A_Conference_About_the_Next_ Succession_to_the_Crowne_, thought to be written by Robert Persons, S.J. I want to thank Hardy M. Cook and Ken Steele for making his association with this list possible, to thank the SHAKSPER list for making his last days happier ones, and to bid you all goodbye on his behalf. Chris Sullivan ab791@freenet.carleton.ca ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 10 Nov 1993 09:42:44 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0749 Re: Ontology, Shakespeare, and History Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 749. Wed., 10 November 1993. From: William Godshalk Date: Tuesday, 09 Nov 1993 12:04:30 -0500 (EST) Subject: Shakepeare, History and Ontology Dear Sean, Tim, Jack, Michael, Jim, David, and Nancy, I was very interested in your responses to my (I hoped) provocative comments and questions. Thanks Jack Lynch for calling my attention to Berel Lang's essay on Hamlet's grandmother. I suppose my own position is closest to the one described by Jim Schaefer - though not exactly. Jim suggests that Hamlet exists only in the words of the text, but that's not totally true. Literary characters do tend to become detached from their texts, characters like Hamlet and Falstaff, and then lead independent cultural lives. I speak only in metaphor, of course. I'm not suggesting that they have the ontological status of humans. We humans imagine these characters outside their texts.I liked Michael Friedman's analysis of MEASURE FOR MEASURE, and I admit that, in my younger and less thoughtful days, I fell into the trap of judging the play by reference to English customs. I was, I now believe, young and wrong. But does "any playwright" assume "a shared body of assumption with his or her audience"? Gerald Graff would suggest that people living in a culture don't share assumptions; they share controversies. Do we Americans agree on what is right and what is wrong? No. Then why should we assume that sixteenth and seventeenth century audiences agreed? This was an age of heterodoxy and divergent opinion. Witness, e.g., Richard Popkin's work on Renaissance skepticism.For Nancy Miller I have several questions. The OED (unrevised) lists 8 definitions of HISTORY with many sub-definitions, and I think this is the tip of the iceberg. Number 6 is interesting: HISTORY defined as "a story represented dramatically, a drama." But, Nancy you say that literature is history. In what sense is literature history?One recurring proverb in Renaissance literature is: "So many men, so many minds." Because a playwright has his characters take certain concepts and ideas for granted, can we argue that he wished or thought his audience would take these ideas for granted? Let's question THE SHREW and A WOMAN KILLED WITH KINDNESS . How did Shakespeare expect his audience to react to Petruccio's torturing of his wife, his depriving her of food, sleep, sex, clothes, etc.? Did he expect all of his audience to react in the same way precisely? Did Heywood expect his audience to cheer Sir Charles Mountford on as he prepares to prostitute his sister? Did Heywood's audience approve of John Frankford's torturing of his wife? I have my answers to these questions, and I imagine that they aren't the same as yours.More questions: do we react the same way to literature or plays, if you wish, as we react to real-life occurrences? William Empson argued that we don't, and my colleague Jon Kamholtz argues that Renaissance audiences reacted romantically to plays and classically to the same situations in their lives. Ifthis is true, can we use non-imaginative literature to gauge Renaissance reactions to imagined worlds? Or would we be comparing eggs to oranges?A penultimate question: what does Elihu Pearlman think of all this? And David Schalkwyk, I knew I was opening up a can of worms by using the Sherlock Holmes allusion to the whole philosophic debate over references to fictional worlds, etc. How do present promises related to a possible future reality? Are both parts subsumed under intentionality? The speaker intends to dine and intends that there shall be a dinner, just a playwright intends to write a play, and intends that the play will have certain meanings. That's the best I can do. What's your answer? Questionably yours, Bill Godshalk ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 10 Nov 1993 09:48:42 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0751 Re: Hypertext Conference Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 751. Wed., 10 November 1993. From: Tom Blackburn Date: Tuesday, 9 Nov 1993 15:03:08 +0000 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0732 Re: Hypertext Student Essays Michael, I too would be interested in getting together with other Hypertext experimenters at SAA, or under some other auspices. Cheers, Tom Blackburn tblackb1@cc.swarthmore.edu ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 10 Nov 1993 09:51:26 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0752 Re: Libraries Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 752. Wednesday 10 November 1993. From: Kevin Berland Date: Tuesday, 9 Nov 93 15:17 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0739 Re: Libraries Searches for books in the Folger's collection may be managed through RLIN (ESTC) by adding the Folger's designation in the Library field (DFo) in multiple searches -- but perhaps Georgianna can tell us what percentage of their collection is RLINized? -- Kevin Berland ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 10 Nov 1993 09:54:27 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0753 Q: Riverside Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 753. Wednesday 10 November 1993. From: Charles Edelman Date: Wednesday, 10 Nov 93 15:59 Subject: Riverside Shakespeare I am fairly new to SHAKSPER so there may be a good deal of literature on this of which I am not aware. Is the Riverside Shakespeare available in an electronic version, and if it is, where? (and how good is it?) Charles Edelman Edith Cowan University Australia Email: C.Edelman@cowan.edu.au ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 10 Nov 1993 09:45:35 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0750 [was 4.050] Re: Incest Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 750. Wed., 10 November 1993. From: Fran Teague Date: Tuesday, 09 Nov 93 14:40:38 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0737 Re: Incest Roland Mushat Frye's _Renaissance Hamlet_ has an excellent discussion of the incest problem in _Hamlet_ within the Renaissance context. He says it was a real problem, not a repressed concern with sexuality, as I recall. But for those who read independently of historical contexts, the issue would, I suppose, remain wide open. As for its implications about Gertrude's character, I must confess that I agree completely with Cary Mazer. Gertrude et al. are roles written for performance. Obviously a particular director and performer may choose to play Gertrude as a cow (what a phrase), but just as obviou sly they might choose to play her as a woman caught in a horrifying situation. I sometimes tell classes that we can easily determine Hamlet's age, but no one can specify what color are Hamlet's eyes: eyes vary from actor to actor. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 10 Nov 1993 09:35:53 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0748 Re: *Titus* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 748. Wed., 10 November 1993. From: David McFadden Date: Tuesday, 9 Nov 1993 11:47:45 -0500 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0738 Re: *Titus* Also, re John Harrison's query, a thunderous and frightening *Titus* by the RSC at the Swan Theatre in Stratford UK in spring 1987. -David W. McFadden ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 11 Nov 1993 11:10:29 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0754 Re: Audiences Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 754. Thursday, 11 November 1993. From: Phyllis Rackin Date: Wednesday, 10 Nov 1993 09:54:11 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0744 Q: Audiences On the gender composition of Shakespeare's audience, the two texts I've found most helpful are Andrew Gurr's book, Playgoing in Shakespeare's London (See especially Appendix 1, "Playgoers 1567-1642") and Richard Levin's article, "Women in the Renaissance Theatre Audience," SQ 40 (1989). ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 11 Nov 1993 11:31:02 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0757 Re: Shakespeare: the Evidence Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 757. Thursday, 11 November 1993. From: Martin Green Date: Wednesday, 10 Nov 93 11:12:06 -0400 Subject: Shakespeare - the Evidence Well, I tried to send this directly to Larry Schwartz but, no doubt through my ineptitude, it was returned. So here are my comments, sent in a more public forum, by someone painfully aware that people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. [was line of equality signs; deleted because clashes with digest separator. GIE] Yes, I've read Wilson's book, and while it is, on the whole, a perfectly good biography, I fault it for not living up to the claims in its title. I must tell you up front, however, that I'm the author of a competing book, and thus you may feel warranted in discounting - perhaps 100% - my comments. But, for whatever they're worth, here are my views: Wilson's book, entitled _Shakespeare: The Evidence_ is subtitled "Unlocking the Mysteries of the Man and his Work." Basically, it is a review of the few, well-known materials we have about Shakespeare's life, and, in fact, "unlocks" nothing. Since, presumably, a blurb on a jacket focuses on what the author thinks the book is about, I shall primarily address only the book's treatment of those "mysteries surrounding the man and his work" which are listed on the jacket blurb, and which, one might think, the book would attempt to unlock. The specific mysteries featured in the jacket blurb are: 1. How much does the latest archaeology tell us of the theatre Shakespeare knew? 2. Who were his fellow actors? 3. Were he and his family Protestants or Catholics? 4. Was he a homosexual - or an adulterer? 5. Who was the Dark Lady? 6. Why, when just about to retire to Stratford, did he purchase a mysterious London gatehouse? 7. Why did he leave behind no manuscripts of his work, nor even a single letter? 8. Finally, why did he set a curse upon his grave? Now, it seems to me that "mysteries" 1 and 2 hardly qualify as such. In any event, accepting the "mysteries" as the jacket blurb states them to be, Wilson does not "unlock" them; here are his solutions to each of the mysteries featured on the jacket: 1. Wilson devotes two paragraphs (on pp. 114-115) to describing the Rose theatre (shape, size, etc.) as it is emerging from the excavations in London, and while I will not quarrel with anyone who says that this information is of value in envisioning what a Shakespearean production must have looked like to an Elizabethan audience, this is a theme which Wilson does not develop; 2. So far as I can see, Wilson, in answer to this question, recapitulates (at pages 116-118) only already well-known material (see, e.g., Chambers' _William Shakespeare_, II, 71-87); 3. Wilson doesn't know (p. 55); he knows only that Shakespeare grew up in an atmosphere "far more subtle and politically charge" (p. 56) than might be expected in a simple glover's (or butcher's) shop; 4. Homosexual? No. Wilson's reason: he was genuinely God-fearing, and religious people considered sodomy as an instant passport to hell (p. 146); adulterer? Yes, with the Dark Lady (p. 150); 5. Wilson says that the Dark Lady is Emilia Bassano because, of all those proposed, "by far the most convincing Dark Lady [is] one discovered by chance by Dr. A. L. Rowse" (p. 154); Wilson gives no reason of his own in support of Rowse's conclusion, nor does he point out that the basis for Rowse's conclusion was an error in reading a manuscript; 6. The gatehouse was associated with Catholic activities, but "the documents throw little further light on exactly why Shakespeare chose to buy this particular property" (p. 375); 7. So far as I can find, Wilson does not attempt to explain the lack of surviving letters; I guess it was just a rhetorical question; 8. In the curse over his grave, "Shakespeare tak[es] his stance particularly stridently against the sacrileges he had seen Protestant clerics committing throughout his lifetime, during which it had been all too common for them unceremoniously to turn out old bones of those laid to rest in the Catholic past in order to make way for the monuments and other vanities of the Protestant present. . . . It is almost as if Shakespeare's curse was a form of battening-down of the hatches in the hope that one day the church might be returned to the old Catholic rite" (pp. 395-396). Now, as a standard biography of Shakespeare, the book is OK, and, in fact, utilizes interesting background material not found in other books on Shakespeare. Like Dennis Kay's recent book (_Shakespeare, His Life, Work and Era_) it suggests that Shakespeare was a Roman Catholic, at least in his youth. Also, Wilson's suggestion that Ferdinando Stanley, 5th (and shortlived) Earl of Darby was a patron of Shakespeare, is interesting and provocative. But the book offers itself as something other than a standard biography: its title suggests that it's going to resolve certain questions. "The Evidence" - the evidence for what? The first chapter discusses the authorship question, and one expects, somewhere along the way, a discussion that the "evidence" - the material, I suppose, which Wilson presents re the facts of Shakespeare's life - will lead to a conclusion as to why the actor from Stratford is indeed the author of the plays: but Wilson never ties up at the end the threads that he threw out at the beginning. Perhaps he thinks that his review of the life of Shakespeare shows convincingly enough that the actor in fact wrote the plays (a proposition of which I have no doubt) - but I think that he should have expressly addressed somewhere in the book the question he raises at the beginning. But the first-chapter question, like the jacket-blurb questions, remains unanswered. So the reason for my unhappiness with Wilson's book is that, as the foregoing review of Wilson's treatment of his mysteries reveals, the actual text does not even attempt to live up to the promise of the subtitle: "Unlocking the Mysteries of the Man and His Work." Had the book not promised so much, I would not have expected so much: but since it promised, and I expected, I necessarily am disappointed. (It occurs to me that the poor author might be the victim of his publisher's marketing people, who may have felt that the author of _The Turin Shroud_, _Jesus, the Evidence_, and _The Columbus Myth_, had to be touted as making, with respect to Shakespeare, startling disclosures. But he makes no startling disclosures.) Martin Green p00968@psilink.com ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 11 Nov 1993 11:34:04 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0758 Q: The Ghost in *Hamlet* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 758. Thursday, 11 November 1993. From: John Cox Date: Wednesday, 10 Nov 1993 11:49:28 -0500 (EST) Subject: The Ghost in *Hamlet* The discussion of *Hamlet* makes me think of a suggestion one of my undergraduate students made recently. He argued that the ghost is a hallucination. His evidence is that only Hamlet hears it speak; that Gertrude does not see it in the bedroom scene; and that it appears to others than Hamlet only in the dark, when bushes are easily supposed bears, as Theseus points out. I had not heard this suggestion before, and I was skeptical, but I couldn't think of anything to refute it; in fact, I pointed out in response that Hamlet exclaims "O my prophetic soul" when the ghost tells him about the murder, suggesting that the ghost is, in fact, saying what Hamlet already suspects. The fact that all the guards on the walls see the ghost can be explained as a species of mass hysteria. I wonder if his suggetion has been made by someone else. Is it a standard interpretation of the ghost? I don't recall having read it anywhere, and I'm not inclined to believe it, but I find the suggestion intriguing. Is there a definitive way to refute it, or does it remain a tantalizing suggestion? ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 11 Nov 1993 11:24:27 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0756 Re: "Versions" of Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 756. Thursday, 11 November 1993. (1) From: Milla Riggio Date: Wednesday, 10 Nov 1993 10:55:06 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0746 Re: "Versions" of Shakespeare (2) From: William Godshalk Date: Wednesday, 10 Nov 1993 20:17:57 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0746 Re: "Versions" of Shakespeare (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Milla Riggio Date: Wednesday, 10 Nov 1993 10:55:06 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0746 Re: "Versions" of Shakespeare Dear John Mucci: Why do you call Polanski's Macbeth "egregious"? Milla Riggio (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Godshalk Date: Wednesday, 10 Nov 1993 20:17:57 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0746 Re: "Versions" of Shakespeare I like John Mucci's comments on the problem of meaning - nicely put and rational. But I'm not sure I can go along with the comments on dating. If works of art can be so precisely linked to history, why has dating a work of art been a scholarly endeavour? The date should be self-evident. Right? I understand Terence Hawkes' puzzlement. I suppose he asked about the text of MACBETH because he wanted someone to point out the textual problem. "It is clear, in our present state of knowledge," writes Stanley Wells, "we cannot hope to recover the text as originally performed" (WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE: A TEXTUAL COMPANION, p. 543). Gary Taylor, in the same COMPANION, also discusses the problem (128-129). The Hecate scenes, Taylor believes, apparently, were written by Middleton. And many scholars believe that the text we have is a revision of an earlier text. Nosworthy, SHAKESPEARE'S OCCASIONAL PLAYS, argues that Shakespeare himself revised the play, about 1611. In other words, this is tough terrain for those of us who want to defend the stability of Shakespeare's text. I think it's best for us to admit that Shakespeare's plays were revised - and we have texts that point to that conclusion. Now ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA - we'd do better to shift our battle to that ground - I mean those of us who want to argue that some of the printed texts are close to Shakespeare's "papers in a late stage of composition or from his own fair copy" or "transcript of foul papers" (Wells, 549). Textually yours, Bill Godshalk ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 11 Nov 1993 12:00:22 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0762 [was 4.SHK 0762] Q: Literacy Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 762. Thursday, 11 November 1993. From: Kimberly Nolan Date: Wednesday, 10 Nov 1993 19:09:28 -0500 (EST) Subject: Literacy In our grad seminar on Feminism, Materialism and the Renaissance we have been discussing literacy rates among women in the 16th and 17th centuries with obvious questions about class. Aside form David Cressy's (sp?) book--does anyone know of recent scholarship in this area? We are having trouble tracking down a good source to help us address these issues. Thanks, K.Nolan ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 11 Nov 1993 11:43:23 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0759 Re: Gertrude Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 759. Thursday, 11 November 1993. (1) From: James Schiffer Date: Wednesday, 10 Nov 1993 14:18:49 -0500 (EST) Subj: RE: SHK 4.0747 Re: Gertrude (2) From: Kimberly Nolan Date: Wednesday, 10 Nov 1993 18:57:28 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0747 Re: Gertrude (3) From: Cary M. Mazer Date: Thursday, 11 Nov 93 8:48:42 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0747 Re: Gertrude (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: James Schiffer Date: Wednesday, 10 Nov 1993 14:18:49 -0500 (EST) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0747 Re: Gertrude Let me try again to pose my question: when the Ghost says, "Ay, that incestuous, that adulterate beast," he makes two charges against Claudius (and I assume Gertrude). The charge of incest would apply whether Claudius is alive or dead (thus, he says later in the speech, "Let not the royal bed of Denmark be/A couch for luxury and damned incest"). But could Claudius and Gertrude be regarded as adulterous if their relationship began after King Hamlet had died? I don't think so. Two possibilities exist here: 1) Gertrude was unfaithful while her first husband was alive (how does the Ghost know this? That's not clear, but neither is it clear how he learns that Claudius poured hebona in his ear); 2) Gertrude was not adulterous, but the Ghost thinks of himself as still alive & therefore makes his accusation. As Fran Teague suggests, the issue of Gertrude's guilt has important implications for actors playing Gertrude and Claudius. We may not be able to determine if they committed adultery, but actors playing their roles may want to decide one way or the other. Gertrude's possibile guilt in this regard also has implications for the actor who plays Hamlet. Does he accept the Ghost's accusation as true? Is this why he says later in 1.5, "O most pernicious woman!"? Does this throw light on Hamlet's line to Horatio in 5.2: "He that hath killed my king and whored my mother"? (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kimberly Nolan Date: Wednesday, 10 Nov 1993 18:57:28 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0747 Re: Gertrude Yes David--it certainly seems plausable to me. My feeling has always been that Hamlet Sr. was not a particularly devoted husband--or king for that matter. He is not concerned with *domestic* affairs. I am also always fascinated by Hamlet's description of Gertrude in I.ii "why she would hang on him as if increase of appetite had grown by what it fed on." Again I wonder if she was every really *fed*, is her true crime an excess of desire--always a transgression for women of this period. K. Nolan (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Cary M. Mazer Date: Thursday, 11 Nov 93 8:48:42 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0747 Re: Gertrude Re: Gertrude: Let me second Fran Teague's gracious seconding of me, and draw your attention to Ellen O'Brien's essay, in a recent *Shakespeare Survey*, on actresses' performances of Gertrude vis-a-vis standard cuts in the performance texts of *Hamlet*, which explores how the performances of the role that individual actresses were able to build were shaped by the "map" of the role provided by the scripts they had at hand. (I write this after seeing ACTER's splendid touring 5-actor *Hamlet* last night, and after a long conversation with Miranda Foster about how her protrayal of Gertrude was shaped by the experience of doubling Ophelia, and vice versa). Cary M. Mazer To Terence Hawkes: Terry, Your move. Cary ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 11 Nov 1993 12:22:45 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0765 The Shakespeare Database Project Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 765. Thursday, 11 November 1993. From: H. Joachim Neuhaus" Date: Thursday, 11 Nov 1993 12:46:27 EST Subject: Shakespeare Database Project Shakespeare Database Project enters publication phase The Shakespeare Database Project at the Westfaelische Wilhelms-Universitaet Muenster, Germany published its first book publication at the 1993 Frankfurt Book Fair. Marvin Spevack (1993), A Shakespeare Thesaurus, Hildesheim, Zuerich, New York: Georg Olms Verlag. XXVI/541 pp. cloth ISBN 3-487-09775-3 DM 98.00; paperback ISBN 3-487-09776-1 DM 39.80 This new work is the first attempt to organize and classify the entire Shakespearean vocabulary. It presents the "world" which is to be derived from Shakespeare's ideolect and gives a vivid impression of the surrounding Elizabethan world. The perspective is thus not solely personal or literary or linguistic but also historical, sociological, and cultural. This classified inventory consists of 37 main groups and 897 subgroups, ranging from the Physical World to Sense Perception to Law to Religion to Time to Space. Special attention is given to such dominating interests as Communication and Motion, Solidarity and Warfare. Detailed are such things and words as horses and health, clothes and colours, swords and social structures, earth and education, gout and government, plants and pride. To account for the entire vocabulary, certain groups not normally found in a work of this kind have been formed. The largest consists of the names of places and persons arranged so as to constitute a map and a pocket history, mythology, and onomasticon. Others include malaproprisms, oaths, Latin and French words. ----------------------------------------------------------- The Shakespeare Database Project will publish further printed reference works early in 1994. For personal computer users, there will also be a self-contained Shakespeare Database CD-ROM product. Since 1990 the project has been using a dedicated VAXstation cluster as a production platform. The database uses Digital's rdb database software. The relational database design stresses the integration of editorial, linguistic, literary, and theatrical information by setting up 17 database *entities* with well over a hundred *attributes*. The Thesaurus Entity, just published in book-form, is one of these. *Cardinality* values for database entities range from 2,500 to over one million records per entity. Statistical and graphical data are included in the database. Besides standard query-languages such as SQL various custom-made access methods are also supported. There are traditional, philological entry points such as textual collation and editing with access to all copy-texts and variant readings. Electronic facsimile pages of early quarto and folio printings are accessible via play (act, scene, line, speech prefix) and word (lemma, wordform, morpheme) references. Linguistically oriented *datastructures*, such as wordformation down to the level of the morpheme, and inflection can be explored directly. Shakespeare's vocabulary is also accessible by means of etymological or chronological query strategies, including information on first occurrence in Early Modern English. The CD-ROM version for personal computer users will first support Microsoft Windows and will include navigational support. It will not presuppose relational database technicalities, such as SQL, etc. Shakespeare Database Project Univ.-Prof. Dr. H. J. Neuhaus Direktor des Englischen Seminars Westfaelische Wilhelms-Universitaet Johannisstrasse 12-20 D-48143 Muenster, Germany Internet Address: Telephone (voice & answering): +49 251 834294 (fax): +49 251 838353 ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 11 Nov 1993 11:18:11 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0755 Re: Riverside Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 755. Thursday, 11 November 1993. (1) From: Fran Teague Date: Wednesday, 10 Nov 93 09:58:54 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0753 Q: Riverside Shakespeare (2) From: Peter David Seary Date: Wednesday, 10 Nov 1993 15:28:38 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0753 Q: Riverside Shakespeare (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Fran Teague Date: Wednesday, 10 Nov 93 09:58:54 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0753 Q: Riverside Shakespeare The WordCruncher software that is marketed by Electronic Text Corporation uses the Riverside text (but does not include any of the Riverside apparatus -- glosses, introductions, etc.) We bought this text retrieval and analysis program and several UGa faculty use it regularly in their classrooms (it includes a fair number of other texts on a CD-ROM disk). The classes work well, although one does have to revise how one teaches. We've been told, alas, that ETC is in the process of going out of business, or at least of going out of that business. Since this firm is the only one I know of that pays attention to the sort of text they choose (i.e., the Riverside of Shakespeare, the Library of the America for other authors), that's sad news. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Peter David Seary Date: Wednesday, 10 Nov 1993 15:28:38 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0753 Q: Riverside Shakespeare The Riverside Shakespeare is available with Word Cruncher from: James Johnston 1-801-756-1111 Educational Software Johnston and Company P.O. Box 446 American Fork Utah 84003 Peter Seary (pseary@epas.utoronto.ca) ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 11 Nov 1993 11:54:24 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0760 Re: Hypermedia Meeting at SAA Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 760. Thursday, 11 November 1993. (1) From: Michael Mullin Date: Wednesday, 10 Nov 1993 13:42:59 -0600 Subj: Re: Hypermedia Meeting at SAA (2) From: William Kemp Date: Wednesday, 10 Nov 93 18:41:38 EST Subj: Hypertext at SAA (3) From: William Godshalk Date: Wednesday, 10 Nov 1993 16:39:46 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0751 Re: Hypertext Conference (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Michael Mullin Date: Wednesday, 10 Nov 1993 13:42:59 -0600 Subject: Re: Hypermedia Meeting at SAA Barry Gaines said he'd help locate the necessary equipment. Let's look for a time that suits our convenience--maybe early one evening?--and take a look at what's in the works. I can bring a copy of the prototype we're developing. Could others who are interested please drop me a line, so we have a list and an idea of numbers? Thanks. MICHAEL Michael Mullin motley@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu Department of English University of Illinois Urbana, IL 61821 USA 217/333-5858 (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Kemp Date: Wednesday, 10 Nov 93 18:41:38 EST Subject: Hypertext at SAA Another yes vote for an SAA session on Hypertext. I assume that we're talking about a seminar here -- more interesting than a general session. Bill Kemp Mary Washington College Fredericksburg, Va. wkemp@s850.mwc.edu (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Godshalk Date: Wednesday, 10 Nov 1993 16:39:46 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0751 Re: Hypertext Conference Michael: If indeed you are putting together a list of people interested in meeting at the SAA, please include my name. I need to know more about hypertext and its uses. Thanks. Yours, Bill Godshalk, Dept. of English, U. of Cincinnati 45221-0069 ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 11 Nov 1993 11:58:16 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0761 Re: Ontology, Shakespeare, and History Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 761. Thursday, 11 November 1993. From: Nancy W Miller Date: Wednesday, 10 Nov 93 15:31:19 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0749 Re: Ontology, Shakespeare, and History Bill, Literature as history--I'm really invoking Louis Montrose's formula here, which he expresses as two interrelated ideas: "the historicity of texts" and "the textuality of history." I think we're in general agreement about the first term--all texts are embedded in history (hence we "use" history to enlighten our reading of texts), but the second (and its relationship to the first) appears to be our site of disagreement. I take "the textuality of history" to mean that this whole thing we call "history" is comprised of received texts, which are then compiled and interpreted by historians, who are themselves bringing a host of internal and external (cultural, social, psychological, ideological, etc.) operatives to bear on that which they read. This is further complicated by the fact that the text was originally written by someone with his or her own set of baggage which is (in my view) culturally determined (or at the very least affected). The road to "meaning" is certainly a bit muddy, but with our recognition that texts and history are interpenetrating (if you wish to accept this theoretical approach, that is), we can attempt to piece together material conditions (some deny that material conditions exist beyond texts. I'm not sure yet ). I guess what I'm really saying here (in far too many words) is that we shouldn't distinguish literary texts from non-literary texts ("documents") as make-believe vs. true. Both types of literature are both make-believe and true depending upon the questions you ask those texts. Nowhere am I making the claim that all readers or audience members will have identical reactions to any literary/dramatic work, but the basis for the variety of ideas about a wife's proper role/duties in the marriage relationship that are evoked in *Shrew* or *Kindness* (certainly the issues of obedience in *Shrew* and constancy in *Kindness*) should be determinable as a part of the socio-historical context. (And yes, I would argue that a lot of these ideas would be understood by the audience like Aristotle's tacit third term in an enthymeme). Take for example the "Homily on Matrimony," which was available in every church in England and preached at weddings. Its lengthy diatribe on wifely obedience, whether or not indicative of the actual behavior of wives in Early Modern England, works as a very informative companion piece to *Shrew*. I hope I haven't overstepped my allotted screen-space! N. Miller ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 11 Nov 1993 12:06:05 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0763 [was 4.SHK 0763] Re: *Titus* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 763. Thursday, 11 November 1993. From: James Schaefer Date: Wednesday, 10 Nov 1993 14:48:26 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0748 Re: *Titus* Again re: John Harrison's question, there was a production of *Titus* at the American Players Theatre in Spring Green, WI in the summer of 1980. My memory is that it was not harrowing, but overplayed. Jim Schaefer ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 11 Nov 1993 12:12:26 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0764 *Measure* in History Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 764. Thursday, 11 November 1993. From: Al Cacicedo Date: Thursday, 11 Nov 1993 0:14:34 -0500 (EST) Subject: *Measure* in history The recent argument concerning *Measure for Measure* and its connection to marriage practices in England during the early modern period parallels a series of articles that runs from from Ernest Schanzer in "The Marriage-Contracts in *Measure for Measure* (*ShS* 13 (1960): 81-89, who finds an absolute continuity between the play and social custom, to Margaret Scott in "'Our City's Institutions': Some Further Reflections on the Marriage Contracts in *Measure for Measure*" (*ELH* 49.4 (1982): 790-804, who argues that the law of the play's Vienna "is fictional law, the like of which has never been enacted in England, nor, so far as I know, in Vienna" (792) and therefore says nothing about social expectations in early modern England. As I see it, both of those perspectives are wrong. Schanzer's argument is wrong because indeed there never was such a law in England; Scott is wrong because social custom and law are not equivalent things, so that the play (or any play) can give voice to expectations, fears, tensions, etc. not actually inscribed in law. I think of Stanley Kubrick's *Dr. Strangelove* and the doomsday bomb of that film--a complete "fiction," of course, but also a completely accurate representation of the tensions and anxieties of the Cold War. In any case, Shakespeare certainly seems to consider, in one play or another, almost (and that modifier is there as a hedge against my ignorance) all the possible ways of becoming married available in early modern England, from marriage by spousals such as Claudio says he has contracted with Juliet, to clandestine marriage such as Romeo and Juliet contract, to priest-officiated, church-celebrated marriage such as that between Petruchio and Katherina--and then there are the problematic marriages, like Gertrude's to Claudio or (potentially) Cleopatra's to Antony. Much recent work has shown the ways in which marriage practices address issues of gender formation, and I think Shakespeare's plays are documents in which such formation is both affirmed and questioned. I simply cannot believe that one can consider those marriages with no reference to the practices and expectations of early modern England. When Ann Cox recently wrote that "Gertrude's act of marrying Claudius is not just bad judgement in choosing an evil man or being disloyal to her husband's memory, she is, in the social mores of the 17th century, committing incest. This is the reason she is so reviled" (4.0730), I imagine no one said that the mores of the 17th century are irrelevant to understanding *Hamlet*. Why then is it an irrelevancy in regards *Measure* to understand the way in which marriage practices inscribe gender expectations in the 17th century? An inquiring mind wants to know, Al Cacicedo (alc@joe.alb.edu) Albright College ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 12 Nov 1993 07:55:13 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0766 Re: The Ghost in *Hamlet* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 766. Friday, 12 November 1993. (1) From: Phyllis Rackin Date: Thursday, 11 Nov 1993 12:42:18 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0758 Q: The Ghost in *Hamlet* (2) From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Friday, November 12, 1993 Subject: Re: The Ghost in *Hamlet* (3) From: Timothy Dayne Pinnow Date: Thursday, 11 Nov 93 11:44:22 CST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0758 Q: The Ghost in *Hamlet* (4) From: Sean Lawrence Date: Thursday, 11 Nov 1993 14:52:51 -0400 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0758 Q: The Ghost in *Hamlet* (5) From: Lars Engle Date: Thursday, 11 Nov 1993 14:56:09 GMT Subj: RE: SHK 4.0758 Q: The Ghost in *Hamlet* (6) From: William Godshalk Date: Thursday, 11 Nov 1993 16:43:55 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0758 Q: The Ghost in *Hamlet* (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Phyllis Rackin Date: Thursday, 11 Nov 1993 12:42:18 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0758 Q: The Ghost in *Hamlet* How does your student account for the stage directions in I.i., which have the ghost entering and exiting twice? Is the audience supposed to assume that they, along with the guards, are suffering from mass hysteria? (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Friday, November 12, 1993 Subject: Re: The Ghost in *Hamlet* Surely, those on stage hear the Ghost say "Swear" at 1.5, lines 149, 155, 161, and 181. (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Timothy Dayne Pinnow Date: Thursday, 11 Nov 93 11:44:22 CST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0758 Q: The Ghost in *Hamlet* In reply to John Cox, I recently played Claudius is a production where the ghost was a hallucination of Hamlet. In fact, Hamlet Sr.'s lines were read by Hamlet Jr. in a sort of "vomitting forth." Half the lines were spoken live and half were taped and played through a sound system with some computer alteration. In practice, it didn't really seem to work that well for the production (probably because the actor playing Hamlet had one Hell of a time trying to carry on a dialog within himself for the whole scene). However, in listening and watching, I really could find no textual evidence or logical flaws to suggest that it couldn't be played that way. I also note, concerning our previous discussion of Gertrude, that the actress playing Gertrude in the above-mentioned production become more and more convinced as she played her, that Gertrude did have some kind of knowledge about the murder and that she had been having, at least, a serious flirtation with Claudius prior to the marriage. She also felt that Gertrude was extremely intelligent and may have feigned much of the shock and surprise of the closet scene and elsewhere in order to throw off suspicion. An interesting reading, and not one I'm sure I'd follow, but it certainly does show that one line can be read in an infinite number of ways--to be judged only by the logic of the special world of that particular production Timothy Dayne Pinnow Dept. of Speech-Theater St. Olaf College pinnow@stolaf.edu ph. 507/646-3327 (4)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Sean Lawrence Date: Thursday, 11 Nov 1993 14:52:51 -0400 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0758 Q: The Ghost in *Hamlet* John: Doesn't someone in 1.1 describe the ghost's frown? "So frown'd he when he slew the sledded Polacks on the ice" or something to that effect. This would seem to indicate that they were not merely mistaking a bush for a bear (to continue your use of Theseus' example), but saw its fangs. Just my two cents' worth, Sean Lawrence. (5)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Lars Engle Date: Thursday, 11 Nov 1993 14:56:09 GMT Subject: RE: SHK 4.0758 Q: The Ghost in *Hamlet* It's hard for me to imagine the ghost as a hallucination when it has been seen thrice by Marcellus et. al. and twice by Horatio, none of whom has any pressing psychological reason to be hallucinating about old Hamlet. That is, the "species of mass hysteria" John Cox talks of *precedes* the appearance of the ghost to the person who might be prone to hallucinate it. Lars Engle, U. of Tulsa (6)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Godshalk Date: Thursday, 11 Nov 1993 16:43:55 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0758 Q: The Ghost in *Hamlet* My students make the suggestion that the ghost is an hallucination - recurrently. Kenneth Myrick used to say that that was why Shakespeare made Horatio a skeptic; he doesn't believe in ghosts, so when he sees it, its existence is confirmed! What do you think? Bill Godshalk ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 12 Nov 1993 08:03:35 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0767 The Power of Electronic Tools Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 767. Friday, 12 November 1993. From: Timothy Bowden Date: Thursday, 11 Nov 93 10:11:30 PST Subject: [Power of Electronic Tools] Some years ago, there drifted out of the literary movement which was forming as I was a testament by Allen Ginsberg consisting of a quote attributed through William Burroughs to Shakespeare. The immediate reference was to the literate and learned style of Mr Burroughs in those early Columbia days, the subtext was the rising above petty contention, and the lines ran something like: `It's an argument too starved for my sword.' Now, I've used that line (and the incomplete source) for years myself, yet being neither a Bard scholar nor having easy access to one before now, I never sought out just precisely where or even if the phrase occurred in the works. The burden, physical, and mental, of research just became easier. In place of my ten pound volume of Complete Works, I now have a shiny wafer just over four inches in diameter. I slip it into my Mac and I query it about the line I've been carrying in my head so long. The screen shows me in nanoseconds Act I Scene I of _Troilus and Cressida_: TROILUS: Peace, you ungracious clamours! peace, rude sounds! Fools on both sides! Helen must needs be fair, When with your blood you daily paint her thus. I cannot fight upon this argument; It is too starved a subject for my sword. There is more to scholarship than the indexing of quotes, but I wonder if there is not back in the musty shelves behind the research desks of many libraries the lurking literary luddities who resent how the modern age places such powerful tools into the hands of mere neophytes - why, there is available the technology to move a mouse to the textual presence of Gertrude and with a click cause to appear all the world's wisdom on this much-maligned lady... ========================================================= tcbowden@clovis.felton.ca.us (Timothy Bowden) uunet!scruz.ucsc.edu!clovis.felton.ca.us!tcbowden Clovis in Felton, CA ========================================================= ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 12 Nov 1993 08:10:39 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0769 Re: Hypermedia Meeting at SAA Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 769. Friday, 12 November 1993. (1) From: Thomas Blackburn Date: Thursay, 11 Nov 1993 14:31:52 +0000 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0760 Re: Hypermedia Meeting at SAA (2) From: Al Cacicedo Date: Thursday, 11 Nov 1993 16:53:28 -0500 (EST) Subj: RE: SHK 4.0760 Re: Hypermedia Meeting at SAA (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Thomas Blackburn Date: Thursday, 11 Nov 1993 14:31:52 +0000 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0760 Re: Hypermedia Meeting at SAA Michael, I don't know if I can by the have a transportable version of my hypercard/quicktime stack of soliloquies from Hamlet and Macbeth, but put me down as interested in the meeting. Cheers, Tom Blackburn Thomas H. Blackburn Centennial Professor of English Swarthmore College 500 College Avenue Swarthmore, PA 19081-1397 tblackb1@cc.swarthmore.edu (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Al Cacicedo Date: Thursday, 11 Nov 1993 16:53:28 -0500 (EST) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0760 Re: Hypermedia Meeting at SAA Michael, I too would like to learn more about hypermedia. If you're thinking of doing something at the SAA, please let me know. Thanks, Al Cacicedo Dept. of English Albright College P. O. Box 15234 Reading, PA 19612-5234 (alc@joe.ald.edu) ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 12 Nov 1993 08:22:21 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0770 Re: Gertrude, Incest, and Adultery Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 770. Friday, 12 November 1993. (1) From: Karin Youngberg Date: Thursday, 11 Nov 1993 15:33:30 GMT-500 Subj: Re: Gertrude (2) From: Kimberly Nolan Date: Thursday, 11 Nov 1993 15:38:41 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0737 Re: Incest (3) From: A.G. Bennett Date: Thursday, 11 Nov 1993 17:14 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0759 Re: Gertrude (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Karin Youngberg Date: Thursday, 11 Nov 1993 15:33:30 GMT-500 Subject: Re: Gertrude >Let me try again to pose my question: when the Ghost says, "Ay, that >incestuous, that adulterate beast," he makes two charges against Claudius (and >I assume Gertrude). The charge of incest would apply whether Claudius is alive >or dead (thus, he says later in the speech, "Let not the royal bed of Denmark >be/A couch for luxury and damned incest"). But could Claudius and Gertrude be >regarded as adulterous if their relationship began after King Hamlet had died? >I don't think so. Two possibilities exist here: 1) Gertrude was unfaithful >while her first husband was alive (how does the Ghost know this? That's not >clear,but neither is it clear how he learns that Claudius poured hebona in his >ear); 2) Gertrude was not adulterous, but the Ghost thinks of himself as still >alive & therefore makes his accusation. Perhaps we might add a third possibility here. The word "adulterous" is glossed in the OED as meaning in the sixteenth century "pertaining to or characterized by adulteration," i.e counterfeit or spurious. Although admittedly the proximity of the word "incest" and the bedroom setting would focus attention on sexual activity, the sense of counterfeit, or not being what one appears to be, is certainly in keeping with sentiments Hamlet expresses in his first soliloquy and elsewhere. Karin Youngberg ENYOUNGBERG@AUGUSTANA.EDU (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kimberly Nolan Date: Thursday, 11 Nov 1993 15:38:41 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0737 Re: Incest I think we need to be carefule about reading the incest issue in _Hamlet_ too literally. I found Bruce Boehrer's book _Monarchy and Incest in Ren- aissance England_ to be very useful. I haven't looked at it in a year so I hesitate to try to articulate his thesis, but I believe he argues that the theme of incest was firmly imbedded in the Elizabethan and Jacobean consciousness as a symbol for variuos shifts in kinship, family structure, and issues of inheritance. I feel that I've made a mess of his fine work, the citation I am thinking of is on pages 11-13 of the book mentioned above. I hope someone with a better background in this area can add to our discussion. Speaking of inheritance--has anyone thought of Claudius as a second son fraught with all the baggage that role carries? K. Nolan (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: A.G. Bennett Date: Thursday, 11 Nov 1993 17:14 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0759 Re: Gertrude James Schiffer asked, "Could Claudius and Gertrude be regarded as adulterous if their relationship began after King Hamlet had died?" I think the answer could very well be yes, if we consider the degrees of consanguinity which forbade marriage among close relations-- as far as I know, Leviticus 18.16 ("Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother's wife: it is thy brother's nakedness") is probably still a guideline for the canon laws against incest in Shakespeare's time-- Leviticus 18 as a whole is the basis on which those laws were built, I think. Intriguingly enough, Leviticus 18.16 was also the verse on which Henry VIII based his case for divorcing Katherine of Aragon, which raises the question of whether the memory of that uproar might have provided an added dimension to contemporary audiences.... Just my hap'orth.... Alex Bennett (bennett@binah.cc.brandeis.edu) ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 12 Nov 1993 08:27:21 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0771 Re: Shakespeare, Ontology, and History Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 771. Friday, 12 November 1993. From: William Godshalk Date: Thursday, 11 Nov 1993 17:02:22 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0761 Re: Ontology, Shakespeare, and History Nancy, Thanks for your reply. Now I understand. Recently in a review, Frank Kermode argued, pursuasively, I think, that we should distinguish among documents. He suggested, as I recall, that we should consider the intention. As I recall, he uses the illustration of a subway schedule and a play. I could be wrong, but aren't these two different kinds of historical document? Their functions as well as the intentions of their authors are quite different. Yours, Bill ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 12 Nov 1993 08:32:01 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0772 Re: Literacy Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 772. Friday, 12 November 1993. (1) From: William Godshalk Date: Thursday, 11 Nov 1993 16:47:58 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: 4.SHK 0762 Q: Literacy (2) From: Paul Budra Date: Thursday, 11 Nov 93 20:19:30 PST Subj: Re: 4.SHK 0762 Q: Literacy (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Godshalk Date: Thursday, 11 Nov 1993 16:47:58 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: 4.SHK 0762 Q: Literacy William Manchester, A WORLD LIT ONLY BY FIRE, gives a series of literacy rates by profession - as I recall. Of course, this is not a work presenting primary research, and I can't remember when he got those rates! Bill Godshalk (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Paul Budra Date: Thursday, 11 Nov 93 20:19:30 PST Subject: Re: 4.SHK 0762 Q: Literacy RE. K. Nolan's question on literacy rates. See the work of both Daniel Woolf, who is interested in the transmission of historical information among the illiterate in the early modern period, and Margaret Spufford, who takes Cressy to task for some oversight in enumeration. Be sure to check out the bibliographies in both authors' works. That should get you started. Paul Budra SFU ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 12 Nov 1993 08:35:02 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0773 Marriage in Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 773. Friday, 12 November 1993. From: Martin Green Date: Thursday, 11 Nov 93 20:51:59 -0400 Subject: Marriage in Shakespeare Al Cacicedo is quite right in arguing that 16th & 17th century English history informs Shakespeare's plays. For example: Shakespeare's audience knew that Gertrude committed a grave sin, because most people remembered that the basis for the annulment of Henry VIII's marriage to Catherine of Aragon was the conclusion of the Convocation of English Clerics, on 5 April 1533, that a marriage of a man to his deceased brother's wife was forbidden by divine law which no Pope could waive (Scarisbrick, _Henry VIII_, pp. 311-312) (as the Pope had purported to do in giving Henry VIII a dispensation to marry his deceased brother's wife); also, many in Shakespeare's audience may have known that Henry VIII sought to invalidate his marriage to Anne of Cleves on the ground that she had been promised, in words of the present tense, to the son of the Duke of Lorraine (Letters and Papers of Henry VIII XV, No. 821(5), p. 387); and later, Henry attempted to invalidate his marriage to Catherine Howard because she had been previously betrothed to Francis Dereham (ibid., XVI, No. 1328, p. 611). (In both cases, he was unable to substantiate his claims, and had to resort to other methods to divest himself of these wives.) I cannot understand how anyone, seeking a source, explanation, or reason, for stories, customs or mores in Shakespeare's plays, would not turn first to the literature, practices and laws of Shakespeare's England. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 12 Nov 1993 08:38:17 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0774 Article about Peter Brook Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 774. Friday, 12 November 1993. From: Simon Rae Date: Friday, 12 Nov 1993 11:44:02 +0000 Subject: article re: Peter Brook An interesting article in the London Times Features Section - Thu, 11 Nov 93: "Stages in a search for truth" by James Woodall reports on Peter Brook "one of the central figures in postwar theatre" and his return to the London stage. The article talks of his "1970 RSC A Midsummer Night's Dream" "hailed as a 20th-century theatrical milestone", his first book "The Empty Space" (1968), his second book, "The Shifting Point", (1988) and his forthcoming volume of theatrical essays, "There Are No Secrets" (to be published by Methuen). The article continues: > Does the new book pick up where The Empty Space left off? ``One > can never express oneself clearly enough,'' Brook says. ``This > book takes what's in The Empty Space, and makes it more specific > and, I hope, simpler. I was careful, in The Empty Space, to avoid > giving any exercises that could be latched onto and used as a > method, as I know how harmful that can be. Here, I give more precise > examples of what I do with actors, with the same warnings: > if these examples are not used mechanically, they can help someone > to find his own equivalents.'' Brook is quoted as saying: ``Ever since I began working outside European culture, I have realised, like Coriolanus, that there is `a world elsewhere'. What interests me is to bring these worlds together, to see how something of the one can bring out something new and deeper in the other.'' Cheers Simon ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 13 Nov 1993 09:11:54 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0775 Re: Gertrude, Incest, and Adultery Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 775. Saturday, 13 November 1993. (1) From: Steve Urkowitz Date: Friday, 12 Nov 93 08:44:48 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0747 Re: Gertrude (2) From: Milla Riggio Date: Friday, 12 Nov 1993 09:46:41 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0770 Re: Gertrude, Incest, and Adultery (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Steve Urkowitz Date: Friday, 12 Nov 93 08:44:48 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0747 Re: Gertrude Though I had to be so retrograde as to refer to print media, I've had some things to say about Gertrude, her possible bovine qualities, and her poignancy as made visible in the alternative texts of Hamlet's play. (Or three plays.) "Well-sayd olde Mole": Burying Three HAMLETs in Modern Editions," in Georgianna Ziegler, SHAKESPEARE STUDY TODAY (1986), and "Five Women Eleven Ways: Changing Images of Shakespearean Characters in the Earliest Texts," in Werner Habicht, et al ., IMAGES OF SHAKESPEARE (1988). Various brain-researchers report that brains seem to respond best to perceived impressions of differences--things like boundary conditions and objects in motion through time and space. Watching the difference in the Q1-Q2-F texts can offer a literary equivalent to watching parallel clips of the "same" passage of text as performed in the Olivier HAMLET, the BBC Jacobi HAMLET, and the recent Mel Gibson version. Different Gertrudes, an embarassment of riches on paper and video . . . Best wishes on your explorations, Steve Explorowitz surcc@cunyvm (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Milla Riggio Date: Friday, 12 Nov 1993 09:46:41 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0770 Re: Gertrude, Incest, and Adultery On the question of adultery committed after Claudius's death: Was this not, more or less, the trumped-up-charge on which Henry VIII tried to get his marriage to Katherine annulled, that it was -- not adultery -- but incest to be married to his brother's betrothed? --Milla Riggio ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 13 Nov 1993 09:31:44 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0776 Re: Marriage in Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 776. Saturday, 13 November 1993. (1) From: Fran Teague Date: Friday, 12 Nov 93 09:01:51 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0773 Marriage in Shakespeare (2) From: William Godshalk Date: Friday, 12 Nov 1993 23:29:49 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0773 Marriage in Shakespeare (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Fran Teague Date: Friday, 12 Nov 93 09:01:51 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0773 Marriage in Shakespeare While one certainly wants to find clear explanations for events in Shakespeare's plays, is it really safe to assume that the connections we find so clear cut and obvious (such as Henry VIII's marriage to Catherine of Aragon and Claudius' to Gertrude) were the first things that a member of the original audience brought to mind? To play devil's advocate, let me offer an instance. In Shaw's _Major Barbara_ a key plot turn occurs when Cusins reveals that he is not legitimate because of his parents' questionable marriage: "Their marriage is legal in Australia, but not in England. My mother is my father's deceased wife's sister; and in this island I am consequently a foundling." Now can we say that because Shaw is so very conscious of Shakespeare and his works (easily demonstrated ) that Shaw must have intended us to connect this moment to a parallel marriage in _Hamlet_, viz., that Hamlet's mother is his stepfather's deceased brother's wife? (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Godshalk Date: Friday, 12 Nov 1993 23:29:49 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0773 Marriage in Shakespeare Martin, I suppose that I may be one of the people you are puzzled about. Yes, you are quite right, were I looking for a source or explanation, I would begin with the literature of Shakespeare's time. In fact, I do begin there! My problem is more theoretical. When I write fiction, my imagination (no matter how culturally constructed that imagination is) mediates between reality as I construct it or perceive it (no matter how culturally constructed that perception is) and my fiction (no matter how, etc.). My imagination can distort my perception of reality a great deal. I can imagine a reality that I have never experienced. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., "' Authenticity,' or the Lesson of Little Tree," NY TIMES BOOK REVIEW, 24 Nov. 1991, 1, 26ff., asserts: "No human culture is inaccessible to someone who makes the effort to understamd, to learn, to inhabit another world" (30). Gates's point is that we are not culture-bound, that the human imagination does wonderful things. In other words, is Hamlet's world really just a point by point projection of Will's world? Does Will's imagination mediate between the world of physical history and the world of fantasy? And, yes, I know that Will has to create that world with physical things: pen, paper, actors, a playhouse. But is that world in which Hamlet lives in the present tense the same as the world in which Will lived in the past tense? The Pope, for example, doesn't exist in Hamlet's world. Inquiringly yours, Bill Godshalk ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 13 Nov 1993 09:48:59 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0777 Re: Shakespeare, Ontology, History, and Subway Schedules Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 777. Saturday, 13 November 1993. (1) From: Melissa Aaron Date: Friday, 12 Nov 1993 08:27:40 +0200 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0771 Re: Shakespeare, Ontology, and History (2) From: Timothy Bowden Date: Friday, 12 Nov 93 07:12:26 PST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0771 Re: Shakespeare, Ontology, and History (3) From: Nancy W Miller Date: Friday, 12 Nov 93 13:32:28 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0771 Re: Shakespeare, Ontology, and History (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Melissa Aaron Date: Friday, 12 Nov 1993 08:27:40 +0200 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0771 Re: Shakespeare, Ontology, and History > Recently in a review, Frank Kermode argued, pursuasively, I think, > that we should distinguish among documents. He suggested, as I recall, > that we should consider the intention. As I recall, he uses the > illustration of a subway schedule and a play. I could be wrong, but > aren't these two different kinds of historical document? Their > functions as well as the intentions of their authors are quite > different. I agree that they are two different types of document. But (for example) the subway schedule often containments advertisements, trying to sell you something. In the Chicago Metro schedule or the CTA brochures, it's usually itself--and indirectly the city government that supports it. The play may criticize that same government, directly or indirectly, but matters will be complicated by whether or not it has recieved Arts Council funding, whether it's aimed at local or tourists, etc. In this case, looking at a subway map next to a play might make sense. Whether or not this can be done with Shakespeare is another matter. Respectfully, M.A. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Timothy Bowden Date: Friday, 12 Nov 93 07:12:26 PST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0771 Re: Shakespeare, Ontology, and History I think the subway schedule may be more in the realm of the `Wishful Prophetic', like cave paintings of earlier eras in which a bison on the walls was meant to conjure one in the next day's hunt. tcbowden@clovis.felton.ca.us (Timothy Bowden) (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Nancy W Miller Date: Friday, 12 Nov 93 13:32:28 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0771 Re: Shakespeare, Ontology, and History Bill, Ah yes--the sticky issue of intentionality. Even if we leave that issue aside for the time, I would have to say that I certainly agree that the function of a subway schedule is not the same as that of a play. But we do understand that, don't we? We can apply the same sort of understanding of different functions to a statute and a ballad (for example). Both of these documents may be discussing the same topic in vastly different ways that can inform a reading of both. The contemporary analog to a subway schedule--a livery stable book of accounts, perhaps?--may offer, say, some information on movement around London that is of interest to someone reading city comedies (or whatever). (I'm fully expecting someone to jump in here and discuss the distinction between "function" and "intention") Nancy ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 13 Nov 1993 10:54:59 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0778 Re: Literacy Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 778. Saturday, 13 November 1993. (1) From: Ron Strickland Date: Friday, 12 Nov 1993 10:08:31 +22306512 (CST) Subj: Re: 4.SHK 0762 Q: Literacy (2) From: Lyn Tribble Date: Friday, 12 Nov 93 09:26:48 EST Subj: Literacy (3) From: Nancy W Miller Date: Friday, 12 Nov 93 13:50:43 EST Subj: Re: 4.SHK 0762 Q: Literacy (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ron Strickland Date: Friday, 12 Nov 1993 10:08:31 +22306512 (CST) Subject: Re: 4.SHK 0762 Q: Literacy I don't think anyone has mentioned Laura C. Stevensen's _Praise and Paradox: Merchants and Craftsmen in Elizabethan Popular Literature_ as a source for information on women's literacy in the seventeenth century. She's concerned mainly with the late sixteenth century, but in the third chapter she has a useful discussion of literacy, including women's literacy. She argues that many more men and women could read than could write, so that Cressy's estimates based on signatures in church records, etc. may actually under- estimate literacy rates. -- Ron Strickland (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Lyn Tribble Date: Friday, 12 Nov 93 09:26:48 EST Subject: Literacy When considering issues of literacy in early modern England, it's important to be clear about what you're studying. Cressy has done a great deal of archival work to determine what percentage of people could sign their names to legal documents of various sorts. While useful, this study provides a very partial view of "literacy" (as Cressy himself acknowledges). Reading and writing were separately learned skills in this period; reading was often taught in unschooled settings, while writing was usually taught later and in formal settings (generally to boys, not girls). Knowing whether someone could sign his or her name tells us very little about reading ability; thus, literacy statistics of this sort will give a distorted view of reading abilities, particularly among women. Keith Thomas has argued, I think persuasively, that we should think of "literacies" rather than "literacy" in this period. His article on "The Meaning of Literacy in Early Modern England," in *The Written Word: Literacy in Transition* (London: Clarendon Press, 1986) is essential reading. He doesn't provide many answers, but he is very helpful on ways of evaluating evidence. Lyn Tribble / Dept. of English / Temple U / etrib@templevm (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Nancy W Miller Date: Friday, 12 Nov 93 13:50:43 EST Subject: Re: 4.SHK 0762 Q: Literacy > In our grad seminar on Feminism, Materialism and the Renaissance we have been > discussing literacy rates among women in the 16th and 17th centuries with > obvious questions about class. Aside form David Cressy's (sp?) book--does > anyone know of recent scholarship in this area? We are having trouble > tracking down a good source to help us address these issues. You may want to take a look at Suzanne C. Hull's book, *Chaste, Silent, and Obedient* (Huntington Library, 1983), which is a catalogue of books for women. Her project is aimed at rethinking women's literacy rates in early modern England and questioning whether the ability to write (or sign a document) is an adequate criterion for being considered "literate." ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 13 Nov 1993 11:09:48 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0779 Re: The Ghost in *Hamlet* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 779. Saturday, 13 November 1993. (1) From: David Slonosky <3NDS3@QUCDN.QueensU.CA> Date: Fri, 12 Nov 93 08:48:48 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0758 Q: The Ghost in *Hamlet* (2) From: Annalisa Castaldo Date: Friday, 12 Nov 93 13:20:35 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0758 Q: The Ghost in *Hamlet* (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: David Slonosky <3NDS3@QUCDN.QueensU.CA> Date: Fri, 12 Nov 93 08:48:48 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0758 Q: The Ghost in *Hamlet* My Drama professor mentioned a production he saw of Hamlet in which the approach was just that. When the "ghost" spoke, Hamlet actually started speaking in a different voice. The opening scene where Marcellus and Horatio see the ghost was explained by having the night being a _very_ foggy one and the image they saw being very unclear. In that context, the passage where they are saying "It looked like the king" was done in a half-doubtful fashion. My prof also said that it wasn't ultimately convincing (to him), but it was an interesting interpretation of the text. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Annalisa Castaldo Date: Friday, 12 Nov 93 13:20:35 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0758 Q: The Ghost in *Hamlet* In response to John Cox (and his student), I would suggest that the 16th century was much more receptive to the idea of ghosts than the 20th. Although there were several explanations (some of which Hamlet himself suggests--the ghost could be a devil or his father's ghost) the idea that ghosts were real was less often questioned than now. I would also point out that *Macbeth* features a ghost, three witches and a ghostly dagger. The dagger is considered, within the text, to be a hallucination. The ghost of Banquo could go either way. But the witches are definitely real. What I am trying to point out is that Shakespeare (and Shakespeare's age) was aware of hallucinations and if he had wanted to suggest to his audience that the ghost in *Hamlet* was a hallucination, he probably would have handled its presentation differently. I think that the fact that three people see the ghost before Hamlet (and when he is absent) is a clear sign to the audience that the ghost is real. Further, Horatio the scholar who knows Latin and science is introduced precisely so that he can be won over by the "realness" of the ghost's appearance. "Horatio says 'tis but our fancy/And will not let belief take hold of him" becomes "How now Horatio, is this not something more than fancy?" Horatio is convinced by "the sensible avouch of mine own eyes". As for the fact that the ghost does not speak, that is obviously designed to keep the audience on the ede of their seats, wondering what the ghost has to say. Annalisa Castaldo / Temple University ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 13 Nov 1993 11:31:35 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0780 Re: Riverside Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 780. Saturday, 13 November 1993. (1) From: Georgianna Ziegler Date: Friday, 12 Nov 1993 10:50:21 -0500 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0753 Q: Riverside Shakespeare (2) From: Steve Urkowitz Date: Saturday, 13 Nov 93 09:46:19 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0753 Q: Riverside Shakespeare (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Georgianna Ziegler Date: Friday, 12 Nov 1993 10:50:21 -0500 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0753 Q: Riverside Shakespeare The Riverside Shakespeare is available on WordCruncher in formats for CDRom or PC. You should contact Johnston & Company, Electronic Publishers & Consultants, P.O. Box 448, American Fork, Utah 84003 (Phone:801-756-1111) or (FAX 801-756-0242). For a useful discussion of the WordCruncher and Oxford formats, see "Electronic Texts in English and American Literature" by Anita Lowry in *Library Trends* Spring 1992, pp. 706 ff. The whole issue of this journal is very useful as it focuses on Electronic Information for the Humanities. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Steve Urkowitz Date: Saturday, 13 Nov 93 09:46:19 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0753 Q: Riverside Shakespeare The Wordcruncher/Riverside edition has been used in exquisite ways by Mike LoMonico, a SHAKSPER subscriber, for a variety of pedagogic ends. If you are plann ing detailed scholarly work, you might want to consult a variety of corrections to the Wordcruncher versions that Ken Steele found and reported here on SHAKSPER. (Ken's labors are somewhere recorded in SHAKSPER files, yes?) [Yes, there are three files on the SHAKSPER FileServer regarding WordCruncher and the Riverside Shakespeare. They are Michael Lamonico's "Teaching Shakespeare with a Computer" and "Seek Me Out By Computation" (COMPUTER TEACHING), Ken Steele's listing of errors in the Electronic Text Corporation WordCruncher Riverside Shakespeare (RIVERSID ERRORS), and Ken Steele's "`Look What Thy Memory Cannot Contain': The Shakespeare Electronic Text Archive." _Shakespeare Bulletin_ 7:5 (September/October 1989): 25-8. (WCRUNCHR SHAKSPER). To obtain these files, send the following message to LISTSERV@UTORONTO.BITNET: GET COMPUTER TEACHING SHAKSPER GET RIVERSID ERRORS SHAKSPER GET WCRUNCHR SHAKSPER SHAKSPER For an updated version of the file that lists the contents of the SHASKPER FileServer, add the command GET SHAKSPER FILES SHAKSPER to the list above. If you have any problems, you may, of course, contact me at HMCook@boe00.minc.umd.edu. --Hardy M. Cook Editor] ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 13 Nov 1993 12:01:27 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0782 Re: Power of Electronic Tools Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 782. Saturday, 13 November 1993. From: Paul Austin Date: Friday, 12 Nov 93 08:31:32 EST Subject: Power of Electronic tools by T. C. Bowden Those 'lurking luddities' who make their living doing research need need not fear. They will not be replaced by machines doing the nanosecond-swift searches - they will be doing them. Technological progress and human laziness seem to have a direct relationship. As it becomes easier to search for this information with nice tools such as your Mac and a CD-Rom, so will people become too lazy to do it for themselves and hire the bookworm to do it. I know. I work for a major computing company doing things just like that. The mechanics of the world like me need to know how to embrace these new tools. Sure, there are neophytes who will do it for them- selves, but there are also a lot of lazy department heads at colleges and lazy managers at corporations like this one. I am reminded by all the stories I hear from my parents (raised in the depression era) who tell me to be thankful for all that I have. Yet I can never find it more than measly and current. Now you and I see it that way but the next generation will say 'that search took x nanoseconds too long.' I hope to be in a retirement home at that point. On another note, has anyone considered the implications that all this technology will have on determining the 'canon' of a great writer? I keep multiple drafts of all my work, sometimes changing them for every submission I make to a magazine or contest. If I became a great writer and died, my wife could make a fortune selling the alternate drafts and people could argue for years about which is the 'real' draft. I am no great writer - but perhaps this is already happening somewhere? Paul Austin huckfinn@vnet.ibm.com ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 13 Nov 1993 12:04:52 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0783 Re: Audiences Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 783. Saturday, 13 November 1993. From: Thomas BlAckburn Date: Friday, 12 Nov 1993 08:54:52 +0000 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0754 Re: Audiences For a series of essays on audience response to English Renaissance Drama, see vol.xxvi, no. 1,(Spring, 1993), published by Georgia State University, including essays by Andrew Gurr, Phyllis Rackin, Juliet Dusinberre and Harriett Hawkins, among others, on topics ranging from the question of learned audiences to gender issues in RIII and Shrew, to Othello. Tom Blackburn Swarthmore College Tom Blackburn tblackb1@cc.swarthmore.edu ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 13 Nov 1993 12:07:18 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0784 Re: Libraries Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 784. Saturday, 13 November 1993. From: Georgianna Ziegler Date: Friday, 12 Nov 1993 10:56:06 -0500 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0752 Re: Libraries The Folger has entered about 20% of its modern books but less than 5% of its rare books onto RLIN (this would include ESTC). The Cataloging Dept. is involved in continuing re-conversion (re-con in library-speak) of the modern book collection, and that project is moving along well. All new cataloging of rare books is also done on RLIN. ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 13 Nov 1993 12:10:32 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0785 Societal Expectations and Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 785. Saturday, 13 November 1993. From: Rick Jones Date: Friday, 12 Nov 93 10:52:13 EST Subject: Societal expectations and Shakespeare The recent discussions of historicity and of Gertrude's guilt/innocence remind me of Laura Bohannon's intriguing article "Shakespeare in the Bush". Bohannon's tale of trying to prove the "universality" of Shakespeare makes for not only a thoroughly enjoyable read, but a portentous critique of the myriad cultural assumptions we all bring to every work of art. In attempting to explain this story of "things of long ago" to Tiv tribesman in West Africa, Bohannon meets every imaginable obstacle. There is no Tiv word for "scholar", so she describes Horatio as "one who knows things", unfortunately a standard euphemism for a witch. The Tiv elders then proceed to interpret the tale for themselves (and for Bohannon): Since ghosts don't exist, the apparition of Hamlet senior was actually an omen sent by a witch. Perplexed that Hamlet's father had but one wife, the Tiv elders at least take consolation in the fact that Claudius married Gertrude so quickly: he behaved exactly as a brother should in such unfortunate circumstances. Hamlet was wrong to attempt to avenge himself on Claudius: he should have taken the matter to Claudius' age-mates, who might perhaps have legitimately exacted vengeance. And *Laertes* killed Ophelia so he could sell her body to witches. At the end, the tribal elders graciously offer explain other tales to Bohannon: they, after all, are elders, she is young (and female). We respond to this active and honest misunderstanding with a mix of mirth and sympathy, but we are forced to acknowledge that cultural biases influence everything about our response to any aesthetic experience. Of course, a number of anthrolopogists have scoffed at Bohannon for "bad science" (proving that Shakespeare critics do not have a monopoly on ossification), but I've never seen any of them really dispute the accuracy of her observations. Thought this might brighten what is (around here, at least) a very November day. I'll dig up the citation if anyone's interested. -- Rick Jones strophius@aol.com ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 13 Nov 1993 12:13:59 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0786 Q: Isabella Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 786. Saturday, 13 November 1993. From: Ryan Latourette Date: Friday, 12 Nov 1993 14:08:24 -0500 (EST) Subject: Submission of a question My recent reading of _Measure_For_Measure_ has continually brought me back to a single question. Is Isabella conscious of the sexual entreaties by Angelo and therein use her sexuality as a woman to manipulate him, or is she too pure and naive to understand that Angelo wants her to tempt him? I have heard of productions that have represented her in both ways, but which has the most textual evidence? Ryan J. Latourette Michigan State University latouret@student.msu.edu ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 13 Nov 1993 12:19:11 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0787 Re: Hypertext Assignments Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 787. Saturday, 13 November 1993. From: Michael Best Date: Friday, 12 Nov 93 13:21:51 PST Subject: Hypertext Assignments A belated reply to Nick Clary's query about computers and hypertext. assignments. I give an opportunity for a non-traditional assignment in my year-long introductory Shakespeare survey course. So far the only assignment using computer was an entertaining retelling of *Hamlet* as a "choice" story (example of choices: "What does Hamlet do next? Kill Claudius now; Go complain to his mother; Mope about some more" -- anything other than Mope... causes rapid, ingenious and untimely death). ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 14 Nov 1993 12:11:24 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0788 Re: "Versions" of Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 788. Sunday, 14 November 1993. From: Steve Urkowitz Date: Sat,urday 13 Nov 93 09:57:45 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0746 Re: "Versions" of Shakespeare John Mucci doesn't quite get the raw data of the quarto/Folio differences if he thinks that "too too solid flesh" or "too too sullied flesh" (which is really "sallied flesh" in the document-but who cares about evidence anyway since we can trust the editors, that's why we buy their overpriced texts) is a typical example of a textual alternative. We don't have what I think John Mucci's Grand Central Station model implies. There aren't forty steel tracks laid down by a steel driving John Henry along which many different engines and trains tootle. The documents we have reveal the fluidity of their creation, and they reveal the hit-and-miss quality of what got written down as possible record of those liquid changes. The documents are deliciously evocative and untrustworthy. Just as the promptbook of the Twelfth Night I'm working on right now fails to incorporate the heart-stopping changes that actors generated in last night's performance. We've been talking about Gertrude and what she knows and how audiences respond to her. Q1 gives us one version where she protests her innocense and announces her firm alliance with Hamlet against Claudius. Q2 generates a more ambiguous creature; we can't easily decide what she knows. And F gives us a moment, just before Ophelia enters mad, where uniquely in this version Gertrude stands alone onstage considering her spotted soul. Come on, Shaksper, sneck up (whatever that means). Steve Urkowitz SURCC@CUNYVM ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 14 Nov 1993 12:29:51 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0789 Re: Hamlet (the father), Gertrude, Incest, Ted Hughes Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 789. Sunday, 14 November 1993. (1) From: Roy Flannagan Date: Saturday, 13 November 93, 11:06:11 EST Subj: Hamlet (the father) and Gertrude (2) From: David McFadden Date: Saturday, 13 Nov 1993 16:39:02 -0500 Subj: Re: Incest (3) From: William Godshalk Date: Saturday, 13 Nov 1993 23:25:47 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0775 Re: Gertrude, Incest, and Adultery (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Roy Flannagan Date: Saturday, 13 November 93, 11:06:11 EST Subject: Hamlet (the father) and Gertrude Isn't the audience supposed to believe what Hamlet says about his father, that he was an Hyperion as compared with the satyr Claudius? and isn't he a real man (possibly not of a PC variety), according to Hamlet? Aren't we judging him outside the context of his son's testimony if we call him a prig? If he's a prig, Hamlet's another one. Putting down the Dane may involve re-judging the text. Even the "old mole" business may just reflect Hamlet's hysteria at the time he says it. Gertrude in turn may be a cow, in the modern English sense of the term (again not PC), and she certainly is pliable. But she is to some degree loyal to her son. Though she doesn't do exactly what Hamlet begs and cajoles her to do in the closet scene, she may indeed drink the poisoned cup in order to prevent her son's doing it (has anyone brought that up?). Might someone (Steve, you busy?) compile the Q and Folio versions of the closet scene and send them to SHAKSPER, for all to examine? Roy Flannagan [I'll give a shot early next week at compiling the Q1, Q2, and F1 closet scenes unless someone else would want to. --HMC] (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: David McFadden Date: Saturday, 13 Nov 1993 16:39:02 -0500 Subject: Re: Incest Kimberly Nolan asks: "Speaking of inheritance--has anyone thought of Claudius as a second son fraught with all the baggage that role carries?" Hm, since it's often easy to forget that Hamlet Sr. and Claudius are brothers, wouldn't it be terrific to put together a production in which the Ghost and Claudius are played by the same actor! Does anyone know if this has been done? The only Hamlets I've known (and I've loved 'em all) are Laurence Olivier, Richard Burton, Derek Jacobi, Mel Gibson, Kenneth Branagh, and the Canadians R. H. Thompson and Brent Carver. In none of these productions was Claudius given a smidgen of a sympathetic portrayal, nor was anything made of the kinship between Claudius and Hamlet Sr. other than what is in the hard lines of the text. By the way, Ted Hughes in his *Shakespeare and the Goddess of Complete Being* (1992, and unless my search mechanism is at fault, this is the first reference to this dazzling-stimulating-complex book to appear on SHAKSPER) makes a big thing of the Rival Brothers theme as it appears throughout the plays--and the poems. It's frustrating that the book lacks an index, and my rather too-quick reading left me feeling too overwhelmed for comfort. I'm going to have to read it more attentively and slowly. Hughes seems to make more of the Rival Brothers theme in other plays than he does in Hamlet. But without breathing the word "incest" he does state that Hamlet's killing of Claudius is a replay of Claudius' murder of Hamlet Sr. and therefore the Prince will have to die in turn, for the same set of sins. He also avers that the Prince's bond with Gertrude is the cause of his rejection of Ophelia, that Hamlet and Laertes form a subset of the Rival Brothers theme, and that Hamlet's black suit links him with the black skin of Othello, which leads Hughes into a whole series of interconnecting themes. These themes come together under the heading of the "Tragic Equation," which Hughes sees "maturing" throughout the plays as they are written, ending with its "dismantling" in The Tempest. His prime thesis is that Shakespeare must have been a student of Giordano Bruno's, since Bruno was in England at the right time, they had friends in common, and Hughes sees Bruno's ideas given major treatment throughout the plays. Has anyone else on-line read Hughes' book, and found it at all helpful in our ever-growing appreciation of the plays? I seem to have managed to talk myself into rereading the Hughes book starting toot sweet. There certainly are a lot of Rival Brothers in Shakespeare. David W. McFadden PS The Hughes book came out in paperback a week after I bought it hardcover. (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Godshalk Date: Saturday, 13 Nov 1993 23:25:47 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0775 Re: Gertrude, Incest, and Adultery And, Milla, Henry also had Anne Boleyn charged with incest - with her brother. As I recall the case, he confessed. Bill Godshalk ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 14 Nov 1993 13:19:55 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0790 Re: The Ghost in *Hamlet* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 790. Sunday, 14 November 1993. (1) From: Mike Neuman Date: Saturday, 13 Nov 1993 14:37:29 -0500 (EST) Subj: The Ghost in Hamlet (2) From: David McFadden Date: Saturday, 13 Nov 1993 16:24:13 -0500 Subj: Re: The Ghost in *Hamlet* (3) From: Ann M. Cox Date: Saturday, 13 Nov 93 20:51:15 EST Subj: SHK 4.0758 Q: The Ghost in *Hamlet* (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Mike Neuman Date: Saturday, 13 Nov 1993 14:37:29 -0500 (EST) Subject: The Ghost in Hamlet In response to John Cox's question of November 10th . . . Jack Kroll, in the Newsweek issue of June 2, 1980, describes a production of Hamlet starring Jonathan Pryce at London's Royal Court Theatre: In a daring innovation, Hamlet's dead father appears not as a specter but as a kind of Danish dybbuk muscling his way out of Hamlet's very bowels. This scene is an astonishing spectacle: Hamlet becomes a giant, unwilling ventroliquist's dummy as his father's voice is wrenched from his mouth in hair-raising sepulchral tones while Pryce's body lashes, heaves, and snaps in a fit of ectoplasmic epilepsy. This is a true ghost, the anguished retroactive voice of an unfulfilled relationship. Mike Neuman Georgetown University (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: David McFadden Date: Saturday, 13 Nov 1993 16:24:13 -0500 Subject: Re: The Ghost in *Hamlet* Re John Cox's student. His notion that Gertrude's inability to see the ghost in the bedroom scene somehow indicates the Ghost wasn't really "real" is easy to refute. Ghosts always come armed with supernatural powers, including the power to become visible to x but not to y at will. Further, since the Ghost has already in his "leave her to heaven" speech advised Hamlet to treat Gertrude gently and sympathetically, it would follow that the Ghost would prefer to exercise his will to remain invisible to his former Queen, if only to spare her unnecessary grief. Whether the Ghost in question is real or not is not the question as far as Hamlet is concerned. His primary concern is whether the Ghost represents his father or a devil come to torment him. Anyway, Hamlet certainly is a ghost story, and it might also be pointed out to the student that the ghost dwells in a metaphysical realm that is neither real nor illusory. Along with UFOs, precognitive dreams, gods, angels, devils, poltergeist phenomena and so on its objective reality can neither be proved nor disproved--unless we're lucky enough to catch some Madame Blavatsky type pulling the strings. Maybe I just don't understand the question. David W. McFadden (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ann M. Cox Date: Saturday, 13 Nov 93 20:51:15 EST Subject: SHK 4.0758 Q: The Ghost in *Hamlet* John Cox has suggested that the ghost in Hamlet may be an hallucination. This is very possible, however, all the information that the ghost imparts concerns the true nature of the former king's death. I suppose one could argue that these were Hamlet's suspicions from his subconscious coming to the surface, but the ghost imparts facts that Hamlet was unaware of, namely, that his father was murdered and the deed committed by his uncle. Ann M. Cox in45@musicb.mcgill.ca ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 14 Nov 1993 13:32:55 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0791 [was 4.791] Re: Marriage in Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 791. Sunday, 14 November 1993. (1) From: Peter D. Junger Date: Saturday, 13 Nov 93 17:21:14 EDT Subj: Re: Shk 4.0776 Marriage to deceased wife's sister (2) From: Martin Green Date: Saturday, 13 Nov 93 17:19:57 -0400 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0776 Re: Marriage in Shakespeare (3) From: Al Cacicedo Date: Saturday, 13 Nov 1993 23:29:05 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re 4.0776, Re: SHK 4.0773 Marriage in Shakespeare (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Peter D. Junger Date: Saturday, 13 Nov 93 17:21:14 EDT Subject: Re: Shk 4.0776 Marriage to deceased wife's sister Doesn't the classic statement of social attitudes--at least those of the governing classes--regarding marriage to one's deceased wife's sister appear in Iolanthe rather than in Hamlet? Peter D. Junger Case Western Reserve University Law School, Cleveland, OH Internet: JUNGER@SAMSARA.LAW.CWRU.Edu -- Bitnet: JUNGER@CWRU (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Martin Green Date: Saturday, 13 Nov 93 17:19:57 -0400 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0776 Re: Marriage in Shakespeare >While one certainly wants to find clear explanations for events in >Shakespeare's plays, is it really safe to assume that the connections we find >so clear cut and obvious (such as Henry VIII's marriage to Catherine of Aragon >and Claudius' to Gertrude) were the first things that a member of the original >audience brought to mind? To play devil's advocate, let me offer an instance. >In Shaw's _Major Barbara_ a key plot turn occurs when Cusins reveals that he is >not legitimate because of his parents' questionable marriage: "Their marriage >is legal in Australia, but not in England. My mother is my father's deceased >wife's sister; and in this island I am consequently a foundling." Now can we >say that because Shaw is so very conscious of Shakespeare and his works >(easily demonstrated ) that Shaw must have intended us to connect this moment >to a parallel marriage in _Hamlet_, viz., that Hamlet's mother is his >stepfather's deceased brother's wife? This question vividly demonstrates exactly how significant to an understanding of a writer's work are the events of the time in which he lived. _Major Barbara_ was first produced in 1905. One of the major causes of the time was the movement for the legalization in England of the marriage of a widower to his deceased's wife sister; bills for this purpose were introduced in Parliament from 1851 on, but the Act of Parliament legalizing such marriages in England was not passed until 1907. Australia had passed such a bill much earlier. Shaw was probably not alluding to Shakespeare; he certainly was alluding to contemporary issues of interest. >I suppose that I may be one of the people you are puzzled about. Yes, you are >quite right, were I looking for a source or explanation, I would begin with the >literature of Shakespeare's time. In fact, I do begin there! > >My problem is more theoretical. When I write fiction, my imagination (no matter >how culturally constructed that imagination is) mediates between reality as I >construct it or perceive it (no matter how culturally constructed that >perception is) and my fiction (no matter how, etc.). My imagination can distort >my perception of reality a great deal. I can imagine a reality that I have >never experienced. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., "' Authenticity,' or the Lesson of >Little Tree," NY TIMES BOOK REVIEW, 24 Nov. 1991, 1, 26ff., asserts: "No human >culture is inaccessible to someone who makes the effort to understamd, to >learn, to inhabit another world" (30). Gates's point is that we are not >culture-bound, that the human imagination does wonderful things. > >In other words, is Hamlet's world really just a point by point projection of >Will's world? Does Will's imagination mediate between the world of physical >history and the world of fantasy? And, yes, I know that Will has to create that >world with physical things: pen, paper, actors, a playhouse. But is that world >in which Hamlet lives in the present tense the same as the world in which Will >lived in the past tense? The Pope, for example, doesn't exist in Hamlet's >world. Well, I don't know how a creative writer transforms the raw material of his environment and times into a work of art (which often has nothing to do with the author's environment and times), and this is something I don't attempt to figure out - nor, I think, can anyone. My sole concern, in my research on Shakespeare, has been to ascertain, to the extent that one can, just what were the raw materials with which he worked, and just what were the facts of his life, and my submissions to SHAKSPER have been precipitated, in part, by my amazement at how little a matter of interest to so many SHAKSPERians appears to have been the identification of the raw materials with which Shakespeare was working: the personages, events, customs, literature, laws, discoveries, etc. of his time. I realize, sadly, that my approach to Shakespeare is hopelessly out of date, for the most celebrated contemporary writers on Shakespeare in fact use Shakespeare as a springboard to write (in often impenetrable prose), not about the issues of his time, but about the issues of today. Oh, well, . . . Sincerely, Martin Green (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Al Cacicedo Date: Saturday, 13 Nov 1993 23:29:05 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re 4.0776, Re: SHK 4.0773 Marriage in Shakespeare The following comes under the heading, "Nothing good or bad, but thinking makes it so." "In other words, is Hamlet's world really just a point by point projection of Will's world?" asks Bill Godshalk. Surely not. "The moment of transgression is the key moment of practice," as Julia Kristeva says, and goes on to say that that's the point at which enjoyment emerges and art is made possible. But I wonder whether the passage cited from Henry Louis Gates's article in the *New York Times Book Review*, that "No human culture is inaccessible to someone who makes the effort to understand, to learn, to inhabit another world," is the central element of that transgressive moment. I wonder in particular because such a formulation seems to make Will always willing, if you will. I also wonder, therefore, whether that approach to imaginative freedom is not a bit like Sidney's description of how centaurs come to be invented--on the whole, a bit more mechanical than the zodiac- roving freedom he then affirms. And so I'm not sure what to make of Bill's second question, "Does Will's imagination mediate between the world of physical history and the world of fantasy?" Kristeva is definite that the point of rupture involves "the speaking subject as a divided subject," which makes imagination not so much a "faculty" of Will--that's how I take the idea of "mediation" between history and fantasy--as a compromise formation, an obviously Freudian point. Let me then wonder about Bill's last question, another mapping one: "is that world in which Hamlet lives in the present tense the same as the world in which Will lived in the past tense?" I guess I'd have to ask, which Will, and which of his worlds? At any rate, I suspect that the history in which Will lived must be one of the terms on which the compromise is built for the nicely circular reason that that's the world in which Will lived. That there is transgression, on the other hand, says to me that the mapping is not and cannot be point by point. By the way, I've been citing Kristeva from "The System and the Speaking Subject," reproduced in Toril Moi's *The Kristeva Reader*. Dividedly, Al Cacicedo alc@joe.alb.edu ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 14 Nov 1993 16:21:05 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0792 Re: Hypermedia Meeting at SAA Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 792. Sunday, 14 November 1993. From: Kenneth S. Rothwell Date: Saturday, 13 Nov 1993 11:43:27 -500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0760 Re: Hypermedia Meeting at SAA Dear Michael, This may be redundant but please include my name for the hypertext conference. Nick Clary at Saint Michael's College, Burlington, VT, is also interested, as is my colleague at UVM Tom Simone. Much thanks, Ken Rothwell ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 14 Nov 1993 16:23:40 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0793 Re: Isabella Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 793. Sunday, 14 November 1993. From: Michael Friedman Date: Saturday, 13 Nov 1993 15:33:29 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0786 Q: Isabella Ryan, I'm not aware of *any* evidence that Isabella consciously uses her sexuality to tempt Angelo. Claudio notes that his sister has a "prone and speechless dialect" that moves men, but this quality seems to be something that she does not knowingly employ. However, there is nothing in the text of her scenes with Angelo that absolutely prevents her from using her sexual attractiveness to influence him. Personally, I'm more interested in the consequences of such a choice: if Isabella consciously arouses Angelo's lust, the audience may more likely sympathize with his desire rather than condemn it as a perverse longing to befoul virtue. This sympathy then might make it easier to forgive Angelo at the end of the play, but it will also lessen the force of Isabella's anguished decision to plead for his life. Michael Friedman FriedmanM1@jaguar.uofs.edu University of Scranton ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 14 Nov 1993 16:28:50 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0794 Re: Literacy Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 794. Sunday, 14 November 1993. From: Sean Lawrence Date: Saturday, 13 Nov 1993 18:44:19 -0400 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0778 Re: Literacy I just dug this out of my research cards. I believe that the citation is from Modern History Abstracts, 1983 or 1984: Hunt, Felicity. "The London Trade in the Printing and Binding of Books: An Experience in Exclusion, Dilution and De- Skilling for Women Workers." *Women's Studies International Forum* 1983 6(5): 517-524. If I remember the abstract correctly, she argues that women were very important in the printing trades up until 19th century professionalization. This would seem to imply a certain degree of literacy. Regards, Sean K. Lawrence (MAFEKING@AC.DAL.CA) ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 15 Nov 1993 08:56:24 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0795 Re: Hamlet (the father), Gertrude, and Incest Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 795. Monday, 15 November 1993. (1) From: Milla Riggio Date: Sunday, 14 Nov 1993 13:21:29 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: Hamlet (the father), Gertrude, Incest, Ted Hughes (2) From: William Godshalk Date: Sunday, 14 Nov 1993 15:55:47 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: Hamlet (the father), Gertrude, Incest, Ted Hughes (3) From: Timothy Bowden Date: Sunday, 14 Nov 93 16:46:29 PST Subj: Re: Hamlet (the father), Gertrude, Incest, Ted Hughes (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Milla Riggio Date: Sunday, 14 Nov 1993 13:21:29 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: Hamlet (the father), Gertrude, Incest, Ted Hughes Dear Bill: I did not know that Henry had charged Anne Bolyn with incest, but brothers are, I think, always in the taboo category; the issue here, I think, is brothers' wives, and that's where the Catherine of Aragon case becomes relevant, in "real" legal terms for "real" kings of the Tudor ilk. --Milla Riggio (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Godshalk Date: Sunday, 14 Nov 1993 15:55:47 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: Hamlet (the father), Gertrude, Incest, Ted Hughes Has anyone suggested that old Hamlet may not be the father of young Hamlet - I mean in our recent round of talks? If (and I know that this is contested territory) Claudius has been sleeping with Gertrude before old Hamlet's murder, it may be possible that Claudius is the father of this young fellow. After all, young Hamlet is much more like Claudius than he is like the descriptions of old Hamlet. I'm perhaps influenced by my early reading of Peter Alexander's HAMLET FATHER AND SON. Does Hamlet kill his biological father believing that its his uncle? What would Ernest Jones done with this question? Bill Godshalk (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Timothy Bowden Date: Sunday, 14 Nov 93 16:46:29 PST Subject: Re: Hamlet (the father), Gertrude, Incest, Ted Hughes > And, Milla, Henry also had Anne Boleyn charged with incest - with her > brother. As I recall the case, he confessed. Oh, didn't they all. The wonders of the rack tied up neat bundles before the obfuscation such meddling as Miranda rights intruded. `Freely given,' noted Master Cromwell. Yet in private it worried Mistress Anne's succsssor even then she might be innocent. Much more so today. `Almost certainly,' I have seen it expressed by a latter-day historian. Yet does it come closer to what may be the conventional current in theatres of the day. For Mistress Anne, guilty or innocent of the act under discussion, was indubitably the mother of the reigning monarch! tcbowden@clovis.felton.ca.us Timothy Bowden ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 15 Nov 1993 09:05:41 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0796 Re: Ontology and Intentionality Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 796. Monday, 15 November 1993. (1) From: William Godshalk Date: Sunday, 14 Nov 1993 16:21:06 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: Shakespeare, Ontology, History, and Subway Schedules (2) From: David Schalkwyk Date: Monday, 15 Nov 93 11:55:20 SAST-2 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0749 Re: Ontology, Shakespeare, and History (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Godshalk Date: Sunday, 14 Nov 1993 16:21:06 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: Shakespeare, Ontology, History, and Subway Schedules O.K., Nancy wants someone to start a discussion of intention and function. We can use the words "use" and "utilize" to get started. When you use something, you use it for the intention that it was made: hammer pounding in a nail. When you utilize something, you utilize it in an unintended manner: screwriver pounding a nail. If you use a playscript to mount a play, you're using it as originally intended. If you utilize the playscript to write about early modern culture, you are utilizing it. And so we have to distinguish among many intentions when we consider the many functions. I utilize a piece of slate as a paperweight. Using Aristotle's method, can we distinguish among intentions? Will intended to write; he also intended to stage a play; and he intended to make money, etc. Bill Godshalk P.S. Al, could you translate Kristeva into English? Reading the passages you quote from her, I thought I was back in THE MERRY WIVES, listening to Dr. Caius. Or, maybe I felt like Isabella trying to make sense of Angelo - the prenzy Angelo. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: David Schalkwyk Date: Monday, 15 Nov 93 11:55:20 SAST-2 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0749 Re: Ontology, Shakespeare, and History > And David Schalkwyk, I knew I was opening up a can of worms by using the > Sherlock Holmes allusion to the whole philosophic debate over references to > fictional worlds, etc. How do present promises related to a possible future > reality? Are both parts subsumed under intentionality? The speaker intends to > dine and intends that there shall be a dinner, just a playwright intends to > write a play, and intends that the play will have certain meanings. That's > the best I can do. What's your answer? To Bill Godshalk (my apologies for turning your name into mine last time!) When I asked how promising to have dinner with someone is related to the world in which we have dinner I was not trying to put you on a spot about a theory of fictional reference. Rather, the question was meant to suggest that there is no ontological difference between uses of language that we employ unproblematically every day (hoping, expecting, promising, predicting, and so on) and fiction (another use that we employ unproblematically every day). In other words, the ontological problem of fictional reference is not a *special* problem; in fact it may be a psuedo-problem. As far as intentionality is concerned, I think that a number of writers, including Wittgenstein and Derrida, have argued pretty persuasively that intentionality (at least if it is conceived as a series of mental operations) is no answer. As the American philosopher Hilary Putnam puts it, "Meanings just ain't in the head". (This is just about the only area on which analytical philosophy and deconstruction agree.) My own (Wittgensteinian) approach to the problem of history and fiction suggests that we must begin at a conceptual level. A promise or expectation and its fulfilment meet in language, Wittgenstein argues, and if this is so then fiction and history also meet in language. (Or, as Derrida puts it, the absence of the signatory and the referent is structurally necessary for language to work. This is not to deny that the world exists or that texts refer to the world or that people write books, but rather that language must in principle be able to work in the absence of all these things: the wish that I make is in essence readable without the existence of the thing to which it refers and without my presence). I therefore agree with Nancy Miller that our concern with fiction and/in history should begin with the way in which concepts are used or taken for granted. In my first post to the list about a month ago I tried to explain the differences between historicists and non-historicists via the way in which things in the world are used as samples or rules of representation for the use of those words or, in other words, for concepts. Because different things may be appropriated in this way (or the same things differently - I was talking about forms of human behaviour) concepts may change across time even though the things or events from which they arise may stay the same. At this most basic level, then, when we read a text we need to understand the concepts it employs historically, otherwise the text will simply be a projection of our own habits and expectations. For Wittgenstein the rules for the use of concepts and their relationships with each other (what he calls "grammar") require a base agreement among all people who share the language and culture. These are things ("judgments") people have to agree *in* before they can form opinions *about* which they might disagree (_Philosophical Investigations_ 241-2). This might explain how one can (and must assume) a certain kind of (conceptual or "grammatical" in Wittgenstein's sense) agreement while insisting that there would be a diversity of opinions about positions reflected in a litarary text. Of course many literary texts put pressure on the very concepts *in* which people are supposed to agree, and which Wittgenstein suggests express what we call "esences". It is this very "grammatical" investigation of "essences" via a reappropriation of forms of human behaviour embodied on a stage that makes Shakespeare's work so interesting both in historical terms and "for us". The two should not be separated. There is much more to say and I realise that this is hasty and unclear, but I've overstayed my welcome already. Yours David Schalkwyk University of Cape Town ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 15 Nov 1993 09:15:58 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0797 Re: The Ghost in *Hamlet* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 797. Monday, 15 November 1993. (1) From: Geoffrey Wilson Date: Sunday, 14 Nov 1993 18:26:53 -0500 (EST) Subj: Hamlet's ghost (2) From: Rick Jones Date: Sunday, 14 Nov 93 21:43:00 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0789 (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Geoffrey Wilson Date: Sunday, 14 Nov 1993 18:26:53 -0500 (EST) Subject: Hamlet's ghost The status of the ghost in _Hamlet_ can be precisely determined without recourse to historical material or to the hypostatized perceptions of other characters on stage: it is exactly and exclusively material discourse; the ghost consists of stage directions, attributed speeches, and the references which appear in speeches attributed to other speech headings, just as do Hamlet and Gertrude; the ghost is no less and no more "real" than any other named collection of signifiers in the play. And characters are not real--not Hamlet, not the ghost. Neither of them hallucinates any more than that train schedule under discussion. Geoffrey Wilson SUNY at Buffalo V428HA6E@UBVMS.CC.BUFFALO.EDU (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Rick Jones Date: Sunday, 14 Nov 93 21:43:00 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0789 David W. McFadden asks if there have been productions of _Hamlet_ in which the Ghost and Claudius were played by the same actor. The answer, as it almost always is (:->), is yes. Can't say I saw it, but I remember reading about it a few years back. And don't I recall reading on this list some speculation that such doubling may indeed have occurred in the original production? -- Rick Jones strophius@aol.com ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 15 Nov 1993 09:22:04 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0798 Re: Isabella Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 798. Monday, 15 November 1993. (1) From: Bev Jacobson <76645.3610@CompuServe.COM> Date: Sunday, 14 Nov 93 20:29:28 EST Subj: Latourette's Question (2) From: Jay L Halio Date: Sunday, 14 Nov 1993 20:40:31 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0793 Re: Isabella (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Bev Jacobson <76645.3610@CompuServe.COM> Date: Sunday, 14 Nov 93 20:29:28 EST Subject: Latourette's Question R.R.'s 855 Shakespeare Seminar? Whether yes or no, a survey of opinions from the list, however erudite, is not what you need. Trying to argue the opinions of others is more work than arguing your own. Use your own close reading of the play and examination of its language to determine if Isabella is naive. I suggest you re-read the play a few times to ferret out clues (textual evidence) that support or deny her naivete. What, if any, evidence is most convincing? You might consider paying aprticular attention to I.iv, III.i, and V.i. Also, compare II.ii and II.iv. Is there any notable difference in Isabella or Angelo's langugage? How so? Has anything changed? Who is manipulating whom? There are tapes of various productions of MM you need to see and evaluate. Check the library and ask around the department. Some students and faculity have their own collections. Since this issue seems central to your essay, rewriting your question in a single sentence, using simple, direct language should help you answer it. What makes you think Angelo "wants her to tempt him?" Just curious. Bev Jacobson (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jay L Halio Date: Sunday, 14 Nov 1993 20:40:31 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0793 Re: Isabella I think this question is answered in the text. See Aneglo's soliloquy after Isabella leaves. Jay Halio ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 15 Nov 1993 09:24:03 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0799 Re: Hypermedia Meeting at SAA Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 799. Monday, 15 November 1993. From: Jean R. Brink" Date: Sunday, 14 Nov 1993 16:51:07 -0700 (MST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0760 Re: Hypermedia Meeting at SAA I, too, am interested in participating in a session on hypertext at the SAA. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 16 Nov 1993 08:19:35 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0800 Q1, Q2, and F1 Closet Scenes Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 800. Tuesday, 16 November 1993. From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Tuesday, November 16, 1993 Subject: Q1, Q2, and F1 Closet Scenes A few days ago, Roy Flannagan in SHK 4.0789 asked, "Might someone . . . compile the Q and Folio versions of the closet scene and send them to SHAKSPER, for all to examine?" I have compiled such a file; however, because of its length (575 lines), I have decided, rather than sending it out to everyone, that I will make it available on the FileServer for retrieval. If you would like a copy of this file, send the following one-line message -- GET CLOSET SCENE SHAKSPER -- to the LISTSERV address: LISTSERV@UTORONTO.BITNET. Should you have any problems ordering the file, please contact me at HMCook@boe00.minc.umd.edu. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 16 Nov 1993 08:24:19 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0801 Re: Ontology and Intentionality Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 801. Tuesday, 16 November 1993. From: Zanne Westfall Pardee Date: Monday, 15 Nov 93 09:05:51 EDT Subject: Re: Shakespeare, Ontology, History,and Subway Schedules I agree with Nancy Miller about the value of documents not specifically "intended" to "function" as we might think. For a slightly off-topic but amusing illustration of how we might mis-read, see Russell Hoban's wonderful novel *Riddley Walker*, in which a 15th century wall-painting of St. Eustace is misread into "chemistery and fizzics." Suzanne Westfall Lafayette College ws#1@lafacs.bitnet ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 16 Nov 1993 08:33:26 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0802 Re: Hypermedia Meeting at SAA Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 802. Tuesday, 16 November 1993. (1) From: Katherine West Date: Mon, 15 Nov 1993 09:22:24 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0792 Re: Hypermedia Meeting at SAA (2) From: Nick Clary Date: Monday, 15 Nov 1993 10:45:58 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0760 Re: Hypermedia Meeting at SAA (3) From: Hardin Aasand Date: Monday, 15 Nov 1993 12:43:45 MDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0799 Re: Hypermedia Meeting at SAA (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Katherine West Date: Mon, 15 Nov 1993 09:22:24 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0792 Re: Hypermedia Meeting at SAA Please add my name to the list of those interested in Hypermedia at SAA. Thanks. Katherine West kwest@epas.utoronto.ca (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Nick Clary Date: Monday, 15 Nov 1993 10:45:58 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0760 Re: Hypermedia Meeting at SAA Michael, If the evening is right and the time is early enough, I'm there. Please keep me posted on plans. Nick Clary clary@smcvax.smcvt.edu (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Hardin Aasand Date: Monday, 15 Nov 1993 12:43:45 MDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0799 Re: Hypermedia Meeting at SAA I too would be quite interested, especially to see my old, extremely old, colleague, Nick Clary, of St. Michael's. Hypermedia is playing a part in a project he and I are working on; thus, this session could certainly help us. Hardin Aasand Hardin Aasand Dept of English Dickinson State University Dickinson, N.D. 58601 Bitnet: Aasand@ndsuvm1.bitnet Internet: hardin_aasand@dsu1.dsu.nodak.edu ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 16 Nov 1993 08:46:18 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0804 Re: Isabella and Q: Iago Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 804. Tuesday, 16 November 1993. From: Gareth M Euridge Date: Monday, 15 Nov 93 12:39:06 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0786 Q: Isabella Ryan, I have just finished teaching "M for M" myself, and am equally fence-sitting on Isabella's "character." I sway between thinking her the very soul of masochistic innocence, and a conniving manipulator. The line that puzzles me, and also Lucio for that matter, is (Riverside) 2.2.132: "Art avis'd of that?" Lucio expresses surprise that Isabella is wordly enough to understand the social distinctions between a captain's and soldier's blasphemy. Where did she learn this "street" knowledge, and on what other streets has she been walking? And one other small question, that I might as well ask here--for the net. I recently watched the Bard Production's "Othello" and was sent rushing to the text when I heard Iago claim to be "six times seven years" - my memory proved correct, and Iago, it would seem, is only 28. Perhaps the explanation of the change is purely pragmatic (the actor had already signed the contract and they thought the change would go unnoticed), but I wonder more specifically if there is something very unsettling seeing a mere slip of a lad, sort of, playing Iago. I am right in assuming that many of us think of Iago in his forties? And why is that? Gareth Euridge Ohio State Geuridge@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 16 Nov 1993 09:17:50 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0805 Q: Maiming, Killing, and Blood in *Titus* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 805. Tuesday, 16 November 1993. From: John C. Harrison Date: Monday, 15 Nov 1993 19:45:49 +0500 Subject: Question: Titus Andronicus I am doing some research into Titus Andronicus and I am curious how people feel the maiming, killing, and blood should be handled through the course of the play. The two most popular ways that I have heard are: 1) Use a lot of blood and show the killing in a purely realistic mode, or 2) Use ribbons and flow them from Lavinia's hands and mouth when she is maimed. Both approaches offer pluses and minuses. I'm curious how the group feels about the subject. Personally, I would tend toward the first alternative, simply because if ribbons are used it takes away from the pure brutality and horror of the world. Although, if too much blood is used you run the risk of terrifying the audience and removing them from the world of the play. Is there an easy solution? John Harrison University of Oregon jch@oregon.uoregon.edu ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 16 Nov 1993 08:42:08 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0803 Re: The Ghost in *Hamlet* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 803. Tuesday, 16 November 1993. (1) From: Nick Clary Date: Monday, 15 Nov 1993 12:28:01 -0500 (EST) Subj: Claudius doubled as Ghost (2) From: Nick Clary Date: Mondy, 15 Nov 1993 13:31:21 -0500 (EST) Subj: Ghost in HAMLET (3) From: Cary M. Mazer Date: Monday, 15 Nov 93 20:17:09 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0797 Re: The Ghost in *Hamlet* (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Nick Clary Date: Monday, 15 Nov 1993 12:28:01 -0500 (EST) Subject: Claudius doubled as Ghost May I offer a more specific answer to McFadden's inquiry. In the Kabuki version of HAMLET performed by the Tokyo Globe Company at the Mermain Theatre in London (October 1991), the same actor played both Claudius and the Ghost of Hamlet's Father. Incidentally, the star actor of the company played three parts: Hamlet, Ophelia, and Fortinbras. The play was presented entirely in Japanese. I, for one, was riveted by the performance. For many of us in the audience who do not read or speak Japanese, including myself, this performance was a dumb show that had fully enveloped the play we thought we knew. The program notes: "Kabuki got its start in 1603 when a foxy little nun by the name of Okuni left her life of nunnery at Izumo Grand Shrine behind and went to the big city of Kyoto with a group of like-minded fellow nuns to become stars of the riverbed." Hmmm, 1603.....The rest, as they say, was/is history. Nick Clary clary@smcvax.smcvt.edu (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Nick Clary Date: Mondy, 15 Nov 1993 13:31:21 -0500 (EST) Subject: Ghost in HAMLET There is quite an array of contemporary documents that address the question of ghostly apparitions, including James VI/I's DAEMONOLOGIE and L. Lavater's OF GHOSTES AND SPIRITES, both of which Bullough cites as texts written by authors who held "Hamlet's Protestant view...that ghosts were probably devils but might be angels, never the souls of men" (VII, 27). Some certainly dispute Bullough's view of Hamlet's theology, citing other contemporary texts as relevant documents. Let me add to the array of extant publications the controversy in print between John Deacon and John Darrell (also joined by Samuel Harsnett and George More) between 1600 and 1602. This controversy centered on a case of dispossession that was ultimately judged to be fraudulent. Throughout this controversy, as well as in most of the other documents that address the question of whether the dead can be sent back to the living, the biblical story of Samuel's appearance to Saul is regularly cited as a focus in the writer's advancement one or the other side of the theological debate over such appearances. I should think that some of this might affect an audience's reaction or response to HAMLET and might shape their understanding of Hamlet's problem. Incidentally, Lavater's chapter 12 ("A proofe out of the Gentiles histories, that Sprites and Ghoasts do oftentimes appeare") begins with the example of Julius Caesar, who saw "a man of excelling stature and shape...pyping on a reede" (G3r). Julius Caesar is the first example that Horatio recalls in his own effort to "figure out" the Ghost he has just seen. I might not neglect the contemporary context of published materials if I were attempting to understand the effect of such a play on an Early Modern audience. Nick Clary clary@smcvas.smcvt.edu (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Cary M. Mazer Date: Monday, 15 Nov 93 20:17:09 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0797 Re: The Ghost in *Hamlet* Claudius and the Ghost were doubled in Peter Hall's production in the 1970s (which premiered at the Old Vic, and then opened the new National Theatre building). Dennis Quilly played both roles. Samuel Crowl has, I believe, written most eloquently about that production. The doubling does add a particularly piquant twist to Hamlet's comparisons of "Hyperion to a Satyr," and "I to Hercules," etc. Needless to say, the ACTER productions of *Hamlet* (David Rintoul et. al. in the 80s, Sam Dale et. al. currently) double the roles, along with the Player King. I have long wondered whether this may have been doubled in the original performances. The relevant question, though, is: which performance? Perhaps the presence of some extra speeches at the end of 1.1 and the beginning of 1.3 in the Folio were designed to give the actor a chance to change. No such costume change would be necessary between the Prayer scene and the Closet scene when Q1 was performed, since, as you well know, the Ghost enters there in his nightgown. I leave further speculations to the heroic Urquartowitz. Cary M. Mazer ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 17 Nov 1993 08:39:16 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0806 Re: Maiming, Killing, and Blood in *Titus* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 806. Wednesday, 17 Nov. 1993. (1) From: Tom Loughlin Date: Tuesday, 16 Nov 1993 10:44:07 -0500 (EST) Subj: Titus and Blood (2) From: James Schaefer Date: Tuesday, 16 Nov 1993 12:23:59 -0500 (EST) Subj: Blood, Killing, Sex, and Slamming Doors (3) From: Mary Jane Miller Date: Tuesday, 16 Nov 93 13:16:15 -0500 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0805 Q: Maiming, Killing, and Blood in *Titus* (4) From: Peter Seary Date: Tuesday, 16 Nov 1993 14:28:58 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0805 Q: Maiming, Killing, and Blood in *Titus* (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Tom Loughlin Date: Tuesday, 16 Nov 1993 10:44:07 -0500 (EST) Subject: Titus and Blood I'm inclined to let the language do the work in terms of the bloody sequences in Titus. Flowing ribbons are too cute, and an excess of "realistic" blood generally is unnecessary. Both are examples of how modern-day approaches to Shakespearean production tend to defuse Shakespearean acting style and de-emphasize the language. The images are powerful enough to accomplish the task at hand, IMHO. My $.02 Tom Loughlin (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: James Schaefer Date: Tuesday, 16 Nov 1993 12:23:59 -0500 (EST) Subject: Blood, Killing, Sex, and Slamming Doors John C. Harrison asks for opinions about how much blood/how much suggested blood to use in staging *Titus*. Believing as I do that verisimilitude is antithetical and off the point of most drama (inasmuch as the truth of the imitation is in the imitation of conversation, not the imitation of _things_), I would argue that less blood is more in *Titus*: you can provide hints that will lead the audience to imagine more horror than you can possibly show. I certainly hold this to be true for Shakespeare. It may be problematic for plays written for an explicitly naturalistic theatre, yet even the famous sound of Nora's leaving Helmer comes from off stage, not at the instant of her exit from the box set: "From below, the sound of a door slamming shut" (Rolf Fjelde's translation). Even in the super-naturalistic realm of the movies, one of the most erotic scenes ever filmed is a monologue by Bibi Andersson's character in *Persona* in which she quietly describes a sexual encounter. I know that I am in the minority position on this issue (although Pauline Kael shared my opinion about *Persona*). How naturalistic are other SHAKESPERians? Jim Schaefer Georgetown University schaefej@guvax.georgetown.edu (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Mary Jane Miller Date: Tuesday, 16 Nov 93 13:16:15 -0500 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0805 Q: Maiming, Killing, and Blood in *Titus* Seems to me that the problem here, as with 'Tis Pity' s heart on a dagger or other "over the top" scenes, is not that the audience may be terrified - but that the audience out of sheer nervousness and wanting to break the tension may laugh. I've seen that happen during Gloucester's blinding when it was staged too graphically. The line is a fine one for both playwrights and contemporary directors whose audiences may be used to slice and dice movies -yet squeamish at the 'live(li)ness' of stage blood.. About that heart on a dagger -the night I saw it the lamb's heart few off into the third row - the gasp and the laughter were certainly anti-climactic. Mary Jane Miller, Brock University, (4)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Peter Seary Date: Tuesday, 16 Nov 1993 14:28:58 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0805 Q: Maiming, Killing, and Blood in *Titus* I am reminded of something: I graunt you friends, if that you should fright the Ladies out of their Wittes, they would haue no more discretion but to hang vs: but I will aggrauate my voyce so, that I will roare you as gently as any sucking Doue; I will roare and 'twere any Nightingale. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 17 Nov 1993 08:49:49 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0807 Re: Societal Expectations and Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 807. Wednesday, 17 Nov. 1993. From: Rob Callum Date: Tuesday, 16 Nov 1993 11:10:20 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0785 Societal Expectations and Shakespeare > The recent discussions of historicity and of Gertrude's guilt/innocence > remind me of Laura Bohannon's intriguing article "Shakespeare in the Bush". > Bohannon's tale of trying to prove the "universality" of Shakespeare makes > for not only a thoroughly enjoyable read, but a portentous critique of the [...] > Thought this might brighten what is (around here, at least) a very November > day. I'll dig up the citation if anyone's interested. I believe that this very entertaining article first appeared in the August/September 1968 issue of "Natural History." -- Rob Callum callum@minerva.cis.yale.edu Yale University ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 17 Nov 1993 08:58:08 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0808 Re: Hamlet (the father) and Gertrude Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 808. Wednesday, 17 Nov. 1993. From: David Richman Date: Tuesday, 16 Nov 1993 14:20:49 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: Hamlet (the father), Gertrude, Incest, Ted Hughes Perhaps the satyr is a better lover than Hyperion. In a 1972 Joe Papp production in Central Park, Colleen Dewhurst and James Earl Jones made a sympathetic, sexually electric Gertrude and Claudius. Hamlet was a bit of a prig in that production. One (I for one) wanted him to get offstage so they could get on with it. If one is to compile the Q's and F on the Gertrude question, one would have to include the three versions of the solid-sallied flesh speech, the versions of the Ghost's speeches about Gertrude, and Gertrude's scene immediately prior to Ophelia's entrance, as well as the closet scene. (As I recall, Q1's ghost accuses little brother of incest, but not adultery.) For a taste, one text says (quoting from memory, so may be wrong here) "As if increase of appetite had grown / By what is fed on." Another text, Q1 I believe, says: "As if increase of appetite had grown / By what it looks on." (Again, quoting from memory, and moderizing spelling and punctuation. Pace scholars.) On the brothers, I believe the five-performer *Hamlet* now touring college campuses from ACTER, Santa Barbara's "Actors from the London Stage) has the same performer playing Claudius and the Ghost. These same tours, a few years ago, had the same performer playing Don Pedro and Don John. If no one has compiled the texts by late December, when I get a break, I'll do it. (Hope *Twelfth Night* went well, Steve.) Cheers, David Richman ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 17 Nov 1993 09:01:53 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0809 Call for Contributions Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 809. Wednesday, 17 Nov. 1993. From: John Gouws Date: Tuesday, 16 Nov 1993 22:21:42 +0200 (EET) Subject: Call for Contributions CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS *SHAKESPEARE IN SOUTHERN AFRICA: JOURNAL OF THE SHAKESPEARE SOCIETY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA* Subject to satisfactory referees' reports, space is available for two articles of usual length in volume 6, 1993. The journal sets out to publish articles, commentary and reviews on all aspects of Shakepsearean studies and performance, with particular emphasis on the response to Shakespeare in southern Africa. Submissions are reviewed by at least two referees, who may be either editorial consultants or members of the Advisory Board. Manuscripts should be double-spaced. Full publication details must be provided for all sources cited. Manuscripts should be sent to: The Editor, *Shakespeare in Southern Africa*, Institute for the Study of English in Africa, Rhodes University, Grahamstown 6140, South Africa. FAX: + 27 + 461 + 25642 e-mail: iasec@hippo.ru.ac.za -- John Gouws - Department of English - Rhodes University P.O. Box 94 - Grahamstown 6140 - South Africa Internet: enjg@kudu.ru.ac.za Telephone: (0461) 318402 or 318400 ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 17 Nov 1993 09:07:57 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0810 Re: The Ghost in *Hamlet* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 810. Wednesday, 17 Nov. 1993. From: Robert O'Connor Date: Wednesday, 17 Nov 1993 12:04:40 +0700 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0803 Re: The Ghost in *Hamlet* Dear SHAKSPEReans, It is good to see that any question about *Hamlet* will set off a volley of questions. When I was working on the play for my Honours dissertation a few years ago, the Mel Gibson movie came out and I soon found that EVERYONE had a theory! The Ghost fascinates me as much as it does many others; one thing I came across when researching my dissertaion was a remark of Harold Jenkins' in the Arden edition of the play. In the notes to I.ii.255 (p.197), he reports the recieved view from classical times that "ghosts were the spirits of the departed", and that this was disputed by the Protestants - as Nick Clary pointed out. Jenkins, however, claims that this dispute "is not dramatically relevant" on the grounds that "Shakespeare is aware of various beliefs and allows Hamlet to be the same." Is the dispute "dramatically relevant"? The sources cited by Nick Clary - and the one by Jenkins (Burton) - surely inform the play-in-performance, now and then, as much as the text. On the other hand, to introduce too many views to this question (and to others) may be to 'smear' the issue across so many possibilities as to make it meaningless. Most of the productions I have seen have NOT doubled the parts - the Ghost is often played by one of the seniors of the troupe, though I have seen one version where it was never seen on stage by anyone - a consensual hallucination, perhaps. About ten years ago a local company managed to have the same actor play Hamlet and the Ghost, by virtue of a technical trick, I confess: the Ghost was filmed intoning his lines and then projected onto a gauze screen which was lowered over the front of the stage in the appropriate screen. This presentation, I felt, inclined the spectator toward the "spirit of health" view, that the Ghost was in fact the shade of Hamlet's father. I lean toward the "goblin damned" view of the Ghost myself. If it is not a prejudgement of Claudius, I suggest that to double the parts of Claudius and the Ghost is to reinforce this view. The point I am trying to make, I suppose, is that how the Ghost is 'seen' or 'read' depends very much on the performance. Those productions that do not physically present the Ghost on stage - suggestive as this may be - are, I think, taking an easy way out. Robert O'Connor ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 17 Nov 1993 09:13:27 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0811 Hilary Putnam Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 811. Wednesday, 17 Nov. 1993. From: William Godshalk Date: Tuesday, 16 Nov 1993 20:52:22 -0500 (EST) Subject: Hilary Putnam Actually Hilary Putnam wrote in a very rich context, and he wrote the following: "Contrary to a doctrine that has been with us since the seventeenth century, meanings just aren't in the head" (REASON, TRUTH AND HISTORY, Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1981: 19). Putnam italicizes the last six words. He also rejects 'intentionality' "as no solution" in the reference game. But I for one find that sentence, "meanings just aren't in the head," puzzling. If he means that the brain does not construct meaning, I find that counter-intuitive. If he means that the brain in isolation from an invironment cannot construct meaning, I agree. Actually Putnam says, "the determination of reference is social and not individual" (18). But Putnam seems to be an ambivalent ally in the Culture Wars. In his essay "Literature, Science, and Religion," He writes that MEDEA and THE BROTHERS KARAMAZOV "are great and moving works of art. We are above all human beings, and these works do move us as human being" (MEANING AND THE MORAL SCIENCES, London: Routledge, 1978: 89). There's no mention of Cultural Determinism here. But more important, in contrast to Kristeva and Derrida, Putnam writes with simplicity and clarity. Even his puzzling passages can be explained with some ease. I find simplicity and clarity a virtue. Yours, Bill Godshalk P.S. Al, did you really believe that Hilary Putnam wrote "ain't"? WLG ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 17 Nov 1993 09:30:10 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0813 *Three-Text Hamlet*; Riverside Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 813. Wednesday, 17 Nov. 1993. (1) From: Bernice Kliman Date: Tuesday, 16 Nov 1993 21:41 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0800 Q1, Q2, and F1 Closet Scenes (2) From: Charles Edelman Date: Wednesday, 17 Nov 93 12:02 Subj: Riverside Shakespeare (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Bernice Kliman Date: Tuesday, 16 Nov 1993 21:41 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0800 Q1, Q2, and F1 Closet Scenes Have SHAKSPERians heard of the *Three-Text Hamlet* published by AMS Press? Coedited by Paul Bertram and Me? It's possible your library has it. Bernice (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Charles Edelman Date: Wednesday, 17 Nov 93 12:02 Subject: Riverside Shakespeare Dear Hardy Thanks to everyone (including yourself) for the very helpful information on the electronic edition of the Riverside Shakespeare. Very much appreciated. Getting cold in N.America / Europe? Think about the Perth Australia conference in February. Beautiful beaches nearby. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 17 Nov 1993 09:21:38 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0812 Re: Iago's Age Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 812. Wednesday, 17 Nov. 1993. From: Herbert Donow Date: Tuesday, 16 Nov 93 17:58:24 CST Subject: Iago's Age Gareth Euridge finds it difficult to visualize Iago as a mere lad of twenty-eight. Shakespeare probably didn't. After all Richard III was only thirty-one when he became king. And how old was Michael Milken when he made his first billion. Herb Donow Southern Illinois University@Carbondale ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 18 Nov 1993 16:35:19 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0814 *The Three-Text Hamlet* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 814. Thursday, 18 Nov. 1993. From: Nick Clary Date: Wednesday, 17 Nov 1993 09:44:30 -0500 (EST) Subject: The Three-Text Hamlet For anyone interested in comparing the versions of HAMLET in Q1, Q2, and F1, there is always the Bertran/Kliman edition, THE THREE-TEXT HAMLET: PARALLEL TEXTS OF THE FIRST AND SECOND QUARTOS AND FIRST FOLIO (NY: AMS Press, 1991), $64.50 cloth. Michael Warren's review (SQ, Fall 1993) was generally quite enthusiastic: "Its four columns impose upon all readers the obligation to a knowledge that HAMLET is something more complicated than a single edited text suggests. I hope that in the near future this book will be reprinted in a reasonably-priced paperback edition....It would be of considerable value in the classroom" (371-76). Good news! Bernice tells me that a paperback version may soon be available, if you want to wait until the price comes down. By the way, in the same issue of SQ DeGrazia and Stallybrass call attention to this publication in an article that should be on the reading list of anyone interested in the questions raised in connection with the current bulletin board conversations in progress: "The Materiality of the Shakespearean Text," SQ 44. 3 (Fall 1993) 255-283. Nick Clary clary@smcvax.smcvt.edu ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 18 Nov 1993 17:03:03 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0817 "Shakespeare in the Bush" Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 817. Thursday, 18 Nov. 1993. (1) From: Joseph Lawrence Lyle Date: Wednesday, 17 Nov 1993 13:06:20 -0500 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0807 Re: Societal Expectations and Shakespeare (2) From: Douglas Lanier Date: Thursday, 18 Nov 1993 9:28:13 -0500 (EST) Subj: "Shakespeare in the Bush" (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Joseph Lawrence Lyle Date: Wednesday, 17 Nov 1993 13:06:20 -0500 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0807 Re: Societal Expectations and Shakespeare "Shakespeare in the Bush" has also been anthologized: I remember reading it in an anthropology textbook. But I don't remember the title. --Jay Lyle (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Douglas Lanier Date: Thursday, 18 Nov 1993 9:28:13 -0500 (EST) Subject: "Shakespeare in the Bush" I'm having very bad luck running down the article "Shakespeare in the Bush." My usual bibliographical sources at our local library led nowhere, and the bibliographical reference given recently on SHAKSPER was incorrect. Everyone seems to remember having read the article, but no one I've spoken with can dig up the bibliographical reference. Might any SHAKSPERians have the correct citation handy for this piece? Many thanks. Douglas Lanier Department of English University of New Hampshire D_LANIER@unhh.unh.edu ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 18 Nov 1993 16:38:56 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0815 Re: Maiming, Killing, and Blood in *Titus* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 815. Thursday, 18 Nov. 1993. From: Zanne Westfall Pardee Date: Wednesday, 17 Nov 93 09:43:20 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0805 Q: Maiming, Killing, and Blood in *Titus* After acting in and directing many bloody revenge tragedies, I can say that the horrific stuff is the biggest challenge to the troupe. I can still hear the audience laughing at the traffic-jam of corpses at the end of *Duchess of Malfi*, for example, in what was otherwise a highly commended production. There's no escape. If you do it naturalistically, you do make people retch. If you go for stylization or even "realism," the overload invokes laughter. Personally, I find the former choice the best. I still recall the sound of blood dripping onstage at a 70's *Tamberlain* when Bajazeth and Zabina bashed their brains out, since their headdresses were filled with animal entrails and blood. And I still remember the sickening sound of Macbeth's head (a cabbage wrapped in an exceedingl bloody, dripping cloth) thunked to the stage floor. So if you can manage, and your costumer and set people don't rebel, go for the naturalistic. Unless, of course, you're doing a Noh Titus. Stylize one moment, and you must stylize all, I think. Zanne Westfall ws#1@lafaycs.bitnet ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 18 Nov 1993 17:11:12 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0818 Re: Electronic Texts; Literacy; Subway Schedules Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 818. Thursday, 18 Nov. 1993. (1) From: Jim McKenna Date: Thursday, 18 Nov 1993 11:15:27 -0500 (EST) Subj: electrotext (2) From: Kimberly Nolan Date: Wednesday, 17 Nov 1993 23:31:43 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0794 Re: Literacy (3) From: Terence Hawkes Date: Thursday, 18 Nov 93 14:44 BST Subj: Re: Shakespeare, Ontology, History, and Subway Schedule (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jim McKenna Date: Thursday, 18 Nov 1993 11:15:27 -0500 (EST) Subject: electrotext Re Timothy Bowden's paean to electronic texts: Sure, gizmos make scholarship faster and more efficient, but why is that good? I'm not one to say that it's all been downhill since Guttenburg, but I have to question whether the flood of information that we are forced to deal with truly improves our lives and our field or just makes it faster and more efficient. I got along okay with typewriter and books until I realized that I couldn't compete with students who could print out endless revisions and assemble biblios with a keystroke. So now I'm competitive. Is my work better? Hmmmmm. Jim McKenna (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kimberly Nolan Date: Wednesday, 17 Nov 1993 23:31:43 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0794 Re: Literacy To all who responded to my call for help--thank you. We have found the information very useful. Kimberly Nolan (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Terence Hawkes Date: Thursday, 18 Nov 93 14:44 BST Subject: Re: Shakespeare, Ontology, History, and Subway Schedule Don't know about Subway schedules, but the current official map of the London Underground system is -like all maps- far more than a referential document. Its aesthetic dimensions are considerable, deliberately invoked, and its relation to the concrete reality it engages with frequently abandons mere 'accuracy' in favour of coherence and thematic structure. Quite unlike a Shakespeare play of course. Terence Hawkes ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 18 Nov 1993 16:46:56 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0816 The Ghost in *Hamlet* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 816. Thursday, 18 Nov. 1993. (1) From: Nick Clary Date: Wednesday, 17 Nov 1993 10:31:12 -0500 (EST) Subj: Ghosts and Hamlet (2) From: Sean Lawrence Date: Wednesday, 17 Nov 1993 12:45:51 -0400 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0810 Re: The Ghost in *Hamlet* (3) From: Rick Jones Date: Wednesday, 17 Nov 93 21:31:03 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0810 Re: The Ghost in *Hamlet* (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Nick Clary Date: Wednesday, 17 Nov 1993 10:31:12 -0500 (EST) Subject: Ghosts and Hamlet During the summer that Sir Laurence Olivier passed away, I attended a performance of the RSC HAMLET, directed by Ron Daniels, at the main theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon. I had front-row seats for the performance, which I was seeing just a few days after I heard the announcement of this passing. There was a call for silence and then applause from the stage of the Swan Theatre following a performance of a Jonson play. In each of the scenes in which the Ghost of Hamlet's father appeared, I was repeatedly reminded of the passing of Sir Larry. The make-up, in fact, almost evoked Olivier's Lear. During the closet scene, when Hamlet and Gertrude studied a picture of King Hamlet in a locket, I swear that I could see the image of Sir Larry there. My host seconded this identification. Was I seeing a ghost or what? Sometimes the world we bring into the theatre meets us on the stage. We are, after all, such stuff. Anecdotally, Nick Clary clary@smcvax.smcvt.edu (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Sean Lawrence Date: Wednesday, 17 Nov 1993 12:45:51 -0400 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0810 Re: The Ghost in *Hamlet* I'd say that contemporary beliefs regarding ghosts in Shakespeare's day is *extremely* relevant. By providing Hamlet, et. al. with a number of different interpretations of the ghost, Hamlet Sr. is changed from the absolute ideal who it would be impious to refuse, into just another person trying to co-opt Hamlet, to make him part of a play of their own scripting, if you will. Northrop Frye comments (somewhere, maybe *Frye on Shakespeare*) that the depiction of purgatory and the ghost is extremely suspicious. In Dante, the souls in purgatory undergo their suffering with a will, and with a knowledge of final redemption. It isn't the sort of place that should thrust back demons howling for revenge. For that matter, purgatory is an RC notion, specifically condemned by the 39 articles, and therefore probably heretical to a good portion of Shakespeare's audience. I would have to say that the depiction of the ghost makes him another of the "other"s through whom Hamlet tries to define himself--to ex-sist, in something approaching a Heidegerrian sense--much like Ophelia, who also lacks the integrity to be a viable source of Hamlet's self-definition, or his mother, for that matter. I'm planning to do a lecture or two on the subject after Christmas, so I'd be interested in comments. Cheerio, Sean K. Lawrence MAFEKING@AC.DAL.CA (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Rick Jones Date: Wednesday, 17 Nov 93 21:31:03 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0810 Re: The Ghost in *Hamlet* It's been a while since I've dealt with this issue, but I believe the official Anglican church position was that all apparitions are *by definition* creations of the devil. Church dogma would therefore have us believe that Hamlet the younger ought to be more than merely cautious of anyone/anything purporting to be the ghost of Hamlet the elder: he ought in fact to shy away from the ghost's advice no matter how persuasive it may be. If the ghost is really the Devil, he certainly has a jolly old time at the expense of the mere mortals throughout the course of the play -- similar, perhaps, to the "true facts" of the Trojan War as presented in Euripides' _Helen_. The relevant question for this interpretation, of course, is whether the flock (i.e. Shakespeare's audience) paid any attention to the bishopric, and indeed whether what the church wrote and what it practiced were necessarily the same: certainly our own age provides innumerable examples of common practice at odds with official proclamation. Where all this takes us, I'm not sure... Rick Jones strophius@aol.com ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 19 Nov 1993 10:44:21 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0819 Re: "Shakespeare in the Bush" Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 819. Friday, 19 November 1993. (1) From: Jay Edelnant Date: Thursday, 18 Nov 1993 17:04:58 -0500 (CDT) Subj: Shakper in the Bush (2) From: Rick Jones Date: Thursday, 18 Nov 93 20:29:44 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0817 "Shakespeare in the Bush" (3) From: Al Cacicedo Date: Friday, 19 Nov 1993 0:09:36 -0500 (EST) Subj: RE: SHK 4.0817 "Shakespeare in the Bush" (4) From: Bernice W. Kliman Date: Friday, 19 Nov 1993 04:20 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0817 "Shakespeare in the Bush" (5) From: Tom Blackburn Date: Friday, 19 Nov 1993 09:07:39 +0000 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0817 "Shakespeare in the Bush" (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jay Edelnant Date: Thursday, 18 Nov 1993 17:04:58 -0500 (CDT) Subject: Shakper in the Bush My reference to Laura Bohanon's article is _Natural History Magazine_, Aug/Sept. 1966. Jay Edelnant (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Rick Jones Date: Thursday, 18 Nov 93 20:29:44 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0817 "Shakespeare in the Bush" In response to Douglas Lanier's request, I have indeed fulfilled my earlier promise and found the citations for "Shakespeare in the Bush". The article first appeared in _Natural History_, August-September 1966. My own copy is from James R. Spradley and David W. McCurdy, eds., _Conformity and Conflict: Readings in Cultural Anthropology_, 3rd ed. Boston: Little, Brown, 1971, 1977, pp. 13-23. Hope this helps. Rick Jones strophius@aol.com (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Al Cacicedo Date: Friday, 19 Nov 1993 0:09:36 -0500 (EST) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0817 "Shakespeare in the Bush" "Shakespeare in the Bush" is reprinted in the 5th ed. of a first- year writing anthology called *Readings for Writers*, edited by Ray McCuen and Anthony C. Winkler, published by Harcourt. I think there's a new edition of the book, but am not sure. In any case, the case, check your bookstores' freshman writing texts and you may well find the book. Al Cacicedo (alc@joe.alb.edu) Albright College (4)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Bernice W. Kliman Date: Friday, 19 Nov 1993 04:20 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0817 "Shakespeare in the Bush" I have the article in front of me now. It is by Laura Bohannan and appeared in *Natural History* Magazine, August-Sept. 1966. As you say, it has been frequently anthologized: probably *NH* Mag can tell you where, since presumably permission was sought each time. Cheers, Bernice W. Kliman By the way, I would like to repeat that I am collecting comments on *HAM*. Please send me any of your published works: articles, books, hypercard files &c. for the *New Variorum Hamlet* project. 70 Glen Cove Drive Glen Head, NY 11545 (516) 671-1301 (answering machine) (516) 434-9566 (fax) KlimanB@SNYFARVA.bitnet Thanks, Bernice (5)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Tom Blackburn Date: Friday, 19 Nov 1993 09:07:39 +0000 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0817 "Shakespeare in the Bush" The original publication of the essay, by Laura Bohannan, was in , 75, 7(August-September 1966), 28-23. It has been anthologized since, but I do not have those citations. Cheers, Tom Blackburn Tom Blackburn tblackb1@cc.swarthmore.edu ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 19 Nov 1993 10:58:20 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0820 Re: The Ghost in *Hamlet* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 820. Friday, 19 November 1993. (1) From: William Godshalk Date: Thursday, 18 Nov 1993 23:03:44 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0816 The Ghost in *Hamlet* (2) From: John Mucci Date: Thursday, 19 Nov 93 07:53:51-0500 Subj: Doubling the Ghost (3) From: Ronald Dwelle Date: Friday, 19 Nov 93 09:08:23 EST Subj: ghosting (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Godshalk Date: Thursday, 18 Nov 1993 23:03:44 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0816 The Ghost in *Hamlet* Sean Lawrence and Rick Jones, I enjoyed your comments on the ghost and Hamlet, and thought you were both on target. Sean, I liked your idea of "scripts" in the play. Hamlet has a script for the players, and Claudius has his script for Hamlet, and the Ghost is just one more script writer! And in the closet scene, the Ghost becomes a director. Does the Ghost tell Hamlet the whole truth about his death? Stanley Clavel argues not. And, yes, Rick, experience tells us (even if history didn't) that people don't always (or often?) react by the book. If we reacted by the book, we'd all drive at 55 miles an hour in urban areas. I actually saw someone going 55 the other day. What a shock! Yours, Bill Godshalk (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John Mucci Date: Thursday, 19 Nov 93 07:53:51-0500 Subject: Doubling the Ghost The question of doubling has come up before here, but I am interested that Rick Jones believes Claudius and the ghost are "almost always" doubled these days. Having never seen the doubling myself, (it nonetheless sounding like a good idea), I discovered that in the essay "The Doubling of Parts In Shakespeare's Plays" by Arthur Colby Sprague, the doubling of Ghost/Claudius is never mentioned. After examining the casts derived from many records and bills, Sprague mentions that the most popular doubling in _Hamlet_ is the Ghost and the First Player (they both require perhaps the most stentorian diction). Furthermore, since doubling was usually concealed by pseudonyms in centuries before, by the omission of the Gravediggers or the Player King/Queen, Sprague concludes that these parts were doubled at the time (he calls it "deficiency doubling"). Another interesting double was that in the parts of the Ghost/Laertes and Polonius/1st Gravedigger. In fact, he says "Of all Shakesperian doubles, Polonius and the First Gravedigger has been the most popular," culminating in a performance of 1796 at Swansea, in which Charles Matthews played "Polonius and the First Gravedigger, written in larger type than that given Hamlet." Only Hamlet, Claudius, Gertrude, and Horatio lead a full and continuous life in Shakespeare's tragedy; the rest come and go, inviting replacement. I tend to think that the thought of doubling the Ghost and Claudius is a more modern idea than a popular, old one: and its implications psychologically are much more interesting to us in the 20th century than would be appealing in times before us. John Mucci Stamford, CT (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ronald Dwelle Date: Friday, 19 Nov 93 09:08:23 EST Subject: ghosting Regarding the ghost, Anglican purgatory, and the audience, we probably shouldn't forget that Shakespeare set the play in the dim, murky past of Denmark (and Wittenburg), pre-Luther and pre-Henry VIII. Shakespeare's audience would have known (as we know) that things were different in the olden days. Ron (thoroughly-up-to-date-in-Elsinore) Dwelle (dweller@gvsu.edu) ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 19 Nov 1993 11:00:10 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0821 Q: *Pericles* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 821. Friday, 19 November 1993. From: John Massa Date: Friday, 19 Nov 93 09:24 CST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0816 The Ghost in *Hamlet* I would appreciate hearing from those who have seen or produced "Pericles" on the staging of the tournament scene, where the "knights" and Pericles fight and Pericles emerges victorious. I would specifically like comments on: (1) humorous/slapstick combat vs. deadly realistic fighting (2) onstage fighting vs. offstage fighting (with sound effects). A production at the Guthrie in Minneapolis, MN (USA) a couple of years ago used the "offstage" approach with a generally humorous treatment of the fighting and outcome. The humorous approach makes sense in light of the banquet which follows (i.e., they all can't be mortally wounded and then show up at the banquet) but a "darker" version of the combat, which emphasizes Pericles' skill in emerging victorious, would also work. What have you seen, and what did you think of it? John Massa The University of Iowa Iowa City, Iowa USA John-Massa@uiowa.edu ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 19 Nov 1993 11:10:44 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0823 Q: The Circumcised Dog Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 823. Friday, 19 November 1993. From: Howell Chickering Date: Thursday, 18 Nov 1993 18:55:21 -0500 Subject: The Circumcised Dog In his final speech, Othello refers to the "malignant" and "turban'd Turk" as "the circumcised dog." I have found no commentary on why he refers to the Turk as though he were a Jew. Even if we read "the base [Judean]" a few lines earlier, following F1, the anomaly seems no clearer. Now that matters of racial fracture and the representation of the Other have begun to figure large in the criticism of the play, I would have thought someone would have said something about this. The Turk would not have been circumcised, historically, right? The term is meant to be pejorative, right? Othello is a Moor, right? A Christian Moor, then? Who, siding with the Venetian state that the Turk "traduc'd," sees the "dog" as generic Other, non-Christian? That's the best I can do, and it seems rather lame. Can anybody explain the circumcised dog, or point to an explanation in print? With many thanks. Howell Chickering HDCHICKERING@AMHERST ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 19 Nov 1993 11:06:51 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0822 Re: History and Literature Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 822. Friday, 19 November 1993. (1) From: Jim McKenna Date: Thursday, 18 Nov 1993 11:50:44 -0500 (EST) Subj: history and literature (2) From: Jim McKenna Date: Thursday, 18 Nov 1993 10:55:36 -0500 (EST) Subj: literary texts, historical texts (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jim McKenna Date: Thursday, 18 Nov 1993 11:50:44 -0500 (EST) Subject: history and literature Hear, hear, Martin Green!! I wonder too how theory can spin off theory in literary investigations. The plays were written then, not now, and what was going on then matters (sorry, Dr. Godshalk). A colleague of mine is working on what promises to be a fascinating investigation of the relationship between castle architecture and the development of character and plot in George Gascoigne's _Adventures of Master F. J._. I'm eager to see what she comes up with because she's discovering historical facts that directly inform the meaning of the text. Hurrah for scholarship that puts history in service of literature! (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jim McKenna Date: Thursday, 18 Nov 1993 10:55:36 -0500 (EST) Subject: literary texts, historical texts Re Nancy W. Miller's advice to abandon distinctions btwn literary and nonliterary texts: This question always hangs me up b/c its true that we can find valuable material in any scrap of text--marginalia, dashed-off notes, textual variations in manuscripts or printed texts, etc, etc. I think, though, that there is a functional difference between those things we find interesting as scholars and those we would break to the public as ideas worth rethinking or images to ponder. Forgive me for dealing in soft distinctions, but we must draw some line between what we consider valuable and all the rest of the wide world. The problem appears to have less to do with what is valuable, though, and more to do with what it is valuable for. I am a little uneasy, Ms. Miller, with your implication that _Shrew_ and the homily on matrimony are equivalent on the grounds that both give us information about Renaissance ideas about marriage. I agree absolutely that both inform us, but I disagree that this makes them in any way equivalent. My interest in Renaissance ideas about marriage is not the same as my interest in _Shrew_. I look to history to tell me at least a little about the material conditions that lie behind the play, and some about how the world came to be how it is today. And, of course, I read it skeptically. The play is a much richer thing. I can glean possible historical information from it; I can read familiar stories in it; I can feel moved by it; I can be entertained by it. All rather intensely, all at the same time. The play is vaulable for these complex and sometimes impassioned purposes. A nonliterary text has a more utilitarian value. This distinction is as soft as the first one, between what is and is not valuable, and I think it underlies it. Just as we must draw a line between what is and is not valuable, we must also establish hierarchies of value, hierarchies of what we will defend and at what cost. Perhaps the fact that these distinctions don't stand rock firm makes them suspect for some. Hell, I suspect them myself. But make them I must and defend them I will. To equate subliterary texts with literary ones implies a different purpose than the study of literature. If all texts are reduced to little more than their testimony concerning material conditions, we impoverish ourselves and make our inner feelings suspect. Material reality is just not the only acceptable reality. Jim McKenna ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 19 Nov 1993 11:26:37 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0824 Re: Electronic Texts and Scholarship Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 824. Friday, 19 November 1993. From: Paul Austin Date: Friday, 19 Nov 93 07:17:02 EST Subject: Electrotext People have abused the latest technology or knowledge since the dawn of time. Regard the sophists who used the emerging field of Philo- sophy to get rich, much to the chagrin of Socrates. Think also of the number of people who, since the advent of the printed word, have taken advantage of the fact that most people believe the printed word (if it's printed it has to be true). I agree, just because you can do something faster it doesn't make it right, synthesizers and digital pianos will never replace the real thing, etc. I am worried just as much as anyone about the whole world disappearing into the abyss of virtual reality. I really don't care to do all my shopping, etc., from home. But for those of us with earnest intentions it should be noted that these tools allow us to get faster to the heart of the matter by relieving us of the time-consuming duties that computers do for us now. "The tools of your labor may be right or wrong...you don't have to be bitter...just make the tools of your labor work." (Jules Shear). Think of how many people thought that typewriters were a bad thing at the turn of the century. Now think of how easy it is for you to do your research on this forum. Paul Austin huckfinn@vnet.ibm.com ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 22 Nov 1993 08:13:08 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0825 Re: "Shakespeare in the Bush" Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 825. Saturday, 20 November 1993. From: Ron Strickland Date: Friday, 19 Nov 1993 10:12:17 -0600 (CST) Subject: re: Shakespeare in the Bush Douglas Lanier recently asked for the citation for Laura Bohannon's article, "Shakespeare in the Bush." It originally appeared in _Natural History_, August-September, 1966. It was reprinted in Charles Bazerman's _The Informed Reader_ (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1989). I've used it in my "Shakespeare for non-majors" courses as a way to raise issues of ideology and the contingency of aesthetic values. It's an accessible, engaging text. -- Ron Strickland ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 22 Nov 1993 08:13:45 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0826 Re: The Ghost in *Hamlet* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 826. Saturday, 20 November 1993. (1) From: Nick Clary Date: Friday, 19 Nov 1993 11:48:09 -0500 (EST) Subj: Revenge Ghosts and HAMLET (2) From: Rick Jones Date: Friday, 19 Nov 93 12:36:46 EST Subj: A clarification (3) From: Bernice W. Kliman Date: Friday, 19 Nov 1993 14:59 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0797 Re: The Ghost in *Hamlet* (4) From: Michael Sharpston Date: Friday, 19 Nov 1993 20:37:00 -0500 (EST) Subj: RE: SHK 4.0820 Re: The Ghost in *Hamlet* (5) From: Sean Lawrence Date: Friday, 19 Nov 1993 18:21:34 -0400 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0820 Re: The Ghost in *Hamlet* (6) From: William Godshalk Date: Friday, 19 Nov 1993 17:35:13 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0820 Re: The Ghost in *Hamlet* (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Nick Clary Date: Friday, 19 Nov 1993 11:48:09 -0500 (EST) Subject: Revenge Ghosts and HAMLET For those who might take particular in the injunction to revenge given to Hamlet by the Ghost, I recommend Appendix A ("The Relevance of Religious Test to the Stage Ghost, 1560-1610") and Appendix B ("The Convention of Immortal Vengeance, 1585-1642") in Eleanor Prosser's book HAMLET AND REVENGE (Stanford UP, 1967). She make a number of excellent observations that may disturb some who are quick to generalize about Ghosts and their objectives on the Early Modern stages in England. Nick Clary (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Rick Jones Date: Friday, 19 Nov 93 12:36:46 EST Subject: A clarification John Mucci attributes to me the idea that the Ghost and Claudius are "almost always" doubled. This isn't what I said, or at least what I meant. :-) What is "almost always" the case is that the answer to a question "has any production of _Hamlet_ ever used thus-and-such gimmick (using the term non-pejoratively)?" is "yes". My point was simply that there have been so many _Hamlets_, and the quest for novelty is often so compelling, that virtually any "new reading" is in fact an old reading. Rick Jones strophius@aol.com (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Bernice W. Kliman Date: Friday, 19 Nov 1993 14:59 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0797 Re: The Ghost in *Hamlet* Someone asked a while ago about the doubling of Claudius and the Ghost. Most recently, this was a feature of the Q2 version directed by Randolph Curtis Rand, part of the *Hamlet* Festival mounted by NADA on the lower east side of NYC. They also did Q1 without that doubling. And they plan a F1 reading with one actor doing all the parts 12/2-12/6, 7:30 pm, 167 Ludlow Street, 212-420-1466. Bernice (4)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Michael Sharpston Date: Friday, 19 Nov 1993 20:37:00 -0500 (EST) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0820 Re: The Ghost in *Hamlet* Can someone explain to me exactly what the idea of doubling The Ghost and Claudius is? Are we supposed to believe that it is Hamlet's 'generic' Oedipal urge to kill (or feel guilty about wanting to kill) his mother's consort? In which case the "Hyperion" stuff is idealization of his father precisely because of the deeply concealed enmity? Or does everyone else find the proposed psychological dynamics so obvious they are not worth spelling out? (If so, send me a private E-mail in a plain brown wrapper). Michael Sharpston msharpston@worldbank.org (5)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Sean Lawrence Date: Friday, 19 Nov 1993 18:21:34 -0400 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0820 Re: The Ghost in *Hamlet* Ron Dwelle comments: >Shakespeare's audience would have known (as we know) that things >were different in the olden days. But would Shakespeare's audience have relativized, as we do, the difference of things "in the old days"? I think that what we're dealing with here is a question of disparate awarenesses. *We* know that ghosts are, at any rate, suspicious characters; the original audience would probably be only more aware of the potential risks of consorting with the hereafter. If ghosts are such things of evil, as beliefs of the period held, then we and the original audience should fear, like Horatio, the risks impinging on Hamlet when he follows this ghost. Hamlet's slightly crazed response to the ghost's speech would suggest that our hero might do something rash, self- destructive and under demonic influence. Even if Hamlet's world does not recognize the risks of dealing with ghosts (and the responses of Horatio and the guards would indicate otherwise) the original audience certainly would, and would respond to the text with that knowledge. Theology, after all, deals with the absolute, and therefore is not limited in its pronouncements to members of a certain belief but extends to all people everywhere. Sincerely, Sean Lawrence MAFEKING@AC.DAL.CA (6)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Godshalk Date: Friday, 19 Nov 1993 17:35:13 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0820 Re: The Ghost in *Hamlet* To Ron Dwelle, I'm with you, Ron. Who cares that the University of Wittenberg was founded in 1502 - although I believe I have read later dates assigned to the founding? If Shakespeare's University of Wittenberg was founded in the sixteenth century, then Hamlet is early modern. Which do we want? Literature or history? Both? Yours, Bill Godshalk ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 22 Nov 1993 08:14:48 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0827 Re: The Circumcised Dog Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 827. Saturday, 20 November 1993. (1) From: Lars Engle Date: Friday, 19 Nov 93 12:38:58 CST Subj: RE: SHK 4.0823 Q: The Circumcised Dog (2) From: Tom Clayton Date: Friday, 19 Nov 1993 18:33:00 -0500 (CDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0823 Q: The Circumcised Dog (3) From: Stephen Orgel Date: Friday, 19 Nov 1993 16:53:54 -0800 (PST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0823 Q: The Circumcised Dog (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Lars Engle Date: Friday, 19 Nov 93 12:38:58 CST Subject: RE: SHK 4.0823 Q: The Circumcised Dog To Howell Chickering: Muslims also practice male circumcision. Presumably Othello is underlining the fact that it was a Muslim he killed in Aleppo. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Tom Clayton Date: Friday, 19 Nov 1993 18:33:00 -0500 (CDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0823 Q: The Circumcised Dog "Orthodox" Muslim males were (and are) circumcised. (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Stephen Orgel Date: Friday, 19 Nov 1993 16:53:54 -0800 (PST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0823 Q: The Circumcised Dog Moslems practice circumcision. S. Orgel (and doubtless a myriad others) ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 22 Nov 1993 08:35:29 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0828 Re: The Battle in *Pericles* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 828. Monday, 22 November 1993. From: Tom Loughlin Date: Friday, 19 Nov 1993 16:27:58 -0500 (EST) Subject: *Pericles* Battle In a production which I played in, the matter of the battle was handled by an inserted speech delivered by Gower between scenes which describes the action and narrates the victory of Pericles. I believe the piece used was not written by Shakespeare, but given the general wretched poetry spewed forth by Gower, nothing was basically lost and the problem was easily solved. I'll see if I can dig up my production text of that play and quote the speech for you. BTW, the Gower speech also allowed for a scene change into the banquet sequence, which was handled with much good humor. The dance of the knights was particularly comic - "a good time was had by all!" Tom Loughlin loughlin@jane.cs.fredonia.edu ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 22 Nov 1993 08:59:38 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0829 Re: Electronic Research and Texts Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 829. Monday, 22 November 1993. (1) From: Timothy Bowden Date: Saturday, 20 Nov 93 13:57:20 PST Subj: Luddites and the Laity (2) From: Chris Kendall Date: Sunday, 21 Nov 1993 10:38:18 -0700 (MST) Subj: Electrotexts (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Timothy Bowden Date: Saturday, 20 Nov 93 13:57:20 PST Subject: Luddites and the Laity I hope this doesn't range too far afield, but I am very interested in how the Luddite Legacy plays along the modern data highway. As you may recall, I recently exulted in how research is so slick and quick in the electronic age - I see, for instance, a speculation about incest charged by Hamlet I against Gertrude, and I click on the term in my finder program after installing the wafer containing not only the search tool but the complete works, the equivalent of that ten-pound volume over in the dusty corner... ...and I see in seconds how the, ah, practice appears in _Pericles_ (the perfect courtship rite for the over-protective father - a riddle is posed and the suitor is killed whether he answers the question correctly or no! I wonder how many of the predecessors of Pericles were true in their reading of the poser and were thus dispatched to protect the shame of Antioch) and in concept, as Isabella musing in Act III Scene I of _Measure For Measure_: Is't not a kind of incest, to take life From thine own sister's shame? Now, I see resistance to instant access to research tools for the masses in two forms: (1) Time invested in doing it the hard way. Why, when I was a girl, I trudged eight miles in the snow and the reference library was closed and it was six miles further to Professor Winthrop's rooms, uphill both ways! That was research, lad! (2) Loss of (tenured) positions amidst those already-mentioned musty shelves. The question I have seen here, how has electronic research enhanced scholarship? - might be turned on its head: what is the academic function (reminiscent of Van Gogh's insistence in stalking off the path and through the briars because `One must suffer for art!') of trudging uphill through the snow? Your time might better be spent in either writing or contemplation, I suspect. Timothy Bowden tcbowden@clovis.felton.ca.us (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Chris Kendall Date: Sunday, 21 Nov 1993 10:38:18 -0700 (MST) Subject: Electrotexts A popular view (particularly among people for whom hi-tech provides a livelihood) is that technology is value-neutral. I'm willing to accept that, but I say that if owning a digital copy of Shakespeare relieves you of the burden of reading his plays, sail that disc out the window. -- Chris Kendall | ckendall@carl.org ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 23 Nov 1993 09:45:41 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0830 Another Outlet for Branagh's *Hamlet* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 830. Tuesday, 23 November 1993. From: Ellen Edgerton Date: Monday, 22 Nov 1993 10:18 ET Subject: Another outlet for Branagh *Hamlet* In the recent discussion about the Branagh radio *Hamlet* I don't think I saw anyone mention the fact that the CD/cassette sets can be ordered through the National Theatre bookstore. Their number is 071-928-2033, extension 600. (At least, they had it a year ago when I ordered it from them.) I would assume that they would also have the *Romeo and Juliet* set available now, since it was aired on the BBC this past spring and presumably was released on CD/cassette in Britain at around the same time. Ellen Edgerton Syracuse University ebedgert@suadmin.syr.edu ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 23 Nov 1993 09:49:27 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0831 Re: Electronic Tools and Research Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 831. Tuesday, 23 November 1993. From: Paul Austin Date: Monday, 22 Nov 93 10:26:09 EST Subject: Electrotexts Apologies in advance if we are getting off of the topic. I'll take this offline anytime. RE: resistance to research tools 1. I had to walk in the snow, too. Storms in Oswego are like the one immortalised in "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald". It proves I have spunk or determination to have fought 6 foot drifts to get to the library or just to get to class, sure. But whenever I had to write a paper (whether I typed it, wrote it by hand, or smashed it out on a PC), all the technology in the world didn't fool Dr. Brooke Pierce. It just helped me type and produce the paper faster. 2. As a result of using whatever technology, I don't think I put anyone on the unemployment line, except people who made pencils, perhaps. The librarians still have to provide all that stuff for me to dive through, too, whether it's electric or not. RE: Who employs me... ...has no bearing in the argument about the neutrality of technology. I will say that I still read my hardcopy Riverside edition of the Shakespeare (can't afford it on CD rom and wouldn't read it anyway - hurts my eyes). But even without this technology, all sorts of unscrupulous people use Bartlett's to spruce up their speeches without 'doing the research' or reading the real stuff. So don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. It's to what end you use the technology that makes you (insert negative word here). As an example I cite all the spellcheckers or grammar checking software which people use with impunity here. It still doesn't make them better spellers and it still takes a brain to notice that although "affect" is spelled correctly, the spellchecker won't tell you that you really need the word "effect". And no, I am not a computing major; I got my BA in English. I've 'done the work'. Paul Austin (huckfinn@vnet.ibm.com) PS - and if anyone can get me OUT of this job PLEASE DO! ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 23 Nov 1993 09:54:01 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0832 Re: The Circumcised Dog Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 832. Tuesday, 23 November 1993. From: Ronald Dwelle Date: Monday, 22 Nov 93 12:55:26 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0827 Re: The Circumcised Dog I think the Turk Othello is referring to is circumcised (traditional). Even today (a colleague from Sarajevo informs me), Christians in Bosnia ask "Is he one of us or is he..." and then they "snip-snip" with their finger/scissors in front of the genitals, to indicate that the person is a Moslem. Related (and more interesting to me) is the suggestion in the passage that Othello may be circumcised as well (that is a Turk, rather than a Christian), since he identifies so thoroughly with the chap from Aleppo (or perhaps he even invents the chap). Presumably Brabantio would have raised the issue, or at least Iago, but perhaps one of Othello's problems is religious--shouldn't mix those marriages, even to a liberal Venetian. What think you? Ron (foe-of-mixed-marriage) Dwelle (dweller@gvsu.edu) ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 23 Nov 1993 11:51:49 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0833 The Paradox of Historicizing Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 833. Tuesday, 23 November 1993. From: William Godshalk Date: Friday, 19 Nov 1993 17:13:24 -0500 (EST) Subject: One more time: the paradox of historicizing Shakespeare Recently, in our discussions of Shakespeare's ability to transcend his own time, it seems to have been the historicist position that Shakespeare was writing about early modern/Renaissance England no matter what names he gave his locales or what history he was supposedly dealing with. He was trapped inside his own history, his own material culture. If he was, then so are we. It is impossible for us to transcend our own grammar, our own archive, our own culture. That's why the new historicists do not sound like the old historicists or the nineteenth century historical critics. We are being written by our culture. And it follows that the attempt to historicize only results in the dehistoricizing of Shakespeare's text. Instead of reclaiming, or rewriting, the early modern/Renaissance culture, we merely superimpose our own. If we are caught in material culture, there is no way out, and certainly no way back. Thw words of the ghosts ring in my ears: despair and die. Despairingly yours, Bill Godshalk ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 24 Nov 1993 07:22:16 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0834 Re: History and Literature Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 834. Thursday, 24 November 1993. From: Nancy W Miller Date: Tuesday, 23 Nov 93 10:40:37 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0822 Re: History and Literature In reply to Jim McKenna, I do not mean to advocate the "abandonment" of distinctions between (or the "equivalency" of) non-literary and literary texts. This oversimplifies the process somewhat. I may have overstated my position in order to make my case. What I DO advocate is the recognition that this "history" that we all enjoy as a means into a work of literature is itself a text that mediates material conditions and must undergo the process of interpretation. I have enough interest in rhetoric to accept the idea that occasion, purpose, and audience are important factors in determining that interpretation (a nod to Bill Godshalk here). For the record, I do not necessarily "equate" *Shrew* with the "Homily on the State of Matrimony." I read the "Homily" to illuminate *Shrew* because literature is my primary interest, but I keep in mind two points: 1) the illumination could certainly work in reverse if I chose to focus my study that way; and 2) the "Homily" cannot be blindly accepted as factual historical material. Does this help to bring our positions slightly closer together? N. Miller ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 24 Nov 1993 07:25:01 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0835 Olivier *Hamlet* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 835. Thursday, 24 November 1993. From: Ann M. Cox Date: Tuesday, 23 Nov 93 11:39:01 EST Subject: Olivier's Hamlet Olivier's Hamlet (the movie) will be on PBS (Vermont ETV) on Dec 17, 93 at 11 pm. Ann M. Cox ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 24 Nov 1993 07:28:28 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0836 Re: "Shakespeare in the Bush" Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 836. Thursday, 24 November 1993. From: Naomi Conn Liebler Date: Tuesday, 23 Nov 93 15:41:33 GMT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0825 Re: "Shakespeare in the Bush" Matter of fact, Laura Bohannon's essay was ORIGINALLY published in 1956, under the title "Miching Mallecho: That Means Mischief," in a volume called _From the Third Programme_, an "anthology" of BBC efforts. The version printed in -Natural History_ a decade later is virtually identical except for the title which became "Shakespeare in the Bush." I mention this for those whose libraries don't stock _Natural History_ (incidentally, my notes say that it was the September-October issue, not August-September, 1966), and for those who like to go back to REALLY ORIGINAL versions. I also think this is a brilliant essay, with lessons for anyone (the older and the more degrees held, the better), not just undergraduates. Happy digging. Cheers, Naomi Liebler ncl1@stirling.ac.uk ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 24 Nov 1993 07:39:02 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0837 Re: The Paradox of Historicizing Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 837. Thursday, 24 November 1993. (1) From: David Bank Date: Tuesday, 23 Nov 93 19:41:21 GMT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0833 The Paradox of Historicizing Shakespeare (2) From: Dennis Kennedy Date: Tuesday, 23 Nov 1993 19:56 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0833 The Paradox of Historicizing Shakespeare (3) From: Robert O'Connor Date: Wednesday, 24 Nov 1993 15:52:02 +0700 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0833 The Paradox of Historicizing Shakespeare (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: David Bank Date: Tuesday, 23 Nov 93 19:41:21 GMT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0833 The Paradox of Historicizing Shakespeare I can't think that Bill Godshalk is right. Shakespeare was writing *out* of "early modern/Renaissance England", not "about" it. The difference is fundamental. The next point in Bill's first paragraph I also take issue with: "He [Shak.] was trapped inside his own history, his own material culture". I'm reluctant to believe that anyone so dazzlingly verbal and intellectual could have been "trapped" by the 2,500 years of European history and culture of which the Elizabethan period was - in Shakespeare's lifetime - the then present. The main point here is that culture is an accretive process. Coral reef, that sort of thing. We forget some important things of the past, but without others actively present *to us* we should be very different cultural beings. Inherited notions of soul/"psyche" for instance. There is a great book by Rohde on conceptions of these among the ancient Greeks. Recognizably mutual interest to Greeks, Hamlet, us. It is this old tradition which gets in the way of attempts to banish purgatory by the 16th c. Reformists, who wanted everyone to believe that when you die you go *straight* to wherever you're going. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Dennis Kennedy Date: Tuesday, 23 Nov 1993 19:56 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0833 The Paradox of Historicizing Shakespeare Sounds like Bill Godshalk got it right at last. (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Robert O'Connor Date: Wednesday, 24 Nov 1993 15:52:02 +0700 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0833 The Paradox of Historicizing Shakespeare Dear despairing Bill Godshalk, As has often occurred on this forum, I find someone else raising an issue that has recently got to me. It occurred to me the other day - while trying to draft an abstract for a conference - that we in the late 20th century are somewhat handicapped in approaching Shakespeare. The dominant discourse of his time - and for some time after - was religious. In ours, it is scientific. The religious and moral pamphlets of Elizabethan London have been replaced by popularised science books such as Hawking's *A Brief History of Time* (obviously I am avoiding the issue of popular fiction here . . . . ) Witness the on-going attempts to put criticism on a "scientific" footing, if not on par with scientific discourses. I, too, despaired (briefly) when I realised this. How can we "approach" Shakespeare, or even begin to understand/analyse his works, when the framework in which we operate, like it or not, is so radically different from, if not diametrically opposed to, Shakespeare's. *Sigh* What's the point? Are we all out of a job? Well, maybe, but not yet. Surely we have learned that it is impossible for us to put a finger on "our own grammar, our own archive, our own culture", as much as it is impossible to do the same for Shakespeare. In fact - casting despair aside after another cup of coffee - we are operating within such a fluid discourse - scientifically biased though it may be - that we can try to find a "way out" even if there is "no way back". I do not agree, however, that "the new historicists do not sound like the old historicists or the nineteenth century historical critics." Dollimore and Tillyard have more in common that I previously thought, and their methodologies, after all, are not too different. More Caffeine!!! Robert O'Connor ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 24 Nov 1993 07:43:18 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0838 Hamlet at Wittenberg Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 838. Thursday, 24 November 1993. From: David Richman Date: Tuesday, 23 Nov 1993 15:08:04 -0500 (EST) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0826 Re: The Ghost in *Hamlet* I am intrigued by Bill Godshalk's note about the founding of Wittenberg. Doctor Faustus (in Marlowe's play, at least) is a principal scholar of Wittenberg. I have always fancied that the two scholars who keep watch with Faustus, and subsequently find his body plastered all over his study walls, are Hamlet and Horatio. When I grow up, I would like to stage *Hamlet* and *Faustus* in repertory. In my production Hamlet and Horatio will exhibit a healthy caution about things ghostly and/or demonic. "Thou art a scholar: speak to it, Horatio." David Richman University of New Hampshire ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 24 Nov 1993 07:50:02 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0839 Q: The Moons of Uranus Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 839. Thursday, 24 November 1993. From: Peter Scott Date: Tuesday, 23 Nov 1993 17:02:07 -0600 (CST) Subject: REQUEST: Shakespeare on the net? (fwd) ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: 23 NOV 1993 15:48:00 GMT From: Michael David Lea Subject: REQUEST: Shakespeare on the net? For an extra-credit assignment in my astronomy class, I have to find out where the names of the 10 inner moons of Uranus came from --they are all from Shakespeare plays, but we have to know the plays by name, and I don't. A) Does anyone know this? I can provide the names or B) is there anywhere on the net to find such information? I think (B) would be more interesting...please send replies to leamd@rascal.guilford.edu, i'll summarize if anyone is interested...Thanks! --michael lea ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 25 Nov 1993 08:08:22 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0835 Re: The Paradox of Historicizing Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 835. Thursday, 24 November 1993. (1) From: Terence Hawkes Date: Wednesday, 24 Nov 93 12:39 BST Subj: RE: SHK 4.0833 The Paradox of Historicizing Shakespeare (2) From: John Drakakis Date: Wednesday, 24 Nov 93 18:35:00 GMT Subj: SHK 4.0833 The Paradox of Historicizing (3) From: Al Cacicedo Date: Thursday, 25 Nov 1993 0:32:54 -0500 (EST) Subj: History and despair (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Terence Hawkes Date: Wednesday, 24 Nov 93 12:39 BST Subject: RE: SHK 4.0833 The Paradox of Historicizing Shakespeare I think Bill Godshalk has got the Historicist position about right. If all cultures are prisoners of the presuppositions of their way of life, then so is our own. You can't step outside history. But why the despair? That is only appropriate if we persist in regarding the acquisition of permanent historical truth as the object of the exercise. In fact, I'd always thought that the abandonment of that quest constituted the great American contribution to philosophy, in the form of Pragmatism. Hence (if anyone remembers it) my own despair at the spectacle of 'Commander' Wannamaker's continuing genuflections in the direction of the Bard's supposed universality. Terence Hawkes (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John Drakakis Date: Wednesday, 24 Nov 93 18:35:00 GMT Subject: SHK 4.0833 The Paradox of Historicizing >Recently, in our discussions of Shakespeare's ability to transcend his own >time, it seems to have been the historicist position that Shakespeare was >writing about early modern/Renaissance England no matter what names he gave >his locales or what history he was supposedly dealing with. He was trapped >inside his own history, his own material culture. >If he was, then so are we. It is impossible for us to transcend our own >grammar, our own archive, our own culture. That's why the new historicists do >not sound like the old historicists or the nineteenth century historical >critics. We are being written by our culture. >And it follows that the attempt to historicize only results in the >dehistoricizing of Shakespeare's text. Instead of reclaiming, or rewriting, >the early modern/Renaissance culture, we merely superimpose our own. If we are >caught in material culture, there is no way out, and certainly no way back. >The words of the ghosts ring in my ears: despair and die. I can't make up my mind whether Bill Godshalk has already sold his soul to the devil, or whether he's regards himself as some kind of Ricardian nemesis, come to scourge those of us who have committed the evidently regicidal crime of pointing out that certain imperial figures in Shakespeare criticism have no clothes. What makes him think that Shakespeare was "trapped inside his own material culture"? Doubtless Shakespeare worked under certain cultural constraints (he may even have exercised a degree of self-censorship as one of a number of possible responses to those restraints), and we can attempt to produce some narrative of those conditions. The point is, surely, that this isn't quite so simple as it sounds, and we now have some idea why. When he says that "the attempt to historicize only results in the dehistoricizing Shakespeare's text", then he's doing nothing more here than playing with words. Having committed himself to the metaphor of history as a form of entrapment, he collapses all DIFFERENCES into similitudes. When we look at modern culture seriously we don't "merely superimpose our own" upon it. There are serious tensions thrown up by differences, and the way forward is not to pretend that we can totally submerge ourselves in the object of our enquiry, and then to lament the fact that we may not be able to. Clearly, having deprived Godshalk of the universalizing strategy which allows him to range freely within the zodiac of his own wit, all he can do is despair. Maybe he needs to think a little more about what "materialisms" involve, instead of continually chewing on what must by now be a pretty tasteless insane root that takes the reason prisoner. Lang may yer lumb reek John Drakakis (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Al Cacicedo Date: Thursday, 25 Nov 1993 0:32:54 -0500 (EST) Subject: History and despair I think David Bank is right that culture is an accretive process. And I agree with him that "trapped" is the wrong word to apply to Shakespeare--or anyone else--in regards to his/their historical contingency. I know French theoreticians are often tiresome, but they are tiresome, I think, because they are very careful (some of them) to steer the delicate path between the two determinisms, social and biological, which have agitated human thinkers for as long, apparently, as there have been human thinkers. One result of that careful steering is that some of them seem (to me, at least) to get right the inventive potential of the historical subject. At any rate, in an very old fashioned way, I guess I just don't get why Bill Godshalk is so despairing. Yes, Shakespeare is as much a historical subject as any of us--"No more but even a human," to paraphrase Cleopatra. To transcend such contingency, I think, is a divine attribute, or so theists and other romantics (Cleopatra with immortal longings?) might argue. Should we make our Will our golden calf, I wonder? Neither glittering nor gold, Al Cacicedo (alc@joe.alb.edu) Albright College ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 25 Nov 1993 08:18:14 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0835 Re: Hamlet at Wittenberg Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 836. Thursday, 24 November 1993. (1) From: Tad Davis Date: Wednesday, 24 Nov 1993 09:49:11 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0838 Hamlet at Wittenberg (2) From: James Schaefer Date: Wednesday, 24 Nov 1993 09:45:29 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0838 Hamlet at Wittenberg (3) From: Joseph Lawrence Lyle Date: Wednesday, 24 Nov 1993 13:41:47 -0500 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0838 Hamlet at Wittenberg (4) From: William Godshalk Date: Wednesday, 24 Nov 1993 22:16:54 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0838 Hamlet at Wittenberg (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Tad Davis Date: Wednesday, 24 Nov 1993 09:49:11 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0838 Hamlet at Wittenberg Anthony Burgess has a story in his collection, "The Devil's Mode," that touches briefly and with the typical Burgess humor, on the idea of Hamlet and Faustus being at Wittenberg at the same time. There is another story in the same collection that deals with an encounter between Shakespeare and Cervantes, the King's Men being for some reason in Spain. Tad Davis davist@mercury.umis.upenn.edu (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: James Schaefer Date: Wednesday, 24 Nov 1993 09:45:29 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0838 Hamlet at Wittenberg I like David Richman's idea about doing *Hamlet* and *Faustus* in repertory! I've been working for some years with Gertrude Stein's version of the Faust legend (*Doctor Faustus Lights the Lights*), which is more akin to Goethe's version than Marlowe's, and much more aware of the ambiguity (as opposed to mere greedy guilt) of scholarship, more aware of the tension between grabbing the main chance and "by indirections, find[ing] direction out." The two would work very well together. Jim Schaefer Graduate School Georgetown University schaefej@guvax.georgetown.edu (202) 687-4478 (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Joseph Lawrence Lyle Date: Wednesday, 24 Nov 1993 13:41:47 -0500 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0838 Hamlet at Wittenberg Horatio *does* go to Wittenberg--in order to ask Faust what Hamlet was like in his college days. According to a recent play? Novel? Sound familiar? Jay Lyle (4)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Godshalk Date: Wednesday, 24 Nov 1993 22:16:54 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0838 Hamlet at Wittenberg To David Richman: What a wonderful fantasy! Let's think about this. Shakespeare surely remembered DR. FAUSTUS, and so when he makes Hamlet a student in Germany and at Wittenberg at that, why can't we make the connection? Where does it lead? And what about Martin Luther? Was Hamlet a proto-Lutheran? Was Hamlet Senior a Catholic? I think I'm having my pre-Thanksgiving fantasy. Yours, Bill Godshalk ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 25 Nov 1993 08:21:45 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0837 Re: The Moons of Uranus Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 837. Thursday, 24 November 1993. From: Phyllis Rackin Date: Wednesday, 24 Nov 1993 12:49:09 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0839 Q: The Moons of Uranus You can do a word search, which will also retrieve the names of characters, of all of Shakespeare's plays on the ccat gopher at the University of Pennsylvania, which is accessible via telnet (telnet gopher.upenn.edu). Phyllis Rackin ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 25 Nov 1993 08:26:36 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0838 Acting Time and Cutting Scripts Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 838. Thursday, 24 November 1993. From: William Godshalk Date: Wednesday, 24 Nov 1993 22:38:58 -0500 (EST) Subject: Acting time and cutting scripts Last night, I was looking at the 1600 Q of HENRY V, and looking over the Oxford textual commentary. Then I started to think of the two hours' traffic of the stage, and other bits and pieces from Peter Alexander came to mind along with MACBETH and the argument that it's a cut version of a longer script. Is it possible that most of Shakespeare's scripts were cut in most, if not all, performances? Is it possible that scripts could be cut differently on an almost daily basis? Nosworthy in SHAKESPEARE'S OCCASIONAL PLAYS suggests different ways TROILUS AND CRESSIDA may be concluded. Perhaps in different performances it was concluded in different ways - sometimes with the death of Hector, sometimes with the rejection of Pandarus, and sometimes with the words of Troilus. I'm assuming here that the play was acted more than once or twice in Shakespeare's time. I realize that this is contested turf. If anyone knows a good recent article or two on cutting and/or playing time, please let me know. Thanks in advance. Yours, Bill Godshalk ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 26 Nov 1993 10:53:06 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0840 [was 4,0840] Shakespeare on gopher Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 840. Friday, 25 November 1993. From: Peter Scott Date: Thursday, 25 Nov 1993 07:47:50 -0600 (CST) Subject: Shakespeare gopher at ccat.sas.upenn.edu > You can do a word search, which will also retrieve the names of > characters, of all of Shakespeare's plays on the ccat gopher at the > University of Pennsylvania, which is accessible via telnet (telnet > gopher.upenn.edu). You can also get to this via: gopher ccat.sas.upenn.edu 5. CCAT Text Archives and Related Material from Elsewhere/ 5. SHAKESPEARE/ SHAKESPEARE 1. All Works: Retrieve by paragraph, please? 2. Comedies/ 3. Comedies: Retrieve by paragraph, please? 4. Histories/ 5. Histories: Retrieve by paragraph, please? 6. Poetry/ 7. Poetry: Retrieve by paragraph, please? 8. Roman/ 9. Roman: Retrieve by paragraph, please? 10. Romances/ 11. Romances: Retrieve by paragraph, please? 12. Tragedies/ 13. Tragedies: Retrieve by paragraph, please? 14. Word Glossary. 15. Word Glossary of Shakespearean terms, please? ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 26 Nov 1993 10:55:46 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0841 Re: The Moons of Uranus Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 841. Friday, 25 November 1993. From: David Bank ,D.A.Bank@vme.glasgow.ac.uk. Date: Thursday, 25 Nov 93 16:07:26 GMT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0837 Re: The Moons of Uranus *Re* Phyllis Rackin's suggestion: Why bother with a word search via telnet, when some *Complete Works* have a single alphabetized list of all Shakespeare's characters at the back? My copy of the Alexander text (in the 'fifties 4 vol issue) does, and I think I've seen this elsewhere too. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 26 Nov 1993 11:03:51 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0842 Historicizing; History and Literature Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 842. Friday, 25 November 1993. (1) From: William Godshalk Date: Thursday, 25 Nov 1993 13:37:31 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0835 Re: The Paradox of Historicizing Shakespeare (2) From: James McKenna Date: Thursday, 25 Nov 1993 15:55:38 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0834 Re: History and Literature (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Godshalk Date: Thursday, 25 Nov 1993 13:37:31 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0835 Re: The Paradox of Historicizing Shakespeare To Terence Hawkes Hey, we seem to agree on something. And don't worry, I'm not really in despair. I'm rather happily a child of the twentieth century. I was interested in eliciting a response from the new historicists who seem to be historical determinists, on one hand, and, on the other, they seem to believe that they can transcend their historical moment in order accurately to describe the past. Pragmatism sounds right to me, but beware the Neo-Pragmatists! To John Drakakis Lang may yer lumb reek. Was that Scots sentence aimed at me? We weren't students together at St. Andrews, were we? In any case, it's rather warm here, so my lumb isn't reeking very much. What you say sounds wonderful. But who is this person who has deprived me of my universalizing strategy that allows me to range at random through the zodiak of my wit? John, you seem to want to have it both ways: you want to be a determinist, and you also want to have some amount of freedom. Some years ago, John Lachs, the philosopher, and I were discussing determinism over chicken paprika and bourbon, and I asked him what kind of freedom humans had. He said, "we are free to know that we are determined." But you seem to want to have more freedom than that. And, John, I've given up the insane root, and turned to red wine! But who are these nude Shakespeare scholars? As Graves might have said, how naked are the sometimes nude. In fact, that's what he did say. Yours, Bill Godshalk (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: James McKenna Date: Thursday, 25 Nov 1993 15:55:38 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0834 Re: History and Literature In reply to Nancy Miller, Yes, I think I agree with your point that _Shrew_ and the homily can be taken from different perspectives to illuminate each other. The basic point on which we differ, though, remains. For lack of surer terms, I'll call the difference between literary texts and nonliterary texts "sparkle." It is as though such sparkling texts demand attention for their immediate relevance, while duller ones must be examined more closely before their virtues appear. No line divides literary from nonliterary texts. That line we draw. But--and here is the difference, I think--those above the line are always the primary focus of _literary_ study. Texts below the line, however interesting for many reasons, remain as evidence to illuminate those held as literary. To our democratic minds, this idea is heretical. I reel before it myself. But I find it impossible to defend my field when my area of study is the cracks between the works and ideas that nonscholars find interesting. As students of Renaissance drama, we study works that appealed to a broad audience; and so it is appropriate that we also study the crudest of the other writing that remains. But we have ourselves a broad audience, too, and it makes sense to me to use the judgment of our own times as an indicator of just what might have sparkled onstage in the first productions. Dazzled and digging (and late to turkey dinner), James McKenna ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 26 Nov 1993 11:09:45 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0843 Re: Electronic Scholarship Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 843. Friday, 25 November 1993. From: James McKenna Date: Thursday, 25 Nov 1993 15:28:44 -0500 (EST) Subject: electrotexts In reply to Timothy Bowden's suggestion that reading bound books is analogous to trudging uphill in the snow eight miles (barefoot in the dark...hungry), I have to say that there are important differences. First, I made no claims about the moral goodness of book research; and second, trudging uphill etc. is a hardship of poverty, while using actual books for research is a limitation of convenience. Now, let me make some claims about the moral goodness of book research. Books, like us, are partly tangible, real objects. There is virtue in not straying too far from that peculiar balance of material and ephemeral. Electrotexts are virtually infinite, instantaneous. They accelerate the movement of information, but at the same time debase that information by making it totally ephemeral, immaterial, as it were. Sure we can print it out, but the printout is obselete so quickly that it is better to keep it on disk, where it can be instantly and invisibly updated, kind of like history in _Nineteen Eighty-Four_. One final point may be taken as fond remembrance of trudging, but is not at all the same thing. While searching for something in a book, I must wait a lot. I can't find things immediately. Often I have to go find another book. While searching, I find other things, I am open to a world that I had not counted on. And I must wait, and in waiting learn patience. If the desire to keep contact with the world and to learn patience are marks of scholarly snobbery, then a snob I am. The libraries have been free for generations. There is nothing hidden there for scholars alone. Now the learning necessary to make meaning of what is in the libraries.... But then, that requires patience. Notice that I write electrotext. I am not obstinate or a luddite (they had a good point--look them up), just SKEPTICAL. Ponderingly, James McKenna ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 26 Nov 1993 11:15:30 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0844 Re: Hamlet at Wittenberg Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 844. Friday, 25 November 1993. (1) From: Robert O'Connor Date: Friday, 26 Nov 1993 09:28:54 +0700 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0835 Re: Hamlet at Wittenberg (2) From: Robert O'Connor Date: Friday, 26 Nov 1993 09:38:02 +0700 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0835 Re: Hamlet at Wittenberg (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Robert O'Connor Date: Friday, 26 Nov 1993 09:28:54 +0700 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0835 Re: Hamlet at Wittenberg A Polish lecturer I had as an undergrad once told a tutorial group about I play he had seen produced just after the war, in which it was asserted that Faust was Hamlet's tutor at Wittenberg! As a friend of mine observed at the time, it provides a novel excuse: "Sorry my essay is late, my tutor got dragged off to Hell . . . " (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Robert O'Connor Date: Friday, 26 Nov 1993 09:38:02 +0700 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0835 Re: Hamlet at Wittenberg Yesterday, Bill Godshalk asked: >And what about Martin Luther? Was Hamlet a >proto-Lutheran? Was Hamlet Senior a Catholic? I seem to recall these questions being addressed in a book by Robert Rentoul Reed, *Crime and God's Judgement in Shakespeare* - I have found it both interesting and useful. Robert F. O'Connor ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 26 Nov 1993 11:19:27 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0845 Re: Acting Time and Cutting Scripts Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 845. Friday, 25 November 1993. From: James McKenna Date: Thursday, 25 Nov 1993 22:13:27 -0500 (EST) Subject: cut scripts Concerning Dr. Godshalk's interest in frequent cutting and mixing of the scripts: In reading Shakespeare and Jonson recently, I noticed that both playwrights have a large number of plays within plays. This led me to look at the audiences of those plays within plays as some sort of mirror of actual Renaissance audiences. Jonson even includes such audience-control tools as a contract with the audience (_Bartholmew Fair_) and an example of how not to be an audience (_Staple of News_). It seems clear to me that the playwrights' concerns about the audience included discipline rather high on the list of priorities. Given such a concern, it seems also likely that jiggering with the script would be a reasonable response: cut what didn't play well last time; expand what did. Any given text, then, might represent the longest possible version of a play, not a version that was ever really played. _Henry V_ is a good example of a play that might have been printed from such a patched and worked-over script. The Choruses fit so poorly with the play, both in tone and in simple logic that it is hard to believe that the play was ever supposed to be performed as it was published in the folio. This reminds me of two major origins of the Renaissance drama: traveling mystery plays and the schoolboy productions of classical plays. Suppose we combined the ambience of a mystery play production before a public audience with the attempted refinement of classical drama as performed in private schools. Doesn't that sound something like the Globe? Lively and even disruptive audience response, such as we see in _Love's Labors Lost_ and _Midsummer Night's Dream_, seems likely. It's hard to imagine such a nightmare as _The Knight of the Burning Pestle_ coming wholly from Beaumont's imagination. And if these were the audiences companies had to play to, then day-to-day cutting makes good sense. In answer to your query, though, no, I don't know of any. But you knew that (didn't you?) Well-stuffed and humming, James McKenna ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 27 Nov 1993 11:05:07 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0846 Re: Shakespeare on gopher Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 846. Saturday, 27 November 1993. (1) From: Michael S. Hart Date: Friday, 26 Nov 93 10:47:46 CST Subj: Re: SHK 4,0840 Shakespeare on gopher (2) From: Michael Friedman Date: Friday, 26 Nov 1993 16:14:55 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4,0840 Shakespeare on gopher (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Michael S. Hart Date: Friday, 26 Nov 93 10:47:46 CST Subject: Re: SHK 4,0840 Shakespeare on gopher As per your announcement below, I tried to ftp to the addresses to get the files as that is much less trouble to me and to the nets, but it was not open to anonymous, and login as gopher required a password. Please advise, Thanks, Best Wishes For The Holiday Season! Michael S. Hart (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Michael Friedman Date: Friday, 26 Nov 1993 16:14:55 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4,0840 Shakespeare on gopher Maybe someone can help me. I've been trying for two days to use the services of the gopher at upenn to do a word search through the Complete Works, but I can't seem to find my way around. When I use Phyllis Rackin's instructions, (tn gopher.upenn.edu), I get into the system, but there are so many choices that I have not yet been able to get at Shakespeare. When I tried the alternative (tn gopher ccat.sas.upenn.edu), my screen said "Can't use port ccat.sas.upenn.edu." Is this problem due to the fact that my PC is not capable of logging into such a system? Or, can anyone tell me how to navigate through the menus of the gopher to get to the Shakespeare texts? Michael Friedman Friedmanm1@jaguar.uofs.edu ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 27 Nov 1993 11:07:06 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0847 Re: Hamlet at Wittenberg Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 847. Saturday, 27 November 1993. From: Jay Edelnant Date: Friday, 26 Nov 1993 16:39:17 -0500 (CDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0835 Re: Hamlet at Wittenberg In Glowacki's _Fortinbras Gets Drunk_, there is innuendo about Faustus sleeping with his student Dagny Borg, the daughter of Sternborg, advisor to Old Norway, father of Fortinbras and his brother Mortinbras. I suppose you have to read the play. ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 27 Nov 1993 11:11:13 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0848 Re: Electronic Scholarship Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 848. Saturday, 27 November 1993. From: Timothy Bowden Date: Friday, 26 Nov 93 22:29:15 PST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0843 Re: Electronic Scholarship > From: James McKenna > In reply to Timothy Bowden's suggestion that reading bound books is > analogous to trudging uphill in the snow eight miles - No, no. Not the reading of the text, but the secondary search, the wonder at where `incest' appears elsewhere and under what context and how it is used. Ain't nobody excpected to leave the hearth to find the scripture proper, my man... > Books, like us, are partly tangible, real objects. There is virtue in not > straying too far from that peculiar balance of material and ephemeral. Somewhere, before they fly over the wires at the speed of light, the lines on your screen are stored as millions of simple answers to basic questions, yes or no, on or off, .5 + or -. > Electrotexts are virtually infinite, instantaneous. They accelerate > the movement of information, but at the same time debase that > information by making it totally ephemeral, immaterial, as it were. My CD-ROM has weight, though less, and occupies space, though least of all the storage devices, such as inky papyrus. Any object, sexual or otherwise, is never degraded when diminished. See Jenny Craig. It is here wise to point out the justified prejudice against those who figure books as tangible textual objects. They carry volumes in their hands, always with their fingers marking the place to radiate close study, and less and least in their heads. A physical presence may well diminish spiritual attainments (attempted meditation while suffering the heartbreak of `fisherman's seat'), but in no instance might the souls of objects be measured by the pound. > While searching for something in a book, I must wait a lot. I can't > find things immediately. Often I have to go find another book. While > searching, I find other things, I am open to a world that I had not > counted on. And I must wait, and in waiting learn patience. This method my high school English teacher referred to as `dalliance'. Though I described it in just your terms, she marked out her own patience (and my lesser results) in six-week periods. And the times they are a'changin'... I see a term on a screen. Click. I mark before my eyes moving like the dead trees of yore a wealth of material others have noted on just that idea. I can at a sitting avail myself of the swarm of western thought on the subject, then move east, if I dare. I can construct a platform of the sturdy hides of all the world's best minds who have traced their passages before me. Then I can dream. Then I can write. Then I can exercise all the world's proud patience. Timothy Bowden ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 28 Nov 1993 09:31:40 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0850 Q: *The Knight of the Burning Pestle* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 850. Sunday, 28 November 1993. From: James Schaefer Date: Saturday, 27 Nov 1993 11:21:57 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0845 Re: Acting Time and Cutting Scripts James McKenna: I was glad to see you cite one of my favorite plays, *The Knight of the Burning Pestle*, as an example of the playwright's vision of the audience from hell. I've always been amazed that this very modern-feeling play is never staged. Does anyone know of a production anywhere in the last 20-odd years? Jim Schaefer Georgetown University schaefej@guvax.georgetown.edu ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 28 Nov 1993 09:33:47 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0851 Re: "Shakespeare in the Bush" Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 851. Sunday, 28 November 1993. From: Nina Walker Date: Saturday, 27 Nov 1993 11:48:39 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0836 Re: "Shakespeare in the Bush" "Shakespeare in the Bush" is also reprinted in an anthology entitled, *Crossing Cultures* . I can't give you publication info--the book is in my office and I'm at home for three days. It's a fairly available reader used often for composition courses. Nwalker ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 28 Nov 1993 09:36:39 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0852 Q: Literary Device Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 852. Sunday, 28 November 1993. From: Michael Friedman Date: Saturday, 27 Nov 1993 15:11:40 -0500 (EST) Subject: [Query: Literary Device] A colleague of mine just asked me if I knew the term for the literary device of having a character's name represent something central about that figure. Since Shakespeare does this so often (Flute, Mooncalf, Abhorson), I told him that someone on the net would undoubtedly know. Any takers? Michael Friedman FriedmanM1@jaguar.uofs.edu ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 28 Nov 1993 09:25:52 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0849 Re: Shakespeare on gopher Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 849. Sunday, 28 November 1993. From: Phyllis Rackin Date: Saturday, 27 Nov 1993 11:26:39 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0846 Re: Shakespeare on gopher > As per your announcement below, I tried to ftp to the addresses to get > the files as that is much less trouble to me and to the nets, but it > was not open to anonymous, and login as gopher required a password. > Maybe someone can help me. I've been trying for two days to use the services > of the gopher at upenn to do a word search through the Complete Works, but > I can't seem to find my way around. When I use Phyllis Rackin's instructions, > (tn gopher.upenn.edu), I get into the system, but there are so many choices > that I have not yet been able to get at Shakespeare. When I tried the > alternative (tn gopher ccat.sas.upenn.edu), my screen said "Can't use port > ccat.sas.upenn.edu." Is this problem due to the fact that my PC is not > capable of logging into such a system? Or, can anyone tell me how to navigate > through the menus of the gopher to get to the Shakespeare texts? Try this: 1. telnet gopher.upenn.edu 2. From the resulting menu, choose number 3 (Gopher servers at Penn). i.e., move your cursor to number 3, and press the enter/return key on your computer keyboard. 3. From that menu, choose number 1 (center for computer analysis of texts) 4. From that menu, choose number 1 (search all CCAT menus using jughead). Once you press the return key, you should get a prompt that asks you for "Words to search for"; at that point, type shakespeare. ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 28 Nov 1993 09:50:14 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0853 Q: Shakespeare Spinoffs Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 853. Sunday, 28 November 1993. From: Laurie White Date: Saturday, 27 Nov 1993 15:26:54 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Shakespeare Spinoffs I am planning an undergrad. Honors seminar in Shakespeare spinoffs. So far I've collected the following ideas: Hamlet: Love Song of J.A. Pruf.; Rosencr. and Guildenstern Are Dead; Fortinbras Get Drunk. King Lear: A Thousand Acres. Othello: Desdemona (title? it's a new play on broadway.) I know there are many such borrowings (including West Side Story and Kiss Me Kate, which I don't want to do), but i'd appreciate any suggestions you Shakespeare lovers and experts could provide. Thanks in advance. --Laurie White, UNCGreensboro WHITEL@steffi.uncg.edu [The subject of Shakespeare spinoffs has come up many times on SHAKSPER. During SHAKSPER's first year, two files were placed on the FileServer to keep track of these spinoffs. They are SPINOFF BIBLIO A bibliography of poems, novels, plays, and films inspired by Shakespeare's life and works. Compiled by Lawrence Schimel, Yale University. Additions welcome. CHARACTR BIBLIO A bibliography of works in which Shakespeare figures as a character. Compiled by Lawrence Schimel, Yale University. Additions welcome. SHAKSPEReans can retrieve these files from the SHAKSPER Fileserver by sending the following mail message (without a subject line) to LISTSERV@utoronto.bitnet: GET SPINOFF BIBLIO SHAKSPER GET CHARACTR BIBLIO SHAKSPER For an updated version of this list, send the command "GET SHAKSPER FILES SHAKSPER" in the same fashion. As usual, if you should have a problem, please feel free to contact me at HMCook@boe00.minc.umd.edu. --HMC] ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 28 Nov 1993 09:55:55 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0854 Re: Acting Time and Cutting Scripts Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 854. Sunday, 28 November 1993. From: Steve Urkowitz Date: Saturday, 27 Nov 93 17:40:17 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0838 Acting Time and Cutting Scripts Well, how about a jaunty, maybe good maybe not so good, essay about acting time and short-quarto scripts? "Back to Basics: Thinking about the HAMLET First Quarto," in Thomas Clayton, ed. THE HAMLET FIRST PUBLISHED (Q1 1603): ORIGINS, FORMS, INTERTEXTUALITIES (Newark: U of Delaware Press). Turns out that Peter Alexander and Alfred Hart and those guys were blowing smoke. And in the same Clayton volume, Scott McMillan shows how plays would have been made longer, not shorter, to make them ready for touring with a smaller cast of actors. Happy thanksgiving, and other autumnal holiday greetings to those around the globe. Steve Turkey-quarto-witch SURCC@cunyvm ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 28 Nov 1993 09:59:15 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0855 Re: Electronic Scholarship Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 855. Sunday, 28 November 1993. From: James McKenna Date: Saturday, 27 Nov 1993 18:33:17 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0848 Re: Electronic Scholarship Reply to Timothy Bowden: I see that I must speak by the card lest equivocation undo me. I had assumed that research, and not simple reading, was the topic. But still I maintain my point. The ability to put one's finger, or pointer, on a fact assumes two things: 1) that one understands what one is searching for, and 2) that the source in which one is searching is reliable. Electrotextual research encourages us to ignore these assumptions because any search at all yields so much detailed information that the assumptions appear to have been correct. The database blandly spits forth data in proper, credible form. Who cares whether it's apropos to anything? It hangs together; it's scholarship. Mr. Bowden cavils with my points about weight and tangibility. I am not unaware of the actual existence of data-processing and -storage devices. I own a few myself. You might notice that I am replying via the very same medium you use. My point, in a nutshell, is that books are on our scale in both speed and size. They present information as quickly as we turn the pages; they are identical with the notebooks we carry around and write in (those of us who still do that). We can quibble about the intellectual content of a dead thing, but my point remains that books are records that we pass around and share and that bring us together, while electrotexts disperse us to sit alone listening to the whine of our computer fans. As to patience and waiting: there is a time for haste and results. It is not always. A very good piece of advice I got was to allow time to sit in the stacks and browse. Read the marginalia, the inscriptions; muse on the hands that held the book before my own. Pull them off at whim and just _be_ in the library (or the resale bookshop). A certain roundedness comes from browsing in the stacks, an evanescent awareness of one's crawly little place in things. Finally, as to changing times, there is no doubt. But are you, my friend, so sure of your weathercock that you will throw in lock, stock, and barrel with the flashy new ways? Belt _and_ suspenders, I say. By the by, where can I get 1-meg, 70-nanosecond simms for cheap? James McKenna University of Cincinnati ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Nov 1993 08:28:45 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0856 *Hamlet* and *Dr. Faustus* in Repertoire Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 856. Monday, 29 November 1993. From: Nick Clary Date: Sunday, 28 Nov 1993 12:18:43 -0500 (EST) Subject: Hamlet and Dr. Faustus in Repertoire For those who were not in England during the summer of 1989, I would like to note that the RSC was doing some wonderful pairings during that season. Not only was HAMLET (in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre) paired with DR. FAUSTUS (in the Swan Theatre), but A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM (RST) was paired with ROMEO AND JULIET (ST). In addition, Shakespeare's CYMBELINE and Jonson's EPICOENE rounded out a summer season of quite interesting "doublings." Nick Clary ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Nov 1993 08:35:47 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0857 Re: Electronic Scholarship Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 857. Monday, 29 November 1993. (1) From: John Lavagnino Date: Sunday, 28 Nov 1993 12:41 EDT Subj: Re: Electronic Scholarship (2) From: William Godshalk Date: Sunday, 28 Nov 1993 22:43:44 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0848 Re: Electronic Scholarship (3) From: Ed Pechter Date: Monday, 29 Nov 1993 08:21:34 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0855 Re: Electronic Scholarship (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John Lavagnino Date: Sunday, 28 Nov 1993 12:41 EDT Subject: Re: Electronic Scholarship Jeremiads against electronic texts don't usually have any basis in the study of such texts. Their content is mostly determined by their genre, which demands that the moderns be denounced and the ancients praised, and that warnings must be issued to the effect that culture as we know it will disappear unless we go back to the old ways. A lot of time and effort is wasted on the composition of these jeremiads: wasted not because they're wrong (just because the genre determines the content doesn't mean that it's erroneous content), but because it's all been said many times, most recently by those who warned us that paperback books would destroy culture. Everything that you now read about the perils of electronic texts was said before about paperbacks: they don't give you the Real Text, only a copy of dubious authenticity; they don't have the permanence of hardbound books; they don't instill a proper respect for the gravity of culture, because they make it too widely available. Anyone studying the real cultural effects of paperbacks has to go beyond these prophecies---and those on the other side that told us paperbacks would make the world perfect---and do some real research into the phenomenon. The same is true with electronic texts. John Lavagnino Department of English and American Literature, Brandeis University (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Godshalk Date: Sunday, 28 Nov 1993 22:43:44 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0848 Re: Electronic Scholarship I love books. I love old books. I love books that get my hands dirty. I hate reading from this screen. When I come home late, I tell my wife I've been at a bar. She knows I've been at a bookstore. I have a passion for books. We insulate our house with them. They're all over - tables, floors, closets. Even our cats read books. Sorry, my passion took over. Yours, Bill Godshalk (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ed Pechter Date: Monday, 29 Nov 1993 08:21:34 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0855 Re: Electronic Scholarship James McKenna's "belt _and_ suspenders" seems right. There was a lot on this subject in the last but one _Representations_ (#42?), including 1 piece on the specific differences produced by different ways of receiving, retrieving & circulating. There are some MLA sessions on the matter this year. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Nov 1993 08:39:22 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0858 The Bard Is Back? Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 858. Monday, 29 November 1993. From: Ellen Egerton Date: Sunday, 28 Nov 1993 10:21 ET Subject: The Bard is Back? According to a brief article in PARADE magazine, this year Shakespeare is the #1 historical figure of greatest interest to users of the Encyclopedia Britannica's Instant Research Service. This is the first time Shakespeare has been #1. (Runners-up were JFK, Hitler, Mark Twain, Dickens...) The article speculates that the film version of MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING may have something to do with it. Ellen Edgerton ebedgert@suadmin.syr.edu Syracuse University ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Nov 1993 08:47:24 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0859 Re: Literary Device Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 859. Monday, 29 November 1993. (1) From: Terence Hawkes Date: Monday, 29 Nov 93 11:17 BST Subj: RE: SHK 4.0852 Q: Literary Device (2) From: Ron Macdonald Date: Monday, 29 Nov 1993 07:55:18 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Character names (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Terence Hawkes Date: Monday, 29 Nov 93 11:17 BST Subject: RE: SHK 4.0852 Q: Literary Device Alfred Harbage's term for the term for the literary device of having a character's name represent something central about that figure was 'psychological onomatopoeia'. Terence Hawkes (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ron Macdonald Date: Monday, 29 Nov 1993 07:55:18 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Character names I've always called significant character names "label names." Not much flash there, I grant. Seems to me some German theorist, Lessing maybe, referred to _redende Namen_, "speaking names." Not a whole lot better. --Ron Macdonald ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Nov 1993 08:53:29 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0860 Re: Historicizing and Determinism Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 860. Monday, 29 November 1993. From: John Drakakis Date: Monday, 29 Nov 93 13:38:00 GMT Subject: SHK 4.0842 Historicizing; History and Li The following to Bill Godshalk: (i) No, we weren't students at St. Andrews together. What you got was a reasonably typical Scottish greeting- though I'm not Scots, and I didn't know that you were at St. Andrews, and wild horses wouldn't drag out of my any opinion concerning what they do with literary texts there. (ii) On the more serious question of "determinism", you seem to be locked into an either/or situation: either everything we do is wholly determined or it isn't. My concern is not so much with "determinism" in that rather crude sense, but much more with "overdetermination" which allows for some measure of play in the whole complex business. Nor is it necessary, in my view, to posit a position OUTSIDE that complexity in order to provide a critique of it. Being, as you put it "a child of the twentieth century" you've obviously learned to despair in style. That seems to me to be the position taken by a particular tendency in New Historicism, among other intellectual positions. Universalizing effectively collapses all history into the present, and this has certain similarities of emphasis which we can recognize as post-modernist. The question I ask is: in whose INTERESTS does this collapsing of all history into the present take place? Is this simply an expression of some absolute freedom which is offered to the gendered human subject within late capitalism, and have we really reached the end of history? Or is there something else at issue here? I suppose I am really asking a series of questions about the nature of representation here, and this is where these issues overlap with the ways in which we produce meanings from literary texts. But I can see that you're beginning to choke on your wine, Bill! John Drakakis ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Nov 1993 08:58:30 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0861 Re: Shakespeare on gopher Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 861. Monday, 29 November 1993. From: Michael Clark Date: Monday, 29 Nov 1993 07:42:46 -0500 Subject: Shakespeare on Gopher Two responses to queries: Michael S. Hart writes, > >As per your announcement below, I tried to ftp to the addresses to get >the files as that is much less trouble to me and to the nets, but it >was not open to anonymous, and login as gopher required a password. > >Please advise, I think you use Telnet--and at the telnet prompt type open gopher.upenn.edu That should get you into the gopher menu. Michael Friedman writes, >Maybe someone can help me. I've been trying for two days to use the services >of the gopher at upenn to do a word search through the Complete Works, but >I can't seem to find my way around. When I use Phyllis Rackin's instructions >(tn gopher.upenn.edu), I get into the system, but there are so many choices >that I have not yet been able to get at Shakespeare. When I tried the Once you get into the gopher menu at Penn, you need to proceed through the various menus by making (in this order) the following choices: 3. Gopher Servers at Penn 1. Center for Computer Analysis of Texts 5. CCAT Text ARchives Then choose the number for SHAKESPEARE. But other choices may get you there are well. Just play around with the various options. Type 'u' to go up one menu-level. Use 'shift-?' for more information. > >alternative (tn gopher ccat.sas.upenn.edu), my screen said "Can't use port >ccat.sas.upenn.edu." Is this problem due to the fact that my PC is not >capable of logging into such a system? Or, can anyone tell me how to navigate >through the menus of the gopher to get to the Shakespeare texts? See above. I don't think you can access ccat.sas.upenn.edu port without a password (i.e., being a Penn faculty member). What you need to do is to telnet as described above. Mike Clark Michael.Clark@cyber.widener.edu ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Nov 1993 09:18:28 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0863 Re: Shakespeare Spinoffs Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 863. Monday, 29 November 1993. From: Kenneth S. Rothwell Date: Monday, 29 Nov 1993 08:47:57 -500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0853 Q: Shakespeare Spinoffs Dear Laurie White, Don't overlook Marvin Kaye's clever detective mystery, >Bullets for Macbeth< (Toronto: Dutton, 1976). Ken Rothwell ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Nov 1993 09:10:40 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0862 Re: *The Knight of the Burning Pestle* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 862. Monday, 29 November 1993. (1) From: Ed Pechter Date: Monday, 29 Nov 1993 08:07:20 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0850 Q: *The Knight of the Burning Pestle* (2) From: Tom Clayton Date: Monday, 29 Nov 1993 07:52:23 -0500 (CDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0850 Q: *The Knight of the Burning Pestle* (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ed Pechter Date: Monday, 29 Nov 1993 08:07:20 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0850 Q: *The Knight of the Burning Pestle* There was a very funny & successful production at Stratford Ontario a couple of years ago. I believe that Sheldon Zitner, the Revels editor, was an advisor. George & Nell appeared in double knits & Marge Simpson hairdo. It was in the small theater and as I remember they arrived late & with conspicuous kerfuffle. It was embarrassing when they interrupted the play until we found out they were part of the play (most of the audience didn't know of course, and we few insiders pretended we didn't). I could dig up the program & send you more details privately if you want, but I think a lot of people on SHAKSPER must have seen it. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Tom Clayton Date: Monday, 29 Nov 1993 07:52:23 -0500 (CDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0850 Q: *The Knight of the Burning Pestle* RSC staged a production of Pestle directed by Michael Bogdanov at the Aldwych in 1981. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Nov 1993 08:09:00 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0864 Re: *The Knight of the Burning Pestle* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 864. Tuesday, 30 November 1993. (1) From: John Cox Date: Monday, 29 Nov 1993 09:04:14 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0850 Q: *The Knight of the Burning Pestle* (2) From: Laurie Osborne Date: Monday, 29 Nov 93 09:22:04 -0500 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0850 Q: *The Knight of the Burning Pestle* (3) From: Katherine West Date: Monday, 29 Nov 1993 09:57:47 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0850 Q: *The Knight of the Burning Pestle* (4) From: Gordon Jones Date: Monday, 29 Nov 1993 14:08:15 -0230 (NDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0850 Q: *The Knight of the Burning Pestle* (5) From: Cornelius Novelli Date: Monday, 29 Nov 1993 11:51:08 EDT Subj: RE: SHK 4.0850 Q: *The Knight of the Burning Pestle* (6) From: Nicholas Ranson Date: Monday, 29 Nov 93 21:05:54 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0850 Q: *The Knight of the Burning Pestle* (7) From: William Godshalk Date: Monday, 29 Nov 1993 22:16:37 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0850 Q: *The Knight of the Burning Pestle* (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John Cox Date: Monday, 29 Nov 1993 09:04:14 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0850 Q: *The Knight of the Burning Pestle* *The Knight of the Burning Pestle* was brilliantly staged by the Young Company at Stratford Ontario in 1990 and revived in 1991 because of its success. It should be in college repertories more frequently. John Cox (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Laurie Osborne Date: Monday, 29 Nov 93 09:22:04 -0500 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0850 Q: *The Knight of the Burning Pestle* *The Knight of the Burning Pestle* is one of my favorite plays as well. And it has been very recently staged in the Stratford Festival in Ontario. The play was first put on in the summer of 1990 (I believe) and was so popular that they staged it again the following year. I only saw the first version and it was wonderful. They crossdressed almost the entire cast of the internal play, *The London Merchant* and played the Citizens and Rafe with gender appropriate actors. I especially enjoyed it since I had just written an essay on the importance of Nell as the female audience--she practically stole the show! Laurie Osborne Dept. of English Colby College Waterville, ME 04962 207-872-3304 leosborn@colby.edu (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Katherine West Date: Monday, 29 Nov 1993 09:57:47 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0850 Q: *The Knight of the Burning Pestle* The Stratford Festival (Ontario) did quite a good performance of _Knight of the Burning Pestle_ during the 1991 season. Katherine West University of Toronto (4)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Gordon Jones Date: Monday, 29 Nov 1993 14:08:15 -0230 (NDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0850 Q: *The Knight of the Burning Pestle* It has been staged within the last couple of years at Stratford, Ontario, in the Tom Patterson theatre, also I believe at Stratford, England, and certainly in a fine amateur production at Memorial University of Newfoundland. Gordon Jones (5)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Cornelius Novelli Date: Monday, 29 Nov 1993 11:51:08 EDT Subject: RE: SHK 4.0850 Q: *The Knight of the Burning Pestle* KNIGHT OF THE BURNING PESTLE was done here at Le Moyne College seven or eight years ago, and worked wonderfully; we did it in period. Stratford, Ontario, did it a couple of years in a row, modernizing it (the merchant keeps pulling out his credit card). Both productions opened up the play's interaction between various kinds of reality, fiction, illusion ("Stay, illusion" is perhaps my favorite line from the play), delusion, and kept audiences steadily engaged. It takes a strong directorial hand, though, to keep the different threads, motifs, and rhythms from blurring; Bill Morris directed here, and I forget who directed at Stratford. Neil Novelli, Le Moyne College (6)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Nicholas Ranson Date: Monday, 29 Nov 93 21:05:54 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0850 Q: *The Knight of the Burning Pestle* Stratford, Ont, has produced it twice at least in the last four years: I saw one of the productions and fine it was. NR. (7)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Godshalk Date: Monday, 29 Nov 1993 22:16:37 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0850 Q: *The Knight of the Burning Pestle* Jim: I saw a performance of THE KNIGHT OF THE BURNING PESTLE at Shady Hill School, Cambridge, Mass., sometime im the early 60s. It was a children's production, and it was great. Yours, Bill Godshalk ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Nov 1993 08:52:45 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0866 Re: Shakespeare Spinoffs Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 866. Tuesday, 30 November 1993. (1) From: Katherine West Date: Monday, 29 Nov 1993 10:00:49 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0853 Q: Shakespeare Spinoffs (2) From: Sean Lawrence Date: Monday, 29 Nov 1993 11:24:01 -0400 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0863 Re: Shakespeare Spinoffs (3) From: Christine Stoddard Date: Monday, 29 Nov 1993 12:35:37 -0400 Subj: Re: Shakespeare Spinoffs (4) From: Jack Lynch Date: Monday, 29 Nov 1993 15:56:18 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0853 Q: Shakespeare Spinoffs (5) From: Sharon Cinnamon Date: Monday, 29 Nov 1993 16:34:02 -0100 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0853 Q: Shakespeare Spinoffs (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Katherine West Date: Monday, 29 Nov 1993 10:00:49 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0853 Q: Shakespeare Spinoffs You might also look at Edward Bond's _Lear_, and I think the _Othello_ you're referring to must by _Goodnight Desdemona (Goodmorning Juliet)_ by Ann Marie MacDonald. Katherine West University of Toronto (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Sean Lawrence Date: Monday, 29 Nov 1993 11:24:01 -0400 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0863 Re: Shakespeare Spinoffs What about *Goodnight Desdemona, Good Morning Juliet." It's an interesting sort of Jungian tale, in which an aging teaching assistant is sucked into a vortex of Shakespeare plays. A few of the jokes are only funny if you're Canadian, but on the whole it's pretty good. The Neptune theatre, here in Halifax, played it last season and the season before, but not this year. I have a copy if you need biblio information. Sincerely, Sean Lawrence MAFEKING@AC.DAL.CA (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Christine Stoddard Date: Monday, 29 Nov 1993 12:35:37 -0400 Subject: Re: Shakespeare Spinoffs Laurie White, _Goodnight Desdemona, Goodmorning Juliet_ is a possibility. I don't have publishing info but you may want to contact Neptune Theatre (Halifax, NS CAN). _Shakespeare's Women_ was performed at Dalhousie U a few years ago, as well. Christine Stoddard (4)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jack Lynch Date: Monday, 29 Nov 1993 15:56:18 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0853 Q: Shakespeare Spinoffs > I am planning an undergrad. Honors seminar in Shakespeare spinoffs. So > far I've collected the following ideas: Hamlet: Love Song of J.A. Pruf.; > Rosencr. and Guildenstern Are Dead; Fortinbras Get Drunk. King Lear: A > Thousand Acres. Othello: Desdemona (title? it's a new play on broadway.) > I know there are many such borrowings (including West Side Story and Kiss > Me Kate, which I don't want to do), but i'd appreciate any suggestions. If you're interested in film, don't miss Kurosawa's _Throne of Blood_ and _Ran_. Two of the best Shakespeare movies ever made, even if they're not Shakespeare. -- Jack Lynch; jlynch@ccat.sas.upenn.edu (5)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Sharon Cinnamon Date: Monday, 29 Nov 1993 16:34:02 -0100 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0853 Q: Shakespeare Spinoffs A new play touring by the National Theatre was recently in Boston called "The Madness of George III." A lot of Lear and Cymbeline can be seen in it. Also, what about Stoppard's "A Dogg's Hamlet" and "Cahoot's Macbeth." Sharon Cinnamon cinnamon@mit.edu ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Nov 1993 08:57:02 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0867 Re: Literary Device Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 867. Tuesday, 30 November 1993. (1) From: Ed Pechter Date: Monday, 29 Nov 1993 10:12:13 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0859 Re: Literary Device (2) From: William Godshalk Date: Monday, 29 Nov 1993 22:12:25 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0852 Q: Literary Device (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ed Pechter Date: Monday, 29 Nov 1993 10:12:13 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0859 Re: Literary Device Maybe Ann Barton in *The Names of Comedy* provides rhetorical names for appropriate character names. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Godshalk Date: Monday, 29 Nov 1993 22:12:25 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0852 Q: Literary Device Michael, George Lakey (of Philadelphia fame) told me years ago that the term was charactonym. He said that he got the word from a professor at West Chester College (PA). Yours, Bill Godshalk ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Nov 1993 08:59:58 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0868 Re: Moons of Uranus Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 868. Tuesday, 30 November 1993. From: John Cox Date: Monday, 29 Nov 1993 16:18:31 -0500 (EST) Subject: Moons of Uranus A recent question about the moons of Uranus turned into a question about how to access the GOPHER system at University of Pennsylvania. I'm not sure how accessing GOPHER for characters in Shakespeare tells one the names of the moons of Uranus (even if they are named for characters from Shakespeare's plays), but I asked a colleague in physics about the moons, and he obligingly sent me an informative photocopy through campus mail. The photocopy certainly contains all the information that the inquirer wanted, but I'm not sure that my forwarding the information to the network is appropriate. After all, the original question was asked as a means of gaining "extra credit." Presumably the professor who offered the credit wanted her students to discover the research tools for physics--something like the book my colleague turned to in supplying me with the information. Does SHAKSPER count as a research tool for physics, if in fact an English professor got the information from another physicist who did the actual research? ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Nov 1993 09:05:05 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0869 Re: "Shakespeare in the Bush" Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 869. Tuesday, 30 November 1993. From: K. Y. Chin Date: Monday, 29 Nov 1993 23:38:30 -0600 (UTC -06:00) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0851 Re: "Shakespeare in the Bush" You can easily find this article in _Anthropology: Contemporary Perspectives_, 4th ed. (Little, Brown & Company, 1985) or _Applying Anthropology: An Intro- ductory Reader_ (Mayfield, 1989) or you can go directly to the _Natural History_Magazine, Aug.-Sep., 1966. K.Y.Chin/Kansas ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Nov 1993 08:39:13 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0865 Re: Electronic Scholarship and Texts Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 865. Tuesday, 30 November 1993. (1) From: Timothy Bowden Date: Monday, 29 Nov 93 06:38:02 PST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0855 Re: Electronic Scholarship (2) From: Michael S. Hart Date: Monday, 29 Nov 93 09:28:42 CST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0855 Re: Electronic Scholarship (3) From: Fran Teague Date: Monday, 29 Nov 93 11:36:35 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0848 Re: Electronic Scholarship (4) From: Kevin Berland Date: Monday, 29 Nov 93 13:01 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0857 Re: Electronic Scholarship (5) From: James Harner Date: Monday, 29 Nov 1993 10:59:10 -0600 (CST) Subj: RE: SHK 4.0857 Re: Electronic Scholarship (6) From: James McKenna Date: Monday, 29 Nov 1993 22:47:11 -0500 (EST) Subj: electrotexts (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Timothy Bowden Date: Monday, 29 Nov 93 06:38:02 PST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0855 Re: Electronic Scholarship It might be at some point emphasized how, if Original Intent were regarded as standard in place of this renegade postmodern resource ramble we are embarked upon whereupon symbols accrete on page or screen as so much snow beheld by infidels, then the author(s) him(er)sel(f)(ves) might well sneer at how we have denoted and deified a spattering of cribbed and crabbed actors' notes as holy scripture when the medium intended was to broadcast freely about on the very air from the breaths of actors, but I won't... I will own, however, that suspenders are superior in both senses to the belt, that I myself might often be found in the dusty bins of used bookstalls, and you can find a meg of 70ns Mac (of course, the superior platform) SIMM at the local outlet for $38.88 American... Timothy Bowden tcbowden@clovis.felton.ca.us (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Michael S. Hart Date: Monday, 29 Nov 93 09:28:42 CST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0855 Re: Electronic Scholarship This is a reply to the note From: James McKenna Date: Saturday, 27 Nov 1993 18:33:17 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0848 Re: Electronic Scholarship Reply to Timothy Bowden: *** Aside from the obvious linguistic comments I shall not make, I would like to point out that not only are the same kind of notebook in use by myself and millions of others, as are the kind of books we use at our desks and elsewhere, but that an error made in paper research is just as likely to be made in electronic research. . .i.e. "validity verus reliability." A researcher presuming that a search result is both reliable and valid because it came from a computer, is no different a commodity than one who presumes such because those reference librarians who are so helpful, have placed the same data for consideration. Of course, the first thing taught a reference librarian is a "reference interview" which is also the first thing that the researcher should be taught in bibliographic instruction. A few laps around the course of bibliographic instruction will yield improved results in both the paper AND Etext library. Meanwhile, will someone please tell me how to download Etext files, in their entirety, of the Complete Shakespeare Etext, which has been discussed for years on this listserver. Thanks, Best Wishes For The Holiday Season! Michael S. Hart, Professor of Electronic Text Executive Director of Project Gutenberg Etext Illinois Benedictine College, Lisle, IL 60532 No official connection to U of Illinois--UIUC hart@uiucvmd.bitnet and hart@vmd.cso.uiuc.edu (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Fran Teague Date: Monday, 29 Nov 93 11:36:35 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0848 Re: Electronic Scholarship A passage from Joseph Wood Krutch seems possibly relevant: Just suppose that the radio, the phonograph, the film strip, and all the rest of it had been in existence since the Fifteenth Century but that books had just been invented. What a marvelous advance in communication that would be! And how many advantages it would seem to have over any previously known means, including ready availability and the possibility of wide choice. What comes over the air is chosen for you by someone else and you must receive the communication at a particular moment, or not at all. A book, on the other hand, you can choose for yourself and you can read it at your own convenience. It is always available while a broadcast is gone forever. And how much more economical in time a book is! Deduct from a half-hour broadcast the musical fanfare, the station announcement, the sponsor's commercial, etc., etc., and you can learn by five minutes with a book more than you can get in a half-hour broadcast. "Why," we would say, "this marvelous new invention, the book, just about makes radio obsolete." (From JWK's _More Lives Than One_) While the relative merits of radio and books are no longer in question, the general line of argument when one compares electronic and printed texts has a certain familiarity. (4)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kevin Berland Date: Monday, 29 Nov 93 13:01 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0857 Re: Electronic Scholarship This argument, it seems to me, introduces some classic examples of logical fallacies -- such as the False Dilemma: we must choose *either* books or e-texts. Pshaw! I want both. More choices, And, while still in the curmudgeon-mode, I must take issue with I don't remember now who -- my colleague in this branch of the New Invisible University who alluded to the recycling of Paperbacks Will Destroy the World As We Know It rhetoric. I agree that alarmist rhetoric is often deceptive, wrong-headed, and even dangerous -- but it's also sometimes true. The technological innovations of paperback & mass market book-making *have* created problems: planned obsolescence, dissolving glue, yellow snow, &c. &c. My valuable teaching editions of paperback Ardens, heavily annotated, fall all over the floor and cause confusion and embarassment... One more little point: were those who cried that the sky was falling when television started growing and threatening literacy.... were they wrong? Grumpily yours & off to class, Kevin Berland (5)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: James Harner Date: Monday, 29 Nov 1993 10:59:10 -0600 (CST) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0857 Re: Electronic Scholarship Like Bill Godshalk, I love my books--but I could never function without my computers. I don't, at this point, want to enter the books/electronic text debate, but I do want to ask fellow SHAKSPERians for some help and advice. The +MLA Hand Book= is now undergoing revision--especially in light of the proliferation of electronic texts, electronic discussion groups, and GOPHERS. Part of this revision involves the creation (or reinement) of a form for citing electronic materials. As a member of the advisory committee for the revision, I would very much like to see examples of any citations to electronic materials that you may have used in your own work or received in paper from students. And, I would welcome any suggestions that you might have regarding citation style for electronic materials. Jim Harner (JLH5651@VENUS.TAMU.EDU) (6)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: James McKenna Date: Monday, 29 Nov 1993 22:47:11 -0500 (EST) Subject: electrotexts My last try...really! I'm not writing jeremiads. Were I, I doubt I'd write them here. Mr. Lavignino suggests looking into electronic texts themselves, rather than just resisting them. I've maintained from the beginning that I do just that--and successfully. I recommend to all around me to use as much electronic help as they can get their hands on. That's the way the game is played these days; you cut your nose off to spite your face to do otherwise. Still...still, still, still, thank God for the Amish, for the Hassidim, for The Farm in Tennessee (if it's still going), for cloisters everywhere, that remind us that blinding speed is a means that can drive us to its own brainless and mechanical ends. Why must one be accused of imbecile romanticism for pointing out that gains must be paid for with losses, and that we ought to choose rather than just accept? I maintain only that much change occurs very fast with little or no thought given to long-term consequences. Remember, "change" and "improvement" are _not_ synonyms. Cordially, respectfully, and with a touch of disappointment, James McKenna U of Cincinnati mckennji@ucbeh.bitnet ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 1 Dec 1993 08:22:24 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0870 Shakespeare Online Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 870. Wednesday, 1 December 1993. From: Terence Martin Date: Tuesday, 30 Nov 93 08:11:37 CST Subject: Shakespeare Online I would like to put in a good word for the Upenn electronic texts and the search program. It is easy to access and most helpful. Thanks for notifying us of its availability. Terence Martin UM - St. Louis ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 1 Dec 1993 08:37:00 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0871 Re: Shakespeare Spinoffs Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 871. Wednesday, 1 December 1993. (1) From: J. M. Richardson Date: Tuesday, 30 Nov 1993 10:35:01EDT Subj: Shakespeare Spinoffs (2) From: Jay Edelnant Date: Tuesday, 30 Nov 1993 11:19:21 -0600 (CST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0866 Re: Shakespeare Spinoffs (3) From: Robert O'Connor Date: Wednesday, 1 Dec 1993 09:34:41 +0700 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0866 Re: Shakespeare Spinoffs (4) From: Melissa Aaron Date: Tuesday, 30 Nov 1993 18:26:06 +0200 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0866 Re: Shakespeare Spinoffs (5) From: Sarah Werner Date: Wednesday, 1 Dec 93 0:08:37 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0866 Re: Shakespeare Spinoffs (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: J. M. Richardson Date: Tuesday, 30 Nov 1993 10:35:01EDT Subject: Shakespeare Spinoffs Here are some items to add to the bibliographies: SHAKESPEARE, THE CHARACTER: A BIBLIO0GRAPHY and SHAKESPEARE SPINOFFS For Shakespeare the Character: Anthony Burgess, "Nothing Like the Sun: A Story of Shakespeare's Love-life", William Heinemann Ltd. 1964 (novel) Anthony Burgess, "Enderby's Dark Lady", McGraw-Hill, 1984 (novel) Anthony Burgess, "A Meeting at Valladolid," in "The Devil's Mode", Hutchinson, 1989 (short story) I believe that just last year Robert Nye published a novel entitled "Mrs. Shakespeare"; a quick check through the "Times Literary Supplement" could verify this. Presumably, Shakespeare appears as a character in this book. For Shakespeare Spinoffs "Hamlet Goes Business", Film: dir. Aki Kaurismaen (a caustic critique of the modern corporate state; in Finnish with English subtitles). Shown on TV Ontario last year. Robert Nye, "Falstaff", Hamish Hamilton 1976 and Penguin Books 1983 (novel). "Scenes from Macbeth", Film: written and dir. by Chris Philpott. Shown on TV Ontario last year. Sting, "Nothing Like the Sun", record album. J.M. (Mike) Richardson English Dept., Lakehead University Thunder Bay, Ont. jrichard@cs_acad_lan.lakeheadu.ca [After this round of discussing spinoffs slows down, I'll update the two files and let everyone know. --HMC] (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jay Edelnant Date: Tuesday, 30 Nov 1993 11:19:21 -0600 (CST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0866 Re: Shakespeare Spinoffs The _Desdemona_ in question is a new play by Paula Vogel of Brown Univ., author of _The Baltimore Waltz_, and presents Desdemona and her innocence in a new light. (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Robert O'Connor Date: Wednesday, 1 Dec 1993 09:34:41 +0700 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0866 Re: Shakespeare Spinoffs Has anyone else out there read Robert Nye's book 'Falstaff'? It's not on the fileserver list. I think it was published in the late sixties. It's one of my favourite spinoffs. ROC (4)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Melissa Aaron Date: Tuesday, 30 Nov 1993 18:26:06 +0200 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0866 Re: Shakespeare Spinoffs What about Colin MacInnes' *Three Years to Play*? It takes a long time to get down to scratch but it turns out that the characters "live" As You Like It before it's written, one of them gets a job working for the Globe and tells Shakespeare, and is written into the play as the first Audrey. There was also a musical comedy version of The Merchant of Venice on off-off Broadway about 15 years ago, but I don't remember what it was called. I also recommend Peter Ustinov's *Romanoff and Juliet*. It is available in play form and there is a cheesy film version with Sandra Dee. Good luck! (5)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Sarah Werner Date: Wednesday, 1 Dec 93 0:08:37 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0866 Re: Shakespeare Spinoffs I believe that the rewrite of _Othello_ in question is actually _Desdemona: A Play About A Handkerchief_, Paula Vogel's play that's wrapping up this week in NY. And speaking of rewrites, I'd add Aime Cesaire's _A Tempest_, a marvellous piece of political drama, and extremely teachable. Sarah Werner University of Pennsylvania ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 1 Dec 1993 08:53:31 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0872 Re: Electronic Scholarship and Texts Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 872. Wednesday, 1 December 1993. (1) From: Hope A. Greenberg Date: Tuesday, 30 Nov 1993 09:29:20 -500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0857 Re: Electronic Scholarship (2) From: William Godshalk Date: Tuesday, 30 Nov 1993 23:03:56 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0865 Re: Electronic Scholarship and Texts (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Hope A. Greenberg Date: Tuesday, 30 Nov 1993 09:29:20 -500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0857 Re: Electronic Scholarship It would be surprising if many scholars didn't have the "passion for books" as B.G. so emotionally describes it. The tactile pleasures of a solid tome, the joy of the physical act of reading, the pride in a fine collection are shared by many people. However, this passion is in no way threatened (at least not in our lifetime) by the availability of electronic texts. I must agree with John Lavagnino (Hi, John!). Diatribes against electronic text do not advance the scholarly cause. Devising creative ways to make literature and history come alive for students through the use of electronic texts seems like a much worthier way to spend one's time and energy. While I have often felt, like one of C.S.Lewis characters when he says "Progress? Development? I have seen them both in the egg. We call it going bad..." I still cannot completely decry recent developments in computing. They're finally getting useful for humanities scholars! Hope Greenberg Academic Computing Univ. of Vermont Burlington, VT 05490 (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Godshalk Date: Tuesday, 30 Nov 1993 23:03:56 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0865 Re: Electronic Scholarship and Texts To Kevin Berland and Jim McKenna: Yes, you both caution us wisely. This thing that I'm using is merely a tool, but the great electronic highway may very well lead to information gridlock. In fact, don't we all have colleagues who get so much e-mail per day that they can't read it? It just gets deleted. And, Kevin, are you noticing a decline in reading skill among your students? I know it's hard to judge precisely, but yesterday I asked my undergraduate Shakespeare class to paraphrase and/or explain the first lines of TWELFTH NIGHT. Out of twenty-four students, three seemed to understand what was going on and to see the problems of paraphrasing. Obviously, twenty-four is not a large sample, but from listening to my students talk, it seems as if they spend more time watching TV than they do reading books. Nevertheless, I don't know where the problem lies. Does anyone have any good methods of teaching college students how to read Shakespeare? Yours, Bill Godshalk ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 1 Dec 1993 09:08:11 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0874 Re: Moons of Uranus Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 874. Wednesday, 1 December 1993. (1) From: Amy Miller Date: Tuesday, 30 Nov 93 10:45:29 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0868 Re: Moons of Uranus (2) From: James Schaefer Date: Tuesday, 30 Nov 1993 12:23:59 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0868 Re: Moons of Uranus (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Amy Miller Date: Tuesday, 30 Nov 93 10:45:29 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0868 Re: Moons of Uranus One last Shakespeare net reosource--you can also search full text, characters, etc via an experimental service on Dartmouth's online library catalog. It is still available to the public, and accessible via the internet. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: James Schaefer Date: Tuesday, 30 Nov 1993 12:23:59 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0868 Re: Moons of Uranus To John Cox: I'm glad to see someone else annoyed about this. I sent a private message advising the student to get his/her body to the library, on the idea that learning HOW to find the info was probably more important than the information itself. I did suggest a few sources, like the Audubon Field Guide to the Stars and the Azimov Shakespeare book, but suggested he/she should make the aquaintance of the local reference librarian, that there was no free lunch on the Net. The student wrote back that the Net was as good a source as any; and apparently someone did provide the information. Do I type myself (show my age?) if I believe that "Access to Tools" (ala Whole Earth Catalog) is the whole idea? Jim Schaefer, Homo Grumpus ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 1 Dec 1993 09:10:35 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0875 Re: *Knight of the Burning Pestle* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 875. Wednesday, 1 December 1993. From: Balz Engler Date: Tuesday, 30 Nov 1993 17:38:44 +0100 Subject: SHK 4.0864 Re: *The Knight of the Burning Pestle* *The Knight of the Burning Pestle* was done by students of Basel University, Switzerland, in 1969, and proved a popular success, even though it was performed in English in a German-speaking city. I remember because I played several small parts in the production. Balz Engler Basel University, Switzerland ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 1 Dec 1993 09:20:59 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0877 Boston *H4* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 877. Wednesday, 1 December 1993. From: Anthony Korotko Hatch Date: Tuesday, 30 Nov 1993 16:16:06 -0500 (EST) Subject: coming events For those in the Boston area: *HENRY IV PART I* opens tomorrow at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, MA (Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle Street), directed by Ron Daniels. The production is set in a fictitious country with references to the American Civil War and Northern Ireland. Daniels is quoted in the Harvard Gazette as describing the plays as "[being about] the cement-heads in power, monolithic in their situations as various groups vie for power. Order dies and the boundaries of civilization fray, but eventually the country is reborn, stronger than before." Daniels' *HAMLET* received a lot of mixed reviews when it played at the A.R.T. a few years ago, but most of the people I know who saw it (I missed the production) were eager to praise or tear it apart...at least it was interesting. Anyway, PART I will run through Jan. 1st. PART II opens Dec. 3rd and will perform in repertory through Jan. 2nd. You can catch both PARTs each sunday in December at 2pm (I) and 7pm (II). Anthony Korotko Hatch wit_akh@flo.org Boston ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 1 Dec 1993 09:02:14 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0873 Re: Literary Device Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 873. Wednesday, 1 December 1993. (1) From: J. M. Richardson Date: Tuesday, 30 Nov 1993 10:57:23EDT Subj: Literary device (2) From: James Schaefer Date: Tuesday, 30 Nov 1993 12:10:24 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0867 Re: Literary Device (3) From: James Schaefer Date: Tuesday, 30 Nov 1993 21:49:10 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0867 Re: Literary Device (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: J. M. Richardson Date: Tuesday, 30 Nov 1993 10:57:23EDT Subject: Literary device One of my colleagues, a specialist in Renaissance rhetoric, has suggested either "mimetic naming" or the neologism "psychonym." J.M. Richardson, Department of English, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ont. Ontario, P7B 5E1. jrichard@cs_acad_lan.lakeheadu.ca (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: James Schaefer Date: Tuesday, 30 Nov 1993 12:10:24 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0867 Re: Literary Device To Bill Godshalk: This past summer, my wife participated in month-long NSF ecological workshop. Near the end, trading "when I was a grad student" stories over beer, a fellow NSFer told how he was out doing field work with his doctoral adviser when he came across a flowering plant he'd not seen before. When asked, his adviser identified it as a "pink roadsidium." Another plant evoked the name, "yellow roadsidium." Being particularly dense, as he admitted, it took a third species, a "blue roadsidium," before he finally felt that tug on his lower extremity. "Charactonym" sounds like it came from the same volume of Linnaeus. Cheers, Jim Schaefer (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: James Schaefer Date: Tuesday, 30 Nov 1993 21:49:10 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0867 Re: Literary Device I was thinking about characters with names like Bottom and Mr. Tattle and Mrs. Malaprop, and I kept seeing little Renaissance woodcuts with flags coming out of characters mouths, and thinking it had something to do with what those flags were called in allegories, when it hit me that _allegory_ might be the key (not on the the banks of the Nile, but Everyman, etc.). Looking up _allegory_ in Babette Deutsch's *Poetry Handbook: A Dictionary of Terms* (3rd edition, 1969, Funk and Wagnalls), I found (p. 86): The characters in an allegory are apt to be *personifications*, or abstract vices and virtues represented as persons. This is also called *prosopopeia*. Granted that fleshed out characters are not the same as one-dimensional characters like Everyman, there is nevertheless a family resemblance in being named for a characteristic trait, so perhaps this is the answer. The etymology of _prosopopeia_ is interesting: _prosopon_, mask, person (from _pros-_ + _ops_ face) _poiein_ to make (as in _poesis_), so "to make a person," ... or "make a face" in the modern sense that comes close to the caricature these characters portray. Dan Rowan was right: all you have to do is look it up in your Funk and Wagnalls. Jim Schaefer ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 1 Dec 1993 09:15:10 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0876 Q: Boston Mock Trial Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 876. Wednesday, 1 December 1993. From: Anthony Korotko Hatch Date: Tuesday, 30 Nov 1993 15:54:13 -0500 (EST) Subject: past events Did anyone attend a mock trial at Fanueil Hall in Boston last month? The question of William S.'s identity was to have been debated: William Shakspeare of Avon, or Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford? Stratfordians favoring plain William were led by Phillip Cronin, a lawyer, with Louis Marder (former editor of the Shakespeare Newsletter?) as his expert witness. Allan van Gestel, another lawyer, argued the Oxford case, with Charles Vere, Earl of Buford, as his witness. Judge Edward F. Harrington presided. Just happened to see an ad for the event while rummaging through last month's newspaper pile and was wondering if it was fun (and who won?). ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 2 Dec 1993 11:03:46 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0879 Q: Twins Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 879. Thursday, 2 December 1993. From: Tom Blackburn Date: Wednesday, 1 Dec 1993 09:41:20 +0000 Subject: Twins Last week in a seminar reading Comedy of Errors one of my students raised a question I had not thought about directly. I have often referred to twins as having an uncanny aspect which may contribute to a nightmare of lost identity lurking around the comic confusions of the play. My student's question, asking what might have been the notion of twins held by an Elizabethan audience, reminded me that I was making a modern and sort of commensensical observation rather than one based in some specific historical or psychological context. Do we have any historicist data on such things as the incidence of twins in the early modern period, the medical view of twins, or the popular attitude toward the phenomenon? Thanks, Tom B. Tom Blackburn tblackb1@cc.swarthmore.edu ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 2 Dec 1993 10:59:45 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0878 Re: *The Knight of the Burning Pestle* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 878. Thursday, 2 December 1993. (1) From: James Schaefer Date: Wednesday, 01 Dec 1993 09:39:00 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0875 Re: *Knight of the Burning Pestle* (2) From: Helen Ostovich Date: Wednesday, 1 Dec 1993 13:49:20 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0850 Q: *The Knight of the Burning Pestle* (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: James Schaefer Date: Wednesday, 01 Dec 1993 09:39:00 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0875 Re: *Knight of the Burning Pestle* Many thanks to all of you who responded with info about productions of *The Knight of the Burning Pestle*. Jim Schaefer (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Helen Ostovich Date: Wednesday, 1 Dec 1993 13:49:20 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0850 Q: *The Knight of the Burning Pestle* For James Schaefer: Stratford, Ontario, Shakespeare Festival performed *KBP* two summers in a row to great applause in the small Tom Patterson Theatre. I believe it was 1990 and 1991. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 2 Dec 1993 11:38:59 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0882 Re: Shakespeare Spinoffs Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 882. Thursday, 2 December 1993. From: Herb Donow Date: Wednesday, 1 Dec 93 14:44:08 CST Subject: Shakespeare Spinoffs Not exactly a spinoff of a particular play but Cothburn O'Neal's "The Dark Lady" (New York: Crown, 1954) is a novel about Rosaline (the dark lady) who is the creative genius behind Shakespeare. She is an actor in his company, writes the plays, has a love affair with Southampton (sonnets are a record of this relationship). As fanciful as Burgess's "Nothing Like the Sun." Herb Donow @SIUC ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 2 Dec 1993 11:07:31 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0880 Re: Moons of Uranus Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 880. Thursday, 2 December 1993. From: Melissa Aaron Date: Wednesday, 1 Dec 1993 08:18:56 +0200 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0874 Re: Moons of Uranus >Do I type myself (show my age?) if I believe that "Access to Tools" >(ala Whole Earth Catalog) is the whole idea? > >Jim Schaefer, >Homo Grumpus I'm not that old, and I thought learning how to read, think and research was the whole point of the liberal education this student is taking out loans to pay for. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 2 Dec 1993 11:46:44 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0884 Q: Pantomime Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 884. Thursday, 2 December 1993. From: Denis Knowles Date: Wednesday, 1 Dec 93 13:48:07 PST Subject: [Pantomime] I just discovered the English tradition of the holiday season Pantomime in the article, "The Magic of the Pantomime," by Margaret Willis, in the recent issue of Dance Magazine. I would very much like to hear from people, especially those of you in or from Great Britain, who are familiar with these performances. If video tapes are available or can be made of a performance I am ready to bargan. My interest lies in making use of this performance mode in secondary level (9 - 12) drama classes and school presentations. As this is not a SHAKSPER concern you should perhaps respond to me directly rather than cluttering up the SHAKSPER conference. Denis Knowles, ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 2 Dec 1993 11:49:35 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0885 Q: Death in *Hamlet* and *Julius Caesar* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 885. Thursday, 2 December 1993. From: Afdhel Aziz Date: Wednesday, 1 Dec 1993 20:32:34 -0500 (EST) Subject: hamlet/julius caesar I'm currently researching the role of death in *Hamlet* and *Julius Casear*. Anybody have any innovative, groundbreaking new ideas about this subject? All replies welcomed. thanks, afdhel aziz bryant college ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 2 Dec 1993 11:35:57 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0881 Re: Teaching and Reading Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 881. Thursday, 2 December 1993. (1) From: Phyllis Rackin Date: Wednesday, 1 Dec 1993 10:35:14 -0500 (EST) Subj: teaching undergrads to read Shakespeare's plays (2) From: Paul Austin Date: Wednesday, 1 Dec 93 11:03:31 EST Subj: Teaching College Students how to read Shakespeare (3) From: Kevin Berland Date: Wednesday, 1 Dec 93 12:38 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0872 Re: Electronic Scholarship and Texts (4) From: Piers Lewis Date: Thursday, 02 Dec 1993 08:03:02 -0600 (CST) Subj: Reading Shakespeare (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Phyllis Rackin Date: Wednesday, 1 Dec 1993 10:35:14 -0500 (EST) Subject: teaching undergrads to read Shakespeare's plays I ask the students in my introductory Shakespeare class to organize study groups with about six people in each and meet twice a week outside of class to read the plays aloud, taking parts. I also give study questions each time I assign a new play and unannounced quizzes from time to time during the semester on the first day a play is to be discussed. It seems to work pretty well. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Paul Austin Date: Wednesday, 1 Dec 93 11:03:31 EST Subject: Teaching College Students how to read Shakespeare Being a recently former college student, I offer this advice: 1.) read it in class 2.) make all students read a part to keep them involved 3.) don't show the videos until after the play has been READ 4.) show them how to use the notes (this helped immensely in a Chaucer class) and encourage them to maek up the text 5.) make the material relevant Why? 1.) if you read it in class you can be sure it's being read, rather than the book supporting a keg 2.) if each student has to read you get an idea of the different problems people might be having (if one person has it may be the whole class does) or at least what problems specific students may be having 3.) videos give students the excuse of relying on imagery to understand the story, rather than the actual plot line (you could mime a play, as does Hamlet in the play within a play, and have it understood, but you want them to understand the complexities and beauties of the LANGUAGE) 4.) a lot of kids (I was one) are confused by these immense texts (we had Riverside editions). Brooke Pierce and Tony Annunziata showed us how to use the notes and encouraged us to mark the books up in pencil to help us understand - it was slow at first but it sped up and we ALL got better as the semester progressed 5) arguments about historicity and understanding Elizabetahns through their eyes aside, it does help students to have the material made relevant to their times. if shakespeare could make all the works and lessons of antiquity understandable to people of his time, then we should do that to. my teachers used to do this in any number of amusing or dramatic ways, and it worked. Paul Austin (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kevin Berland Date: Wednesday, 1 Dec 93 12:38 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0872 Re: Electronic Scholarship and Texts Bill asks whether there has been a decline in reading skills -- I cannot answer this question, really, for three reasons: 1) how do we measure this? I've been teaching 11 years, and when I complain about a decline in reading skills my father (also a teacher of literature, now retired) says Yes, it's *always* been declining; 2) I have a mixed group of students, nearly half of whom are "nontraditional," i.e. <24 yrs. old, and some of them read very well; 3) there is a very real decline in reading (both in a general sense and in a particular sense -- a larger proportion of students do not do the assigned reading at all... The 1st lines of 12th Night? A lot of people experience post-coital hunger (especially in this non-smoking age), and music is a good substitute. This is a question: Duke Orsino (the Bear) starts the play with the word "If" -- but the question is not answered. The play goes on (the second half of line 1). Duke Orsino employs the figure of bulimia, wishing for excess as a method of suppressing his hunger -- he is fat (why else would he be Orsinio = Ursino = the little Bear, but even little bears are fatter than people, even Dukes?) He is so fat that listening to music strains him, and he fears that he might fall over, perhaps breaking a hip, which in elderly people can be fatal. He has already fallen on his ear, causing aural hallucinations, in which sight (floral identification), sound (breathing), and olfactory stimulation (banked violets) are conflated in the pathology known to psychologists as synaesthesia (not an uncommon malady in Shakespeare's brain-damaged characters; qv Bottom's claim to see a voice). Like most cases of people with eating disorders, he rationalizes his binges by equating "enough" with "no more." And once he has consumed and purged, he denies his craving by claiming it lacks the sweetness he once attributed to it. He has repressed his knowledge of the cause of his disorder (love), appealing (in culinary terms) to its "fresh" nature while at the same time introducing terms symbolizing limitless receptive capacity (boundless ocean), which, in the context of the regurgitation imagery, obviously indicates a deluded estimation of the world's capacity to absorb whatever he jettisons. Obviously there is no commercial resale value for such material -- to suggest that there is would be fantastical. See? Anybody can read the 1st lines of 12th Night. (Sorry -- to my left I see -- and am studiously avoiding -- a pile of papers waiting to be marked....) Kevin Berland (4)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Piers Lewis Date: Thursday, 02 Dec 1993 08:03:02 -0600 (CST) Subject: Reading Shakespeare I quite agree with Bill Godshalk's comment to Kevin Berland about the reading skills of our students: most college students now read poorly, especially when they hit Shakespeare for the first time. Why? Thousands of hours of tv in the formative years can do a lot to blunt the powers of the mind, no doubt, but that can't be the whole story. We might also want to consider the fact that the only literary experience our students have had is reading journalistic prose and journalistic fiction. Asking students to paraphrase the opening lines of 12th Night, strikes me as a pretty severe test. As it happens, I've just been mulling that scene over myself in the light of Dover Wilson's analysis, which now seems too simple and too clear. Orsino is a very subtle, strange and not very likable man and his lines in this first scene are as metaphorically dense and psychologically peculiar as any in Shakespeare; managing to be somehow both delicate and coarse. My students also made hash of them. But that, I think, was only to be expected. Nothing in their experience, literary or psychological, could have prepared them for poetry as metaphorically dense or convoluted or kinky as this. What can we do to help our students become better readers? I don't know. It helps, a little, to have them read aloud and we do as much of that as we can find time for. It's painful, I know, but necessary. They have to hear Shakespeare's language and they have to have it in their mouths before they can make sense of it. I also have them write something, one page, for almost every class--something very specific: a paraphrase, an explanation of a metaphor or an action, a comment on a character or a role--anything to get them to connect, somehow, with the words and poetry of these plays. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 2 Dec 1993 11:42:56 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0883 Re: Shakespeare Online Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 883. Thursday, 2 December 1993. From: Michael S. Hart Date: Wednesday, 01 Dec 93 15:03:19 CST Subject: Online Shakespeare This is my third public try to get an answer to this question, in addition to several private inquiries, and attempts on my own to solve the question. What I want to know is if the new Shakespeare/Gopher files are available via FTP anywhere. Somehow the concept of using Gopher to search a 6M text does not seem consistent with efficient use of the networks, and I prefer to be able to search the files with my own software, on my own machine, so that I am not wasting login time and dollars, nor am I at the mercy of some gateways that might be down. It seems an odd bottleneck, if this is, in fact, an intentional "feature" of this effort to place the works of Shakespeare online. Thanks, Best Wishes For The Holiday Season! Michael S. Hart [I know of no such FTP sites. --HMC] ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 3 Dec 1993 09:32:15 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0886 Re: Teaching and Reading Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 886. Friday, 3 December 1993. (1) From: Alicia Rasley Date: Thursday, 02 Dec 1993 12:03:49 -0500 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0881 Re: Teaching and Reading Shakespeare (2) From: Terence Martin Date: Thursday, 02 Dec 93 12:23:54 CST Subj: Student Reading Problems (3) From: Al Cacicedo Date: Thursday, 2 Dec 1993 23:50:44 -0500 (EST) Subj: RE: SHK 4.0881 Re: Teaching and Reading Shakespeare (4) From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Friday, December 3, 1993 Subj: Teaching and Reading Shakespeare (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Alicia Rasley Date: Thursday, 02 Dec 1993 12:03:49 -0500 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0881 Re: Teaching and Reading Shakespeare Paul-- Thanks for the tips on teaching Shakespeare. I'm doing one play-- haven't decided which-- in my lit survey class next semester and was rather dreading it. Your suggestions, especially about reading it aloud in class, will help. I've taught THE TEMPEST several times, but that's neat and short and controllable.... HAMLET is the play in our reader, believe it or not, so I'll probably have to go with that. I'd rather do a really unfamiliar play than one students think they know all about (they saw the trailers of the Mel Gibson film, after all). (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Terence Martin Date: Thursday, 02 Dec 93 12:23:54 CST Subject: Student Reading Problems In answer to the problem of students being unable to read Shakespeare, I can explain (with some apprehension!) a method I have tried on an experimental basis with some success. I warn ahead of time that it has been viewed with scorn by those who dislike the trend to computers, electronic text, etc. The method also is relevant only to blank verse and poetry in general. Many years ago, I concluded that the major problem for many students was really the format of the reading, not the words themselves. Each line of blank verse begins with a capital letter which the brain commonly expects to indicate the beginning of a sentence and/or proper noun. To comprehend the general meaning at least, the reader needs to gather the material into sentences. An additional problem is what I call the intimidation factor caused by so many footnotes and explanations accompanying most textbook editions. My solution was with a word processor to present the text in normal prose sentence format, capitalizing only the first words of sentences and proper nouns. Some, though very little, tinkering with punctuation was also done to bring it too more in line with styles the students commonly encounter in general reading. No footnotes or explanations were printed on this version. The traditional text in standard poetic format and with footnotes and explanations was then paralleled to the prose formatted version. No changes at all were made to the vocabulary or spelling. Students were quite enthusiastic; however, a couple of publishers representatives told me they could never sell the idea to college professors to whom the traditional text format was sacred. That the suggestion smacked too much of high school was another comment. Regardless, William Godshalk's reading quiz can be duplicated with similar results at most colleges and universities across the United States so the problem could certainly use some attention. Terence Martin UM - St. Louis (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Al Cacicedo Date: Thursday, 2 Dec 1993 23:50:44 -0500 (EST) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0881 Re: Teaching and Reading Shakespeare Since students have been using the conference to ask questions about assignments, thus by-passing the work that was asked of them, I guess, and since Kevin Berland has given a positively brilliant reading of the first line of *TN*, expect some version of that reading in your next assignment. Think of that as you're reading your next paper! (4)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Friday, December 3, 1993 Subject: Teaching and Reading Shakespeare For their first time reading a play, I encourage my students to listen to audiotapes as they read. Having them hearing and reading at the same time seems to help in overcoming their fear of the language. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 3 Dec 1993 09:40:31 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0887 Re: Death in *Hamlet* and *Julius Caesar* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 887. Friday, 3 December 1993. (1) From: Ann M. Cox Date: Thursday, 02 Dec 93 12:25:59 EST Subj: SHK 4.0885 Q: Death in *Hamlet* and *Julius Caesar* (2) From: William Godshalk Date: Thursday, 02 Dec 1993 23:20:03 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0885 Q: Death in *Hamlet* and *Julius Caesar* (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ann M. Cox Date: Thursday, 02 Dec 93 12:25:59 EST Subject: SHK 4.0885 Q: Death in *Hamlet* and *Julius Caesar* You are probably aware of this but I'll just throw it in the ring anyway. I have noticed that death in Shakespeare is very much in the classic vein. Death is noble and is sometimes the better thing to do. Even Caesar died in a classical manner. He faced death as it came, he did not cower and cry out, he remained the man he was till the end, he died a noble man. In addition, in following the dictates of the classical, hubris is always punished. It was one of the reasons Caesar was attacked: "The noble Brutus hath told you Caesar was ambitious: if it were so, it was a grievious fault, and grieviously hath Caesar answered it..." And as with all faults "the doer shall sufferer". Ann M. Cox (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Godshalk Date: Thursday, 02 Dec 1993 23:20:03 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0885 Q: Death in *Hamlet* and *Julius Caesar* The best book on death that I use is Becker's THE DENIAL OF DEATH. The book was published posthumously! Norman O. Brown's LIFE AGAINST DEATH - as I recall - has some good stuff on death. I don't know if either of these will help you with death in JC and HAM, but they are "amusing" in themselves. Yours in the ranks of death, Bill Godshalk ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 3 Dec 1993 10:01:50 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0888 Re: Device; Spinoffs; Sh. Online; *TN* Opening; Trial Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 888. Friday, 3 December 1993. (1) From: Michael Friedman Date: Thursday, 02 Dec 1993 16:41:37 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0873 Re: Literary Device (2) From: Fran Teague Date: Thursday, 02 Dec 93 15:02:54 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0882 Re: Shakespeare Spinoffs (3) From: Vint Cerf <0003786240@mcimail.com> Date: Friday, 3 Dec 93 03:08 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0883 Re: Shakespeare Online (4) From: Phyllis Rackin Date: Friday, 3 Dec 1993 09:17:29 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0881 Re: opening speech in Twelfth Night (5) From: Melissa Aaron Date: Thursday, 2 Dec 1993 21:03:47 +0200 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0876 Q: Boston Mock Trial (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Michael Friedman Date: Thursday, 02 Dec 1993 16:41:37 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0873 Re: Literary Device Thank you to all who have responded to my query about the literary device of naming a character after a prominent trait. In the meantime, my coleague who originally asked the question searched the NY Times crossword puzzle index and the OED and came up with the term "euonym" (adj. "euonymous") which means "Well or felicitously named" (OED). It comes from the Greek "eu" or "good" and "nym" or name. The example given is from the Saturday Review: "The Peace Society and its euonymous president, Mr. Pease." Has anyone actually heard this term before or located a more familiar one? Michael Friedman FriedmanM1@jaguar.uofs.edu (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Fran Teague Date: Thursday, 02 Dec 93 15:02:54 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0882 Re: Shakespeare Spinoffs Ever since 1969, Rice University has been the home for a wonderful musical comedy called _Hello, Hamlet!_ It includes such show stoppers as King Claudius's solo, "I Enjoy Being a Ghoul," Queen Gertrude's "The Queen Business is Mean Business (If You Know What I Mean)" and the number about madness, "How Do You Solve a Problem like Ophelia?" I don't know if it's done every year, but I was startled to learn it was still being performed when I was there for a visit about five years ago. Can anyone from Houston tell me? (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Vint Cerf <0003786240@mcimail.com> Date: Friday, 3 Dec 93 03:08 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0883 Re: Shakespeare Online Many gopher servers offer the option of emailing text files to arbitrary email addresses. This may serve as a substitute for FTP in many instances. Of course, for very large files, email may fail to work, leaving one preferring FTP. It is common practice to place files accessible via gopher in public FTP directories, but of course, that is not a mandatory practice. Vint Cerf (4)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Phyllis Rackin Date: Friday, 3 Dec 1993 09:17:29 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0881 Re: opening speech in Twelfth Night I think the first speech in Twelfth Night is funny. When Orsino asks for "that strain again," I imagine that the musicians repeat it until he says "Enough, no more,/ 'Tis not so sweet now as it was before." (5)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Melissa Aaron Date: Thursday, 2 Dec 1993 21:03:47 +0200 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0876 Q: Boston Mock Trial >Did anyone attend a mock trial at Fanueil Hall in Boston last month? The >question of William S.'s identity was to have been debated: William Shakspeare >of Avon, or Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford? who won? I remembering reading that it was determined in favor of "the poacher from Stratford." ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 3 Dec 1993 10:23:57 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0889 Disck-Based Shakespeare Books Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 889. Friday, 3 December 1993. From: Peter Scott Date: Thursday, 02 Dec 1993 18:49:40 -0600 (CST) Subject: Disk-Based Shakespeare Books I am forwarding a message which was forwarded to me. I have no connection with the publisher. -ps MAHAFFEY, PENNSYLVANIA, U.S.A., 1993 DEC 2 (NB) -- Covered Bridge Classics, a division of John A. McCormick, Inc., is offering the first of a series of new computer-based books, created and written by Beth Goldie. The initial hypertext "DiskBook" in the English 101 series is: "A Midsummer Night's Dream - Annotated," by Beth Goldie, Copyright 1993, John A. McCormick, Inc., $4.95. A DiskBook is created and read on a computer and can't be printed on paper because of its unique way of presenting information known as "hypertext." "A Midsummer Night's Dream - Annotated" contains the complete original text of the play, along with definitions of unusual words and phrases as taken from the Oxford English Dictionary and other sources. Character names are highlighted when they first appear in the play so readers can quickly see an explanation of just who the player is and what his or her relation is to other characters. Just what is so special about these books? While traditional print books can only provide additional information about words or paragraphs through the clumsy use of footnotes, a hypertext book lets readers highlight any significant word or sentence and, if desired, obtain further information about that portion of the text. Each book in the English 101 series also contains a guide to the life of the author and notes concerning the plays. The English 101 series is expected to eventually include all of those classic plays, novels, and poems which are read by high school and college students, beginning with 12 major Shakespeare plays. Future DiskBooks will include original mysteries, science fiction, computer tutorials, novels, and more college- and high school-oriented course aids, including introductory books on astronomy, physics, chemistry, and psychology. DiskBooks are supplied on 3.5-inch floppy diskettes which are the present industry standard. The books can be read on any MS-DOS based (IBM, Tandy, etc.) computer, including the laptop and notebook computers so popular with students. A number of other companies are attempting to enter this same market, but the publisher believes that DiskBooks are unique because of their low price and the ability to access the information without the need of a hard disk drive or a computer fast enough to support Windows. Because these books concentrate on just the text of literary works, which were originally published without any illustrations of any sort, they can be kept small enough to fit on one high- density floppy diskette. DiskBooks are priced so low (some comparable books on diskette cost as much as $30) that students can easily justify their purchase for just one course and then erase the program and text to gain a blank $2 high-density floppy diskette. DiskBooks differ from traditional publications such as Monarch Notes because they include the entire text of the original document along with special comments and other annotations. Covered Bridge Classics was formed to provide low-cost publishing services in all fields. Because of the low cost of digital publishing, the company can publish books which traditional publishing companies either can't afford to produce because of a limited market, or won't publish because of their controversial Covered Bridge Classics is actively seeking authors who wish to take advantage of this new publishing technology. DiskBooks can be ordered directly from the publisher, John A. McCormick, Inc., RR #1 No. 99, Mahaffey, PA 15757, or through an electronic bulletin board, at 814-277-6337, seven days each week from 8 p.m. East Coast time to 6 a.m. at 814-277-6337. The electronic bulletin board system also includes sample DiskBooks which can be downloaded and run. John McCormick is also the Washington bureau chief for Newsbytes. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 3 Dec 1993 10:31:22 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0890 Re: Pantos Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 890. Friday, 3 December 1993. From: Michael Dobson Date: Thursday, 02 Dec 93 21:31:13 CST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0884 Q: Pantomime In response to Denis Knowles' seasonal interest in Pantomime, I would suggest that in fact this is indeed a Shaksper concern, since this last survival of the Renaissance transvestite theatre tradition is descended from the Restoration version of *The Tempest.* (I suggested this briefly in an article in the 1991 Shakespeare Survey, no.43, and nobody has bothered to contradict me yet). Despite having had my theatregoing psyche formed by this genre, I cannot recommend its current manifestations to Mr Knowles' students -- nowadays Pantos are usually played by casts of non-acting TV celebrities, supplemented by interminable routines by the local children's ballet school. The form is in any case even more unsuited to video than most theatre, depending on the audience's willingness to shout "Behind you!" and "Oh, yes he is!" in response to crass mugging from behind the footlights and the faint fiction that the performer might take some notice of it for once. One other point: Panto is amazingly conservative, for all its cross-dressing, and hence in large measure the scepticism with which Marjorie Garber's splendid *Vested Interests* was greeted in Britain. Michael Dobson, UIC ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 3 Dec 1993 10:35:35 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0891 Re: Electronic Texts and Videos Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 891. Friday, 3 December 1993. From: Steve Urkowitz Date: Thursday, 02 Dec 93 20:11:03 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0865 Re: Electronic Scholarship and Texts Acidic paper and "perfect" paperback bindings have an electronic analog in the de-laminating or other ghastly deteriorations of magnetic tape, such as will so on happen to my first-purchased copy of Zeffirelli's ROMEO AND JULIET video casssette. A scary article about the ephemerality of video "documents" appears in last Sunday's New York TIMES Business section. Seems like life in a temperate climate for magnetic tape is nasty, brutish and short. Maybe fifteen years? But I assume that by late next week we will be able to purchase a peripheral that can write our videos onto CDs or something with the half-life of a cunieform tablet. Life is long and art whips into oblivion? Having just cut up the stage floor of our Twelfth Night production to build benches, I'm very aware of how a play has to be savored like a sunset. Steve Urkowitz, SURCC@CUNYVM ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 3 Dec 1993 10:39:12 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0892 Q: Stratford Festival 1994 Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 892. Friday, 3 December 1993. From: Mary Ellen Zurko Date: Friday, 3 Dec 93 07:42:44 EST Subject: Stratford Ontario 94 Season query I've just gotten the advanced booking information from the Stratford, Ontario Festival, and, unlike previous years, there is no information about directors and major casting decisions. Does anyone know if this information is available, or when it will be available, and how I can get it? We base the majority of our decisions on these details. Mez (zurko@tuxedo.enet.dec.com) ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 4 Dec 1993 09:06:35 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0893 Re: Teaching and Reading Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 893. Saturday, 4 December 1993. (1) From: Steve Metsker Date: Friday, 3 Dec 93 08:56:31 CST Subj: RE: SHK 4.0881 Re: Teaching and Reading Shakespeare (2) From: James Schaefer Date: Friday, 03 Dec 1993 21:12:47 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0886 Re: Teaching and Reading Shakespeare (3) From: John C. Harrison Date: Friday, 03 Dec 1993 13:10:08 +0200 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0886 Re: Teaching and Reading Shakespeare (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Steve Metsker Date: Friday, 3 Dec 93 08:56:31 CST Subject: RE: SHK 4.0881 Re: Teaching and Reading Shakespeare Bill Godshalk asks, "Does anyone have any good methods of teaching college students how to read Shakespeare?" One suggestion is to introduce students to the plays in illustrated form, a genre that today is called the "graphic novel". Graphic novels (or graphic plays) provide some of the visual benefits of a play. Pictures help depict what's going on, and they maintain a higher level of interest. The only graphic rendition of Shakespeare that I've seen (and read) is Hamlet, and it's terrific. The artwork is first rate, and the drawings provide a sensitive and insightful interpretation of the text. There's only one problem, and that's the name of the folks who produced this graphic play. The creators did a wonderful job in rendering Shakespeare's classic, and indeed this outfit's first name is "Classic". So you might think you can send your students off to buy the "Classic Graphic Novels" edition of Hamlet. Too bad, their name isn't "Classic Graphic Novels". Instead of "Graphic Novels", their name is "Comics". Classic Comics. If you remember Classic Comics from years ago, you may not think of quality artwork, or conscientious fidelity to the original text. Take a look at the new Classic Comics Hamlet, and you'll find outstanding artwork and excellent fidelity in both the pictures and the text. Your local comics store should be able to get you a copy. You may well wind up requiring your students to buy it, since it really is nicely done. But can you imagine a stack of Classic Comics in the campus book store, for LIT401 ? If you love the Classic Comics Hamlet, as I did, you'll have to wrangle with explaining that a "comic" can be used to help teach students how to read Shakespeare. And if you get that far, please let us know your techniques and how they worked. Steve Metsker (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: James Schaefer Date: Friday, 03 Dec 1993 21:12:47 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0886 Re: Teaching and Reading Shakespeare As one trained in the old-fashioned discipline of Oral Interpretation (before it was taken over by Performance Theory) I am very pleased to hear serious discussion of the value of teaching Shakespeare (or _any_ literature) through oral performance. Anyone interested in this alternative to silent (and theory-based) approaches why might want to read an article by Roger Shattuck's, "How to Rescue Literature," published in *The New York Review of Books*, 22 (17 April 1980), pp. 29-35. Jim Schaefer (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John C. Harrison Date: Friday, 03 Dec 1993 13:10:08 +0200 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0886 Re: Teaching and Reading Shakespeare Terence Martin's idea about formatting the text of Shakespeare so that "actual" sentence structure is more clear, is actually very similar to my approach in comprehending Shakespeare, although his approach seems much more time consuming. I agree with Terence, that the problem many first-time Shakespeareans encounter is that they can not distinguish one sentence from the next. As an actor, my solution has always been to take a passage (like the first 12 lines in Twelfth Night), and circle each sentence on the page. Then, write out a contemporary paraphrase for each encircled sentence. In writing a contemporary paraphrase for Shakespeare, it's essential that you pay close attention to each individual word. If you start generalizing or paraphrasing you're not being true to the play's meaning. Once the contemporary paraphrase is complete, the meaning become much more clear. When students do a contemporary paraphrase of Shakespeare they have a much stronger appreciation and understanding of the language. I've had a director have the entire cast perform contemporary paraphrases of As You Like It and King Lear onstage, without notes. The impact on the performance and comprehension level of the actors is incredible. John Harrison University of Oregon jch@oregon.uoregon.edu ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 4 Dec 1993 09:11:17 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0894 Euonyms Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 894. Saturday, 4 December 1993. From: Fran Teague Date: Friday, 03 Dec 93 11:27:27 EST Subject: Euonyms This morning I puzzled over a description in the Atlanta _Journal-Constitution_ that said a gardener had used "yellow, euonymous, gold-splashed aucuba leaves" (Sect. C, p. 1). And when I pick up my e-mail, SHAKSPER provides me with an explanation of "euonym." I think the journalist believes "aucuba" is somehow cognate with "aurum," but since I'm not turning "aucuba" up in my desk dictionary I'll have to keep puzzling over it. Whether "euonymous" was chosen in error or not, I appreciate the serendipity of having a working definition! ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 4 Dec 1993 09:25:06 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0895 Re: Spinoffs; Death; Pantos Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 895. Saturday, 4 December 1993. (1) From: Chris Kendall Date: Friday, 3 Dec 1993 15:06:43 -0700 (MST) Subj: Shakespeare spinoffs (2) From: Laura White Date: Friday, 03 Dec 1993 21:58:47 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0888 Spinoffs (3) From: John Gouws Date: Friday, 3 Dec 1993 22:31:00 +0200 (EET) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0887 Re: Death in *Hamlet* and *Julius Caesar* (4) From: William Godshallk Date: Friday, 03 Dec 1993 21:47:37 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0884 Q: Pantomime (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Chris Kendall Date: Friday, 3 Dec 1993 15:06:43 -0700 (MST) Subject: Shakespeare spinoffs If you're including works about Shakespeare himself you might look at William Gibson's play "A Cry of Players", loosely based on speculation about WS's early years. Chris Kendall | ckendall@carl.org (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Laura White Date: Friday, 03 Dec 1993 21:58:47 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0888 Spinoffs Thanks so much for all the Spinoff help, List members. I'm saving everyone's suggestions! Laurie White (WHITEL@steffi.uncg.edu) (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John Gouws Date: Friday, 3 Dec 1993 22:31:00 +0200 (EET) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0887 Re: Death in *Hamlet* and *Julius Caesar* An obvious source to consult on death and Hamlet is Roland Mushat Frye, _The Renaissance Hamlet: Issues and Responses in 1600_ (Princeton, 1984). Coals to Newscastle, no doubt. John Gouws - Department of English - Rhodes University P.O. Box 94 - Grahamstown 6140 - South Africa Internet: enjg@kudu.ru.ac.za Telephone: (0461) 318402 or 318400 (4)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Godshallk Date: Friday, 03 Dec 1993 21:47:37 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0884 Q: Pantomime Dear Denis Knowles, The Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati (ETC) puts on a English-type panto each holiday season. This year, it's LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD. You might call them (513-421-3556) for more information. My kids love the panto. Bill Godshalk ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 4 Dec 1993 09:29:13 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0896 Q: Masques Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 896. Saturday, 4 December 1993. From: James McKenna Date: Friday, 03 Dec 1993 21:48:29 -0500 (EST) Subject: Query about masques Dear Everybody, I'm doing some work on Jonson's masques with Inigo Jones, the early ones in particular, and I'm finding lots by Stephen Orgel, and not much by anyone else. This is okay, since Orgel's analysis is beautiful, but I'm finding what looks like a circularity in Orgel's arguments about the masques, and I'd like to see what some other minds have thought. The problem I've encountered is that Orgel neatly defines away ambiguity in the masques by claiming that they a priori support and justify the monarchy. But what is Jonson doing writing these flat praises for James and the monarchy at the same time he is utterly deflating every other human pretension? I begin to hear echoes of Tillyard in his argument as it expands. That's not bad in itself, but I thought our ideas had gotten dicier since Tillyard. Ben Jonson wrote a _lot_ of masques at the same time he was writing his plays. His poetry is a little easier to justify with the plays because of its famous ambiguity. The masques, however, _appear_ to be unambiguous, just like Orgel says they are. What do we do with a guy who writes _Epicoene_ and _The Masque of Queens_ in the same year (1609)? As Orgel points out, masque "is the opposite of satire." I can think of some ways to fit all this together, but it's so weird that I'd love to see what someone else thinks. If you've got any ideas or have seen some somewhere, write me on the list or privately. Thanks, James McKenna mckennji@ucbeh.bitnet ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 4 Dec 1993 09:33:25 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0897 Renaissance Manuscript Culture Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 897. Saturday, 4 December 1993. From: James McKenna Date: Friday, 03 Dec 1993 22:17:38 -0500 (EST) Subject: Renaissance manuscript culture Dear All, In digging for information about Gascoigne's use and misuse of manuscript conventions in _Master F. J._, I found much on Gascoigne and and quite a bit on _F. J._, and, so far, nothing on the structure of circulating manuscripts. Has anyone done any work on this? What I'm interested in is analysis of audience expectations and some general idea of what _really_ circulated in the late sixteenth century. I'm looking for more than the commonplaces distinguishing aristocratic writing from commercial writing. Daniel Javitch has an interesting article (_Genre_ 15(2-3): "The Impure Motives of Elizabethan Poetry") that claims that Elizabethan poetry is about self-advertising and rhetorical ability ("I can make anything look like anything else, so hire me to write your speeches"). That really has me wondereing what was in those manuscripts in terms of marginalia and commentary. Did any responses get recorded in manuscripts? What sort of works got grouped together _in manuscript_, not in imprinted miscellanies. If you've got any ideas or have seen some somewhere, write to me on the list or privately. Thanks, James McKenna mckennji@ucbeh.bitnet ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 5 Dec 1993 08:49:18 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0898 Re: Masques Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 898. Sunday, 5 December 1993. (1) From: Roy Flannagan Date: Saturday, 4 December 93, 09:57:00 EST Subj: Masques (2) From: Georgianna Ziegler Date: Saturday, 04 Dec 1993 13:25:43 -0500 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0896 Q: Masques (3) From: A.G. Bennett Date: Saturday, 4 Dec 1993 13:36 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0896 Q: Masques (4) From: Stephen Orgel Date: Saturday, 4 Dec 1993 17:24:34 -0800 (PST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0896 Q: Masques (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Roy Flannagan Date: Saturday, 4 December 93, 09:57:00 EST Subject: Masques On unambiguous masques: if Stephen Orgel is listening, he can remember for us where he modified some of his earlier opinions, in an an article he wrote about 1991? David Norbrook has also written very capably on the political subtexts of masques, as in his essay "The reformation of the masque," in {The Court Masque}, ed. David Lindley (Manchester: Manchester UP, 1984). Roy Flannagan, Ohio University (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Georgianna Ziegler Date: Saturday, 04 Dec 1993 13:25:43 -0500 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0896 Q: Masques For at least one other non-Orgelian discussion of Jonson's masques, see the article by Marion Wynne-Davies, "The Queen's Masque: Renaissance Women and the Seventeenth-Century Court Masque," in GLORIANA's FACE... ed. Wynne-Davies and Cerasano (Harvester, 1992). (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: A.G. Bennett Date: Saturday, 4 Dec 1993 13:36 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0896 Q: Masques Dear James McKenna: Barbara Keifer Lewalski's latest book, _Writing Women in Jacobean England_ (1993) has some interesting things to say about Jonson's masques and the roles James' queen, Anne, played in them-- both as a participant in performance and behind the scenes in commissioning works. Although the logical inference here is still that the masques supported the institution of monarchy, Lewalski does some interesting things with the contention that Anne "foster[ed] cultural myths and practices which enhanced her own dignity and power." The masques may have been pro-monarchical, but they didn't have to be pro patriarchy, seems to be the point. Just a thought.... Alex Bennett (bennett@binah.cc.brandeis.edu) (4)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Stephen Orgel Date: Saturday, 4 Dec 1993 17:24:34 -0800 (PST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0896 Q: Masques C'mon now, I don't believe I ever claimed that masques were unambiguous. On the contrary, my argument in the last chapter of INIGO JONES was that, like most symbolic forms, they meant what the observer wanted them to mean. But anyway, times have changed--big Inigo was written in 1972; so David Norbrook argues that the masque is always an adversarial form--this strikes me as overstated, but on the right track. You could also look at a recent piece of mine on OBERON in a collection called SOLICITING INTERPRETATION, edd. K. Maus and E. Harvey. There are many essays on the subject in a volume edited by David Lindley, the title of which I forget. The most startling work on the doubleness of Jonson's masques is Dale Randall's book on The Gipsies Metamorphosed. What we, as modern literary critics, tend not to take seriously in a form like the masque is the realities of the patronage system, and we tend to think that writing to the order of a patron is a violation of the artist's integrity (whereas, eg, writing something a publisher will buy because it will sell isn't). But that's an anachronistic notion of artistic integrity; when Jonson told Drummond he wouldn't flatter though he saw death, he wasn't being disingenuous; he didn't think of himself as flattering the king. What he was doing was as old as Horace and Virgil: laudando praecipere. Nuff. Next person who compares me to Tillyard gets a custard pie in the kisser. S. Orgel ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 5 Dec 1993 08:54:09 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0899 Re: Teaching and Reading and Seeing Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 899. Sunday, 5 December 1993. From: Tom Loughlin Date: Saturday, 4 Dec 1993 10:18:25 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: Teaching and Reading Shakespeare I'm going to go way out on a limb here and suggest that Shakespeare should be seen and not read. More precisely, one should not start off their reading of Shakespeare until one has seen a few of the plays live on the stage (hopefully good productions). I continue to press the idea that the plays of WS are primarily meant to be heard and seen, not read. Although we have turned him into a literary icon, WS clearly considered himself a man of the theatre first and foremost, and wrote according to the demands of that particular medium. I am *not* saying the plays shouldn't be read under any circumstances; what I a saying is that the best way to teach and hopefully get people to read the plays is to expose them first to the works in the medium for which they were written and under the conditions for which they were intended. Be still, my actor's heart! :-) Tom Loughlin loughlin@jane.cs.fredonia.edu ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 5 Dec 1993 09:02:01 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0900 Re: Euonymous Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 900. Sunday, 5 December 1993. (1) From: William Godshalk Date: Saturday, 04 Dec 1993 13:30:12 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0894 Euonyms (2) From: William McCarthy Date: Saturday, 04 Dec 1993 15:45:28 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0894 Euonyms (3) From: Michael Friedman Date: Saturday, 04 Dec 1993 17:18:34 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0894 Euonyms (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Godshalk Date: Saturday, 04 Dec 1993 13:30:12 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0894 Euonyms Re: EUONYMOUS, the OED lists it as a genus of shrubs (meaning "good name" or "lucky"), for example, the Spindletree and the Wahoo-tree. EUODIC means "aromatic, fragrant." Ah, the joys of lexicography, when the rest of the family is lying around on the floor trying to put together a three-d puzzle, Bill Godshalk (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William McCarthy Date: Saturday, 04 Dec 1993 15:45:28 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0894 Euonyms From the e-version of the American Heritage Dictionary: aucuba, n. Any of several eastern Asian evergreen shrubs of the genus Aucuba, especially A. japonica, grown as an ornamental chiefly for its glossy, leathery leaves. [New Latin : possibly from Japanese auku, green + Japanese ba, leaved.] The e-OED corroborates the Japanese origin, but declines to go further. wjm (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Michael Friedman Date: Saturday, 04 Dec 1993 17:18:34 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0894 Euonyms Fran, Check the OED. "Euonymus" (alternate spelling "euonymous") refers to a genus of shrubs. Michael Friedman FriedmanM1@jaguar etc ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 6 Dec 1993 08:23:38 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0901 Re: Reading, Teaching, and Seeing Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 901. Monday, 6 December 1993. (1) From: Daniel F. Pigg Date: Sunday, 05 Dec 93 17:46:46 CST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0899 Re: Teaching and Reading and Seeing Shakespeare (2) From: Paul Austin Date: Monday, 6 Dec 93 07:32:10 EST Subj: Reformatting Shakespeare into prose text. (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Daniel F. Pigg Date: Sunday, 05 Dec 93 17:46:46 CST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0899 Re: Teaching and Reading and Seeing Shakespeare Tom, It seems to me there is much merit in what you say regarding the reading vs. viewing of Shakespeare--a distinction that could be extended to all drama for that matter. As a semiotician, I am always in a difficult position of this topic. Without question Shakespeare wrote directly for the stage, but recovering exactly what the experience of drama in the 16th or early 17th c was like is impossible. Every performance would differ just as modern productions do. I think the nature of performance variance has made text study recieve greater importance, not least becauce we have at least some ground for comparison and stability. In addition, some of the problem lies in who is doing the study. Most literary scholars give the printed text primacy, whereas theatre scholars reverse trends. This is certainly a generalization I realize. The question of how much of the work of an author is recoverable to a late twentieth-century audience is primary. I think we must face the fact thatregardless of what many of the critics of the eighteenth and nineteenth century say much of the Bard in not recoverable; yet I don't think we should dispair, simply see the play. Performance tells us more about the true nature of the play. Daniel Pigg Department of English University of Tennessee at Martin IVAD@UTMARTN.BITNET (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Paul Austin Date: Monday, 6 Dec 93 07:32:10 EST Subject: Reformatting Shakespeare into prose text. I read a translation of Homer this way and it helped immensely. But I have not read it in verse to know if I am lacking in understading of the work. Paul Austin ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 6 Dec 1993 08:31:24 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0902 Re: Spinoffs Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 902. Monday, 6 December 1993. From: Leslie Thomson Date: Sun, 5 Dec 1993 21:18:27 -0500 (EST) Subject: spinoffs Last year UofT began teaching an introductory level course called "Shakespeare and After." It has been very successful; the students seem to like the idea and the mix of material: plays, novels, poems, essays, short stories, film. Here are some items from the list of suggestions distributed to those teaching the course. I've tried not to duplicate those already suggested. Beckett, *Happy Days*, *Endgame* Tate, *The History of King Lear* Barker, *Seven Lears* Freud, "The Theme of the Three Caskets", "The `Exceptions'", "Those Wrecked by Success" Laurence, *The Stone Angel* Bond, *The Sea* Dryden/Davenant, *The Tempest, or The Enchanted Island* Beresford-Howe, *Prospero's Daughter* Browning, "Caliban Upon Setebos" Auden, "The Sea and the Mirror" Walcott, *Pantomime* Tey, *The Daughter of Time* Sher, *The Year of the King* Brecht, *The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui* Albee, *Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?* Marowitz, *The Shrew*, *Hamlet*, etc. Dryden, *All for Love* Shaw, *Caesar and Cleopatra* Murdoch, *The Black Prince* Innes, *Hamlet, Revenge* Chekhov, *The Seagull* Ionesco, *Macbett* Jarry, *Ubu Roi* Updike, "Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow" Stoppard, *Jumpers* Lamb, *Tales from Shakespeare* Clarke, *The Girlhood of Shakespeare's Heroines* Rooke, *Shakespeare's Dog* "Capuletta: or Romeo and Juliet Restored," an "operatic burlesque" in *The Mimic Stage* (1869); it's as wacky as you might imagine--begins with a parody of Richard III's opening speech (there are many other 19th C parodies; see *Shakespeare Burlesques*, ed. Stanley Wells) Regards, Leslie Thomson ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 6 Dec 1993 08:40:08 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0903 Becker's *The Denial of Death* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 903. Monday, 6 December 1993. From: Jeff Zinn <0006382926@mcimail.com> Date: Sunday, 5 Dec 93 22:02 EST Subject: [Ernest Becker's *The Denial of Death*] I was thrilled to see the list wander into my particular area of interest. (I guess it's bound to happen sooner or later.) I have been thinking about and working with ideas generated by Ernest Becker's "The Denial of Death" for the past several years. I came across him while researching a production of Ionesco's "The Killer" when I was a directing student at the ART and have been hooked ever since. Becker's thesis is that awareness of our mortality is the prime motivating force in human behavior. He argues this for hundreds of pages - and it's a tough sell - but it can be brought back to a question of the survival instinct: All organisms strive for life over death. Man takes it a step further. He not only needs to live, he needs to feel that he is alive. His mortality is a thorn in his side and so he must construct a symbolic immortality narrative that justifies his existence. This narrative - or "causa sui project" - both denies the fact of death and narrows down the overwhelming immensity of life's possibilities into a manageable and do-able shape. Thus: "character". A person's symbolic immortality project might be humble (I am a shoe cobbler) or grand (I will conquer the world). In each case - and the permutations and possibilities for its shape are as infinite as there are people on the planet - character is the thing that stands between us and the fact of our deaths. Or, on an existential level, the buffer that keeps us from the gruesome reality that we are quite insignificant in the cosmic scheme. Now to the theater. The success or failure of this project must be met and proven in everything we do, and especially, in every human interaction. We have long recognized the importance of "motivation", "intention", "action" and all the other words that describe just what it is we want when we step onto the stage. Often the search for the right motivation leads us down a slippery slope of Freudian investigation and we get hung up (as actors and directors) with the dilemma of making a bridge between the character's experience and our own. But if Becker is right, then all of us, on the deepest level, share the same motivation: to justify the rightness of our immortality project. Convincing the "other" is literally a matter of (symbolic) life or death - that quality we're always looking for in the theater! My work as a director has focused on bringing the actor to an awareness of his or her own symbolic immortality narrative, finding ways of recognizing the stakes inherent in its success or failure and relating it to the "character". It also opens the door, I think, for a new approach to text analysis. The question must be asked: "What does the character do to earn his primary sense of self-worth". This is Becker's question. He went on, in Escape From Evil (also published posthumously) to argue that it is in the defense of various immortality mythologies that most wars have been waged and heinous crimes committed. How does this all relate to Hamlet and J.C.? I'll leave that for another posting. Jeff Zinn Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater 6382926@MCIMAIL.COM ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 6 Dec 1993 08:47:50 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0904 Re: Masques Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 904. Monday, 6 December 1993. From: James McKenna Date: Monday, 06 Dec 1993 03:12:33 -0500 (EST) Subject: masques--thanks To all who responded so smartly to my fuzzy query on masques: thank you. To Stephen Orgel, especially, thanks, and no insult taken, I hope. I want to say just a "few" whining words in my defense, however. I got the idea about unambiguity from your emphasis on the mirror function of the masque: the masque presents the monarch's image back to them. As I read more closely, I begin to find Jonson's words in the "Epistle to Master John Selden" to be crucial: "I have...praised some names too much, But 'twas with purpose to have made them such" (20-22). Sure, the masques aren't flattery, but just where is the line between teaching by praise and simply flattering? How is it not flattery to praise virtues that don't exist? Yet, I think you're right (in my extra-humble opinion) that this was not, for Jonson, flattery. The ambiguity of praise undercut with satire, which I expected to see, isn't there in _Hymenaei_ or _Queens_, the ones I'm looking at now. The ambiguity I do find, though, develops later, as the antimasque swells to engulf the masque. In _Queens_, we still have a careful opposition, but in _Neptune's Triumph_, for example, the story of the Cook and the Poet takes up 2/3 of the text, the element of the masque that Jonson values so highly. It just doesn't look to me as though we're still getting a solid reestablishment of divine authority, no matter what the gods say. What then is Jonson saying that James is saying to himself? Is the masque simply being artfully transmuted into drama while maintaining the trappings of masque? Lastly, in the snippets I've seen of contemporary opinions of masques, viewers seem to find the educating-by-praise argument a little thin, and to take the masques as expensive shows. Yet the masques go on. Does this mean that those who chose to record their thoughts were in the minority? That non-royals' opinions didn't count? That faith in the system was assumed and not recorded with criticism? I guess what I'm doing is coming the long way round to realizing that Jonson is a deeply royalist thinker, in the sense that the desire to improve and preserve the monarchy overcame his rebellious side. Somehow praising the high and powerful with the intent to improve them forms the difference between praise and flattery. This doesn't leave much space for other viewers, although the gap between James's expectations and Jonson's product seems a fruitful area of investigation. Sorry about the Tillyard bit. I regretted it even as the e-mail delivery stations blipped across my screen. But, the moving cursor having writ, moves on, nor all your piety nor wit... James McKenna U of Cincinnati mckennji@ucbeh.bitnet ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 7 Dec 1993 10:47:29 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0906 Re: Reading, Teaching, and Seeing Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 906. Tuesday, 7 December 1993. (1) From: Balz Engler Date: Monday, 6 Dec 1993 16:19:00 +0100 Subj: SHK 4.0901 Re: Reading, Teaching, and Seeing Shakespeare (2) From: Roy Flannagan Date: Monday, 6 December 93, 10:53:56 EST Subj: Reformatting Shakespeare (3) From: William Godshalk Date: Monday, 06 Dec 1993 21:28:54 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0901 Re: Reading, Teaching, and Seeing Shakespeare (4) From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Tuesday, Dec. 7, 1993 Subj: Reading, Teaching, and Seeing Shakespeare (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Balz Engler Date: Monday, 6 Dec 1993 16:19:00 +0100 Subject: SHK 4.0901 Re: Reading, Teaching, and Seeing Shakespeare I see the basic problem in reading and teaching Shakespeare in the following: The text acquires an importance as the source of everything else that it does not have in the theatre. Because Shakespeare's text has become difficult to understand it gains even more weight in students' first encoiunter with Shakespeare than it would otherwise. I have tried to counteract this tendency by first asking students to invent a scene (in groups of two or three), which is about a thematic similar to what we find in a Shakespearean one (e.g., a young fellow rejecting his friend without really being able to tell her why). Ideally students are not aware of a similar scene in Shakespeare. We then look at the results and discuss them. Some would be in mime, others would have fully developed dialogue, etc. Only then I would introduce the Shakespearean scene (e.g., the one from *Hamlet*), and the words of the figures would have quite a different status from simple reading. Because of the varieties tried out students would also be open for different interpretations of Shakespeare's lines. This has worked quite well in the past, and I have made it a regular feature of the early meetings of a Shakespeare course. Balz Engler Basel University Switzerland engler@urz.unibas.ch (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Roy Flannagan Date: Monday, 6 December 93, 10:53:56 EST Subject: Reformatting Shakespeare I like paraphrasing as a pedagogical device, and I don't mind translations of Homer or Dante or Ariosto printed as prose, but using an edition that reformatted lines of poetry as prose seems to me misleading to the students. Don't even undergraduates need to know that Shakespeare was a master of blank verse, among other poetic forms? Would it be better to have the sonnets printed as prose? I think I would rather teach students how to count and pronounce the verse, showing them how Shakespeare used enjambment and end-stopped lines and elision, than I would have students be subjected to a watered-down version. If necessary, a teacher might print, say, a Bob Dylan lyric next to lines of Shakespeare, to show how both are subscribing to the demands of musical structure and regular rhythm, but to print Shakespeare's poetry as prose would do it a disservice. Roy Flannagan, Ohio University (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Godshalk Date: Monday, 06 Dec 1993 21:28:54 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0901 Re: Reading, Teaching, and Seeing Shakespeare Thanks to all of you who gave me hints about teaching my students how to read Shakespeare's sentences. I have downloaded your words of wisdom, and I have begun my fight against Early Modern illiteracy. My first strategy is breaking down blank verse into heavily punctuated prose. Thanks again, Bill Godshalk (4)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Tuesday, Dec. 7, 1993 Subject: Reading, Teaching, and Seeing Shakespeare One of my early lectures is on John Barton's *Playing Shakespeare*. I give my students a fairly comprehensive summary of the book and encourage them to read as an actor preparing for a role would read, looking for directions within the text itself. I also require a critical play review of a local production, video, or film every semester. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 7 Dec 1993 10:25:29 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0905 Re: Masques Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 905. Tuesday, 7 December 1993. (1) From: Tom Clayton Date: Monday, 06 Dec 1993 08:34:55 -0500 (CDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0904 Re: Masques (2) From: Stephen Orgel Date: Monday, 6 Dec 1993 10:09:29 -0800 (PST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0904 Re: Masques (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Tom Clayton Date: Monday, 06 Dec 1993 08:34:55 -0500 (CDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0904 Re: Masques Jongsook Lee has some provocative and non-new-historical things to say on these matters in *Ben Jonson's Poesis* (UP of Virginia, 1989). (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Stephen Orgel Date: Monday, 6 Dec 1993 10:09:29 -0800 (PST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0904 Re: Masques THANK YOU JAMES MCKENNA. No, no offense taken (alas, I'm getting used to it). Yes, Jonson is a deeply royalist thinker. I find more ambiguity in Queens than you do--see my piece in SOLICITING INTERPRETATION that I cited in my last. I think the big point is that Jonson identifies himself with the king--this becomes quite clear in Queens. Jonathan Goldberg writes well about it in JAMES I AND THE POLITICS OF LITERATURE. You might also look at Joe Loewenstein's brilliant book, much of which is on the masque. I don't have the title in my head, but it's his only book. Also Leah Marcus, THE POLITICS OF MIRTH. And David Bergeron has a good bibliography of masque stuff, from about ten years ago. Best, S.O. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 7 Dec 1993 11:01:44 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0908 Re: The Paradox of Historicizing Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 908. Tuesday, 7 December 1993. From: Leo Daugherty Date: Tuesday, 7 Dec 1993 02:49:31 -0800 (PST) Subject: The Paradox of Historicizing Shakespeare During the past 20 years most of the academic disciplines have been having a (long-overdue) debate about what knowledge is -- including what it could be, could not possibly be, ought to be, and ought not to be, and also including the argument that knowledge itself is a semantic category we now know we can, or should, deep-six. Some (but not all) of this debate has been part of postmodernism/poststructuralism and its doctrine of "antifoundationalism" (now noticeably on the wane as yet another younger generation, seeking different liberations, comes aboard). During this time, we've heard a great deal about how (a.) objectivity and disinterestedness are impossible to achieve; (b.) even if they were not impossible, they'd still be and do evil; (c.) we cannot accurately know much worth knowing about another culture currently in existence; (d.) we cannot accurately know much worth knowing about another culture in the past. Some people who've arrived at such conclusions seem to believe them sincerely, while for others these conclusions amount to either political moves or just plain wishful thinking. For the latter sort, these conclusions are in the interest of humanity (because they believe such knowledge will only do social/environmental evil) -- or, sometimes, just in their own perceived self-interest as scholars, critics, or theorists with particular investments to protect. My own best guess about the future (which may be wishful thinking in its own right) is that we will, across the academic boards, move further in the direction of believing that (a.) while disinterestedness and objectivity are of course impossible to achieve, we can nevertheless be more disinterested/objective than not, and it is a good thing to try; and (b.) with much ceded to those who've spiritedly disagreed, we can still know a very great deal about other cultures in the here and now, as well as in the there and then, and it is a good thing to try. I think (a.) would be a good thing because I agree with Dante and countless others since that working toward disinterested perception is the best (sole?) strategy for liberating oneself from a perception based on either appetite or aversion (both either "real" or "symbolic"), since the consequences of such perception are a good bit more fearsome than the consequences of striving for disinterestedness. I think (b.) would be a good thing because knowing about other cultures is the only known antidote for provincialism. (Too many people say "Think Globally, Act Locally" with too much of an accent on the second part of the proverb -- i.e., without realizing that you can't do the second part well without first having done the first part well. Such well-meaning folk, and perhaps particularly if they are Americans, can't really help but live out, in the end, the Reaganist Reversal of this proverb -- "Think Locally, Act Globally.") So (and to reference recent SHAKSPER debates): I'm for digging up the Rose, for sending yet more young Laura Bohannons to live in faraway cultures and learn there that Shakespeare is indeed not "universal," and for doing and teaching far more history (and science, and math) than we now do. Nobody believes in capital-T Truth anymore (or, thank God, in capital-U Unity in literary study), and we are a good bit in debt to the skeptical correctives of all the postmodernists/post- structuralists for that; still, it is possible to be more right than wrong about what is, or was, Out There -- or at least to know more about it than less -- and we should just cautiously get on with it. Best, Leo Daugherty p.s.: Pardon the long message; at least I don't post much. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 7 Dec 1993 10:58:08 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0907 Subjectivity in *Hamlet* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 907. Tuesday, 7 December 1993. From: Julie Traves Date: Monday, 06 Dec 1993 17:07:02 -0400 Subject: [Subjectivity in *Hamlet*] I have recently finished a paper for my fourth year honours class and am interested in some response! My topic was: the subjectivity of communicated meaning in *Hamlet* and its representation through imposed and controlled limitations of expression. In my opinion, *Hamlet* is a play about the subjectivity of communicated meaning. As Hamlet struggles to distinguish between "seems" and "is" he comes to realize that "nothing is either good or bad but thinking makes it so." This "subjectivity" is underlined by Shakespeare in two ways: imposed and controlled limitations of expression in *Hamlet*. Imposed limitations of expression are unconscious. They are externally imposed by forces such as death, gender (Ophelia) and social status (Polonius). The characters' silence or speech unconsciously points the bias in communication. Polonius' "orations" for example must constantly shift in accordance with his social position. His "meaning" is always subordinate to his "masters". Hamlet makes fun of Polonius' subjective speech in the "cloud" scene. Polonius' artifice (like the silence of the Ghost) invites misinterpretation. This misinterpretation underlines the subjectivity of meaning's expression. Controlled limitations on speech, on the other hand, consciously undermine the subjectivity of communicated meaning. They consciously invite misinterpretation as means of acknowledging the limitations of expression. The players', for example, create a dumb show which consciously invites the misinterpretations of the play which follows it. Hamlet's mad ramblings (unlike the unconscious madness of Ophelia) invites Polonius' misinterpretations. Controlled and imposed limitations of expression then, both work to show the subjectivity of meaning and its communication. "Seems"/"is" distinctions, it suggests, can never be expressed. Whew! Any questions or comments? Any gross gaps in this idea (from what one can tell of this garbled representation)? Despite my failed attempt at communicated meaning, any input would be greatly appreciated! Thanks, Julie Traves. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 8 Dec 1993 09:04:59 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0909 Q: Jessica Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 909. Tuesday, 7 December 1993. From: Thomas A. Berson Date: Tuesday, 07 Dec 1993 09:34:34 -0800 Subject: Q: Jessica I have been thinking about Jessica, daughter to Shylock. A minor character, perhaps, among Shakespeare's women, but a capable troublemaker nevertheless. The questions are endless. What was her life like in her father's house? Where was her mother? Why does she betray her father's trust? Does she find what she's looking for with Lorenzo? And so on. I don't believe Jessica has been discussed on Shaksper. I would be interested in hearing from people who have played her, directed her, studied her, or can point me in the direction of those who have. Mille grazie, --T ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 8 Dec 1993 09:11:26 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0910 Re: Teaching, Reading, and Seeing Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 910. Wednesday, 8 December 1993. (1) From: James Schaefer Date: Tuesday, 07 Dec 1993 09:58:34 -0500 (EST) Subj: Teaching Shakespeare (2) From: James Schaefer Date: Tuesday, 07 Dec 1993 11:27:33 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0906 Re: Reading, Teaching, and Seeing Shakespeare (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: James Schaefer Date: Tuesday, 07 Dec 1993 09:58:34 -0500 (EST) Subject: Teaching Shakespeare Another acting technique that might prove useful in teaching Shakespeare is described by Peter Brook in his book, *The Empty Space* (London: 1968), pp. 121-22. Dissatisfied with paraphrase as an approach to understanding the Shakespearean plays, he and his actors developed a technique of paring away at the text, removing words until they found the structure of action in "those words that they could play in a realistic situation..." (p. 121). This technique allowed the actors to discover a basic framework of action that was at the same time an organic part of the play -- a rough pencil sketch, as it were, of what Inga-Stina Ewbank has called "the figure in the carpet," the organically intertwining dramatic relationships, created through language, that comprise a play. The advantage over paraphrase is that this sketch is in Shakespeare's own hand. During early rehearsals, the words which had been removed were spoken inwardly. The result was a naturalistic dialogue filled with "uneven lengths of ... silences" representing words that seemed to have "nothing whatsoever to do with normal speech," i.e., with the motivations or psychological needs or personal communication that actors commonly seek within a text (both p. 122). As rehearsals progressed, these words would be gradually reintroduced into the context of action that the actors had found in Shakespeare's own words: Then it was possible to explore them in many different ways -- turning them into sounds or movements -- until the actor saw more and more vividly how a single line of speech can have certain pegs of natural speech round which twist unspoken thoughts and feelings rendered apparent by words of another order. (p. 122) Therein lies the important point, and the antidote to the worst aspects of Method acting as it is taught in the U.S.: these otherwise hidden aspects _are_ present in the text and _can be_ rendered in performance, if one learns to find them. Brook's actors finally return to the "figure in the carpet," in all its glorius complexity, having found an underlying structure of action that is truly textual, fully contained in and expressed through the words of the play. The perverse concept of "subtext" never needs to be invoked. This approach is readily adapted to the classroom (I had it used on me in grad school, and have used it myself as a class exercise), and does not take as much time as it might seem, since one rarely tackles in the classroom the kind of full-scale analysis required to prepare an entire play for for performance. It works wonderfully for extended "set" speeches that are so well-known for their beautiful imagery that it is hard to recapture their drama. It _does_, however, assume a performance-based, reading-aloud based approach to teaching the text. Jim Schaefer Georgetown University (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: James Schaefer Date: Tuesday, 07 Dec 1993 11:27:33 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0906 Re: Reading, Teaching, and Seeing Shakespeare Another invaluable source on learning how Shakespeare works as theatre (and therefore how it needs to be read) is J.L. Styan's *Shakespeare's Stagecraft* (Cambridge, 1971). Jim Schaefer ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 8 Dec 1993 09:14:42 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0911 Re: Masques Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 911. Wednesday, 8 December 1993. From: Thomas G. Bishop Date: Tuesday, 7 Dec 93 17:22:00 -0500 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0905 Re: Masques Joe Loewenstein's book is called "Responsive Readings." Another book often forgotten in recent discussion of masque is Angus Fletchers "The Transcendental Masque" the opening sections of which are mostly on Jonson, though the book is on Comus overall. Fletcher is always interesting. I would also recommend the work in iconography done ages ago by D.G. Gordon edited by one Stephen Orgel in "The Renaissance Imagination." Jerzy Limon's more recent book is also apposite in turning back to matters explicitly performative. On the politics of the court that surrounded the masque, there are several essays in the recent collection ed by Linda Levy Peck called "The Mental World of the Jacobean Court" esp those by Barroll, Smuts and Limon. These off the top of the head. Hope they're helpful. Tom Bishop ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 9 Dec 1993 12:14:37 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0912 Re: Subjectivity in *Hamlet* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 912. Thursday, 9 December 1993. (1) From: John Cox Date: Wednesday, 08 Dec 1993 09:47:43 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0907 Subjectivity in *Hamlet* (2) From: James McKenna Date: Wednesday, 08 Dec 1993 10:38:03 -0500 (EST) Subj: Subjectivity in HAMLET (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John Cox Date: Wednesday, 08 Dec 1993 09:47:43 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0907 Subjectivity in *Hamlet* Julie Traves understandably reads Hamlet's subjectivity *forward* as an anticipation of postmodern subjectivity. However, it can also be read *backward* as the culmination of late classical and medieval tradition. As C. S. Lewis pointed out long ago, Hamlet's "There is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so" is anticipated by Chaucer's "no man is wreched but himself it wene" and by Boethius' "Nothing is miserable unless you think it so." (Lewis, *The Discarded Image*, pp. 82-83). We do not have to be circumscribed by Lewis's somewhat old-fashioned attempt to explain the passage, but why neglect one tradition while affirming another? Wouldn't we enrich our sense of *Hamlet* (or any other play) by taking both traditions into account, rather than insisting on one at the expense of the other? John Cox (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: James McKenna Date: Wednesday, 08 Dec 1993 10:38:03 -0500 (EST) Subject: Subjectivity in HAMLET Dear Ms. Traves, I wonder whether it is subjectivity in the sense of unstable meaning and fundamental meaninglessness, or in the sense that meanings are intended and misunderstood. For example, the Ghost exhorts Hamlet to "this act"; he is no more specific, and this can of course be interpreted other than as assassination. But the Ghost's slight vagueness reminds me of an even more pointed vagueness in RICHARD III. In IV.ii, Richard demands that Buckingham kill prince Edward, but, when forced by Buckingham's obtuseness to speak plainly, he is furious. I think the vagueness in HAMLET is of the same sort: courtly inuendo with definite intended meaning that gets appropriated for other purposes, as Hamlet appropriates the sentence of death and turns it on R and G. That's my take on it. I hope I haven't misappropirated your meaning.... James McKenna U of Cincinnati mckennji@ucbeh.bitnet ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 9 Dec 1993 12:20:42 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0913 Re: Teaching, Reading, and Seeing Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 913. Thursday, 9 December 1993. (1) From: Tom Derrick Date: Wednesday, 8 Dec 93 10:42:43 EST Subj: Reading and Teaching Shakespeare: I.A. Richards' Speculations (2) From: Helen Ostovich Date: Wednesday, 8 Dec 1993 12:41:56 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0906 Re: Reading, Teaching, and Seeing Shakespeare (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Tom Derrick Date: Wednesday, 8 Dec 93 10:42:43 EST Subject: Reading and Teaching Shakespeare: I.A. Richards' Speculations I've been reading the pedagogical work of I. A. Richards, who had quite a lot to say about literacy and Shakespeare. Recent postings that offer short-cuts to teaching "literature to the unlettered" (see Harvard English Studies 4 (1973)) would have prompted him to remind us of his conviction that systematic comparison, sequenced practice of construing meaning, controlled paraphrase of unsimplified passages are essential means of instruction. He assumed that first language learners and students of Shakespeare face the same challenges, which won't be solved by encouraging guesswork. He was a methodist, drawing inspiration from Coleridge's putative phrase "speculative instruments" (cf. Othello 1.3.270) and C. K. Ogden's Basic English, a restricted vocabulary "dialect" that Richards ceaselessly championed ("Responsibilities in the Teaching of English," Speculative Instruments (Harcourt, 1955); "Toward A World English," So Much Nearer (Harcourt, 1968). Paraphrase is an often employed method in Shakespeare classes today. Richards favored restatements that showed the multiple senses of words, rather than word-for-word substitutions. Here is his gloss on line 4 of Sonnet 68 ("As to behold desert a beggar born"): "Having to see and recognize and admit and deeply realize that Merit, the possession of the highest virtue (of which men of good will should be most regardful, being beholden to and in duty bound to air and comfort its possessor) may in fact be as little esteemed by the passer-by and its subject even be as suspect as one born into the beggar's trade." ("Variant Readings and Misreading," So Much Nearer, 190). My questions for Shakespeare teachers are (1) "In what kinds of ways do you use paraphrase to encourage students to understand metaphoric or syntactically complex passages?" (2)"What preliminary exercises enable students to work up to relatively sophisticated renderings of the language?" (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Helen Ostovich Date: Wednesday, 8 Dec 1993 12:41:56 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0906 Re: Reading, Teaching, and Seeing Shakespeare I find myself appalled at the idea of reformatting Shakespeare into prose, with the idea of making it accessible to students. They have little enough sense of the presence of blank verse as it is, without removing it altogether! Don't you hate it when they quote lines as though they were prose? Students who don't "get" verse usually profit from hearing it read to them: I always recommend audio-tapes for those who have difficulty with a first reading of a play. The problem is, of course, that the voices can slant the students toward a specific interpretation that might prevent the students from discovering other interpretations -- but that's a moot point anyway, since without the tape the students might have NO interpretation. I think the idea of having students read sentences of the verse in class is a very good one. The poetry is still intact, but students' eyes are redirected to find meaning. The other thing that helps students to read is to force them to read closely. My students have to hand in short (250-500 words) essays that interpret a scene, or a significant long speech, or exchange of speeches, whenever we begin a new play. That means they come to class with an idea about the play that they have already thought about and worked through to some extent; and when they get into smaller groups for more intense discussion, they have to defend their ideas and argue with or assimilate ideas of others. Even students who begin the term with no knowledge of Shakespeare at all find after 2 or 3 sessions that they read and understand more fluently. I too insist on at least one play review a term. Seeing live theatre impresses them far more than video -- although video clearly is better than nothing. We were very fortunate this year to see an excellent production of CORIOLANUS performed by Aquila Theatre Company, a travelling troupe of 6 players, and the experience opened up all sorts of discussion about doubling, cutting, symbolic staging, etc., that spread into other plays on the course. For many of them, the physical presence of the actors and the effectiveness of performance on a virtually set-less stage were revelations in themselves. Helen Ostovich McMaster University ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 9 Dec 1993 12:24:09 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0914 Re: The Paradox of Historicizing Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 914. Thursday, 9 December 1993. From: Martin Green Date: Wednesday, 08 Dec 93 11:27:20 -0400 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0908 Re: The Paradox of Historicizing Shakespeare Poor Leo Daugherty! [FN 1] How can he possibly believe that the sensible and intelligible approach to Shakespeare studies urged by him has any chance of prevailing in the near future, while we still have active a generation of writers [FN 2] who, on the basis of flawed premises obfuscated [FN 3] by incomprehensible, but impressive, jargon, have found ways to rationalize designating as "Shakespeare studies" [FN 4] their writings about their own phantasies [FN 5] and interests, and those of their friends, and in which approach they all have a vested [FN 6] interest? But who knows? It may indeed be better to light a candle than to curse the darkness. Good luck, Leo Daugherty! Martin Green FN 1. I owe this verbal formulation to Joseph Cantor, who has often used this phrase in reference to me. FN 2. The concept of writers within a generation-group having common characteristics was suggested to me in a personal conversation by Thomas F. Bastow. FN 3. This word was brought to my attention by Florence Packer, who owns a very good thesaurus. FN 4. Jerome M. Fleming is the source of this phrase as a way of describing writings purporting to deal with the well-known Elizabethan playwright. FN 5. Using this semi-semiotic spelling to reenforce the "Renaissance" character of this message was the idea of Snigdha Prakash. FN 6. I am indebted to Emma Brumfield who, by alerting me to the possibility of this being construed as an allegation of cross-dressing, affords me the opportunity to negate the implication, and hence, I trust, the inference. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 9 Dec 1993 12:32:13 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0915 Re: Jessica Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 915. Thursday, 9 December 1993. From: Helen Ostovich Date: Wednesday, 8 Dec 1993 13:17:34 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0909 Q: Jessica Jessica came up for a lot of discussion in my class this year. One of the responses she evoked was pity for a girl forced to take over household responsibilities too young, as a result of the mother's death? (Is there a Shakespearean daughter besides Juliet who has a mother still living??) Shylock gives his daughter the keys when he goes out [2.5.12], asks her to "Look to my house", and warns "Perhaps I will return immediately." I did not hear this last line as an implicit warning that Jessica had better behave or else -- I took it to mean he was reluctant to eat with Christians and might change his mind -- but students heard it as parental threat of checking up. Shylock's habit of quoting proverbs and his fear that Jessica will "clamber" up to look at masquers from her window suggest a repressive home atmosphere. Another student suggested (on the basis of her sociology course) that Shylock is really more of a Puritan than a Jew. The connection between Jews and certain Puritan sects comes up in *Bartholomew Fair* when Rabbi (sic) Busy resolves to gorge himself on pork to prove he's not Jewish. Given the antitheatrical and anti-pleasure attitude in general among Puritans, Jessica's quest for more fun may have prompted the elopement. Family resentment could also explain her wasting of money in Genoa, reported by Tubal [3.1] and her theft of the turquoise ring, a love-gift from Leah, the defunct mother. The trading of the ring for a monkey suggests disrespect for both parents, especially given the sexual symbolism of rings (see Act 5) and of monkeys: she is essentially turning her mother's token into a token of whoredom, or indiscriminate desire. The elopement scene itself is strange: Jessica insists on finding more and more money to throw down to her lover -- to make herself more attractive to Lorenzo? We also discussed the implications of the BBC *Merchant of Venice* video, which focusses on the isolation of Antonio, and the corresponding isolation of Jessica at Belmont. Portia, for example, says nothing directly to Jessica: she delegates that job to Nerissa. Why? The feeling in the class was that Jessica was at Belmont on sufferance only, as Lorenzo's barely acceptable wife; just as Antonio is there on sufferance, only as Bassanio's friend, but still a merchant, not a real gentleman. The only person who really likes Jessica is Lancelot, and he's a fool. Helen Ostovich McMaster University ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 9 Dec 1993 12:35:12 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0916 Graduate Research Assistantship Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 916. Thursday, 9 December 1993. From: Jean R. Brink Date: Thursday, 09 Dec 1993 09:06:55 -0700 (MST) Subject: Graduate Research Assistantship PLEASE ANNOUNCE Graduate Student Research Assistantship The Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies and The Graduate College, Arizona State University --Two-year-graduate research assistantship in Medieval or Renaissance Studies --Half-time employment at the Center during the academic year and full-time employment in the summer. Anticipated start date: August 16, 1994 --Twelve-month support with a stipend of $15,350-16,633, depending on educational qualifications --Out of state tuition waived; may compete for in-state tuition waiver ACMRS is a computerized office. Candidates should be computer literate on IBM (database manager, spreadsheet, E-mail, LAN). Excellent communication skills are essential. Responsibilities include advanced library research, assistance in coordinating lectures and symposia, and performance of clerical duties as required. The recipient will be expected to enter a graduate degree program (e.g., history, language, literature) and to specialize in the Middle Ages or the Renaissance. Please apply separately to an academic department. Complete applications for the research assistantship should include the following: --Statement of purpose (2 pages maximum) explaining the student's interest in graduate study and describe qualifications (languages, computer skills, and course work) --vita --GRE general and subject scores --Complete transcripts --Three letters of recommendation Applications will be screened beginning February 1 and will be accepted until the position is filled. Applications for the research assistantship should be sent to Jean R. Brink, Director, Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, Arizona State University, Box 872301, Tempe, AZ 85287-2301. For additional information, please call (602) 965-5900. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 10 Dec 1993 07:51:14 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0917 Re: Shakespearean Daughters (Was Jessica) Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 917. Friday, 10 December 1993. (1) From: Janis Lull Date: Thursday, 09 Dec 1993 11:22:46 -0900 Subj: [Shakespearean Daughters] (2) From: A.G. Bennett Date: Thursday, 9 Dec 1993 17:25 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0915 Re: Jessica (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Janis Lull Date: Thursday, 09 Dec 1993 11:22:46 -0900 Subject: [Shakespearean Daughters] > Is there a Shakespearean daughter besides Juliet who has a mother still living?? Mistress Page, Diana in *AWW*, Princess Katherine in *H5*, and especially Perdita all have living mothers. *AW*'s Helena also has a formidable mother-in-law. Many people think that Hero has a living mother who never speaks, and Terence Hawkes has suggested that "old Nedar" in *MND* may be Helena's mother. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: A.G. Bennett Date: Thursday, 9 Dec 1993 17:25 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0915 Re: Jessica Helen Ostovich asked if any Shakespearean heroine besides Juliet has a mother still living-- I can only think of one: Perdita in _The Winter's Tale_. And while she does not have the aristocratic responsibilities that Jessica might have in her father's household, she does have to take care of her adoptive father, and is then catapulted immediately into the demanding role of aristocratic wife once her marriage is approved by her real parents.... Just my $.02... Alex Bennett (bennett@binah.cc.brandeis.edu) ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 10 Dec 1993 07:58:08 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0918 Re: Subjectivity in *Hamlet* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 918. Friday, 10 December 1993. (1) From: Sean Lawrence Date: Thursday, 09 Dec 1993 16:31:14 -0400 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0912 Re: Subjectivity in *Hamlet* (2) From: Robert Burke Date: Thursday, 09 Dec 1993 18:38:14 -0500 (CDT) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0912 Re: Subjectivity in *Hamlet* (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Sean Lawrence Date: Thursday, 09 Dec 1993 16:31:14 -0400 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0912 Re: Subjectivity in *Hamlet* Hold it, Jim. Does your theory that meaning may be vague as a result of courtly innuendo really different from Julie's? Both represent a vacancy, either of meaning or of courage. The two aren't unrelated, either. I notice that the uncertain and the cowardly use double-meanings more often than the stable and courageous, who simply "stand and deliver." Where Macbeth rails, Macduff relegates words to his sword. Benedick before Hero's fall says hardly a single straight line, and in challenging Claudio is conspicuous for the simplicity of his message. The subjectivity of Hamlet's prose probably reflects his malaise, while that of the court probably reflects its poisoned cowardice. Cheerio, Sean Lawrence (AC.DAL.CA) (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Robert Burke Date: Thursday, 09 Dec 1993 18:38:14 -0500 (CDT) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0912 Re: Subjectivity in *Hamlet* Is not that same "authoritative ambiguity" not the same that Queen Elizabeth resorted to in commanding (?) the death of Mary Stuart - and that example, having taken place as recently as 1587, had to be very close to the consciousness of the Elizabethans close to the Court. ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 10 Dec 1993 08:23:25 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0921 Re: Teaching, Reading, Seeing, and Hearing Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 921. Friday, 10 December 1993. (1) From: William Godshalk Date: Thursday, 09 Dec 1993 22:56:51 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0913 Re: Teaching, Reading, and Seeing Shakespeare (2) From: Michael Sharpston Date: Friday, 10 Dec 1993 12:00:00 -0500 (EST) Subj: RE: SHK 4.0886 Re: Teaching and Reading Shakespeare (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Godshalk Date: Thursday, 09 Dec 1993 22:56:51 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0913 Re: Teaching, Reading, and Seeing Shakespeare If Helen Ostovich is referring to my experiment in prosing blank verse, I'd like to defend myself. In answer to her question, yes, I really hate it when my students turn blank verse into prose. I harangue them on the use of the virgule - which really puzzles them. But in my assignment, I gave my students a passage changed into prose, and the first thing I asked them to do was to turn it back into poetry. And I am pleased to report that they carried out this part of the assignment with amazing accuracy. I was amazed in any case. Comically enough, the transformation into prose didn't seem to help their comprehension very much - even with my parentheses and commas to help guide them. I was hoping for better results. What if I ask them to explain the structure of Shakespeare's sentences, commenting on problems and difficulties? Yours, Bill Godshalk (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Michael Sharpston Date: Friday, 10 Dec 1993 12:00:00 -0500 (EST) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0886 Re: Teaching and Reading Shakespeare I like Hardy Cook's idea of using audiotapes. It is less active than reading out loud in class, but also less socially daunting. And listening to a Walkman is almost like thinking something, it is so intimate. The music of the blank verse should go right into the brain. Certainly I know chunks of Gielgud as Hamlet by heart, just from listening to the tape many times as a teenager (no Walkman then). Michael Sharpston msharpston@worldbank.org ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 10 Dec 1993 08:11:14 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0919 Re: The Paradox of Historicizing Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 919. Friday, 10 December 1993. (1) From: Ben Ross Schneider Date: Thursday, 09 Dec 1993 17:34:41 -0600 (CST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0908 Re: The Paradox of Historicizing Shakespeare (2) From: William Godshalk Date: Thursday, 09 Dec 1993 22:45:31 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0914 Re: The Paradox of Historicizing Shakespeare (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ben Ross Schneider Date: Thursday, 09 Dec 1993 17:34:41 -0600 (CST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0908 Re: The Paradox of Historicizing Shakespeare After giving us as graceful a demonstration of Unity as you can get, (on e-mail anyhow) Leo Daugherty says Unity has had its day. But isn't the alternative to Unity - at least the assumption of a degree of it - that a text can mean anything you want it to? Perplexedly, Ben Schneider Lawrence U, WI (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Godshalk Date: Thursday, 09 Dec 1993 22:45:31 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0914 Re: The Paradox of Historicizing Shakespeare My hat's off to Martin Green. A nice parody of the new-historicist style. But I want to ask him what he thinks of the following two sentences, taken from a recent article. I withhold the author's name - with a nod to Richard Levin (who used to do the same): "The very idea of effeminacy, then, has a profound, though hitherto hidden, critical and historical relevance. It marks a point where the cultural correspondences between sexed bodies and gendered codes can be revealed as implicated in larger systems of cultural production, where masculinity and femininity signify less the qualities of biologically sexed bodies and more the cultural forms through which power circulates." The more I read these sentences, the more I'm mystified. We are told that an "idea . . . marks a point" where something "can be revealed." But what is to be revealed? Are "sexed bodies" different from "biologically sexed bodies"? Are "gendered codes" the same as "cultural forms"? If there are "larger systems of cultural production," what are they "larger" than? Do "sexed bodies" refer to all animals? We can watch the blood circulate. Can we watch power circulate? Or is this a metaphor? I feel like one of my students trying to make sense of Orsino - a very humbling feeling. In quest of explication, I remain, Bill Godshalk ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 10 Dec 1993 08:14:52 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0920 Q: Verse Speaking and Peter Hall Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 920. Friday, 10 December 1993. From: Bill Gelber Date: Thursday, 9 Dec 1993 21:30:57 -0600 Subject: Verse Speaking and Peter Hall I am interested in the teaching of verse speaking to actors. I am curious if anyone has any information on Sir Peter Hall's methods (other than those outlined in John Barton's Playing Shakespeare). I'm really enjoying being on this list. Thank you in advance. Sincerely, Bill Gelber A doctoral candidate in Theatre History at the University of Texas ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 11 Dec 1993 10:10:31 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0923 Re: Verse Speaking and Peter Hall Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 923. Friday, 10 December 1993. From: Dennis Kennedy Date: Friday, 10 Dec 1993 09:27 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0920 Q: Verse Speaking and Peter Hall I'm not sure why anyone would be interested in the verse-speaking under Peter Hall's direction, except in an historical sense, but the theory and methods are detailed by the RSC voice-coach, Cecily Berry, whose two books on the subject provide much information. ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 11 Dec 1993 10:08:14 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0922 Re: Teaching, Reading, Seeing, Hearing Shakespeare Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 922. Friday, 10 December 1993. (1) From: Laurie White Date: Friday, 10 Dec 1993 09:03:43 -0400 (EDT) Subj: Re: Teaching, Reading, Seeing, and Hearing Shakespeare (2) From: William Kemp Date: Friday, 10 Dec 93 22:14:22 EST Subj: teaching reading Shakespeare (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Laurie White Date: Friday, 10 Dec 1993 09:03:43 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: Teaching, Reading, Seeing, and Hearing Shakespeare I am a great proponent of imitation as a way to get inside a difficult text. And with Shakespeare, students are learning to think like him (well sort of) when they imitate--grammatically--ten or fifteen lines of the play, just as he learned to think like the Ancients in his grammar school by imitation and double translation. --Laurie White, WHITEL@steffi.uncg.edu (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Kemp Date: Friday, 10 Dec 93 22:14:22 EST Subject: teaching reading Shakespeare To help students read Shakespeare (in addition to most of the tactics others have mentioned) I'm adapting the exercises in Randal Robinson's UNLOCKING SHAKESPEARE'S LANGUAGE, an ERIC document published in 1989 (NCTE stock number 55685). Robinson carries students through a few fundamental peculiarities of Shakespeare's syntax by first offering modern examples, then presenting a small selection of the real stuff for them to analyze. The analysis he calls for isn't very sophisticated -- and that's the point. He asks students to identify main sentence parts (subject, verb, predicate, though he avoids grammatical labels), figure out which main parts the other sentence elements go with, then put the whole thing into 'normal' word order. I tested Robinson's original with a couple of students who were having a lot of trouble reading, and they reported that many of the exercises were very helpful. As soon as I finish condensing and adapting, I'll offer them to every student. Robinson recently released a Mac-based computer version, but I haven't seen it yet and can't find the flyer right now. As I recall, one can get it from Michigan State University, where Robinson teaches. Bill Kemp Mary Washington College Fredericksburg, Va. wkemp@s850.mwc.edu ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 11 Dec 1993 10:27:15 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0924 Re: Shakespeare Online and Retrievable Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 924. Friday, 10 December 1993. (1) From: John B. Carr Date: Friday, 10 Dec 1993 10:53:55 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0883 Re: Shakespeare Online (2) From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Saturday, December 11, 1993 Subj: Shakespeare on Online (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John B. Carr Date: Friday, 10 Dec 1993 10:53:55 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0883 Re: Shakespeare Online >> What I want to know is if the new Shakespeare/Gopher files are available >> via FTP anywhere. Many gopher sites are also open to anonymous ftp, including sites containing the works of Shakespeare, such as othello.admin.kth.se. Shakespeare at othello.admin.kth.se is found in /gopher-data/Blandat/Shakespeare. There are likely US sites that are open to anonymous ftp as well. A VERONICA search on "Shakespeare" will probably turn them up. The gopher program itself makes provision for downloading. After retrieving a file, the "q" command will bring up a menu that includes "s" for save. This save command will save the current gopher file to the directory from which you invoked the gopher program. This method is somewhat more tedious than ftp because the plays are split into acts and you must retrieve and then save each act, whereas with ftp, you can get an entire play with one command, the "mget *" command. This information is valid for UNIX systems and gopher clients. Your mileage may vary on other systems. Contact me if you have any difficulty. John Carr jcarr@virginia.edu (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Saturday, December 11, 1993 Subject: Shakespeare on Online SHAKSPEReans, Just yesterday, I discovered a gopher server from which entire plays can be mailed to your accounts. I learned of the site from another list to which I belong: ELENCHUS. Here is that posting: >From: K. Edwin Lee <459912%UOTTAWA.BITNET@PSUVM.PSU.EDU> >Date: Friday, 10 Dec 1993 00:11:51 EST >Sender: Christianity in Late Antiquity Discussion Group >Subject: Public Accessible E-literature, e.g., Plotinus >Dear Networkers, >I have found out an interesting e-book project called the Eris project >which makes available books to the public in e-accessible form. The list >is quite long and the literature on the classics such as Plato, Aristotle, >Tacitus,... up to the modern works like Kant, Shakespeare, etc. is quite >complete. It is the most comprehensive collection I have ever come across >in e-text form. >The literature is at least available through gopher access (probably also >available through ftp somehow) via the University of Notre Dame gopher. >After entering the U of N.D. gopher, choose 3. University of Notre Dame >Information, then 7. Library and Infromation Resources, then 2. Access to >Electronic Books where you will find three different e-book projects and the >second one is the Eris project. >Other than the classics I mentioned above, the project also has Augustine's >Confessions as well as Plotinus' Enneads (6 books). >Have a happy journey. ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 11 Dec 1993 10:32:45 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0925 Re: The Paradox of Historicizing Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 925. Friday, 10 December 1993. From: Nancy W Miller Date: Friday, 10 Dec 93 11:25:24 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0919 Re: The Paradox of Historicizing Shakespeare Bill Godshalk, Here's my go at that passage: It sounds like he/she is saying that the idea that masculinity and femininity identify boundaries between the sexes is more culturally significant than the actual sex of the bodies. I'm not quite sure what this means (without having the rest of the article), but I'm reminded of the *Hic Mulier* and *Haec Vir* pamphlets of 1620 that argue against and parody women and men who cross over the gender norms of dress and behavior. Yes? No? Maybe? ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 11 Dec 1993 10:43:07 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0926 Project Gutenberg Announcements (Shakespeare Etexts) Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 926. Friday, 10 December 1993. (1) From: Michael S. Hart Date: Friday, 10 Dec 93 23:56:07 CST Subj: 100the Project Gutenberg Etext (2) From: Michael S. Hart Date: Saturday, 11 Dec 93 07:49:41 CST Subj: 1994 Project Gutenberg Etexts (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Michael S. Hart Date: Friday, 10 Dec 93 23:56:07 CST Subject: 100the Project Gutenberg Etext **In memoriam: Prof. H. H. Hart, died December 10th, 1989, Rest In Peace** In honor of the 4th anniversary of the death of my father, Prof. H. H. Hart, I would like to announce the initial posting of The Complete Shakespeare via the great help of the World Library Inc's Library of the Future CDROMs along with their Shakespeare CDROM. We have been working on this for some time, and the legal paperword was just finished today, as was another round of editing. Also presented today is our first musical work, by Ludwig van Beethoven, one of his favorite composers. These are Etext #'s 100 and 99 in the list below. Mon Year Title/Author [filename.ext] ## Jan 1994 The Complete Works of William Shakespeare [LOF] [Shaks10x.xxx] 100 Jan 1994 5th Symphony, by Ludwig van Beethoven, c-minor #67[lvb5s10x.xxx] 99 Jan 1994 A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens [CD#1] [2city10x.xxx] 98 Jan 1994 Flatland, by Edwin A. Abbott [Math in Fiction] [flat10xx.xxx] 97 Jan 1994 The Monster Men, by Edgar Rice Burroughs [monst10x.xxx] 96 Dec 1993 The Prisoner of Zenda, by Anthony Hope [zenda10x.xxx] 95 Dec 1993 Alexander's Bridge, by Willa Cather [Cather #3] [alexb10x.xxx] 94 This is the Short Edition of the Dec, 1993 Project Gutenberg Announcement [See below for information about receiving the whole Newsletter] *** The easiest way to get these files is to follow these instructions: [exactly. . .Mac users, you will do better to TYPE these commands & NOT to point and click. . .my experience is that these commands are often CASE sensitive and that the Mac FTP emulators have windows to enter your commands directly. . .if you have trouble with a point & shoot operation, try entering the commands as written here] ftp mrcnext.cso.uiuc.edu login: anonymous password: yourname@your.machine cd etext cd etext93 get filename (be sure to set bin, if you get the .zip files) get more files quit If you don't have ftp access you can get etexts via email: To retrieve a file via e-mail, first send the following line by itself to almanac@oes.orst.edu send gutenberg catalog This will instruct you how to send further requests, and will list the available files. For example, to retrieve _Alice's Adventures in Wonderland_, send to almanac@oes.orst.edu send gutenberg alice For more details see the Project Gutenberg Newsletters. To subscribe, send a message to listserv@vmd.cso.uiuc.edu or listserv@uiucvmd.bitnet sub gutnberg your name No subject is required. Best Wishes For The Holiday Season! Michael S. Hart, Professor of Electronic Text Executive Director of Project Gutenberg Etext Illinois Benedictine College, Lisle, IL 60532 No official connection to U of Illinois--UIUC hart@uiucvmd.bitnet and hart@vmd.cso.uiuc.edu (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Michael S. Hart Date: Saturday, 11 Dec 93 07:49:41 CST Subject: 1994 Project Gutenberg Etexts To make it as easy as possible for our readers to download the entire collection of 100 Etexts [#102 is also there now] we have posted them in the usual /etext/etext93 directory for the time being. There IS a 1994 directory, but people are using mget to get all these files at one time, and many of them are not yet aware of /etext94 Please be encouraged to take as many of these with you on the Holiday Season and give them to as many people as you like. P.S. For those new to our services; my father, to whom the Etext 100 was dedicated, was a professor of Shakespeare and Milton which is why our Etexts of those authors are often released on a December 10th and dedicated to his memory. Thanks, Best Wishes For The Holiday Season! Michael S. Hart ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 13 Dec 1993 09:12:42 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0927 Re: The Paradox of Historicizing Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 927. Monday, 13 December 1993. (1) From: Martin Green Date: Saturday, 11 Dec 93 11:16:42 -0400 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0919 Re: The Paradox of Historicizing Shakespeare (2) From: William Godshalk Date: Sunday, 12 Dec 1993 22:15:30 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0925 Re: The Paradox of Historicizing (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Martin Green Date: Saturday, 11 Dec 93 11:16:42 -0400 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0919 Re: The Paradox of Historicizing Shakespeare Well, as to what I think about those two sentences quoted by Bill Godshalk: nothing much, one way or the other. Actually, to the extent that their general sense can be inferred from the total combination of words, they're a bit more intelligible than most of the sentences in the style of writing (not limited to that of the new historicists) I had in mind. But Bill Godshalk does show, by his attempt to figure out what some of the individual words and phrases might mean, that these sentences, in their own modest way, are indeed written in the flatulent jargon which is the curse of modern academic writing. As for an explication of those lines: that must - and doubtless will - come either from native speakers, or students of the language. Good luck in your quest. Martin Green (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Godshalk Date: Sunday, 12 Dec 1993 22:15:30 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0925 Re: The Paradox of Historicizing Nancy Miller, How clearly you put it! Now, let's ask why our author didn't put it that clearly. The nastiest answer may be that the author wanted to make a fairly simple and conventional idea sound "very new and very, very important." But my major point is that the historicist jargon does NOT get us closer to the early seventeenth century. As you hint, Nancy, you have to go to seventeenth century writing in that attempt. And as you point out, those two sentences I quoted did not immediately remind you of S.'s TROILUS AND CRESSIDA. Are we in the enlightenment business, or the obfuscation business? Ligh seeking light, I remain, Bill Godshalk ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 13 Dec 1993 09:17:58 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0929 Q: Shakespeare and the Ancient World Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 929. Monday, 13 December 1993. From: Paul Budra Date: Sunday, 12 Dec 1993 10:39:30 -0800 (PST) Subject: Shakespeare and the ancient world Are there any recent, or especially good, books of Shakespeare and the ancient world that I should know before teaching Shakespeare's Roman plays? Don't be afraid to list the obvious. Thanks. Paul Budra Dept. of English Simon Fraser University ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 13 Dec 1993 09:20:30 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0930 Re: Subjectivity in *Hamlet* Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 930. Monday, 13 December 1993. From: Kenneth S. Rothwell Date: Monday, 13 Dec 1993 09:04:56 -500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0912 Re: Subjectivity in *Hamlet* I like John Cox's statement about reading >Hamlet< backwards and forwards very much. Ways of talking about the human condition are constantly changing but the human condition remains the same. If more of us kept this in mind, there would be less confusion in Shakespeare studies. And it would all be the more difficult to hype up some "new" approach. Ken Rothwell ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 13 Dec 1993 09:15:10 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0928 Re: Verse Speaking Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 928. Monday, 13 December 1993. From: Sarah Werner Date: Sunday, 12 Dec 93 13:09:38 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0923 Re: Verse Speaking and Peter Hall In addition to Cicely Berry, you might look to see where Sally Beauman points you in her history of the RSC, _The Royal Shakespeare Company_ (Oxford 1982); there might be something in the footnotes that would be helpful in looking for further sources. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 13 Dec 1993 11:58:04 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0931 The SHAKSPER NOMAIL Option Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 931. Monday, 13 December 1993. From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Monday, December 13, 1993 Subject: The NOMAIL Option Dear SHAKSPEReans, If you will be away from your accounts for an extended period this break or upcoming term, please be sure to use the NOMAIL option to suspend your SHAKSPER mailings. When you return, just reset your option to MAIL. To set the NOMAIL option, send the following one-line message (without the quotation marks), "SET SHAKSPER NOMAIL," to LISTSERV@UTORONTO.BITNET. To resume mailing, send the "SET SHAKSPER MAIL" command to LISTSERV. For further details, consult your SHAKSPER GUIDE or contact the Editor at HMCook@boe00.minc.umd.edu ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 14 Dec 1993 09:22:29 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0934 Re: Verse Speaking Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 934. Tuesday, 14 December 1993. From: Sharon Cinnamon Date: Monday, 13 Dec 1993 12:53:11 -0100 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0920 Q: Verse Speaking A good book for teaching actors to speak Shakespeare's verse or prose is Kristin Linklater's "Freeing Shakespeare's Voice". I will admit, much of it is based on her voice work which is somewhat difficult to lift off the page without a voice teacher. I do think, though, that a teacher/director who is not familiar with her techniques could still find a lot of use in the exercises described in the book. The sections on the structure of the verse and the explanations of the many uses of different types of word play are also very helpful for actors. Sharon Cinnamon cinnamon@mit.edu ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 14 Dec 1993 09:09:39 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0932 Re: Historicizing Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 932. Tuesday, 14 December 1993. (1) From: Nancy W Miller Date: Monday, 13 Dec 93 11:09:04 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0927 Re: The Paradox of Historicizing (2) From: Terence Hawkes Date: Tuesday, 14 Dec 93 12:33 BST Subj: RE: SHK 4.0927 Re: The Paradox of Historicizing (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Nancy W Miller Date: Monday, 13 Dec 93 11:09:04 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0927 Re: The Paradox of Historicizing William Godshalk, Granted, those sentences did not put me in mind of *T&C*, but I'm not sure any two sentences taken out of context should necessarily be required to do that. I agree that the writing is terribly obtuse. I won't defend that. It's unnecessary. Do you think this type of obfuscating language is a result of intentionally inflating and obscuring unoriginal ideas, or a common (mistaken) perception that a scholar must sound like that in order to be thought learned? Is this more common among young scholars who are trying to find their voice and make a mark? As a young scholar, I'm interested in experienced scholars' opinions on this. N.M. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Terence Hawkes Date: Tuesday, 14 Dec 93 12:33 BST Subject: RE: SHK 4.0927 Re: The Paradox of Historicizing How does Bill Godshalk's project of 'getting closer to the early seventeenth century' somehow guarantee 'enlightenment'? What do late twentieth century Americans expect early seventeenth century England to enlighten them about? Leo Daugherty's commendation of the 'digging up' of Elizabethan theatres begs similar questions. They're not, incidentally, just digging them up; they're building replicas of them. And the Commander, if anyone's counting, has this month been awarded an honorary Doctorate by the University of London. Presumably this is what comes of 'thinking Globally'? Terence Hawkes ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 14 Dec 1993 09:19:17 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0933 Re: Shakespeare and the Ancient World Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 933. Tuesday, 14 December 1993. (1) From: John Cox Date: Monday, 13 Dec 1993 12:46:18 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0929 Q: Shakespeare and the Ancient World (2) From: Martin Mueller Date: Monday, 13 Dec 93 13:26:07 -0600 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0929 Q: Shakespeare and the Ancient World (3) From: Piers Lewis Date: Monday, 13 Dec 1993 13:45:44 -0600 (CST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0929 Q: Shakespeare and the Ancient World (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John Cox Date: Monday, 13 Dec 1993 12:46:18 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0929 Q: Shakespeare and the Ancient World On the Roman plays, try Robert Miola, *Shakespeare's Rome* (Cambridge, 1983) and Vivian Thomas, *Shakespeare's Roman Worlds* (London, 1989). For a retrospect of earlier work, see John Velz's article, "The Ancient World in Shakespeare," in *Shakespeare Survey* 31 (1978). John Cox (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Martin Mueller Date: Monday, 13 Dec 93 13:26:07 -0600 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0929 Q: Shakespeare and the Ancient World At the risk of sounding immodest, try my "Plutarch's 'Life of Brutus' and the play of its repetitions in Shakesperean Drama," Renaissance Drama 22.,1991, 47-93 (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Piers Lewis Date: Monday, 13 Dec 1993 13:45:44 -0600 (CST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0929 Q: Shakespeare and the Ancient World You might want to take a look at Reuben Brower's HERO AND SAINT. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 14 Dec 1993 09:29:57 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0935 The Human Condition (Was Subjectivity in *Hamlet*) Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 935. Tuesday, 14 December 1993. (1) From: John Cox Date: Monday, 13 Dec 1993 12:51:35 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0930 Re: Subjectivity in *Hamlet* (2) From: Chris Kendall Date: Monday, 13 Dec 1993 13:14:15 -0700 (MST) Subj: The Human Condition (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John Cox Date: Monday, 13 Dec 1993 12:51:35 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0930 Re: Subjectivity in *Hamlet* I appreciate Ken Rothwell's support of my comment about reading subjectivity in *Hamlet* backwards as well as forwards, but with all due respect, my point is not that "the human condition remains the same," because I'm not at all sure that it does. My point is simply that we can enrich our reading of archaic texts if we consider what lay behind them, as well what lies in front of them, so to speak, which is inevitably more familiar to us, because we are closer to it. John Cox (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Chris Kendall Date: Monday, 13 Dec 1993 13:14:15 -0700 (MST) Subject: The Human Condition >Ways of talking about the human condition are constantly >changing but the human condition remains the same. If more of us kept this >in mind, there would be less confusion in Shakespeare studies. >Ken Rothwell Do I hear another Shakespeare and Politics discussion brewing? Hardy will be calling me a trouble-maker, but this is one outstanding question from that donnybrook that still fascinates me, and I'm sitting on the fence. If there is only one eternal human condition then it would seem that politics is merely a reductive process of clarifying and accomodating that condition. Certainly Shakespeare clarified the human condition, but if I heard Jim McKenna right it was not precisely our condition, but his own. -- Chris Kendall | ckendall@carl.org ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 14 Dec 1993 09:51:55 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0936 You/Thou in Shakespeare's Work Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 936. Tuesday, 14 December 1993. From: John Massa Date: Monday, 13 Dec 93 14:23 CST Subject: "you" vs. "thou" in Shakespeare's work Could someone give me a good reference for the use of "you" vs. "thou" in Shakespeare? So far, it seems that the following usages hold for most situations in Shakespeare's works: YOU: (1) from inferior to superior (2) to someone not well known THOU: (1) from superior to inferior (2) between intimate acquaintences (3) to express strong emotions (regardless of social relationships ??) These rules (which I have pieced together from various sources) seem to work, but there are exceptions, and I am not sure if something is being lost in the amalgamation. Does anyone know of a good treatment of this issue for Shakespeare's works and times? Any other comments about the significance of "you/thou" ? John Massa University of Iowa John-Massa@uiowa.edu ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 14 Dec 1993 09:54:13 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0937 Re: Shakespearean Daughters Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 937. Tuesday, 14 December 1993. From: Helen Ostovich Date: Monday, 13 Dec 1993 23:09:33 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0917 Re: Shakespearean Daughters (Was Jessica) Thanks for those daughters with mothers. I've also recalled Marina. But Marina, like Perdita, can't really be said to have grown up under her mother's influence. Princess Katherine and her mother do not have a speaking relationship either, although the mother-daughter thing is there. Mistress Page and Diana seem to be the only products of a close family relationship. (I don't buy the story about Nedar being Helena's mother. I can't share the myth of Hero's mother either. If she doesn't say anything, and no one talks about her or to her, and she's not on the Dramatis Personae, then she's just not there, I'm afraid.) Helen Ostovich ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 15 Dec 1993 08:12:58 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0938 Re: Shakespearean Daughters Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 938. Wednesday, 15 Dec. 1993. (1) From: Terence Hawkes Date: Tuesday, 14 Dec 93 16:06 BST Subj: RE: SHK 4.0937 Re: Shakespearean Daughters (2) From: Steve Urkowitz Date: Tuesday, 14 Dec 93 21:02:31 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0937 Re: Shakespearean Daughters (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Terence Hawkes Date: Tuesday, 14 Dec 93 16:06 BST Subject: RE: SHK 4.0937 Re: Shakespearean Daughters Dear Helen Ostovich: Do you mean that you think Nedar is Helena's FATHER? Terence Hawkes. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Steve Urkowitz Date: Tuesday, 14 Dec 93 21:02:31 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0937 Re: Shakespearean Daughters Have we mentioned Diana in ALL'S WELL and her mom, "an old widow of Florence"? A former student of mine, Patrice Johnson, played Diana in Central Park last summer, and suddenly we saw that Diana was one of the magically transforming and commanding figures in the play. Steve Urkowitz City College of New York SURCC@CUNYVM ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 15 Dec 1993 08:33:34 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0939 Re: You/Thou in Shakespeare's Work Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 939. Wednesday, 15 Dec. 1993. (1) From: James Harner Date: Tuesday, 14 Dec 1993 10:21:28 -0600 (CST) Subj: RE: SHK 4.0936 You/Thou in Shakespeare's Work (2) From: David A. Bank Date: Tuesday,14 Dec 93 19:25:43 GMT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0936 You/Thou in Shakespeare's Work (3) From: John Gouws Date: Tuesday, 14 Dec 1993 22:01:50 +0200 (EET) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0936 You/Thou in Shakespeare's Work (4) From: Herb Donow Date: Tuesday, 14 Dec 93 16:15:42 CST Subj: Pronouns (5) From: Skip Shand Date: Tuesday, 14 Dec 1993 20:05 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0936 You/Thou in Shakespeare's Work (6) From: Steve Urkowitz Date: Tuesday, 14 Dec 93 21:18:40 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0936 You/Thou in Shakespeare's Work (7) From: David Carnegie Date: Wednesday, 15 Dec 1993 20:20:55 +1200 Subj: SHK 4.0936 You/Thou in Shakespeare's Work (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: James Harner Date: Tuesday, 14 Dec 1993 10:21:28 -0600 (CST) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0936 You/Thou in Shakespeare's Work Two recent studies are: Calvo, Clara. "'Too wise to woo peaceably': The Meanings of *Thou* in Shakespeare's Wooing-Scenes." *Actas del III Congreso internacional de la Sociedad espanola de estudios renacentistas ingleses (SEDERI). Ed. Maria Luisa Danobeitia. Granada: SEDERI, 1992. 49-59. Mazzon, Gabriella. "Shakespearean 'thou' and 'you' Revisited, or Socio-Affective Networks on Stage." *Early Modern English: Trends, Forms, and Texts. Ed. Carmela Nocera Avila et al. Fasano: Schena, 1992. 121-36. Jim Harner (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: David A. Bank Date: Tuesday,14 Dec 93 19:25:43 GMT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0936 You/Thou in Shakespeare's Work In Shakespeare's time, discourse rules about you/thou were breaking down and this is frequently reflected in his plays. But there are many examples in which his use of the distinction is strongly marked - opening the _Coll. Wks._ at random (KL, 3.1) ...Enter KENT and a Gentleman, severally Kent.] Who's there, besides foul weather? Gent.] One minded like the weather, most unquietly. Kent.] I know you. Where's the king? ..... Kent.] Sir, I do know you, And dare, upon the warrant of my note, Commend a dear thing to to you. The above reflects *both* uses of 'you' as described in Jon Massa's EM; for Kent, though in fact 'Gent's' superior, is disguised as a serving-man and therefore addresses him as inferior to superior - and at the same time as one who though known by a serving man, does not expect his 'superior' to "know" *him*. Kent thus avoids the offence of presumption. Act 2 scene 2 is particularly rich in examples of (marked) use of both you/thou, in the comic exchanges between Kent and Oswald, then Kent and Oswald to Cornwall who intervenes to break up their quarrel, and then - towards the end - Kent and Gloucester. But I'm not sure about Sh's consistency at e.g. Corn.] Fetch forth the stocks. You stubborn ancient knave, you reverend braggart, We'll teach you. I don't know an extensive treatment of the subject; any book on Shakespeare's language should give some help, but I've not found one that's unembarrassed by difficulty. Perhaps someone else has. John Massa also asks for "any other comments about the significance of" the you/thou distinction. Yep. It blows that argument for paraphrase right out of the water. What you/thou links up with is Shakespeare's ventriloquistic mastery of *register* - try, for example, the first six lines of the play for Courtierese. If, instead of telling students how to construe, you tell them to put the passage into modernspeak, they'll be deaf to the *voices* and grow cloth ears. David Bank University of Glasgow (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John Gouws Date: Tuesday, 14 Dec 1993 22:01:50 +0200 (EET) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0936 You/Thou in Shakespeare's Work You could try Charles Barber, _Early Modern English_ (Andre Deutsch, 1976), and Manfred Gorlach, _Introduction to Early Modern English_ (CUP, 1991). John Gouws - Department of English - Rhodes University P.O. Box 94 - Grahamstown 6140 - South Africa Internet: enjg@kudu.ru.ac.za Telephone: (0461) 318402 or 318400 (4)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Herb Donow Date: Tuesday, 14 Dec 93 16:15:42 CST Subject: Pronouns John Massa raises the question about you/thou. An interesting passage involving similar issues (although primarily concerned with I/We) comes in Hamlet (I.ii.64 ff.). After avoiding him as long as he can, Claudius turns to Hamlet and speaks to him familiarly ("my cousin Hamlet, and my son"), perhaps in the same tone of avuncular joviality he has just been using with Laertes. Hamlet, however, rebuffs him and at the end of the long speech on mourning, Claudius winds up with "our chiefest courtier, cousin, and our son." Even to a modern and native speaker of English, the shift in usage rings a loud bell. It makes Claudius seem a bit of a social klutz. Herb Donow Southern Illinois University @ Carbondale (5)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Skip Shand Date: Tuesday, 14 Dec 1993 20:05 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0936 You/Thou in Shakespeare's Work Toni Dorfman, of the Theatre Department at the University of Missouri, Kansas City, wrote an intriguing paper on the you/thou shifts in *Timon* for last year's SAA seminar on actorly reading. I'm sure she'd be happy to send it to you, if you contacted her by snail-mail. Among her references on the subject: Richard Flatter, *Shakespeare's Producing Hand* (New York, 1948) Francis Berry, *Poet's Grammar: Person, Time, and Mood in Poetry* (London, 1958) Delbert Spain, *Shakespeare Sounded Soundly* (Los Angeles, 1988) (6)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Steve Urkowitz Date: Tuesday, 14 Dec 93 21:18:40 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0936 You/Thou in Shakespeare's Work For a quick but dangerous lesson on "thou", try saying "tu madre" even with a smile to a Spanish speaker. Improperly intimate "thou" would prompt similar explosions among Early Modern speakers of English. An excellent dissertation on all of these interesting language codes is "Shakespeare's Use of the Forms of Address (Brandeis, 1967), by Carol Ann Heeschen Replogle. I don't know if any of it was ever published. It should have been. Steve You-rkowitz City College of New York (7)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: David Carnegie Date: Wednesday, 15 Dec 1993 20:20:55 +1200 Subject: SHK 4.0936 You/Thou in Shakespeare's Work A good succinct summary on you/thou is in Randolph Quirk's chapter,'Shakespeare and the English Language', in Kenneth Muir and Sam Schoenbaum, eds, *A New Companion to Shakespeare Studies* (Cambridge, 1971). David.Carnegie@vuw.ac.nz Department of Theatre & Film, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O.Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand. Phone + 64-4 471 5359 Fax + 64-4 495 5090 ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 15 Dec 1993 08:36:19 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0940 Q: CD-ROMeo Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 940. Wednesday, 15 Dec. 1993. From: Tom Derrick Date: Tuesday, 14 Dec 93 11:46:05 EST Subject: CD-ROMeo Can anyone recommend a CD-Rom version of Shakespeare's works? Inquiring casual readers want to know how they can do simple word searches or just read the plays via compact disk. Tom Derrick ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 15 Dec 1993 08:39:06 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0941 Re: Verse Speaking Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 941. Wednesday, 15 Dec. 1993. From: Timothy Dayne Pinnow Date: Tuesday, 14 Dec 93 10:49:20 CST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0934 Re: Verse Speaking Another book to look at for teaching the speaking of the verse is a short little work called *Shakespeare Aloud: A guide to his verse on stage* by E.S. Brubaker. It is quite inexpensive and is published by the author, I can provide a full citation is anyone's interested. It doesn't rely as heavily on a knowledge of vocal production as the Kristin Linklater book but still manages to communicate an understanding of, and the importance of the music of the words. Aurally, Timothy Dayne Pinnow Dept. of Speech-Theater St. Olaf College pinnow@stolaf.edu ph. 507/646-3327 ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 15 Dec 1993 08:43:36 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0942 'Drown the cargoed apples in their tides.' Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 942. Wednesday, 15 Dec. 1993. From: Timothy Bowden Date: Tuesday, 14 Dec 93 11:00:01 PST Subject: `Drown the cargoed apples in their tides.' A humorous interlude in Gertrude Stein's _Making Of Americans_ involves a son pulling his father by the heels through an orchard, the elder crying `Stop! I never dragged my own father past that tree!' It is the duty of youth forever to break the paternal shell. The line runs from Descartes through Deridda and reads something like: Oho, if the evidence for reality be but the belated record as reflected by blighted beings, it cannot be held accountable to clinical tests of existance! Therefore anywhere is everywhen! And all the `curdlers in their folly' did re-Joyce, proclaiming, this means I don't have to read Beowulf! And, behold, art became the dropping of a large safe from a great height, and theatre was a shopping list of dotty outrageous non-sequiturs, and literature evolved into a seance for sophomore and triperwriter. For if text is but an accretion of elements on a page, then I as the receiving agent am fully entitled to shape this random residue into such snowmen as my imagination dictates, and your resistance to my taking up bandwidth better devoted to the Bard I might freely identify as an elitist classicist cult conspiracy oppressing my expression! I am so gratified by postmodernism, and so amused when the learned professors through folly or patronage make show of solemn effort to comprehend the workings of this traditionally adolescent radical philosophy of the utterly meaningless. tcbowden@clovis.felton.ca.us (Timothy Bowden) uunet!scruz.ucsc.edu!clovis.felton.ca.us!tcbowden Clovis in Felton, CA ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 15 Dec 1993 08:47:47 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0943 Re: Historicizing Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 943. Wednesday, 15 Dec. 1993. From: David Bank Date: Tuesday,14 Dec 93 21:06:35 GMT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0932 Re: Historicizing Terence ('Worker') Hawkes is shaking his placard again. We've nothing to learn from early seventeenth century England (dear "late twentieth century Americans") because, presumably, the England of that time wasn't - unlike our dweller on the Taff - Progressive. This is all delightfully old-fashioned, but a bit tedious too. Full marks for the rhetoric of superciliousness and display. Zilch for content. I can think of many things early seventeenth century England is "enlightening about", but they aren't things I would expect Progressives to be interested in. There's the rub. Differences between the sexes, 'doubles' in human nature, the effableness of the Deity, how to die badly or well, the compass of duty, etc. etc. etc. All so *very* old-fashioned that it's interesting, in fact. And "enlightening" too. Such things may - by offering a point of leverage - aid *thought*. David Bank University of Glasgow ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 15 Dec 1993 15:48:38 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0944 A Small Favor Regarding the SHAKSPER Awaits YOU! Letter Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 944. Wednesday, 15 Dec. 1993. From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Wednesday, December 15, 1993 Subject: A Small Favor Regarding the SHAKSPER Awaits YOU! Letter SHAKSPEReans, In my ongoing quest to put off grading the enormous stack of end-of-the- semester papers on my desk, I decided to send my followup letter to those who have inquired about becoming members of SHAKSPER but who have not as yet submitted the required biography. To my surprise, I discovered that I had somehow deleted that file. If anyone, in particular a newer member, happens to still have a copy of the letter -- SHAKSPER Awaits YOU! -- I would greatly appreciate your forwarding a copy of it back to me. Thanks in advance, and sorry to burden everyone with such a trivial matter but that letter has worked very well for me in the past. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 16 Dec 1993 09:24:12 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0945 Re: You/Thou and I/We in Shakespeare's Work Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 945. Thursday, 16 December 1993. (1) From: Bruce Sajdak Date: Wednesday, 15 Dec 93 8:15 CST Subj: "you" vs. "thou" in Shakespeare's work (2) From: Ellen Edgerton Date: Wednesday, 15 Dec 1993 08:53 ET Subj: You/Thou, I/We (3) From: James Schaefer Date: Wednesday, 15 Dec 1993 09:39:39 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0939 Re: You/Thou in Shakespeare's Work (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Bruce Sajdak Date: Wednesday, 15 Dec 93 8:15 CST Subject: "you" vs. "thou" in Shakespeare's work This topic has received much treatment over the years - although not always in the standard journals. Here is a sampling of some articles on the subject: Milward, Celia. "Pronominal Case in Shakespearean Imperatives." _Language_, Vol. 42, No. 1 (1966) 10-17. Mulholland, Joan. "'Thou' and 'You' in Shakespeare: A Study in the Second Person Pronoun." _English Studies_, Vol. 48, No. 1 (February, 1967) 34-43 and Vol. 48, No. 2 (April, 1967) 63. Edmonson, Barbara. "The Pronouns of Address in Shakespeare: A Lament for the Loss of Thou." _Human Mosaic_, Vol. 7, No. 1 (Winter, 1973/74) 9-19. Johnson, Judith A. "Second Person Pronouns in Shakespeare's Tragedies." _Michigan Academician_, Vol. 8, No. 2 (Fall, 1975) 151-156. McIntosh, Angus. "As You Like It: A Grammatical Clue to Character." _Review of English Literature_, Vol. 4, No. 2 (April, 1963) 68-81. Draudt, Manfred. "Shakespeare's Use of 'You' and 'Thou': The Subtext of Love's Labour's Lost." _Yearbook of Studies in English Language and Litera- ture_, Vol. 3 (1982-1983) 1-12. Babcock, Weston. "Iago--An Extraordinary Honest Man." _Shakespeare Quarterly_, Vol. 16, No. 4 (Autumn, 1965) 297-301. Linfield, Nicholas. "You and Thou in Shakespeare's Othello as an Example." _Iowa State Journal of Research_, Vol. 57, No. 2 (November, 1982) 163-178. Barber, Charles. "'You' and 'Thou' in Shakespeare's Richard III." _Leeds Studies in English_, New Series, Vol. 12 (1981) 273-287. PS - Maybe not so minor after all! Hope this helps! (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ellen Edgerton Date: Wednesday, 15 Dec 1993 08:53 ET Subject: You/Thou, I/We Just as an addendum to Herb Donow's post about Claudius' usage of the "royal We" in *Hamlet*, a similarly interesting shift between I's and We's can be of course found in the St. Crispin's Day speech in *H5*. (Personally, I could never figure out which meaning of "us" Henry meant when he says "who fought with us upon St. Crispin's Day" -- did Henry go back to the royal "we" at this point?) Ellen Edgerton Syracuse University ebedgert@suadmin.syr.edu (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: James Schaefer Date: Wednesday, 15 Dec 1993 09:39:39 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0939 Re: You/Thou in Shakespeare's Work Today's collective posting of comments on the you/thou distinction was one of the best and most useful lately, full of practical examples and many useful references. I especially like David Bank's observation that the existence of such a distinction completely destroys the argument for paraphrase. What we want our students (and especially our performers) to understand is that great characters (and great roles in performance) are built from small blocks like this, details that only close reading reveal. Jim Schaefer schaefej@guvax.georgetown.edu ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 16 Dec 1993 09:26:57 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0946 Re: Historicizing Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 946. Thursday, 16 December 1993. From: William Godshalk Date: Wednesday, 15 Dec 1993 09:18:27 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0927 Re: The Paradox of Historicizing To Nancy Miller I think your explanation for the use of obscure shop talk is right on target, but I also think that young scholars are not peculiarly at fault. We old guys have a penchant for obscurity as well. To Terence Hawkes By "enlightenment," old mole, I merely meant "knowledge." I have faith that we can know some things about the past. And I used "enightenment" so I could play off of LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST: "Light seeking light doth light of light beguile." I quote from memory since my glasses are not to hand - and I'm leaving town in minutes. Yours, Bill Godshalk ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 16 Dec 1993 09:30:51 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0947 Folger Weekend Workshop Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 947. Thursday, 16 December 1993. From: Gerogianna Ziegler Date: Wednesday, 15 Dec 1993 10:04:56 -0500 Subject: Folger Workshop The Dept. of Academic Programs at the Folger has asked me to place the following announcement on SHAKSPER: "Shakespeare and the Languages of Performance: A Workshop for College Teachers of English" 25 and 26 February 1994 at the Folger Shakespeare Library This weekend workshop, sponsored by the Folger Institute Center for Shakespeare Studies and offered as an extension of an N.E.H.- sponsored institute, will focus on the paired exercises of staging scenes and reviewing productions as the basis of a performance- approach to the teaching of Shakespeare. For the $65.00 registration fee, each participant will receive one lunch, one dinner, and one $43.50 ticket to the Shakespeare Theatre's production of "Romeo and Juliet." For a registration form listing topics of the plenary sessions and choices for small-group discussion sessions, please call (202) 675- 0348 or -0346. The registration deadline is 28 January. Registration is not available via e-mail. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 16 Dec 1993 09:38:35 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0948 Re: The Human Condition Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 948. Thursday, 16 December 1993. From: Kenneth S. Rothwell Date: Wednesday, 15 Dec 1993 11:17:26 -500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0935 The Human Condition I appreciate John Cox's and Chris Kendall's comments about the human condition. One can be a "lurker" for only so long on SHAKSPER before being tempted to jump in with a sound byte or two of one's own. I can't possibly defend my faith that the human condition remains unchanged. I meant of course that accidents may alter but not the substance. I find myself pushed further and further into the archaic world of Shakespeare's own systems of Christian belief, which is horribly out of sync with fashionable ideologies. The plays themselves offer endless examples of timeless human dilemmas: Angelo's sexual harassment of Isabella in MM; Hal's hangups about his father in the Henriad; Kate's sibling rivaly with Bianca in Shr.; Lady Mac's boundless ambition for her husband; Lear's foolish belief that he can "unburthened crawl toward death." But everyone out there has his/her own similar lists, I'm sure. I thought this relevance to our own lives, as well as his skill with words, is what made most of us want to read Shakespeare. Although I have neither, the time, the inclination, nor the erudition to write at length on this subject, I still think that nature as much as material circumstances explains a great deal about us human beings. For this dialogue, much thanks. Ken Rothwell ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 16 Dec 1993 09:44:15 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0949 Re: Verse Speaking Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 949. Thursday, 16 December 1993. From: Ron Moyer Date: Wednesday, 15 Dec 1993 14:51:24 -0600 (CST) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0941 Re: Verse Speaking While I have heard little about Sir Peter's approach to verse speaking other than he is meticulous, some insight may be gained from works by his former colleagues John Barton and Cicely Berry. Hall's long association with Barton at Cambridge and the RSC and Berry's longtime direction of voice at the RSC probably reflect a good bit of Hall's approach (I think they were mutually influential). Barton's _Playing Shakespeare_ video series and book, as well as Berry's _The Actor and the Text_ are wonderfully helpful works in their own right. Linklater (_Freeing Shakespeare's Voice_) worked at the RSC and has long been associated with Tina Packer at Shakespeare and Co.; Packer was an actress with the RSC and a "student" of Barton's; Packer has said that Shakes & Co. work is closer to Barton's teaching than Barton's own work with verse. While the above three works are probably the best available now, several other can be helpful: Brubaker's _Shakespeare Aloud_ (his strict construction of the verse serves as a stimulating antithesis to Barton's flexibility, although they actually do not contradict each other), Robert Cohen's _Acting in Shakespeare_, Robert Barton's _Style for Actors_, and Delbert Spain's expansive _Shakespeare Sounded Soundly_, among many. These all contain useful material; they, also, frequently contradict one another. Test in the rehearsal hall; synthesize. And great fun and stimulation can be gained from Neil Freeman's brief, but brilliant, _Introduction to the Folio Scripts_. ------Ron Moyer, Theatre, Univ. of South Dakota ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 16 Dec 1993 09:52:43 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0950 Re: Shakespeare on CD-ROM Disc Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 950. Thursday, 16 December 1993. (1) From: Date: Wednesday, 15 Dec 93 16:52 CST Subj: Shakespeare cd's (2) From: Jerald Bangham Date: Wednesday, 15 Dec 1993 22:16:56 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0940 Q: CD-ROMeo (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Date: Wednesday, 15 Dec 93 16:52 CST Subject: Shakespeare cd's Hello-- I've received your query on Shakespeare cd's from my Iowa colleague John Massa. I currently have two: --The Oxford disc which contains the Oxford Shakespeare plus other reference tools. Mine runs in DOS. Search capacity is accurate enough but only jumps the reader to the Act/scene in which the queried word or phrase can be found. The selected words are highlighted in the text but one needs to do a bit of scrolling to find them--particularly in longish scenes. Mine--purchased a year ago--was a bit expensive. --World Library: Study Guide to Shakespeare This one runs in Windows and costs less than $25. It also jumps right to selected key words in the text. Because of the Windows environment, more than one piece can be open at a time. Much better search tool than the Oxford--also easier to read extended passages because of an auto-scroll function. I cannot vouch from memory for the quality of the edition of Shakespeare. This is perhaps a limit but since I can't recall which edition (if any) is cited I can't be sure. Hope this is a bit of help. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jerald Bangham Date: Wednesday, 15 Dec 1993 22:16:56 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0940 Q: CD-ROMeo >Can anyone recommend a CD-Rom version of Shakespeare's works? I have the CMC "Disk Passage" version. It has both "King's English" and "American English" versions, but I've never spotted any differences. I haven't used at a lot yet, but It does very quick searches. You shouldn't have to pay much. I believe my copy was about $35, but I just picked up their Sherlock Holmes for $15. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Jerry Bangham Internet: jbangham@kudzu.win.net * * 1209 Market Street CIS 70075,136 * * Port Gibson, MS 39150 Voice & fax (601) 437-4107 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 16 Dec 1993 17:03:51 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0951 SPINOFF BIBLIO and CHARACTR BIBLIO Updated Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 951. Thursday, 16 December 1993. From: Hardy M. Cook Date: Thursday, December 16, 1993 Subject: SPINOFF BIBLIO and CHARACTR BIBLIO Updated In my quest to find other things to do than grade papers, I have as promised updated the SPINOFF BIBLIO and the CHARACTR BIBLIO files on the SHAKSPER FileServer. (Incidentially, thanks to all who responded to my plea of yesterday. Between revising my SHAKSPER Awaits YOU! form letter, mailing it to the twenty or so people who have inquired about SHAKSPER since December 1, and updating the two files, I've managed to spend four hours away from my papers.) I included in the appropriate file the spinoff suggestions that were made during this round of that discussion and added a few I've meant to include, such as Thurber's "The Macbeth Murder Mystery" and Asimov's "The Immortal Bard." Both of these and many more amusing Shakespeare-related pieces can be found in Marilyn Schoenbaum's *A Shakespeare Merriment: An Anthology of Shakespearean Humor* (New York: Garland, 1988). It was I who suggested she include the Asimov short story, in which an English professor learns from a colleague in the Physics Department at a Christmas party that the physicist had brought Shakespeare back to the present. Upon learning that there were actually courses in universities in which his works were taught, he enrolled the the English professor's Shakespeare class. You can guess the rest -- the English teacher flunked him. To retrieve the two updated files from the SHAKSPER Fileserver, send the following e-mail message (without a subject line) to LISTSERV@utoronto.bitnet: GET SPINOFF BIBLIO SHAKSPER GET CHARACTR BIBLIO SHAKSPER If anyone notices errors, can provide further information, or can identify under what play the entries I have placed in a Miscellaneous category in the SPINOFF BIBLIO file belong, please send me a private message and I'll make the corrections. Hardy M. Cook Editor of SHAKSPER ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 17 Dec 1993 10:38:07 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0952 Re: Pronoun Use; Paraphrase; and CD-ROM Discs Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 952. Friday, 17 December 1993. (1) From: Roy Flannagan Date: Thursday, 16 December 93, 13:14:20 EST Subj: [Elizabethan Verbal Habits and CD-ROM] (2) From: Beverly Jacobson <76645.3610@CompuServe.COM> Date: Thursday, 16 Dec 93 23:49:19 EST Subj: Pronouns and Shakespeare (3) From: Nate Johnson Date: Friday, 17 Dec 93 01:16:43 EDT Subj: RE: SHK 4.0945 Re: You/Thou and I/We in Shakespeare's Work (4) From: Joan Hartwig Date: Friday, 17 Dec 93 10:24:27 EST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0936 You/Thou in Shakespeare's Work (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Roy Flannagan Date: Thursday, 16 December 93, 13:14:20 EST Subject: [Elizabethan Verbal Habits and CD-ROM] On you/thou and many other Elizabethan verbal habits with social meanings, see Gert Ronberg, {The World of Words}. I used it in a Shakespeare comedies class and got complaints at first (it is dense and packed with information), appreciations when it led to good paper topics (you/thou distinctions in {Much Ado}), and kudos on the course evaluations for my helping them to understand the difference between modern English and Elizabethan English. And on Shakespeare on CD-ROM (this has come up before): probably the most accessible version is the WordCruncher Riverside Shakespeare, though Electronic Text Corporation, which markets WordCruncher, has been laying low lately. Incidentally, Shakespeare on Disk, because the texts are in ASCII, is very easy to search using a word-processor. The Oxford English Reference Library on CD is supposed to have the complete Shakespeare, but the software to access the various parts of the CD is so arcane, and the program installs so haphazardly, that I haven't been able to find the Shakespeare yet! Roy Flannagan Ohio University [I would like to second Roy Flannagan's endorsement of the ETC (now Johnson and Company) WordCruncher CD-ROM. In the first place, it includes the WordCruncher program for searching the work, but that is not all -- the CD-ROM contains the Riverside Shakespeare texts in a variety of configurations (by individual text, by genre, by corpus) as well as ETC's Library of America texts and religious and historical documents. Another CD-ROM not mentioned yet that contains the Shakespeare plays is the Library of the Future with its own interface for searching. --HMC] (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Beverly Jacobson <76645.3610@CompuServe.COM> Date: Thursday, 16 Dec 93 23:49:19 EST Subject: Pronouns and Shakespeare >Even to a modern and native speaker of English, the shift in usage rings a loud bell. It makes Claudius seem a bit of a social klutz.< I don't think Claudius' switch from the first person singular to the royal "our" in I.ii shows him to be a social klutz. Instead, it defines the relationship he will have with Hamlet. His initial attempt at a friendly, familial relationship is rebuffed by Hamlet with word play on "kin"/"kind" and "son"/"sun" and his use of "my lord" in "Not so, my lord, I am too much in the sun." The "not so" line is the only one Hamlet speaks directly to Claudius in this encounter, and it elicits no verbal response. While Hamlet uses language to distance himself from and to needle Claudius, Claudius distances Hamlet to a king/subject relationship by using the royal "our" and putting "chiefest courtier" before the familial "cousin" and "son." I don't think Shakespeare gave these words to Claudius to commit a social gaffe, but rather to control his relationship with Hamlet. In the first part of the closet scene (III.iv), pronouns also have significance. This part may be seen as a verbal power struggle between Hamlet and Gertrude, fought with familiar and formal pronouns. With a little imagination, it's possible to map out this confrontation as a military battle. One might also use the fight for pronoun superiority to block this part of the scene for a production. Different topic: I would strongly recommend Randal Robinson's *Unlocking Shakespeare's Language* to those seeking a way to help students understand Shakespeare. As I recall, he uses this booklet for undergraduate classes and makes it an optional buy for master's and doctoral level seminars. He used a course packet with similar and addtional material for the doctoral seminar I was in. Both the booklet and course packet have the added benefit of showing grad students the kinds of problems to expect when teaching Shakespeare. Beverly Jacobson (3)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Nate Johnson Date: Friday, 17 Dec 93 01:16:43 EDT Subject: RE: SHK 4.0945 Re: You/Thou and I/We in Shakespeare's Work David Bank argues, and Jim Schaefer seconds him, that the I/Thou distinction is an argument against paraphrasing passages from Shakespeare. I assumed that part of the argument *for* asking students to paraphrase was to show that often it's difficult or impossible, to get them to understand what can be "translated" (much of the denotative meaning) and what can't (sound, rhythm, affect, connotations, puns...) Or is the argument simply against "modernized" editions which present an already paraphrased text which appears authoritative (or against teachers who do so in the classroom without commenting on limitations)? --Nate Johnson (4)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Joan Hartwig Date: Friday, 17 Dec 93 10:24:27 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0936 You/Thou in Shakespeare's Work Another reference that may prove helpful is by G. P. Jones, "You, Thou, He or She? The Master-Mistress in Shakespearian and Elizabethan Sonnet Sequences," *Cahiers Elisabethains* 19 (1981): 73-84, ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 17 Dec 1993 10:47:18 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0954 Another Spinoff Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 954. Friday, 17 December 1993. From: Steve Urkowitz Date: Friday, 17 Dec 93 07:09:01 EST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0951 SPINOFF BIBLIO and CHARACTR BIBLIO Updated For the Spinoff list, Stephen Leacock, "Saloonio," from an anthology of his writings LITERARY LAPSES (1904?), a delicious invention of a bluff old guy who has his favorite character, Saloonio, who has been left out of most modern editions because of his racy language. Steve Urkowitz ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 17 Dec 1993 10:49:59 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0955 Re: Shakespearean Daughters Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 955. Friday, 17 December 1993. From: Helen Ostovich Date: Friday, 17 Dec 1993 10:39:08 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0938 Re: Shakespearean Daughters > Dear Helen Ostovich: Do you mean that you think Nedar is Helena's FATHER? > > Terence Hawkes. Yes, as a matter of fact, I always assumed old Nedar was the father. Why not? It seems to me that unless a character refers to someone as a widow's daughter (like Diana in AWW) then the assumption is always that the parent is a male. Juliet is Capulet's daughter. Even though her mother is alive, no one assumes that Capulet is the mother. Helen Ostovich ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 17 Dec 1993 10:43:06 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0953 Re: The Human Condition Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 953. Friday, 17 December 1993. From: Al Cacicedo Date: Friday, 17 Dec 1993 1:14:38 -0500 (EST) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0948 Re: The Human Condition There's a wonderful book by Italo Calvino, called *Mr. Palomar*, in one chapter of which the hapless title character wanders through some Toltec ruins while a learned friend discourses on all they are seeing and at the same time Palomar and the friend overhear an unknown schoolteacher tell his class, "no se sabe lo que quiere decir," that no one knows what it all meant to the Toltecs. Being as he is, Mr. Palomar begins to wonder what exactly death (if that's what the bas relief skulls signify) and resurrection (if that's what the carved serpents signify) actually meant in the cognitive economy of the Toltecs. For the purposes of the novel, and for all I know for the purposes of archaeology as well, such knowledge, essentially a translation of one discursive system into another, remains impossible. I think that that's what the historicists tell us. What the humanists tell us is that nevertheless those images seek to address the (for me) only constant for all human beings in all human communities, that at our backs we always hear the eternal footman snicker and, in short, it puzzles the will. Literary scholars and other humans, I think, have to be like Mr. Palomar at the moment he pays attention simultaneously to his friend and to the schoolteacher. We are contingent, historical creatures who transcend our contingency by recognizing our historicity. By the way, puzzled though my will may be, whenever I read a paper such as the one on *Paradise Lost* that I just read by my absolutely first-rate student, I say, huzzah! Exhaustedly, Al Cacicedo (alc@joe.alb.edu) Albright College ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 18 Dec 1993 13:47:16 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0956 Re: The Human Condition Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 956. Saturday, 18 December 1993. From: John Cox Date: Friday, 17 Dec 1993 13:03:04 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0953 Re: The Human Condition For those of us who believe that mortality defines the human condition, as Al Cacicedo suggests, I offer the following anecdote. I was recently discussing the rudiments of logical argumentation with my first-year composition class. I pointed out that the limitation of induc- tive reasoning is the necessity for the inductive leap: even "the sun will rise tomorrow" is subject to the reservation that we haven't actually seen it rise yet. Turning to deductive reasoning, I pointed out that no "leaps" are necessary in a well-constructed syllogism, but that if the syllogism is to have some application to real life, then the premises have to be true to life. As an example, I used the traditional syllogism that begins, "All people are mortal." When I explained the example, one attentive student raised her hand to object that the major premise in that syllogism involves an inductive leap: though we know of no exceptions to the rule stated by the premise, those who are alive have not yet died, so the same reservation applies to the syllogism as to the inductive inference that the sun will rise tomorrow. I wish my student had been in Aristotle's class when he expounded the syllogism. John Cox ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 18 Dec 1993 13:52:03 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0957 More Spinoffs Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 957. Saturday, 18 December 1993. From: Douglas Lanier Date: Friday, 17 Dec 1993 14:25:03 -0500 (EST) Subject: More suggestions for the SPINOFF list Dear Hardy, In an effort to prevent you from grading, let me suggest two more additions to the marvelous SPINOFF list: Under Much Ado: Hector Berlioz, *Beatrice and Benedick* Opera Under Midsummer: Henry Purcell, *The Fairy Queen*, Opera Actually, there are several other operatic possibilities that might be added, if you are interested in completeness and not quality!! Many thanks for the updated bibliography, and happy holidays. Douglas Lanier D_LANIER@unhh.unh.edu ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 18 Dec 1993 14:08:11 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0958 Re: Paraphrase (Was Pronouns) Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 958. Saturday, 18 December 1993. From: James Scaefer Date: Friday, 17 Dec 1993 11:37:34 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0952 Re: Pronoun Use; Paraphrase; and CD-ROM Discs Reply to Nate Johnson: Speaking, of course, only for myself: I am against paraphrase because the language of the play IS the play. The play of words both contains and reveals the interplay of the characters. It is all the playwright has to guide us toward our reconstruction of the human (inter-)action he or she is attempting to imitate. At the same time, it is the playwright's only _constraint_ on us, the only means available to keep us from running wild with our own ideas and running roughshod (think about what that metaphor means, literally!) through the world the author is trying to create. This same principle applies even to translated works: we rely on the translator to find ways of embedding in a text written in our language the social nuances embedded in the foreign-language text. All our interpretations will, of course, be different, influenced by our own experience, training, etc. But this is why I like the Peter Brook approach I commended in an earlier note: If you're going to begin with a sketch of the scene, make it a sketch in the author's own words. Paraphrase is as useless as arguing motivations. The language is unfamiliar, but total immersion should be a source of excitement. As Olivier said: I'd rather have run the scene eight times than have wasted that time in chattering away about abstractions. An actor gets the right thing by doing it over and over. (from *Directors on Directing*) And that means saying the words over and over until the action they contain becomes apparent. The applies to silent readers as well. Jim Schaefer schaefej@guvax.georgetown.edu ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 18 Dec 1993 14:20:38 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0959 Complete Shakespeare E-Texts Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 959. Saturday, 18 December 1993. From: Michael S. Hart Date: Saturday, 18 Dec 93 11:09:52 CST Subject: New Complete Shakespeare Project Gutenberg has posted a new Edition of the Complete Shakespeare: shaks12x.xxx Thanks, Best Wishes For The Holiday Season! Michael S. Hart, Professor of Electronic Text Executive Director of Project Gutenberg Etext Illinois Benedictine College, Lisle, IL 60532 No official connection to U of Illinois--UIUC hart@uiucvmd.bitnet and hart@vmd.cso.uiuc.edu ========================================================================= Date: Sun, 19 Dec 1993 13:33:36 EST Reply-To: "Hardy M. Cook" Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0960 The Death of Sam Wanamaker Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 960. Sunday, 19 December 1993. From: Kenneth S. Rothwell Date: Sunday, 19 Dec 1993 10:20:10 -500 (EST) Subject: Sam Wanamaker Today's press reports the death of Sam Wanamaker in London. I grieve for the loss of a good friend and colleague. Sam vigorously supported and served on the advisory board of the >Shakespeare on Film Newsletter< that Bernice Kliman and I edited from 1976 to 1992. He was a stalwart foe of the McCarthy witch hunt in the United States during the terrible 50's, having been exiled abroad for his pains. He strove mightily against great odds to build his Bankside Globe and contributed his own acting talents to theatre and screen. Millions saw him as the father in >Private Benjamin<, for example, though few probably knew he once played Iago to Paul Robeson's >Othello<. He was a genius at bringing together diverse assortments of teachers, scholars, actors, and world financial and political luminaries. Not realizing that he was terminally ill, I now feel all the more grateful to the Queen and his adopted country for having honored him recently with the C.B.E. Kenneth S. Rothwell ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 20 Dec 1993 14:25:40 EST Reply-To: Shakespeare Electronic Conference Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0961 Re: Paraphrase Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 961. Monday, 20 December 1993. From: Nate Johnson Date: Monday, 20 Dec 93 03:47:14 EDT Subject: RE: SHK 4.0958 Re: Paraphrase (Was Pronouns) Dear Jim Schaefer, I still don't know what exactly you have against paraphrase as a pedagogical tool. Is it such a strange thing to ask students, in the course of a class discussion, for example, to explain in their own words what they think a difficult passage means? In my admittedly limited experience, the question often generates rather different responses, and those differences become matter for interesting discussions. Actually, the same could be said of many of the postings on SHAKSPER. Doesn't your willingness to accept translations contradict your unwillingness to accept paraphrases? The popularity of Shakespeare in translation would seem to qualify your assertion that "the play is the language," although I think the plays lose much of their texture in translations I've read. An example from Elio Chinol's translation of Macbeth: Mi son tanto saziato d'orrori Che l'orrore che accompagna i miei pensieri di strage Non puo piu scuotermi ormai. In what sense is this not a "paraphrase" of the original? I have supp'd full with horrors: Direness, familiar to my slaughterous thoughts, Cannot once start me. Much is lost in the translation--the specific metaphor, "familiar," which links "Direness" to "slaughterous thoughts"; the subtle differences between "horrors and "Direness"; the concrete emphasis on eating, "I have supp'd." Yet the translation certainly conveys the main idea and is serviceable for a stage production. I have found that I can learn a great deal about Shakespeare's language from studying translations like this, seeing what translators had to give up to convey what they perceived as the "literal" sense of the text with some reasonable degree of economy. Isn't asking students to "translate" the text into their own language a similar kind of exercise? And without paraphrase of some kind, private or public, how do we understand a difficult new language? Amicably, Nate Johnson ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 21 Dec 1993 11:38:10 EST Reply-To: Shakespeare Electronic Conference Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0962 Re: Shakespearean Daughters Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 962. Tuesday, 21 December 1993. From: Terence Hawkes Date: Tuesday, 21 Dec 93 15:05 BST Subject: RE: SHK 4.0955 Re: Shakespearean Daughters Dear Helen Ostovich, >>I always assumed old Nedar was the father. Why not? It seems to me that unless a character refers to someone as a widow's daughter (like Diana in AWW) then the assumption is always that the parent is a male.<< Good point, but it's still -as you say- an assumption isn't it? And when a play is as concerned as MND is to probe the assumptions of a newly triumphant patriarchy (as opposd to those of a recently defeated matriarchy) is it as safe as you think it is? Terence Hawkes ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 22 Dec 1993 07:47:04 EST Reply-To: Shakespeare Electronic Conference Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0963 Re: Shakespearean Daughters Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 963. Wednesday, 22 Dec. 1993. From: Helen Ostovich Date: Tuesday, 21 Dec 1993 13:52:31 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0962 Re: Shakespearean Daughters > >>I always assumed old Nedar was the father. Why not? It seems to me that > unless a character refers to someone as a widow's daughter (like Diana in AWW) > then the assumption is always that the parent is a male.<< > > Good point, but it's still -as you say- an assumption isn't it? And when a > play is as concerned as MND is to probe the assumptions of a newly triumphant > patriarchy (as opposd to those of a recently defeated matriarchy) is it as > safe as you think it is? Dear Terence Hawkes, We seem to be trapping each other in assumptions. I would have said it is always pretty safe to assume the patriarchy wins in a Shakespearean play, even when the patriarchy is newly triumphant and the matriarchy is recently defeated. All the women in the play are either silenced or ignored by the last line. How does this suggest that Egeus or Theseus would have referred to Helena's "mother" ? Helen Ostovich ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 22 Dec 1993 07:51:38 EST Reply-To: Shakespeare Electronic Conference Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0964 Re: Shakespeare and the Ancient World Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 964. Wednesday, 22 Dec. 1993. From: James McKenna Date: Tuesday, 21 Dec 1993 17:39:41 -0500 (EST) Subject: S and the ancient world Dear Mr. Budra, In studying Jonson this past quarter, I was amazed at how valuable it was to read Martial. For Shakespeare, I recommend reading as much Roman poetry and drama as you can get to. Seneca seems likely; and it couldn't hurt to read as much Cicero as you can stand, since that seems to be Shakespeare's style. Also, this isn't exactly ancient, but in studying the sonnets a few years ago, I read scraps from several hundred years of Latin love poetry (the *Carmina Burana* is the only source I remember offhand). The more I study the Renaissance, the more I am convinced that the real insights come from reading the stuff they read and thought was important. A mentor said to me that the average educated man's bookshelf contained mostly classics and theology. I gulped and started reading. Yours, James McKenna mckennji@ucbeh.bitnet ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 22 Dec 1993 07:55:46 EST Reply-To: Shakespeare Electronic Conference Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0965 Q: Women Writers Project Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 965. Wednesday, 22 Dec. 1993. From: Al Cacicedo Date: Tuesday, 21 Dec 1993 23:50:41 -0500 (EST) Subject: Women Writers Project SHAKSPEReans, In the dim haze of end-of-semester reading, I vaguely remember that someone posted a notice about the Brown University Women Writers Project. Does anyone recall that posting? And can anyone help me find my way to the Project and to its texts? Since I'm on the subject, what exactly is the copyright status of such texts? Could I download a play by Aphra Behn, for instance, and xerox enough copies for my class and not infringe copyright? Already thinking of the spring, when this man's fancy turns to thoughts of an 18th century course, Al Cacicedo (alc@joe.alb.edu) Albright College P.S. Happy holidays to all! ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 23 Dec 1993 09:22:02 EST Reply-To: Shakespeare Electronic Conference Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0966 Re: Shakespeare and the Ancient World Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 966. Thursday, 23 December 1993. From: Phyllis Rackin Date: Wednesday, 22 Dec 1993 10:40:00 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0964 Re: Shakespeare and the Ancient World A mentor said to me that the average educated man's bookshelf contained mostly classics and theology. I wonder how many of the men and women in the public theater audiences had any bookshelves at all. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 23 Dec 1993 09:29:18 EST Reply-To: Shakespeare Electronic Conference Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0967 Re: Women Writers Project Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 967. Thursday, 23 December 1993. From: Ed Pechter Date: Wednesday, 22 Dec 1993 21:03:07 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0965 Q: Women Writers Project In response to Al Cacicedo's question, we got a notice a year ago about the Brown Women Writers Project. The contact is Elaine Brennan, with an e-mail ELAINE@BROWNVM.brown.edu, and a snail mail address of Elaine Brennan, Asst. Director Women Writers Project Brown University Box 1841 Brown University Providence, RI 02912 (401) 863-3619 Good luck--I never got an answer to an inquiry I sent, though maybe I screwed up with the address. Best, Ed Pechter ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 23 Dec 1993 09:37:33 EST Reply-To: Shakespeare Electronic Conference Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0968 Re: Shakespearean Daughters Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 968. Thursday, 23 December 1993. From: William Godshalk Date: Thursday, 23 Dec 1993 00:08:49 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0963 Re: Shakespearean Daughters I have a difficult time accepting the word "patriarchy." If all cultures, at all times and places, have all been patriarchies, what does the word tell us? If everything were colored pink, what would the word "pink" tell us? I've even been told that "patriarchies" can be ruled by women. And are the female characters silenced at the end of THE COMEDY OF ERRORS? As Otis Mitchell reminds us - always, all generalizations are wrong - including this one. Yours from the mountains, Bill Godshalk ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 23 Dec 1993 09:42:27 EST Reply-To: Shakespeare Electronic Conference Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0969 MRDS at MLA Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 969. Thursday, 23 December 1993. From: Milla Riggio Date: Thursday, 23 Dec 93 08:55:54 EST Subject: MRDS at MLA PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING TWO SESSIONS AT THE MLA CONFERENCE. BOTH HAVE BEEN SCHEDULED AT DIFFICULT TIMES. BOTH SHOULD REPAY THE EFFORTS OF GETTING OUT TO THEM. MLA SESSION #565 Wednesday, Dec. 29 9:00 p.m. - 10:15 p.m. Yes, P.M.!!! (What is the MLA coming to?) Manitoba Room, Royal York Hotel COLLISIONS AND CONTINUITIES: RITUAL AND PROCESSIONS IN THE CARIBBEAN Presiding and responding, Robert Potter, UCA/Santa Barbara 1. "La Fiesta de los Santos Inocentes: A Puerto Rican Vestige of the Feast of Fools?" Fred Jonassen, Univ. of Puerto Rico/Mayaguez 2. "Burying the Sacred - Hosay in Trinidad," Milla Riggio, Trinity Coll. 3. "Preserving and Transmitting Culture: Steps toward a Theory," Michael Bristol, McGill Univ. This session will focus on almost entirely unstudied Caribbean festivals and religious celebrations, with an eye to understanding the transmission of cultural values through such festivals. Milla will compare a Shi`i Muslim celebration (largely controlled by Hindus) to Trinidadian Carnival; Fred will introduce an unknown Christmas revel. And Mike will help us to make sense of it all. We welcome anyone interested in early drama or in contemporary cultural performances!!! There will be a party in Milla Riggio's room in the Royal York after the session, to continue what we hope will be lively conversation. AND: a bunch of us are meeting for dinner before the session. Those interested in dinner should gather in the lobby of the Royal York Hotel at 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 29th. Please call Sandy Johnston to let her know you're coming, if you can. Her number is 416-585-4504. There is also an OPEN HOUSE at REED (Records of Early English Drama) from 10 a.m. - 12 noon (no, this is not at night. Surprise!) on the morning of Dec. 29, to be followed by a business meeting of the Medieval/Renaissance Drama Society (MRDS) at REED, which is at 150 Charles W, near the Museum Subway exit. AND THE SECOND SESSION: MLA SESSION #720 Thursday, Dec. 29, 3:30 - 4:45 p.m. Toronto Ballroom II, Toronto Hilton THEORIZING MEDIEVAL DRAMA Presiding, Theresa Coletti, Univ. of MD/College Park 1. "Excess, Ecstasy, and the Permeable Self in the Digby Play of Mary Magdalene," Laura Severt King, Yale University 2. "Reading Miracles: A Folklore Approach to the Miracle de Theophile," Leslie Abend Callahan, CUNY Graduate Ctr. 3. "The Erection of Subjectivity: Homosexual aggression and the Paradox of Identity in the Chester Innocents Play," Laura Wilber Williams, Univ. of MD RESPONDENT: Ruth Evans, Univ. of Wales, Cardiff PLEASE ATTEND! PLEASE TALK THESE SESSIONS UP AMONG YOUR FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES. JOIN US FOR DINNER, FOR THE SESSIONS, FOR THE OPEN HOUSE! Hope to see you there! ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 24 Dec 1993 17:23:31 EST Reply-To: Shakespeare Electronic Conference Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0970 Re: Shakespeare and the Ancient World Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 970. Friday, 24 December 1993. (1) From: Timothy Bowden Date: Thursday, 23 Dec 93 07:56:32 PST Subj: Re: SHK 4.0966 Re: Shakespeare and the Ancient World (2) From: William Godshalk Date: Thursday, 23 Dec 1993 23:28:56 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0966 Re: Shakespeare and the Ancient World (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Timothy Bowden Date: Thursday, 23 Dec 93 07:56:32 PST Subject: Re: SHK 4.0966 Re: Shakespeare and the Ancient World > I wonder how many of the men and women in the public theater audiences > had any bookshelves at all. How about on the stage? Any recent explication of the lack of any trace of books in the will or legacy of Will himself? That's what determined Mark Twain the works were all ghost-written, you know... Timothy Bowden tcbowden@clovis.felton.ca.us (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Godshalk Date: Thursday, 23 Dec 1993 23:28:56 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0966 Re: Shakespeare and the Ancient World To Phyllis Rackin, Okay, Phyllis, drop the other shoe. Where did those early modern people store their books if not on bookshelves like decent god-fearing folks? 'Tis the season to be jolly, Bill Godshalk ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 25 Dec 1993 22:48:30 EST Reply-To: Shakespeare Electronic Conference Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0972 E-Mail: A Thin Communication Medium? Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 972. Friday, 24 December 1993. From: Michael Sharpston Date: Thursday, 23 Dec 1993 21:11:00 -0500 (EST) Subject: RE: SHK 4.0904 Re: Masques Most of us know from personal experience how hard it is to be sure whether or not there is irony in E-mail messages. This is essentially because it is a 'thin' communication medium, with no body language and limited context. (Lucy Suchman, "Situated Actions" and stuff). No heavy-weight contribution to either "Masques" or "Historicity", but don't we have somewhat similar problems of a thin communication medium and limited context? Michael Sharpston msharpston@worldbank.org ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 25 Dec 1993 22:47:23 EST Reply-To: Shakespeare Electronic Conference Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0971 Re: Shakespearean Daughters and Patriarchy Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 971. Friday, 24 December 1993. (1) From: Joanne Merriam Date: Thursday, 23 Dec 1993 23:22:19 -0400 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0968 Re: Shakespearean Daughters (2) From: Bernice W. Kliman Date: Friday, 24 Dec 1993 00:07 EDT Subj: Re: SHK 4.0963 Re: Shakespearean Daughters (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Joanne Merriam Date: Thursday, 23 Dec 1993 23:22:19 -0400 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0968 Re: Shakespearean Daughters I have a difficult time accepting the word "patriarchy" as well, though I use it, because it is used a little more loosely than I'd like. But it is absolutely an error to say all cultures have been patriarchies. Most pre-Christian northern cultures, for example, have been matriarchies (that's what a culture ruled by women is called)... and if you check out the social structure of native North American cultures, many were elder-archies, to coin a phrase... gender wasn't usually an issue. My $0.02 worth. Joanne Merriam (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Bernice W. Kliman Date: Friday, 24 Dec 1993 00:07 EDT Subject: Re: SHK 4.0963 Re: Shakespearean Daughters It would be interesting to see if the word "old" is ever attached to the name of a mother in Sh: Can you imagine "old Gertrude"? "old Paulina"? "old Hermione"? Even though the latter is referred to as being old, no one would address her with that epithet. It seems something that would be reserved for a man. But what do I know? Happy New Year all. Bernice W. Kliman ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 27 Dec 1993 09:44:36 EST Reply-To: Shakespeare Electronic Conference Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0973 "Shakespeare in the Bush" and Universality Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 973. Monday, 26 December 1993. From: Michael Sharpston Date: Sunday, 25 Dec 1993 21:48:00 -0500 (EST) Subject: "Shakespeare in the Bush", Universality First of all, thank you to everyone for leading me to read Laura Bohannan's "Shakespeare in the Bush". [BTW, it IS Natural History, Aug-Sept 1966, 29-33. There was some dispute at one point on the exact date, but I have now read the original in the Library of Congress]. It is delightfully humorous, and excellent anthropology, and it would be churlish indeed not to enjoy it as such. I did. However, I would now like to do a replay being rather more 'ernst'. Incidentally, Laura herself tells us why the Tiv ragged her a bit as she told the tale: '"One does not discuss serious matters when there is beer"'. Clearly, we are not dealing here with Shakespeare's language, let alone a staging of Hamlet and whether the Tiv could appreciate that. We are dealing essentially with the Hamlet fable or story. The first problem was about the Ghost. But then, I seem to recall we had some pretty animated discussion about the Ghost here on SHAKSPER. '"It was an omen sent by a witch"' does not seem so bad as one possible view. And later on we have, '"You mean", he said, "it actually was an omen, and he knew witches sometimes send false ones. Hamlet was a fool not to go to one skilled in reading omens and divining the truth in the first place. A man-who-sees-the-truth could have told him how his father died, if he really had been poisoned, and if there was witchcraft in it; then Hamlet could have called the elders to settle the matter."' A man-who-sees-the-truth we in the West would nowadays call a psychic. Not bad advice (although the counter-argument that the person concerned might be influenced by power relationships is also shrewd). Hamlet was indeed seriously concerned whether he should believe the Ghost, or whether he was simply hearing what at some level he wanted to hear ("O my prophetic soul!"). Ok. From the summary of David Lester, "Astrologers and Psychics as Therapists", American Journal of Psychotherapy, 36 (1) 56-66, January 1982, we have, "Thus the clients of astrologers and psychics may be those who do not see their problems as psychological or psychiatric and would feel stigmatized by a visit to a psychotherapist. Transcripts of consultations with astrologers and psychics provided examples of advising, increasing the client's self-esteem, preparing the client to face future trauma, and empathic client-centered dialogue". Moving right along to '"He did well", the old man beamed', when he was told that Claudius had married his dead brother's wife. Not surprising at all that this threw Laura, but there is more to say on the subject. Not just the Tiv, but also under the old Mosaic law, this would have been the thing to do. The underlying human concept is that you should look after your dead brother's progeny, (even create them for him -- see Genesis 38:8, "And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother's wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother".) The Tiv and at one stage the Jews believed you should look after your brother's wife and progeny by marrying your brother's wife. For more on Levirate marriage see Deut 25:5-10, and Ruth 4. And it was still a current enough concept in Jesus' time for it to be a way of devising a trick question: "Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother". (Matthew 22:24. Similarly Mark 12:19). And Shakespeare and his audience would have been well aware of all this, because life was more Bible-centered in those days. So presumably would Hamlet & Co., there is lots of evidence of a knowledge of Christianity in the play. [There is also evidence of a knowledge of clashing cultural imperatives: Horatio's "I am more an antique Roman than a Dane".] ... A key underlying **human** issue in 'Hamlet' is "Will a king really look after his brother's son? Or will he treat him as a rival to the throne?" and that plays regardles of the way "look after" is supposed to be culturally expressed. The question to Laura, '"Did Hamlet's father and uncle have one mother?"' captures the essence of the issue of family dynamics remarkably well, and echoes to Hamlet's own words strangely closely: "A little more than kin, and less than kind." In my book Laura is remarkably inflexible in negotiating the issue of the appropriate time for mourning. Too short, and the internal and external function of mourning is not fulfilled. Too long, and life's mundanities receive too little attention, just as the Tiv wife points out. There should have been room for compromise somewhere between one month and two years. Along the same lines, that the Tiv have no concept of madness coming from internal causes seems at first blush a pretty bad problem, but once there are omens, and witches that can send false ones, on the whole you're in business. And certainly the view of madness today (or in 1966) is a long way from the one most familiar to Shakespeare and his audience: as is our feelings about ghosts, a subject of recent discussion. (For that matter, "Casting out devils", as in the Bible, would not be a popular way to describe matters today, but I am not at all sure that it lacks a certain psychological verity). And the Tiv attitude to the 'insanity defence' seems virtually identical to the main lines of our own or Shakespeare's. 'The old man was reproachful. "One cannot take vengeance on a madman".' This goes just fine with, If Hamlet from himself be ta'en away, And when he's not himself does wrong Laertes, Then Hamlet does it not; Hamlet denies it. Who does it then? His madness. If 't be so, Hamlet is of the faction that is wrong'd; His madness is poor Hamlet's enemy. Laura expressly tells us that 'My audience suddenly became much more attentive' when she tried to convey to them the 'dubious quality of Hamlet's madness. They could intuit that this was one of the key points in the play, for all the cultural divide. Last but not least, one important aspect of Tiv behaviour seems right in line with life at Claudius' court. Hamlet himself says: But what is your affair in Elsinore? We'll teach you to drink deep ere you depart. Rather Laura Bohannan's experience, whatever else she learned? Michael Sharpston msharpston@worldbank.org ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 27 Dec 1993 09:51:41 EST Reply-To: Shakespeare Electronic Conference Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0974 Re: Shakespearean Daughters and Patriarchy Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 974. Monday, 27 December 1993. (1) From: Martin Mueller Date: Sunday, 26 Dec 93 14:08:02 -0600 Subj: Re: SHK 4.0971 Re: Shakespearean Daughters and Patriarchy (2) From: William Godshalk Date: Sunday, 26 Dec 1993 23:45:19 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 4.0971 Re: Shakespearean Daughters and Patriarchy (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Martin Mueller Date: Sunday, 26 Dec 93 14:08:02 -0600 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0971 Re: Shakespearean Daughters and Patriarchy "Most pre-Christian northern cultures, for example, have been matriarchies (that's what a culture ruled by women is called)." Is there any evidence that this was so? The memories of matriarchy may have a lot more to do with the ontogeny of little boys in patriarchal societies than with the record of societies in which power was either equally shared or held predominantly by women. There never have been such societies anywhere, and while the search of equality of the sexes in a modern world is one of the highest goals, it cannot look for support in the record of the past. (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: William Godshalk Date: Sunday, 26 Dec 1993 23:45:19 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0971 Re: Shakespearean Daughters and Patriarchy To Joanne Merriam, My information about patriarchies (and matriarchies), I admit, is second-hand, but feminist historians and my wife tell me thmatriarchies (defined as as cultudominated by female cultural values as well as female rulers) are purely mythic, or, at least, they are not historically verifiable. All known cultures are patriarchal, I'm told. Those Amazons never existed. Too bad. Yours, Old Bill Godshalk ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 28 Dec 1993 16:23:15 EST Reply-To: Shakespeare Electronic Conference Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0975 Shylock and Usury Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 975. Tuesday, 28 December 1993. From: Hirsh Schipper Date: Tuesday, 28 Dec 93 13:53:24 EST Subject: RE: USURY AND SHYLOCK I feel that I am in deep water because I am not an academic. Still, humbly, I offer these reflections. I have just read Shylock by John Gross, and my mind began to wander. The book at 386 pages is a very extensive study of the subject, informative, well written, delightful to read, yet I was a trifle unsettled. The main critical aspect of Shylock is that he is a money lender, a userer. The other flaw is that of being a Jew, which makes the character of Shylock more fitting and exotic. However, the latter is not that severe a failing: there were rare Jews in England in Elizabethan times and none were money-lenders, Shakespeare took his plot and characters from a previous Italian story Il Pecorone, and the only Shylock-Jewish aspects that are mentioned are the synagogue, sabbath, and not eating pork. But his occupation as money lender, usurer is stressed and maligned by Shakespeare, and by all critics and commentators after him, to the present. The essence of the criticism is that people paid interest to Shylock when he lent out money. This was considered abominable, and we can all readily sympathize with the pathetic clients who were forced to pay interest. It is so straightforward, so easy to hate the usurer. Shylock served as representative of all money-lenders, particularly Jewish. Yet, when I first read or saw The Merchant of Venice, I was not that impressed with the obloquy tendered to the main character of the play who to my surprise was not the merchant of Venice. Because I am Jewish, I was a trifle more sympathetic towards that character, and I hoped that there might be a more sympathetic explication. I did have some experience in the business world, and here was this money-lender who lent out his money without charging interest. True, there was a deal, there was a bond set, but both parties considered it preposterous, the money was certain to be repaid on time, it was unthinkable that the money would not be available. Should there have been a possibility that the money would not be available one would take as a bond other valuables; real estate, commodities, furnishings, but never anything of which one could not realize financial return. I saw the plot as a put-on, and if Shylock had not been Jewish it would not have bothered me. And, I recalled that in Medieval times and into the Renaissance period Jews were indeed money lenders across Europe. I recalled that Jews were given rights to settle in various communities by kings, princes, even the Popes in their territories. I recalled that Jews were sometimes subjected to persecutions for whatever reasons, and the authorities did usually protect them. Reading Shylock was entertaining, but my mind wandered. In those long gone days, I imagined the Jews in Europe practicing as money lenders, and I asked myself where the money came from. I could not imagine that there were so many Jews that were so rich, that they had all the money to lend out to so many people. I asked myself whether, if indeed there were that many Jews with so much money, why they needed to work. If they had all that money, why did they risk lending it out, why risk incurring hostility among people when it was not necessary? The answers came to me as a couple. First, these Jewish money lenders were not rich. They were earning a living, they were working. They obtained their capital by borrowing from their Christian neighbours. Secondly, their Christian neighbours were not forbidden, nor averse to receiving interest. Their only dislike was to pay interest, but the approach was the contrary when it came to obtaining interest. The solution was a coupled one : The situation needed the Jew, and the Jew needed the situation. The situation was such that many people had funds and could do nothing with them, except to spend or give them away. The situation was static unless they could obtain interest from a Jew by lending him money. After all, the religious Christian prohibition was to obtain interest from a Christian, but not from a Jew. This was a functional means to increase one's wealth for those nobles, and burghers that were wealthy. Further, it was a safe procedure: there were no stories, nor traditions of a Jew not living up to his word, no histories of cheating, absconding with funds. Perhaps there were hard bargains with some Jews, perhaps some Jews were miserly in business and counted their pennies. But there was no violence ,no robbing, no assaults, no assasinations. The Jew had a reputation of being peace-loving. The Jew benefited from the situation by lending out the money he had borrowed for a higher rate of interest than he paid, and thus earned his living. Of course, he had to be careful to whom to lend the money that he had borrowed. He indeed took risks of non- payment. He was exposed to market conditions. Yet, there was no coercion on the Jew's part to force the lending. His clients came of their own volition. Certainly, circumstances were often difficult, but the client had the choice whether or not to borrow money from the money-lender. Thus it is reasonable to expect rulers of territories, of municipalities, to invite or tolerate Jewish money-lenders out of consideration of the desires of their wealthy subjects to increase their incomes, and it was thus logical for these rulers to give protection to those Jews who lived in their midst or in ghettos. In effect, the Jewish money- lenders in Europe helped to invigorate the economies where they practiced their occupation, giving a return to the rich and in turn lending out their moneys and helping farmers, manufacturers, tradesmen in their needs for investment capital. The rulers above referred to probably did not tarry to tax these money lenders as our income tax departments do, and thus achieve a good income. In the scenario I propose, everybody who had anything to do with Jewish money-lenders benefited. They were a blessing. Otherwise, why have anything to do with them? To take the point a bit further, today we consider usury the excessive rate of amount of interest for the lending of money. The word stems from the Latin "usus" or use, and in the Dark Ages, in Renaissance times, that is what some people did: they paid others for the use of the money lent to them. In Shakespeare's day, the second half of the sixteenth century, the practice of asking and paying interest became common and respectable in England. Shakespeare's contemporary playwright Ben Jonson has a character, Vittoria, in his play explain about money that she possessed: "I paid use for't": The White Devil, Act Three, Scene two, line 223. So that William Shakespeare writing his play and demeaning Shylock as a vicious money-lender was playing up to the mob's prejudice, their ill-will, and their xenophobia. He was a bottom-line man, the audience had to come pay and see his plays for him to be successful, and he pandered to their tastes. Indeed he was successful and retired wealthy at an early age from the vicissitudes of play writing and theatre production. William Shakespeare wrote the Merchant of Venice as a comedy: Bassanio instigated this messy affair, Shylock served as the dupe-villain, Portia with cunning got the better of him, and he was hooted off stage. We, particularly Jews, take the play too seriously because Shakespeare, genius character, character- istically portrayed many of his characters with more character than we can easily characterize. Best. Happy new year Hirsh Schipper ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 29 Dec 1993 12:58:03 EST Reply-To: Shakespeare Electronic Conference Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0976 Re: Patriarchies and Matriarchies Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 976.Wednesday, 29 December 1993. From: Melissa Aaron Date: Wednesday, 29 Dec 1993 09:02:20 +0200 Subject: Re: SHK 4.0974 Re: Shakespearean Daughters and Patriarchy I took this to the anthropological department at our house, and this is what I came up with--hope it's useful. . . 1) What is *culture*, anyhow? If culture is defined in strictly male terms, then in patriarchal hindsight we simply won't see any matriarchies. 2) There certainly have been powerful female rulers who redefined the whole concept of gender (cf. *King* Hatshepsut of Egypt.) 3) There are plenty of matrilineal and matrilocal societies in North America, and possibly in Europe as well. The evidence for this may not be "historical" in a conventional way, but it is archeologically documentable--cemetary layout and the spread of pottery designs throughout a village. For example, pottery is a female craft among the Anazasi and designs remain stable in village areas prior to European influence, indicating that women stayed in their mother's families. In the post-Euro era, the pottery designs are homogenized, suggesting that women were now living with their husband's families. 4) There may be some remnants of strong matriarchal influence buried archeologically in English literature--for example, the crucial figure of Grendel's mother in *Beowulf*, or Gawain's identity as Arthur's sister's son, normally the heir to the throne under Celtic matrilineal rules. Later tales had to make Arthur childless in order to explain this. I agree with William Godshalk--happy matriarchies in which there is love and peace and abundance and no war fall into the category of Utopias, not historically documentable societies. However, there is plenty of evidence for powerful female influence. Why do we assume this would be peaceful? See again Grendel's mother. Sorry for the long posting but hope it has been of use. Happy holidays. M. Aaron ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 29 Dec 1993 13:03:40 EST Reply-To: Shakespeare Electronic Conference Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0977 "Oberon" Video Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 977 Wednesday, 29 December 1993. From: Fritz Levy Date: Wednesday, 29 Dec 1993 09:37:13 -0800 (PST) Subject: "Oberon" The videotape of last spring's performance of Jonson's "Oberon" (done at Case Western Reserve) reached me a couple of weeks ago, and I've just had the opportunity to watch it. It's great! Our colleague, Tom Bishop, does the introduction and provides brief and sensible commentary at the end. Ross Duffin and Ken Pierce talk about the music and dance. Best of all, though, is the availability of an intelligently mounted performance of a Jacobean masque, resurrected with imagination, and yet following good scholarly principles as far as possible. If (like me) you've talked about masques to your classes, and never quite got them to visualize what a masqueing occasion might have been like, the video will be a godsend. I've just written it into my class schedule for the coming quarter, and am looking forward to student reactions. I'll let Tom provide details of how to get hold of your own copy. [Unsolicited ad. by one who was present at the original staging...] Fritz Levy University of Washington ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 30 Dec 1993 08:19:52 EST Reply-To: Shakespeare Electronic Conference Sender: Shakespeare Electronic Conference From: "Hardy M. Cook" Subject: SHK 4.0978 Re: "Shakespeare in the Bush" and Universality Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 978. Thursday, 30 December 1993. From: Nina Walker Date: Wednesday, 29 Dec 1993 17:48:03 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: SHK 4.0973 "Shakespeare in the Bush" and Universality Bravo to M. Sharpton. I've been amused at best with those who wish to use Bohannon's (sp?) essay to prove Shakespeare's limitations. Rather it is Bohanon's limitations that become evident. She should have learned from her own good anthropology. Nina Walker nwalker@lynx.northeastern.edu