Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 5, No. 0081.  Monday, 31 January 1994.
 
(1)     From:   Blair Kelly III <
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        Date:   Sunday, 30 Jan 1994 18:30:57 -0500
        Subj:   Suggested order in which to read plays?
 
(2)     From:   Ronald Dwelle <
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        Date:   Monday, 31 Jan 94 09:43:32 EST
        Subj:   Bianca Bait
 
 
(1)----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From:           Blair Kelly III <
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Date:           Sunday, 30 Jan 1994 18:30:57 -0500
Subject:        Suggested order in which to read plays?
 
Later this year the Washington Shakespeare Reading Group will finish
its second cycle of reading the works of William Shakespeare.  I would
like to solicit suggestions from SHAKSPEReans on possible orders in
which we might read our third cycle.  Our first cycle was random order,
our second cycle was in rough order in which the plays were written.
Obviously, in the interests of variety, we would like to mix the
histories, comedies, and tragedies, but other than that restriction,
anything goes!  Besides suggested orders for the entire canon, possible
orders for subsets are also welcome - for example, read the history
plays in order of the historical time line (although in the interests
of variety, I would have to schedule some comedies and tragedies
among the histories).
 
And for any SHAKSPEReans who will be in the Washingon DC area, you are
cordially invited to join us for a reading.  Here is our upcoming
schedule:
 
Friday     4 Feb   Measure for Measure
Saturday  26 Feb   Othello
Friday    11 Mar   All's Well that End's Well
Friday    25 Mar   Timon of Athens
Friday     8 Apr   Macbeth
 
We meet in Memorial Hall of the Palisades Community Church, 5200
Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington DC, and begin promptly at 7:30 pm.
---
Blair Kelly III         
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Secretary, Washington Shakespeare Reading Group
 
(2)----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From:           Ronald Dwelle <
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Date:           Monday, 31 Jan 94 09:43:32 EST
Subject:        Bianca Bait
 
I'm seeking historical/cultural info. How are we to regard Baptista's offering
of Kate & Bianca, particularly the requirement that Kate be married off before
the suitors can get at Bianca?
 
In Shakespeare's day, would this have been thought of only as a ludicrous,
farcical proposition? Or is this more an exaggeration of rights and duties that
Baptista would have had? If so, are these "legal" rights and duties, or moral
compunctions for a father in his position? Is Baptista a pure Elizabethan or
would the audience have thought him Italian/continental for making this
proposition? Does the absence of a mother affect the situation?
 
Related, how are we to take the dowery difference--Petruchio takes in but
Lucentio/Hortension/Gremio have to put out? (same questions as paragraph 2).
 
(If this has all been clearly addressed in print and I've simply overlooked it,
please point me the way.)
 
Thanks in advance.