Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 6, No. 0292.  Thursday, 13 April 1995.
 
(1)     From:   Helen Ostovich <
 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
 >
        Date:   Wednesday, 12 Apr 1995 11:35:00 +0059 (EDT)
        Subj:   Re: SHK 6.0285 Qs:  Bear
 
(2)     From:   Karen Krebser <
 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
 >
        Date:   Wednesday, 12 Apr 95 13:12:35 -0700
        Subj:   Re: SHK 6.0285 Qs: Bear;
 
 
(1)----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From:           Helen Ostovich <
 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
 >
Date:           Wednesday, 12 Apr 1995 11:35:00 +0059 (EDT)
Subject: 6.0285 Qs:  Bear
Comment:        Re: SHK 6.0285 Qs:  Bear
 
The Swan was never used for bear-baiting, but the Hope was built in 1614 to
serve a dual purpose of bear-baiting and theatrical performances. There is not
much information about bears, although the bear-baiting or other bear motifs
appear in many plays, notably _The Old Wives Tale_, _Macbeth_, _Mucedorus_,
_Epicoene_, _Bartholomew Fair_, and of course _The Winter's Tale_.
 
Helen Ostovich
Department of English / Editor, _REED Newsletter_
McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada  L8S 4L9
(905) 525-9140 x24496
 
(2)----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From:           Karen Krebser <
 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
 >
Date:           Wednesday, 12 Apr 95 13:12:35 -0700
Subject: 6.0285 Qs: Bear;
Comment:        Re: SHK 6.0285 Qs: Bear;
 
Mr. Campbell,
 
Although I don't have the full bibliographic record (the book's at home),
there's a biography of Shakespeare's life by Dennis Kay that mentions
bear-baiting extensively in the first few chapters. Basically, the author is
setting the 16th-century-London scene: what the place would have looked,
sounded, and smelled like; how the people lived, what they did for fun (that's
where the bear-baiting comes in), and how the bear-baiting pits developed
naturally into theaters. I apologize for not having the complete information;
if there's interest, I will bring the book in and post it (the info, not the
book... :) ). The book itself is written in an easy and engaging style. I'm
enjoying it quite a bit. I think it's called "Shakespeare: His Life and Times"
or something like that.
 
Karen Krebser

 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it