February
The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 10.0184 Wednesday, 3 February 1999. From: Jonathan Hope <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. > Date: Wednesday, 03 Feb 1999 11:39:53 +0000 (GMT) Subject: Research Studentships Research Studentships The School of Humanities and Cultural Studies at Middlesex University, London, UK is offering four fully funded three-year research studentships (incorporating maintenance grant
The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 10.0183 Wednesday, 3 February 1999. From: Parviz Nourpanah <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. > Date: Wednesday, 3 Feb 1999 10:04:14 +0330 (IST) Subject: Nietzsche's Critique of Hamlet: A Query Dear Members, I have a question concerning Nietzsche's critique of tragedy, and I have no one else to ask, so I hope somebody will help me. N. says that Hamlet has "once looked truly into the essence of things" and the resulting nausea has rendered him unable of committing any action. In his own words "an insight into the horrible truth outweighs any motive for action". But in the paragraph before, he says it is the return to "everyday reality " from the "raptures of the Dionysian state" which creates "nausea: an ascetic, will-negating mood", which Hamlet suffers from. Now I am wondering whether the state and moods he is describing do correspond to Hamlet, whether using Hamlet as an example is justifiable, because, as far as textual evidence goes, Hamlet was never in a "rapture of Dionysian state" as such, there was no "return to every-day reality", nor has he "*once* [italics mine] looked truly into the essence of things". There are two possibilities, as far I see: A) Either N. is thinking of Hamlet's "innocence", his state of mind before his father's death, mother's remarriage, and his subsequent learning about his uncle's guilt. However, I think to label that state as "raptures...." is too strong a term, also the causal nature of the events above and Hamlet's stage-by-stage awareness cannot be called a look into the essence of things. I mean, that Hamlet didn't have a split-second of awareness, a sudden insight into just one horrible truth. The horrible truths where simply piling on him during the first two acts. B) Maybe N. means a sudden sexual awakening of Hamlet. While this interpretation fits rather better with N.'s terminology (raptures, annihilation of ordinary bounds, the lethargy which prevails once it is over, and explicit mention of Hamlet "understand[ing] what is symbolic in Ophelia's fate"), there is again no very strong textual support that Hamlet's famous inaction is the result of sexual problems; that he is so obsessed with his relation with, say, Ophelia, so disgusted or whatever by it that he is quite overcome and unable to revenge himself. Come to think of it, this is more or less what Polonius wants us to believe, and Polonius was an old sycophantic self-promoting fool. And no, I don't think that N. had in mind the Oedipus complex, in other words, I don't think we can substitute Gertrude for Ophelia in the above sentences. In any case, I'd very much appreciate some guidelines on these points. Thanx a lot, Nourpanah
The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 10.0182 Wednesday, 3 February 1999. From: Kenneth S. Rothwell <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. > Date: Tue, 2 Feb 1999 14:06:03 -0500 (EST) Subject: Arkangel Shakespeare Series Writing about Harold Bloom in the New York Review of Books (18 Feb. 1999), Geoffrey O'Brien cites as one of many examples of the current wave of interest in Shakespeare the recently inaugurated Arkangel audiotape series. The Arkangel project deserves the attention of Shakespeareans who like to hear the language spoken. In the words of its producers, Bill Shepherd and Tom Treadwell, the ambitious plan calls for recording all "38" plays "uncut, fully dramatized and accompanied by original music." The actors will be "distinguished actors presently performing in British Film and Theatre." Based on listening to four of the productions (TN, Mac., MV, and Jn.), I'd say that these claims are well justified. Trevor Peacock makes a first-rate Shylock who is both villain and victim; Hugh Ross, an impressive Macbeth; and Michael Maloney and Eileen Atkins stand out as a contentious Bastard and as a forlorn Constance in an exemplary King John. Because the actors put speaking above singing, the meaning of Shakespeare's language receives top priority, though there is nevertheless a firm residue of lyrical beauty. Will Keen's Gratiano, for example, doesn't hesitate to speak to Nerissa (Alison Reid) about the ring in definitely non-RP accents, but Hugh Ross's Macbeth generates the elocutionary power associated with this fabled role. On the basis of what I have so far heard, I highly recommend these recordings. They come as handsomely packaged CDs from Viking Penguin and are available in the U.K. from the Audio Book Collection, and in the USA through Amazon.com and I imagine other resources as well. Kenneth S. Rothwell
The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 10.0181 Wednesday, 3 February 1999. From: Terence Hawkes <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. > Date: Tuesday, 2 Feb 1999 13:49:30 -0500 Subject: Bona Bard A few years ago the BBC published tapes featuring Kenneth Williams, Hugh Paddick and Kenneth Horne in some of the 'Julian and Sandy' episodes from the hilarious 'Round the Horne' radio comedy series of the 1960s and 70s. In one of them, 'Bona Bookshop', much is made of Julian and Sandy's versions of Shakespeare in 'the parlary'. This is an 18th century actors' and coster-mongers' slang, drawing on Italian as well as obscure Romany or Gypsy words, and actively used to this day within a number of subcultures in Britain, particularly those connected with show business. I don't know if it's known in the USA: it ought to be. In the parlary, 'omi' means 'man', 'polone' means 'woman', 'eek' means face, 'riah' -obviously enough-means hair etc. It's frequently combined with rhyming slang as in 'Hampsteads', meaning 'teeth' (Hampstead Heath) or 'Hobson' meaning 'voice'. The 'Seven Ages of Omi', as delivered by Hugh Paddick, with shrill encouragement from Kenneth Williams has, in my view, classic status. Wholly outrageous yet -momentarily and astonishingly- moving, its climax is the account of 'second childishness . . nanty Hampsteads, nanty minces, nanty riah, nanty everything'. T. Hawkes
The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 10.0180 Wednesday, 3 February 1999. [1] From: Clifford Stetner <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. > Date: Tuesday, 2 Feb 1999 13:37:35 -0500 (EST) Subj: Re: SHK 10.0166 Dan Burton, Shakespearean Scholar [2] From: John Savage <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. > Date: Tuesday, 2 Feb 1999 18:39:34 -0500 Subj: SHK 10.0166 Dan Burton, Shakespearean Scholar [1]----------------------------------------------------------------- From: Clifford Stetner <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. > Date: Tuesday, 2 Feb 1999 13:37:35 -0500 (EST) Subject: 10.0166 Dan Burton, Shakespearean Scholar Comment: Re: SHK 10.0166 Dan Burton, Shakespearean Scholar >While surfing for websites on Henry V, I came upon Representative Dan >Burton's list of favorite poems, which includes Henry's "band of >brothers" speech. Representative Burton tells us that "King Henry V is >one of my best-loved heroes because he went up against insurmountable >odds to conquer an army far superior in numbers to his own army of men. Why do I have a vision of the US Congress aiming their longbows at crowds of Americans storming the Capitol building? Clifford Stetner CUNY [2]------------------------------------------------------------- From: John Savage <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. > Date: Tuesday, 2 Feb 1999 18:39:34 -0500 Subject: Dan Burton, Shakespearean Scholar Comment: SHK 10.0166 Dan Burton, Shakespearean Scholar >Representative Burton tells us that "King Henry V is >one of my best-loved heroes because he fought with honor and dignity" Especially when he was killing his prisoners. <g>