The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 11.0169  Wednesday, 26 January 2000.

From:           John Briggs <
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Date:           Tuesday, 25 Jan 2000 15:12:59 -0000
Subject: 11.0162 Re: Shakespeare in the Bush
Comment:        RE: SHK 11.0162 Re: Shakespeare in the Bush

Was Henry V written without any knowledge of French?  How difficult
would it have been to learn Italian given a thorough knowledge of Latin?

John Briggs

> Dana Shilling  writes:
>
> Shakespeare in the Bush may also cast some light on Shakespeare's own
> linguistic prowess-whether he could read Italian, for instance. It
> seems
> to me at least as likely that someone (with or without beer) told him
> stories from Cinthio or other Italian or French sources, and that
> Shakespeare then adapted the stories (e.g., by conforming the story of
> Hamlet to "proper" ghost behavior) for his own purposes, than that he
> read Italian, French, or Spanish originals.