The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 12.0234  Thursday, 1 February 2001

[1]     From:   R. A. Cantrell <
 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
 >
        Date:   Wednesday, 31 Jan 2001 09:23:15 -0600
        Subj:   Re: SHK 12.0213 Re: Wittenberg and Paris

[2]     From:   W. L. Godshalk <
 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
 >
        Date:   Wednesday, 31 Jan 2001 13:00:18 -0500
        Subj:   Re: SHK 12.0222 Re: Wittenberg and Paris


[1]-----------------------------------------------------------------
From:           R. A. Cantrell <
 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
 >
Date:           Wednesday, 31 Jan 2001 09:23:15 -0600
Subject: 12.0213 Re: Wittenberg and Paris
Comment:        Re: SHK 12.0213 Re: Wittenberg and Paris

>About Hamlet - Wittenberg and Laertes - Paris...  I have heard it said
>that the connection may have something to do with Paris being a
>particularly Catholic bastion

The University of Paris was heavily represented among the Tridentine
doctors of the Church.

>and Wittenberg being a hotbed

hot or not it was the bed of Luther

>of
>Lutheranism/Calvinism, the latter being particularly interesting in
>light of Hamlet's questioning of all of his religious/spiritual
>assumptions.

who went to some lengths in his questioning

>Off in the wilds of Oregon and far from my usual reference
>material, I cannot seem to remember which famous person it was who did
>most of his work from Wittenberg! (It may have been one of the early
>scientists).
>
>The Protestant/Catholic argument might also be tied to questions of
>Providence (as in "special" Providence ala Calvin vs the Augustinian
>version) I apologize most sincerely for my fuzzy references but hope
>this helps stir discussion.

[2]-------------------------------------------------------------
From:           W. L. Godshalk <
 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
 >
Date:           Wednesday, 31 Jan 2001 13:00:18 -0500
Subject: 12.0222 Re: Wittenberg and Paris
Comment:        Re: SHK 12.0222 Re: Wittenberg and Paris

Is Laertes asking permission to go to the University of Paris?  I have
always assumed a contrast between Hamlet's desire to study at Wittenberg
and Laertes' desire to play in Paris.  Consider the Paris of Bussy
D'Ambois (Chapman's that is [1595-1604]) -- a Paris of duels and
fornication. That sounds like a city where Laertes would like to live.

Yours, Bill Godshalk