The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 12.2613  Friday, 16 November 2001

From:           W. L. Godshalk <
 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
 >
Date:           Thursday, 15 Nov 2001 11:20:42 -0500
Subject: 12.2599 Re: Does Goneril Commit Suicide?
Comment:        Re: SHK 12.2599 Re: Does Goneril Commit Suicide?

Bonnie Melchior writes,

>If we do not assume that a text includes important
>information on motive and character, it becomes a Rorschach inkblot that
>means anything we want it to mean.  Character, then, would not
>structured by information in the text, and it might well be important
>how many children had Lady Macbeth.

Well, Rorschach blots do not mean anything we want them to.  They mean
what we think they mean -- the same as a script or a show.  I might
"want" Macbeth to be a play about Christian salvation, but I "think" it
means something far different.  Do you take my distinction?

I think that character is structured by the auditor or reader, as he or
she selects information from the script or the show.  And I think the
question of Lady Macbeth's motherhood -- some auditors or readers may
think that it is implied in the script -- may be important to such a
character construct.

Yours, Bill Godshalk

_______________________________________________________________
S H A K S P E R: The Global Shakespeare Discussion List
Hardy M. Cook, 
 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
 
The S H A K S P E R Webpage <http://ws.bowiestate.edu>

DISCLAIMER: Although SHAKSPER is a moderated discussion list, the
opinions expressed on it are the sole property of the poster, and the
editor assumes no responsibility for them.