The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 13.1942  Tuesay, 24 September 2002

[1]     From:   Jeffrey Myers <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
        Date:   Friday, 20 Sep 2002 10:14:04 -0400
        Subj:   RE: SHK 13.1931 Haunted by the Ghost in Hamlet

[2]     From:   R. A. Cantrell <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
        Date:   Friday, 20 Sep 2002 09:37:41 -0500
        Subj:   Re: SHK 13.1931 Haunted by the Ghost in Hamlet

[3]     From:   Hugh Grady <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
        Date:   Friday, 20 Sep 2002 10:42:28 -0400
        Subj:   RE: SHK 13.1931 Haunted by the Ghost in Hamlet

[4]     From:   John D. Cox <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
        Date:   Friday, 20 Sep 2002 10:42:49 -0400
        Subj:   Gertrude and the Ghost

[5]     From:   D. Bloom <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
        Date:   Friday, 20 Sep 2002 09:53:24 -0500
        Subj:   Re: SHK 13.1931 Haunted by the Ghost in Hamlet

[6]     From:   L. Swilley <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
        Date:   Friday, 21 Sep 2001 10:23:47 -0500
        Subj:   Re: SHK 13.1931 Haunted by the Ghost in Hamlet

[7]     From:   John Drakakis <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
        Date:   Friday, 20 Sep 2002 16:10:45 +0100
        Subj:   RE: SHK 13.1931 Haunted by the Ghost in Hamlet

[8]     From:   Ivan Fuller <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
        Date:   Friday, 20 Sep 2002 10:41:08 -0500
        Subj:   Re: SHK 13.1931 Haunted by the Ghost in Hamlet


[1]-----------------------------------------------------------------
From:           Jeffrey Myers <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date:           Friday, 20 Sep 2002 10:14:04 -0400
Subject: 13.1931 Haunted by the Ghost in Hamlet
Comment:        RE: SHK 13.1931 Haunted by the Ghost in Hamlet

>Why can't Gertrude see the ghost in the bedroom scene?

Because the Ghost, who is really the devil, wants to distract Hamlet
from his attempt to make his mother repent and wants to undermine the
effect this attempt is having on Gertrude so that Hamlet will turn his
attention back to revenge, leaving all in an unredeemed state.

Well, don't blame me!  You asked for it.

Jeff Myers

[2]-------------------------------------------------------------
From:           R. A. Cantrell <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date:           Friday, 20 Sep 2002 09:37:41 -0500
Subject: 13.1931 Haunted by the Ghost in Hamlet
Comment:        Re: SHK 13.1931 Haunted by the Ghost in Hamlet

>Why can't Gertrude see the ghost in the bedroom scene?

Same reason Mrs. Topper couldn't see George and Marian.

[3]-------------------------------------------------------------
From:           Hugh Grady <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date:           Friday, 20 Sep 2002 10:42:28 -0400
Subject: 13.1931 Haunted by the Ghost in Hamlet
Comment:        RE: SHK 13.1931 Haunted by the Ghost in Hamlet

Dover Wilson was under the compulsive delusion that there was a single
solution for every interpretive crux in the play, like this one. A
cursory glance at the history of Shakespeare criticism would show that
such delusion has always produced a plethora of uncertain, and
conflicting, consensus-defying answers. It's a (mostly) harmless
pastime, of course, but perhaps wisdom lies with a different question
and a different interpretive procedure, such as asking what follows if
we admit we can't answer the question.

Best,
Hugh Grady

[4]-------------------------------------------------------------
From:           John D. Cox <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date:           Friday, 20 Sep 2002 10:42:49 -0400
Subject:        Gertrude and the Ghost

Thanks to Claude Casper for referring to earlier publication on the
issue of the supernatural in *Hamlet*.  Dover Wilson was replying to the
article by W.  W. Greg that I mentioned in an earlier post.  Greg argues
that NO ONE sees the ghost, including Hamlet, because the ghost is a
figment of Hamlet's imagination.  Others THINK they see a ghost, but
they really don't. Gertrude's not seeing it is Greg's trump card.  Read
his essay and see what you think of his argument.

Cheers,
John Cox

[5]-------------------------------------------------------------
From:           D. Bloom <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date:           Friday, 20 Sep 2002 09:53:24 -0500
Subject: 13.1931 Haunted by the Ghost in Hamlet
Comment:        Re: SHK 13.1931 Haunted by the Ghost in Hamlet

Concerning why Gertrude can't see the ghost:

This has never bothered me. I've always assumed that the ghost made
itself apparent where and when and to whom it wished (or rather that the
Power which sent it wished). The question to me is why that Power didn't
wish Gertrude to see it.

It makes her conclude that Hamlet is insane, and it is therefore
possible that that is the ghost's / Power's intent. This conclusion,
however, doesn't explain why that should be the intent since it doesn't
seem to materially affect the subsequent action. Claudius is determined
to get Hamlet out of the country (and out of this world) and the fact
that Gertrude sincerely believes in Hamlet's insanity hardly matters one
way or the other.

Maybe WS wanted to reassure us that the ghost was a real ghost.

Maybe he just thought it was good theatre -- which, of course, it is.

Cheers,
don

[6]-------------------------------------------------------------
From:           L. Swilley <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date:           Friday, 21 Sep 2001 10:23:47 -0500
Subject: 13.1931 Haunted by the Ghost in Hamlet
Comment:        Re: SHK 13.1931 Haunted by the Ghost in Hamlet

Mr. Caspar asks,      

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