The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 16.1606  Saturday, 24 September 2005

From: 		Jim Blackie <
 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
 >
Date: 		Thursday, 22 Sep 2005 13:21:21 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: 	BBC Shakespeare This Autumn

I am admittedly new to the sonnets and to the "biography" of WS himself. 
Nonetheless, it came as a surprise to me to learn that the WH of the 
sonnets was not really HW, Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton, 
and patron to WS. I imagine I had been merrily going about thinking on 
HW was patron, as WS probably needed little patronage once his fame was 
established in London. To hear this both from a member of this esteemed 
list AND a copy of "Shakespeare's Sonnets" an analysis by J. Dover 
Wilson, astounded me. I am further surprised to read Ms Greenhalgh 
mention the Dark Lady was (probably) a courtesan, as I had read (and 
cannot for the life of me recall where I read this or who wrote it) that 
the most likely candidate was the Jewish wife of a townsman. And of 
course, that the young man had swept the dark lady off for at least one 
liaison. Could this be wrong, too?

Aside from my expressed surprise and admission of ignorance, I suppose 
I'm asking where this information/theory came from? Can anyone point me 
in the direction of some reliable reading material that explores 
this/these issues?

Still learning and reading---

Jim Blackie

_______________________________________________________________
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 Web Site <http://www.shaksper.net>

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.