The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 16.1620  Monday, 26 September 2005

[1] 	From: 	Richard Kennedy <
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	Date: 	Sunday, 25 Sep 2005 07:00:40 -0700
	Subj: 	Re: SHK 16.1597 lovelocks

[2] 	From: 	JD Markel <
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	Date: 	Sunday, 25 Sep 2005 14:34:30 -0700 (PDT)
	Subj: 	Re: SHK 16.1597 lovelocks


[1]-----------------------------------------------------------------
From: 		Richard Kennedy <
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Date: 		Sunday, 25 Sep 2005 07:00:40 -0700
Subject: 16.1597 lovelocks
Comment: 	Re: SHK 16.1597 lovelocks

Once again here's that lovelocks picture of Southampton in the Tower, 
set up in comfort so it seems, with a scowling cat to keep him company, 
his arm in a sling, a Good Book to read, and a manicurist in the wings. 
Shakespeare's patron. It's said that he was a beautiful young man. 
http://ladysarafina.home.att.net/wriothesley.JPG  I think he looks 
rather pinched and pursed about the mouth, a long face, thinly bearded, 
not unattractive but in no way a beauty. Here's another of the man in 
better times, with warrior gear laid about: 
http://ladysarafina.home.att.net/wriothesley.JPG  He looks to be tall, 
and once again, in white this time and tied at his waist are two of 
those "loveknots," I believe that is what they were called, and his hair 
once again is in the lovelock style. Not a particularly "good leg," I 
would judge. Most everyone concedes that this is the "tender churl" of 
the first seventeen, the "sweet self" that Shakespeare addressed, his 
beloved patron who got his long lovely fingers into the Essex business 
and nearly got his hair cut off at the neck. Effeminate?  Some say so. 
Did Shakespeare and Southampton have a "thing"? Some say so. Here he is 
again, years later, armored against such slander and shorn of his 
lovelocks.
http://www.tudorplace.com.ar/images/Wriothesley,Henry(3ESouthampton)03.jpg 
He aged well. But in his churlish youth was the "beauteous niggard" (S - 
4) bi-sexual, closeted maybe with Shakespeare now and again? Some say 
the Sonnets give proof of that, declaring Southampton to be the "fair 
friend" who with his "lovely gaze" and "sweet form" inspired the great 
poet to speak warmly of him, even hotly, even to the messy brink of a 
sexual relationship. "Messy" to be understood as an adjective describing 
the scholarship of such suggestions, nothing prejudice as to the sharing 
of fluids between consenting adults.

[2]-------------------------------------------------------------
From: 		JD Markel <
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Date: 		Sunday, 25 Sep 2005 14:34:30 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: 16.1597 lovelocks
Comment: 	Re: SHK 16.1597 lovelocks

Joseph T. writes:

"(Prynne) calls them "Crisped-Lockes, " vnnaturall Loue-lockes" and 
"Hairie excrements."

Use of "crisped" and maybe "vnnaturall" refers to hair that is curled 
artificially, with the curling irons of the day.  Given the male 
portraits, we might today use "wavy" for "curly" for them.

Bassanio in MOV tells us "The world is still deceived with ornament" 
giving as an example:

So are those crisped snaky golden locks
Which make such wanton gambols with the wind,
Upon supposed fairness, often known
To be the dowry of a second head,
The skull that bred them in the sepulchre.
S makes a morbid observation that the best wigs of the day were scalped 
from dead young women.  The wig's base was not a net but the deceased's 
skin.

It was fashionable for women to tightly curl their hair or wigs 
following the precedent of Elizabeth's wigs.  The specs of the devices 
they used I do not know but if anyone knows a text discussing 
Elizabethan hair styles in depth I would appreciate a tip.

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