The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 17.0970  Tuesday, 31 October 2006

[1] 	From: 	Larry Weiss <
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 	Date: 	Sunday, 29 Oct 2006 18:46:18 -0500
 	Subj: 	Re: SHK 17.0957 The Demise of the Coward

[2] 	From: 	John Crowley <
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 	Date: 	Tuesday, 31 Oct 2006 10:19:28 -0500
 	Subj: 	Cowards


[1]-----------------------------------------------------------------
From: 		Larry Weiss <
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Date: 		Sunday, 29 Oct 2006 18:46:18 -0500
Subject: 17.0957 The Demise of the Coward
Comment: 	Re: SHK 17.0957 The Demise of the Coward

Shakespeare's most blatant cowards -- Falstaff, Pistol and Parolles -- 
share another characteristic as well.  They are all astoundingly 
shameless.  Each has his cowardice exposed and stands mocked, ridiculed, 
shamed; yet each soldiers on, shrugging off his disgrace with resignation 
and at least a modicum of good humor.  Falstaff continues his prior 
course; Pistol resolves to live as best he can; and Parolles internalizes 
his shame to become his enemy's lackey.  Perhaps their willingness to do 
so instead of crawling into the nearest hole evidences something like 
moral courage.

[2]-------------------------------------------------------------
From: 		John Crowley <
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Date: 		Tuesday, 31 Oct 2006 10:19:28 -0500
Subject: 	Cowards

>It was Hal's band of brothers if anything.

In response to this and Bruce Young's fine analysis, wouldn't it be great 
in a production of Henry V to place Bardolph, Pistol etc in conspicuous 
positions when Hal makes his band of brothers speech?  For a moment any 
man can be not a coward, or be included in the band of brothers, even if 
later he proves unworthy -- like Falstaff's conscripts in 2 Henry IV -- 
"mere men."

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