The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 17.0607 Wednesday, 28 June 2006
[1] From: Carol Morley <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Tuesday, 27 Jun 2006 16:21:13 +0000
Subj: RE: SHK 17.0602 Toby Belch: Redemptive or Not?
[2] From: Robin Hamilton <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Tuesday, 27 Jun 2006 17:21:39 +0100
Subj: Re: SHK 17.0602 Toby Belch: Redemptive or Not?
[3] From: Nicholas Clary <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Tuesday, 27 Jun 2006 12:35:11 -0400
Subj: RE: SHK 17.0602 Toby Belch: Redemptive or Not?
[1]-----------------------------------------------------------------
From: Carol Morley <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Tuesday, 27 Jun 2006 16:21:13 +0000
Subject: 17.0602 Toby Belch: Redemptive or Not?
Comment: RE: SHK 17.0602 Toby Belch: Redemptive or Not?
>One question that comes to mind... is there another buffoon type
>character that Shakespeare redeems?
Don Armado for my money, and I think I could make an argument for
ex-King Lear if you gave me long enough!
[2]-------------------------------------------------------------
From: Robin Hamilton <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Tuesday, 27 Jun 2006 17:21:39 +0100
Subject: 17.0602 Toby Belch: Redemptive or Not?
Comment: Re: SHK 17.0602 Toby Belch: Redemptive or Not?
Mike Shapiro <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
>One question that comes to mind... is there another buffoon type
>character that Shakespeare redeems?
Parolles in All's Well.
Robin Hamilton
[3]-------------------------------------------------------------
From: Nicholas Clary <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Tuesday, 27 Jun 2006 12:35:11 -0400
Subject: 17.0602 Toby Belch: Redemptive or Not?
Comment: RE: SHK 17.0602 Toby Belch: Redemptive or Not?
Even before today's contribution to the question about Sir Toby, a
friend of mine (Dick Reynolds, UConn) sent me the following remarks:
As you know, I consider Toby much brighter than his surname suggests.
But I cannot imagine a softening in this man so well played by Robert
Hardy. No more than in the defiant Iago. Toby's chief joy in life,
besides canary, is riding herd on Sir Andrew, (who doesn't feel the
needle-switching metaphors), and it makes no sense to me that Toby would
turn his raillery on himself. He has had several rewards: the
humiliation of Malvolio and the affection of Maria, encouraging him to
continue as is. He has also had his comeuppance in the fight with
Sebastian and is embarrassed on that account, especially so as Aguecheek
has observed it and seems to feel that now they are equals. But Toby
will bluster his way through it. Sir Andrew may be privately amused at
seeing the bully-boy brought down a notch, but he will stick around
because he enjoys Toby's attentions, even if he pays for them. What
else has he to do?
As I now have momentum, I will go a bit further: Toby's embarrassment
seems tiny compared to the complete humiliation of Parolles in AWW-he is
found out not only a coward but a traitor, whereas Toby is neither; he
only fought and lost. But does Parolles soften? No, he says "I'll get
along somehow-hire myself out as a drum or something." Ancient Pistol,
too, grits his teeth after being forced by Fluellen to eat the leek and
goes on: "I'll steal to England, and there I'll steal..." Comedy wants
no mea culpa breakdown, no Richard II regrets..... Vive Sir Toby! Vive
consanguinity!
I think he makes a good point.
Nick Clary
_______________________________________________________________
S H A K S P E R: The Global Shakespeare Discussion List
Hardy M. Cook, This email 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.