The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 19.0232  Friday, 18 April 2008

From:		John Briggs <
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Date:		Friday, 18 Apr 2008 16:06:18 +0100
Subject:	Thomas Kyd and 1 Henry 6

The latest TLS (April 18, 2009) has a long 'Commentary' article by Brian 
Vickers outlining his findings that the bulk of 1 Henry 6 was written by 
Thomas Kyd. Vickers ascribes whole of Acts 3 and 5 to Kyd, and parts of 
Acts 2 and 4. Act 1 is left to Nashe, with Shakespeare writing 2.4, 4.2 
and (probably - Vickers is not clear on this point) two other scenes. 
Arden of Faversham and The True Chronicle History of King Leir are also 
awarded to Kyd. (What the computers say about Fair Em is not vouchsafed.)

Of course, these Commentary pieces lack footnotes and are not refereed - 
an awful lot of egregious nonsense has been published there in the past. 
Vickers' piece would have certainly benefitted from someone else looking 
at it: for example, he claims that the Temple Garden scene (2.4) was 
added as part of a revision by Shakespeare after the summer of 1594 - 
this is implausible for more than one reason, and I have consequently 
fired off a letter to the TLS.

John Briggs

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