The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 20.0180  Saturday, 25 April 2009

From:       David Frydrychowski <
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Date:       Wednesday, 22 Apr 2009 15:30:56 -0400
Subject:    The Lady of the Strachy

Dear SHAKSPERians,

For the last year and a half or so, I have been playing around with the 
idea that Malvolio's "Lady of the Strachy" might be a compositor's 
mangling of "Lady of the Starchy," and therefore potentially an 
interpolated reference to the starched ruffs of Frances Howard. If the 
timing of the interpolation is right, Sir Andrew's odd riposte of "Fie 
on him! Jezebel!" might then conceivably be read as an echo of the 
Overbury affair.

If anyone is aware of any previous thought along these lines, I would 
greatly appreciate it if they could let me know via email.

(Oddly, Oxford emends the name to "Strachey," possibly in reference to 
C.J. Sissons' hypothesis about a gentleman of that name associated with 
the Blackfriars, but there is no note of the change in the Textual 
Companion.)

Many thanks!

David Frydrychowski

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PS, Any curious folks who are willing to slog through the prose of a 
professional actor can see the current form of the conjecture at: 
http://aktorpoet.com/strachy.pdf .


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