The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 23.096  Thursday, 8 March 2012

[1] From:        Paul Barry < This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it >

     Date:         March 7, 2012 4:39:43 PM EST

     Subject:     Re: SHAKSPER: Laertes

[2] From:        Paul Barry < This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it >

     Date:         March 7, 2012 4:39:43 PM EST

     Subject:     Re: SHAKSPER: Laertes

[3] From:        Larry Weiss < This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it >

     Date:         March 7, 2012 9:16:49 PM EST

     Subject:     Re: SHAKSPER: Laertes

[1]-----------------------------------------------------------------

From:        Paul Barry < This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it >

Date:         March 7, 2012 4:39:43 PM EST

Subject:     Re: SHAKSPER: Laertes

A son of a king would have the best fencing teachers in the realm. German universities were famous for fencing. Hamlet and Laertes are evenly matched.  Hamlet gets the early advantage, and Laertes cheats.

Paul

[2]-------------------------------------------------------------

From:        Paul Barry < This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it >

Date:         March 7, 2012 4:52:43 PM EST

Subject:     Re: SHAKSPER: Laertes

Laertes has one line to substantiate this theory: “Yet it is almost against my conscience.”  Otherwise, they’re too busy fencing to add much nuance.

Paul

[3]-------------------------------------------------------------

From:        Larry Weiss < This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it >

Date:         March 7, 2012 9:16:49 PM EST

Subject:     Re: SHAKSPER: Laertes

>Issac Asimov.  He wrote that Laertes, playing against his 

>conscience during the match, couldn’t hit Hamlet and had 

>to cheat. When Hamlet gets the unbated weapon, Laertes 

>knows the weapon is poisoned and therefore is fighting 

>for his life.

>

>I’m going from memory, and it has been some time.  It’s 

>worth a read. Find this in Asimov’s book on Shakespeare, 

>in the chapter on Hamlet.

Asimov says nothing like this in my copy.  2 Asimov’s Guide to Shakespeare 144-45 (Doubleday 1970).