Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 5, No. 0508. Tuesday, 7 June 1994.
(1) From: Lonnie J Durham <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Tuesday, 07 Jun 1994 00:49:26 -0500 (CDT)
Subj: Titania and Bottom
(2) From: Nick Clary <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Tuesday, 07 Jun 1994 10:46:21 -0500 (EST)
Subj: character and nudity
(1)----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Lonnie J Durham <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Tuesday, 07 Jun 1994 00:49:26 -0500 (CDT)
Subject: Titania and Bottom
The other day one of my colleagues seemed startled (if not revolted) at my
saying I always had assumed that Bottom and the fairy queen retired to her
bower to copulate, and not merely for an afternoon nap, putting Oberon in the
peculiar position of having conspired at his own cuckolding. In fact, in my
more rabid myth-rit days I used to make much of this intercourse between the
beauty and the beast. On the other hand, I jummped a bit myself at one of my
student's suggestions that Oberon has sexual designs on the Indian boy. Any
comments toward either point?
Lonnie
(2)----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Nick Clary <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Tuesday, 07 Jun 1994 10:46:21 -0500 (EST)
Subject: character and nudity
While working on *Hamlet* this morning, just after reading my SHAKSPER, I found
myself musing on Hamlet's letter to Claudius and on the King's reply:
High and mighty, you shall know I am set naked on your
kingdom, to morrow shall I begge leaue to see your kingly
eyes, when I shal first asking you pardon, there-vnto
recount the occasion of my suddaine returne.
When Laertes asks whether he knows the hand, Claudius replies:
Tis Hamlets caracter. Naked....
Hamlet had been astounded earlier at the ghost's appearance "in compleat
steele," wondering aloud, "what may this meane." Here Claudius wonders at
Hamlet's naked return to Denmark:
What should this meane...is it some abuse, and no
such thing?
Has anyone ever seen a naked Hamlet onstage on in a film?
Nick Clary