The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 11.0755 Tuesday, 11 April 2000.
[1] From: Sean Lawrence <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Monday, 10 Apr 2000 10:02:15 -0700
Subj: Re: SHK 11.0727 Re: Oxymora
[2] From: David Bishop <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Monday, 10 Apr 2000 14:18:29 -0400
Subj: Re: SHK 11.0727 Re: Oxymora
[3] From: Florence Amit <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Tuesday, 11 Apr 2000 00:43:16 +0000
Subj: Re: SHK 11.0678 Re: Oxymorons
[1]-----------------------------------------------------------------
From: Sean Lawrence <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Monday, 10 Apr 2000 10:02:15 -0700
Subject: 11.0727 Re: Oxymora
Comment: Re: SHK 11.0727 Re: Oxymora
Edmund Taft approaches my questions kindly, and I'm grateful.
Let me ask the question this way: how would the play be different if
Hamlet does not realize at this point that Fortinbras is out to conquer
Denmark? Kenneth Branagh notwithstanding, it strikes me that there
isn't any critical agreement that this, in fact, is Fortinbras's plan
all along, though a general cynicism about successful politics these
days seems to encourage the belief. And if we, with our superior
awarenesses, can't find anything definite, then Hamlet must have occult
sources of information, or just not know any more than we do. I agree
that the plot, as well as the soliloquies, can indicate motivation, but
I don't see much in the plot to show why Hamlet should want to offend
everyone and go to England just in time for Fortinbras's entry. If he
does anticipate the Norwegian invasion (and I'm still not convinced that
there is one), then leaving behind his distant claim on the throne, only
in order to return and get killed, doesn't exactly follow necessarily.
Cheers,
Se
