The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 11.2342 Friday, 15 December 2000
From: Herman Gollob <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Thursday, 14 Dec 2000 15:24:06 -0500
Subject: 11.2330 Re: Roth on Verse
Comment: Re: SHK 11.2330 Re: Roth on Verse
>Re: Herman Gollob's remarks on Philip Roth.
>
>Why seek so far a field for Roth's inspiration? Roth is arguably our
>most "literary" writer; the broadly allusive nature of his work has been
>evident since his earliest published work. Though your own work sounds
>very exciting, you would do well to consult James Bloom's 1997 book, THE
>LITERARY BENT (UPenn Press), which provides the most thorough and astute
>account of Roth's "Shakespearizing' to date. For now, take this tidbit
>from Bloom's account of Shakespeare's circulation in PORTNOY'S
>COMPLAINT: "After asking, Can you beat that for a serpent's tooth?",
>Alexander Portnoy, Roth's most notorious surrogate, summed his life as
>'some farce version of King Lear, with me in the role of Cordelia.'"
Mr.Cartelli,
Many thanks. I agree-- Roth is one of our few Men of Letters (along with
Styron and Bellow-- by the way, did you read Roth's New Yorker piece on
Bellow?)
And thanks also for tipping me to Bloom's book. I'll order it post
haste.
Herman Gollob