SHAKSPER 1997: Re: Hazle

From: Hardy M. Cook (editor@ws.bowiestate.edu)
Date: 11/18/97 

The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 8.1165.  Tuesday, 18 November 1997.

[1]     From:   Julie Blumenthal <Stacey99@aol.com>
        Date:   Sunday, 16 Nov 1997 10:44:11 -0500 (EST)
        Subj:   Hazle Shrew

[2]     From:   William Williams <tb0wpw1@corn.cso.niu.edu>
        Date:   Monday, 17 Nov 1997 10:24:35 -0600
        Subj:   Re: SHK 8.1159  Re: Hazle

[3]     From:   Scott Shepherd <skot@pobox.com>
        Date:   Monday, 17 Nov 1997 12:04:49 -0500
        Subj:   Re: SHK 8.1159  Re: Hazle

[4]     From:   Abigail Quart <aquart@worldnet.att.net>
        Date:   Tuesday, 18 Nov 1997 00:51:14 -0500
        Subj:   Hazel-Brown

[5]     From:   Abigail Quart <aquart@worldnet.att.net>
        Date:   Tuesday, 18 Nov 1997 00:55:48 -0500
        Subj:   Hazel-Brown


[1]-----------------------------------------------------------------
From:           Julie Blumenthal <Stacey99@aol.com>
Date:           Sunday, 16 Nov 1997 10:44:11 -0500 (EST)
Subject:        Hazle Shrew

Having examined this scene a number of times in scene-study class, the
interpretation we always found worked best here was if Petruchio's
compliments are only superficially meant.  Both Kate and P. are smart
enough to see through his "honeyed words" - in this particular bit, I
think he's laying it on with a trowel, and intentionally choosing things
for his analogies that can be seen through to what they really are -
insults.  The scene works quite well if it's a drag-down knock-out power
play, and also doesn't force Kate to seem foolish or weak in yielding so
soon.

Hence I guess the answer to "how can you compliment someone by calling
them brown of hue?" is : you can't.

It also predisposes a casting wherein Kate is dark and Bianca, as the
lovely, obedient one, is fair.

Try it on for size.

Julie

[2]-----------------------------------------------------------------
From:           William Williams <tb0wpw1@corn.cso.niu.edu>
Date:           Monday, 17 Nov 1997 10:24:35 -0600
Subject: 8.1159  Re: Hazle
Comment:        Re: SHK 8.1159  Re: Hazle

Hazel is an interesting point, at least in Shakespearean terms.  A quick
check shows that S. used the word only 4 times.  Twice in +Shrew+ in the
passage under discussion and twice in +RJ+ in quite similar context.
Whatever the answer is it certainly is extra-textual.

William Proctor Williams

[3]-----------------------------------------------------------------
From:           Scott Shepherd <skot@pobox.com>
Date:           Monday, 17 Nov 1997 12:04:49 -0500
Subject: 8.1159  Re: Hazle
Comment:        Re: SHK 8.1159  Re: Hazle

Surely Katherine *is* brown in hue, and Petrucchio's approach includes
applying the rhetoric of praise to her conventionally unpraiseworthy
actual attributes.

[4]-----------------------------------------------------------------
From:           Abigail Quart <aquart@worldnet.att.net>
Date:           Tuesday, 18 Nov 1997 00:51:14 -0500
Subject:        Hazel-Brown

From Robert Graves' The White Goddess: "Brown are the nuts of the Hazel,
tree of wisdom."

Graves' tree alphabet-calendar also associates a color with each tree.
Coll, the hazel tree, is the letter C with a K sound. The color
associated with Coll is brown.

[5]-----------------------------------------------------------------
From:           Abigail Quart <aquart@worldnet.att.net>
Date:           Tuesday, 18 Nov 1997 00:55:48 -0500
Subject:        Hazel-Brown

The Hazel tree is not only the tree of wisdom, but of witchcraft.


about SHAKSPER | current postings | submitted papers | browse SHAKSPER | search SHAKSPER
  
Copyright © 2002, Hardy M. Cook, design by Eric Luhrs. All rights reserved.