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The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 12.2910  Friday, 28 December 2001

[1]     From:   Brian Willis <bwillis90660@yahoo.com>
        Date:   Thursday, 27 Dec 2001 09:30:33 -0800 (PST)
        Subj:   Re: SHK 12.2904 The Abused R&G

[2]     From:   David Bishop <dvbishop@mindspring.com>
        Date:   Thursday, 27 Dec 2001 18:14:17 -0500
        Subj:   Re: SHK 12.2904 The Abused R&G


[1]-----------------------------------------------------------------
From:           Brian Willis <bwillis90660@yahoo.com>
Date:           Thursday, 27 Dec 2001 09:30:33 -0800 (PST)
Subject: 12.2904 The Abused R&G
Comment:        Re: SHK 12.2904 The Abused R&G

Who said that Ophelia and R+G have a say in the matter? They MUST obey
their respective father and king, upon compulsion. After all, R+G were
“sent for”.  They did not come to check on Hamlet. Claudius ordered them
to arrive. Ophelia must obey Polonius. The whole point of I. iii. is to
demonstrate how Ophelia is completely powerless against her father. It
is because Hamlet can see the manipulation of Claudius in these
relationships that they fail.

Horatio is a beautiful character because he is free of that manipulation
and Hamlet opens up to him accordingly.

Brian Willis

[2]-------------------------------------------------------------
From:           David Bishop <dvbishop@mindspring.com>
Date:           Thursday, 27 Dec 2001 18:14:17 -0500
Subject: 12.2904 The Abused R&G
Comment:        Re: SHK 12.2904 The Abused R&G

L. Swilley’s description of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern leaves out, it
seems to me, the eagerness with which they commit themselves to the
service of the king. From the moment they “give up ourselves in the full
bent” they enlist in his service, and when it comes to war, they die as
soldiers of the king. They also try to deceive Hamlet, assuming the
cause of his problem is ambition, because, I think, that’s their own
motive, which they try to disguise. If these “practices” might be
explained away, they pour some very oily flattery on that “massy wheel”,
Claudius. Even he gets impatient with it.

By the way, not only are their names Danish, but making them Jewish
would be a significant move, which I don’t think Shakespeare would make
so underhandedly. R & G aren’t important enough.

Best wishes,
David Bishop

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