• Next message: Hardy M. Cook: "Noble Shylock"
• Previous message: Hardy M. Cook: "Date of King John"
• Next in thread: Hardy M. Cook: "A Claudius Question"
• Messages sorted by: [ date ] [ thread ] [ subject ] [ author ]

The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 16.0371  Wednesday, 23 February 2005

From:           Bill Arnold <barnold_pb@yahoo.com>
Date:           Tuesday, 22 Feb 2005 21:08:51 -0800 (PST)
Subject: 16.0354 A Claudius Question
Comment:        Re: SHK 16.0354 A Claudius Question

Julia Griffin writes, "I wondered how many lines of the play one would
have to excise in order to make the question of Claudius's guilt uncertain."

What is this obsession with trying to rewrite Hamlet the play all about,
just to justify the modern interpretation of Hamlet the character's
madness?   The play is written, and the open ACT proves beyond a shadow
of a doubt the guilt of Claudius.  Would you throw out ACT I?  Sounds to
me like version of Game Station 2 in the works!  Just mark this: if you
do, it ain't Will Shakespeare's *Hamlet* the play and Hamlet the
character anymore, because as the tragic hero, Hamlet demands his
antagonist, the murderer Claudius who usurped the throne, knowing, that
if he killed Prince Hamlet's father, he stood a chance of changing fate.
  Fate had Prince Hamlet the next king, and Claudius murdered his
brother to rob fate of its fate!  That is the whole point of the play!
Sheesh.

Bill Arnold
http://www.cwru.edu/affil/edis/scholars/arnold.htm

_______________________________________________________________
S H A K S P E R: The Global Shakespeare Discussion List
Hardy M. Cook, editor@shaksper.net
The S H A K S P E R Web Site <http://www.shaksper.net>

DISCLAIMER: Although SHAKSPER is a moderated discussion list, the
opinions expressed on it are the sole property of the poster, and the
editor assumes no responsibility for them.

• Next message: Hardy M. Cook: "Noble Shylock"
• Previous message: Hardy M. Cook: "Date of King John"
• Next in thread: Hardy M. Cook: "A Claudius Question"
• Messages sorted by: [ date ] [ thread ] [ subject ] [ author ]