Vladimir Nabokov

NABOKV-L post 0009515, Wed, 24 Mar 2004 11:12:05 -0800

Subject
Fw: Fw: Shakespeare plagiarist!
Date
Body
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jansy Berndt de Souza Mello" <jansy@aetern.us>
> ----------------- Message requiring your approval (62
lines) ------------------
> According to Jeff Edmunds "the world of Shakespearean studies is still
> reeling" with the stunning revelation of a plagiarized "Hamlet" - but
I´d
> like to add the shameless copy of the plot of Romeo and Juliet and,
worse
> of all, the use of real historical information. Julius Caesar actually
> existed! And Henry VIII., Richard III ...
>
> But I cannot agree with Tom that the List should not be open to this
> discussion. He wrote: " Maybe we should just ignore such ignorant,
> cretinous, cheap-and-nasty tabloid stories. They belong in The National
> Enquirer and not on the List." In my opinion we need to be informed of
what
> is going on in the media and also find a place to vent our indignation
with
> its "ignorant, cretinous" stories.
>
>
> >
>
>
> ..
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "D. Barton Johnson" <chtodel@cox.net>
> To: <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>
> Sent: Wednesday, March 24, 2004 3:32 PM
> Subject: Fw: Shakespeare plagiarist!
>
>
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Jeff Edmunds" <jhe2@psulias.psu.edu>
> > > From Jeff Edmunds <jhe2@psulias.psu.edu>:
> > >
> > > In an absolutely stunning story certain to dwarf the controversy
stirred
> > by
> > > the revelation that Nabokov plagiarized Lolita, it was revealed this
> week
> > > by an Icelandic scholar that Shakespeare, widely revered as the
greatest
> > > playwright, and one of the greatest stylists, in the English language
of
> > > all time, plagiarized Hamlet, his most famous play.
> > >
> > > Apparently the story of Hamlet can be shown to pre-exist Shakespeare's
> > > shameless plagiarism by many years. Penned by an unknown Danish
writer,
> > the
> > > tale is known as "The saga of Feng and Amleth." The story of Amleth is
> > > nearly identical to Shakespeare's play: Feng murders his brother out
of
> > > jealousy and marries Gerutha, Amleth's mother. Amleth pretends to be
> > > witless to save himself. His sanity is tested by the suspicious Feng.
> > > Amleth is sent to England, guarded by two of Feng's retainers, who
carry
> a
> > > death letter. Amleth alters the letter to order the deaths of the
> > retainers
> > > and his own marriage to the King's daughter. He returns to Jutland
> where,
> > > after a celebratory feast, he burns the Great Hall full of drunken
> nobles
> > > and kills his uncle, thereby avenging his murdered father.
> > >
> > > Just how this amazing revelation will damage Shakespeare's inflated
> > > reputation remains to be seen.
> > >
> > > Needless to say, the word of Shakespearean studies is still reeling.
> > >
> >
> >
>
>