Vladimir Nabokov

NABOKV-L post 0009516, Wed, 24 Mar 2004 12:50:31 -0800

Subject
Fw: Fw: Fw: Shakespeare plagiarist!
Date
Body
----- Original Message -----
From: "Charles Nicol" <ejnicol@isugw.indstate.edu>
> ---------------- Message requiring your approval (102
lines) ------------------
> Wait a minute! I thought Nabokov wrote Hamlet. It's Chapter Seven of
> BEND SINISTER. You mean two guys beat him to it? --Chaz
>
> >>> chtodel@cox.net 3/24/2004 2:12:05 PM >>>
> ----- 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.
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>