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Do you see what absurdities you're driven to? To make your case
you have to invent Martianese, Martians, Martian culture, etc.,
and in the process make a damn fool of yourself. It's truly pathetic.I on the other hand do not have to invent English, Elizabethan
England or anything else. I ground my reading on the text and
respect the author for having something he actually wishes to
communicate. I invent nothing. Where I speculate, I say so, but
give cogent reasons. For instance, "vile," in Elizabethan English,
the language in which this poem was written (or do you claim that's
just guessing too?) carried associations of disgust, revulsion
and sexual degeneracy. So he's (I hope you accept it's a he, but
of course I'm just guessing) saying something along the lines of,
you might as well have the game if you have the name."Adulterate" has some specific meanings too, none of which I need
invent, as did "sportive." All these words have a clear reference
outside the poem and within English, and all the meanings have
a sexual reverberation. Likewise "frailties," "bad," "abuses," "wills,"
"rank," "evil," etc.When Hamlet talks about Claudius's "rank,enseamed bed," do you think
it's drainpipes that's being referred to? When he talks about things
"rank and gross in nature" corrupting Denmark, do you claim it's simply
a waste disposal problem? Do you see how ridiculous your argument
becomes?You'll notice I don't have to impose a meaning. It emerges organically
and naturally from the words chosen by the poet. It's consistent
with other things both known and written by this same person.I don't
need to refer to a non-existent lexicon. Can you produce your
Martian dictionary? Here's my English one--in fact, here are
several.The moral state the poet refers to embraces "all men," including
himself. So by your ridiculous argument, he is now also a Martian
drain inspector, and you succeed only in reducing a sublimely powerful
sonnet to literary trash. Is that your geneuine evaluation of this
poem?Chuck, I've done you the honor of assuming you have a genuine
interest in these questions. I realize of course that you're
seeking only seeking to make a point, but actually you
succeed only in making mine, which is that there's a terrain
between complete subjectivity of interpretation and objective
meaning. It's called literary criticism.Of course, if you just want to play childish debating-society games,
I'm sure Herr Poppycock will oblige you. But if you have a real love
of Shakespeare and the best literature in English, get serious.So far from game, set and match, I'm afraid your ball was way
off the court--in outer space in fact.Your serve, Buddy, and the score is love-fifteen.
Posted by Professor Mike on April 15, 1997 at 14:34:38
In Reply to "Child's play -- how about this one:" posted by Reality Chuck on April 15, 1997 at 05:52:50
Replies | Post Reply | Shakespeare Queries & Replies From Everyone Else 4.2.97: Top | Help