Ben Jonson Made Me Laugh

Spring 2007 Shakespeare Matters page 1 10:1 “Let me not to the marriage of true minds admit impediments...” Winter 2011 Proving Oxfordian Authorship of “Sweet Cytherea” by WJ Ray “ xford’s poems do not resemble Shakespeare’s. OThey were two different writers.” Such is Aca- deme’s preclusive claim that a literary chasm exists between the known, usually early, writings of Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, and the collected works we recognize by the spectacular epithet “Shakespeare.” As Oxford published under a series of pseudonyms and proxies in order to carry on an artistic voca- tion shunned by his class, only three subscribed poems after his youth have survived (“Shakespeare” I: 553). There are no original notes or manuscripts to document an Oxford to “Shakespeare” stylistic evolution. His plays are said to have been lost. The 1951 Encyclopaedia Britannica noted only, “He was a lyric poet of no small merit.” Orthodoxy therefore may prefer the slanted odds of Fellowship trustee Ian Haste with a question. comparing Shake-Speares Sonnets to Oxford’s juvenilia, involving a gap of twenty-five to thirty-five years in a life full of writing and Conference 2010: personal catastrophe. Ashland, Oregon! (Continued on page 15) by Roger Stritmatter Ben Jonson Made Me Laugh ver the weekend of September 16-19, one hundred by Ted Story and fifty Oxfordians gathered at the Ashland Springs ecently Ben Jonson made me laugh out loud. To say I Hotel for the 2010 joint conference of the Shakespeare O was surprised is an understatement because usually I Fellowship and the Shakespeare Oxford Society. In the estimation don’t find him very funny. So I was caught off guard of many, it was one of the best conferences in recent memory, R when I discovered that for years I had been looking at a great Ben in terms of the quality of presentations, content of informal Jonson joke and hadn’t noticed it. Being a theater man, jokes exchanges, and collegiality among members. For several years are important to me. So before I tell you Jonson’s joke, please the joint conference has been organized by a committee with bear with me while I get a little analytical about something most representatives from both organizations. This year’s organizing people don’t think about very much. Committee included Ashland resident (and SF President) Earl Every joke consists of two parts: the setup and the punch. Showerman, SF Trustees Bonner Cutting, Dick Desper, and Pat The setup plants an idea or a picture in the audience’s head. The Urquhart, along with SOS officers John Hamill, Richard Joyrich, punch makes them see it in an unexpected way. Susan Width, and Virginia Hyde. As George Burns said: “Acting is all about honesty – If you “The support we received from both the Oregon Shakespeare can fake that you’ve got it made.” (Continued on page 7) (Continued on page 13) page 2 Shakespeare Matters Winter 2011 From the Editors Wait Till They See This reetings, and welcome to the first to contribute articles and news items. The not only fills a longstanding lacuna in 2011 (Winter) issue of Shake- actual printing and mailing of the hard copy English literary history by suggesting an Gspeare Matters, which comes to issues will be relocated from Baltimore to authorship for the anonymous Venus and you on the heels of the fall 2010 issue. Newton, Massachusetts. Adonis poems of The Passionate Pilgrim There have been some positive changes We don’t expect anything radically (1599), but will (we promise) stretch your in our editorial offices, but before we tell different in the content of upcoming issues. imagination of the aural possibilities you about those we want to apologize for We will do our best to provide our members sounding forth when “hearing between the the delayed delivery of the fall issue. The with four annual issues of Shakespeare lines” of these enigmatic poems; Ted Story issue was delivered to the Baltimore printer Matters, which should contain a variety of provides a humorous first-person account in mid-December, with instructions that interesting items – articles long and short, of how he came to realize the comic po- it be mailed immediately after Christmas. book reviews, and news notes of interest tential of Ben Jonson’s likely involvement By mid-January, when it became apparent to the Oxfordian cause. Submissions are with the first folio “Droeshout” portrait of that no one had received a copy, Roger welcome. Feel free to send your ideas and Shakespeare; Roger Stritmatter surveys Stritmatter contacted the printer. They comments to Alex at [email protected]. the scholarship of the fall 2010 SF/SOS investigated; to their embarrassment they We are sad to include in this issue conference in Ashland, Oregon. discovered that, due to an internal mixup, such a large number of obituaries for On the news front we keep hearing they had forgotten to mail the issues. They departed friends and colleagues. On a very positive advance gossip on Roland Em- did end up paying for the postage them- brighter note this issue contains the usual merich’s Anonymous, reportedly delayed selves, which saves the Shakespeare Fel- lineup of Oxfordian news, scholarship and for release until September 30, 2011, in lowship a little money; but, simply, there commentary you have come to expect from expectation of big wins at the year’s Oscar is no excuse for such a delay. We will do Shakespeare Matters: WJ Ray’s “Proving Awards. our best to make sure such a thing doesn’t Oxfordian Authorship of ‘Sweet Cytherea’” Linda Theil and the bloggers at happen again. If anyone is still missing this issue, please contact Roger Stritmatter at [email protected] and one will Shakespeare Matters Subscriptions to Shakespeare Matters are Published quarterly by the $50 per year ($25 for online issues only). Family be mailed to you. The issue is available or institution subscriptions are $75 per year. The Shakespeare Fellowship Patrons of the Fellowship are $100 and up. online on the Shakespeare Matters page Please address correspondence to: at the Fellowship site. Please send subscription requests to: Editorial Offices: Second, with this issue Alex McNeil The Shakespeare Fellowship takes over as editor of Shakespeare Mat- 301 Islington Rd., Auburndale PO Box 421 ters. Roger Stritmatter had found it too MA 02466 Hudson, MA 01749 difficult to juggle the editorship with his full-time academic responsibilities at Cop- Editor: The purpose of the Shakespeare Fellowship Alex McNeil is to promote public awareness and acceptance pin State University and with the demands of the authorship of the Shakespeare Canon by of producing (together with Gary Gold- Design Editor: Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford (1550-1604), stein) the Shakespeare Fellowship’s new Roger Stritmatter and further to encourage a high level of schol- arly research and publication into all aspects of online journal, Brief Chronicles. Alex, Shakespeare studies, and also into the history and Contributing Editors: who retired from his government position culture of the Elizabethan era. Mark Anderson, Lynne Kositsky, Howard The Society was founded and incorporated in 2010, now had extra time and offered Schumann, Dr. Felicia Londre, in 2001 in the State of Massachusetts and is William Boyle, Gary Goldstein, Richard Whalen. to help; Roger was happy to accept Alex’s chartered under the membership corporation laws offer. Alex is already familiar with much of that state. It is a recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit Phone (Auburndale, MA) 617-244-9825. (Fed ID 04-3578550). of the work, as he has assisted Roger for email: [email protected] Dues, grants and contributions are tax-de- All contents copyright ©2011 several years with editing and proofreading ductible to the extent allowed by law. Shakespeare Matters. The Shakespeare Fellowship Shakespeare Matters welcomes articles, essays, Roger will continue to be involved commentary, book reviews, letters and news items. Contributions should be reasonably concise and, when with this publication, but he will focus on appropriate, validated by peer review. The views expressed by contributors do not necessarily reflect those of the its design and layout. He will also continue Fellowship as a literary and educational organization. Winter 2011 Shakespeare Matters page 3 started as a condescending critique of Oberon (http://oberonshakespearestudy- the magic of whoever person . wrote Shakespeare doubters and has evolved group.blogspot.com/) have been visited by this. a person whose life uncannily into a discussion containing many a premonition of the film’s success. echoes every wail, every laugh, every unique and interesting Oxfordian in- limp and every cry in sights punctuated by the usual yelps Shakespeare’s works. I’m and insults — “Edward de Vere,” and kind of deeply moved by “Who Wrote Shakespeare’s Plays” are the whole thing and talk- by far the most lively, entertaining, and ing to you is a nuisance. intellectually stimulating discussions (our italics: since when in the community. does a Hollywood star say Of particular interest is the re- that talking the press is a markable turn of events on the reviews “nuisance”?) page for Shapiro’s Contested Will. Until Of course, as report- recently, however, although a number ed in the previous issue, of articulate anti-Stratfordians had fall 2011 is also going to weighed in, it was safe to conclude that see the publication at last Shapiro’s reputation was still intact of Richard Roe’s magnum and that the majority of commentators opus on Shakespeare’s preferred the Stratfordian reviews to Italian ethos, a book more Rhys Ifans -- as Hamlet? in Anonymous, said those by independent critics of Shapiro. than twenty years in the to be a stunningly crafted cinematic recreation That has now changed, and it making and scheduled for of 16th century London.

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