Letter: Universal truth and oppositional subtlety justify Shakespeare's lasting appeal
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Sir: Howard Brenton has missed a trick in his article 'Will of the people?' (2 June). He writes about the suggestive juxtaposition of 'high' and 'low' in Shakespeare, mirrored in the physical location of his theatre 'next to restaurants, bathhouses, brothels and gardens'. But we should remember that the Elizabethan theatres in London were also literally within earshot of the bear- baiting house.
Norden's map (published in Speculum Britanniae in 1593) shows 'the Beare howse' close to 'the play howse' (which must have been Henslowe's Rose), and the two buildings were very similar in
appearance.
Hollar's famous Long View (published in Amsterdam in 1647) misnames The Globe (this was the second Globe) as 'Beere bayting', so similar were the two buildings in
design.
One thing suggested by this proximity is that, in competing for the clientele, the drama had to offer pretty strong meat.
Yours sincerely,
BERNARD RICHARDS
Brasenose College
Oxford
3 June
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments