Lincoln and Shakespeare

[RJNorton]

Cottage Conversation with
Michael Anderegg and Michele Osherow

"I think that nothing equals Macbeth. It is wonderful."
- Abraham Lincoln, August 17, 1863

Join us Thursday, November 19 for our Cottage Conversation with Michael Anderegg and Michele Osherow. Together they will discuss Abraham Lincoln's fascination with William Shakespeare and what that reveals about the 16th president.

Dr. Anderegg, author of the new book Lincoln and Shakespeare, is professor emeritus of English at the University of North Dakota.

Dr. Osherow is associate professor of English and Director of the Judaic Studies Program at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. She is also dramaturg for the Folger Shakespeare Library's production of Aaron Posner's Merchant of Venice.

Reception: 6:00 pm, Robert H. Smith Visitor Education Center
Lecture: 6:30 pm, President Lincoln's Cottage
Admission: $10 for the lecture and $10 for the reception. Free for Cottage members at the $250 level or above.

To purchase tickets and RSVP, email Michelle Martz at MMartz@savingplaces.org or call (202) 688-3735.

Cottage Conversations offers relaxing evenings to socialize and learn something new about our 16th president from authors, collectors, and artists. The program begins with a cocktail reception, is followed by the lecture, and concludes with a book signing.

[maharba]

I wonder where he picked up a taste for Shakespeare. Traveling in Illinois maybe Springfield or a larger town had some theatrical troupe pass through. Probably in school we all had to take part in some play, seems like usually Caesar or Romeo. And we memorized a few sonnets along with poetry, some greek and latin. I wonder whether Lincoln used any of that in his orals for law cases. I don't think that would resonate as well with rural farmers, though. John Booth was apparently a specialist in Richard the 3rd which does have some ringing phrases most of us remember. And the later 'Booth imposter(s)' too appeared very conversant with Richard 3, and able to
pitch and vary the dialog for good effect. What opera houses may they have either heard it, or done some stage acting, it makes you wonder.

[Gene C]

Lincoln was likely introduced to the works of Shakespeare by Jack Kelso, when Lincoln moved to New Salem.

https://books.google.com/books?id=-O01nn...ln&f=false

and http://digital.lib.uiowa.edu/cdm/ref/col...er/id/3953

[RJNorton]

(10-24-2015 11:06 AM)maharba Wrote:  I wonder whether Lincoln used any of that in his orals for law cases. I don't think that would resonate as well with rural farmers, though.

In 1847, in the case of Case v. Snow Brothers, Lincoln argued for the plaintiff. During his summation to the jury Lincoln quoted these words from Othello:

Good name in man and woman, dear my lord,
Is the immediate jewel of their souls.
Who steals my purse steals trash; 'tis something, nothing;
'Twas mine, 'tis his, and has been slave to thousands;
But he that filches from me my good name
Robs me of that which not enriches him,
And makes me poor indeed.

Lincoln won the case.

[Tom Bogar]

Just got my ticket! Hope to see some other Roger-ites there. I'll try to provide a coherent report here, for those who can't make it.

[maharba]

I see. Kelso introduced Lincoln to Shakespeare. And as cagey a country lawyer as Lincoln was, he still thought so highly of Shakespeare as to smuggle it into court pleadings even in a country setting. And it proved availing as you say with Othello in that 1847 case. I took a look too at some letters and I see Lincoln to James Hackett
and John Gardner to Lincoln mentioning Shakespeare. Lincoln says there in 1863 that he still had not read several plays, but that he really liked Macbeth. Even favoring there Hamlet's soliloquy above the more well favored suicide contemplation. Then you wonder if JWBooth had accepted Lincoln's visit, and then got off on that topic of Shakespeare which both cherished, would history have been altered? Then we wouldn't be having this conversation.

[Eva Elisabeth]

(10-25-2015 09:07 PM)maharba Wrote:  Then you wonder if JWBooth had accepted Lincoln's visit, and then got off on that topic of Shakespeare which both cherished, would history have been altered?

In my humble opinion no. It wouldn't have happened and it didn't. Booth's hate was too strong.

I just want to add that Shakespeare was in those days probably one of the most widely published and spread authors, so one of the easiest accessible, and the choice of books was by far not as vast as today. This made it easier and very likely to encounter Shakespeare as a reader.

[Eva Elisabeth]

I wonder if Lincoln had ever read Shakespeare's "Merchant of Venice"? It's is an example par excellence for smart legal argumentation and interpretation.

A brief (incomplete) summary for those not familiar with the play: Antonio (a Venetian merchant)'s friend Bassanio is desperately in need of money to appropriately court Portia. Antonio is unable to loan his friend money himself because his own money is all invested in a number of trade ships that are still at sea, but suggests that Bassanio secure the loan from Shylock, a Jewish moneylender, and name Antonio as the loan’s guarantor. Shylock nurses a long-standing grudge against Antonio, who has made a habit of berating Shylock and other Jews for exactly their practice of loaning money at exorbitant rates of interest, and who undermines their business by offering interest-free loans. Although Antonio refuses to apologize for his behavior, Shylock acts agreeably and offers to lend Bassanio three thousand ducats with no interest. Shylock adds, however, that should the loan go unpaid, Shylock will be entitled to a pound of Antonio’s own flesh. Despite Bassanio’s warnings, Antonio agrees. Soon Shylock rejoices in the fact that Antonio’s ships are rumored to have been wrecked and claims his debt. He ignores the many pleas to spare Antonio’s life, and a trial is called to decide the matter.

The duke of Venice, who presides over the trial, announces that he has sent for a legal expert, who turns out to be Portia disguised as a young man of law. Portia asks Shylock to show mercy, but he remains inflexible and insists the pound of flesh is rightfully his. Bassanio offers Shylock twice the money due him, but Shylock insists on collecting the bond as it is written. Portia examines the contract and, finding it legally binding, declares that Shylock is entitled to the merchant’s flesh. Shylock ecstatically praises her wisdom, but as he is on the verge of collecting his due, Portia reminds him that he must do so without causing Antonio to bleed, as the contract does not entitle him to any blood. Trapped by this logic, Shylock hastily agrees to take Bassanio’s money instead, but Portia insists that Shylock take his bond as written, or nothing at all. Portia informs Shylock that he is guilty of conspiring against the life of a Venetian citizen, which means he must turn over half of his property to the state and the other half to Antonio. The duke spares Shylock’s life and takes a fine instead of Shylock’s property.


(JWB performed as Shylock several times with great success and reviews.,e.g. on March 11, 1861 in Albany he "identifies himself with [the] character in a forcible and artistic manner".)

A decade ago there was a great movie made of the play, with Al Pachino starring as Shylock:
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gtYGzr8Nx-8

[RJNorton]

(10-26-2015 05:05 AM)Eva Elisabeth Wrote:  I wonder if Lincoln had ever read Shakespeare's "Merchant of Venice"? It's is an example par excellence for smart legal argumentation and interpretation.

Eva, Noah Brooks wrote that he and Lincoln saw Edwin Booth in The Merchant of Venice at Ford's Theatre. Lincoln reportedly commented, "It was a good performance, but I had a thousand times rather read it at home, if it were not for Booth's playing. A farce, or a comedy, is best played; a tragedy is best read at home."

However, both Tom Bogar in American Presidents Attend the Theater, and the Fehrenbachers in Recollected Words of Abraham Lincoln, cite problems with Brooks' reminiscence, and therefore the quote may be apocryphal.

[Eva Elisabeth]

Thanks, Roger, the quote just came to my mind, but I wasn't aware it referred to exactly this play. Odd just that "The Merchant of Venice" is mostly classified as a comedy - a problem comedy though. However, it lacks the main criterion/feature of a tragedy - the protagonist being a hero who suffers ruin or extreme sorrow (and usually dies in the end) and in the course of this undergoes a character development and gains insight as for mistakes, faults, etc, while several "technical" comedy features occur.

[maharba]

The film critic Lincoln had interesting opinions on all subjects. Portia's Plea though is far better heard than read.

[Eva Elisabeth]

I agree on the latter, as well as I agree on Lincoln's assessment, at least as for the comedy. (I actually prefer both on-stage.)

[Anita]

I recommend this site. There is much of interest in addition to the lecture related to this thread.

"Lincoln and Shakespeare

Stephen Dickey, an award-winning senior lecturer at UCLA, has often been on the faculty of Folger Shakespeare Library's NEH-funded Teaching Shakespeare Institute, which brings high school teachers from around the country to Washington, DC, for a month of intensive study. In the 2006 session, participants studied four plays, including Macbeth and Julius Caesar. This portion of a lecture by Dickey during the session explores President Lincoln's knowledge of Shakespeare and his special affinity for Macbeth."
http://www.shakespeareinamericanlife.org...speare.cfm

[Gene C]

Welcome to Shakespeare Theater with tonights guest star, Abraham Lincoln and family. Our presentation is entitled "Favorite Quotes From Macbeth.

The scene: The Lincoln Dinner table
Mary: Dinners ready, come and get it.
Abe: Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn and cauldron bubble.

Scene II: A busy street scene
Mary walks out of Diller's Drug Store heading towards Lincoln's law office
Herndon: By the pricking of my thumbs, Something wicked this way comes

Scene: Laundry day at the Lincoln household
Mary: Out, damned spot! out, I say!—One: two: why,
then, 'tis time to do't.—Hell is murky!—Fie, my
lord, fie! a soldier, and afeard? What need we
fear who knows it, when none can call our power
to account?

Scene: White House hallway as Tad hitches his goat to the cart
Tad: Look like the innocent flower,
But be the serpent under it.

Scene III - Lincoln at the doctors office talking about Mary
Lincoln: Canst thou not minister to a mind diseased,
Pluck from the memory a rooted sorrow,
Raze out the written troubles of the brain
And with some sweet oblivious antidote
Cleanse the stuff'd bosom of that perilous stuff
Which weighs upon the heart?
Doctor: Give her two of these blue pills and call me in the morning

[Eva Elisabeth]

Hilarious, Gene.