Lots of possibilities. I’m not sure that it would constitute a duel, but in Trollope’s *The Warden* there is a character named “Mr. Popular Sentiment” who is clearly a satire of Dickens.
In American Lit, Mark Twain spoke cruelly and influentially against his former friend Bret Harte (vituperation never reciprocated). Harte’s reputation is still full of bafflingly narrow and recycled opinions. There’s one good case.
Such a marvelous selection of responses to Shakespeare and Tolstoy's criticism of him. I loved reading what you wrote and all the marvelous comments--and you love to teach the sonnet I quoted. I'd love to know hat you versus Vender _The Art of Shakespeare's Sonnets_ say about this sonnet 55. Can't wait for the novel and music recs based on what we say. Might we offer both? and get your recs? Other readers: This is truly one of the best of the best here on Substack. If you read and who doesn't here, you must subscribe!
Yes, I think the best argument against the conspiracy theorists is that no one in Shakespeare’s own time seemed to have any doubt that he wrote his plays, so to imagine another writer, we would have to believe that all of these people in the seventeenth century kept a secret and took it to their graves--which stretches credulity. Of course, theatre is a collaborative art, so it’s quite likely that a number of people had a hand in editing and polishing texts for performance. We know that *Pericles*, for example has another author for the first couple of acts, and we know that Shakespeare co-wrote *Two Noble Kinsmen* and *All Is True* with John Fletcher.
I’m excited to hear your perspective next time. This whole topic has got me excited. I wonder about other author v author duels in history?
Hemingway v Fitzgerald (in styles)?
Keats v Byron?
I’m sure Dickens made enemies
Also, famous friendships like that of Tolkien and Lewis.
Lots of possibilities. I’m not sure that it would constitute a duel, but in Trollope’s *The Warden* there is a character named “Mr. Popular Sentiment” who is clearly a satire of Dickens.
In American Lit, Mark Twain spoke cruelly and influentially against his former friend Bret Harte (vituperation never reciprocated). Harte’s reputation is still full of bafflingly narrow and recycled opinions. There’s one good case.
Such a marvelous selection of responses to Shakespeare and Tolstoy's criticism of him. I loved reading what you wrote and all the marvelous comments--and you love to teach the sonnet I quoted. I'd love to know hat you versus Vender _The Art of Shakespeare's Sonnets_ say about this sonnet 55. Can't wait for the novel and music recs based on what we say. Might we offer both? and get your recs? Other readers: This is truly one of the best of the best here on Substack. If you read and who doesn't here, you must subscribe!
I’m here for some reader’s advisory (to use the library terminology).
Interesting! I heard from a literature professor that some don’t even believe Shakespeare to be the true author of the work. Who know!
Yes, I think the best argument against the conspiracy theorists is that no one in Shakespeare’s own time seemed to have any doubt that he wrote his plays, so to imagine another writer, we would have to believe that all of these people in the seventeenth century kept a secret and took it to their graves--which stretches credulity. Of course, theatre is a collaborative art, so it’s quite likely that a number of people had a hand in editing and polishing texts for performance. We know that *Pericles*, for example has another author for the first couple of acts, and we know that Shakespeare co-wrote *Two Noble Kinsmen* and *All Is True* with John Fletcher.