Exploring the evidence that the works of Shakespeare were written by Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford

Ohio Valley Shakespeare Conference call for papers on Shakespeare’s loose ends

The Ohio Valley Shakespeare Conference 2010 has put out a call for papers on the topic of Shakespeare’s “Loose Ends” for the conference to be held October 14-16 at Owens College, Toledo campus. 

According to the call for papers (complete document included at end of this post):

The planning committee of the Ohio Valley Shakespeare Conference is seeking abstracts and paper proposals that investigate the gaps, lacunae, indeterminacies, omissions, silences and “undecidabilities” in the work of Shakespeare and/or his contemporaries. Papers can focus on individual works (E.g. what happened to Lear’s Fool? Why is Isabella silent?), or on cultural, dramaturgical, cinematic, theoretical and editorial issues. How do actors, directors and editors deal with the inevitable gap between players and performers? How do biases and the historical treatment of Shakespeare reflect and affect appreciation? How have biographers dealt with Shakespeare’s early years?

This seemed like a topic that might lend itself to authorship issues, so SOS News Online contacted OVSC 2010 director and Owens College professor, Dr. Russ Bodi.

SOS-NO: Our readers are interested in the question of authorship and we wondered if you cared to make a comment on whether the topic of this year’s conference might lend itself to authorship issues.

Dr. Bodi:

The OVSC is always open to the free exchange of ideas, but our membership does not seem to be inclined to doubt Shakespeare’s authorship.   So, we are open to submissions by anyone, and we can understand why the authorship question people might see an opportunity in our topic. However, it is not a topic we have designed into the conference, but as open-minded scholars, we do not exclude it as an option. 

Since we are looking to fill “gaps” and “inconsistencies” we cannot patently rule out the authorship question. However, our scholarly interest lies more in the works themselves than in who wrote them. We also welcome all submissions that deal with cultural issues of the times. We will nevertheless judge proposals on their scholarly merits.

I will be happy to receive any inquiries from your group.

SOS-NO: Do you have any information about registration to the conference by non-presenters who want to hear the papers and perhaps attend the performance?

Dr Bodi:

We do not have registration information yet. I am still working on the details. However, if you go to the following link, http://www.marietta.edu/departments/English/OVSC/ you will be able to access all the present and future updates.

***

Ohio Valley Shakespeare Conference 2010

A Call for Papers
Shakespeare’s “Loose Ends”
Owens College, Toledo, Ohio Campus
October 14-16, 2010

The planning committee of the Ohio Valley Shakespeare Conference is seeking abstracts and paper proposals that investigate the gaps, lacunae, indeterminacies, omissions, silences and “undecidabilities” in the work of Shakespeare and/or his contemporaries. Papers can focus on individual works (E.g. what happened to Lear’s Fool? Why is Isabella silent?), or on cultural, dramaturgical, cinematic, theoretical and editorial issues. How do actors, directors and editors deal with the inevitable gap between players and performers? How do biases and the historical treatment of Shakespeare reflect and affect appreciation? How have biographers dealt with Shakespeare’s early years?

Abstracts or proposals are due by June 4, 2010 (early decision) or August 27th (final deadline). All inquiries should be directed to: Russ Bodi/ English Department/PO Box 10,000/Toledo, OH 43699-1947 or e-mail  russell_bodi@owens.edu. E-mail abstracts to marilee_motto@owens.edu. Please include academic affiliation, if any, and status: independent, faculty, grad student, or undergrad.

Plenary Address: Katherine E. Maus, Author, Inwardness and Theater in the English Renaissance, Four Revenge Tragedies of the English Renaissance, Soliciting Interpretation: Literary Theory and Seventeenth-Century Poetry, (ed. with Elizabeth Harvey), and Ben Jonson and the Roman Frame of Mind.

National Players will present a live performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. “America’s longest running classical touring company, has now reached its 60th consecutive season of touring.”

Toledo Repertory Theater’s Staged Reading of A Merry Regiment of Women. Six of Shakespeare’s women discuss the availability and quality of women’s roles in Shakespeare’s plays.

OVSC invites graduate and undergraduate students to compete for the M. R. Smith Prize. Conference proceedings are published in a juried, online journal.

Visit our website (which will soon be updated):  http://www.marietta.edu/~engl/OVSC/

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