[E. Shaun Russell]

I just learned that Stephen Booth died on November 22nd. Booth wasn't a poet himself, but was the editor of the invaluable edition of Shakespeare's Sonnets, which has been the standard critical edition since 1977. His edition is stark -- not a lot of warm and fuzzy interpretations there -- but is exceptionally thorough, and there's a reason for its longevity. Since a lot of my own academic work engages with the Sonnets, I can't even begin to say how many times I've cracked open his book over the past decade.

[Julie Steiner]

When I think of Stephen, I think of the scholar who in his magisterial edition of Shakespeare’s Sonnets quipped: “William Shakespeare was almost certainly homosexual, bisexual, or heterosexual. The sonnets provide no evidence on the matter” (Appendix 1, page 548).

That's both hilarious and wise. Thanks for pointing to that remembrance of him, Shaun.

[E. Shaun Russell]

Originally Posted by Julie Steiner

That's both hilarious and wise. Thanks for pointing to that remembrance of him, Shaun.

Honestly, had the linked posting not mentioned that line, I very well might have myself. I remember coming across it as an undergraduate, and it has always stuck with me. It also encapsulates Booth's style very well -- he left it to others to care about the interpretation and evaluation of the poems; he himself just wanted to provide as much accurate, tangible background as possible.