麻豆淫院

(麻豆淫院Org.com) -- Who is Hamlet? It's a centuries-old question, but now, a University of Aberdeen academic thinks she may have found a fresh answer.

In an article published today (March 3) in the Review of English Studies, Dr. Lisa Collinson argues that Hamlet鈥檚 name originally came from a Gaelic word connected with grinding, and was linked at a much earlier date than previously believed to both a character in a play and dangerous waters.

Her theory builds on scholarly agreement that Shakespearetookthe core of his Hamlet character from 鈥楢mlethus鈥�, a legendary figure found in 鈥楾he History of the Danes鈥�, written around 1200. Historians have long accepted that the name 鈥楢mlethus鈥� must be related to 鈥楢mlothi鈥�, mentioned by Snow Bear, a tenth or eleventh-century Icelandic poet.

However, Dr. Collinson, of the Centre for Scandinavian Studies at the University of Aberdeen, has uncovered evidence suggesting that Hamlet鈥檚 name came first from medieval Gaelic, before being incorporated into the Old Norse tradition. There have been Gaelic claims for the name in the past, but Dr. Collinson makes a new link to a player in an overlooked tale about a doomed king.

She said: 鈥淓arlier scholars based theories about the Gaelic origins of Hamlet on an odd name 鈥� 鈥楢mlaide鈥� - embedded in a short verse found in Irish annals. They constructed interesting arguments which allowed for Celtic influence on 鈥楢mlothi鈥�, but they struggled to explain the form of the annal name, which remains obscure.鈥�

Dr. Collinson proposes that a better Hamlet name can be found in a mysterious tale called 鈥楾he Destruction of Da Derga鈥檚 Hostel鈥�, which is thought to have been compiled in the eleventh century, based on eighth- or ninth-century materials.

There, a flawed king is killed in a strange hall, filled with uncanny figures. Amongst these are three players 鈥� Mael, Mlithi and Admlithi. It is the last of these whom Dr. Collinson believes provides the key to the mystery of the Hamlet name.

鈥淎s soon as I saw 鈥楢dmlithi鈥�, I thought of Hamlet,鈥� she explained. 鈥淏ut I persuaded myself that the possible link couldn鈥檛 be demonstrated in a scholarly way. It鈥檚 taken me several years and a lot of encouragement from colleagues to follow this up properly.鈥�

Dr. Collinson believes that the name 鈥楢dmlithi鈥� was coined by Gaelic-speakers and then travelled to Scandinavia, possibly via Orkney.

鈥淪now Bear鈥檚 verse containing the name 鈥楢mlothi鈥� has been connected to Shakespeare鈥檚 indirect source, 鈥楾he History of the Danes鈥�, because of a grinding sea motif which seems to underlie both medieval Nordic texts,鈥� she said.鈥淏ut we can take this further, and match 鈥楢mlethus鈥� and 鈥楢mlothi鈥� with the Gaelic player name 鈥楢dmlithi鈥� which is related to a Gaelic word for 鈥榞rinding鈥�.鈥�

The crux of Dr. Collinson鈥檚 argument is that Snow Bear鈥檚 鈥楢mlothi鈥� was probably a corruption of this Gaelic name, used to describe part of the grinding sea.

鈥淎lthough the player Admlithi had only a tiny role in the Irish tale, his strange name had the potential to be used in many different contexts. At an early date, I think it was used bysuperstitious sailors to refer to a dangerous sea-feature, such as a whirlpool.鈥�

One candidate is the maelstrom called 鈥楥oire Brecain鈥�, which was compared to a mill in a medieval Irish glossary. This was probably either a whirlpool near Rathlin Island, or Corryvreckan in the Hebrides.

鈥淭he name 鈥楢mlothi鈥檌s highly unlikely to be Norse in origin,鈥� Dr. Collinson explained. 鈥淭here really is no convincing way to explain its form with reference to any known Norse words 鈥� although this hasn鈥檛 prevented fine scholars from trying in the past.

鈥淏y contrast, the name Admlithi could certainly have been used by sailors to describe grinding seas, and it鈥檚 likely that sailors played a critical role in its transmission to Scandinavia. The Icelandic poet Snow Bear was probably a sailor himself.鈥�

If Dr. Collinson鈥檚 hypothesis is correct, then Hamlet鈥檚 association with players goes back several hundred years longer than has previously been believed.

She added: 鈥淲hat鈥檚 most exciting to me is the idea that a version of the name 鈥楬amlet鈥� may once have described not just a man 鈥榓s mad as the sea鈥� or threatened by a 鈥榮ea of troubles鈥�, but in fact the sort of 鈥榞ulf鈥� or whirlpool to which Shakespeare had the character Rosenkrantz compare the 鈥榗ess of majesty鈥� itself. According to this theory, Hamlet becomes, by name, a whirlpool-incarnate 鈥� in essence, a saltwater-vortex, somehow made flesh. I couldn鈥檛 even begin to imagine how that might be played 鈥� but I hope thatsomeday, someone, somewhere will try.鈥�