So, does this make Shakespeare an instinctive conservative?

In folk and fairy tales, as we know from Howl's Moving Castle, the eldest sibling is bound to fail first, and worst, leaving the youngest and most despised to collect the glory. In Shakespeare this pattern is repeated rather neatly in the Cap o' Rushes figure of Cordelia, as every fule kno. (Or do they? In Shakespeare's hands Cordelia fails too, and she was the favourite rather than being a Cinderella type.)

There's no denying, though, that Shakespeare prefers elder to younger brothers. Look at his list of younger-brother nasties: Edmund, Claudius, Richard III, Antonio (as in The Tempest) - actual or would-be usurpers all. Add Prince Henry's brother John, who's loyal but in such as way as to congeal the blood, and it's a pretty unappealing bunch. The only bad elder brother I can think of is Oliver in As You Like It, and even he's counterbalanced by Duke Frederick - yet another usurping younger brother, come to think of it.

For the sake of completeness, I should mention loyal Marcus Andronicus - but I've never quite been sure whether he's older or younger than Titus. I'm sure there are others I've forgotten.

So, does this mean that Shakespeare (an eldest brother himself) had some kind of party loyalty to his confreres? Perhaps, but it strikes me as interesting that his sympathies are so often with the primogenetically-advantaged, where folk tale is so often aligned the other way. Admittedly he bought his plots wholesale at St Paul's churchyard, but there were other plots he could have got, were there not - had he so chosen?

So, does this make Shakespeare an instinctive conservative?

In folk and fairy tales, as we know from Howl's Moving Castle, the eldest sibling is bound to fail first, and worst, leaving the youngest and most despised to collect the glory. In Shakespeare this pattern is repeated rather neatly in the Cap o' Rushes figure of Cordelia, as every fule kno. (Or do they? In Shakespeare's hands Cordelia fails too, and she was the favourite rather than being a Cinderella type.)

There's no denying, though, that Shakespeare prefers elder to younger brothers. Look at his list of younger-brother nasties: Edmund, Claudius, Richard III, Antonio (as in The Tempest) - actual or would-be usurpers all. Add Prince Henry's brother John, who's loyal but in such as way as to congeal the blood, and it's a pretty unappealing bunch. The only bad elder brother I can think of is Oliver in As You Like It, and even he's counterbalanced by Duke Frederick - yet another usurping younger brother, come to think of it.

For the sake of completeness, I should mention loyal Marcus Andronicus - but I've never quite been sure whether he's older or younger than Titus. I'm sure there are others I've forgotten.

So, does this mean that Shakespeare (an eldest brother himself) had some kind of party loyalty to his confreres? Perhaps, but it strikes me as interesting that his sympathies are so often with the primogenetically-advantaged, where folk tale is so often aligned the other way. Admittedly he bought his plots wholesale at St Paul's churchyard, but there were other plots he could have got, were there not - had he so chosen?

Blurbs that never were

Okay, I admit it's hard to see it holding the stage at the Globe, but one can dream.

The Tragedy of Claudius, Prince of Denmark

Since raw youth hath young Claudius been mocked full sore by his contumelious elder brother, the Prince Hamlet, for his honest love of Rhenish and his "Handles of Cupid". He hath borne all patiently, even the loss of his true love Gertrude (“I take her from you merely for that I can, Claudikins”). Once crowned King, Hamlet maketh his brother the butt of all the court, and feedeth jests to Yorick at all occasions. Even Claudius’ nephew, the king’s son, is taught to lisp: “Behold the lardy prince!”

At the last, visiting an apothecary for a cure against the gout, Claudius spieth a bottle with the words “Ear Poison.” Might this be the answer to his orisons...?

Blurbs that never were

Okay, I admit it's hard to see it holding the stage at the Globe, but one can dream.

The Tragedy of Claudius, Prince of Denmark

Since raw youth hath young Claudius been mocked full sore by his contumelious elder brother, the Prince Hamlet, for his honest love of Rhenish and his "Handles of Cupid". He hath borne all patiently, even the loss of his true love Gertrude (“I take her from you merely for that I can, Claudikins”). Once crowned King, Hamlet maketh his brother the butt of all the court, and feedeth jests to Yorick at all occasions. Even Claudius’ nephew, the king’s son, is taught to lisp: “Behold the lardy prince!”

At the last, visiting an apothecary for a cure against the gout, Claudius spieth a bottle with the words “Ear Poison.” Might this be the answer to his orisons...?