Student Question
Does fighting resolve problems in The Shakespeare Stealer?
Quick answer:
Fighting in "The Shakespeare Stealer" generally does not resolve problems effectively, as demonstrated when Nick's attack on Widge fails to achieve its goal. However, fighting does resolve a major issue at the story's end when Mr. Arnim fatally wounds Falconer, who reveals his true identity as Simon Bass. This act inadvertently solves the problem of Bass's attempts to steal Shakespeare's work, as it prevents any further theft attempts from his side.
In the novel, fighting generally does not resolve problems, but there is an example at the end of the story which shows that that sometimes it can be quite useful in this regard.
A good example that illustrates the first point is when Nick and Widge get into a fight over the copy of Hamlet that Nick has just stolen for Falconer, who in actual fact is none other than the small theater owner Simon Bass, the man who originally hired Widge to steal Shakespeare's play.
Nick attacks Widge with a real sword, which Widge then tries to repel with a stage sword used by actors in their productions. In the ensuing fight, Widge is stabbed, but because Nick's sword thrust hits a blood bag, he's uninjured. Although with all fake blood around, Widge is initially scared that he's going to die.
That Nick's use of violence proves to be ineffectual is proved in the following chapter, when Widge and Mr. Arnim are able to locate Falconer, and while Falconer and Mr. Arnim engage in a sword duel—this time only real swords are used—Widge finds the copy of Hamlet in Falconer's saddlebag and takes it. Nick's swordplay, then, was ultimately for nothing.
The fight between Falconer and Mr. Arnim, on the other hand, does resolve a problem. Arnim runs Falconer through with his sword, dealing him a fatal blow. As he is dying, Falconer reveals his true identity as Simon Bass. He also manages to tell everyone that it was his frustration as an underappreciated theater man that led him to become a thief.
Mr. Arnim may not have intended to solve the problem of Bass/Falconer in this way, but there's no avoiding the fact that he has. Due to Arnim's talents as a swordsman, Shakespeare no longer has to worry about Bass sending another one of his minions to the Globe Theatre to try and steal his work. Problem solved.
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