Convening a Dialogue: a Shakespearean Proposal

To the Editor:

Tony Proscio’s opinion article on garbled messages (“Doing Good by Rejecting Gibberish,” January 10) puts me in mind of a proposal we once received. It said: “It is proposed that a nationwide dialogue be convened among the constituency of public agencies and public and private interests to define, examine, and suggest ways to reconcile wildlife conservation and economic development. Regional dialogue groups will structure discussions . . . ,” etc., etc.

How, I wonder, does one convene a dialogue? It must be a concept in a lost Shakespearean play.

The (unfinished) Tragedy of King Richard I, the Lion Heart

Act II. Scene: The Holy Land

THE KING:
With Acre won, fair Philip to France returns this day.
Now needs we convene a dialogue with mighty Saladin
Lest good Christian men must ever fear to tread
Jerusalem’s holy thoroughfares and die by Mohammedan sword.
Perchance, Raymond of Tripoli and good King Leopold
Will gather well, in regional dialogue groups and reconcile the infidel.
Thus done, then will I home to Berengaria.

(But before he got back to Queen Berengaria, of course, Richard I was captured by an angry Leopold and held for ransom. His two skillful administrator/lieutenants in England, Hubert Walter and William of Longchamp, succeeded in paying the ransom off, somewhat.)

Act III Scene: The Dungeon of Leopold’s castle. (Drip. Drip.) Enter Halfstaff, a messenger.

HALFSTAFF:
What ho, Occupant?
The King (dripping suitably fetid water):
??

HALFSTAFF:
Good news, my noble king. Hubert Walter,
In face of danger and revolt, has artfully facilitated
a collaborative planning effort with William of Longchamp.
Together, this day they bring to Leopold the full and golden fruit
Of their articulated funding framework. In this they gainsay
Those issue-focused comment groups who stood with a foot in every camp.

THE KING (still dripping):
Say wha?

HALFSTAFF:
Sire, glorious England is now well infrastructuralized
To operationalize your kingly value. Your loyal citizens
Joyfully anticipate a readily tangible outcome measure.
Maximize your output, noble King, and resume your homeward
journey.

THE KING:
Nah, I’ll stay here.

Patrick de Freitas
Program Director
Laird Norton Endowment Foundation
Seattle