Read sonnet 57 by Shakespeare. Lots of people argue that in it Shakespeare declares his love for a man (more than the fact that, you know, half of them were dedicated to a man). So when the Doctor says '57 academics just punched the air' he means historians who believe that Shakespeare was gay or bisexual from studying this prom just got proved right. Hope that helps :-).
Hallie Hurst And there are/were 57 academics who had (at the time this was broadcast) published books, papers etc referring to or about Shakespeare's sexuality.
I don't want to appear contradictory but do you have any sources for this? I'm genuinely interested as that's a very exact number. Or is this referring to academic papers published on the subject?
Short answer: It's a fairly common theory that Shakespeare was bisexual. So when he was looking flirtatiously at the Doctor right after hitting on Martha, that theory would certainly seem to be confirmed. Which would obviously please all the academics who have been arguing for that theory for years.
I just finished reading the sonnets, and I do mean all of them. The first 126 were directed to a young man referred to as fair youth, including the famous sonnet 18. While most don't directly mention gender, some, like sonnet 108's "sweet boy" and sonnet 126's "my lovely boy," clearly state that the object of his affections is a young man. While one could possibly argue that that the love Shakespeare showed was of a purely platonic nature, I am of the opinion that there were at the very least romantic feelings involved even if the relationship was not necessarily sexual. One does not write 126 love sonnets to someone you have purely platonic feelings for, and then write only 28 to a woman who you clearly have sexual relations with. In addition those sonnets written to the dark lady are far less romantic than those written to fair youth. I read them as an I love you but don't particularly like you, and indeed he flat out calls her ugly and a liar. Make of that what you will.
+Rebecca Teitelbaum The Dark Lady sonnets are more about him calling her a whore and a liar. I don't think he called her ugly-although he may have said about her ugliness on the inside. Cause many times he compliments her looks and even something along the lines of how she is beautiful on the outside but just as ugly on the inside as she is beautiful on the outside. I think it's interesting that Shakespeare's Dark Lady sonnets made Martha seem like Alison Dilaurentis in these sonnets. That she plays with peoples emotions and affections as if its a game and that she uses people like toys. Make of that what you will. It certainly gives a new and interesting perspective of Martha. It was odd how she said she loved the Doctor far too quickly and then dismissed him just as easily and moved on. I'm not saying anything against her. She is my favorite companion and I wouldn't believe that she actually did play with men as if they were her toys, but if I put my love for her on hold for a second and stretch my imagination, yes I could see it Shakespeares/the DW writers way, but the thing is-they would have had a longer relationship or maybe the Doctor kept in touch with Shakespeare and told him of how Martha had various guys[Frank, Tom, Riley, Jack, ext...] over their travels together and yet claimed to love the Doctor and be devoted to him. Maybe Shakespeare took it the wrong way and out of love for the Doctor started to hate Martha for dismissing him[claiming to love him when she was off with these other guys] or maybe he knows more than we do. I'm overthinking this. Just trying to keep the story consistent.... It is an interesting take on Martha though. Just because Shakespeare saw her this way, doesn't mean that it is true. But that was basically the Dark Lady sonnets of what I remember of them. They start out nice and loving but as it progresses it's all about how she is a whore and sleeps with different men seeking affection and attention. How his isn't enough for her. That she is cruel and manipulative and uses people like toys. Interesting to see how characters that started out loving towards Martha later perceive her as a cruel, heartless bitch that just uses people/lies to them telling them she loves them.
I plan to read them all at some point, in order, but I have read a few of them including some of the last 28. Definitely seems to be a huge difference lol
Most of Shakespeare's sonnets were actually written to a man, including classics like "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day". Shakey goes on and on about how beautiful, fair, and all-around magnificent this one young man is. If Shakespeare WASN'T gay or bisexual, he would at the very least have to have had the world's biggest man-crush.
I’m currently watching Doctor Who for the first time, and just finished the Shakespeare Code. When The Doctor said “Oh, 57 academics just punched the air” I a laughed so hard it hurt. That was amazing. Also, Martha is the “Dark Lady” of Shakespeare’s sonnets. Does that make the Doctor the “Fair Youth”?
Yeah, exactly. In that movie, Shakespare in Love, they give it for granted too, that he was bisexual. I like to think of him in that way too XD. And I liked how they say in this episode he was very inteligent. People use to tell about the beauty of the things he wrote, but for some of that writting, like Hamlet's soliloques, there has to be very inteligent too, not only aesthetically proficient....
except he was saying it jokingly, and while I get where you're coming from I don't think he was addressing the audience when he made that line, he was basically just talking loudly to himself
There are at least 57 academics worldwide that think Shakespeare was either gay or bi. The Doctor is referring to the fact that their theory has just been proven and that he, the Doctor, and Martha, were the ones to witness it. I honestly am NOT going to judge. Shakespeare was the greatest writer of his time and I have no opinions about his sexual preference. I say date and marry whoever you want, as long as it's legal.
he JUST lost Rose. He's going through what is known as heart ache. By the time he is ready to love again, he is creepy as Eleven, offering to take a child away with him in the middle of the night (Amelia) while her parents sleep. Thank goodness the ship malfunctioned. Then again, Doctor Who IS on the BBC. The channel known to have paedophiles that abuse kids. Sir Cliff Richard, Phillip Schofield, Jimmy Saville.
@@AzguardMikeAmelia/Amy didn't have parents and she was left home alone by her aunt who is clearly neglectful, that was the timeline they were in when the 11th hour happened and THEN later on time reseted and Amy gained parents, 11 just wanted to take brave little Amelia to a bit of hopefully harmless adventuring and probably felt bad that she was left alone obviously frequently by her only family, he wasnt trying to be weird, infact later on when they reunite and travel together when Amy is an adult he rejected HER romantic/sexual advances during their adventures multiple times because he only saw her as a friend AND she had a bf/fiancee at home. how did you even interpret it like that???
I'm by no means an expert on the matter, so forgive me if I get something wrong, but there's speculation that in Sonnet 57 Shakespeare was expressing love for another man. That is what The Doctor's referencing.
Jack is omnisexual. There's a comment on UA-cam somewhere along the lines of, "If you're a guy and you like guys, you're gay. If you're a guy and you like Jack, you're human." I'm not sure the Doctor even has any concept of gay or straight. Or is that just Eleven?
I doubt aliens have the same definitions for sexuality humans do. He most definitely knows what human sexualities are but I don't think they apply to him.
well... I think he can go both ways. Jack kissed 9th and he didn't complain about it, and a lot of women hit on him (the Doctor) and he gets all touchy... Besides, if you consider that it is possible for him to regenerate into a woman (may the heavens never let it happen!), he's kinda like both men and woman. Even more: the Doctor is a Time Lord, an alien, so when he stays with humans he's kind of doing the same Jack does (omnisexuality, I mean) isn't he?
By nature I would imagine that the Time Lords are gender fluid and pan sexual. Though perhaps their orientation changes with regeneration? I don't believe they have to reproduce sexually anymore so a romance would be purely for pleasure.
I don't think you really have to be gay to write about how beautiful and fair and all the rest that a man can be. I'm not denying that he's gay, not at all. I'm just saying.
As a line in a show it's great, but in-universe it doesn't make sense: why would the Doctor say that? How would those 57 academics find out about this conversation? Why would they punch the air at that exact moment? It only works if the Doctor somehow knows there's an audience (of 57 academics) watching... So does this count as breaking the fourth wall?
viridismonasteriense maybe those academics didn't exist yet. They suspected S was gay, the Doctor knew, traveled back in time and realises they will be right.
It's not 57 academics as in the number of academics, it's '57 academics as in academics who studied Shakespeare's Sonnet 57. It is one of the ones with the strongest evidence to suggest that Shakespeare was bisexual. The Doctor is basically saying, "ah so Shakespeare *is* bi".
You're defining it by calling it sexual lol. It's not possible to label without labeling something you don't want labeled. I think people are sort of over-thinking this instead of enjoying the scene for what it was, as if they're trying to validate something lol
Read sonnet 57 by Shakespeare. Lots of people argue that in it Shakespeare declares his love for a man (more than the fact that, you know, half of them were dedicated to a man). So when the Doctor says '57 academics just punched the air' he means historians who believe that Shakespeare was gay or bisexual from studying this prom just got proved right. Hope that helps :-).
*poem
Hallie Hurst And there are/were 57 academics who had (at the time this was broadcast) published books, papers etc referring to or about Shakespeare's sexuality.
I don't want to appear contradictory but do you have any sources for this? I'm genuinely interested as that's a very exact number. Or is this referring to academic papers published on the subject?
More than half of his sonnets actually are probably bisexual 😄
@@halliehurst4847 there are a buttload of academic papers on this, waaaaaaaay more than 57 academics or 507.
The Doctor sounds like he just lost a massive bet with 57 academics
Or won a bet 😂
Yeah that is a look of "They were right? Great now I owe them money"
that pause 10 does right before he starts talking? absolute bisexual panic 10/10 can relate
I can't blame Shakespeare. Who doesn't want to sleep with the Doctor?
Donna Noble, She doesn't seem like the type to sleep with strangers.
Yeah, well, she established that early on.
She ain’t having any of that business sunshine
I know i do. Especially 10
Queen Elizabeth
I loved david's face when shakespeare said "is that a promise doctor?"
Shakespeare is the Jack Harkness of the past
Short answer:
It's a fairly common theory that Shakespeare was bisexual. So when he was looking flirtatiously at the Doctor right after hitting on Martha, that theory would certainly seem to be confirmed.
Which would obviously please all the academics who have been arguing for that theory for years.
"57 academics just punched the air!" I love that line! XD
The smug look on Shakespeares face when he realised he made the doctor who seems very closed of speechless for a couple of seconds by flirting
"Oh great, Captain Jack 2.0"
Or does that make Jack ‘William 2.0’?
Thank god Jack Harkness wasn’t on this trip. He’s have bedded Shakespeare within a day.
So true 😂
i researched that line; its about Shakespeare's Sonnet 57. i read the sonnet, and it kinda sounds like he's talking about the doctor...
it totally does
It's got so many mentions of 'time' and 'clocks'. In this episode, Shakespeare works out that the Doctor is a time traveler. Really cool detail.
I just finished reading the sonnets, and I do mean all of them. The first 126 were directed to a young man referred to as fair youth, including the famous sonnet 18. While most don't directly mention gender, some, like sonnet 108's "sweet boy" and sonnet 126's "my lovely boy," clearly state that the object of his affections is a young man. While one could possibly argue that that the love Shakespeare showed was of a purely platonic nature, I am of the opinion that there were at the very least romantic feelings involved even if the relationship was not necessarily sexual. One does not write 126 love sonnets to someone you have purely platonic feelings for, and then write only 28 to a woman who you clearly have sexual relations with. In addition those sonnets written to the dark lady are far less romantic than those written to fair youth. I read them as an I love you but don't particularly like you, and indeed he flat out calls her ugly and a liar. Make of that what you will.
+Rebecca Teitelbaum The Dark Lady sonnets are more about him calling her a whore and a liar. I don't think he called her ugly-although he may have said about her ugliness on the inside. Cause many times he compliments her looks and even something along the lines of how she is beautiful on the outside but just as ugly on the inside as she is beautiful on the outside. I think it's interesting that Shakespeare's Dark Lady sonnets made Martha seem like Alison Dilaurentis in these sonnets. That she plays with peoples emotions and affections as if its a game and that she uses people like toys. Make of that what you will. It certainly gives a new and interesting perspective of Martha. It was odd how she said she loved the Doctor far too quickly and then dismissed him just as easily and moved on. I'm not saying anything against her. She is my favorite companion and I wouldn't believe that she actually did play with men as if they were her toys, but if I put my love for her on hold for a second and stretch my imagination, yes I could see it Shakespeares/the DW writers way, but the thing is-they would have had a longer relationship or maybe the Doctor kept in touch with Shakespeare and told him of how Martha had various guys[Frank, Tom, Riley, Jack, ext...] over their travels together and yet claimed to love the Doctor and be devoted to him. Maybe Shakespeare took it the wrong way and out of love for the Doctor started to hate Martha for dismissing him[claiming to love him when she was off with these other guys] or maybe he knows more than we do. I'm overthinking this. Just trying to keep the story consistent.... It is an interesting take on Martha though. Just because Shakespeare saw her this way, doesn't mean that it is true. But that was basically the Dark Lady sonnets of what I remember of them. They start out nice and loving but as it progresses it's all about how she is a whore and sleeps with different men seeking affection and attention. How his isn't enough for her. That she is cruel and manipulative and uses people like toys. Interesting to see how characters that started out loving towards Martha later perceive her as a cruel, heartless bitch that just uses people/lies to them telling them she loves them.
+Rebecca Teitelbaum PLEASE tell this to my english teacher.
So if Martha is the Dark Lady, does that make the Doctor the Fair Youth?
I plan to read them all at some point, in order, but I have read a few of them including some of the last 28. Definitely seems to be a huge difference lol
Most of Shakespeare's sonnets were actually written to a man, including classics like "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day". Shakey goes on and on about how beautiful, fair, and all-around magnificent this one young man is.
If Shakespeare WASN'T gay or bisexual, he would at the very least have to have had the world's biggest man-crush.
He wrote 126 sonnets to the guy. That would have to be one *hell* of a man-crush.
The academics joke is bc some people think Shakespeare was bisexual so by flirting with the doctor he confirmed it
This joke flew right over my head when i was a kid 😅
I’m currently watching Doctor Who for the first time, and just finished the Shakespeare Code. When The Doctor said “Oh, 57 academics just punched the air” I a laughed so hard it hurt. That was amazing.
Also, Martha is the “Dark Lady” of Shakespeare’s sonnets. Does that make the Doctor the “Fair Youth”?
i always thought the rude sonnet was gonna be aimed at Martha. "If hair be wires, then black wires be her hair." Since she has thick black hair.
SHAKESPEARE WAS BISEXUAL CONFIRMED
Did a little research. 57 doesn't refer to the number of academics; it refers to the academics who studied Shakespeare's 57th sonnet.
Yeah, exactly. In that movie, Shakespare in Love, they give it for granted too, that he was bisexual. I like to think of him in that way too XD. And I liked how they say in this episode he was very inteligent. People use to tell about the beauty of the things he wrote, but for some of that writting, like Hamlet's soliloques, there has to be very inteligent too, not only aesthetically proficient....
Ohhh... 57 academics just punched the air...
My dad is one of those academics.
The image of an angel becomes itself an angel!
At 0:01 I can definitely see why Shakespeare was attracted to Martha!
William Shakespeare: the Captain Jack of his time?
It kind of does break the fourth wall. Unless the doctor plans on telling people about it, which he wouldn't.
propogandalf how does it break the fourth wall? O.o
except he was saying it jokingly, and while I get where you're coming from I don't think he was addressing the audience when he made that line, he was basically just talking loudly to himself
*sigh* 57 academics just punched the air.
There are at least 57 academics worldwide that think Shakespeare was either gay or bi. The Doctor is referring to the fact that their theory has just been proven and that he, the Doctor, and Martha, were the ones to witness it.
I honestly am NOT going to judge. Shakespeare was the greatest writer of his time and I have no opinions about his sexual preference. I say date and marry whoever you want, as long as it's legal.
Also, the number 57 comes from Shakespeare’s Sonnet 57, which is the source of a good deal of the speculation.
This show has so many "best lines"!
He was, when the doctor said that, but the line "is that a promise doctor?" was adressed to him, I think.
I think because...like historians debate weather Shakespeare was gay or bisexual or whatnot
Why couldn't Ten see what everybody else (including Shakespeare no less) could see ... Martha is just so fine!
he JUST lost Rose. He's going through what is known as heart ache. By the time he is ready to love again, he is creepy as Eleven, offering to take a child away with him in the middle of the night (Amelia) while her parents sleep. Thank goodness the ship malfunctioned. Then again, Doctor Who IS on the BBC. The channel known to have paedophiles that abuse kids. Sir Cliff Richard, Phillip Schofield, Jimmy Saville.
@@AzguardMikeAmelia/Amy didn't have parents and she was left home alone by her aunt who is clearly neglectful, that was the timeline they were in when the 11th hour happened and THEN later on time reseted and Amy gained parents, 11 just wanted to take brave little Amelia to a bit of hopefully harmless adventuring and probably felt bad that she was left alone obviously frequently by her only family, he wasnt trying to be weird, infact later on when they reunite and travel together when Amy is an adult he rejected HER romantic/sexual advances during their adventures multiple times because he only saw her as a friend AND she had a bf/fiancee at home. how did you even interpret it like that???
I'm by no means an expert on the matter, so forgive me if I get something wrong, but there's speculation that in Sonnet 57 Shakespeare was expressing love for another man. That is what The Doctor's referencing.
either that or he is referencing the very small ammount of people who believed shakespeare was gay
@1Lanavis1 I like that term "Jacksexual." No other word has quite the same... scope!
For those of you that didn't make the connection: sonnet 57.
Doesn't surprise me. Most actors and playwrights at the time were bisexual after all ^.^
Jack is omnisexual. There's a comment on UA-cam somewhere along the lines of,
"If you're a guy and you like guys, you're gay.
If you're a guy and you like Jack, you're human."
I'm not sure the Doctor even has any concept of gay or straight. Or is that just Eleven?
I doubt aliens have the same definitions for sexuality humans do. He most definitely knows what human sexualities are but I don't think they apply to him.
Many scholars believe him to be bi. In fact, in his most famous sonnet, "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day" is talking about his gay crush.
Ooooh god I was just thinking that!!
Ha. I totally never caught that before.
My Shakespeare professor as well :).
I just made the fifty-seventh academic!
@TristanFear This was kind of the point. One love, one unrequited love, one best friend.
Read Shakespeare's Sonnet 57.
@joellen818 Hrmm... seems 34 of us haven't found the internet. How sad.
"57 academics just punched the air."
I cannot for the life of me figure out what that means
They were the ones who suspected him of homosexuality/bisexuality.
Academics who study Sonnet 57. " '57 academics just punched the air
Ever wonder why the weeping angels turn to stone when the audience is watching them even though the cast isn't keeping an eye on them?
He miscounted because honestly everytheatre major did and there's more than 57 of them.
@nytephoenix25 It's like hitting on Jack. You're not gay, just Jacksexual. In this case, it's just Doctorsexual
Yeah, i really wonder what it would be like with the current Doctor and Jack together lol
well... I think he can go both ways. Jack kissed 9th and he didn't complain about it, and a lot of women hit on him (the Doctor) and he gets all touchy...
Besides, if you consider that it is possible for him to regenerate into a woman (may the heavens never let it happen!), he's kinda like both men and woman. Even more: the Doctor is a Time Lord, an alien, so when he stays with humans he's kind of doing the same Jack does (omnisexuality, I mean) isn't he?
Greetings from 2018. The Doctor is a woman, how do you feel now?
By nature I would imagine that the Time Lords are gender fluid and pan sexual. Though perhaps their orientation changes with regeneration? I don't believe they have to reproduce sexually anymore so a romance would be purely for pleasure.
58!
Probably just Eleven... -_-
Hahahahaha
Or maybe he was just messing with him?
And did he watch the episode? I'd like to know his opinion *lol*!!
bisexuality was more common back then
I think hitting on Jack just means you're sexual. No definition needed.
Well he's not human so that's not techicaly homosexual
I don't think you really have to be gay to write about how beautiful and fair and all the rest that a man can be. I'm not denying that he's gay, not at all. I'm just saying.
i don not understand. can you explain?
i dont get it.. acedemics?
As a line in a show it's great, but in-universe it doesn't make sense: why would the Doctor say that? How would those 57 academics find out about this conversation? Why would they punch the air at that exact moment? It only works if the Doctor somehow knows there's an audience (of 57 academics) watching...
So does this count as breaking the fourth wall?
viridismonasteriense maybe those academics didn't exist yet. They suspected S was gay, the Doctor knew, traveled back in time and realises they will be right.
It's called "figure of speech"... can't take everything literally ;)
It's not 57 academics as in the number of academics, it's '57 academics as in academics who studied Shakespeare's Sonnet 57. It is one of the ones with the strongest evidence to suggest that Shakespeare was bisexual. The Doctor is basically saying, "ah so Shakespeare *is* bi".
I'm really sorry, I don't get the "57 academics"-joke. Can someone tell. Please!
Sooo 57 academics thought that Shakespeare was a homosexual?
sc 07 fa 😁
Ok I get that the 57 academics joke is suppose to be really funny, buy I honestly don't get it.
You're defining it by calling it sexual lol. It's not possible to label without labeling something you don't want labeled.
I think people are sort of over-thinking this instead of enjoying the scene for what it was, as if they're trying to validate something lol
i dont think he is gay XD but no one male or female can resist the doctor! lol x
I think he might be flirting with Martha