Dr Who - 57 Academics?

[Cathy]

On Dr Who last Saturday the doctor says something about 57 academics are punching the air. This went completely over my head, can anyone explain it for me please?

[LeMarchand]

Shakespeare: So tell me of Freedonia, where women can be doctors, writers, actors?
Martha: This country's ruled by a woman.
Shakespeare: Ah, she's royal, that's God's business -- though you are a royal beauty.
Martha: Whoa, nelly! I know for a fact you've got a wife in the country.
Shakespeare: But, Martha, this is town.
The Doctor: (hurrying them on) Come on, we can all have a good flirt later!
Shakespeare: Is that a promise, Doctor?
The Doctor: (sigh) 57 academics just punched the air. Now MOVE!

As Shakespeare was including the Doctor in the possible future flirtfest, the implication is that a small number of academics believe Shakespeare was gay (or at least bisexual).

[LeMarchand]

...(and would be ecstatic to hear the above exchange as it would seem to vindicate their theory).

[jenstar]

It seems to be a reference to Shakey's Sonnet 57, which has fairly obvious homoerotic connotations.

[mightywease]

Shakespeare wrore a number of sonnets which have references to or concern a young man and also a number to the 'Dark Lady' - which in the episode equated to Martha. The young man may also be another poet and a rival for the dark lady's attention.

Some academics feel that as many of the sonnets to the young man are very loving in nature this may indicate that Shakespeare was in love with the young man, possibly in a physical as well as plutonic sense i.e that he was homosexual or bi-sexual.

No one, of course, really knows but it is true that his love for both the boy and the dark lady did produce some cracking love poetry!

Interestingly the sonnet he quoted to Martha "Shall I compare thee to a Summer's Day" (No. 18) comes from the section of sonnets generally ascribed to the young man.

[said_khan]

So Shakespeare may have been in love with a young man in a plutonic sense? I know Dr Who travels in time and space but couldn't he have found the Bard someone nearer to Stratford upon Avon? I think you mean platonic.