No, seriously. Tumblr can't seem to get enough of that Danish angst.
XD
I mean... yeah.
Burn! Oh, wait.
I prefer this version immensely.
Well that'll do it for this round of tumblr stuffs! I do hope you have a lovely time.
Monday, December 14, 2015
Hamlet, what would you make of this Tumblr sitch?
Here we are again and it's Tumblr day. Is it your favorite day? It is not mine, but I do like it plenty. Today, let's do only Hamlet ones, because everybody loves them some Hamlet.
No, seriously. Tumblr can't seem to get enough of that Danish angst.
No, seriously. Tumblr can't seem to get enough of that Danish angst.
Thursday, December 10, 2015
The Madness and the Sadness of King Lear
Good day, y'all. This one's going to be about my feelings regarding King Lear, and thus, it's going to be all over the place. I'm just going to get that out up front. So let's dive right on in, shall we?
I'd like to share one of my favorite quotes from King Lear. There are many great quotes to be found, and so many speak to me on a human level. But the one that chokes me up unfailingly (I am not singular in this), is what Lear says as he cradles the lifeless body of the only daughter who loved him. These are the final words the mad king speaks before perishing, as his poor heart finally gives out from great sadness.
And my poor fool is hang'd! No, no, no life!
Why should a dog, a horse, a rat, have life,
And thou no breath at all? Thou'lt come no more,
Never, never, never, never, never!
Pray you, undo this button: thank you, sir.
Do you see this? Look on her, look, her lips,
Look there, look there!
Dies
(Act V, Scene iii, 304-309)
"Why should a dog, a horse, a rat, have life,/ And thou no breath at all?" is possibly the most poignant example of grief humanity can express. The great "Why" of it all. I once heard a quote along the lines of, "Humans are the only animal to cry, for they alone comprehend the difference between what is, and what might have been." I cannot remember where it came from, but it comes to mind every time I read or hear Lear's final monologue.
Moreover, Cordelia held the purity and great promise of redemption in her. The play could have been righted with her return, but it is not meant to be. Hope dies with her, for Lear. It is more than just the sharp knife of the youthful dead. It's suddenness sends the hopeful momentum the play had been gathering into a downward spiral. For me, the final loss of hope in this scene is what makes King Lear the great tragedy its known to be. The moment never fails to move me.
I also love hearing different actors' interpretation of Lear's five nevers - "Thou'lt come no more,/ Never, never, never, never, never." In such plays of great eloquence, it is, for me, the moments of ineloquence that say so much about the characters. Hamlet has his famous four "O"s before he dies. Othello falls into repetitive ramblings before fainting... The men of great monologues have these delightfully poignant moments where their speech fails them at a critical time. And Lear's five nevers fall like blows of a hammer, sealing Cordelia's fate and Lear's own hopelessness.
Then of course, there's the idea that Lear thinks he sees her breathing as he dies. "Do you see this? Look on her, look her lips,/ Look there, look there!" What a great touch to add - the mad Lear is certainly hallucinating once more, but perhaps his final breath is one filled with hope, rather than despair.
I could go on and on, but my point is probably something like this: the final scene of King Lear is so devoid of joy that hardly any remember what comes after Lear's death. The old king's heart just gives out. That is how this story ends itself - not with murder, but with hopelessness.
In a play filled to the brim with battles, storms and betrayals - described as too large for the stage upon which it must be performed - the end comes not with a bang, but with a whimper.
I'd like to share one of my favorite quotes from King Lear. There are many great quotes to be found, and so many speak to me on a human level. But the one that chokes me up unfailingly (I am not singular in this), is what Lear says as he cradles the lifeless body of the only daughter who loved him. These are the final words the mad king speaks before perishing, as his poor heart finally gives out from great sadness.
And my poor fool is hang'd! No, no, no life!
Why should a dog, a horse, a rat, have life,
And thou no breath at all? Thou'lt come no more,
Never, never, never, never, never!
Pray you, undo this button: thank you, sir.
Do you see this? Look on her, look, her lips,
Look there, look there!
Dies
(Act V, Scene iii, 304-309)
"Why should a dog, a horse, a rat, have life,/ And thou no breath at all?" is possibly the most poignant example of grief humanity can express. The great "Why" of it all. I once heard a quote along the lines of, "Humans are the only animal to cry, for they alone comprehend the difference between what is, and what might have been." I cannot remember where it came from, but it comes to mind every time I read or hear Lear's final monologue.
Moreover, Cordelia held the purity and great promise of redemption in her. The play could have been righted with her return, but it is not meant to be. Hope dies with her, for Lear. It is more than just the sharp knife of the youthful dead. It's suddenness sends the hopeful momentum the play had been gathering into a downward spiral. For me, the final loss of hope in this scene is what makes King Lear the great tragedy its known to be. The moment never fails to move me.
I also love hearing different actors' interpretation of Lear's five nevers - "Thou'lt come no more,/ Never, never, never, never, never." In such plays of great eloquence, it is, for me, the moments of ineloquence that say so much about the characters. Hamlet has his famous four "O"s before he dies. Othello falls into repetitive ramblings before fainting... The men of great monologues have these delightfully poignant moments where their speech fails them at a critical time. And Lear's five nevers fall like blows of a hammer, sealing Cordelia's fate and Lear's own hopelessness.
Then of course, there's the idea that Lear thinks he sees her breathing as he dies. "Do you see this? Look on her, look her lips,/ Look there, look there!" What a great touch to add - the mad Lear is certainly hallucinating once more, but perhaps his final breath is one filled with hope, rather than despair.
I could go on and on, but my point is probably something like this: the final scene of King Lear is so devoid of joy that hardly any remember what comes after Lear's death. The old king's heart just gives out. That is how this story ends itself - not with murder, but with hopelessness.
In a play filled to the brim with battles, storms and betrayals - described as too large for the stage upon which it must be performed - the end comes not with a bang, but with a whimper.
 |
| Performance in Theatre for a New Audience in Brooklyn. Michael Pennington as Lear, Lilly Englert as Cordelia |
Monday, December 7, 2015
Moar Tumblr
Good day to you all! I am back now (orly?) to share more tumblr posts with you. Perhaps you are thinking that rather than follow a blog that's so spotty on updates, you'd rather just go to tumblr and subscribe to such things as these yourself. Well FINE! I have no right to be butt hurt about that, but I cannot promise I won't be.
This is a bit dark. Maybe I shouldn't have lead it with. NO! NO LOOKING BACK! So anyway, in case it was unclear, or you're unfamiliar with Hamlet (and yet still here?! I love you madly for that.), Horatio is the only person left alive at the end of this play.
These are both references to the same Inappropriate Audition Songs meme of people using songs that hit a little too close to home while auditioning for a certain part in a play.
Re-appropriation of the same quote from The Office
TRUTH.
I am just saying this list is legit.
Hugs and kisses, erebody!
Thursday, December 3, 2015
I Don't Care if You Think it's Corny
I am not ashamed of myself!
Okay, maybe just a little. This was sent to me by an old professor, and I just can't get enough of it.
Yeeepp... I did it again. Also from said professor. He was not ashamed and so neither am I!*
*What I am ashamed of is my absence. Perhaps these posts will start rolling in now? Mmm, we'll see. I am a terrible liar at the best of times.
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Did you Miss Me?
Guys.
Guys.
I am sorry it had been so long. But I am pretty sure this will make up for it.
Guys.
I am sorry it had been so long. But I am pretty sure this will make up for it.
Dost thou event hoist?! Cometh at me, brethren.
Master of literature and guns, baby!
Updates will start being more regular. This I vow!
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Nothing Much to Do
If you enjoy Much Ado About Nothing nearly as much as I do, you should check out this super awesome YouTube series called "Nothing Much to Do." It's based off of the plot of Much Ado and is told is the incredibly modern medium of the video blog (Vlog if you're nasty). You can see a trailer for it below.
I do adore this play. Who doesn't love a good story of haters becoming lovers? And they are SO good with their verbal sparring. Case in point:
Benedick
What, my dear Lady Disdain! Are you yet living?
Beatrice
Is it possible disdain should die while she hath such meat
food to feed it as Signor Benedick? Courtesy itself must
convert to disdain if you come in her presence.
You say that now, fair lady...
Also, can I just share with those unaware (a rhyme, yay!) that the title, Much Ado About Nothing is a triple entente.
- Firstly, because the plot of the play is based upon misunderstandings and false accusations that turn out to be nothing.
- Secondly, because in early modern England, "nothing" was a slang term for a woman's genitals (being that a man's was a "thing" therefore a woman's was "no-thing").
- Thirdly, because in those days, "nothing" was a homophone of "noting," (which means they were pronounced the same way). This plays upon the fact that the play contains plenty of people overhearing others' sayings and doings.
Aaaand Shakespeare drops the mic.
I do adore this play. Who doesn't love a good story of haters becoming lovers? And they are SO good with their verbal sparring. Case in point:
Benedick
What, my dear Lady Disdain! Are you yet living?
Beatrice
Is it possible disdain should die while she hath such meat
food to feed it as Signor Benedick? Courtesy itself must
convert to disdain if you come in her presence.
You say that now, fair lady...
* * *
Also, can I just share with those unaware (a rhyme, yay!) that the title, Much Ado About Nothing is a triple entente.
- Firstly, because the plot of the play is based upon misunderstandings and false accusations that turn out to be nothing.
- Secondly, because in early modern England, "nothing" was a slang term for a woman's genitals (being that a man's was a "thing" therefore a woman's was "no-thing").
- Thirdly, because in those days, "nothing" was a homophone of "noting," (which means they were pronounced the same way). This plays upon the fact that the play contains plenty of people overhearing others' sayings and doings.
Aaaand Shakespeare drops the mic.
Friday, February 13, 2015
The Play's the Thing
Are any of you peeps out there from the NC area? If so, have I got great news for you!
There are so many Shakespeare productions in the Triangle this Spring! I'll share a few upcoming with you:
There are so many Shakespeare productions in the Triangle this Spring! I'll share a few upcoming with you:
Romeo and Juliet at Burning Coal Theatre in Raleigh. I saw this one and it was phenomenal. They aren't afraid to make the play less serious in its romantic endeavors, and Romeo and Juliet act like giddy, fools in love, rather than the extra-serious and overly dramatic renditions that come across nowadays as a bit archaic. Plainly put, Juliet acts like an infatuated teenage girl and Romeo acts like a man in love with being in love - and bounds across the stage with the joy of it. It's crucial for there to be a solid comic in Mercutio, and this one certainly has one. I highly recommend - though the run is almost over. Don't wait!
Much Ado About Nothing at Raleigh Little Theatre.
This is one of my favorite plays - who could keep from loving Beatrice and Benedick? No one, that's who. This show opened last night and I already have my tickets. Check out their showtimes to see if you're interested in a Much Ado version set in post-WWII America. I know I am!
The Tempest at Titmus Theatre at Thompson Hall - NC State University.
2/27/2015 ONLY
2/27/2015 ONLY
New York’s acclaimed Aquila Theatre - the foremost producer of touring classical theatre in the United States – returns to NC State with two new productions of classic works. "The Tempest" is Shakespeare’s famous tale of forgiveness and enlightenment. Believed to be his final play, it is imbued with magic, the supernatural, and a heightened sense of theatricality. DO NOT MISS THIS.
A Midsummer Night's Dream at Raleigh Little Theatre in the Rose Garden
Mischievous sprites, lost lovers, and bumbling rustics cross paths in a magical night under the towering trees, fairy ferns, and blooming roses of the Raleigh Rose Garden. Bring your chairs, picnics, and the whole family for this fanciful 90 minute evening of Fun! Can you imagine how fun it will be to see this story told with actual woods surrounding it?
Equivocation. n.
1. the use of ambiguous expressions, especially in order to mislead or hedge
2. Logic. a fallacy caused by the double meaning of a word.
England, 1605: A terrorist plot to assassinate King James I and blow Parliament to kingdom come with 36 barrels of devilish gunpowder!
Shagspeare (after a contemporary spelling of the Bard’s name) is commissioned by Robert Cecil, the prime minister, to write the “true historie” of the plot. And it must have witches! The King wants witches! But as Shag and the acting company of the Globe, under the direction of the great Richard Burbage, investigate the plot, they discover that the King’s version of the story might, in fact, be a cover-up.
Shag and his actors are confronted with the ultimate moral and artistic dilemma. Speak truth to power—and perhaps lose their heads? Or take the money and lie? Is there a third option—equivocation?
There are more coming up later in the spring, including Macbeth and Measure for Measure, but there isn't as much info about them as of yet. Perhaps I'll have to do another extra post about them then!
Thursday, February 12, 2015
Valentine's Day with the Bard
Happy Valentines Day from the bard! Chicks will totally dig you if you give them this card for Valentine's Day. Trust me, I am a lady and I have a degree in Things Ladies Like.* This is totally one of those things.
You could also go in the opposite direction, and get something like this:
Then if we're being serious, there's always the lovely quote from Much Ado About Nothing:
And if all else fails, just write her a sonnet.
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
Let's Play Another Round of Actually...
Today we shall talk about something that drives me crazy. Yes, you guessed right. It's another segment of my self-righteous, corrective diatribe,
ACTUALLY....
Should be fun? Maybe?
Let's start at the beginning, with one of the most quoted lines of Shakespeare. We turn to Romeo & Juliet, Act 2, Scene 2.
 |
| Baz Luhrmann's 1996 Remake |
Juliet:
O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo?
Deny thy father and refuse thy name;
Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,
And I'll no longer be a Capulet.
Deny thy father and refuse thy name;
Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,
And I'll no longer be a Capulet.
O Romeo, Romeo, for the rest of my life I will have to listen to people assume that wherefore means where? It does not. So here it comes, y'all...
Actually...
Wherefore means why in this context. Or 'for what reason.' Which is something that can be discerned through the context and grammar of Juliet's speech. If she were speaking directly to Romeo it would be "Wherefore art thou, Romeo" and there would be a comma, yes? But there is not. I know this is a minute detail, but context clues, guys! I love them!
Additionally, why would she go on to lament his lineage after asking where he was? "Where are you, Romeo? Deny your heritage and refuse your own name" makes much less sense than "Why are you Romeo? Deny your heritage and refuse your own name." She is implying that it is his name that tethers him to the Montagues - which makes a lot of sense in the worlds in which the play was written and set. Your name was everything if you had a good one and nothing if you did not. And yet she tells him to cast it off and vows that if he can't, then he needs only swear to love her and she would be willing to swear off her own name. Makes WAY more sense, right?
Additionally, why would she go on to lament his lineage after asking where he was? "Where are you, Romeo? Deny your heritage and refuse your own name" makes much less sense than "Why are you Romeo? Deny your heritage and refuse your own name." She is implying that it is his name that tethers him to the Montagues - which makes a lot of sense in the worlds in which the play was written and set. Your name was everything if you had a good one and nothing if you did not. And yet she tells him to cast it off and vows that if he can't, then he needs only swear to love her and she would be willing to swear off her own name. Makes WAY more sense, right?
Which brings me to a concession/correction I must make. I have... bemoaned the great adoration Romeo and Juliet have gotten culturally as lovers. But only in so much as I think there are other great lovers in Shakespeare that I find more moving, and that I believe comparing yourself to them implies a less-than-full understanding of their predicament or the messages of the play itself.
None of that detracts from the beauty of the famous balcony scene. Why, just look at this! Juliet asks into the darkness that Romeo deny his name, and he agrees to so willingly that when she asks who it is that visits her in the darkness, he says, "By a name/ I know not how to tell thee who I am/ My name, dear saint, is hateful to myself,/ Because it is an enemy to thee." He takes her metaphor and runs with it, beautifully.
And she says, "Art thou not Romeo and a Montague?" His reply: "Neither, fair saint, if either thee dislike." Which is not only lovely and ties in to the shirking of their names, but by referring to her as 'saint,' he has now twice referenced their first conversation, where they discussed what saints and palmers do to show affection. ("Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?")
Anyway. my point has been lost somewhere, but suffice to say, Wherefore means WHY and people perpetrate this misconception all. the. time.
Did this feel like a lecture? My condolences.
Did this feel like a lecture? My condolences.
 |
| From Franco Zeffirelli's 1968 film version of R&J |
Thursday, January 29, 2015
Brooklyn Nine-Nine and MOAR Shakespeare
Guys! Guys, guys, guys!
There have been TWO more reference to Shakespeare in my favorite show, Brooklyn Nine-Nine! Do you know what this means?! It either means A. The writers know I watch this show. Or B. Shakespeare permeates our society at a very deep level.
I'm just going to say it's both.
So this is what happened!
FIRST: Gina decided to get Amy drunk because she's never seen six-drink Amy. She thinks she could be friends with this so-called six-drink Amy and refers to her as her Sasquatch.
This is from The Tempest. It's not word for word, but that's my favorite part. The phrase "stuff dreams are made of" is a common enough phrase that it's just something people say. Just something people say FROM SHAKESPEARE! It gets me very excited.
The line is from a speech by Prospero in the tempest about fairies, pageants and visions.
You do look, my son, in a moved sort,
As if you were dismayed. Be cheerful, sir.
Our revels now are ended. These our actors,
As I foretold you, were all spirits and
Are melted into air, into thin air.
And like the baseless fabric of this vision,
The cloud-capped towers, the gorgeous palaces,
The solemn temples, the great globe itself—
Yea, all which it inherit—shall dissolve,
And like this insubstantial pageant faded,
Leave not a rack behind. We are such stuff
As dreams are made on, and our little life
Is rounded with a sleep.
Act 4 Scene 1
Prospero subtly references the very theater the original actors were performing in: "the great globe itself," as in the Globe Theater. It's lovely and falls in line with the idea of "All the world's a stage." We are made of such illusions.
What are your interpretations of the speech?
And SECOND: A phenomenal rethinking of the merits of having Romeo and Juliet as your romance role models.
Aaahh you speak my language, Jake! [See my previous post on JUST THIS ISSUE!]
Anywho, it looks like this is what I do with my time now. Here we are.
P.S. On a completely unrelated note, every since my grad class on Chaucer, I can't help but pronounce "two" the middle English way, if only to myself. (Chaucer's works are often misstated as being Old English - 'tis not so!) So what would that sound like? Well, like it's spelled, duh. Hint: it rhymes with grow.
There have been TWO more reference to Shakespeare in my favorite show, Brooklyn Nine-Nine! Do you know what this means?! It either means A. The writers know I watch this show. Or B. Shakespeare permeates our society at a very deep level.
I'm just going to say it's both.
So this is what happened!
FIRST: Gina decided to get Amy drunk because she's never seen six-drink Amy. She thinks she could be friends with this so-called six-drink Amy and refers to her as her Sasquatch.
Amy: Gina! You got to see the Sasquatch. Was it everything you drumpt?
Gina: It was the stuff drumpts are made of.
This is from The Tempest. It's not word for word, but that's my favorite part. The phrase "stuff dreams are made of" is a common enough phrase that it's just something people say. Just something people say FROM SHAKESPEARE! It gets me very excited.
The line is from a speech by Prospero in the tempest about fairies, pageants and visions.
You do look, my son, in a moved sort,
As if you were dismayed. Be cheerful, sir.
Our revels now are ended. These our actors,
As I foretold you, were all spirits and
Are melted into air, into thin air.
And like the baseless fabric of this vision,
The cloud-capped towers, the gorgeous palaces,
The solemn temples, the great globe itself—
Yea, all which it inherit—shall dissolve,
And like this insubstantial pageant faded,
Leave not a rack behind. We are such stuff
As dreams are made on, and our little life
Is rounded with a sleep.
Act 4 Scene 1
Prospero subtly references the very theater the original actors were performing in: "the great globe itself," as in the Globe Theater. It's lovely and falls in line with the idea of "All the world's a stage." We are made of such illusions.
What are your interpretations of the speech?
And SECOND: A phenomenal rethinking of the merits of having Romeo and Juliet as your romance role models.
Jake: We can make this work! We're Romeo and Juliet!
Sophia: It didn't work for Romeo and Juliet. That play ends in a tragic double suicide.
Jake: That's how it ends? Why do people like it so much?
Aaahh you speak my language, Jake! [See my previous post on JUST THIS ISSUE!]
Anywho, it looks like this is what I do with my time now. Here we are.
P.S. On a completely unrelated note, every since my grad class on Chaucer, I can't help but pronounce "two" the middle English way, if only to myself. (Chaucer's works are often misstated as being Old English - 'tis not so!) So what would that sound like? Well, like it's spelled, duh. Hint: it rhymes with grow.
Friday, January 23, 2015
Shakespeare and Tumblr Part 3
Hey-ho!
Today is a tumblr day again - do you love these? I love these. If you do, or don't, share your thoughts in the comments! I plan to keep doing them, because I love sharing the relevancy of Shakespeare's plays. There is something so enlightening about connecting with people and stories from over 400 years ago.
So let'd just do it! I will provide explanations where I fear there may be a disconnect. If I am mistaken and there is no disconnect and you are way smarter than that, then my B, yo.
Today is a tumblr day again - do you love these? I love these. If you do, or don't, share your thoughts in the comments! I plan to keep doing them, because I love sharing the relevancy of Shakespeare's plays. There is something so enlightening about connecting with people and stories from over 400 years ago.
So let'd just do it! I will provide explanations where I fear there may be a disconnect. If I am mistaken and there is no disconnect and you are way smarter than that, then my B, yo.
I hope you enjoyed thoses! My favorite is by far the first one about Ophelia - "Does she have a boyfriend?" "Not a good one." Ah, I laughed pretty hard at that.
Anyway, until next week, friends!
Thursday, January 8, 2015
Possibly the Cutest
Guys, this is adorable. My capstone adviser told me about this video, and I cannot help but share it with you all.
The talented Brian Cox is an Emmy-award winner, a Shakespearean actor, and to boot, he apparently teaches a Masterclass to toddlers. This is him teaching little Theo the famous "To be or not to be" speech from Hamlet.
It's a delight.
The talented Brian Cox is an Emmy-award winner, a Shakespearean actor, and to boot, he apparently teaches a Masterclass to toddlers. This is him teaching little Theo the famous "To be or not to be" speech from Hamlet.
It's a delight.
Monday, January 5, 2015
Why, Happy New Year!
Hi again, good citizens,
Welp. The holidays are officially over and I am back! It was a busy December, but I am not complaining. I defended my thesis, graduated, and then did tons of Christmas celebration with the family. I even made Wassail Punch! Good stuff all around.
To get us back in the swing of things, here comes another list of cultural creations that are Shakespeare-inspired that maybe you didn't know were Shakespeare-inspired. Fun times, yes?
Let's do another batch of three, okie dokie?
The Fault in Our Stars
Maybe this one is obvious, or maybe not so much. I don't know. But I'm including it here. This is a very popular book that was just released as a major motion picture! This novel is about childhood cancer, finding love, and living life, even among the darkest and briefest of circumstances. The title is inspired by a line from Julius Caesar.
The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,
But in ourselves, that we are underlings.
Julius Caesar, Act I, Scene 2,
It's a beautiful book, and I love the way the quote is turned around. Cassius is trying to convince Brutus that we rule and govern ourselves - the stars do not. But with something like childhood cancer, things are not so clear. And so Green is turning that control outward, to say that even with a flawed destiny and a short life, therein you can create a little infinity.
Brave New World
This is a novel written in 1931 by Aldous Huxley. Set in London of AD 2540 (632 A.F.—"After Ford"—in the book), the novel anticipates developments in reproductive technology, sleep-learning, psychological manipulation, and classical conditioning that combine profoundly to change society. It's a very interesting read. The title comes from Shakespeare's The Tempest and is uttered in excitement by Miranda, daughter of Prospero, who has known nothing of the world except the island upon which she and her father live.
O wonder!
How many godly creatures are there here!
How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world,
That has such people in't.
Act V, Scene 1.
It's also a very well-known phrase, and there are many variations of it floating around everywhere. I'd claim the movie, "In a World" riffs off the idea in their use of the line, "It's a broad new world." I'm certain there are many great examples of its use in colloquial references. Can you think of any others?
Better Days by Citizen King
Everyone knows this song!
I've seen better days!
I've been star of many plays,
I've seen better days,
And the bottom drops out.
Well, whether they knew it or not (I'm going to say they totes knew - look at the 'play' reference in the lyrics!), the term "seen better days" was first recorded use was in the play, Sir Thomas More (Act 4, Scene 4) in 1590. The work is anonymous, but has been at least in part attributed to Shakespeare. He also used the phrase (We have seen better days) in his other works, including Timon of Athens (Act 4, Scene 2) and As You Like It (Act 2, Scene 7).
Okay, so that was informative and moderately fun, right? Cool!
Have a lovely Monday, and I hope you enjoyed this edition of That's Shakespeare?! Who Knew!
Welp. The holidays are officially over and I am back! It was a busy December, but I am not complaining. I defended my thesis, graduated, and then did tons of Christmas celebration with the family. I even made Wassail Punch! Good stuff all around.
To get us back in the swing of things, here comes another list of cultural creations that are Shakespeare-inspired that maybe you didn't know were Shakespeare-inspired. Fun times, yes?
Let's do another batch of three, okie dokie?
The Fault in Our Stars
Maybe this one is obvious, or maybe not so much. I don't know. But I'm including it here. This is a very popular book that was just released as a major motion picture! This novel is about childhood cancer, finding love, and living life, even among the darkest and briefest of circumstances. The title is inspired by a line from Julius Caesar.
The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,
But in ourselves, that we are underlings.
Julius Caesar, Act I, Scene 2,
It's a beautiful book, and I love the way the quote is turned around. Cassius is trying to convince Brutus that we rule and govern ourselves - the stars do not. But with something like childhood cancer, things are not so clear. And so Green is turning that control outward, to say that even with a flawed destiny and a short life, therein you can create a little infinity.
Brave New World
This is a novel written in 1931 by Aldous Huxley. Set in London of AD 2540 (632 A.F.—"After Ford"—in the book), the novel anticipates developments in reproductive technology, sleep-learning, psychological manipulation, and classical conditioning that combine profoundly to change society. It's a very interesting read. The title comes from Shakespeare's The Tempest and is uttered in excitement by Miranda, daughter of Prospero, who has known nothing of the world except the island upon which she and her father live.
O wonder!
How many godly creatures are there here!
How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world,
That has such people in't.
Act V, Scene 1.
It's also a very well-known phrase, and there are many variations of it floating around everywhere. I'd claim the movie, "In a World" riffs off the idea in their use of the line, "It's a broad new world." I'm certain there are many great examples of its use in colloquial references. Can you think of any others?
Better Days by Citizen KingEveryone knows this song!
I've seen better days!
I've been star of many plays,
I've seen better days,
And the bottom drops out.
Well, whether they knew it or not (I'm going to say they totes knew - look at the 'play' reference in the lyrics!), the term "seen better days" was first recorded use was in the play, Sir Thomas More (Act 4, Scene 4) in 1590. The work is anonymous, but has been at least in part attributed to Shakespeare. He also used the phrase (We have seen better days) in his other works, including Timon of Athens (Act 4, Scene 2) and As You Like It (Act 2, Scene 7).
Okay, so that was informative and moderately fun, right? Cool!
Have a lovely Monday, and I hope you enjoyed this edition of That's Shakespeare?! Who Knew!
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