Reading about what was going on during the life of Shakespeare shows how great of a connection there was between the political drama of the day and between his plays. Hamlet is an example of one play being routed in the problems of the day. Hamlet, the main character, believes that he father was poisoned and that his uncle killed him. Hamlet was very skeptical, thinking that his uncle wanted to take over the crown. Queen Elizabeth I was also very paranoid that there were those who were trying to take her crown. She even banned Essex from knighting any of his men because she was afraid that they would have more allegiance to Essex than to herself. Perhaps a bit of the Queen’s hysteria of maintaining power translated into his plays.
Another thing to note about Hamlet, and Shakespeare’s plays in general, was that they never take place in England. What is interesting though is that Will never had the chance to leave the shores of England to explore the world. Scholars suggest that Will was interested in the outside world because of his contact with merchant traders from all over the world who used the Thames to port their ships and London to trade their supplies. I can imagine Will walking around the streets of London on morning, running his latest play ideas through his head, and stumbling upon some Danish men, finding their accents to be most delightful and deciding to use them as characters in his next play.
The ships that sailed into London also offered another way for Will’s plays to be spread among the masses. As I have said before, I enjoy the fact that Will wrote to the masses and he wrote to make money. Apparently, Hamlet was preformed upon a ship. The captain said that it was “‘to keep [his] people from idleness and unlawful games, or sleep,’” (Shapiro 275). This is in keeping with the idea of plays being the films of the times. How often do parents sit their children in front the tele just to keep them occupied, out of trouble? How often do teenagers play videogames because their homework is boring? I am thinking that plays are just a hyped up version of interactive tele. Shakespeare was already a revolutionist.
Shapiro’s novel goes on to explain how to connect Hamlet and the drama of the old Kings death to the death of chivalry and the problem of the Irish during that time. What is reassuring is that Shapiro admits that Will might not have known all of the information of the coup and the threat of a foreign army, which means it was pure coincidence. What I do like is that Shapiro said, “It was a time when such things could be imagined…” (283). Shakespeare was borrowing, begging, and stealing from his own time period to concoct a new drama. This makes sense. Although, the first folio of Will’s works was not created till after his death, the great master could have been putting on or creating as many as three to five play in the year 1599. THAT IS CRAZY! The man had every right to borrow from history. He was just feeding the masses with more plays to keep them busy and happy.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Monday, March 22, 2010
Do You Like It?
TOUCHSTONE
Truly, shepherd, in respect of itself, it is a good
life, but in respect that it is a shepherd's life,
it is naught. In respect that it is solitary, I
like it very well; but in respect that it is
private, it is a very vile life. Now, in respect it
is in the fields, it pleaseth me well; but in
respect it is not in the court, it is tedious. As
is it a spare life, look you, it fits my humour well;
but as there is no more plenty in it, it goes much
against my stomach. Hast any philosophy in thee, shepherd?
CORIN
No more but that I know the more one sickens the
worse at ease he is; and that he that wants money,
means and content is without three good friends;
that the property of rain is to wet and fire to
burn; that good pasture makes fat sheep, and that a
great cause of the night is lack of the sun; that
he that hath learned no wit by nature nor art may
complain of good breeding or comes of a very dull kindred.
Scene: The forest, Touchstone sat under a tree, twirling a long piece of grass. In addition to Rosaline and Celia making him leave Court Street in Brooklyn New York, they have also made Touchstone throw away his iPhone in fear of being followed. Touchstone, sick of the boring life of the “natural” world decides to ask the country bumpkin that he has happened across on their travels in West Shokan, NY.
In modern lingo I see the conversation going a bit more like this….
T-Stone:
Dude, it’s not a bad life for a suburban yuppie but your life is nothing to compared to the city life. I get the whole away from the city thing, which is nice. But it is only you out here; there are no parties, not even a kegger around a bonfire! This nature, it is cool. Still it is no city and I have been here for way too long. I don’t mind coming out here every once in a while, it doesn’t bug me but, like I said, too much of it, makes me sick. Any advice?
Corey:
I don’t know much but I know that the sicker you get, the worse you will feel. If ya don’t have no money, or job you won’t have any friends. Rains job is to be wet and fire is to burn. A good field will make a fat sheep. I know that it is night because there is no sun. I also know that anyone who complains so much is because he got nothing out of nature or school.
Corey is a sort of philosopher in this sense here. He is taking T-Stone and bringing him back to reality. I guess I kind of saw Corey as being the man who thinks that the city has corrupted the mind of the city dweller. Corey is simplistic, perhaps because he never knew as better but he will call T-Stone out on it. Although he is cleaver, he tries to take a jab at T-Stone. T-Stone of course finds this funny and then eggs him on. I think that T-Stone has been in want of other conversation so much that he keeps talking to Cory but truly finds him beneath him, even though he is just a clown. I think that Shakespeare he is really playing up on the human nature of class distinction. Although clowns were wanted at court, they were be no means royals or had much stature and could be disposed of. However, once outside of court, T-Stone uses his connections to the city to elevate his power.
Truly, shepherd, in respect of itself, it is a good
life, but in respect that it is a shepherd's life,
it is naught. In respect that it is solitary, I
like it very well; but in respect that it is
private, it is a very vile life. Now, in respect it
is in the fields, it pleaseth me well; but in
respect it is not in the court, it is tedious. As
is it a spare life, look you, it fits my humour well;
but as there is no more plenty in it, it goes much
against my stomach. Hast any philosophy in thee, shepherd?
CORIN
No more but that I know the more one sickens the
worse at ease he is; and that he that wants money,
means and content is without three good friends;
that the property of rain is to wet and fire to
burn; that good pasture makes fat sheep, and that a
great cause of the night is lack of the sun; that
he that hath learned no wit by nature nor art may
complain of good breeding or comes of a very dull kindred.
Scene: The forest, Touchstone sat under a tree, twirling a long piece of grass. In addition to Rosaline and Celia making him leave Court Street in Brooklyn New York, they have also made Touchstone throw away his iPhone in fear of being followed. Touchstone, sick of the boring life of the “natural” world decides to ask the country bumpkin that he has happened across on their travels in West Shokan, NY.
In modern lingo I see the conversation going a bit more like this….
T-Stone:
Dude, it’s not a bad life for a suburban yuppie but your life is nothing to compared to the city life. I get the whole away from the city thing, which is nice. But it is only you out here; there are no parties, not even a kegger around a bonfire! This nature, it is cool. Still it is no city and I have been here for way too long. I don’t mind coming out here every once in a while, it doesn’t bug me but, like I said, too much of it, makes me sick. Any advice?
Corey:
I don’t know much but I know that the sicker you get, the worse you will feel. If ya don’t have no money, or job you won’t have any friends. Rains job is to be wet and fire is to burn. A good field will make a fat sheep. I know that it is night because there is no sun. I also know that anyone who complains so much is because he got nothing out of nature or school.
Corey is a sort of philosopher in this sense here. He is taking T-Stone and bringing him back to reality. I guess I kind of saw Corey as being the man who thinks that the city has corrupted the mind of the city dweller. Corey is simplistic, perhaps because he never knew as better but he will call T-Stone out on it. Although he is cleaver, he tries to take a jab at T-Stone. T-Stone of course finds this funny and then eggs him on. I think that T-Stone has been in want of other conversation so much that he keeps talking to Cory but truly finds him beneath him, even though he is just a clown. I think that Shakespeare he is really playing up on the human nature of class distinction. Although clowns were wanted at court, they were be no means royals or had much stature and could be disposed of. However, once outside of court, T-Stone uses his connections to the city to elevate his power.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Comedy at the Comedy of Errors
I went to see Comedy of Errors at UCONN about two Tuesdays ago. And let me just say that it was MUCH better seeing the play than just reading it. The play seemed to jump off the stage with the slapstick humor that wasn’t written in the original dialogue.
First off the stage (created by a friend of mine’s dad) was amazing. It was a multi-level painted to look like a stonewall. What was even more interesting was that the stage included a trap door and an actual door that rose out of the “ground.” The stage helped to further the topsy-turvy feeling of the play with its lack of level floors. Characters jumped around the stage the whole play and were often avoiding one another, playing up that slapstick comedy even more.
The Dromios were amazing. (I think that amazing is the word of this blog!) The used the whole stage and even ran in and out of the audience. They also looked very much alike, which must have been a casting miracle! They made use of the “door” on the stage when the Antipholus’ were switched and one was locked out of his house for the night.
Another note on the characters, Dromio of Ephsus’ wife was hilarious! She was so completely, over the top huge. She also did a lot of acting that added to the play. One of the specific times I can remember is when she fell over and no one could help her back up because she was so large.
I realize that the play was cut down a bit. However, like many of the modern movies of Shakespeare’s plays, I think that the action of the play made up for it and made it unnoticeable. This is especially important in a play such of Comedy of Errors where the action, the movement is the key part of the play and the entertainment. Basically, I suggest that you go and SEE any and every Shakespeare play possible!
First off the stage (created by a friend of mine’s dad) was amazing. It was a multi-level painted to look like a stonewall. What was even more interesting was that the stage included a trap door and an actual door that rose out of the “ground.” The stage helped to further the topsy-turvy feeling of the play with its lack of level floors. Characters jumped around the stage the whole play and were often avoiding one another, playing up that slapstick comedy even more.
The Dromios were amazing. (I think that amazing is the word of this blog!) The used the whole stage and even ran in and out of the audience. They also looked very much alike, which must have been a casting miracle! They made use of the “door” on the stage when the Antipholus’ were switched and one was locked out of his house for the night.
Another note on the characters, Dromio of Ephsus’ wife was hilarious! She was so completely, over the top huge. She also did a lot of acting that added to the play. One of the specific times I can remember is when she fell over and no one could help her back up because she was so large.
I realize that the play was cut down a bit. However, like many of the modern movies of Shakespeare’s plays, I think that the action of the play made up for it and made it unnoticeable. This is especially important in a play such of Comedy of Errors where the action, the movement is the key part of the play and the entertainment. Basically, I suggest that you go and SEE any and every Shakespeare play possible!
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
And the Plot Thickens....
After reading Titus and Richard III, it is a welcome to read Julius Caesar, a play without murder and plot. Oh wait, it is full of murder and plots. That and suspicions, fate, and prophecies.
One thing that I noticed about Shakespeare’s recent play is that he includes a lot of references on the supernatural world. A soothsayer predicts Caesar’s ultimate death. His fate is handed to him and yet he goes against it.
First of all, the inclusion of the prediction of the death builds up the play. The audience knows of the plot on the new King’s life and they also know of the prediction of his death. The audience is let in on the secret of the play. Shakespeare didn’t just write a play like this, he must have planned it. He must have wanted to include the audience, to engage them, to convince them that they knew the secret, hook them on the plot and reel them in. Brilliant Shakespeare.
Although, I suggest that there are other reasons Shakespeare decided to include the idea of fate. It must have been prevalent during this time period. People were expected to make sense of diseases running rampant without much medical or scientific knowledge. Fate was how people made sense of things. The people were trying to make some meaning of life, something that people are still trying to do today.
Caesar’s character is much like any man. He wants to succeed, to be powerful and have money. He is the Roman story of rags to riches (and then death, but that is neither here nor there). He is persuaded by his wife to stay home but then his pride and Decius are enough to change his mind.
The arguments running through his head are spoken through out the play. Caesar says, “ What end can be avoided whose end is purposed by the mighty gods?” (2.2.27). He seems to realize the fate he has been handed and is willing to accept that nothing can be done about it. He goes on to say, “Cowards die many times before heir deaths; valiant never taste death but once,” (2.2. 32-33). Caesar is prideful. He would rather face death and save face, then be thought of as a coward. And being thought a coward is precisely what Decius says the senate will think of him if he doesn’t go to the meeting. This isn’t unlike most people today. How many shootings are there based on the fact that someone’s pride was hurt. Or people showing up to fights they know that they will lose because they would rather suffer a black eye and bruised ribs than be thought of as weak. This play is about power. And power is something that heavily relies on seeming powerful, so not showing up because of a fortune would be categorized as something weak. Thus ends act two, with Caesar walking towards death and Portia and the Soothsayer predicting it.
One thing that I noticed about Shakespeare’s recent play is that he includes a lot of references on the supernatural world. A soothsayer predicts Caesar’s ultimate death. His fate is handed to him and yet he goes against it.
First of all, the inclusion of the prediction of the death builds up the play. The audience knows of the plot on the new King’s life and they also know of the prediction of his death. The audience is let in on the secret of the play. Shakespeare didn’t just write a play like this, he must have planned it. He must have wanted to include the audience, to engage them, to convince them that they knew the secret, hook them on the plot and reel them in. Brilliant Shakespeare.
Although, I suggest that there are other reasons Shakespeare decided to include the idea of fate. It must have been prevalent during this time period. People were expected to make sense of diseases running rampant without much medical or scientific knowledge. Fate was how people made sense of things. The people were trying to make some meaning of life, something that people are still trying to do today.
Caesar’s character is much like any man. He wants to succeed, to be powerful and have money. He is the Roman story of rags to riches (and then death, but that is neither here nor there). He is persuaded by his wife to stay home but then his pride and Decius are enough to change his mind.
The arguments running through his head are spoken through out the play. Caesar says, “ What end can be avoided whose end is purposed by the mighty gods?” (2.2.27). He seems to realize the fate he has been handed and is willing to accept that nothing can be done about it. He goes on to say, “Cowards die many times before heir deaths; valiant never taste death but once,” (2.2. 32-33). Caesar is prideful. He would rather face death and save face, then be thought of as a coward. And being thought a coward is precisely what Decius says the senate will think of him if he doesn’t go to the meeting. This isn’t unlike most people today. How many shootings are there based on the fact that someone’s pride was hurt. Or people showing up to fights they know that they will lose because they would rather suffer a black eye and bruised ribs than be thought of as weak. This play is about power. And power is something that heavily relies on seeming powerful, so not showing up because of a fortune would be categorized as something weak. Thus ends act two, with Caesar walking towards death and Portia and the Soothsayer predicting it.
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