What’s it about? There’s this guy named Antony. And this queen named Cleopatra. They are in love. But they make mistakes, and certain people don’t want them to be together, and they both end up killing themselves. What is it really about? Antony and Cleopatra are in love but there are complications and they kill themselves. It’s kind of a…
Tag: literature
Othello: Belonging and Relevance
What’s it about? Othello, Shakespeare’s one clear character of color (unless I am mistaken), is deceived by Iago, who he sadly trusts. Iago stirs up trouble involving Othello’s love, Desdemona. The play ends with Othello, completely consumed by jealousy, killing Desdemona and then killing himself. What is it really about? It’s a jealous lover story that is a tragedy. That…
The Merry Wives of Windsor: The Ridiculousness of Relationships
What’s it about? Noted womanizer John Falstaff (one of Shakespeare’s most famous characters) attempts to seduce both Mistress Ford and Mistress Page, who then work together to get back at him. The husbands Ford and Page are unaware of this at first, but it culminates in a rather mean trick that they play on Falstaff at the end of the…
I absolutely loved this version of The Tempest. This play works so well with a woman in the role of Prospero. I think it actually works better in many ways, truth be told. As a father-daughter relationship, it’s slightly creepy, but when it’s mother-daughter instead, I don’t get that vibe. Maybe that’s just me. Also, I’ve got to say that…
Why Shakespeare?
As there are more weeks in the year than there are Shakespeare plays, about every month or so, my weekly post will be not be about a specific play but something else related to Shakespeare. Today, as the first of these posts, I want to talk about one simple question: Why Shakespeare? Part of the reason that I decided to…
Timon of Athens: Asking and Trusting
What’s it about? We are introduced to Timon, who we are led to understand is a very wealthy, very generous Athenian citizen. He showers his friends with gifts. Before we’re too far into the play, however, we find out that he has been spending somewhat thoughtlessly and has gotten himself into a difficult spot of financial trouble. Trusting that his…
Unsurprisingly, I am on the Folger Shakespeare Library’s email list. (I am a fan of their productions and like to know what else they have going on.) This week I got an email asking people to share their Shakespeare stories with the hashtag #mySHX400. It’s supposed to be via video. I’m not really a video kind of person but I wanted…
Why do people think that Iago is in love with Othello? I’ve read the play multiple times and I’m still very confused by this.
penfairy: uuuuUUUUGghghghgh I hate that theory so much, firstly because it blames Iago’s horrendous, despicable actions on homosexuality, but principally because it blames them on love. Iago is generally considered to be Shakespeare’s most terrifying villain. He’s fantastically complex. He’s charming. He’s manipulative. He is cruel and obsessive. He lacks empathy. He’s jealous. He’s two-faced, he’s honey-tongued. And do you…
Romeo and Juliet: Embracing the Inevitable
And so the Year of the Bard begins! Today, I have for you a summary of, some of my thoughts about, and some of my favorite bits from Shakespeare’s iconic romance, Romeo and Juliet! Yay! Here we go… What’s it about? Meet Romeo, a young man who is trying to recover from heartbreak. Enter Juliet, a beautiful young woman ready…
goodticklebrain: Happy New Year everyone! As the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, 2016 promises to be a year rich in Shakespearean adventures and excitement. These are hilarious. My own Shakespearean resolution? To finish Shakespeare’s complete works this year and write about my experience at Finding the Bard! First post goes up tomorrow!