November 11th, 2015 → 5:16 am
“Virginity… ‘Tis too cold a companion. Away with ‘t!”
“To speak on the part of virginity is to accuse your mothers, which is most infallible disobedience.”
“Besides, virginity is peevish, proud, idle, made of self-love,
which is the most inhibited sin in the canon.”
“Virginity… the longer kept, the less worth.” – All’s Well That Ends Well
I’m reading All’s Well That Ends Well this month with my reading group. Act 1 Scene 1 is hilarious! The bawdy sex talk, the innuendo, the oh-so-strong condemnation of virginity. There is more in the scene than what is quoted above, but I’ve copied at least a few of the lines that brought a smile to my face.
November 4th, 2015 → 5:14 am
“Diseased nature oftentimes breaks forth
In strange eruptions.” – Henry IV, Part One
The weather in St. Louis is supposed to be in the high 70s today. In November! I can remember when it used to snow around now. I know weather doesn’t equal climate, but this warmth sure feels out of the ordinary.
November 2nd, 2015 → 5:50 am
“Good grows with her:
In her days every man shall eat in safety
Under his own virtue, what he plants; and sing
The merry songs of peace to all his neighbours:
God shall be truly known; and those about her
From her shall read the perfect ways of honour,
And by those claim their greatness, not by blood.” – Henry VIII
I just finished reading Women of Will by Tina Packer, a book that follows the feminine in Shakespeare’s canon. It’s not an easy read, but it was interesting. And it claims that Shakespeare was something of a feminist in his writings – generally showing their strength, insight, and most importantly love, as always the better alternative to war, fighting, and aggression. I’m not sure I buy all the arguments in the book, but I’m all for love, not war, so call me a feminist too!
Filed under: Blog & Literature/Theatre/Art
October 30th, 2015 → 5:56 am
“What a fearful night is this!
There’s two or three of us have seen strange sights.” – Julius Caesar
Happy (one of my favorite holidays) Halloweeeeeennnnn!!!!!
October 25th, 2015 → 5:54 am
“You can never bring in a wall.” – A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Though you can beat your head against one. Lesson of the day.
Filed under: Blog & Self/My Life
October 20th, 2015 → 5:18 am
The following is ostensibly about a horse: 😉
“Imperiously he leaps, he neighs, he bounds,
And now his woven girths he breaks asunder.
The bearing earth with his hard hoof he wounds,
Whose hollow womb resounds like heaven’s thunder.
The Iron bit he crusheth ‘tween his teeth,
Controlling what he was controlled with.
His ears up-pricked, his braided hanging mane
Upon his compassed crest now stand on end;
His nostrils drink the air, and forth again,
As from a furnace, vapours doth he send.
His eye, which scornfully glisters like fire,
Shows his hot courage and his high desire. – Venus and Adonis
Filed under: Blog & Literature/Theatre/Art
October 11th, 2015 → 5:54 am
“Mincing poetry.
‘Tis like the forced gate of a shuffling nag.” – Henry IV, Part I
Apparently the Oregon Shakespeare Festival has decided that Shakespeare is too difficult for most people. So they have decided to “translate” all of his plays and perform them in modern English. Can I barf now please? The little that has been leaked about these translations is so far awful. Why do we keep dumming down the world? Let’s maintain higher standards, please, and have faith in the ability of our fellow human beings to understand verse with just a little bit of effort.
Filed under: Blog & Literature/Theatre/Art
October 7th, 2015 → 5:25 am
“Here didst thou fall, and here thy hunters stand,
Signed in thy spoil and crimsoned in thy lethe.” – Julius Caesar
Lethe refers to the river of oblivion in the underworld. In classical Greek the word means oblivion, forgetfulness, or concealment. This comes up in the play just after the senators have murdered Caesar and are covered (“crimsoned”) in his blood.
What a great river to imagine: Lethe. I wish I could take a dip in the river Lethe every time I do a stupid thing, or a stupid thing is done to me. Whenever I can not sleep at night, fretting over something ultimately unimportant, I wish I could get up, sip from the river Lethe, and let it all slip away…
Filed under: Blog & Literature/Theatre/Art
September 25th, 2015 → 5:52 am
“The Devil Quotes Scripture” – The Merchant of Venice
“Out, Damned Spot” – Macbeth
“Unto the Breach” – Henry V
“Die But Once” – Julius Caesar
“Poor Yorick” – Hamlet
Has anyone else noticed the huge number of references to Shakespeare in the TV series Empire? From the pilot episode where one of the son’s asks his dad, Hey, are you King Lear’ing us?, to practically every title of every episode so far (see episode list above)? I love it! I’ve just started watching the show and it is quite good – very engaging. It’s like Glee, but for the mafia crowd.
Filed under: Blog & Literature/Theatre/Art
September 22nd, 2015 → 5:30 am
“There is no ancient gentlemen but gardeners, ditchers, and gravemakers –
They hold up Adam’s profession.” – Hamlet
Welcome Pope Francis to the U.S.! He truly seems to be a pope for the people and it heartens me to watch his travels. (Sorry for the expected traffic jams New York.)
Filed under: Blog & Politics/Politicians