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Cobbe Portrait of William Shakespeare
Tag Archives: Falstaff
“Fundamentally, we seem to misunderstand “All’s Well That Ends Well,” from Samuel Johnson, master of all Shakespeare critics, down to the present.”
Introduction to All’s Well That Ends Well By Dennis Abrams —————— On the surface, it’s a simple tale of a poor physician’s daughter who finds her prince and succeeds in marrying him, but exposed along the way is the realization … Continue reading
“Lie with her? Lie on her?”
Othello Act Four, Part One By Dennis Abrams ———————- Act Four: Iago continues to fuel Othello’s growing jealousy, to the point where he collapses in a fit. When he recovers, Iago “arranges” for him to overhear a meeting with Cassio, … Continue reading
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Tagged A.C. Bradley, Act Four, Desdemona, drama, Elizabethan theater, Elizabethan tragedy, entertainment, Falstaff, Hamlet, Iago, language, literature, Othello, renaissance humanism, Shakespeare, Shakesperean tragedy, The Moor of Venice, tragedy, Venice, william hazlitt, William Shakespeare, writing
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“Villain, be sure thou prove my love a whore,/Be sure of it; give me the ocular proof:”
Othello Act Three, Part Two By Dennis Abrams ————————– Othello persuades himself that he is acting rationally by demanding “some proof” of Desdemona’s infidelity, but he fails to take into account Iago’s skill at manipulation – or the mysterious workings … Continue reading
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Tagged absolute horror, Act Three, Cyprus, Desdemona, drama, Elizabethan theater, Falstaff, Hamlet, Henry IV, holy writ, Iago, jealousy, language, literature, Othello, politics, religion, renaissance humanism, Shakespeare, temptation scene, The Moor of Venice, torture, tragedy, Venice, waterboarding, William Shakespeare, writing
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“Iago, forever beyond Othello’s understanding, is not beyond ours, because we are more like Iago than we resemble Othello…”
Introduction to Othello Part Two By Dennis Abrams —————————————- To continue with our introduction to Othello, I’d like to start with more from Harold Bloom: “Auden, in one of his most puzzling critical essays [I’ll get to it later in … Continue reading
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Tagged A.C. Bradley, Auden, Desdamona, drama, Elizabethan tragedy, Falstaff, Hamlet, Iago, Introduction, language, literature, Othello, politics, renaissance humanism, Shakespeare, tragedy, William Shakespeare
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“Our natures do pursue,/Like rats that ravin down their proper bane,/A thirsty evil, and when we drink we die.”
Measure for Measure Act One, Part One By Dennis Abrams ———————————— MAJOR CHARACTERS Duke Vincentio of Vienna Angelo, the Duke’s deputy Escalus, an old councilor Claudio, a young gentleman Juliet, Claudio’s betrothed Isabella, Claudio’s sister, a novice in a nunnery … Continue reading
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Tagged act one, Angelo, brothel, brothel keeper, Claudio, Comedy, drama, Duke Vincentio, Elizabethan theater, entertainment, Falstaff, Hamlet, hecatommithi, Juliet, king henry iv, language, literature, Measure for Measure, Mistress Overdone, problem comedy, problem play, renaissance humanism, Samuel Coleridge, Sermon on the Mount, Shakespeare, ulterior motive, Vienna, Walter Pater, William Shakespeare, writing
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“What’s aught but as ‘tis valued?”
Troilus and Cressida Act Two By Dennis Abrams —————————- Act Two: Ajax questions Thersites about what is going on, but is answered with insults. Achilles arrives (with his friend/lover Patroclus) and tells Ajax about Hector’s challenge, but Achilles response is … Continue reading
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Tagged Achilles, Act Two, Ajax, Cassandra, Chaucer, Comedy, Cressida, drama, Elizabethan theater, Elizabethan tragedy, entertainment, Falstaff, Hector, Helen of Troy, Henry IV, Henry V, history, Homer, language, literature, Paris, Patroclus, politics, problem comedy, problem play, renaissance humanism, Richard II, Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare, tragedy, Troilus, Troilus and Cressida, Trojan War, William Shakespeare
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“O, if it prove,/Tempests are kind, and salt waves fresh in love!”
Twelfth Night Act Three By Dennis Abrams —————————– Act Three: Olivia confesses her love to Cesario/Viola but Viola lets her know that it cannot be returned. Noting Cesario’s apparent success with Olivia, the frustrated Sir Andrew is persuaded by Toby … Continue reading
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Tagged Act Three, Ben Jonson, bisexuality, Comedy, drama, Elizabethan comedy, Elizabethan theater, eunuch, Falstaff, language, literature, Malvolio, Olivia, renaissance humanism, Sebastian, Shakespeare, Sir Andrew Aguecheek, Sir Toby Belch, Twelfth Night, twins, Viola, William Shakespeare, writing
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“Dost thou think, because thou art virtuous, there shall be no more cakes and ale?”
Twelfth Night Act Two By Dennis Abrams ————————– Act Two: Sebastian has survived (surprise!) – rescued by Antonio – although he, too, thinks his twin is dead and resolves to head for the court of Orsino. Meanwhile…Viola/Cesario has fallen in … Continue reading
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Tagged Act Two, Antonio, bisexual, clown, Comedy, drama, Elizabethan theater, entertainment, Falstaff, Feste, hermaphrodite, language, literature, Malvolio, Olivia, renaissance humanism, Sebastian, Shakespeare, Sir Andrew Aguecheek, Sir Toby Belch, Twelfth Night, Viola, William Shakespeare, writing
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“Bittersweet, lyrical, and deeply emotional, “Twelfth Night” has long been thought of as perhaps Shakespeare’s most “perfect” comedy.”
Twelfth Night An Introduction By Dennis Abrams Bittersweet, lyrical, and deeply emotional, Twelfth Night has long been thought of as perhaps Shakespeare’s most “perfect” comedy. Written shortly after Hamlet and As You Like It, its mood is delicately posed: while … Continue reading
“…the rest is silence.”
Hamlet Act Five, Part Five By Dennis Abrams ———————————- And here we are…at the end of Hamlet. Not that it ever ends, really. As Bloom says, “His play of some four thousand lines is Shakespeare’s longest and yet is not … Continue reading
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Tagged Act Five, As You Like It, Claudius, Cleopatra, drama, Elizabethan theater, Elizabethan tragedy, end of hamlet, Falstaff, Fortinbras, Gertrude, Grave-digger, Hamlet, hamlet act, hamlet and gertrude, Henry IV, Henry V, James Joyce, king claudius, Laertes, language, literature, Measure for Measure, Mistress Quickly, politics, reading hamlet, renaissance humanism, Rosalind, Shakespeare, tragedy, William Shakespeare
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