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Cobbe Portrait of William Shakespeare
Monthly Archives: March 2013
“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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“Beshrew that heart that makes my heart to groan/For that deep wound it gives my friend and me!”
Shakespeare Sonnet #133 SONNET 133 Beshrew that heart that makes my heart to groan For that deep wound it gives my friend and me! Is’t not enough to torture me alone, But slave to slavery my sweet’st friend must be? … Continue reading
“Agamemnon is a fool to offer to command Achilles; Achilles is a fool to be commanded of Agamemnon; Thersites is a fool to serve such a fool; And Patroclus is a fool positive.”
Troilus and Cressida Act Five By Dennis Abrams ——————————- Act Five: During the feasting on the eve of battle, Ulysses takes Troilus to Calchas’ tent to find Cressida. As they approach, they spy on Cressida as she flirts with Diomedes … Continue reading
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Tagged Achilles, Act Five, Agamemnon, Cassandra, Comedy, Cressid, Cressida, drama, Elizabethan theater, Elizabethan tragedy, entertainment, Greece, Hamlet, Helen of Troy, Henry V, Jan Kott, language, literature, Pandarus, Patroclus, politics, problem play, renaissance humanism, Shakespeare, Thersites, tragedy, Troilus, Troilus and Cressida, Trojan War, Troy, William Shakespeare
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“Welcome ever smiles,/And farewell goes out sighing.”
Troilus and Cressida Act Four By Dennis Abrams —————————————- Aeneas breaks the news to Troilus: Diomedes has arrived with Antenor, who is to be exchanged for Cressida With little time left, the couple tearfully exchange love tokens, and Troilus begs … Continue reading
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Tagged Achilles, Act Four, Agamem, Bolingbroke, Chaucer, Comedy, Cressida, Elizabethan theater, Elizabethan tragedy, entertainment, Faulconbridge, Hector, Henry IV, Homer, Hotspur, language, literature, Mercutio, Nestor, Pandarus, Patroclus, politics, Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare, tragedy, Troilus, Troilus and Cressida, Trojan War, Troy, Ulysses, William Shakespeare, writing
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“Time hath, my lord,/A wallet at his back, wherein he puts/Alms for oblivion, a great-sized monster/Of ingratitudes.”
Troilus and Cressida Act Three, Part Two By Dennis Abrams ————————————— From Marjorie Garber: “Another of Ulysses’ remarkable and resonant speeches, echoing down the ages, will demonstrate a similar point. [MY NOTE: She’s referring to Thersites’ parody of his ‘degree’ … Continue reading
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Tagged Achilles, Act Three, Agamemnon, Ajax, Comedy, Cressida, drama, Elizabethan theater, Elizabethan tragedy, entertainment, Hector, Helen of Troy, language, literature, Love's Labour's Lost, Pandarus, Patroclus, politics, quotes, renaissance humanism, Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare, Thersites, time, tragedy, Troilus, Troilus and Cressida, Trojan War, Ulysses, war, William Shakespeare, writing
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“This is the monstruosity in love, lady: that the will is infinite, and the execution confined: that the desire is boundless, and the act a slave to limit.”
Troilus and Cressida Act Three, Part One By Dennis Abrams ————————- Act Three: Pandarus has finally arranged a meeting between Troilus and Cressida, but doesn’t exactly leave them alone. Initially nervous, the couple make a vow of mutual constancy before … Continue reading
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Tagged Achilles, Act Five, Act Three, Agamemnon, Ajax, Chaucer, Comedy, Cressida, drama, Elizabethan theater, Elizabethan tragedy, entertainment, Henry IV, history, Homer, language, literature, Pandarus, politics, renaissance humanism, Shakespeare, Thersites, tragedy, Troilus, Troilus and Cressida, Trojan War, Ulysses, war, 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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“Take but degree away, untune that string,/And, hark, what discord follows!”
Troilus and Cressida Act One, Part Two By Dennis Abrams ————————————– I’d like to continue our examination of Act One with this, from Harold Bloom: “Some critics have traced the origins of Troilus and Cressida to the Poet’s War fought … Continue reading
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Tagged act one, Agamemnon, Chaucer, Comedy, Cressida, degree, drama, Elizabethan theater, Elizabethan tragedy, entertainment, Hamlet, history, Homer, language, literature, politics, problem play, renaissance humanism, Shakespeare, Sonnets, Thersites, Troilus, Troilus and Cressida, Trojan War, Ulysses, war, William Shakespeare, writing
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The Play's The Thing 