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Cobbe Portrait of William Shakespeare
Tag Archives: Elizabethan theater
“Who besides Shakespeare can continue to inform an authentic idea of the human?”
Conclusion to The Play’s the Thing Part One By Dennis Abrams It’s hard to believe it’s been two and half years since we started our journey through Shakespeare’s plays. For me, it’s been incredibly educational, fulfilling, inspiring, and downright fun. … Continue reading
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Tagged A Midsummer Night's Dream, Antony and Cleopatra, Cleopatra, Comedy, conclusion, drama, Elizabethan theater, Falstaff, Hamlet, Henry IV, history, king henry iv, King Lear, language, Lear, literature, Macbeth, Prince Hal, romance, Shakespeare, the play's the thing, tragedy, William Shakespeare
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“On the desert island the history of the world has been performed. The performance is over; history begins once more.”
The Tempest Act Five, Part Three By Dennis Abrams ———————————— I want to conclude our examination of The Tempest with this, from the great Jan Kott: “Who is Prospero and what does his staff signify? Why does he combine knowledge … Continue reading
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Tagged Act Five, Antony and Cleopatra, Ariel, Caliban, Caliban Shakespeare, Comedy, Don Juan, Elizabethan theater, entertainment, Ferdinand, Giordano Bruno, Hamlet, history, island, Jan Kott, Joseph Conrad, language, literature, Miranda, Prospero, Prospero's staff, romance, Shakespeare, The Tempest, tragedy, Victor Hugo, William Shakespeare, writing
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“Daffodils,/That come before the swallow dares, and take/The winds of March with beauty…
The Winter’s Tale Act Four, Part One By Dennis Abrams ————————– Act Four: The action is restarted sixteen years later by the figure of time – Perdita has grown up in Bohemia as the daughter of the Shepherd. More recently, … Continue reading
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Tagged Act Four, Autolycus, Bohemia, clown, Comedy, dance, drama, Elizabethan theater, entertainment, Florizel, Hermione, joy, King Leontes, language, literature, nature, pastoral, Perdita, Polixenes, Prince Florizel, romance, Shakespeare, sheep-shearing, Shepherd, The Winter's Tale, The Winter’s Tale Act Four, William Shakespeare
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“For mine’s beyond beyond…”
Cymbeline Act Three, Part One By Dennis Abrams ——————————– Act Three: In Britain, Cymbeline has refused to pay the annual tribute to Rome, to which the Roman ambassador Lucius responds by declaring war. Meanwhile, Pisanio has received a letter from … Continue reading
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Tagged Act Three, Ancient Britain, Belarius, Britons, Cymbeline, drama, Elizabethan theater, Elizabethan tragedy, entertainment, Hamlet, history, Iachimo, Imogen, Innogen, King of England, language, Last Plays, late plays, literature, politics, Posthumus, Shakespeare, tragicomedy, Wales, William Shakespeare, writing
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“Sluttery, to such neat excellence opposed,/Should make desire vomit emptiness,/Not so allured to feed.”
Cymbeline Act One, Part One By Dennis Abrams —————————— MAJOR CHARACTERS Cymbeline, King of Britain Princess Imogen (aka Innogen in the Oxford edition), Cymbeline’s daughter (later disguised as Fidele Posthumus Leonatus, Imogen’s husband, a poor gentlemen Queen (unnamed), Cymbeline’s second … Continue reading
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Tagged act one, Ancient Britain, Britain, Clean Imogen, Cymbeline, drama, Elizabethan theater, history, Iachimo, Imogen, King Cymbeline, King of Britain Princess Imogen, language, Last Plays, literature, Princess Imogen, Renaissance Rome, Rome Iachimo, Shakespeare, tragicomedy, William Shakespeare, writing
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He holds her by the hand, silent.
Coriolanus Act Five, Part One By Dennis Abrams ———————————————————– Act Five: Meanwhile, Rome is desperate to win back its savior, so first Cominius, then Menenius, are sent out to persuade Coriolanus to return. Both fail, but Virgilia, Volumnia, Valeria and … Continue reading
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Tagged Act Five, Aufidius, Caius Martius, Caius Martius Coriolanus, Coriolanus, drama, Elizabethan theater, Elizabethan tragedy, Hamlet, King Lear, Macbeth, mother, name, names, nature, politics, Roman Republic, Rome, Shakespeare, titus andronicus, tragedy, Volumnia, William Shakespeare, writing, Young Martius
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“Only that name remains. The cruelty and envy of the people,/…who have all forsook me, hath devoured the rest.”
Coriolanus Act Four, Part One By Dennis Abrams —————————————————- Act Four: Although the tribunes do nothing to hide their joy at Coriolanus’s departure, it isn’t long before rumors spread that the Volscians will take advantage of his absence and launch … Continue reading
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Tagged Act Four, Aufidius, Bolingbroke, Caius Martius, Coriolanus, drama, Elizabethan theater, entertainment, kneeling, Lady Macbeth, language, literature, Martius, Martius Caius, Menenius, names, noise, politics, Roman Republic, Rome, Shakespeare, tragedy, vengeance, voices, Volumnia, William Shakespeare, writing, Young Martius
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“Shakespeare has no illusions. To have judged the world will not result in the world being changed.”
Coriolanus Act Two, Part Two By Dennis Abrams ————————————– To continue with the great Jan Kott, whose very political/class driven take on the play I find most interesting: “The first confrontation is provided by war. The Volscians have attacked Rome. … Continue reading
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Tagged Act Two, Antony and Cleopatra, Coriolanus, drama, Elizabethan theater, Falstaff, Henry IV, Henry V, history, King Lear, language, literature, Roman Republic, Rome, Shakespeare, tragedy, Virgilia, Volumnia, William Shakespeare, writing
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“…from face to foot/He was a thing of blood, whose every motion/Was timed with dying cries.”
Coriolanus Act Two, Part One By Dennis Abrams Act Two: At the Senate, the tribunes are thoroughly dissecting Martius’s many personal flaws, when Virgilia announces his triumphant return from war. Coriolanus enters the city to an enormous hero’s welcome, horrifying … Continue reading
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Tagged Act Two, blood, Coriolanus, Elizabethan theater, Lady Macbeth, language, literature, Macbeth, Mitt Romney, mother, Plutarch, politics, Roman Republic, Rome, Shakespeare, sword, titus andronicus, tragedy, voice, Volumnia, William Shakespeare, wounds, writing
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The Play's The Thing 