Tag Archives: William Shakespeare

Bringing “The Play’s The Thing” to a YA Audience

For two and a half years,  all of you gathered online to ask questions, discuss, and read about some of the greatest plays ever written. It was an extraordinary project, and one that I’m not willing to see come to … Continue reading

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“We look back at Shakespeare and regret our absence from him because it seems an absence from reality.”

Conclusion to The Play’s The Thing Part Two By Dennis Abrams ———————————- Honestly, I can’t believe it’s over. For two and half years, We’ve been reading and talking and thinking about Shakespeare. And to help bring this to a close, … Continue reading

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“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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“O you heavenly charmers,/What things you make of us! For what we lack/We laugh, for what we have we are sorry; still/Are children in some kind.”

The Two Noble Kinsmen Act Five By Dennis Abrams —————— Act Five: Palamon and Arcite, each accompanied by three knights, separately pray for success, while Emilia prays that whoever loves her best will emerge victorious. Back at the jail, the … Continue reading

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“It is a falsehood she is in, which is with falsehoods to be combated.”

The Two Noble Kinsmen Act Four By Dennis Abrams Act Four: The Jailer’s Daughter, now completely mad, is reunited with her father. Observing her behavior, the Doctor advises that the only possible remedy is if a former suitor (the Wooer) … Continue reading

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“Only a little let him fall before me,/That I may tell my soul, he shall not have her.”

The Two Noble Kinsmen Act Three By Dennis Abrams Act Three: Separated from the royal party while out celebrating May Day, Arcite is suddenly confronted by Palamon. The two argue over Emilia once again, before agreeing to fight a duel … Continue reading

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“I saw her first.”

The Two Noble Kinsmen Act Two By Dennis Abrams Act Two: In jail in Athens, Palamon and Arcite are busy consoling themselves with the closeness of their friendship when Palamon suddenly sees the beautiful Emilia (Hippolyta’s sister) gathering flowers outside. … Continue reading

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“Than I will trust a sickly appetite/That loathes even as it longs.”

The Two Noble Kinsmen Act One By Dennis Abrams MAJOR CHARACTERS Prologue and Epilogue Palamon and Arcite, cousins (the two “noble kinsmen”), both nephews of King Creon. Theseus, Duke of Athens Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons, later Theseus’s wife Emilia, … Continue reading

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“His purposes here are very enigmatic, he abandons his career-long concern with character and personality and presents a darker, more remote or estranged vision of human life than ever before.”

The Two Noble Kinsmen An Introduction By Dennis Abrams After the political intrigue of Henry VIII, it would be difficult to imagine a play more different than the one which followed it onto the stage. The Two Noble Kinsmen concluded … Continue reading

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“My love is as a fever, longing still/For that which longer nurseth the disease…”

Shakespeare Sonnet #147 My love is as a fever, longing still For that which longer nurseth the disease, Feeding on that which doth preserve the ill, The uncertain sickly appetite to please. My reason, the physician to my love, Angry … Continue reading

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