Measure for Measure, in my opinion, is one of Shakespeare’s most interesting plays. That might be because I’m interested in early modern representations of religion (don’t ask) but Measure for Measure is certainly worth looking into. Measure for Measure was probably written in 1603 or 1604 but it wasn’t published until it appeared in the… Continue reading Shakespeare Saturdays: Measure for Measure
I haven’t read Coriolanus in a while – and, by a while, I mean five or six years – so this was an interesting exercise. Coriolanus, probably written sometime between 1605 and 1608, is one of Shakespeare’s Roman plays. The others are Anthony and Cleopatra, Julius Caesar, and Titus Andronicus and they’re called Roman plays because they’re all… Continue reading Shakespeare Saturdays: Coriolanus
I’m really enjoying these posts about Shakespeare’s contemporaries. No-one else cares but I like the surface level research I’m doing – I never knew reading biographies and whatnot could be so interesting. Francis Beaumont, born 1584, was the son of Sir Francis Beaumont of Grace Dieu, near Thringstone in Leicestershire, who was a justice of… Continue reading Shakespeare Saturdays: Francis Beaumont (Shakespeare’s Contemporaries #5)
I’m really enjoying these posts about Shakespeare’s contemporaries. No-one else cares but I like the surface level research I’m doing – I never knew reading biographies and whatnot could be so interesting. Philip Massinger was baptised on the 24th of November 1583 and he was the son of a gentleman, Arthur Massinger (or Messanger because… Continue reading Shakespeare Saturdays: Philip Massinger (Shakespeare’s Contemporaries #4)
Did I choose to look at this play in December because it has the word ‘merry’ in the title? Yes. Does this play have anything to do with Advent or Christmas or any of the holidays that occur at this time of year? Absolutely not. The Merry Wives of Windsor or Sir John Falstaff and the Merry Wives… Continue reading Shakespeare Saturdays: The Merry Wives of Windsor
I missed Shakespeare Saturday last week. To be honest, I’ve missed a lot of my usual posts recently but I’m back to talk about John Lyly. Never heard of him? Don’t worry. This post is an introduction to who he was… John Lyly was an English writer, poet, dramatist, and courtier. He was born in… Continue reading Shakespeare Saturdays: John Lyly (Shakespeare’s Contemporaries #3)
Romeo and Juliet (c.1595) is one of my favourite plays to teach but one of my least favourites to read and research. I’m not sure why but that’s just how it works, I guess! Set in Verona, Italy, which Shakespeare never visited, the play begins as all good plays should begin: with a street brawl.… Continue reading Shakespeare Saturdays: Romeo and Juliet
A few weeks ago I started a new mini series about Shakespeare’s contemporaries and this week I’m continuing with Thomas Kyd, who is more of a predecessor of Shakespeare but was still around at the beginning of Shakespeare’s career. Thomas Kyd, born sometime in 1558, was the son of a scrivener. He received a good… Continue reading Shakespeare Saturdays: Thomas Kyd (Shakespeare’s Contemporaries #2)
I’m back with another Shakespeare Saturday and this time I’m looking at Othello! Othello, written around 1603, is a Shakespearean tragedy based on the story Un Capitano Moro (“A Moorish Captain”) by Cinthio which was first published in 1565. It was never translated into English but scholars suggest that Shakespeare would have read the French translation.… Continue reading Shakespeare Saturdays: Othello
In May, which seems a lifetime ago, I wrote a post exploring some of the works in the Shakespeare Apocrypha. The Apocrypha is just a list of works that could be by Shakespeare but scholars aren’t sure if they are or they aren’t. I’m back to look at a few more of the texts in… Continue reading Shakespeare Saturdays: Exploring (More of) the Shakespeare Apocrypha
