Tag Archives: Shakespeare

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Analyzing Shakespeare For The Rest Of Us

July 5, 2015 Kuya

Put any doubts aside for a few minutes and keep reading. Everything you have to know to effectively check out any of Shakespeare’s traditional writings is talked about. Making use of the simple actions given, you’ll have the ability to check out and even understand Shakespeare’s plays, sonnets and other texts in a snap and with no anxiety. You’ll even begin to appreciate the language and begin to understand why Shakespeare is widely considered maybe the finest writer ever.

Shakespeare's Sonnet 71: Theme & Analysis | Study.com

To begin with, remember that even though the language utilized by “The Bard” may sound different and sometimes tough to comprehend, it is still English. The more you read and begin to “feel” the language, the more it will certainly start to make good sense. You’ll rapidly select up the vernacular, however more significantly, you’ll develop an ear for the cadence. It resembles conversing with someone with a heavy accent. Once you get used to it, it gets much easier.

Certainly if you’ve been appointed a specific text to read, you’ll deal with that text. If you’re looking for a Shakespeare work to check out to get your feet wet, you might consider the sonnets as they are shorter than the plays. If you wish to read a play, begin with something like Romeo & & Juliet. Since lots of people are currently acquainted with the story, this is normally an excellent very first Shakespeare play to read. The drama is beautiful, intense and terrible and there is even dosages of humor sprinkled in.

As soon as you have actually started, the hardest part is behind you. Much like checking out any unique or non-fiction work by a modern author, it might take a bit for the essence of the writing to sink in. Simply keep reading, don’t feel like you need to comprehend everything immediately. As you keep reading, it will certainly start to make more sense.

After you have actually read a few sonnets or the very first act or more of a play, pause. Return to it in a day or 2. Attempt re-reading what you have actually already read. You’ll currently be rather knowledgeable about the language and reading further won’t seem as challenging.

Lastly, you may attempt writing a brief summary of what you’ve checked out. Find a summary of the text online, at the library or at a book shop. Compare your summary with the synopsis. You’ll be surprised how well you truly do comprehend.

As you will certainly soon see, there is actually absolutely nothing about reading Shakespeare that’s bewildering or actually all that difficult when you comprehend exactly what to do. After a little practice, you’ll be checking out and understanding like a natural. Prose like “If music be the food of love, play on, give me excess of it; that surfeiting, the appetite might upset, therefore die,” will certainly be as understandable as “I coulda’ been a competitor!”.

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Shakespeare Is Likewise Called the Bard

June 5, 2015 Kuya

William Shakespeare (April 26, 1564– April 23, 1616) was considered as the world’s popular dramatist and the greatest writer, poet and playwright in English language. Shakespeare frequently discussed as England’s national poet and the ‘Brad of Avon’.

A few of the famous Shakespeare’s heritage consists of 38 plays, two long narrative poems, 154 sonnets and numerous other poems. The appeal of his work can be seen in that almost all his plays have been equated almost in every language of the world and carried out throughout.

Shakespeare preferred the blank verse for his poetic types, as he was considered as the master of utilizing blank verse. He used iambic pentameter in his poetic work meanings that that his diction generally don’t rhyme and make up ten syllables a line, and has recited with an anxiety on every 2nd syllable. It is essential to point out here that the blank verse utilized by him in his early poetic types is fairly different from the one noticed in his later plays. Although, the sentences took place to start, stop briefly and complete at the end of lines, they keep the reader involved throughout.

Due to the strong hang on the blank verse, Shakespeare had the ability to temper with its cadence. The variation made use of by him bring a brand-new strength and malleability to the poetry utilized in his plays. We have a lot of circumstances from Julius Caesar and Hamlet. Take a look at the extract listed below, which is drawned from Hamlet where Shakespeare revealing his class of using blank verse to convey the enjoyment of Hamlet’s mind:

Sir, in my heart there was a kind of combating

That would not let me sleep. Methought I lay

Worse than the mutines in the bilboes. Rashly– And

prais ‘d be rashness for it– let us understand

Our indiscretion in some cases serves us well …

— Hamlet, Act 5, Scene 2, 4– 8– The

practical working of the theatre and the Shakespearean poetic resourceful works hand in hand. The majority of themes of his stories were the inspiration taken from the classic sources such as Dante, Petrarch etc. Shakespeare integrated energetic adjustments of the plot to the ancient themes. He likewise incorporated the sub-plot methods to aid explore as many sides of a life scenario as possible. He so masterfully crafted the chronology of occasions that every sub-plot make direct link to the major plot. Aristotelian idealization of a plot is quite much apparent in Shakespeare’s plays.

Shakespeare was considerably appreciated for being a poet and dramatist at the very same time during his life time, however it desired the eighteenth century when his appeal graph further reached to the point of apex.

Shakespeare’s work was significantly acknowledged during the Romantic Age. However, his work interested the Victorians as much as the George Bernard Shaw went to the degree of revealing his gratitude of his work among Victorians as ‘BARDOLATORY’. Such remarks can be seen from different people from different ages and shows us the value and popularity of his work throughout the history of English literature.

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William Shakespeare’s life – Biography

March 25, 2015 Kuya

. Shakespeare produced most of his known work in between 1590 and 1613. His early plays were generally funnies and histories, genres he raised to the peak of sophistication and artistry by the end of the sixteenth century. Next he wrote mainly catastrophes up until about 1608, including Hamlet, King Lear, and Macbeth, thought about a few of the finest examples in the English language. In his last phase, he composed tragicomedies, likewise called romances, and teamed up with other playwrights. Many of his plays were published in editions of differing quality and accuracy throughout his life time, and in 1623 two of his former theatrical coworkers released the First Folio, a collected edition of his dramatic works that included all however 2 of the plays now identified as Shakespeare’s.

. William Shakespeare (1564– 1616), ‘The Bard of Avon’, English poet and playwright composed the famous 154 Sonnets and many highly effective oft priced quote dramatic works including the tragedy of the Prince of Denmark, Hamlet; “Neither a borrower nor a loan provider be; For loan oft loses both itself and friend, And loaning dulls the edge of husbandry. This above all: to thine ownself hold true, And it has to follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any guy. Farewell: my true blessing period this in thee!” Lord Polonius, Hamlet Act I, Scene 3

. Shakespeare’s acting profession was invested with the Lord Chamberlain’s Company, which was renamed the King’s Business in 1603 when James was successful to the throne. Amongst the stars in the group was the well-known Richard Burbage. The collaboration obtained interests in 2 theatres in the Southwark area of London, near the banks of the Thames – the World and the Blackfriars.

. The 1598 decision to build the popular playhouse came about as the answer to many of The Lord Chamberlain’s Men’s problems. With completion of a lease on the Blackfriars Theatre in 1597, The Lord Chamberlain’s Men (Shakespeare, J & & R Burbage, G Byran, John Hemminges, Augustine Phillips, Thomas Pope and Will Sly) had no where else to readily perform their plays.

. William Shakespeare composed his will in 1611, bestowing his properties to his little girl Susanna (married in 1607 to Dr. John Hall). To his surviving child Judith, he left ₤ 300, and to his better half Anne left “my second best bed.” William Shakespeare supposedly died on his birthday, April 23, 1616.

. Regardless of this, Shakespeare is credited by the Oxford English Dictionary with the intro of almost 3,000 words into the language. His vocabulary, as culled from his works, numbers upward of 17,000 words (quadruple that of an average, well-educated conversationalist in the language). In the words of Louis Marder, “Shakespeare was so facile in using words that he was able to use over 7,000 of them– more than take place in the entire King James variation of the Bible– just as soon as and never ever again.”

. Sometime after 1612, Shakespeare relinquished the stage and went back to his house in Stratford. He created his will in January of 1616, which included his famous bequest to his spouse of his “second best bed.” He passed away on April 23, 1616, and was buried 2 days later at Stratford Church.

Shakespeare is all over|Christopher Gaze|TEDxVancouver

March 20, 2015 Kuya 24 Comments

Shakespeare is everywhere|Christopher Gaze|TEDxVancouver

Best referred to as Artistic Director of Vancouver’s Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Celebration, Christopher Gaze has performed in England, the USA and across Canada. Born in England, he trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School prior to coming to Canada in 1975 where he invested three seasons at the Shaw Festival. He relocated to Vancouver in 1983 and in 1990 founded Bard on the Beach which he has since
supported to one of the most successful not-for-profit Arts organizations in North America, with participation exceeding 91,000. His many honours include induction into the BC Entertainment Hall of Popularity, Canada’s Meritorious Service Medal (2004), Honorary Doctorates from UBC & SFU, the BC Community Accomplishment Award (2007), the Gold Medallion from the Children’s Theatre Foundation of America (2007) and a Jessie Award for Finest Supporting Star for his performance in Equus at The Playhouse.

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring individuals together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx occasion, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to trigger deep conversation and connection in a small group. These regional, self-organized occasions are branded TEDx, where x = separately arranged TED event. The TED Conference offers basic guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx occasions are self-organized. * (* Topic to specific policies and regulations).
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Shakespeare Background

January 29, 2015 Web Master

Every legend has an origin or a background. While William Shakespeare is more known today as the playwright that wrote timeless classics like “King Lear”, “Macbeth”, “Othello”, and “Hamlet”, he occasionally dabbled in acting. In this vein, we then explore how he started – in a theater troupe called “The Lord Chamberlain’s Men”. Knowing them would give us a background about The Bard as a member of his troupe and how they presented his works onstage.

“The Lord Chamberlain’s Men” was formed during the reign of the virgin queen, Elizabeth I. They got their name from Henry Carey, their patron from whom the name “Lord Chamberlain” was taken. This troupe originally consisted of 8 members that shared the profits in case the play earned more than what it spent and debts since the rent needs to be paid. This then made them known as “the eight sharers”, a system that became prevalent throughout their existence. The eight-sharer platform eventually became a business system for them. Whenever one leaves the troupe, another will come in to fill that vacated “sharer status”.

The men that really kept the troupe assembled in the beginning consisted of James Burbage, the theater impressario, and his sons Cuthbert who became a theater builder and Richard who became one of the most celebrated actors of his era. Richard Burbage played most of the lead roles in this troupe. Since much of his earlier roles were not documented much, there was a speculation that he played female roles too as women are prohibited from joining the theater during the 1500’s. Most plays that Shakespeare wrote premiered with Burbage playing the title role like “King Lear”, “Richard II“, “Othello” and “Hamlet”.

And since most plays included a comedy role, the role often ended up with Willliam Kempe. Kempe is noted for his dancing skill and comic timing. For this reason, he became associated with such roles like Dogberry in “Much Ado About Nothing“, Peter in “Romeo and Juliet“, and Bottom (I like his name) in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream“. But his signature role turned out to be Falstaff, a character found in 3 of Shakespeare’s plays. Falstaff may actually be the most popular comic character that Shakespeare ever created – a character whose adventures are presented most of the time for laughs. Falstaff may be the best proof of how Shakespeare added depth to characters even if the genre is comedy, proving how even comedies still serve as theatrical challenges to anyone interested to play such roles.

While some of Shakespeare’s works don’t aim for historical accuracy, it still elicited controversy once in a while. The only recorded controversy so far of this theater troupe is their “special performance” of “Richard II”. At that time, Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex was planning a revolt against Elizabeth I. His supporters then commissioned the said performance as if they are already conditioning the public of the Queen’s downfall. The Queen herself became aware of the propaganda, sensing that the character alluded to her was Richard II himself. It put the troupe in bad favor with Her Majesty. If not for one of the performers, Augustine Philips, testifying that they were offered 40 shillings more than their usual fee, they will not get pardoned. Because of this, the troupe got to perform again for Her Majesty the day before the 2nd Earl of Essex got executed by guillotine.

Shakespeare stayed with the troupe even if “The Lord Chamberlain’s Men” changed their name several times depending on who patronized them. Finally, they earned the name “The King’s Men” after James I of England got crowned and patronized the troupe.

Before Hollywood stepped in to produce their versions of Shakespeare’s classic plays, 3 of the best-selling plays ever performed were remade by renowned Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi as operas: “Macbeth”, “Otello” (Othello) and “Falstaff”. It gave Italians an idea about Shakespeare presented in a genre they can appreciate best. French composer Ambroise Thomas, on the other hand, remade “Hamlet” for the French audience to enjoy and appreciate Shakespeare’s classic tragedy.

Shakespeare as a writer indeed inspired several generations despite the common notion of how his characters served as the toughest challenges ever encountered by any actor serious with theater. This is why it will be a fascinating event to witness my performance as the disturbed soul, Hamlet. Details are on the poster. For more updates, please click “Like” on my official Facebook page, Kuya Manzano Fan Club, and follow me on Twitter @kuyamanzano. See you there.

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Shakespeare Books: Random Commentary of Shakespeare’s Works

January 24, 2015 Web Master

Reading Shakespeare in its original form can be taxing for someone like me whose mother tongue is not even English. What more for the native English speakers who happened to be compatriots of the The Bard? It can put your mental stamina to the test especially when faced with text peppered with apostrophes and Victorian references that may not be always applicable today.

So how about analyzing the storylines as condensed in the books found on Project Gutenberg? Summarized versions of the books are found there for everyone to get a gist on the play that some folks plan to stage. A few ideas won’t hurt granted that I remove the spoilers. If you insist on the spoilers, just click on the images to see them.

Shakespeare Books: Random Commentary of Shakespeare’s Works — Screenshot from the 1936 film, “As You Like It”

– As You Like It

Perhaps the laziest title ever, it was the story about Orlando and Rosalind. The fact that Orlando had a brother who treated him like crap and Rosalind’s father got exiled by his brother to steal the duke title meant destiny. Well, more like finding a kindred spirit except that the next time Orlando met Rosalind, he didn’t recognize her anymore. Rosalind disguised herself as a guy when she escaped her uncle with her cousin, Celia, who in turn disguised herself as a poor lady. Yeah, long before Pinoys enjoyed gender-bending soaps from J-Drama and K-Drama, The Bard has been writing stuff like this. “As You Like It” is his best among them though. And the part about lazy titles has some truth to it too.

– Macbeth

Originally titled “The Tragedy of Macbeth”, it is about Macbeth who realized he got some malevolence in him the moment he received the prophecy from the 3 witches about him being the next king of Scotland. He never knew he wanted to be king until Lady Macbeth pushed him to. Maybe she’s just the flicker needed. So he killed the king. She framed the sons and the remaining heirs to the throne escaped, which gets you thinking what kind of upbringing they received. He accumulated power and wealth and thought that he’s invincible. The moment he realized that his reign is endangered, he had to go back to the 3 witches who told him about prophecies related to the only things that can endanger his rule. Too bad he read them all wrong especially the part about no human being born of a woman could ever kill him.

– Romeo and Juliet

If there is one love story that set the trend for most soaps today, it’s “Romeo and Juliet”. Young teens that fell in love way before they realized their families are enemies, sometimes it serves as a commentary about how the young fall too fast and think too slow. Not that falling in love is a bad thing but a series of coincidences and a whole lot of recklessness later [SPOILER ALERT], the couple is dead. And it all began with a letter that did not make it to the recipient. Such is the time when smartphones don’t exist yet.

– Othello

A tale of jealousy gone wrong, it showed how the jealousy of Iago spurned him to push Othello to be jealous of his wife, Desdemona. And all because Othello picked Cassio instead of Iago for promotion. Iago then made it look like Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio, driving Othello mad with jealousy. Knowing how the opera version composed by Giuseppe Verdi chose to focus on this drama shows how Othello, as much as he is dubbed as “The Lion of Venice”, is just as guilible and powerless when it comes to wolves in sheep’s clothing just like Iago. Othello chose to believe his new aide instead of his own wife and it produced irreversible and painful consequences. I told you I won’t spoil much.

– Hamlet

And of course, Hamlet, the inspiration behind Lion King except that it was not mentioned in the animated film whether Scar had to marry Simba’s mom to be king. Here, it’s the marriage between his mother, Gertrude, and his uncle, Claudius. He was like “Mom, Dad’s barely a year dead and you got remarried? And to uncle, of all people?” It drove him nuts and jumped to the conclusion that no woman can’t live without a man, to hell with being a virtuous woman. He delivered a series of soliloquies that suggested he’s bonkers. He pushed Ophelia away before he could cheat on him (I told you he’s bonkers) and staged his plan for vengeance that could have suggested that he may not be as bonkers as we thought him to be. One big guarantee is that it turned out to be the greatest play that The Bard had ever written.

And so was the title of the play that I will be headlining as shown on the dates written on the poster. Everybody knew I’m bonkers and I can’t blame them if that’s best criteria they used for casting me as Hamlet. I hope to see you there. Don’t worry, I don’t bite. I would appreciate it more if you like my official Facebook page, Kuya Manzano Fan Club, and follow me on Twitter @kuyamanzano. Gracias!

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Shakespeare Biography: Focusing on the Man Himself

January 23, 2015 Web Master

From nicknames “The Bard” and “Billy Shakes” at least according to some fans, Shakespeare will always be one of the most celebrated writers in English literature. When a playwright demands acting depth even from characters meant to be funny, you know you have a writer that at least knows what to ask of his actors.

But as the man identified separately from his writings, who is William Shakespeare really? Until now, records disputed the date of his birth. So the only other proof that he had ever been born is his baptismal certificate which states that Shakespeare was born on April 26, 1564. On whether this was the earliest case of a baptismal certificate being accepted as a legitimate proof that a person is born, it is not much of an issue anymore. Shakespeare existed because a portfolio got preserved along with his works. It can possibly be summarized into a bio-data but then again, we can go the resume route if we wanted to delve deeper into the professional himself.

His father, John Shakespeare, was an Englishman who moved to Stratford to work as an apprentice glover and tanner of feathers. He married Mary Arden sometime between 1556 and 1558. So it must have been years before Mary finally had a date with the stork and popped out William for the English literary world to enjoy. Well, not that early, I must say.

He had to be educated first, of course. His father sent him to the Stratford Grammar School near their home on Herley St the moment William turned 7 years old. No record matching such claim existed though. Besides he had to quit school at age 13 because his father could no longer afford him. They must have been that poor.

Everyone is free to speculate what kept him preoccupied between quitting school and becoming an actor-playwright as not much is said about it either. Suggestions about a legal career or an academic career are welcome. Historians are still disputing some claims anyway.

It was recorded though that in November 1582, he married Anne Hathaway, not the actress since the Anne Hathaway that William married was born April 1556. (In case you don’t believe me, please watch the movie “One Day” and listen to that horrible English accent.) They had 3 kids, 2 of which are twins. Susanna was the eldest, born May 26, 1583. The twins are Hamlet and Judith, named after William’s closest friends.

Not all of his works are plays. The plague in 1593 forced theaters to close shop until the plague is contained. This gave him time to write his non-dramatic poetry. I know a website that even shared how perverted his poetry is once in a while especially when bored. If not for the “occasional inspiration”, publishers in his time will not realize the literary gem “Venus and Adonis” turned out to be.

Once the plague was over, he resumed his theater career and joined The Lord Chamberlain’s Men, the theater troupe that served as his drama lab for future hits like “Richard III”, “King Lear”, “Othello” and “Hamlet”.

How did Shakespeare die then? Some people still consider it as a mystery since nobody dies from drinking too hard in one night. One night is not enough to broil your liver but who know how long and how hard had he been drinking prior to that night? Besides, at the time of death, another plague is starting to take over in the form of typhus. Another set of speculations to entertain then.

As for reliving the works of Shakespeare today, I would highly recommend that you watch our take on one of his toughest plays ever staged, “Hamlet“. To get constantly updated about this project and the next upcoming projects that I am currently committed to, please like my official Facebook page, Kuya Manzano Fan Club, and follow me on Twitter @kuyamanzano. Gracias!

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