Writing

Shakespeare and Taylor Swift

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One of my colleagues at work showed me this book, and it really fired my imagination. Taylor Swift is one of the most if not THE MOST successful singer/songwriter of our era. Her songs go across multiple genres and tones and, like many writers, they often contain allusions to classical poetry, nursery rhymes, and occassionally even Shakespeare.

My own Reservations with Taylor

I’m not exactly a Swifite, and I know I’m running the risk of offending MILLIONS of people here by offering criticisms of Taylor Swift, but I honestly think it’s a good idea to be able to critique the things you love. In the past I’ve criticized Shakespeare’s plays, his characters, and even suggested that he might be racist. I would like to offer that, in the case of Love Story, Ms. Swift simplifies the plot of Romeo and Juliet, and leaves out its tragic elements, which kind of misses the point. As an allusion, it seems a little watered down. That said, I feel other TS songs are better, use their allusions more skillfully, and create a more coherent picture in the listeners’ mind. Dispite my issues with this one song, I heartily admit that Ms. Swift is prolific, talented, and has created songs that are classic works of art!

What I’m not interested in doing is getting into a “battle” where I try to justify Shakespeare as being better than Taylor Swift. When I see memes like the one above, it makes me immediately disengage with whoever posted it. I don’t want a Swiftie to talk in the comments about how Shakespeare was a talentless hack. Alternatively, I don’t want a Shakespeare nerd to dismiss Taylor as being infantile or any other critique. Both these writers had different goals, went about them differently, and achieved success in their own special ways. So now, let’s look at how Taylor Swift borrowed from different literary traditions to make her songs more dramatic, more visceral, more insightful, and more poetic.

Her Literary Allusions

Obviously, Love Story mentions Romeo and Juliet, as well as The Scarlet Letter and various princess stories. TS rarely makes direct references to Shakespeare in her work, but some scholars have suggested that there might be more oblique references in some of her songs. For instance, when I look at the lyrics of Willow, I can’t help wonder if she wasn’t at least partially inspired by Shakespeare’s song of the same name in Othello:

Wait for the signal and I’ll meet you after dark
Show me the places where the others gave you scars
Now this is an open-shut case
Guess I should’ve known from the look on your face
Every bait and switch was a work of art

The more that you say
The less I know
Wherever you stray
I follow
I’m begging for you to take my hand
Wreck my plans
That’s my man

I can’t hear this song and not hear the parallels with the Othello story- the speaker alludes to eloping with her beloved (which Desdemona nearly does in the first act), that he has scars (which Othello clearly does mentally and physically). In addition, I imagine the refrain as like a duet between Othello (who is reluctant to kill Desdemona), and Desdemona (who wants to leave Cyprus and have a normal married life with Othello:

Desdemona: The more that you say
The less I know
Othello: Wherever you stray
I follow
I'm begging for you to take my hand
Wreck my plans
Desdemona: That's my man

Even if Shakespeare isn't mentioned directly in many of Taylor's songs, like Shakespeare she often uses Greek myths, the Bible, and other popular works as allusions. Some scholars have suggested that both Shakespeare and TS write using their own experiences through the lenses of classical poetry and literature. Simmilar to how Shakespeare probably wrote Hamlet to deal with his grief over his son's death, Taylor writes songs about past relationships, feuds with pop stars, and her own evolution as an artist through the lens of Shakespeare, novels, poetry, and other works.

TS’s Poetry

Ms. Swift’s songs are more than just catchy beats with a few allusions stuffed in. Like Shakespeare, she makes use of alliterations, internal rhymes, clever metaphors, and strong rhythms that help her songs tell their stories clearly and effectively. As an exercise, I fed the lyrics to “Bad Blood” into a poetry analyzer and found a very interesting analysis:

The poem features a rhythmic and catchy structure, typical of song lyrics. The syllabic patterns vary but often maintain a consistent beat, enhancing its musical quality. The use of internal rhymes and alliteration (e.g., “mad love,” “bad blood”) adds to the flow and memorability. The stresses often fall on the first word of each line, creating a strong start and a compelling rhythm that engages the listener. The word choice in the poem is evocative and charged with emotion. Phrases like “bad blood,” “deep cut,” and “salt in the wound” create vivid imagery and convey the depth of the narrator’s pain. The use of questions, such as “Did you have to do this?” and “Did you think we’d be fine?” emphasizes feelings of confusion and hurt. –Studycorgi.com

I highly encourage students and teachers to do an analysis of both Shakespeare and Taylor Swift because studying one can help us appreciate the other. Similarly, learning the way each writer conveys ideas can help the reader become more creative!

Who Said It? Shakespeare or T.Swift?

Lots of teachers play this game and there are many Youtube videos of people playing it. Occassionally, even Shakespearean actors have played it:

There are also online quiz forms available on Quizlet and Gimkit. You can also show your students this video below:

What iF SHakespeare’s Characters were Swifties?

I posted on Reddit a while back to ask the internet which Swift songs would be great soundtracks for the lives of Shakespearean characters. This is sort of an outgrowth of my: Infinite (Variety) Playlist activity. Here are some of the results I got:

What Are Shakespeare's Characters' Favorite TayTay Songs?
byu/shakes-stud inshakespeare
  1. Richard III and Henry Tudor- Bad Blood
  2. Macbeth- Look What You Made Me Do
  3. King Lear- Anti-hero
  4. Lady Macbeth- No Body No Crime
  5. Julius Caesar- My Tears Ricochet
  6. Richard II- Castles Crumbling
  7. Antony and Cleopatra- Style
  8. Mercutio from “Romeo and Juliet”- 22 and “Shake it Off”
  9. Goneril from “King Lear”- Blank Space

Do you agree with my list?

I hope this post can help teachers see the value in analyzing Taylor Swift with their students, and help students in analyzing Shakespeare. I think the term “classic” applies to anything good enough to stand the test of time. Shakespeare has already passed that test, and based on her clever allusions, evocative wordplay, and emotionally-charged subjects, I believe Taylor Swift to be classic too!

For More Information:

  1. Prestige Online: Literary References in Taylor Swift: https://www.prestigeonline.com/my/lifestyle/culture-plus-entertainment/literary-references-in-taylor-swift-the-tortured-poets-department-ttpd-peter-pan-romeo-juliet/
  2. Allusions (Taylor’s Version)

3. Taylor Swift and Shakespeare by Stephanie Burt (who taught a course on Taylor Swift at Harvard) https://www.folger.edu/blogs/shakespeare-and-beyond/taylor-swift-and-shakespeare/

Happy International Women’s Day! Here are Some of Shakespeare’s Most Bad-a$$ Female Characters

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Every Year around this time, I like to draw attention to Shakespeare’s greatest heroines. You might have read my top 10 Shakespearean mother characters, or my post from last year, where I talked about some of Shakespeare’s best childless characters.This year, I’m putting together a squad of women you don’t want to mess with. So please enjoy (in no particular order because I refuse to rank women), – the best female fighters in all of Shakespeare:

Queen Margaret of Anjou

She defeats the York Army multiple times in the Wars Of The Roses, even killing the Duke of York himself. She was a powerful force on the battlefield and in the court.

Joan of Arc

Joan la Pucelle from Henry VI, Part 1: (RSC, 2006)

I am prepared: here is my keen-edged sword,
Deck’d with five flower-de-luces on each side;
The which at Touraine, in Saint Katharine’s
churchyard,
Out of a great deal of old iron I chose forth.

And while I live, I’ll ne’er fly from a man.

The iconic female warrior who helped end English occupation of France. In Shakespeare’s play, she fights the French prince to prove her prowess in battle, then she retakes the towns of Orleans and Rouen from the English, and keeps fighting until the

Portia Catonis

Portia preparing to “Swallow fire”

True, she doesn’t have much fighting experience, but clearly she can tolerate pain, has accute powers of perception, and is related to a long line of political and military patriarchs.

Volunnia

Valumnia comforts Coriolanus’ wife (AI art)

Dr Peter Saccio of Dartmouth College once said that this Roman matron talks to her son Caius Martias as if she’s his general, not his mother. She is totally devoted to Rome and she has trained her son since birth to fight for it.

Cordelia

AI artwork I created of Cordelia storming Goneril’s castle 
Our preparation stands
In expectation of them. O dear father,
It is thy business that I go about.
Therefore great France
My mourning and important tears hath pitied.
No blown ambition doth our arms incite,
But love, dear love, and our ag'd father's right!

Cordelia shows her strength not through words, but through deeds- massing an army and invading England to put her father back on the throne, as the passage above shows. It’s true she didn’t succeed in saving the kingdom, but she did save her father through her love and bravery.

Review: Kenneth Branaugh’s As You Like It

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The Concept

According to Branaugh, the idea behind the film was to emphasize beautiful things like tranquility and love, but preserve and heighten the danger of being hunted by a powerful warlord like the Duke

Interview with the director and cast at the Barbican

The Plot Of the Play

Historical Context

Branaugh set the film in 19th century Japan, at a time when English people came to Japan for the first time, and created small English communities in the country. I’ll discuss later that I have very conflicting feelings with this choice, but I will give Branaugh this- it does highlight the fish out of water journey that Rosalind and the other characters go through leaving their homes at court, and becoming enamored with a new country.

The Cast

The cast is full of veteran Shakespeareans and gifted Hollywood stars. Bryce Dallas Howard is charming as Rosalind, and has good chemistry with RSC actor David Oyelowo. I also enjoyed Brian Blessed’s dual role as Duke Senior and Duke Frederick. Kevin Klein is very sincere as Jaques but I wish he had a bit more fun with the over exaggerated melancholy that Jaques puts on. The overall effect of the performances is a sentimental, charming, beautiful, witty group of people who are having a fun time.

My Reaction

The cast is great, the cinematography is stunning, and the music is charming. Overall, Branaugh has done a great job of bringing the spirit of the play alive- that of a sweet, pastoral comedy about love, unrestrained by wealth or status. What I worry about though, is that Branaugh might inadvertently be celebrating colonialism. Yes, Japan is a beautiful country with a  highly sophisticated and rich culture, so it makes sense that English people would be drawn to it. That does not justify the cruel way the English and Americans colonized parts of Japan, made the people mine for gold, and forced them to trade with the west. I worry that, like The Mikado, Branaugh celebrates Japan in a way that makes it seem like westerners were justified in taking so much away from it. I wish the plot had more of a “look but don’t touch” attitude to Japanese culture.

I also question the decision to cast barely any Asian actors. Given the story Branaugh wants to tell, it makes sense to cast non-asian actors as Thr Duke, Rosalind, Celia, and even Orlando, since they are the ones who come to the forest from an English-style court. But the roles of Corin, Silvius, Audry, Phoebe, and even Old Adam are people who are supposed to be familiar with the country, meaning it would make perfect sense to cast Asian actors in these roles. Frankly, there are very few well known Asian actors in Hollywood and I would love to give some of them a chance to shine, especially since Shakespeare has long been a way for actors to show their skills.

In conclusion, I can see why people like this movie and I too enjoy it, despite its questionable subtext. I don’t want to take away anyone’s enjoyment of the film, just to remind people not to be too seduced by the historical practice of taking something “As You Like It”

If you like this analysis, you might be interested in signing up for my Outschool Course on Shakespeare’s Comedies. Link down below. Share this class with a friend and you will get $20 USD off!
You’ll also get $20 USD when you sign up with your link and take their first class!

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Is Harry Potter Hamlet?

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1. Introduction

Hamlet as a Hogwarts student (AI artwork)

As is often the case for me, I like to get at the heart of what makes a piece of pop culture relevant and compare it to Shakespeare. I wish to stress that Shakespeare is not the source of all great art, but at the same time, he knew where to find the source of art, and most great art has some sort of Shakespearean influence.

2. Plot

Harry Potter as Hamlet (AI artwork)

In the case of Harry Potter, we have some surface plot similarities to Hamlet: a young man brooding over the loss of his parents, who takes revenge against the man who took them from him. Both stories also have a powerful autocrat who is  associated with snakes:  

The serpent that did Sting thy father’s life

now wears his crown.

Is Harry hearing voices? Chamber of Secrets

In both Harry Potter and Hamlet, the hero’s friends worry that he’s losing his mind; in the second book: Harry Potter can hear the basilisk because he speaks the snake language. Nobody else can understand what he’s hearing, and they conclude Harry is hearing voices. Meanwhile, Hamlet is the only one who hears the ghost of his father:

In the fifth book, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry can hear voices coming from a vale between the land of the living and the land of the dead, because he saw death at a very young age. This isolates Harry from other characters, (who have not suffered loss), and they once again think that he is losing his mind.

Hamlet and Harry have a visceral understanding of grief; they understand that when one is experiencing grief, one sees the world in a way that most other people can not comprehend. In a way, insanity is a metaphor for grief, and both characters (both of whom, by the way, spend most of their time wearing black) personify how this grief changes their worldview.

The fundamental difference between Hamlet and Harry Potter could be summarized like this; Hamlet is devoted to his father, Harry to his mother. The ghost of Hamlet’s Father sets the action of Hamlet into motion, as he demands that his son revenge his murder. By contrast, Harry Potter is constantly inspired by his mother. Although he only sees his mother for a short time, it’s what he learns about her that drives many of Harry’s actions. Even after death, the memory of Lilly’s kindness and love not only inspires Harry, but other characters like Snape, Slughorn, Dumbledore, Sirius, and Lupin. Lilly’s memory rallies all the heroes to unite and defeat Voldemort.

In addition, Harry’s choices emulate his mother’s personality more than his father’s. Harry’s primary concerns are to stop Voldemort from taking over the Wizarding World, to show kindness and respect to everyone, and to guard his friends with his life if necessary, just as his mother did for him. In other words, the matriarchal virtues of love, self-sacrifice, and familial devotion drive Harry, not a patriarchal desire for vengeance which drives Hamlet. Therefore, Harry Potter is a more modern Hamlet, driven by a desire to improve a world and a community, rather than just “The royal bed of Denmark,” which Claudius has defiled.

The Melancholy Dane is driven by anger over his father’s untimely and foul murder and the sadness of losing him. Many actors have chosen to play Hamlet as a man who wants revenge, but one for whom vengeance doesn’t come naturally. Hamlet’s conscience, his scruples, his gentleness, and sometimes his sympathy for Claudius, blocks him from quickly taking revenge. In the clip below, Ethan Hawke is literally watching an avenger in a movie (Brandon Lee in The Crow) on a movie screen. It’s as if Hamlet is looking at a reflection of what he wishes he could be- a decisive, ruthless avenger:

As mentioned before Harry Potter’s ability to command loyalty, friendship, and respect from others allows him to accomplish his goals; he succeeds by rallying everyone, his friends, family and even his enemies to unite and fight. By contrast, Hamlet is a man who cannot trust anybody and therefore must rely on his own cunning (and sometimes ruthlessness), in order to achieve his goals.

Harry’s powers to mobilize the best in people are the powers that the dark Lord did not understand. Like a tyrant, Voldemort keeps all the power to himself; he rules by being more powerful than the people around him and inspiring fear. This makes him vulnerable when his foes band together, and his friends desert him, like when Laertes implicates Claudius for killing Hamlet and finds himself alone, friendless, and ready to taste Hamlet’s revenge:

When Shakespeare sat down to write Hamlet, the Elizabethan age was very cut throat- England had gone through the Civil War, violent factions were springing up at court, and Elizabeth herself suffered multiple assassination attempts. Hamlet is very much a product of a time where everyone is worried about being watched and betrayal can happen at any moment. By contrast, Harry Potter was written at another paranoid time- right after the September 11th attacks where racism, homophobia, and xenophobia were (and to a certain extent, still are), ripping the world apart. For all her faults, JK Rowling created a new kind of Hamlet figure, one who tries to bring people together in times of fear and grief, not one who wishes he could be “bounded in a nutshell” or that his “too too solid flesh”Close Reading: “Oh That This Too Too Solid Flesh” would melt away.

3. A Common Ancestor- Hercules

Like all Renaissance playwrights, Shakespeare took inspiration from ancient Greek and Roman sources. Scholars have seen echoes of Orestes, Perseus, and of course, Oedipus in Hamlet, but one Greek myth that pops up in both Hamlet and Harry Potter is the myth of Hercules. Here’s a short list of commonalities:

1. Both heroes defeat a serpent as a baby and is raised by people who aren’t his parents. Hercules strangles snakes in his cradle, Harry defeats Voldemort, and Hamlet (who is still a child), defeats his uncle who is called a serpent by the Ghost.

2. Cursed by a malevolent creature who hates his mother. Harry gets his scar, Hercules is cursed by Hera (his father’s wife, but not his biological mother). Hamlet

3. Labors involving wild beasts- Nemean Lion (sorting hat), Hydra= basilisk. 3. Captures a stag (Conjures a patronus) 4. Boar= Troll 5. Stables= basilisk in the bathroom 6. Stymphalian birds= golden snitch 7. Girdle of Hipolita= Ravenclaw diadem 8. Cattle of Geryon= other horcruxes 9. Golden Apples= mermaid egg guarded by dragon

10 and most obvious- BOTH OF THEM FACE A THREE HEADED DOG

I bring this up because in many ways, Harry Potter, Hamlet, and Hercules are timeless myths that represent what Joseph Campbell called “The Hero’s Journey”- an eternal story of growth, struggle, death, and rebirth that transcends time, place, and cultures.

Another character that shares a lot of similarities with Hamlet and Harry Potter is Luke Skywalker from Star Wars. If you enjoyed this analysis of Shakespeare and Harry Potter, you might enjoy my course on Shakespeare and Star Wars from Outschool.com:

This two-week course is fully online and fully immersive. You can learn about Shakespeare through the lens of Star Wars, (and like this post), you will learn about characters, plots, and the ideas behind classic stories by comparing them to contemporary pop culture. Click the link below to get started:

https://outschool.com/classes/shakespeare-and-star-wars-MA83xDoK?usid=MaRDyJ13&signup=true&utm_campaign=share_activity_link

Thanks so much for reading, and stay tuned for more insightful content!

A Midsummer Night’s Dream Graphic Novel

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  1. Name: A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare. Adapted by Nel Yomtov (Adaptor), and Berenice Muniz (illustrator)
  2. Media: Graphic Novel compilation, with accompanying website https://www.mangashakespeare.com/titles/midsummer.html
  3. Ages: Pre Teen- teen. The story is highly condensed so older readers might want a more in-depth adaptation to understand the themes and ideas of the plot.
  4. Premise: This graphic novel is a good introduction to “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” It tells the bare minimum of the story with very little dialogue and almost none of the original text. Most of the story is conveyed through the visual medium.

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATORS (Reprinted from the graphic novel)

https://www.behance.net/berelince?locale=en_US
Berenice Muniz is a graphic designer and illustrator
from Monterrey, Mexico. In the past, she has done
work for publicity agencies, art exhibitions, and
she’s even created her own webcomic. These days,
Berenice is devoted to illustrating comics as part of
the CGraphikslava crew. In her spare time, “Bere”
loves to draw, read manga, watch animated movies,
play videogames, and kill zombies
Fares Maese is a graphic designer and illustrator. He
has worked as a colorist for Marvel Comics and as a
concept artist for the card and role-playing games
Pathfinder and Warhammer. Fares loves spending
time playing video games with his Graphikslava
comrades, and he’s an awesome drum player: https://faresmaese.artstation.com/

About the Retelling Author


The career path of Nel Yomtov has taken him from
the halls of Marvel Comics, as an editor, writer,
and colorist, to the world of toy development. He
then became editorial and art director at a children’s
nonfiction book publisher, and now Nel is a writer and
editor of books, websites, and comics for children. A
harmonica-honking blues enthusiast, Nel lives in
New York with his wife, Nancy. They have a son. Jess.

mY rEACTION

I read this version to my five year old son and he enjoyed the colors and characters, which is why I feel confident recommending this version to younger children. It won’t help you pass a test on Midsummer and you won’t get the whole story. But you might get a tantalizing glimpse of Shakespeare’s world of fairies, lovers, and funny fools and honestly, that’s fine with me. As I’ve stated before, parody and short pop-culture adaptations of Shakespeare are great ways to connect with young people, and I see this book as a tool to do just that.

tECHNICAL eXECUTION

Character Design. It’s interesting to see the difference in style between this version, and the Manga Shakespeare version I previously read. That one was very much inspired by the Shoujo manga style, which emphasizes drama and relationships. This version’s drawings are softer, more cartoonish, and the expressions are less stiff, (except for Oberon, who is drawn very austerely). I particularly like the design for Puck with his big mischievous eyes and squat, childlike shape. I would argue however that the lovers and Mechanicals aren’t distinct enough, which is a problem since they are the most important characters.

The Adaptation

Like I said, this is a bare minimum adaptation of the play. None of Shakespeare’s text is used and the lines and speeches are cut liberally. The entire book is only 77 pages which of course means, that there are a lot of cuts. There’s no mention of the Indian boy, Titania’s tiff with Oberon, Philostrate, the other fairies, and all the great speeches are cut. This version is focused entirely on the plot, and it cuts it quite efficiently. To demonstrate this, below on the left is a panel that shows how Lysander and Hermia express their frustration with not being allowed to marry. On the right is the original text of the scene.

Ay me! for aught that I could ever read,
Could ever hear by tale or history,
The course of true love never did run smooth;
But, either it was different in blood,
Lysander. Or else misgraffed in respect of years,
Lysander. Or else it stood upon the choice of friends,
Or, if there were a sympathy in choice,
War, death, or sickness did lay siege to it,
Making it momentany as a sound,
Swift as a shadow, short as any dream;
Brief as the lightning in the collied night,
That, in a spleen, unfolds both heaven and earth,
And ere a man hath power to say ‘Behold!’
The jaws of darkness do devour it up: So quick bright things come to confusion.

The Colors

The colors are very beautiful. Other manga stories have colorful title pages but no color in the panels. This comic is alive with color and the colors help tell the story. Athens represents the world of the daytime, so the colors are very warm and vibrant. In the nighttime, the colors are cool and the characters are drawn with very sharp lines to make sure they don’t fade into the background.

IN Conclusion

This version tells l the story quickly and entertainingly with a vibrant and colorful style that was lacking in the Manga version. Granted, the Manga Shakespeare did allow me to focus on the text more, but I think I actually prefer this version, simply because of its beautiful artwork. Check it out if you get a chance!.

Shakespeare in the time of Bridgerton

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Period Overview

Georgian England

Shakespeare and the Regency Era

The popular Netflix show “Bridgerton”, takes place in England during the reign of King George III (reigned 1760-1820). This was a time of enormous cultural and political upheaval- less than one century after the monarchy was restored, with the American and French Revolutions taking place across the pond. This was an era of power and privilege for the aristocracy, but a time of great uncertainty for nearly everyone else.

Crash Course in Sentimental Comedies, the preferred theater of the late 18th century.

Shakespeare in this period was considered a bit old hat and too vulgar for the refined age of the 18th century. During the Regency, Sentimental Comedies were all the rage. These comedies and tragedies were designed to instill audiences with Catharsis or empathy with the characters, rather than get people to think or use their reason. Gone were the days of laughing at people’s humorous behaviors and more along the lines of pitying the poor fates of middle-class rustics. These poor characters remained good-natured at the cruelty of powerful aristocrats. This explains the popularity of such plays as Beaumarchais‘ The marriage of Figaro, or Mozart’s opera Don Giovanni, in which an evil aristocrat is ruining the lives of common people like the naive peasant Zerlina with his insatiable sex drive.

After the religious wars of the 16th century and the civil wars of the 17th century, early 19th century people were more disillusioned about the monarchy, especially after the seismic shifts of the French revolution and the American Revolution. This was the beginning of the end of the aristocracy, and even though we don’t see it in Bridgerton for comedy reasons, you can sense that the eponymous family is preserving their family and houses, rather than  crown and country, which is one reason why the show still resonates with young people.

The Bridgertons might be aristocratic but they have no illusions about their own self-importance. They’re rich, yes but, like modern rich people, they don’t believe that they deserve their riches because of God- they merely fight to preserve their riches for their children, to find their daughters good love matches, and to survive the complex social Laviathon of eighteenth Century and Nineteenth Century England.

Popular Productions Of the Georgian Era

Georgian Shakespeareans

The Georgian Era was the first time in history that Shakespeare started to have a Global audience. French and German writers like Goethe, Schiller and Voltaire helped to kick off the practice of Shakespeare being translated and performed in non English speaking countries in the 18th century. In addition, Empress Catherine the Great brought Shakespeare as far as Russia with her 1786 production of The Merry Wives of Windsor. By the end of the 19th century, Shakespeare had been translated into French, German, Hindi, Hungarian,  Italian,  Spanish, and Danish (Downer, 468).

In England, however, with the trend towards sentimentality and accessibility, (as the video above mentions), the idea of adapting and modernizing Shakespeare became more common in this type period. What’s interesting is that, just when Shakespeare seemed to be on the way out culturally, people like David Garrick began to rehabilitate Shakespeare (McDonald 358).

English writers of the 18th century were trying their best to use Shakespeare as a tool of moral instruction.

Not only did Garrick create popular adaptations of Shakespeare, he also successfully made Shakespeare a cultural icon. Garrick’s famous jubilee of enthroned Shakespeare as the perfect example of english writing and the common man (even though most of his characters are aristocrats), the fact that Shakespeare was a common writer a not an aristocrat or a University educated man, actually benefited his reputation in the 18th century.

Famous Shakespeareans

Edmund Kean (1787-1833), the Tragedian

Shakespeare and Bridgerton: Balls vs Breeches

Even though Bridgerton prides itself on its colorblind casting and the black & white characters haven’t a shred of racial discrimination (except in the spin-off), this society is still plagued with sexism. What I find the most interesting about Bridgerton is that, like a Shakespearean comedy, the show’s conflicts center around how women navigate sexist patriarchal systems.

In Bridgerton, the London season and the annual balls are more than just a chance to to socialize and meet handsome young man, dance, and wear pretty dresses; they are the only hope that upper class women had for the future security of their houses. These systems were put in place because women were denied the ability to determine their own destinies. Though Queen Charlotte runs the social season, she is enforcing a patriarchal system; one that places a woman’s value entirely on her ability to charm and retain the affections of men.

the bridgerton ladies are extremely aware of this and you can see their anxiety every time they attend a ball. They know that their future depends on this and the show isn’t shy about that. So so like a Shakespearean heroine, the comedy and the central conflict is how these women will navigate this socio-economic gender-based political mindfield.

Cleopatra and her son Cesarean
Portia, wife of Brutus, swallow coals rather than be captured by Octavius.
Beatrice from “Much Ado About Nothing”
Cordelia Disenherited
Jessica prepares to elope with Lorenzo
Rosalind in “As You Like It”

What Shakespeare frequently does in his comedies is have women deliberately challenge or abandon this strict social structure. Young Shakespearean heroines frequently omen disguise themselves as men and/ or go traveling abroad so that they can find husbands and determine their own destinies. Shakespeare won’t Go So Far as to abandon the notions of marriage and childbearing, but he does create a sort of Female Fantasy:  “wouldn’t it be nice to determine a one’s Future for oneself?”

Rosalind courts Orlando in As You Like It

In As You Like It, Rosalind, in disguise as a man, is able to dictate for herself the way that she marries and courts Orlando, which must have been shocking and hilarious for Elizabethans. Viola again disguised as a Man is able to criticize his outdated notions of women to his face, and disdains his repeated attempts to woo a woman who does not share his affections. Meanwhile Juliet, a woman whose arranged is dramatically portrayed from start to finish, abandons her father’s choice and marries for love. All these women have the same conflict as the bit bridgerton women they just confront them in more extreme way

References

Bedford

Brockett

Leslie Dunton-Downer

Worthen

Hamlets of the Theater

New Course: Shakespeare’s Histories

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Shakespeare’s History Class

Course trailer

Parent Description- A fully online, fully interactive course into Shakespeare’s histories taught by a professional text coach and actor. 

Students- Uncover the scandalous and gory history behind Shakespeare’s most action-packed plays! Shakespeare’s histories have inspired such works as “Empire,” “Game of Thrones,” “Hamilton” and even the “Star Wars” trilogy. This class will unlock for you why these stories of power and betrayal have been so popular for 400 years.

Format:

0. The class will have a Nearpod with slides, activities, and links to my other resources.  The class will be a combination of slides, activities, and videos. Each class will have 

  1. Weekly Discussion questions via Google Forms such as: “What do you know about Shakespeare the man?” or, “Are Shakespeare plays still relevant today?”
  2. Video Analysis- Every week I’ll discuss a different play with a short video.
    1. I’ll provide some context, explaining what is happening in the play durin the speech, and any relevant historical context.
    2. We’ll watch a recording and the students can write their impressions on what they like and don’t like.
  3. Immersive activities such as:
    1. – Shakespeare arts and crafts and recipes such as making costumes and props.
    2. – My online Shakespeare board game.
    3. Virtual tours of the Tower Of London,
  4. Weekly Web Quests like “find a Shakespeare quote that you use in normal speech,” “find a movie or character that’s based on Shakespeare,” or “Draw a picture of a Shakespearean character (stick figures are acceptable).

6 Week Course

Week 1 – Why Hamilton is Like A Shakespeare History Play Hamilton and Shakespearean History We’ll discuss what makes a history play a history play, why they were so popular in Shakespeare’s day, and draw parallels between Shakespeare and the Broadway Musical “Hamilton.”

  1. What is a history play?
  2. Song quest: Watch the Horrible histories king song
  3. Worksheet- which Shakespearean character reminds you most of Hamilton?
  4. Video- the 10 Duel commandments of Shakespeare

Week 2- Richard II

Ben Whitsaw as Richard II
  1. The history of Richard Shakespeare’s Richard II | Animated short
  2. Watch the presentation and fill in the blanks of the story: Richard the Second Intro Presentation
  3. Web quest- go online and write down three things about the Wilton Diptych
    1. Wilton Diptych https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/english-or-french-the-wilton-diptych
      1. Open ended question- if you were Richard, how would you feel about your role as king?
  4. John of Gaunt’s speech
    1. Watch Patrick Stewart reading this: Shakespeare: “This scepter’d isle”
    2. Now see John McInerny performing it in context
      1. What images were the most striking?
      2. Did you feel more sorry for Gaunt, or England?
      3. What would you call the tone of this speech? Patriotic? Mournful? Excited? Bitter? 
  5. The deposition Scene (video- 3 minutes)
    1. The danger of this scene:
      1. Though Queen Elizabeth I is now almost universally beloved, she wasn’t always in Shakespeare’s time. By 1601, she was 68 years old and had no male heir. Her government had also failed to put down a rebellion in Ireland. Some people in her government were getting restless.
      2. Robert Devereaux, Earl of Essex was one of those restless nobles. He’d been one of the Queen’s favorites, but after failing to crush the rebellion in Ireland, his relationship with her sourered. He then plotted to rebel against the Queen, and take the throne for himself.
      3. To do that though, Essex would need to get people on his side, so he recruited Shakespeare! One of Essex’s servants paid Shakespeare’s companies to perform a scene from Shakespeare’s Richard II; the scene where a handsome and charismatic nobleman convinces the king to willingly give up his power. 
      4. This scene was so dangerous that when the play was published, it was taken out by Elizabeth’s censors.
      5. Quotes from Richard II
        1. https://shakespearedocumented.folger.edu/resource/document/examination-augustine-phillips#:~:text=In%20his%20examination%20on%20February,fellows%20proposed%20an%20alternative%20play%2C  
        2. https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofEngland/Shakespeare-Richard-II-Rebellion/ 
        3. https://www.elizabethi.org/contents/rebellions/essex/ 
  6. Playing Richard video: Fiona Shaw
    Questions
    What does making Richard female emphasize for an audience? What point does Shaw’s performance say about women in power?

Week 3 Henry V week

Tom Hiddleston as Henry V
  1. Basic plot- Young king fights a war and conquers France proving himself to the world.
  2. Olivier vs. Branaugh

-Concept- what if the play was a Hockey movie?

  1. Henry is like the coach or team captain who gives inspirational speeches
  2. The underdogs win
  3. The snooty bad guys lose
  • How this translates to staging fights/ directing the characters (website/ youtube interviews)
  1. Activity= write a trailer or design a poster for Henry with a cool tag line.

Week 4- The Wars of the Roses-

  1. Summary of the three Henry VI plays
    1. Wars of the Roses Horrible Histories
    2. Web quest- research one major character from the 3H6 ASC website:
      1. Richard of Gloucester
      2. Henry VI
      3. Margaret of Anjou
      4. Richard of York
  2. Medieval warfare
    1. Watch one of the Weapons that Made Brittain videos and answer 5 questions.
    2. The battles of the Wars of the roses
  3. Costumes

Week 5- Richard III- The rise of the corrupt king

  1. Close reading- “Now Is the Winter of Our Discontent”
  2. Slides on Richard’s plot.
  3. Richard and Machiavelli
  4. Richard and Emperor Palpatine
  5. Richard and Modern Leaders
  6. Richard vs. the Amir of Gloucester
  7. Propaganda activity- make a campaign slogan/ poster for Richard.

Week 6 History Board Game/ Final Project