Introduction: my vision of Shakesepare
List, list, O, list!
If thou didst ever thy dear father love-- (Hamlet. I.v)
Welcome to the Shakespeare section of my site, where I will provide commentary for Shakespeare’s works, and occasionally set him in the context in which he wrote.
Please note: the commentaries are Protean. That is, my thoughts and ideas are ever changing. This is the written equivalent of turning on a camera and talking. So forgive the typos and tangents. Thank you.
Please note: the commentaries are Protean. That is, my thoughts and ideas are ever changing. This is the written equivalent of turning on a camera and talking. So forgive the typos and tangents. Thank you.
While my commentaries may veer off in tangents, they are unified by a central vision. I have divided them into pre-Hamlet and post-Hamlet sections on this site, with the keystone (Hamlet) appearing in both sections. This play not only falls towards the middle of Shakespeare’s writing career, but it comes at a time of many changes for Shakespeare, theatre, and England. And furthermore, it marks a transition in his plays. The shadow of Hamlet looms over the remainder of his works, framing them in a way we do not see in the pre-Hamlet era.
Read on to learn more. And of course, comments are appreciated. Any dialogue that can be generated will be wonderful, and I am open to differing opinions. Hateful comments or trolls will be removed.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Pre-Hamlet
How to Soften the Blow Before Showing a Dark Period of English History: 1 Henry VI
What is Power: 2 Henry VI
Parents and Children in Titus Andronicus
Is Anyone Truly Satisfied in The Taming of the Shrew
Why Does Lady Montague Die in Romeo and Juliet
"Preadventure, to make it more gracious, I shall sing it at her death": Love and Death in A Midsummer Night's Dream
Why Can't Leonato Have a Wife in Much Ado About Nothing
The Will of Caesar: Julius Caesar
Where is Arden in As You Like It
Post-Hamlet
A Muddled Meander Through the Genres of Twelfth Night
Six Characters in Search of an Ending in All's Well that Ends Well
A Verbose Victory: Othello
"See Better Lear": Truth and Everything Else in King Lear
Which 2016 US Presidential Candidate are You: Coriolanus
Is there More to Cymbeline than an Unrelenting Plot?
"A Sad Tale is Best For Winter": Art and Time in The Winter's Tale
How to Soften the Blow Before Showing a Dark Period of English History: 1 Henry VI
What is Power: 2 Henry VI
Parents and Children in Titus Andronicus
Is Anyone Truly Satisfied in The Taming of the Shrew
Why Does Lady Montague Die in Romeo and Juliet
"Preadventure, to make it more gracious, I shall sing it at her death": Love and Death in A Midsummer Night's Dream
Why Can't Leonato Have a Wife in Much Ado About Nothing
The Will of Caesar: Julius Caesar
Where is Arden in As You Like It
Post-Hamlet
A Muddled Meander Through the Genres of Twelfth Night
Six Characters in Search of an Ending in All's Well that Ends Well
A Verbose Victory: Othello
"See Better Lear": Truth and Everything Else in King Lear
Which 2016 US Presidential Candidate are You: Coriolanus
Is there More to Cymbeline than an Unrelenting Plot?
"A Sad Tale is Best For Winter": Art and Time in The Winter's Tale