Shakespeare
- Who's words all ears took captive. —All's Well That Ends Well
Shakespeare is perhaps one of the world's most famous and endearing authors. Poet, playwright, bard — his words have lived on through centuries. He is the quintessential English literary figure.
Shakespeare found inspiration for his works from among mythology and history. He filled his plays with colorful and engaging characters and used stock characters such as the fool, the braggart, the rustic to keep us entertained.
Granted, Shakespeare's take on history is hardly accurate — in his defense, he based his history plays on Raphael Holinshed's Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland, a dubious work at best.
Some of my favorite Shakespeare moments…
- The rousing cry to battle in Henry V — the Crispian Day speech alone could get me to pick up a sword and fight the French!
- The sarcastic banter between Beatrice and Benedict in Much Ado About Nothing — I've always enjoyed the scene where Benedick lists all these amazing feats he will perform for the Duke rather than spend “three words' conference with this harpy.” The harpy in question being Beatrice — not me!
- The devilish nature of Richard III — For me, one of the most chilling lines in this play is when Richard is told that Richmond has set sail for England to claim the kingdom and he utters — “Is the chair empty?”
- The railing insults in King Lear — “Thou art a boil, a plague sore, an embossed carbuncle in my corrupted blood.”
Some interesting Shakespeare sites:
- Enjoying King Lear
- The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Online
- The Royal Shakespeare Company
- The Chicago Shakespeare Theater
- First Folio Shakespeare Festival
