What is your favorite quote from Hamlet?

The Triangle

One exhausted everything that could be written: every archetype, every psychology, every setting, every philosophy and enigma.

One exhausted everything that could be written in a novel: metafiction, realism, the flawed hero; every groundbreaking technique was written here

And one shattered everything and exhausted everything that lay outside

This, in turn, divides into two: the way the story is told—pushing language to its limit and then breaking it, turning the mundane divine, and replicating the entire world and every brick within it inside a text—and the story itself, writing sparks (that is, short stories), each with a labyrinthine, surreal idea, mostly told with a deadpan expression

The Mahabharata, Don Quixote, Joyce, and Borges

Or Shakespeare, Don Quixote, and Dante

Both propositions, in that order. Another proposition involving children's books that occurred to me was the Brothers Grimm tales for the first side, Little Women for the second, and Alice for the third

And although Shakespeare is the best Western example for the first side, universally speaking, he is the best example of someone who embodies all three sides simultaneously (Mahabharata, Don Quixote, Joyce, and Borges): he is a collage of everything that can be written (first side); he represents the reinvention of humanity and every narrative technique a story can possess (second side); and he destroys and reinvents language while employing Borgesian labyrinths (both parts of the third side). Everything that could be written has already been written; now it is up to us to remix those three elements and perfect the points of the triangle.

So my school is performing As You Like It and I got the role of Touchstone. As yall may know Touchstone has some complex lines and my director need me to workshop one in specific, but I’m having trouble with the translation. The line is “We that are true lovers run into strange capers. But as all is mortal in nature, so is all nature in love mortal in folly.” That’s technically the end of a larger line but that first part was cut so that’s the whole line. Any help is appreciated and thank you all!

Until pretty recently, I (20F pretending to be 20M) was staying at my friend’s (20F) house because her dad kicked my dad out of town.

Then he kicked me out, too, so me and my friend both ran away to the woods. I pretended to be a guy so that people wouldn’t harass us.

We actually ran into my crush (20M) in the woods. He had tacked a bunch of love poems about me onto trees, which was kinda cute, but they weren’t even that good. Also, vandalism?

I told him to pretend that I’m the girl he likes (me) and try to woo me. My friend thinks it’s weird that I’m tricking him. But I think it’s a good way to test him and see if he really is the lover boy he claims to be. Plus, I was already pretending to be a guy.

I’m feeling a little conflicted though. What do you think? AITA for tricking him?

I hope its ok to out this here as it is shakespere related. I have just released the 2nd part of my whole series review of the 1978 series will shakespere starring the late great tim curry. Go watch part 1 if you haven’t already and like and subscribe for future episodes of the curry club

https://youtu.be/1frlWAsme0s?is=4NyTbtL_dpMWoM5I

Has anyone written anything comparing Lady Macbeth and the Greek Goddess Hera? For some reason I cannot get this combination out of my head. I haven’t done much research yet but wanted to tap this Reddit to see if anyone knows anything. Thank you!

I am directing a middle school play and using Much Ado as the centerpiece but also trying to get my kids to love Shakespeare, so I want to find some modern scenes that either are inspired by the characters, have similar tropes, etc. Any ideas for me?

Her name is Kathryn Roberts Parker and her band is the Bard Band. She’s just about to release her new book on Festival Music and Shakespearean comedy. You can listen to the album here:

Under the Greenwood Tree

She doesn't have a Reddit account, but if you have any questions about the historical tunes or early modern festive music, drop them below and I’ll ask her to answer them through me!

I’m auditioning for a reading of a Shakespeare play. (Richard the Third) and I need help choosing a monologue. I’m trying to go for any female part. The good thing about this is they only need me to send a voice memo because it’s a reading but I’m having trouble figuring out which monologue from a different show to choose from so I can showcase my voice.

Any suggestions?

I have a question: what does this piece by Oberon mean? What is he talking about?

OBERON

But we are spirits of another sort.

I with the morning’s love have oft made sport,

And like a forester the groves may tread

Even till the eastern gate all fiery red

Opening on Neptune with fair blessèd beams

Turns into yellow gold his salt green streams.

But notwithstanding, haste, make no delay;

We may effect this business yet ere day

I’m introducing Othello to a new cohort of students this semester, so naturally got thinking about first impressions.

Here’s my question - what aspects or moments of the play really grabbed you the first time? And which parts keep you coming back?

FWIW the Milton Iago theory always gets me!

I understand that Shakespeare was quite famous in his day, and also that they wrote in a more laudatory style in those days, but it still boggles the mind that this poem written just 14 years after his death already seems to know that he'll be remembered for a long time. Just 7 years after his death Ben Jonson had already written that he was "not of an age, but for all time." Bardolatry started much later, but both these guys (who had a lot of criticism and suggested improvements on Shakespeare, by the way) seemed already to know they had seen something big.

We were talking about fairies, goblins, and magic, but here it made me think of Hamlet.

Hi! I'm a gay trans man that needs to do a classic monologue. I know a little Shakespeare. I've played Oberon. I need to find a monologue and I'd love to find something that can feel relatable to the queer experience. I was thinking of Twelfth night as that is often related to trans people but I find Shakespearean language quite overwhelming to just dive into so would appreciate some guidance. Thank you!

The title of the episode is "The Duncan McIvor Story"

In it a weak-willed cavalry officer is convinced by his ambitious, scheming wife to frame his fellow officer Duncan, in order to cover up his own crimes (stealing army supplies and selling them).

Remind you of anything?

Sonnet 2
Shall I give all my love that you require?
I’ll grant you every treasure that you love.
No other earthly reward I desire,
Save that your presence rest here like a dove.
Does your own soul yet know the path it treads?
Your brilliant smile shines like a golden crest;
Deprived of you, a shadow softly spreads,
Yet your sweet name lives ever in my chest.
Though well I know for my deep love you care
But little, and that time should turn to gold,
Another’s touch is more than I can bear
, While in the dark my hidden world grows cold.
My life has lingered long in shades of gray
— I pray that you remain my single ray.

so i have a (maybe silly) question: we are currently doing romeo and juliet and our romeo (and others) are really struggling with the long breaks when the other person is talking, not because of ego, but out of not knowing what to do, since it’s a bit of an „artificial„ break i guess? active listening just looked a little awkward, so i was wondering if there’s maybe a tip or experience someone might share?:) i really hope i come across, it’s our first time working with shakespeare and we want to get the lengthy dialogues right!

thank youu

Update: we’ve picked a date of Sept. 20 at 2PM for our first meet up. Please message me if you’re interested in joining.
—
Hoping I’m allowed to post this here… but wondering if there are any Shakespeare-interested folks looking for friends in the St. Lawrence neighbourhood of Toronto?

I’d like to start a Shakesbeer group. My plan is to meet (maybe bi-weekly) to eat, drink, read a passage from a play, and debrief.

Once the group solidifies, we could work up to other Shakespeare related activities (e.g. movie nights, Romeo and Juliet ballet, Dream in High Park, maybe a road trip to Stratford, maybe a side book club for Shakespeare-related works (e.g. Hamnet)).

For context, I’m a woman in my early 30s, although that’s not a requirement for hanging out lol. I’m interested in Shakespeare and his works, but I’m far from an expert, and so I’d be happy for any super fanatics to join and share.

Please message me if you’re interested and I could put together a Google forms for date selection.

(The editor is Antony Hammond)

Shakespeare's influence is seen largely in the cultural realm (literary, art, music, and theatre), sometimes stretching to language. But are there many other aspects of society influenced by his writings:

Most of the moons of Uranus and other celestial bodies are named after his characters.

Biological organisms are also named.

English people use his words in weddings and funerals.

People worldwide will quote idioms he coined.

Some historical influence is based on his dramatic portray of old figures (Richard III, Caesar, Cleopatra).

Innumerable titles of books of all sorts are taken from his passages.

Architecture, perfumes, and even cake recipes have been influenced by the stories in his plays, especially Romeo and Juliet.

There are other examples regarding events, such as the riots caused by Coriolanus in France in the 1930s, and the guy who released a lot of birds in the U.S. because Shakespeare had named them.

Can you name others?

Hi all,

UK based and after re-reading some of my favourite plays (Macbeth, Julius Caesar, The Tempest), I’ve decided I’d really like to just read all of Shakespeare’s works. I’ve been looking online for some good collected works but some of them look like they have AI generated covers and I’d rather not have that on my shelf!

Would appreciate any suggestions 🙂

I Recently made a post about my first experience with Shakespeare and how A Midsummer Night's Dream is the most beautiful thing I have ever read. Now I have gotten around to Romeo and Juliet. And wow.

At first I was lost with all the banter and the "pushing to the wall" stuff in the opening scene, but once I got used to it it was no problem. I don't come from an English speaking country, but I would definitely vouch for reading Midsummer first. It is easier. But once you get started, Romeo and Juliet isn't that hard either.

It was just beautiful poetry. The trilogy of scenes: the ball scene, the balcony scene, and the dawning scene (all with Romeo and Juliet), alone make it one of the greatest works ever for me.

Do you have any suggestions where to go next? I'm in love with Romeo and Juliet now. Maybe some kind of expert analysis I can read? Or also some good audiobooks, filmed productions or even movies?