10-27-2004, 06:36 AM | #21 |
Mootis per forum
Administrator Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: Spain
Posts: 61,439
|
Well, it seems I'm the only fan of Richard II here... Richard III enjoys being evil and I can enjoy it too , but sometimes it seems too unreal... Too politically influenced by the Thomas More's text in which it is based (a text that, to some extent, wanted to legitimate Henry VIII's legitimacy, and consequently Henry VII's)...
Richard II is more centered in the psicollogy of the main character, and although the dramatic movement of the play has its stops and goes, the portrait of the King is marvellous: a fairly depressing character About movies: Luhrman. I liked it (I also like almost every "Shakespeare movie" ). Loved Danes. Not so Leo. Some good actors, some bad. The modern adaptation was good when it didn't distract us from the text (almost always, but in the bloody scenes). Branagh: I liked all them. Even Love's Labour Lost... well, actually, from this movie I just enjoyed all Costard and Branagh's long monologue about "women's eyes". Funny songs too
__________________
Do not be hasty. That is my motto. Now we'll have a drink and go to the Entmoot. |
10-27-2004, 10:43 AM | #22 |
Word Santa Claus
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 2,922
|
Oh, no, Richard II is BRILLIANT! I just prefer Richard III but that doesn't mean that Richard II isn't excellllent.
My favorite bit is the part where Richard finally snaps and kills the guys coming to kill him. It's right after a long depressing soliloquoy and you can just see the guy's brain go, OK, that's enough, I am not taking this lying down anymore.
__________________
Sufficient to have stood, yet free to fall. |
10-27-2004, 11:29 AM | #23 | |
Mootis per forum
Administrator Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: Spain
Posts: 61,439
|
Quote:
__________________
Do not be hasty. That is my motto. Now we'll have a drink and go to the Entmoot. |
|
10-27-2004, 12:32 PM | #24 | |
Half-Elven Princess of Rabbit Trails and Harp-Wielding Administrator (beware the Rubber Chicken of Doom!)
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Not where I want to be ...
Posts: 15,254
|
Quote:
*is on a budget*
__________________
. I should be doing the laundry, but this is MUCH more fun! Ñá ë?* óú éä ïöü Öñ É Þ ð ß ® ç å ™ æ ♪ ?* "How lovely are Thy dwelling places, O Lord of hosts! ... For a day in Thy courts is better than a thousand outside." (from Psalm 84) * * * God rocks! Entmoot : Veni, vidi, velcro - I came, I saw, I got hooked! Ego numquam pronunciare mendacium, sed ego sum homo indomitus! Run the earth and watch the sky ... Auta i lómë! Aurë entuluva! |
|
10-27-2004, 12:45 PM | #25 |
Word Santa Claus
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 2,922
|
Heck, my edition cost $1 at a library book sale. Nothing wrong with being on a budget
Has anyone seen a show called the Compleat Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)? That is one hilarious show. Got sent a DVD of it by my dad.
__________________
Sufficient to have stood, yet free to fall. |
10-27-2004, 03:20 PM | #26 |
Elentári
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: South Africa
Posts: 727
|
I think A Midsummer Night's Dream is the wierdest play he ever wrote. It is full of wierd characters doing wierd stuff. But I liked it
|
10-27-2004, 04:52 PM | #27 |
The Chocoholic Sea Elf Administrator
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: N?n in Eilph (Belgium)
Posts: 14,363
|
I think I've read them all, but since I made the mistake of reading through "the Complete Works" in one go, the stories get a bit mixed up in my memory, especially all the Richards and Henrys, why have so much of them I wonder.
I particulary liked The Tempest, Hamlet and (what was that title again?) The Wives of Windsor or something similar. As I said, the memories tend to run together.
__________________
We are not things. |
10-27-2004, 04:58 PM | #28 |
Word Santa Claus
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 2,922
|
Merry Wives of Windsor is an odd play. It can be very well done, or it can be awful. This latter I know because I've done it The version they did up at Bard on the Beach in Vancouver BC (Canada) was really good.
Has anyone read Troilus and Cressida? That was one play I had a harrrd time getting my head around.
__________________
Sufficient to have stood, yet free to fall. |
10-27-2004, 05:44 PM | #29 |
The Chocoholic Sea Elf Administrator
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: N?n in Eilph (Belgium)
Posts: 14,363
|
The one in Throy? Yes, I've read it. I didn't catch all of it, Shakerspeare's English isn't always easy for me.
__________________
We are not things. |
10-27-2004, 06:35 PM | #30 |
Word Santa Claus
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 2,922
|
Yeah, the one in Troy. Troilus and Cressida isn't easy for me either, and I've been studying the stuff for years.
That one and a couple of the late romances are hard to understand.
__________________
Sufficient to have stood, yet free to fall. |
10-27-2004, 07:35 PM | #31 |
Half-Elven Princess of Rabbit Trails and Harp-Wielding Administrator (beware the Rubber Chicken of Doom!)
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Not where I want to be ...
Posts: 15,254
|
I decided to start with Richard III - I've heard such great quotes from it! I got all of 1/2 page read before the kids needed something, but I came across that opening line - I didn't realize it was from Richard III, altho I knew it was from Sh.
__________________
. I should be doing the laundry, but this is MUCH more fun! Ñá ë?* óú éä ïöü Öñ É Þ ð ß ® ç å ™ æ ♪ ?* "How lovely are Thy dwelling places, O Lord of hosts! ... For a day in Thy courts is better than a thousand outside." (from Psalm 84) * * * God rocks! Entmoot : Veni, vidi, velcro - I came, I saw, I got hooked! Ego numquam pronunciare mendacium, sed ego sum homo indomitus! Run the earth and watch the sky ... Auta i lómë! Aurë entuluva! |
10-28-2004, 03:46 AM | #32 | |
Lady of Letters
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Either Oxford or Kent, England
Posts: 2,476
|
Quote:
__________________
And all the time the waves, the waves, the waves Chase, intersect and flatten on the sand As they have done for centuries, as they will For centuries to come, when not a soul Is left to picnic on the blazing rocks, When England is not England, when mankind Has blown himself to pieces. Still the sea, Consolingly disastrous, will return While the strange starfish, hugely magnified, Waits in the jewelled basin of a pool. |
|
10-28-2004, 12:59 PM | #33 |
Word Santa Claus
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 2,922
|
The Hamlet is really good, yeah.
Oob. Denmark in state rotten is something. Strange is this lord my. Melt would flesh solid too too this that O! You thank. It's odd - a group of 3 of us did that show this summer, then I come to college and a group is doing it, plus back home a theater is doing it... crazy. I'm still looking for someone who "got" Troilus and Cressida to explain it to me...
__________________
Sufficient to have stood, yet free to fall. |
10-29-2004, 03:01 PM | #34 |
Half-Elven Princess of Rabbit Trails and Harp-Wielding Administrator (beware the Rubber Chicken of Doom!)
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Not where I want to be ...
Posts: 15,254
|
Finished Richard III - oy, why did I start with a political one? But the writing is great! I just can't keep the characters, relationships, etc. straight - too much inbreeding! Of all subjects, history is my worst, and English history - well, I guess I need a chart or something.
Why didn't you kill the bugger when you had the chance, Anne?!?! What a creep
__________________
. I should be doing the laundry, but this is MUCH more fun! Ñá ë?* óú éä ïöü Öñ É Þ ð ß ® ç å ™ æ ♪ ?* "How lovely are Thy dwelling places, O Lord of hosts! ... For a day in Thy courts is better than a thousand outside." (from Psalm 84) * * * God rocks! Entmoot : Veni, vidi, velcro - I came, I saw, I got hooked! Ego numquam pronunciare mendacium, sed ego sum homo indomitus! Run the earth and watch the sky ... Auta i lómë! Aurë entuluva! |
10-29-2004, 04:30 PM | #35 |
Word Santa Claus
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 2,922
|
A creep, a malformed creep in fact, but a strangely attractive creep...
A chart might help: http://www.geocities.com/Broadway/1906/shakhist.html The best ones to start with are often the comedies like Twelfth Night that are famous enough, but not too deep or complex.
__________________
Sufficient to have stood, yet free to fall. |
10-30-2004, 05:39 AM | #36 | |
Mootis per forum
Administrator Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: Spain
Posts: 61,439
|
Quote:
I remember I was sort of shocked too, because I couldn't catch if it was a comedy or a tragedy. You know, on the one hand there are funny characters and ridiculations of Homer's story, and also all that light stuff about the levity of women... But on the other hand you have that impressive last scene of Hector's death. That was stuff of a very different kind. I wonder if it had some intention related to real life...
__________________
Do not be hasty. That is my motto. Now we'll have a drink and go to the Entmoot. |
|
11-02-2004, 01:19 PM | #37 |
High King at Annuminas Administrator
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Wyoming - USA
Posts: 10,752
|
Don't know what it was, but in high school, I had to FORCE myself to drag through any of his plays (maybe because it was 'assigned'). But the other day, after seeing and posting to this thread, I saw my paperback on the shelf, with three of his tragedies: Hamlet, Macbeth and King Lear. I started reading Macbeth (which I don't think I'd read before) and I just finished Act IV this morning.
Great stuff! I'm really enjoying it now. From historical references, it seems to be set in the 11th century (references to England's King, 'pious Edward' must refer to Edward the Confessor - who ruled up to his death at an advanced age, in 1065). Interesting study of an attempt to do evil, in order to advance oneself - and how it triggers consequences which draw more evil to the doer. Ultimately, the advancement is both unenjoyable and short-lived.
__________________
My Fanfic: Letters of Firiel Tales of Nolduryon Visitors Come to Court Ñ á ë ?* ó ú é ä ï ö Ö ñ É Þ ð ß ® ™ [Xurl=Xhttp://entmoot.tolkientrail.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=ABCXYZ#postABCXYZ]text[/Xurl] Splitting Threads is SUCH Hard Work!! |
11-03-2004, 11:39 AM | #38 |
High King at Annuminas Administrator
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Wyoming - USA
Posts: 10,752
|
Finished Macbeth on my lunch hour yesterday. Found two interesting parallels with LOTR!
It has to do with two 'signs' given to Macbeth by the supernatural 'apparitions' which made him feel safe from all harm. He was told that he would be kind until such-and-such forest (Birnham Wood?) came up to his castle... and there was a good deal of distance between them. The other was that he could not be slain by any man born of woman. Those who know the story know what happens: His hopes were first crushed when the advancing armies cut branches from the forest to screen themselves from view and hide their numbers. So 'the forest' advanced on the castle in this way. Of course... I thought of Ents! Then - when Macduff finally confronts Macbeth... Macbeth tries to dissuade him from pressing the encounter because of his enchantment, to which Macduff replies that he must not know that Macduff had been ripped from his mother's womb, before he could be born of her... and then goes on to slay Macbeth. Of course, that made me think of Eowyn's encounter with the Witch-King, although details had been changed, of course. Lots of great quotes throughout - I'll try to post a few later. Found a site on historical sources - the actual Macbeth actually slew Duncan in battle, not in bed - and the ancillary characters were all quite different. Perhaps modifying history (or a novel) for a play (or screenplay) dates back to him!
__________________
My Fanfic: Letters of Firiel Tales of Nolduryon Visitors Come to Court Ñ á ë ?* ó ú é ä ï ö Ö ñ É Þ ð ß ® ™ [Xurl=Xhttp://entmoot.tolkientrail.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=ABCXYZ#postABCXYZ]text[/Xurl] Splitting Threads is SUCH Hard Work!! |
11-03-2004, 01:52 PM | #39 |
Word Santa Claus
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 2,922
|
Hey, I never noticed those before. Those are cool parallels between two of my favorite authors!
I don't think Shakespeare really Invented rewriting history, but he certainly raised it to an art form which is more than most people who do it today.
__________________
Sufficient to have stood, yet free to fall. |
11-03-2004, 03:33 PM | #40 | |
Lady of Letters
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Either Oxford or Kent, England
Posts: 2,476
|
Quote:
BTW, I think both stories are based on a real historical event (or real legend anyway) about resistance to William the Conqueror in Kent. A guerilla movement attacked him disguised as trees. Or something like that...
__________________
And all the time the waves, the waves, the waves Chase, intersect and flatten on the sand As they have done for centuries, as they will For centuries to come, when not a soul Is left to picnic on the blazing rocks, When England is not England, when mankind Has blown himself to pieces. Still the sea, Consolingly disastrous, will return While the strange starfish, hugely magnified, Waits in the jewelled basin of a pool. |
|
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
One Thousand and One Knights | hectorberlioz | General Messages | 160 | 04-06-2007 04:03 AM |
Neuromancer or William Gibson? | Carafin | Fantasy and Sci-Fi Novels | 7 | 08-26-2004 01:15 PM |
How many people would make up a knights retinue in literature and reality? | afro-elf | General Messages | 8 | 10-24-2003 10:45 PM |
Poe vs. Shakespeare | WiseWizard | General Literature | 43 | 12-10-2002 01:18 AM |
William Shakespeare | Miranda | General Literature | 2 | 11-22-2002 11:17 PM |