The Authorship Debate

Don't you hate it when you write like, I don't know, 37 plays, then after you die people start spreading rumours that you never wrote them...?

Yeah, me too. It took me a while to write all those plays.... :(

Well, aside from my authorship problems, Shakespeare was and still is the victim of a ongoing argument pertaining to who exactly wrote all 37 plays under his name. Unfortunately, no one had big enough balls (sorry for the crass language) to approach Shakespeare about his legitimacy when he was still alive. Maybe they were scared he might furiously incorporate them into one of his plays, only to be battered to death. Anything is possible, right?

So, which side of the fence am I on?
I don't even know. There are theories that are extremely valid of which support claims that Shakespeare didn't write the plays, though there are also many that rebut this and state that he did.

If Shakespeare didn't write the plays.. then who did?! The three most common candidates to have possibly written the works are the following:

• Edward de Vere: Eddie over here was a well-educated and well-traveled man who was one of Queens Elizabeth's noblemen. De Vere is said to have stopped his literary pursuits at an early age. Many believe that this could have been the point in time in which he might've begun writing under the pen name, William Shakespeare.

Edward 'I know the Queen' de Vere

• Christopher Marlow: Lil' Chris is said to have died in a bar brawl in the late 1500's. After finding out that he had a small involvement in works classified under the name "Shakespeare", people began to speculate whether he really did die. I wouldn't want to be known as Christopher Marlowe either... I mean, look at his haircut!

lil' chris, yo

•  Francis Bacon: Mr. Bacon is a favourite among those who debate against Mr. Shakespeare. He had the literary talents and fame in the theatre scene to make the impact of what Shakespeare did. Many think that his work is if completely different style and expression to that of William's. The amount of work that Francis output under his name would argue that he wouldn't have had the time to work under a Pseudonym. 

"pork is haram"

Here are some common arguments that appear when discussing this topic: 

• A commoner from Stratford would be unable to write good plays- Shakespeare was born and raised in Stratford-Upon-Avon; a place not known for its literary skills. When Shakespeare's plays begun gaining publicity, many were shocked regarding their flawless grammar and use of the English language. Along with this, William's plays integrated several other languages than English, for example: French, Italian, Greek and Latin. Many wondered how exactly William knew these languages. 

• Shakespeare's plays were not performed in Stratford when he was alive- Shakespeare, in his hometown, was known as a businessman not a playwright. His plays were also never performed in his hometown, leading many to think he didn't want those located there to expose that he wasn't actually a playwright and could have been getting another person to write the material. 

• There was little proof/documentation showing that the plays/sonnets were William's material: Over the years, historians have uncovered signatures and written documentation showing that William Shakespeare's name was placed upon several of the 37 plays and 154 sonnets. This 'proof' is very limited in number and varies from piece to piece. For instance, the signatures spell out several different forms of "William Shakespeare" (as seen below). Also, due to their mangled calligraphy, it shows how illiterate Shakespeare could have been.

Overall:

Now that we know a few of the more popular arguments regarding the Authorship debate, what can we draw from it? Well, we know that there are several arguments that prove that he possibly didn't write the material, for instance his unknown source of literacy and language. Then again, there are several arguments that prove that he might have, like how he knew the Queen or how he was one of the main members of "Lord Chamberlain's Men". Shakespeare was/is a very odd man who is said to have written many wonderful plays and sonnets and I don't think the world wants to let go of that. It would distress everyone. I guess we still have to keep on searching for evidence supporting either argument. Or, we could just leave the subject alone and accept what we have been accepting for the past few hundred years-  that Shakespeare did in fact write all the material. It wouldn't hurt. No one else who could have possibly written under the pseudonym is even alive anymore. R.I.P. Lil Chris, Mr.Bacon and Edward Cullen (lol jks, i hated twilight). Long live Shakespeare!

I am just gonna leave this here. As you can see, my Photoshop skills are immaculate.

IS IT REALLY THE END?!

So yes, the Hollywood rumours are true- These blogs end today. Finally the paparazzi will stop chasing after me. I have enjoyed my fame while it lasted (HAHA, WHAT FAME?) and I hope to explore the 'blogging' world in the future.... I would like to thank my parents, my dog, my laptop, my coffee cup *music starts playing* oh s**t! I would also like to thank my biggest fans- Karim, Alyyar, Miss Billie and that other one fan for reading through my blogs each week and commenting on them. I had a great time writing all these blogs (surprisingly). (AAHH HOW DO I END THIS)... erm....*cough*,

My #1 fan.

And whether we shall meet again I know not.
Therefore our everlasting farewell take.
Forever and forever farwell, Cassius.
If we do meet again, why, we shall smile.
If not, why then this parting was well made.

OR

SEE YA, THOU POISONOUS BUNCH-BACK'D TOAD!



GOODBYE AND THANK YOU

Is Shakespeare Still Relevant?

The end is nigh!

As exam block slowly approaches, so does the end of this blog. Oh how sad it will be to not dedicate my weekends to writing weekly blog entries. So very sad.

Let's save some sarcasm for the actual blog...


I just thought I'd include a quick definition:

Relevant.
Definition: closely connected or appropriate to the matter in hand.

Is William Shakespeare still relevant?

In my opinion, no, William Shakespeare is not still relevant. Why? He is a man who died just under 400 years ago. 

Is William Shakespeare's work still relevant?

Considering his plays are still being idolised, recreated and performed and his material is being etched in to teenagers brains (literally) everywhere around the world...OF COURSE!

Shakespeare, now a hated man upon many high-school students, a cherished man of teachers (unless they are marking work pertaining to him) and a respected man of many theatre-goers.

Out of what William did in his life, these following points are the most significant:

• Wrote 38 plays and 157 sonnets. Most of his plays are still world famous theatre productions.
• Via his plays he portrayed a new and improved version of the English Language, most of which is still integrated into modern English. 
• He created a diverse cast of characters for each and every one of his plays, providing the world with examples of the qualities you can inherit as a person, all good and bad.
• His plays consisted of timeless stories and plots which can still be enjoyed by many to this day due to their engrossing themes.

So regarding all these above points; is he really still relevant to modern society? Sure a lot of modern English vocabulary contains input from Shakespeare, but... does he really matter? I hate to break it to you but he has been dead for 398 years. Even though Shakespeare is dead, his countless pieces of intricate and fascinating literature work continue to thrive and live on. The man himself does not need to be here in order for students to learn from his plays or for a thespian to enjoy performing his masterpieces.

Shakespeare's work as a whole (his plays, his sonnets, his books) are all extremely relevant in today's society. Little did you know, Shakespeare created at least 1700 words that are now in the English dictionary! A few examples of these words are: submerge, watchdog, unreal.
By adding to the English dictionary, Shakespeare was able to structure his poems and plays with such decadence and control that when spoken, their effect was much larger than that of a regular sentence. For the past who knows how long, William's plays and sonnets have been studied, analysed and seen by students all around the world. Both of my parents studied Hamlet and here I am, studying Macbeth (Macbeth is better!). I even went with school to see an adapted version of Macbeth which I enjoyed very much! Shakespeare's plays being taught in school allow for students to understand the origin of a very important factor of the English language. William's plays also include countless well-formed characters who all share qualities that are good, bad, beautiful or even ugly. Students are able to take a lot out of the actions of the many characters in the plays, possibly educating them on how to be a better person based on their human morals or judgement.

Regarding his plays.. they were a hit back in the 1600's. It isn't exactly the 1600's anymore is it? BUT WHO CARES?! Shakespeare's plays are still to this day enjoyed by millions; whether it'd be on screen or performed professionally. In a previous blog entry I mentioned that his plays had been adapted into movies. This is because they are of such relevance and include themes that match in with today's society and preferences, obviously forming a well structured and though-out movie! For example, I really like The Lion King which is based on Macbeth by Shakespeare (thanks, Alyyar).

Most of Shakespeare's plays include themes of horror, action, death, comedy, romance and/or power. If you think about it, all those themes are evident in probably every movie produced and released in modern cinema. This shows just how big an influence Shakespeare and his work have been.


So, in conclusion it can be identified that William Shakespeare is not relevant in modern society BUT his pieces of work definitely are! Who knows if students will still be studying his work in the future or if his plays are still being performed? And who cares? That is the future, so for now we shall live in the present.

Until next time!

Shakespeare In the Media

Media.
Definition: the means of communication, as radio or television, newspapers, and magazines, that reach or influence people widely.

William Shakespeare.
Definition: 1564-1616, English poet and dramatist. (Bard of Avon)

Now, one question- Does William Shakespeare, a man born in the 1500's, have a large integration in modern day media?

YES!

Shakespeare was a man of many talents. He was a playwright, poet and dramatist. Shakespeare's works are still to this day some of the most commended pieces of literate work. They go from being adapted into movies to being taught in schools (HE-YO!).

Shakespeare, even to this day, is one of the most important men to have innovated and changed English Language and Literature for the better. Now, I know you are just thinking about all the SMS talk these days, OMG it is so annoying right? Sadly, Shakespeare's wisely constructed means of wording and sentence structure never got through to these...UNMUZZLED WEATHER-BITTEN HARPIES.

Aside from Shakespeare's integration into the English language, he obviously has had a large effect on the world theatre scene. Over the years, plays have become less and less popular to attend. This doesn't stop Shakespeare from still shining (like the sun). Several of his plays have been adapted into movies and several movies have been based on his plays.

Some plays adapted into movies:

• Romeo and Juliet (Baz Luhrmann)
• Henry V (Kenneth Branagh)
• Macbeth (Roman Polanski) 
• Hamlet (Kenneth Branagh)

Some movies based on plays:

• She's The Man (2006), based on Twelfth Night
• West Side Story (1986)  based on Romeo and Juliet
• Forbidden Planet (1956) based on The Tempest
• 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) based on The Taming of the Shrew

Forbidden Planet (1956)

10 Things I Hate About You(1999)

West Side Story (1986)

Additionally, regarding modern plays, Shakespeare's are those that stand out among plays written these days.  Their stories are based on situations that could have possibly occurred a hundred years ago, but not now. Since when do kings go on rampages and fall into depths of despair after receiving false hope. Not exactly often, if not never. Don't get me wrong, there are definitely some great theatre plays out there today. For instance, I thoroughly enjoyed a Canadian play/musical called 'Blood Ties' dubbed the slogan "A wedding. A suicide. A cleanup. A secret."

Did you know Shakespeare has a twitter account?
I didn't, until now.
Guess what kids? adults are catching up on the latest technology and trends... like seriously, AN OLD MAN THINKS IT IS OK TO TAKE A SELFIE?!

Let's end this entry on a nice note, shall we? Remember how I mentioned in the last blog that Shakespeare turned 450, well it turns out that Shakespeare is still so important, cherished and incorporated into world that his home town (and several areas around the world) celebrated his birthday with parties and parades. What a lucky man! Have a good week (or don't) and chill out. Maybe read some Stephen King (REPRESENT!) or listen to some new indie band that no one knows about. But until next week, take a look at these photos of his dedicated fans in his hometown!

The Plays of William Shakespeare

A third blog entry? I had rather chop this hand off at a blow, And with the other fling it at thy face! (King Henry VI, part 3)

Oh, who am I kidding? Writing these blogs are the highlights of my weekends! It beats stressing over which IB subjects to select ANY DAY.

This week’s topic is Shakespeare’s Plays. A very vast though intriguing subject.

Shakespeare, along with the title of "Playwright", was also an accomplished poet and actor. When people hear the name Shakespeare, automatically they think, “Dude, isn't that the guy who wrote like a lot of plays about people falling in love and people dying.” I can’t argue with that definition as for the most part it is correct. More 'elaborately', William Shakespeare wrote around 37 plays and 157 sonnets. No one has come to a conclusion regarding whether or whether not Shakespeare wrote all 37 plays.

The plays that William (yes, we are on first-name basis now) wrote range across a few different topics: comedies, histories and the ever-popular tragedies. On several occasions the plays would blur in between topics. For instance, the comedies would contain elements of tragedy. One of the main reasons why William was such a conversed and highly noted playwright was due to the depth and range of his characters and how well he portrayed them and their social standing with their dialogue. The language used in his plays had to be highly descriptive of the surroundings and environment as a lot of the time, the plays would be performed without props and a proper set. Old Scottish castles, battlefields, barren landscapes and streets filled with bustling amounts of people are examples of what had to be described successfully for the viewer to conjure the scene up in their own minds.

                     

A few other reasons why William’s plays were commended of so highly was due to their great stories and compelling characters. Many say, to this day, that no one has lived up to Shakespeare’s level of generating a story. His characters are all moulded so well into the stories whether they were a supporting role or a main character. All characters are said to be so complex and well-constructed; no one is perfect, every single one has their own faults or inabilities, real human emotion is present and each character has their own weaknesses. Most modern actors deeply admire William’s creations and consider playing a Shakespearean role to be the most difficult, though most rewarding.

A favourite among William’s plays were his tragedies (especially among Elizabethan viewers). Typically the story lines of the tragedies would follow the rise and fall of a powerful lead role, typically a nobleman. A common characteristic of the protagonists are that they have a fatal flow that propels them towards their bloody end. Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet and Macbeth are among Shakespeare’s most popular tragedies.

Shakespeare’s comedies were another popular genre of his plays. They were driven often by language and complex plots involving mistaken identity. For example, Shakespeare’s play Twelfth Night revolves around a man and a woman in which she is later revealed to be a disguised man. She’s The Man (2006) is a movie based on this play of William’s. Some say that if you are watching a play of Shakespeare’s and it includes a character dressing or pretending to be the opposite sex, BINGO! It’s a comedy.

The histories that William Shakespeare wrote were not necessarily historically accurate or correct. They were written rather to make social and political commentary on events that have occurred in the past. Popular histories include Henry V and Richard III.

Shakespeare had to be very careful when writing his plays as politics were a very controversial topic and most of his plays include the theme of politics heavily. With the addition that women couldn't originally perform the plays in theatre during Elizabethan times, very few of his female roles were constructed differently to those of men. This was only a minor defect in Shakespeare’s mind as often he disregarded this when writing.

Personally, my favourite play by William Shakespeare is Macbeth. Before studying Macbeth I was familiar with the story lines of several other plays by man himself such as Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet though Macbeth is just so versatile and filled with interesting characters who help form the complex story line. My favourite character is either Macbeth or Lady Macbeth as I find it very intriguing to see the development of a person’s personality and actions completely flip upside down. The journey to that point and the consequences are very interesting to monitor and discuss why it occurred (maybe I just like power-hungry people). Also, who doesn't like to see one of their favourite characters either commit suicide and end up a pile of broken bones on the ground or get hanged only to be beheaded? I certainly do! The way Shakespeare constructed Macbeth is very odd in ways when it explores politics and incorporates the super-natural aura of the witches. Now that I have seen Macbeth performed adaptively, I would love to see the regular version performed identical to the original script. 

Happy 450^th Birthday, William Shakespeare! *

You’re now one year closer to the grave.

Oh wait...

*It is 26^th of April (when I wrote this) which marks the day William Shakespeare was baptised. No one knows his exact birth date so people celebrate his birth on the 26^th.

Elizabethan Times and Theatre

The Elizabethan Period
I don't about you but I assume this is a period of time ruled over and highly influenced by a woman named Elizabeth...?!

LET'S FIND OUT!

Here are the facts*: 

• Queen Elizabeth reigned over the UK from 1558-1603. 
• It was a period of time when people were judged on what they wore (I guess if people dressed alike, others would have thought it was in their jeans).
• The water was too dirty to drink so the poor drank and ale and the rick drank wine. (I don't think that was a particularly the grapest decision to make..)
• Queen Elizabeth is believed to have owned over 80 wigs. (who was she trying to impress?!)
• Women in the Elizabethan times were seen as inferior to men. (wow, so much has changed.)
• Non-attendance to the Church was punishable by law!
• It was only during this period of time in which the English were introduced to more exotic food and drink such as chocolate, potatoes, tea and coffee.
• Marriage and producing children were seen as a sort of 'top priority' during the Elizabethan times. This was so their children could carry on their family name and heritage.
• Elizabethan's were extremely superstitious. They feared witches, believed in magical animals and sought out good luck charms.
• Music, poetry, theatre and literacy flourished during this time. William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe and Edmund Spenser are among of the more famous playwrights and poets of this time period. 
• Disease, infection, poverty and occupational accidents could result in ones untimely demise. 

*..and a few bad puns.

Theatre During the Elizabethan Times

With theatre becoming a popular attraction during the Elizabethan Era, many playwrights rose to the occasion. Among these were William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe and John Fletcher. The playwrights and poets were the celebrities of the Elizabethan Era (watch out Leonardo DiCaprio) and were treated this way as well, often becoming close friends with the current reigning king or queen. These playwrights had busy but wealthy lifestyles.

If you think about theatre, most people will think of a group of talented men and women on a stage performing a play for an audience. 

Wrong.

It was illegal for women to perform on stage, resulting in men having to play women's roles. This was somewhat a dilemma for a few of the plays cast, in particular "Romeo and Juliet" by Shakespeare. 

(A great movie that delves a bit deeper into this subject is below.)

The first permanent theatre built during the Elizabethan Era was "The Red Lion". This theatre was a short-lived failure. 

Three other theatres that were built on the outskirts of London, England during the same time period were: The Globe, The Fortune and The Swan; all of which seated 2-3000 people. Stages were in the center of the seating and had hidden holes (trap doors) in the floor for effects such as REAL fire and REAL smoke.(i really like fire)

Shakespeare in association with Queen Elizabeth and Theatre

Shakespeare and Queen Elizabeth only became close acquaintances towards the end of her reign, in fact he was even born during her reign. Speculations rose regarding whether she could have possibly been his mother! Talk about scandal...

Queen Elizabeth, out of the very few plays of Shakespeare's she saw, raved on and on about their quality.

Queen Elizabeth personally provided a large fraction of the theatre and performance costs for Shakespeare. 

The Globe Theatre is most renowned for performing a large assortment of Shakespeare's plays. The theatre was built and managed by two actors. The Globe was split into six shares, one of which was Shakespeare's. In 1613, the original Globe Theatre went up in flames during the performance of Henry VIII. It has since been reconstructed twice. Rumours have risen stating that Shakespeare's "As You Like It" was written especially for The Globe Theatre. Still to this day performances can be seen at the theatre or at replicas in Tokyo and London. (added to bucket-list!)

Overall, the Elizabethan Era was a fashionable period of time in which Queen Elizabeth I ruled. Theatre additionally flourished (kinda like a flower) and playwrights were made celebrities. Queen E. also was trying to impress someone but we don't know who.

Until next time, thou qualling rump-fed fustilarian!  

A blog entry about a guy who wrote lots of sonnets and plays then died.

I think that title is a bit too straight forward. Oh well.

William Shakespeare. I had always heard of Shakespeare's sonnets and plays- how spectacular they were. Though I had never actually been interested in them or him... until recently. Our school had announced that in English we would be studying Shakespeare and his popular play "Macbeth". So in order to jump-start our education on the topic, we went and saw an adapted musical version of "Macbeth". Personally, I loved it. From the taunting witches to the power-hungry Macbeth himself; it was vastly entertaining.

To my luck, my year 10 English class began to study the man himself, Shakespeare! What an interesting life he seemed to have. I mean, who would have know he married Catwoman?! (haha get it?) 

Also, only Shakespeare would be cool enough to befriend two of the rulers of England. 

Shakespeare's past isn't the only confusing thing. I mean, look at his language! His writing is that of great literal talent though to a 21st century reader, it is nearly gibberish.

Here is some of what I gathered from the few lessons of studying the life and times of William Shakespeare:

Shakespeare was born in 1564 and grew up in Stratford-upon-avon, England. At the age of 18 he got married and had three kids,two of which were twins (poor William). In the 1580's, Shakespeare migrated to London where he earned his way to the top of the theatre scene by becoming a popular playwright. His work was of such great standards that he soon befriended both rulers of England (at the time) Elizabeth I and James I. #swag #connections #hardtobeat #unlikeeggs
During the next few years, William is believed to have written his world renowned 154 sonnets and 37 plays. Speculations have risen regarding whether he wrote them all or not (oooh, someone got jealous).
Shakespeare then became part owner of The Globe theatre in London where still today, many of his plays are performed to thousands of people who are honouring his existence. Shakespeare's plays over time had also been translated to several languages and are being performed all around the world to thousands of people. Adaptations (such as the Macbeth musical I have seen) are a popular method used to portray William's plays to younger audiences in much less complex forms.
In 1616, William Shakespeare died wealthy with back in Stratford at the age of 52 with a cloudy past which is still being questioned today.


So, who is William Shakespeare?

He is a man respected by millions and still cherished today. Also a man of many words (literally!). I am intrigued to learn more about him and study more of his plays and sonnets.
Until next time, thou gorbellied pottle-deep varlot!