I often wonder what Shakespeare would think of his legacy. It would be difficult to imagine what ambitions he had when he began his writing career. Eternal fame, legendary status was, perhaps, not on his bucket list. To say Shakespeare has become immortal through his sonnets and plays would be a slight on the truth. [….]
Despite the controversy surrounding his authorship and even the rumors spread about his life, Shakespeare is still an artist whose works, whose life, spans the centuries. As Ben Jonson wrote, Shakespeare “was not of an age, but for all time.” That his sonnets and plays have stretched beyond his generation and still reaches the young and [….]
Check out this very cool clip on the original pronunciations of Shakespeare’s sonnets and plays. From Open University: An introduction by David and Ben Crystal to the ‘Original Pronunciation’ production of Shakespeare and what they reveal about the history of the English language.
On what would have been his 450th birthday, we celebrate the life and works of William Shakespeare. Be sure to check out all of our Bard-inspired reviews and pieces here.
Performing and Understanding Shakespeare The first performance of a Shakespeare play was Henry VI Part II, staged sometime between 1590 and 1591 — over 400 years ago. That’s 400 years of star-crossed lovers, betrayed monarchs, foiled (or terribly successful) villains, wise fools, fantasy, music, laughter, tragedy, and mayhem. It would be another two or three [….]
