The very best of William Shakespeare

[kevin horlocks wand]

titwank !

 

[lefty goldblatt]

 

[TheRemainsOfTheDave]

Mum’s the word
(a popular English idiom)

Used by William Shakespeare, in Henry VI, Part 2.

“Seal up your lips and give no words but mum.” – Henry VI, Part 2, Act 1, Scene 2
“Mum” is slang for momme. Momme means: be silent (or do not reveal). Old English: “mīma“. Latin: mimus (meaning silent actor/imitator).

It was used between 1350-1400 in Middle English.

“Thou mightest beter meten the myst on Malverne hulles; Then geten a mom of heore mouth til moneye weore schewed!” – Piers Plowman, William Langland

Found all that above quite interesting when I was writing a post for me Mum's birthday.​

Always preferred keeping 'mum' to keeping 'schtum' which everyone seems to use now, even me.

 

[TheRemainsOfTheDave]

I challenged myself to watch A Midsummer Night's Dream the other week, the first revisit to this story in the best part of forty years since it was forced into my brain in second year English. (That's 2nd year at high school, not this modern interpretation).

What a pile of steaming kak. Strangely, reassuring, given my initial encounter with it.

For the record, we also endured Henry IV. Definitely year 5 but may have started year 4, somehow those years seem a little longer than others. Oh what joy as the teacher announced ".. and now Part 2".

Now, The Merchant of Venice (also what we studied) was excellent. Can't remember much of Twelfth Night (again, another offering for our pleasure at school - I'm beginning to think there may have been a limited stock in the library), but this might have been down to being told we wouldn't be facing exam questions on it. Sort of a bonus round, if you like.

If you think, well that's unlucky, try throwing in World War 1 poetry for some light relief. And yes, it was relief.

Pfft, kids today moaning about Steinbeck.

 

[BrianW]

"Between two hawks, which flies the higher pitch,
Between two dogs, which hath the deeper mouth,
Between two blades, which bears the better temper,
Between two horses, which doth bear him best,
Between two girls, which hath the merriest eye,
I have perhaps some shallow spirit of judgment;
But in these nice sharp quillets of the law,
Good faith, I am no wiser than a daw."

Henry VI, Part 1, Act 2, Scene 4
In which Warwick gives his view of City's case before CAS.

 

[Fred_Quimby]

I challenged myself to watch A Midsummer Night's Dream the other week, the first revisit to this story in the best part of forty years since it was forced into my brain in second year English. (That's 2nd year at high school, not this modern interpretation).

What a pile of steaming kak. Strangely, reassuring, given my initial encounter with it.

For the record, we also endured Henry IV. Definitely year 5 but may have started year 4, somehow those years seem a little longer than others. Oh what joy as the teacher announced ".. and now Part 2".

Now, The Merchant of Venice (also what we studied) was excellent. Can't remember much of Twelfth Night (again, another offering for our pleasure at school - I'm beginning to think there may have been a limited stock in the library), but this might have been down to being told we wouldn't be facing exam questions on it. Sort of a bonus round, if you like.

If you think, well that's unlucky, try throwing in World War 1 poetry for some light relief. And yes, it was relief.

Pfft, kids today moaning about Steinbeck.

I think you might change your mind about ‘the Dream’ if you watch last nights performance at the National Theatre - still on YouTube until next Thursday. Wonderful production - give it a go.

 

[Aguero_Element]

Think im going to need a larger understanding of the society and history of britain during these times aswell as translations for much of the language used to fully understand shakespeares work. Makes you sound clever though.

 

[TheRemainsOfTheDave]

I think you might change your mind about ‘the Dream’ if you watch last nights performance at the National Theatre - still on YouTube until next Thursday. Wonderful production - give it a go.

The one I saw was Russell T Davies production with Maxine Peake and Matt Lucas. It just didn't make sense. One thing that really annoys me with these plays is when a character is off rambling nonsense and all the other characters are laughing their heads off (often chipping in with their own strange phrases), I always feel as though I'm listening to a group of strangers that I kind of understand but don't know the in-joke. Sort of like the Matchday thread on here.

I think I'm scarred to be honest.

 

[mackenzie]

Wasn't it George Bernard Shaw who said he didn't want his works being taught in schools because of how Shakespeare's was hated by many a pupil?
We studied Romeo and Juliet for English Lit O Level and it opened my eyes to the genius of Shakespeare. So much so that I'm a sucker for any new book on the theory of who Shakespeare really was. Love all the theories, but I still believe it was just one man.

 

[Magicpole]

Wasn't it George Bernard Shaw who said he didn't want his works being taught in schools because of how Shakespeare's was hated by many a pupil?
We studied Romeo and Juliet for English Lit O Level and it opened my eyes to the genius of Shakespeare. So much so that I'm a sucker for any new book on the theory of who Shakespeare really was. Love all the theories, but I still believe it was just one man.

Get yourself a copy of Bill Brysons take on his life. Its brilliant.