Shakespeare remains a great example of the network effect in art. His works on their own are good, but not necessarily better than all other options in isolation. However, for various reasons Shakespeare became incredibly famous/popular and so many subsequent works reference Shakespearean works. Now it’s impossible to avoid Shakespeare if you want to fully understand a huge swath of English literature. Meaning people will keep putting on Shakespeare, and and others will continue creating derivative works, continuing the popularity.
My ranking of every Shakespeare play
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Re: My ranking of every Shakespeare play
#42How do people find The Hollow Crown as an adaptation of the Henriad cycles? [0] [0]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hollow_Crown_(TV_series)
Simon Russell Beale's Falstaff was superb IMO. Hiddleston as a good Hal. Jeremy Irons was, well, Jeremy Irons
I rather enjoyed the first four. the latter three with Benedict Cumberbatch as Richard III were rather weak. Especially when you look at Olivier's film.
Re: My ranking of every Shakespeare play
#43Not trying to start any debate here with Shakespeare fans, just intend this as a supportive word for those of us who just don’t enjoy Shakespeare - Voltaire declared Hamlet a ‘vulgar and barbarous play’ and that ‘one would take this work to be the fruit of the inspiration of a drunken savage’ - George Bernard Shaw: ’. “There is no eminent writer, not even Sir Walter Scott, whom I despise so entirely as I despise Shak…
This Voltaire quote is misleading. He continues: “… one would imagine this piece to be the work of a drunken savage. But amidst all these vulgar irregularities, which to this day make the English drama so absurd and so barbarous, there are to be found in Hamlet, by a bizarrerie still greater, some sublime passages, worthy of the greatest genius. It seems as though nature had mingled in the brain of Shakespeare the greatest conceivable strength and grandeur with whatsoever witless vulgarity can devise that is lowest and most detestable.“
So while he is pointing out the crassness of the work, he does think it’s great. Voltaire was very interested in the English, and pointing out the contrast here was definitely coming more from curiosity or even admiration than from dislike.
Re: My ranking of every Shakespeare play
#44Measure for Measure is one of my favourites and I'm glad they enjoyed it so much. But it's much darker than they imply. The Duke is not necessarily 'soft hearted', more manipulative; and the ending where he informs Isabella he will marry her is not usually played as a happy ending anymore.
The play has the only Shakespearean comic scenes that are still remotely funny. Angelo's struggle with temptation is also fascinating.
The BBC radio play of it is also excellent https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0b0wrpp
Re: My ranking of every Shakespeare play
#45I remember the teacher talking up Romeo and Juliet and being fairly unimpressed. But when I read King Lear, I was electrified- that scene with the king ranging around in the field while the fool says smart things is really good IMHO. I saw the Scottish Play put on by my high school theater and it was also great. Over time I've come to appreciate his fragments: "But soft! what light through yonder window breaks? Tis t…
“Prosperos books” is a brilliant version of the Tempest. Forbidden Planet is a great movie in its own right, but at best “inspired by”. It uses a similar setup, but the story is entirely different.
Re: My ranking of every Shakespeare play
#46Anyone who likes Shakespeare--or anyone who wants to like it--should watch this marvelous BBC Series called "Playing Shakespeare": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2VnxiW3oqk&list=PLboSQWmG70... It's produced by the Royal Shakespeare company and is comprised simply of some of the greatest shakeasperean actors (Judi Dench, Ian McKellan, David Suchet, Patrick Stewart) talking about different elements of how to act shak…
To add to this, I have a much deeper appreciation for all the works of Shakespeare I have seen performed rather than merely read. Even hearing certain soliloquies out loud makes them much more powerful and engaging.
I think Shakespeare is better if you suspend belief a bit in some plot machinations and enjoy the work as performed and written. It's not that you shouldn't analyze the work and think deeply on its themes, but I find that many approach Shakespeare as a philosopher first rather than as a playwright and poet.
Re: My ranking of every Shakespeare play
#47How do people find The Hollow Crown as an adaptation of the Henriad cycles? [0] [0]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hollow_Crown_(TV_series)
The Richard II eith Ben Whishaw is great! Didn’t care that much for the rest.
Re: My ranking of every Shakespeare play
#48Not trying to start any debate here with Shakespeare fans, just intend this as a supportive word for those of us who just don’t enjoy Shakespeare - Voltaire declared Hamlet a ‘vulgar and barbarous play’ and that ‘one would take this work to be the fruit of the inspiration of a drunken savage’ - George Bernard Shaw: ’. “There is no eminent writer, not even Sir Walter Scott, whom I despise so entirely as I despise Shak…
>Tolstoy: ... "but having read one after the other, ..." Do not read Shakespeare. Shakespeare wrote plays, not books. Shakespeare should be watched, either on stage or on screen. Reading a Shakespeare play is like deciding to listen to the Beatles by downloading MIDI files and playing them through software. Maybe you get the broad strokes of the song, and maybe you even like it, but you're not listening to the Beatle…
You got Tolstoy pretty good there!
Re: My ranking of every Shakespeare play
#49Earlier quoted context omitted.
The comedies are so much better performed than on the page. I find the humor gets a bit lost in the archaic language, but a good cast is able to bring it for modern audiences.
The problem with the stage is that it is much harder to stay on top of the plot. Especially when you aren't used to the language.
If you have good enough performers, unfamiliarity with the language won't get in the way.
It might seem a bold assertion, but there's a reason that classically-trained Shakespearian actors are often cast in sci-fi shows (Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen as perhaps the most famous examples). They're trained to convey more information through intonation and gesture so that you don't need to know the words they're saying, which translates well to performances in invented languages.
Re: My ranking of every Shakespeare play
#50> Romeo and Juliet ... A beautiful play, but I just don’t connect with its romantic core. Anyone who has children understands that this play is 100% a tragedy and is in no way romantic. Two teenage idiots think they're in love and end up killing themselves stupidly to prove it. The adults are also doofuses. The play itself is brilliant, but horrifying.
They are in love. This is what makes it such a tragedy. Romeo and Juliet are not idiots, they are clearly the most sensible persons in the play. And it is anachronisic to call them teenagers, since the idea of “teenage” as a stage between childhood and adulthood is a 20th century innovation. In the universe of the play, they are adults and of marrying age. Apparently some teachers try to teach the play as a warning a…
it can be both: clearly the feud is idiotic, but also the framing does go a little out of its way to show how their love is largely young infatuation. it's tragic through the interaction of multiple reasonable and unreasonable elements in all the characters.