Sonnets

One of the most interesting things about Shakespeare is that we do not really know when his plays were written - instead we know when they were performed. In fact, it has been argued that Macbeth was written ten years before it was performed.

If this is the case, the writer of the play could seriously have been attempting to paint a black picture of a Scottish king (a very real threat).

As we know, King James became King...which means that Elizabeth's heir was Scots. Yikes!

What do you think of the fact that we don't have written dates for the plays, no signature for William Shakespeare, and no written version of the plays? We do have the first folio, but this was complied by the actors. The plays could have been completely different.

I guess, long story short. Do you think Macbeth was written for Elizabeth or James? do you think it was written when it was performed or earlier (as this movie suggests)?

Movie

Hmmmm...I don't know. I know it's been suggested that Elizabeth I had bastard children, but I don't know if I buy it. Also, I thought she was a woman who wasn't easily swayed in her opinions...and it appears here that her Puritan councilor really controls her.  That causes me pause.

However, I am intrigued by the movie thus far. I have heard that Oxford was the person who wrote the plays....interesting theory.

What do you guys think?

Cutting

If there is a character, or characters, that you could cut out of MacBeth...who would it, they, be? Why? How would this affect the play?

Contraversy

Did you know that some scholars argue that Shakespeare never existed? There are many theories about this idea. Some suggest that he was just a name, and the players at the theater wrote the shows. Others have suggested that Queen Elizabeth wrote many of the plays herself, and that is why the shows seem to differ greatly in voice after she died. Others claim that Sir Walter Raleigh wrote the plays, and used Shakespeare as a cover. Seriously - there are ALL KINDS of claims. For some reason many people find it hard to believe that a common man...one with very little education, wrote some of the world's most treasured, and perhaps well-known, pieces of work.

For this blog, do a quick google search for Shakespeare and conspiracies. What do you think? Do you think there is any truth to the matter?

Influences

Who do you think influences Macbeth to murder (and he does A LOT of it in this play).

I like to believe that it's all his own decision - yet, it is hard to argue with the fact that his wife plays a major part in his decision making.

Who do you think is to blame? The witches, Macbeth, or Lady Macbeth? or none...was it simply fate?

Gearing up for Shakespeare

I'm VERY excited about our Shakespeare unit. It's my most favorite type of theater. Many people are afraid of Shakespeare, or find him boring, because the language is hard to understand. We will work on converting that and see attempt to tackle it together.

Have you ever seen any Shakespeare? My favorite Shakespearean play is Twelfth Night, it's a HILARIOUS comedy. If I were to pick a drama, it would be Hamlet.

The Piano Lesson

I think the title of this play is significant - how does it apply to each character? Meaning: what lesson does the piano teach each character in this play?