Shakespeare

Medieval line drawing of a royal wedding.

Friday Hoyden: Margaret of Anjou

By Anna on 2016-07-01 • ( 1 )

In the fifteenth century England was governed by a loose association of noble families, led by a King who may or may not have gained his crown as the most direct male descendant of the previous King. The two ways… Read More ›

Shakespeare in Australia

By Anna on 2016-02-17 • ( 1 )

Shakespeare TwentyScore is marking 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, including event listings for Australia. The anniversary date is 23 April, but all kinds of things will be taking place all through 2016, so keep checking for updates, and expanding resources pages. Please come and visit the website, follow our Facebook page and find us on Twitter at @Shakes20Score.

Old man in white robe pats cheek of smiling young woman.

King Lear and Family Dramas

By Anna on 2015-12-22 • ( 1 )

I have a piece up at The Conversation on how King Lear is a great primer in common dysfunctional emotional/behavioural patterns between an ageing parent and adult children. It’s a seasonal special! King Lear and Family Gatherings There are plot summary… Read More ›

Brainstorming session: Shakespeare 400

By Anna on 2015-08-17 • ( 4 )

Here’s a little bit of Australian history trivia: the 300th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death coincided with the first celebration of ANZAC day. Sydney’s Shakespeare memorialists had spent four years planning major events, including booking the fanciest theatre in town for… Read More ›

Renaissance inkwash drawing of two young women in costume.

Friday Hoydens: Shakespeare’s Aptronymic Ingénues

By Anna on 2015-06-12 • ( 4 )

Cross-posted from Flaming Moth Towards the end of his career, Shakespeare wrote a string of plays that make a feature of the relationship between an ageing patriarch and a daughter who is coming into adulthood. These young women are all possessed… Read More ›

Somebody’s Having a Birthday

By Anna on 2014-04-23 • ( 1 )

It’s Shakespeare! Today is Shakespeare’s 450th birthday. Probably. Nominally. Well, we know he was baptised on the 26th, and it was usual for that to happen about three days after the birth. Also he died on April 23rd, 52 years later, so it appeals to our sense of symmetry.

B&W of Kate Hepburn in very silly costume, with a goat mask on a stick.

Friday Hoyden: Beatrice

By Anna on 2014-02-28 • ( 14 )

The way women are treated by men in Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing is awful, but don’t let that fool you into thinking this is an anti-women play. This is a play that exposes everything that is foolish and harmful about fearing female sexuality, or about doubting female capacity for steadfastness.