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Month: July 2009

Charged Enthusiasm

Blog! Did you know I was in the midst of writing a great novel? No? Well neither did I! Perhaps that’s because I am not in the midst of writing a great novel. No novel, blog, rather I am in the midst of doing my reading for my literature classes.

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They are positively wonderful!  Did you know that Shakespeare was an actor as well as a writer? They suspect part of the reason he was able to easily convert prose into script was his familiarity with performing on stage.  And did you know that Shakespeare’s A Winter’s Tale was perhaps a fresh response to Roberte Greene’s scathing Groats-worth of Wit bought with a Million of Repentance ? In it, Greene rails against actors who write and accuses Shakespeare of plagiarism.  Personally blog, I think Shakespeare was an early (and great) re-mediator. Putting narratives to plays is necessary, for as the Second Gentleman in The Winter’s Tale says, “Such a deal of wonder is broken out within this hour, that ballad-makers cannot be able to express it.”  (5.2.21)  Blog, we can’t always just write about things. Duh.  Sometimes people have to see to understand.

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The Globe

“But cousin, what if we essayed to steal
The clownish fool out of your father’s court.
Would he not be a comfort to our travel?”
As You Like It (2.1.123)

Globe

Blog! I visited The Globe Theater yesterday to see As You Like It.   In the lines above, Celia and Rosalind have decided to run away to the forest, and then Rosalind says, “How about we take the clown too?”  So then they go and get the clown as well.

Isn’t that brilliant? Taking a clown! It is. I would insist on taking humor-relief with me if I were going to go live in a forest.  And if I were rich, I would demand a comedian followed me around to make clever quips during all kinds of situations.   So, for example, if an officer pulled me over for speeding in my classy Astin Martin, I would turn to the comedian, sitting by my side, and insist on a joke.  “Go on now! Do something hilarious!” Then I would turn my attention to the law enforcer, “Officer, prepare to laugh.”

Of course, every once in a while, my comedian would fail me, and in those cases, I will stare and blink at the comedian.  This will give the comedian time to recover, or, in extreme cases of comedy block, just turn and run away.

Sorry, that was a long aside blog, it was just important that I share it with you.  In other news, I was surrounded by Americans in Shakespeare’s Globe. Other American tourists are ruining my authentic cultural experiences, blog.  So, naturally, I quietly glare at them in disdain when they talk out loud.  I won’t have it!

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Hullo Blog!

Hullo Blog, I’m in the UK now, reporting to you live from Oxford. I can hear the rivuh Thames breeze gently by as I ponder the works of Shakespeare and Ian McEwan. Ha! Of course that’s bollocks, blog, I can’t hear the river. I’m indoors, on my laptop.

My first great purchase abroad – I’m based in the states you know – has been Cadbury’s dark chocolate! I bought two packs. I love this stuff. I would pump it into my veins if I could. I’ve already made plans for how to bring it back, en masse, to the states.

Chocolate

Also, I bought some Nutella, of course, and some Ben and Jerries ice cream. There’s a heat wave, so I thought the ice cream would be a good idea. It cost 4.65 pounds, which is $7.62, which means I paid almost $8 for a pint of Ben and Jerries Phish Food. * shakes head *

Blog in other news, I am headed to London tomorrow! Have you heard of it? It’s a modest town in the heart of the United Kingdom.

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