In Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human, Harold Bloom argues that Shakespeare did more than just shape the structure and content of the English language—he created human nature as we understand it today. As James Shapiro explains, “Shakespeare remains so popular and his most memorable characters feel so real because through them Shakespeare invented something that hadn’t […]
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When people think of Will Shakespeare’s Hamlet, they either think of “alas poor Yorick” and some dude with a skull, or Hamlet’s “To be or not to be.” The latter speech is incandescent in the play. But I would argue that the scenes which follow “To be or not to be” would tell you more
In time, The Revenant might be best remembered for an underlying historical question. Leonardo DiCaprio plays the role of frontiersman Hugh Glass with great conviction, delivering an impressive physical performance that few actors would even attempt. In order to capture the perfect mood for this ambitious recounting of an American legend, director Alejandro G. Iñárritu relied
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“The stage is not merely the meeting place of all the arts, but is also the return of art to life.” — Oscar Wilde, 1891 It has been said that the theatre dies every night, only to be reborn each day, for it exists whenever actors perform before an audience. Therefore, a primary characteristic of
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This is the fifth in a series of columns that feature a much-loved poem, and a second poem that speaks to, or resonates with, that poem. This week’s poem is “All the World’s a Stage” by William Shakespeare, written around 1600. The Poetry Foundation states, “While William Shakespeare’s reputation is based primarily on his plays,
Kevin’s Much-Loved Poems: from As You Like It Read More »
I have taught many resistant students: gang members, drug dealers, disaffected kids with no direction, shy introverts, you name it. But the one thing I could always use to level the playing field was Shakespeare. You’d think something more in line with The Outsiders or some other gang-themed novel would have done the trick, but
Can Shakespeare Save Lives? Read More »