Are we so back??? I hope so!Thank you to everyone who has patiently waited while I've been working through personal stuff. And congrats to everyone who caught up on the podcast during the break.I am back with an episode near and dear to my heart about whether Shakespeare was, in fact, a bisexual icon.Okay, not entirely. In this episode I talk about the long history of questions surrounding Shakespeare's sexuality, whether queer interpretations of his plays are reading "too much" into them, and talk about a wonderful book I read recently, Straight Acting: The Hidden Queer Lives of William Shakespeare by Will Tosh.Straight Acting looks at the different facets of Shakespeare's life growing up, going to school, and the theater scene in London and aspects of queerness in the culture at the time that he would have been introduced to and some ways we can see him engaging with it. In particular, I talk about some other writers at the time who were also having fun with gender and sexuality in their works.As always, I love building out that sweet, sweet context.Further Reading:Straight Acting: The Hidden Queer Lives of William Shakespeareby Will ToshHomosexuality in Renaissance England by Alan BrayThe Renaissance of Lesbianism in Early Modern England by Valerie TraubFurther Listening:Episode 15: Introduction to Shakespeare's SonnetsEpisode 10: Twelfth Night and Gender Exploration
Has the shrew been tamed or was the taming just the friendswe made along the way?I am back with the third and final episode looking at TheTaming of the Shrew! And, phew, it’s been quite a ride.In this episode, I’ll be discussing contemporary reactionsto The Taming of the Shrew, performances of the play across time, and my final take on the play now that I’ve finished reading way too much about it.When we build out the context surrounding a work of art,that allows us to think about it more deeply and consider the merits or problems with the text we didn’t consider the first time around. It’s a worthwhile exercise, even if you end up still disliking something after doing additional reading.At least that’s what I’m telling myself.Enjoy me taking every last opportunity to diss Petruchio!Next time I’ll talk about something else. Promise.Further Reading and WatchingThe Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare, specially the Arden ShakespeareThe Woman’s Prize, or, The Tamer Tamed by John FletcherShakespeare and feminist performance: ideology on stage by Sarah Werner"I Will Be Master of What Is Mine Own": Fortune Hunters and Shrews in Early Modern London by Eleanor HubbardThe Tamer as Shrewd in John Fletcher's "The Woman's Prize: Or, The Tamer Tam'd" by Holly A. Crocker"The Taming of the Shrew" with Morgan Freeman, episode of Shakespeare Uncovered from PBS Credit where credit is duePodcast art by Halie BransonMusic recording by josdvg
Hello boys, I’m back!The long-awaited 10 Things I Hate About You episode is here. Please enjoy listening to me and my brother probably defend this movie too hard. Honestly, for being a late ‘90s romcom, it’s doing a pretty good job of being a Shakespeare adaptation. And has the added advantage of being put against a Shakespeare play that is…more problematic than many of his other comedies.While we are open to other people’s interpretations of thisfilm, we here at Something Shakespeare This Way Comes will not be allowing any Kat slander at this time. Thank you.Warning: This episode has a higher swearing content than most episodes of this podcast (I was too tired to censor them). So please be aware that there will be some four-letter words flung about!Credit where credit is duePodcast art by Halie BransonMusic recording by josdvg
This episode is a true example of what happens when you don't make yourself stop falling down the research rabbit hole.We're back with more The Taming of the Shrew and looking specifically the two main romantic leads. What is Petruchio's deal? What is Kate's? And why is everyone so obsessed with them?I wade my way through a reading of the play, several books, and a number of articles to see what people have said about these two characters to get a better idea of why the conversation surrounding this play is so lively.Initially, I thought this was something I could get through quickly. But it turns out, I had way more feelings about it than anticipated. So enjoy a discussion of a romantic male lead who might actually be the worst person ever and a romantic female lead who maybe makes no sense?Enjoy, and gird your loins for an eventual part three!Further Reading and WatchingThe Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare (I read the Arden edition, which always has lovely introductions)Shakespeare and feminist performance: ideology on stageby Sarah Werner"Performing Marriage with a Difference: Wooing, Wedding,and Bedding in 'The Taming of the Shrew" by Amy L. SmithShakespeare for Students: Book 2 by Catherine C Dominic"Comic Structure the Humanizing of Kate in The Taming of the Shrew" by John C. Bean, chapter in In The Women’s part: feminist criticism of Shakespeare, edited by Carolyn Lenz"From Shrew to Subject: Petruchio's Humanist Education ofKatherine in 'The Taming of the Shrew'" by Elizabeth Hutcheon"The Taming of the Shrew" with Morgan Freeman, episode of Shakespeare Uncovered from PBSFurther ListeningEpisode 35: The Taming of the Shrew, Context and ConfusionCredit where credit is duePodcast art by Halie BransonMusic recording by josdvg
Our long-awaited Shrew series has begun! And I have discovered that I committed myself to doing three episodes surrounding a play that maybe I don’t like?But regardless of whether I’m going to banish Petruchio to my rejected list, there are still interesting things to talk about concerning The Taming of the Shrew, because of course there are! It’s Shakespeare. There’s always something to talk about.So let’s do that. In this episode we’re talking the plot ofthe play, why so much of it involves men putting on disguises and pretending to be someone else, what is up with the Christopher Sly setup that seemingly goes nowhere, and the play’s complicated relationship with another play that hasalmost exactly the same title.As always, I did discover a couple things to appreciateabout this play after doing some intensive reading. It never fails to delight me how research can make my experience of a Shakespeare play better. Enough to redeem this particular play? Time will tell.Join me for an introduction to this complicated play that has proved to be tricky for modern audiences. Then, next episode, we’ll really get into the controversy surrounding this one.Further ReadingThe Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare (I read the Arden edition, which always has lovely introductions)Shakespeare After All by Marjorie Garber, the “The Taming of the Shrew” chapter“‘I Will Be Master of What Is Mine Own’: Fortune Hunters and Shrews in Early Modern London" by Eleanor Hubbard (This is the article that talks about a real divorce case in early modern England)Credit where credit is duePodcast art by Halie BransonMusic recording by josdvg
This episode is brought to you by the newsletters about books that I subscribe to and my ability to sometimes overthink things. This time around we are talking books! First-person perspective! Theater! Soliloquy! Do you find it true that in the modern books you read, there’s more action than introspection and thought? Do books seem to be cinematic, already poised perfectly for an adaptation to the screen? If we remove the insight into a character’s mind, how effective is the book? We love books for how close they bring us to characters and often turn a side eye when movies tried to capture that interior knowledge through voiceover. What about when we turn it over to the stage? How can the theater capture characters, their inner thoughts, and show the perspective of a single person? And how did Shakespeare do that? Some fun musings abound this episode. Thinking about interiority in theater, how Shakespeare lets us get into character’s thoughts (or not), the purpose of stage directions, and ultimately land on the position that all art is interconnected and what a beautiful web we weave. Credit where credit is due Podcast art by Halie Branson Music recording by josdvg
How often have you seen a quote on a beautifully colored background with the claim that the words are from William Shakespeare himself? If you’ve spent any amount of time on the internet, then probably at least a handful of times. But there are pitfalls when it comes to taking what seems to be good advice from Shakespeare himself. One of them being that most of what was written by Shakespeare are words said by characters in his plays who often have other things going on that have nothing to with being generally inspirational. Join me as I consider why it’s helpful to more thoughtfully consider inspirational quotes being passed off as Shakespeare and look at a couple of popular quotes people do like to use. We’ll determine the original context of those quotes and what they mean once you ground them in the plays they’re from. Credit where credit is due Podcast art by Halie Branson Music recording by josdvg
Do you consider something to be a Shakespeare adaptation if it features a female protagonist who dresses up as a boy? Is this basic concept now considered quintessentially Shakespearean? Or does there need to be an added je ne sais quoi to make it count? That is the central question concerning the 1985 teen comedy Just One of the Guys, which the internet claims is loosely based on Twelfth Night. The phrase “loosely based” is doing a lot of heavy lifting in this case. In this episode we consider the elements of Just One of the Guys that make the case for it being a Twelfth Night adaptation, how it deals with gender presentation in a more serious way than you’d expect from a goofy comedy, and whether teen comedies lend themselves in general to Shakespearean adaptation. Happy new year, everyone! Further Listening Ep. 25: Shakespeare in Adaptation Ep. 10: Twelfth Night and Gender Exploration Credit where credit is due Podcast art by Halie Branson Music recording by josdvg
It has come to my attention that I recently uploaded this with the wrong audio attached. Cool! It's about T.S. Eliot now, I promise. This episode we are discussing my man T.S. Eliot, who wrote era defining poetry but also penned probably the most famous one-star review of the Hamlet that exists. What was his problem with Hamlet (the play) and Hamlet (the character), exactly? We’ll be looking at that notorious essay and the argument that Eliot crafts in it. Then we will also consider some other factors that play into this Hamlet opinion, including why Eliot’s real ire might lie with an entirely different group of poets, and his Shakespeare opinions in other critical essays that he wrote throughout his life. Did I end up reading more critical essays than I expected to when putting this episode together? Yes. Did I feel like I gained new insight into the squabbles that happen in the land of literary criticism? You bet. And we love literary-based petty squabbles. Listen to find out why T.S. Eliot called Hamlet an “artistic failure,” what play he hated more than Hamlet, and how relatable Eliot is for finding his younger self cringe. Further Reading “Hamlet” by T.S. Eliot (Also known as “Hamlet and His Problems.” The essay that started it all.) “T. S. Eliot's Impudence: "Hamlet", Objective Correlative, and Formulation" by Bradley Greenburg (This is the article that talks about Eliot’s real target of his Hamlet essay.) “T. S. Eliot and Shakespeare” by Phillip L. Marcus (This article walks through multiple references to Shakespeare throughout Eliot’s works.) “Soiled in the Working: Hamlet and Eliot” by Theodore Weiss (A rebuttal of Eliot’s essay.) “Seneca in Elizabethan Translation” by T.S. Eliot (Read Eliot diss Titus Andronicus for yourself.) “Ben Jonson” by T.S. Eliot (A defense of Ben Jonson, but he also has some nice things to say about Shakespeare.) Further ListeningEpisode 16: One-Star Shakespeare, Hamlet Edition with Guest Ben Roman Credit where credit is due Podcast art by Halie Branson Music recording by josdvg
Happy long weekend surprise episode drop! We are having fun this time with various tales of Shakespeare lore that I've stumbled across in my reading over the last year of doing the show but haven't included because most of these stories have been judged to be dubious in some way. But just because something isn't true doesn't mean it isn't also a fun story or bit of gossip. And honestly who isn't interested in a story who shows off Shakespeare as maybe a bit of a saucy fellow? When it comes to Shakespeare as with many other famous figures from hundreds of years ago, sometimes it can be hard to distinguish fact from fiction and you have to consider a whole series of factors before you can place a story in the "probably true" or "probably not true" column. In the case of a couple of these stories, I'm willing to be swayed! Enjoy some Shakespeare myths, as a little treat. Credit where credit is due Podcast art by Halie Branson Music recording by josdvg
We’re back with more Ben Jonson! This episode we consider Jonson’s works, his plays for public and private theater, his poetry, and his relationship with the court. When it comes to how he conducted his career, was also look at the how he differed from Shakespeare. Not as a point of judgement, but just to give us a more complete picture about what men did with their writing and how this (ironically) makes it more unfair to try to compare them. Ultimately, knowing more about Jonson helps us know more about the sixteenth and seventeenth century stage, and that can only be a good thing. Plus, it’s always fun to run across a new Jonson quip. Further Reading Ben Jonson: A Life by Ian Donaldson The Cambridge Companion to Ben Jonson by Richard Harp The Complete Critical Guide to Ben Jonson by James Loxley Credit where credit is due Podcast art by Halie Branson Music recording by josdvg
Welcome back, gentle listeners, to season 2 and the long-awaited discussion of Ben Jonson! Shakespeare’s colleague, friend, maybe sometimes frenemy, it’s up to us to decide. But definitely someone who knew him and admired (perhaps somewhat begrudgingly) his work. After diving into the world of biography and various survey and companion type books, I now have a more complete picture of Ben Jonson the guy, and am delighted to inform everything that there is the same amount of nerdy minutia to dive into as there for Shakespeare. In this episode, we’ll talk about Ben Jonson’s life, what we know about him and why we know it, what we don’t know about him, and how we can look at him in relation to Shakespeare. Having more context on the time and people is always a helpful exercise when you want to understand history better and might I suggest that we stop writing Shakespeare biographies and maybe start reading about his fellow playwrights too? Next time, I’ll be looking at Jonson’s works, his relationship to the theater, why he kept getting in trouble with the censors, and how he’s the same (or not) as Shakespeare. It’s good to be back, friends! Further Reading Ben Jonson: A Life by Ian Donaldson Credit where credit is due Podcast art by Halie Branson Music recording by josdvg
Welcome to the end of season 1 and our year in review! In this episode, I reflect a little on the year I just had, how I got the podcast started and chose a title, the topics I’ve covered, any new opinions or insight I have and a look into my most (and least) popular episodes. We close out with some pretty awesome questions asked by all of you! Just stumbled across this episode and didn’t get a chance to submit your question beforehand? Reach out anyway! I’ll get it answered in a future episode. Thanks to everyone who has joined me in the first year. We’ve had some fun. Here’s to year two! Further listening Might I suggest any of my previous episodes? Credit where credit is due Podcast art by Halie Branson Music recording by josdvg
Another episode, another silly movie about Shakespeare. This time, I forced my brother to watch Anonymous, the 2011 Roland Emmerich film that puts forth the hypothesis that Edward de Vere was the real author of Shakespeare’s plays. Whatever you think about the authorship question and the validity of the Oxfordian theory of authorship, can we all agree that this movie is not very good nor very convincing? We touch on several of the main characters in the movie, which portrayal we liked the most and least, and get a little bit into some of the main points the movie is trying to promote. This is not a deep dive into the world of Shakespeare doubters. We’re just having some fun. There is a secret cut of this episode where we get more into it, but as Ben said, gotta save that for the Patreon. And because the Patreon doesn’t exist, the air of mystery remains. Next time I’ll be back with reflections on one year of podcasting! Don’t forget to send any questions you might have my way. Further reading and watching Anonymous (2011) (Although I have to admit, I don't really recommend this one.) Credit where credit is due Podcast art by Halie Branson Music recording by josdvg
We are back and this week we are talking Shakespeare adaptation! What are the different types of adaptation, what do they accomplish, and what makes some stand out from the rest? We’re talking movies, books, and plays in this episode, featuring a collection of Shakespeare content I’ve been consuming as I try to think through what makes something stand out and what makes something merely meh. On the docket we’re thinking about: high school Shakespeare adaptation, movies that reference Shakespeare but don’t fully commit to the bit, the “person who gets cast in a Shakespeare production and then their life becomes Shakespeare” film, what is making commentary on Shakespeare, and then some pieces that think about his life and his works. There’s so much out here! The list could have grown, but I wanted to think in categories and themes, and as such, there’s a lot still to think about. But this has been a helpful exercise in starting to guide my thoughts on what I want to catch and what I might want to miss. We’re coming up on a year of Something Shakespeare This Way Comes! Please reach out with any comments, questions, or suggestions as I put together the year-end recap! Further Reading Episode 5: Shakespeare in Love (1998) with Ben Roman Episode 13: Saltburn (2023) and Dead Poets Society (1989) with Gabbi Miller Further reading and watching 10 Things I Hate About You (film) The Lion King (original animated film) Anyone But You (film) These Violent Delights and These Violent Ends by Chloe Gong (books) My Own Private Idaho (film) Were the World Mine (film) Ghostlight (film) Macbitches by Sophie McIntosh (play) Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell (book) The Book of Will by Lauren Gunderson (play) Shakespeare in Love (film) Credit where credit is due Podcast art by Halie Branson Music recording by josdvg
Spoiler alert for this week’s episode: Judi Dench is super cool and also has a ton of interesting stuff to say about Shakespeare. This episode we’re talking Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent, a collection of conversations about Shakespeare’s plays and character between Judi Dench and Brendan O’Hea, a longtime actor and director who has a history of working with Dench. Even if you are not the world’s biggest Shakespeare fan, I seriously think picking up this book (or listening to it!) could be worth your while. I discuss some aspects of the book I found illuminating, some of which probably reveals that I’ve never acted onstage and should never be allowed to do so. These items include, Dench’s take on a couple of well-known characters, her approach to acting, and some tips for performing Shakespeare. Also, you’ll find out which Shakespeare play Judi Dench hates. Ooh, intriguing right? Literally, how can you resist. Further Reading Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent by Judi Dench, Brendan O’Hea Credit where credit is due Podcast art by Halie Branson Music recording by josdvg
Would you classify yourself as a straight up astrology nerd or someone who barely knows your sign and that’s where you’d like to leave it? What about when it comes to Shakespeare? In the spirit of having fun, in this episode I talk to repeat guest Gabbi Miller about which astrological signs different Shakespeare characters would be. I come supplying the knowledge about Shakespeare, she comes with the details about popular astrology. I came up with this idea mostly because I thought it would make for an interesting conversation, but I was curious to know how much a role astrology would have played in the lives of Shakespeare’s contemporaries. Turns out, astrology was thriving in early modern England and you can find Shakespeare grappling with that fact in the text of his own plays. Of course he did. Join us on a silly little romp through some of Shakespeare’s most notable characters and even a quick glance at the man himself. Further Reading "Causes in Nature: Popular Astrology in King Lear" by Phebe Jenson. Published in Shakespeare Quarterly (Winter 2018) Further Listening Episode 13: Saltburn (2023) and Dead Poet's Society (1989) (to hear more Gabbi) Episode 17: What Your Favorite Shakespeare Play Says About You (for more silliness) Credit where credit is due Podcast art by Halie Branson Music recording by josdvg
Say what you want about Achilles, but everyone definitely does know his name. This episode we're talking all things Achilles. What the ancient Greeks thought about him, how he shows up in The Iliad, extreme fanboy Alexander the Great, his character in Troilus and Cressida, and some more modern takes on him as well. We'll be talking a lot about the nature of his relationship with Patroclus and if it's possible to settle the age-old question of whether they were boyfriends. Plus, can we write him off for his brutal violence? How nuanced of a dude is he, anyway? Further Listening Greek Mythology Retellings and Troilus and Cressida (to listen my first episode on mythology and Shakespeare) The Role of the Gods in Mythology (my episode on what the gods do for mythology and why they aren't in Troilus and Cressida) Further Reading"Shakespeare's 'Manly' Parts: Masculinity and Effeminacy in Troilus and Cressida"by Gary Spear (Shakespeare Quarterly, Winter 1993) The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller Credit where credit is due Podcast art by Halie Branson Music recording by josdvg
Bonus content for my fellow Greek mythology nerds out there! This episode we are talking the role of the gods in the Trojan War, how they appear in The Iliad, and how they show up in other retellings of the war, including Shakespeare, of course. Really, this was all an elaborate excuse for me to talk about the 2004 movie Troy. Join me as we consider why the gods are involved in mythology and the Trojan War aside from the fact that they are super fun to read about. What does their appearance and meddling mean for the people and what does it mean for our understanding of the action? Does a telling of the Trojan War work if you cut the gods out entirely? Just a few of the fun topics we'll be exploring in this episode. Further reading and watching The Iliad by Homer (I read the Robert Fagles translation because that's what was available at the library but I really want to get my hands on the Emily Wilson translation) Circe and The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes (or, if you want something Trojan War related, check out A Thousand Ships) Troy (2004) Troilus and Cressida by William Shakespeare Credit where credit is due Art by Halie Branson Music recording by josdvg
Why do people dislike Twelfth Night? Because it's the internet, sometimes the reasoning is silly, but as when it comes to any piece of art, there's always a valid reason to dislike something. Could it be because you dislike the genre of the play? Maybe! I'm on vacation this week, so bringing you a previously recorded episode before finding our way back to the mythology discussion. Please enjoy my brother and I bouncing off each other as we consider one star reviews of Twelfth Night. I try not to get defensive as people come for this play with varying degrees of success. Listening to this conversation a second time, I was at times disappointed in myself for not getting more scholarly in response, but that's the risk with having to respond to things in real time. Plus, if you want a more scholarly take on Twelfth Night, you can go listen to my episode on it! Further listening Twelfth Night and Gender Exploration (my podcast episode on the play) One-Star Shakespeare, Hamlet Edition (if you haven't listened to this one yet) Credit where credit is due Podcast art by Halie Branson Music recording by josdvg