Monday November 25 2013

This too will be a short report and this time it will be the only thing posted on the blog. That will give any newcomers or busy followers a chance to catch up on some of the older posts. Please note that because of technical problems I have not been able to list links to the texts in the lists in the sidebar but I think I have all the titles of the texts and links can be found in the archives.  So good luck in finding what you’re looking for.

From Davis and Frankforter’s The Shakespeare Name Dictionary.

• English as the name of the language spoken in early Medieval England appeared before the name of the country itself. During the patriotic fervor of the Hundred Years’ War, English became the official language.  Shakespeare was of course instrumental in establishing the vernacular as the language we use today and the word “English” is used frequently in his works.
• Epicurus has the undeserved reputation as a promoter of debauchery (he was actually a promoter of the pleasure to be found in scientific thought, as we can see in Stephen Greenblatt’s Swerve, mentioned in the last two Monday reports). Unfortunately, dear Shakespeare is partly responsible for this unfortunate misconception since a reference of this nature appears in King Lear.

Shakespeare sightings:

• Our little local weekly newspaper Mitt i Sundbyberg (“In the Middle of Sundbyberg”) had a long article about actor Sven Wollter and his current role as King Lear (see “Like Father Like Daughter” under play analyses from last week).There isn’t really anything about Shakespeare in the article, and rather little about the play itself.
• In the teachers’ union magazine was the advert for this year’s Shakespeare course in London arranged by the Swedish Shakespeare Society.  It’s the course Hal and I attended last year. Recommended! http://www.shakespeare.nu/

Further this week:

• Started reading aloud with Hal: Macbeth.  I do believe this is my favorite play. Or at least one of the top five.
• Started reading: King Hereafter by Dorothy Dunnett, about the historical Macbeth. In fact I have read it before, many years ago. I have also read her Lymond and Niccolo series several times and loved them. But now…I could not get into this book. I gave up after 50 pages. Sorry, Dame Dorothy.  Maybe next time around.
• Received from Bokus: Shakespeare’s London on Five Groats a Day by Richard Tames and Sleep of Death by Philip Gooden.
• Started reading: above mentioned Sleep of Death by Philip Gooden. It’s a clever murder mystery in which our beloved Shakespeare is the prime suspect.  Amusing if not quite believable.

Posted this week:

• This Monday report.