ENRICO IV - PARTE PRIMA

I have read this play many times, and--although Shakespeare always shows me something new--this reading gave me little insight and few surprises. I was struck with two parallels, however--one within the play itself, and one within Shakespeare's body of work. First of all, I appreciated the subtle pa Leggi tutto

After Richard II , this is the second episode of Shakespeare’s major Histories (the events that will lead up to the Wars of the Roses). This play is not so much about Bolingbroke/Henry IV, as it is the first of a vast trilogy on Prince Hal/Henry V — from Eastcheap to Azincourt. The first part of Henr Leggi tutto

How hard it must be to fight an enemy you admire; how hard it must be to realise your enemy is a stronger, and perhaps more worthy, man than your son, and how great it must be to realise that you are such a hypocritical fool, and that your son is more than you ever dreamed. But first, you must lamen Leggi tutto

There are two very deep, dark wormholes I’ve disappeared into recently, one involves my hapless efforts to master the perfect (or even, remotely edible) sourdough loaf, the second is William Shakespeare and his historical plays. Regarding the first, I have nurtured and even named my starter (he’s Fr Leggi tutto

The introduction of the old, lecherous Oldcastle (later renamed Falstaff due to complaints from the real Oldcastle family) was a real pleasure here. He offered a comedic respite to the bloodshed and politic intrigues which the Bard was describing from the later years of Henry IV's reign after his co Leggi tutto

While William Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Part 1 is a different experience than Richard II, it is a fantastic play! The action picks up shortly after the conclusion of Richard II (after Bolingbroke has deposed the now dead Richard and become King Henry). It still has a serious side, but this play subver Leggi tutto

Bill, Hank, and I done good on this one.