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kaitouToday is Shakespeare's birthday (or, rather, recognized birthday) so of course I must celebrate! Awhile back I babbled to ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
flidgetjerome about my own Shakespeare theory. I'm certainly no scholar, but I have read a lot of biographies on him, (Sorry, the picture is huge. And I have actually added another bio since) and knowing how little we know and how much conjecture there IS. I am totally comfortable throwing my own hat in the ring. Shakespeare theories are like cupcakes, everyone should have one.
Anyway, here are the facts:
Here are the things we don't know for sure, but most people agree on:
When you combine these things most scholars get very confused. The plays are so emotionally charged, but Shakespeare himself doesn't seem to be particularly 'artistic.' He seems more like a good accountant than anything. Besides the intellectual snobbery of the Baconites, I think this is why there are doubters. We think Shakespeare and we think he must be someone like, I dunno, Byron or Van Gogh.
But personally I think it makes perfect sense. Because you see, Shakespeare was a Geek. Shakespeare was not James Joyce. Shakespeare was totally Joss Whedon.
Doesn't it fit beautifully? I mean, theatre was not considered very highbrow, for all that even royalty enjoyed it. Theaters usually doubled as bearbaiting pits. This was TV. And Shakespeare usually ripped off other current plays and books for his plots. In a way you could even call it really excellent fanfic. (King Lear is my favorite for this, what with the twist ending for the time. So VERY melodramatic fangirl)
So I think we have a guy who's basically a TV writer, working on his Great American Novel (i.e. the poetry) in his spare time. He enjoys it, it's dramatic and fun, but not - he thinks, especially artistic, even as he gets older and pours more and more intellectualism into the plays and really messes with the medium. He's quiet and not particularly attractive. He usually gets roles like 'the old man' even in his own plays. But he's well liked in the troupe, especially since he's got good business sense and keeps the company pretty flush. He understands people abstractly, but finds it hard to connect with them. See the strained relationship with his wife, and the frustration in the sonnets. It's easier to write about than to do it. But the college fanboys love him, and he totally loves his BNF status.
flidgetjerome about my own Shakespeare theory. I'm certainly no scholar, but I have read a lot of biographies on him, (Sorry, the picture is huge. And I have actually added another bio since) and knowing how little we know and how much conjecture there IS. I am totally comfortable throwing my own hat in the ring. Shakespeare theories are like cupcakes, everyone should have one.Anyway, here are the facts:
- Shakespeare was an actor
- He was very protective of his poetry...but not at all of his plays, he never tried to get them published
- His poetry was way erotic, and very popular among college boys
- Shakespeare was an excellent businessman, and invested both in the Globe, Blackfriars, and many businesses in Stratford, becoming very wealthy.
- None of his plays are original
Here are the things we don't know for sure, but most people agree on:
- Shakespeare was not cute
- Shakespeare probably worked as a teacher/tutor at some point.
- He was quiet and reserved (extrapolated from the fact that we have tons of evidence of whoring, adultery, drunkenness and pathetic deaths from all his contemporaries, but not of him)
When you combine these things most scholars get very confused. The plays are so emotionally charged, but Shakespeare himself doesn't seem to be particularly 'artistic.' He seems more like a good accountant than anything. Besides the intellectual snobbery of the Baconites, I think this is why there are doubters. We think Shakespeare and we think he must be someone like, I dunno, Byron or Van Gogh.
But personally I think it makes perfect sense. Because you see, Shakespeare was a Geek. Shakespeare was not James Joyce. Shakespeare was totally Joss Whedon.
Doesn't it fit beautifully? I mean, theatre was not considered very highbrow, for all that even royalty enjoyed it. Theaters usually doubled as bearbaiting pits. This was TV. And Shakespeare usually ripped off other current plays and books for his plots. In a way you could even call it really excellent fanfic. (King Lear is my favorite for this, what with the twist ending for the time. So VERY melodramatic fangirl)
So I think we have a guy who's basically a TV writer, working on his Great American Novel (i.e. the poetry) in his spare time. He enjoys it, it's dramatic and fun, but not - he thinks, especially artistic, even as he gets older and pours more and more intellectualism into the plays and really messes with the medium. He's quiet and not particularly attractive. He usually gets roles like 'the old man' even in his own plays. But he's well liked in the troupe, especially since he's got good business sense and keeps the company pretty flush. He understands people abstractly, but finds it hard to connect with them. See the strained relationship with his wife, and the frustration in the sonnets. It's easier to write about than to do it. But the college fanboys love him, and he totally loves his BNF status.
