Shakespeare

[Ayahuasca]

Not touched the Bard since school, but having re-watched Withnail & I the other day, with its moving Hamlet-quoting scene at the end I thought I would read the play.

It's actually pretty good!

And I think I can now make a valuable contribution to the debate on whether Shakey was from the Midlands or London by offering unequicoval and conclusive evidence. The proof is in the rhyming couplet spoken by Queen Gertrude in Act 1, Scene 2. For this to rhyme he had to be a Brummie:

Thou know'st 'tis common; all that lives must die,
Passing through nature to eternity.

I have now read Hamlet, am familiar with Macbeth, Henry IV pt1, Twelth Night and the M of V from school; what other Shakespearean goodness can anyone recommend?

[SlipStream77]

Henry V, particularly Act 4, Scene 3 - The St Crispian's Day Speech.

[coppice]

The Tempest - my favourite. As somebody once said-"It's full of quotes". Astonishing how much of our usage comes from the Great Man.

[Mutley]

My favourites are, Taming of the Shrew and Much Ado about Nothing

[RizzoTheRat]

Like many I was completely put off Shakespeare by having to over analyse his work in GCSE English Literature.

I've since seen loads of his plays performed by a local theater group and really enjoyed them so probably should read some more
http://www.guildford-shakespeare-company.co.uk/

[slinky]

Can I add a little bit of a twist into this and mention Francis Bacon?

Does anyone have a view on the "conspiracy theories"?
I had an interesting discussion with a relation of mine over the festive period who provided some enlightening thoughts on the subject..