Shakespeare Anyone?

Kourtney Smith & Elyse Sharp
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Mar 17, 2021 • 52min

Macbeth: Gender Politics

In this episode, we are examining the gender politics of Shakespeare's Macbeth: how gender is represented in the play and how it affects our understanding of characters.  Shakespeare Anyone? is created, written, produced, and hosted by Kourtney Smith and Elyse Sharp. Note: When this episode was recorded, Kourtney Smith was using the stage name "Korey Leigh Smith". Music is "Neverending Minute" by Sounds Like Sander. Follow us on Instagram at @shakespeareanyonepod for updates or visit our website at shakespeareanyone.com You can support the podcast by becoming a patron at patreon.com/shakespeareanyone, sending us a virtual tip via our tipjar, or by shopping our bookshelves at bookshop.org/shop/shakespeareanyonepod. Works referenced: “[Act 4] Chaos Is Come Again: The Lion Eats the Wolf Scene 1: Overview: Hamlet Leading into Macbeth.” Women of Will: The Remarkable Evolution of Shakespeare's Female Characters, by Tina Packer, One, Vintage Books, 2016, pp. 227–240. Chamberlain, Stephanie. “Fantasizing Infanticide: Lady Macbeth and the Murdering Mother in Early Modern England.” College Literature, vol. 32, no. 3, 2005, pp. 72–91. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/25115288. Accessed 21 Dec. 2020. Clark, Sandra. “Macbeth and His Lady: the Relationship of Power.” Macbeth, edited by Pamela Mason, The Arden Shakespeare, 2015, pp. 103–116. Third.  Helms, Lorraine. “Playing the Woman's Part: Feminist Criticism and Shakespearean Performance.” Theatre Journal, vol. 41, no. 2, 1989, pp. 190-200. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/3207858. Accessed 24 November 2020. Kamps, Ivo. Shakespeare Left and Right. Taylor & Francis, 2015. Levin, Joanna. “Lady MacBeth and the Daemonologie of Hysteria.” ELH, vol. 69, no. 1, 2002, pp. 21–55. Accessed 22 Nov. 2020, from JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/30032010 Liston, W. (1989). "Male and Female Created He Them": Sex and Gender in "Macbeth". College Literature, 16(3), 232-239. Accessed 18 Jan. 2021, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/25111824 “Macbeth Contextual Analysis - Shakespeare Lesson.” Schooling Online, 29 Sept. 2020, Accessed 10 Nov. 2020, from www.youtube.com/watch?v=-S6sQtmbYhY Soloski, Alexis. “Gender, Guilt, and Fate - Macbeth, Part 2: Crash Course Literature 410.” Directed by Stan Muller, Hosted by Hank Green, YouTube, Crash Course, 30 Jan. 2018, Accessed 10 Nov. 2020, from www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGiZXQVGpbY  
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Mar 3, 2021 • 36min

Macbeth: King James I's Demonology, a Summary (Oof!)

In this episode, we tackle reading King James I's Demonology so you don't have to! Because it. is. a. lot. But there's also plenty of source material in there that likely informed the depiction of witchcraft in Macbeth. Shakespeare Anyone? is created, written, produced, and hosted by Kourtney Smith and Elyse Sharp. Our theme music is "Neverending Minute" by Sounds Like Sander. Works Referenced: King James VI and I. (2008). Daemonologie. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Accessed x Nov. 2020, from http://www.gutenberg.org/files/25929/25929-h/25929-h.html. Normand, Lawrence, and Gareth Roberts, editors. Witchcraft in Early Modern Scotland: James VI's Demonology and the North Berwick Witches. 1st ed., Liverpool University Press, 2000. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt5vjmvw. Accessed 21 Dec. 2020. Tyson, Donald, and James Carmichael. The Demonology of King James I. Edited by Tom Bilstad, 5th ed., Llewellyn, 2019. Wright, James. “Ritual Protection Marks and Witchcraft at Knole, Kent.” Mondays at One Archaeology Series. 19 Oct. 2015, Gresham College, Accessed 5 Nov. 2020, from https://www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and-events/ritual-protection-marks-and-witchcraft-at-knole-kent
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Feb 17, 2021 • 55min

Macbeth: King James I’s Obsession with Witchcraft in Early Modern Scotland and the North Berwick Witch Trials

Ever read Macbeth and wonder, "Why witches?" Well, if you were trying to earn favor with your new Scottish King who was OBSESSED with witchcraft, maybe you'd write some witches into your very Scottish play.  In this episode, we explore the concept of witchcraft in Early Modern Scotland, King James I's obsession with the topic, and the North Berwick Witch Trials to discover the cultural context that surrounded the creation of Shakespeare's Weird Sisters.  Shakespeare Anyone? is created, written, produced, and hosted by Kourtney Smith and Elyse Sharp. Note: When this episode was recorded, Kourtney Smith was using the stage name "Korey Leigh Smith". Our theme music is "Neverending Minute" by Sounds Like Sander. Works Referenced: Normand, Lawrence, and Gareth Roberts, editors. Witchcraft in Early Modern Scotland: James VI's Demonology and the North Berwick Witches. 1st ed., Liverpool University Press, 2000. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt5vjmvw. Accessed 21 Dec. 2020. Tyson, Donald, and James Carmichael. The Demonology of King James I. Edited by Tom Bilstad, 5th ed., Llewellyn, 2019.  Wright, James. “Ritual Protection Marks and Witchcraft at Knole, Kent.” Mondays at One Archaeology Series. 19 Oct. 2015, Gresham College, Accessed 5 Nov. 2020, from https://www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and-events/ritual-protection-marks-and-witchcraft-at-knole-kent
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Feb 3, 2021 • 29min

Macbeth: Stuff to Chew On

There's so much to talk about with each play that doesn't fit into the synopsis or into its own episode, so we've decided to cover several topics in this episode. In this episode, we discuss major thematic elements in Shakespeare's Macbeth as well as topics that are usually covered or talked about in reference to this play.  Shakespeare Anyone? is created and produced by Kourtney Smith and Elyse Sharp. Note: When this episode was recorded, Kourtney Smith was using the stage name "Korey Leigh Smith". Music is "Neverending Minute" by Sounds Like Sander. Follow us on Instagram at @shakespeareanyonepod for updates or visit our website at shakespeareanyone.com You can support the podcast by becoming a patron at patreon.com/shakespeareanyone, sending us a virtual tip via our tipjar, or by shopping our bookshelves at bookshop.org/shop/shakespeareanyonepod Additional sound effects from https://www.zapsplat.com Works Referenced: “The Curse of the Scottish Play: Macbeth.” Royal Shakespeare Company, Royal Shakespeare Company, 2020, www.rsc.org.uk/macbeth/about-the-play/the-scottish-play. Lemon, Rebecca. “Scaffolds of Treason in ‘Macbeth.’” Theatre Journal, vol. 54, no. 1, 2002, pp. 25–43. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/25069019. Accessed 21 Dec. 2020. LiteraryDevices Editors. Accessed 24 Oct. 2020, from “Themes in Macbeth with Examples and Analysis” https://literarydevices.net/macbeth-themes/ “Macbeth - Themes.” BBC Bitesize, BBC, Accessed 24 Oct. 2020, from www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zgv7hyc/revision/1 Marchitello, Howard. “Speed and the Problem of Real Time in ‘Macbeth.’” Shakespeare Quarterly, vol. 64, no. 4, 2013, pp. 425–448., www.jstor.org/stable/24778493. Accessed 21 Dec. 2020. Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. Arden Shakespeare, 2015. SparkNotes Editors. (2005). “SparkNotes: Macbeth.” SparkNotes.com, SparkNotes LLC, 2005. Accessed 24 Oct. 2020, from https://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/macbeth/
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Jan 20, 2021 • 53min

Macbeth: Synopsis

Before diving into our discussions surrounding Macbeth, we wanted to give a synopsis of the events of the play as they are written for anyone who hasn't read the play at all, in a while, or found it confusing to try and read on their own.  Shakespeare Anyone? is created and produced by Kourtney Smith and Elyse Sharp. Note: When this episode was recorded, Kourtney Smith was using the stage name "Korey Leigh Smith". Episode written by Elyse Sharp. Music is "Neverending Minute" by Sounds Like Sander. Follow us on Instagram at @shakespeareanyonepod for updates or visit our website at shakespeareanyone.com You can support the podcast at patreon.com/shakespeareanyone Works referenced: Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. Arden Shakespeare, 2015.
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Jan 6, 2021 • 20min

Stuff You Should Know Part 3: William Shakespeare (Revised)

This is Part 3 of our intro series “Stuff You Should Know,” which covers some background and context into the life and times of Shakespeare, because art isn’t created in a vacuum. In this episode, we’ll be covering some basic information about Shakespeare. And when we say basic, we mean basic. And, even though Shakespeare is a famous figure, scholars and historians actually know quite little about William Shakespeare the man. We will discuss what scholars know about Shakespeare's early life in Stratford-upon-Avon and what a typical education for a young man of Shakespeare's background. We will also discuss some popular theories about what Shakespeare may have done in life before arriving in London. We will then give an overview of Shakespeare's career of an actor and playwright, his family, and his later life.  Want more about Shakespeare the man? Check out these episodes that go more in depth on topics we touch on in this episode: Mini-Episode: Christopher Marlowe Mini: Ben Jonson, Shakespeare's Colleague and Competitor Mini: Anne Hathaway, Shakespeare's Wife Shakespeare Anyone? is created, written, produced, and hosted by Kourtney Smith and Elyse Sharp. Episode written and researched by Kourtney Smith with contributions by Elyse Sharp. Revised September 2024. Music is "Neverending Minute" by Sounds Like Sander. Follow us on Instagram at @shakespeareanyonepod for updates or visit our website at shakespeareanyone.com You can support the podcast by becoming a patron at patreon.com/shakespeareanyone, sending us a virtual tip via our tipjar, or by shopping our bookshelves at bookshop.org/shop/shakespeareanyonepod. Works referenced: Dale, Liam, director. William Shakespeare: the Life and Times. 1091 Pictures, Cobra Entertainment, 3 Apr. 2017. Accessed 16 Sept. 2020, from www.youtube.com/watch?v=qafnuBH8KPs Mcarafano. (2020, February 25). Shakespeare's Life. Accessed 16 Sept. 2020, from https://www.folger.edu/shakespeares-life William Shakespeare Biography. (n.d.). Accessed 16 Sept. 2020, from https://www.shakespeare.org.uk/explore-shakespeare/shakespedia/william-shakespeare/william-shakespeare-biography/
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Jan 6, 2021 • 25min

Stuff You Should Know Part 2: Elizabethan and Jacobean England & Theatre (Revised)

This is Part 2 of our intro series “Stuff You Should Know,” which covers some background and context into the life and times of Shakespeare, because art isn’t created in a vacuum. In this episode, we’ll be covering some basic information about early modern England during the Elizabethan and Jacobean eras. And when we say basic, we mean basic. This is a quick overview of early modern England, more importantly the England that influenced Shakespeare.  In this episode, we’ll be covering some basic information about the Elizabethan and Jacobean periods, as well as the public theatres during those respective eras. We'll review how the transition from feudalism to mercantilism changed English society and discuss facets of early modern English society such as fashion, social mobility, religious freedom, and public health. We will give an overview the history of the public theatre in England and discuss some key features of what theatre-making was like for Shakespeare and his contemporaries.  Want more about the Elizabethan and Jacobean England & Theatre? Check out these episodes that go more in depth on topics we touch on in this episode: Mini: Commerce and Trade in Shakespeare's Time King Lear: Mental Health and Disability in Shakespeare's Time Mini-Episode: The Gunpowder Plot Mini-Episode: The Four Humours Hamlet: Ophelia, Gertrude, and Female Agency Mini: Plague, Quarantine, & Shakespeare Mini: Shakespearean Vengeance: Exploring Revenge Tragedies in Early Modern England Mini-Episode: Shakespeare's Globe Theatre Mini: Traveling Theatre Companies Mini: Shakespeare's Folios and Quartos Shakespeare Anyone? is created and produced by Kourtney Smith and Elyse Sharp. Episode written and researched by Kourtney Smith with contributions by Elyse Sharp. Revised September 2024. Music is "Neverending Minute" by Sounds Like Sander. Follow us on Instagram at @shakespeareanyonepod for updates or visit our website at shakespeareanyone.com You can support the podcast by becoming a patron at patreon.com/shakespeareanyone, sending us a virtual tip via our tipjar, or by shopping our bookshelves at bookshop.org/shop/shakespeareanyonepod. Works referenced: Brown, John Russell, and Peter Thomson, editor and author. “Chapter 6 English Renaissance and Restoration Theatre.” The Oxford Illustrated History of Theatre, pp. 173 - 200. Oxford University Press, 2001 Sherry, Joyce. “Elizabethan Theatre.” YouTube, 4 Jan. 2014, Accessed 6 Sept. 2020, from www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_cTCdkCAcc
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Jan 6, 2021 • 20min

Stuff You Should Know Part 1: The Monarchy & English Renaissance (Revised)

This is Part I of our intro series, “Stuff You Should Know,” which covers some background and context into the life and times of Shakespeare, because art isn’t created in a vacuum. In this episode, we’ll be covering some basic information about the monarchy and English Renaissance. And when we say basic, we mean basic. This is a quick overview of early modern England, more importantly the England that influenced Shakespeare.  In this episode, we’ll be covering some basic information about the English monarchy and English Renaissance. We will give an overview of the history of the English monarchy during the English Renaissance, through the early modern period and a little beyond Shakespeare's lifetime. We will discuss how the Renaissance differed from the medieval period that came before it and how the English Renaissance differed from the Italian Renaissance.  Want more about the English Renaissance? Check out these episodes that go more in depth on topics we touch on in this episode: Mini: Shakespeare and Petrarch Mini: Shakespeare and the Colonial Imagination Mini: Shakespeare's World: Immigrants, Others, and Foreign Commodities Mini: "Decolonize the Mind" through Shakespeare Mini: Commerce and Trade in Shakespeare's Time Hamlet: Ophelia, Gertrude, and Female Agency Shakespeare Anyone? is created and produced by Kourtney Smith and Elyse Sharp. Episode written and researched by Kourtney Smith. Revised September 2024. Music is "Neverending Minute" by Sounds Like Sander. Follow us on Instagram at @shakespeareanyonepod for updates or visit our website at shakespeareanyone.com You can support the podcast by becoming a patron at patreon.com/shakespeareanyone, sending us a virtual tip via our tipjar, or by shopping our bookshelves at bookshop.org/shop/shakespeareanyonepod. Additional sound effects from https://www.zapsplat.com Works Referenced: Cooper, Dr. Tanya. “Elizabeth I and Her People”. National Portrait Gallery, The Weiss Gallery, 7 Oct. 2013. Accessed 8 Sept. 2020, from www.npg.org.uk/whatson/elizabethi/film Elizabethans - Religious Settlement. (2018, September 23). Accessed 24 Sept. 2020, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylP6oZgSeuI Fox, Dr. James, creator and writer. A Very British Renaissance, Episode 1: The Renaissance Arrives. A BBC Arts Production, 2014. Accessed 16 Sept. 2020, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rtc1cY3ZDTs Fox, Dr. James, creator and writer. A Very British Renaissance, Episode 2: The Elizabethan Code. A BBC Arts Production, 2014. Accessed 16 Sept. 2020, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCCjOck6cd4 Fox, Dr. James, creator and writer. A Very British Renaissance, Episode 3: Whose Renaissance?. A BBC Arts Production, 2014. Accessed 16 Sept. 2020, from https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03yzflc/episodes/guide William, Professor Kate, presentor. The Stuarts - A Bloody Reign, Episode 101: King James I. Timeline, A 3DD Production in association with Yesterday imagined by UKTV, 31 July 2018. Accessed 16 Sept. 2020, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zfgxzk3UtY
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Dec 30, 2020 • 1min

Shakespeare Anyone? Trailer

Introducing Shakespeare Anyone? A podcast by two Shakespeare nerds...minus the bardolatry.  Coming in 2021.  Shakespeare Anyone? is created and produced by Kourtney Smith and Elyse Sharp. Note: When this episode was recorded, Kourtney Smith was using the stage name "Korey Leigh Smith". Music is "Neverending Minute" by Sounds Like Sander. Follow us on Instagram at @shakespeareanyonepod for updates or visit our website at shakespeareanyone.com

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