Shakespeare Anyone?

In this episode, we explore Shakespeare's use of political satire within the pastoral comedy genre, focusing on A Midsummer Night's Dream. The pastoral genre, which originated in ancient Greek literature, involves stories set in a rustic, rural world that idealizes the simplicity and harmony of nature. During the Renaissance through Elizabethan and Stuart England, writers continued to use the pastoral setting to explore social and political issues of their time, and Shakespeare was no exception. We'll examine how Shakespeare drew on the political tensions and intrigues of the Elizabethan court to shape the plot and characters of A Midsummer Night's Dream, revealing the complex politics of the time. Through characters such as Titania and Oberon, we'll explore how Shakespeare used the dynamics of power and authority to comment on the political struggles of the Elizabethan court. We'll also examine how the character of Bottom can be read as a charicature of several Elizabethan political figures. Through our analysis of A Midsummer Night's Dream, we'll gain new insights into the political and cultural context that shaped one of Shakespeare's most beloved plays. So join us for a fascinating discussion of Shakespeare's use of political satire in the pastoral comedy genre, and some piping hot tea about the Elizabethan court.  Shakespeare Anyone? is created and produced by Kourtney Smith and 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: Andrews, Richard. "A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Italian Pastoral." Transnational Exchange in Early Modern Theater. Routledge, 2016. 65-78. (if I have time) Hunt, Maurice. "A Speculative Political Allegory in A Midsummer Night's Dream." Comparative Drama 34.4 (2000): 423-453. Montrose, Louis Adrian. “Of Gentlemen and Shepherds: The Politics of Elizabethan Pastoral Form.” ELH, vol. 50, no. 3, 1983, pp. 415–59. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/2872864. Accessed 4 Mar. 2023. Rickert, Edith. “Political Propaganda and Satire in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream.’ II.” Modern Philology, vol. 21, no. 2, 1923, pp. 133–54. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/433740. Accessed 29 Dec. 2022. Swann, Marjorie. “The Politics of Fairylore in Early Modern English Literature.” Renaissance Quarterly, vol. 53, no. 2, 2000, pp. 449–73. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/2901875. Accessed 4 Mar. 2023.  

In today's episode, we are joined by award-winning poet Elizabeth Sylvia to discuss her latest collection of poetry, None But Witches: Poems on Shakespeare's Women, the inspiration she took from Shakespeare's works, and the process behind this collection.  Elizabeth Sylvia is the winner of the 5th annual Three Mile Harbor Poetry Prize. She lives in Mattapoisett, MA and teaches high school English in Bourne. Her poetry has been published in a wide range of literary journals, including Salamander, Pleiades, Slipstream and Crab Creek Review. None But Witches: Poems on Shakespeare's Women began as a project to read all of the bard's plays in one year. It is her first book. None But Witches: Poems on Shakespeare's Women is a stunning debut collection by Elizabeth Sylvia, winner of the 5th annual Three Mile Harbor Poetry Prize. Although Sylvia started off accepting the truism that Shakespeare was remarkable for the depth of his female characters, she found herself surmising that the women had a lot more to say than they were given. Sometimes sympathetic, frequently enraged, Sylvia began writing to them, for them, as them, the poems ultimately going into this richly textured collection that looks at the plays themselves, at the poet's own life as a woman, and at women's continuing efforts to take the stage in the contemporary world. Shakespeare Anyone? is created and produced by Kourtney Smith and 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: Sylvia, Elizabeth. None but Witches: Poems on Shakespeare's Women. Three Mile Harbor Press, 2022.    

At the heart of William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream is a fantastical world of fairies, magic, and mythical creatures, and in this episode, we explore the different influences that helped to shape this world. First up, we look at the rich tradition of English fairy folklore, which was still very much a part of the popular imagination during Shakespeare's time. We take a journey back in time to the early medieval period, when the Anglo-Saxon and Celtic cultures first began to develop their own unique traditions around fairies and other supernatural beings. As we progress through history, we discover how these beliefs evolved and became woven into the fabric of English culture during Shakespeare's time. We also delve into the influence of Greco-Roman mythology on the play, which is perhaps most evident in the characters of Theseus and Hippolyta. We will also explore how Greco-Roman mythology influences Shakespeare's depicition of the fairies. The fairy queen Titania, for example, takes her name from a figure in ancient Greek mythology, and her depiction in the play draws on this tradition as well as on the English fairy folklore that was prevalent during Shakespeare's time. We will also discuss how appreciating the impact and influence of these cultural traditions today can impact productions and modern readings of this play.  Shakespeare Anyone? is created and produced by Kourtney Smith and 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: Calderwood, James L. “A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Anamorphism and Theseus’ Dream.” Shakespeare Quarterly, vol. 42, no. 4, 1991, pp. 409–30. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/2870461. Accessed 6 Feb. 2023.   HUTTON, RONALD. “THE MAKING OF THE EARLY MODERN BRITISH FAIRY TRADITION.” The Historical Journal, vol. 57, no. 4, 2014, pp. 1135–56. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/24531978. Accessed 11 Feb. 2023. Olson, Paul A. “A Midsummer Night’s Dream and the Meaning of Court Marriage.” ELH, vol. 24, no. 2, 1957, pp. 95–119. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/2871824. Accessed 11 Feb. 2023.  

In today's episode, we will be exploring how the bubonic plague impacted society and culture in early modern England. We'll discuss governmental and individual responses as well has the effect quarantines had on the early modern theatre and the development of Shakespeare's plays. And we'll learn that, when compared to the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic...well, not much has changed.  Shakespeare Anyone? is created and produced by Kourtney Smith and 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: Folger Shakespeare. Living through the plague – excerpt: 'death by Shakespeare' by Kathryn Harkup. Shakespeare & Beyond, 5 May 2020, https://shakespeareandbeyond.folger.edu/2020/05/05/plague-death-by-shakespeare-kathryn-harkup-excerpt. Accessed 24 Jan 2023. Greenblatt, Stephen. What Shakespeare actually wrote about the plague. The New Yorker, https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/what-shakespeare-actually-wrote-about-the-plague. Accessed 24 Jan, 2023. Kobrak, Paul. Shakespeare’s Restless World, performance by Neil MacGregor, et al., episode 17, BBC, 8 May 2012. Accessed 24 Jan. 2023. Newman, Kira L. S. “Shutt Up: Bubonic Plague and Quarantine in Early Modern England.” Journal of Social History, vol. 45, no. 3, 2012, pp. 809–34. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/41678910. Accessed 24 Jan. 2023. Shapiro, James. Ch. 14 Plague. In The Year of Lear: Shakespeare in 1606. essay, Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, 2016, pp. 549-596. 

Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of topics that may not be suitable for all audiences. Please listen with care.  In this episode, we explore the depictions of sex and sexuality in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. While this play (and many of Shakespeare's comedies) end with a hetero-normative marriage or three, we'll explore the depictions of queer sex in Early Modern literature and Shakespeare before diving into Early Modern England's fascination with bestiality and zoophilia.  Shakespeare Anyone? is created and produced by Kourtney Smith and 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: BOEHRER, BRUCE THOMAS. “Bestial Buggery in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” The Production of English Renaissance Culture, edited by David Lee Miller et al., Cornell University Press, 1994, pp. 123–50. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.7591/j.ctvr6970z.8. Accessed 29 Dec. 2022. Olson, Paul A. “A Midsummer Night’s Dream and the Meaning of Court Marriage.” ELH, vol. 24, no. 2, 1957, pp. 95–119. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/2871824. Accessed 29 Dec. 2022. SANCHEZ, MELISSA E. “‘Use Me But as Your Spaniel’: Feminism, Queer Theory, and Early Modern Sexualities.” PMLA, vol. 127, no. 3, 2012, pp. 493–511. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/41616842. Accessed 29 Dec. 2022. Vanhoutte, Jacqueline. Age in Love: Shakespeare and the Elizabethan Court. University of Nebraska Press, 2019. Wyrick, Deborah Baker. “The Ass Motif in The Comedy of Errors and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Shakespeare Quarterly, vol. 33, no. 4, 1982, pp. 432–48. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/2870124. Accessed 29 Dec. 2022.

It's time to talk about donkeys! Just kidding...a little. In this episode, we are going to unpack the major themes and tropes in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. We'll also discuss the challenges presented by some problematic plot points and what theatremakers are left to reckon with when they produce A Midsummer Night's Dream.  Shakespeare Anyone? is created and produced by Korey Leigh Smith and 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, and Harold F. Brooks. A Midsummer Night's Dream. Bloomsbury, 1979. SparkNotes Editors. “A Midsummer Night's Dream: Literary Devices: Themes.” Sparknotes, SparkNotes, 2005, https://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/msnd/themes/.

Hello 2023! It is time for us to embark on our next play: A Midsummer Night's Dream! As always, we begin our series with a synopsis of the play in case it has been a while since you've read the play or if it is completely new to you. So, let's dive into a summary of a play about fairies, lovers, and a donkey!   Shakespeare Anyone? is created and produced by Kourtney Smith and 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, and Harold F. Brooks. A Midsummer Night's Dream. Bloomsbury, 1979.

As we wrap up 2022, we are taking a look back at the plays we covered this year by re-reading them and discussing how our readings of the plays has changed after doing our research for our episodes.  Shakespeare Anyone? is created and produced by Korey Leigh Smith and 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. Hamlet. Edited by Ann Thompson and Neil Taylor, Revised ed., Bloomsbury Arden, 2016. Shakespeare, William, and R. A. Foakes. King Lear: Arden Third Series. Bloomsbury, 2018.

In today's episode, we are joined by Professor Arthur W. Frank to discuss his new work, King Lear: Shakespeare's Dark Consolations, part of Oxford University Press's My Reading series. We discuss Frank's work outside of the realm of Shakespeare, what drew him to Shakespeare and King Lear, and how the play can offer insight into our own lives.  As part of the My Reading series, King Lear is a personal meditation on a great literary work. Arthur Frank brings a career of studying illness experience and suffering to consider how King Lear can aid people whose lives need help. Reading King Lear leads Frank to both an encounter with his own old age and a source of consolation-companionship—in his future. This book doesnot try to minimize vulnerabilities, but it shows what is fully human, and thus shared, in suffering. The book introduces readers to King Lear, and it invites those who know the play to a new consideration for its ability to affect people's lives. Arthur Frank spent his career teaching at the University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He haslectured internationally, holding visiting professorships in England and Australia. His work has focused on the experience of serious illness, beginning with his memoir, At the Will of the Body and his most cited work, The Wounded Storyteller. He is an elected member of the Royal Society of Canada and recipient of the Career Achievement Award from the Canadian Bioethics Society. ABOUT MY READING What is it like to love a book or author? Who has most influenced or challenged your life or work? Whose standing would you most wish to enhance or rescue? What is like to have a thought or idea, doubt or memory, not cold and in abstract, but live in the very act of reading? What is it like to feel, long after, that this writer is a vital part of your life? My Reading invites authors from across academia and the professions to focus their attentions upon the work of a single literary writer. They tell us what it’s like to care about an author, strive to recreate through specific examples imaginative versions of what those authors and works represent, and seek to share their effect upon the reader’s own thinking and development. Other titles currently available in the My Reading series as below, with more to follow in 2023. • Samuel Beckett – Rosemarie Bodenheimer • Honoré de Balzac – Peter Brooks • William James – Philip Davis • Charles Dickens – Annette Federico 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 at patreon.com/shakespeareanyone Works referenced: Frank, Arthur W. King Lear: Shakespeare's Dark Consolations. Oxford University Press, 2022.

In recognition of the National Day of Mourning/Thanksgiving holiday in the United States, we are examining how British colonialism impacted the depiction of people of color  in Shakespeare's work.  We also suggest listening to our episode on Shakespeare and the Colonial Imagination (Website | Apple Podcasts | Spotify) and the All My Relations podcast’s episode “ThanksTaking or ThanksGiving” (Website | Apple Podcasts | Spotify) Shakespeare Anyone? is created and produced by Kourtney Smith and Elyse Sharp. Note: When this episode was recorded, Kourtney Smith was "Korey Leigh Smith". Episode written and researched by Kourtney 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 at patreon.com/shakespeareanyone Works referenced: Barin, Filiz. “Othello: Turks as ‘the Other’ in the Early Modern Period.” The Journal of the Midwest Modern Language Association, vol. 43, no. 2, 2010, pp. 37–45. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/41960526. Accessed 7 Sep. 2022. Singh, Jyotsna G. “Chapter Two: Historical Contexts 2: Shakespeare's World and Productions of Difference” Shakespeare and Postcolonial Theory, The Arden Shakespeare, Bloomsbury Publishing, London, 2020, pp. 57-78