Journal Entry 2: Romeo and Juliet, oops I mean Pyramus and Thisbe. That's interesting, why on earth would Shakespeare use the plot of one of his greatest tragedies, Romeo and Juliet, as a pun for his following work, A Midsummer Night's Dream? He uses one of the most tragic ideas, tragic stories of all time and turns it into comedy. Perhaps he worked with terrible actors while he was directing Romeo and Juliet. He got frustrated and in order to embarrass them, put the scene of the "players" into his next work. Perhaps he was fed up with tragedy and did it to mock the queen, whom he wrote all of his plays for. Either way, this tragic to comic plot will remain a mystery, Why did he do it? Journal Entry 3: Dr. Sexson's idea actually
How does one live a Shakespearean life? Essentially, all one has to do in order to "live a shakspearean life" is to stay a teenager forever. The quest of all teenage girls is to manipulate and decieve, thus is Shakespeare. The average American high school is brimming with drama, tragedy, romance (superficially of course), and comedy.
High school is Twelfth Night, with the changing of lovers, the lack of respected authority and the nonstop "party every night" mentality. Wait, maybe its college. We'll stick with high school for now though. In high school, there are the cool kids (Viola) who poke fun at the nerds (Malvolio) who are always in love with the cheerleaders (Olivia) who of course go through their gothic/I'm-a-depressed-stuck-up-brat stage (mourning) for sympathy from the gorgeous guys who all the girls want but can't have (Sebastian) and there are the guys who think they're cool, but really have to try to get into the crowd (Orsino). These are the guys who laugh at the class clown (Feste) to make fun of him but really think he's funny and who always go for the cheerleaders (Olivia), but end up dating one of their friends, who they always saw as "one of the guys" (Viola as Cesario). That pretty much sums up Twelfth Night...and high school.
Journal Entry 3: Twelfth Night or "What you Will"
What who will? What I will? What you will? What the audience will? Or what the Queen of England will? Who is you?
This Play is captured perfectly in its titles. The title Twelfth Night is the craziness of the play and the "What you Will" shows the magnitude of that craziness. Twelfth Night is the story of superficial love, and is a romantic comedy, while being cruel as well.
Twelth Night is the night the many Elizabethans believe Jesus was baptized, and the night of the "Feast of the Epiphany". This holiday of sorts is a time of merriment and feste, or festival. The twelfth night of Christmas is exactly the type of idiocy and madness that goes on in this play.
However, what does Shakespeare mean by "What you will?" Does he mean to say that the audience or reader can make out of what he or she wants? Or does he mean that it becomes what he or she wants? Is this play an act of creation or observation. If he will it so, then it will become so, or, perhaps, if he see it so, it will be seen so.
Journal 5: Who is Caliban?
If one were to rearrange the letters, Caliban is a Canibal (spelled slightly wrong mind you). Caliban says in Act III Scene II:
CALIBAN.
Lo, lo again! bite him to death, I prithee.
Cannial is a noun, meaning one that eats the flesh of its own kind. It comes from the Latin Canibalis, a member of the Carribean Indian people, from Spanish Canibal. He does seem a bit obsessed with death, and the killing of Prospero. However, any human in their right mind would hate the person who enslaved him or her.
CALIBAN.
Why, as I told thee, 'tis a custom with him
I' th' afternoon to sleep: there thou may'st brain him,
Having first seiz'd his books; or with a log
Batter his skull, or paunch him with a stake,
Or cut his wezand with thy knife. Remember
First to possess his books; for without them
He's but a sot, as I am, nor hath not
One spirit to command: they all do hate him
As rootedly as I. Burn but his books;
He has brave utensils,--for so he calls them,--
Which, when he has a house, he'll deck withal:
And that most deeply to consider is
The beauty of his daughter; he himself
Calls her a nonpareil: I never saw a woman
But only Sycorax my dam and she;
But she as far surpasseth Sycorax
As great'st does least.
~ (Act III, Scene II)
Why is Caliban a "canibal"? Is he savage? Is he what Prospero thinks him to be, a low form of life, not good enough to be called human? Why, if he is these things, does he give one of the most beautiful speeches written in all of Shakespeare?
CALIBAN.
Be not afeard: the isle is full of noises,
Sounds, and sweet airs, that give delight, and hurt not.
Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments
Will hum about mine ears; and sometimes voices,
That, if I then had wak'd after long sleep,
Will make me sleep again: and then, in dreaming,
The clouds methought would open and show riches
Ready to drop upon me; that, when I wak'd,
I cried to dream again.
~ (Act III, Scene II)
Caliban is no more savage than you and I. He is angry and confused, because he is in love with Miranda, and he is a slave against his will.
Journal Entry 6:
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