The Sea in Shakespeare
Did Shakespeare ever go to sea? Is this how he spent his “lost years” – taking in the topsail and tending to the master’s whistle, like the sailors in the opening scene of “The Tempest”? On balance it seems unlikely, yet in around one third of Shakespeare’s plays, the sea has a part to play.
Forests in Shakespeare
Shakespeare spent most of his working life in one of the most populous cities in Europe, but his childhood was spent in quite rural surroundings, close to the Forest of Arden. Forests in his plays seem to enjoy a symbolic role as places of refuge and escape – even perhaps of freedom.
Male friendship in Shakespeare’s Plays
Friendship in Shakespeare’s plays is a surprisingly fragile experience. This is particularly the case with males. This isn’t to say that friendships are rarely established in these plays: on the contrary, there are numerous examples of males making common cause with one another and enjoying the companionship that results.
Shakespeare’s Prisons
Prisons were a routine part of life in Shakespeare’s experience. Playwrighting was a dangerous business in a society at war (as Shakespeare’s was with Spain) under a government as sensitive to criticism as Elizabeth’s.
Ghosts in Shakespeare
The appearance of a ghost in the opening scenes of “Hamlet” suggests that this is a play with Catholic sympathies at a time when this was a dangerous affiliation. Ghosts were a feature of the world of superstition and witchcraft that Protestant Europe wanted to leave behind, making the appearance of the ghost of Hamlet’s father a provocative gesture.
Disguise and Mistaken Identity
Shakespeare’s plays often turn on the nature of identity, especially as it’s perceived by others.
“Thou” and “You” in Shakespeare
Many European languages have two words for the second person pronoun ‘you’ where Standard English has just the one.
Shakespeare’s London
What did London mean to Shakespeare? Curiously, it seems he never thought of London as his home.
Dramatic Irony in Shakespeare
One of the ironies of dramatic irony is that you pretty much have to have it. Unless all the characters are on stage for the whole performance, then it’s inevitable that the audience knows more than the characters.