As much as I enjoy reading Shakespeare, his plays are always better live. Excited to see this one on stage for the first time!
As much as I enjoy reading Shakespeare, his plays are always better live. Excited to see this one on stage for the first time!
#Alphabetgame #LetterR @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
Shakespeare‘s cycle of English kings are definitely not my favorites of his, except R3. I love awful Richard and his dialogues with the audience.
Other Rs that I adore:
- Radioactive-Lauen Redniss (fantastic GN)
- Religion and the Decline of Magic-Keith Thomas
- A River Runs Through It-Normal Maclean (an old favorite)
- Running After Antelope-Scott Carrier* (see comment.)
#12Booksof2021
#June was my best month of reading. I hit a stretch where everything was terrific - all after finishing the long The Mirror & the Light by Hilary Mantel and a good audiobook on Thomas Cromwell. I read Pnin, my favorite Nabokov, The Book of Not by Tsitsi Dangarembga and Hot Milk by Deborah Levy, while listening to Begin Again, on James Baldwin. And with the #shakespearereadalong I read Richard III, now a favorite Shakespeare.
I don‘t think this bard was at his best with his history plays*, with the exception of this brilliant groundbreaking thing. What happened? Our murdering villain confides in us, opening his empty heart, generating a real stage-audience bond. Act I is riveting and funny and wonderful and this is easily one of my favorites from our #shakespearereadalong
*with all due respect to Falstaff
Dark, wicked, & psychologically-complex. It's quite obvious how this was written to be a propaganda tool, but at the same time you see that Shakespeare himself seems to have been seduced by the idea of Richard that he had in his mind. Richard exists as a person, stealing all of the best lines, & the dude who brings peace & joy at the end, to "unite the White rose and the Red", is just some dude giving a platitudinous TED Talk. (I forget his name.)
A plucky, upstart younger son follows his dream to become king, overcoming obstacles* like living brothers and nephews with single-minded determination, wit, and rapacious ambition. His rise and fall, with many adventures and plots along the way, is brilliantly penned by Shakespeare. Richard is the king you love to hate.
I have always been fascinated by Richard's relationship with his mother. He murders one brother, murders four nephews, and murders his own wife. But he always speaks in gentle gratitude to his mother, even when she curses him and says she wished he had never been born. He is clearly afraid of her. Maybe he hoped he would finally impress her by becoming king? #shakespearereadalong
This play really got me interested in the real Richard III for the first time. Clearly this is Tudor propaganda and in no way historical fact (just like all the other history plays). The play itself has a very interesting Richard III who always thinks several steps ahead and every move is strategic in one way or another. 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻
So, we‘ve made it to the end. Richard is dead at the hands of Henry Tudor. Some shady things were done to “abuse his corpse” on the way to the black friars (scientists who looked at his skeleton said that there was a cut in the hip bone that was inflicted right before but likely after death that came “from the back, near the midline”…a rather nice way to say his corpse was violated with a dagger). Any finally thoughts?
Gandalf joined me in the hammock as I listened to the last act of Richard III this evening. I had set it aside for a few busy weeks and therefore struggled a bit to keep all the characters and their alliances straight when I picked it back up to finish today. Overall, I enjoyed it, but I think this is one I need to reread to truly appreciate.
#ShakespeareReadalong #ArkAngelShakespeare #CatsOfLitsy
I was way behind starting this one, but once I got going I couldn‘t put it down …the banter, the curses, the soliloquies… the women in this one were a powerhouse in their turmoil and pain (even as they had almost no real power) and some of their comebacks when they have nothing left to lose because they have already lost everything were powerful….when all you have left is your biting tongue, sting well.
#ShakespeareReadAlong
So, the deed is done! Richard has some guy he isn‘t the familiar with kill the princes. Do you buy that he trusted any old guy to kill his nephews? He sure got chewed out by his mother and sister-in-law. Thoughts?
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VRIDhxFBHWg
This is an interesting little video that addresses the available sources and one theory that the boys may have escaped all together.
#Shakespeare #RichardIII #shakespearereadalong
After the battle that made his brother king, opening the door for him to later become king, the future Richard III made sure requiem masses were said for the dead of both his side of the battle (the Yorkists) and the losing side (the Lancastrians). He did bad things in his life, but he also did good things like this. He was trying (at that point) to bring his country together. He was, in fact, a devoutly religious man. #RichardIII #BattleOfTowton
The princes have been declared illegitimate and Richard has taken the thrown. What do you guys think?
Also, for those interested, this is the TEDTalk on the finding of Richard‘s remains. It‘s quite amusing and very informative.
https://www.ted.com/talks/dr_turi_king_king_richard_iii_solving_a_500_year_old_c...
#Shakespeare #RichardIII #shakespearereadalong
@TheBookHippie 🤣😂🤣 I‘m dying!!! This is what no one has told us. I found the TEDtalk on finding Richard and we all know he was found in a car park, what they‘re not repeating is that he was found in the car park of child protective services which is hilarious considering the princes in the tower. 😂🤣😂 not sure I put this under the proper book…perhaps it should be under the book about the princes #Shakespeare #RichardIII #shakespearereadalong
@TheBookHippie I just watched this documentary on YouTube. It‘s not the best way to watch a documentary, but this one is really well done AND incorporates Shakespeare‘s play. Also, the ending is… 🤯🤯🤯. When the credits rolled, I just kept saying “oh my god” to myself.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bkRftHETKjU
#Shakespeare #RichardIII #shakespearereadalong
@TheBookHippie so this is my contribution to our extra-theatrical discussion of Richard III. (Well, one of them. I‘m still watching things on YouTube. This is what happens when you can watch YouTube in your TV.) This is part of the procession for his reinterment. This would have been so cool to be at.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=F_Rt2XVdET0
#Shakespeare #RichardIII #shakespearereadalong
So this one is labelled “Key Characters in Richard III” so this seemed right up our alley. As you can see it starts with R2 way at the top. I need to go through and highlight which of these people are specifically in this play and who has died so far…and update as we read of course.
Act 2. In this photo, that moment when your creepy, hateful brother in law thinks he can hug you now because your husband is dead. #shakespearereadalong
Richard III (not to be confused with young Richard, Duke of York seen here), wasted no time “protecting” his nephews by whisking them away to the palace we now know as the Tower of London. Uncle Richard lied right to his mama‘s face (what a shock, I know). What are your thoughts on another action filled act?
#Shakespeare #RichardIII #shakespearereadalong
This is an adorable image…until you realise this is the WEDDING of a 4 year old (Richard, Duke of York) and a five year old (Lady Anne, his bride).
#Shakespeare #RichardIII #shakespearereadalong
Richard is just so treacherous. He doesn‘t care who he lies to, even his mother. Act II was quite a trip. We have movement!!!
#Shakespeare #RichardIII #shakespearereadalong
I forgot my text and am on holiday, but I didn't want to miss the great Act 1 discussion hosted by @GingerAntics over at #Shakespearereadalong, so I settled for a well read performane online. Clarence describes his vivid dream, in which R falls and takes Clarence down with him as he tries to catch him. Rich, poignant speech where Clarence reflects that he is a perjured traitor--soon he'll find out he isn't the only traitor in the family.
I started Richard III this morning before church. I‘m interested to see how this one goes as Act 1 seemed pretty intense right from the beginning.
#ShakespeareReadalong #ArkAngelShakespeare #BookAndBreakfast
Richard has started his scheming right off the bat, including a really awkward attempt at getting a widow he created to marry him (yeah, that‘s not weird… and did she really just fall for it?). I have a feeling this is going to be another wild ride. Thoughts?
#Shakespeare #RichardIII #shakespearereadalong
Alright #shakespearereadalong, time I actually start reading this thing.
(if anyone needs motivation ... and can stand Al Pacino‘s hyper-arrogance ... a trailer here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nVgdtcNwIGQ )
Finally starting this (long story about crazy fake editions 🤦🏼♀️) now that this lovely edition has arrived. Who is ready for our discussion of act 1 on Sunday?
I just finished Act 1, and I‘m liking this much the best of the Henry VI/Richard III tetralogy. There are some great speeches and excellent word play. #shakespearereadalong
In the mail today. @GingerAntics - I‘m ready! ⚔️ 🐎
#shakespearereadalong
Our next play with be Richard III. We‘ll have our first conversation two Sundays from now, on 23 May.
Act I - 23 May
Act II - 20 May
Act III - 6 June
Act IV - 13 June
Act V - 20 June
Let me know if anyone needs to be added or wants to be removed.
“A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a #horse!”
One of those quotes whose meaning gets misunderstood. Richard wasn‘t offering his kingdom to anyone who gave him a horse. He was decrying the fact that the lack of a horse was going to cost him the kingdom. #quotayaor21 @TK-421
Plays: Richard III, The Runt, The Rover
Author: Philip Roth
Movie: Rear Window
Band: Ringside
Song: Red Wine, Mistakes, Apologies, Rondo alla Turca
@vivastory #manicmonday #letterr @JoScho
I love this description of the ocean floor from Richard III. #shakespeare
The reviewer didn‘t like this #play as much as I did, but they used an interesting analogy in the review. #gratefulreads
This is a play that probably works better for me on stage or adapted in some way than just as text. I found it hard to keep the character relationships organized in my head, and with most of the violence happening offstage I found myself losing interest (a bit like with Julius Caesar). Just going to have to watch Benedict again 😍
I‘m totally #smitten with my post-play dinner especially the chocolate and passionfruit concoction I‘m eating for dessert. I was also a little bit smitten with Lady Anne even though her wig was a little wonky (or maybe because of that). #literarylove