King Henry VIII

November 5th #DaysDevotedTo Redheads These two are my favorite historical characters, and they are redheads. @Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

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vlwelser

Henry VIII | William Shakespeare

pan

I'm just going to go ahead and pan this one. I didn't even know about this one prior to reading it for #ShakespeareReadAlong. It's like they've turned into a bunch of sycophants for the CoE or QEI. Not a fan. But my mum's complete Shakespeare is getting some love.

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TheAromaofBooks Great progress!! 3y

TheBookHippie 🤣 I agree!!!!! 3y

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GingerAntics

Henry VIII | William Shakespeare

pan

This doesn‘t feel like Shakespeare at all. This is most definitely not Shakes at his finest. This seems like Shakes trying to keep himself in good with the queen. I can understand the hypothesis that this play had something to do with the Globe Theatre going up in flames during its debut run. 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻

GingerAntics This is widely believed to be a collaboration between Shakespeare and Fletcher. I can see that. I can also see that as a way to write off just how terrible this play is. I‘m not sure why Shakes would ever put his name on this thing, other than to suck up to the queen. 3y

GingerAntics #Shakespeare #HenryVIII #shakespearereadalong @merelybookish 3y

TheBookHippie 🤷🏻‍♀️ I‘m puzzled. I enjoyed Katherine‘s bit. That‘s it. It could have been sooo good! 3y

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GingerAntics @TheBookHippie exactly! The weird thing is, Katherine wasn‘t even Queen Elizabeth‘s mother. How was that the best part in the whole play? You would have thought it was Ann Boleyn. 3y

TheBookHippie @GingerAntics 🤷🏻‍♀️ 3y

merelybookish So I checked dates and Elizabeth was dead by the time this was performed and James (son of Mary of Scots) was king. Made me wonder if Katherine's portrayal isn't connected somehow to Mary. 🤔 3y

GingerAntics @merelybookish oh it could be. That might explain things a bit better. The play is still crap, but that would make the crap make more sense. 3y

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batsy

Henry VIII | William Shakespeare

pan

Henry VIII feels like one of the forgettable filler tracks that come on at the end after a slew of hit singles on a chart-topping album. It reeks a bit of mushy Tudor propaganda, & is so far from the standards Shakespeare set for himself that the Globe theatre caught fire & burned down in 1613 during this play's first performance. Lol. But yeah, it's widely accepted that this was a collaboration between Shakespeare & his successor John Fletcher.

batsy The Signet intro is quite comfortable in breaking down the scenes that were written by Shakespeare & Fletcher but I'm not sure if this is a widely-accepted view or if Fletcher was mainly editing & revising as he went along. The highlight for me was the scene between Anne Boleyn & her pal the Old Lady that was apparently written by Shakespeare. I felt some irritation at Katherine getting the short-shrift in this; she went from 🦁 to 🐑 & it was 🤔 3y

batsy #ShakespeareReadAlong @merelybookish @GingerAntics 3y

merelybookish Great review! It's a terrible play. LOL. And absolutely the worst cut on the album. 👍 3y

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batsy @merelybookish Thanks! Here I am blatantly giving Shakespeare a pan... 😆 3y

merelybookish @batsy I guess we could blame John Fletcher. Although I do think you've earned the right to give the Bard a pan! 😀 3y

TrishB Great review 😁 3y

sarahbarnes Love this! 😂 3y

batsy @TrishB @sarahbarnes Thank you both 😁 3y

GingerAntics I can see how this play make the globe go up in flames. That is a legit hypothesis to me. 3y

batsy @GingerAntics 😂 3y

kspenmoll Great review! 3y

batsy @kspenmoll Thank you 😘 3y

MemoirsForMe 😄🙌🏻 3y

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Graywacke

Henry VIII | William Shakespeare

pick

This is different. The language. It‘s verse, but there is a lot less compression and ambiguity. Instead it‘s kind of surprisingly clear. And I actually enjoyed that. Katherine is terrific. And Wolsey makes an entertaining fall and elegant exit. It‘s not a great play all the way through. Some is just spectacle (this is _the_ play that burned down the Globe). But I thought the good parts were very good. A 👍 from me. #shakespearereadalong

merelybookish, GingerAntics

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merelybookish

Henry VIII | William Shakespeare

Oh my, this play is terrible. 😆 The final act...Cranmer faces a plot against him by nobles for religious unrest. But it is defeated by the King's loyalty to the Archbishop. (The CoE prevails!) There's a strange scene in palace gates with some bawdy wordplay. But what matters most is the birth and christening of Elizabeth. What a queen she will become! Oh, and her heir is pretty awesome too. A wooden epilogue ends it all.
#shakespearereadalong

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merelybookish Sorry to be so negative about this play. But it just seems kind of empty to me. Even the "drama" feels manufactured and swiftly resolved. No problems here. ? My intro describes the play as a series of pageants (trials, coronations, christenings). And that feels accurate and why all the other scenes feel like padding. 3y

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merelybookish Anyhoo, I believe this is my final #shakespearereadalong hosting gig! 😮 We have read some awesome plays together! And some not-so-awesome! 🤣 I've enjoyed it! 3y

Lcsmcat I agree. This seems like a vehicle for grand costumes and marching about and not much else. 3y

merelybookish Next up is King John with @Graywacke Sure to be a winner! 🤞😂 3y

merelybookish @Lcsmcat "Lots of marching about!" ?I hated it. Lol. There was no plot just the inevitable unfolding of divine law. 3y

Graywacke @merelybookish your last sr post! 🥲 Thank you for being such a great host and for inspiring this group. 3y

vlwelser @Lcsmcat 💯 3y

vlwelser It's like they're just sucking up to the CoE. This didn't exactly do it for me. But I'm glad I read it anyway. Mostly because of the discussion with all of you. 3y

Graywacke I didn‘t care too much for this anticlimactic act but I enjoyed the play a lot. Katherine and Wolsey were terrific characters for me. And I appreciated the plays clarity. It‘s a pretty complex story, but I never felt lost. 3y

Lcsmcat @Graywacke There we‘re some good speeches given to Katherine. But did you feel she stayed true to character? Her seeming to change her mind without clear motivation bothered me. 3y

merelybookish @vlwelser You joined us just as we were getting into yhr dregs of his catalogue. You are a trooper! 3y

merelybookish @Graywacke Definitely not complex 😛 But some oddities..what did you make of the crowd in palace gates? To add some colour to the pomp? And thank you! Exciting you will be leading us in our final play. We all deserve a pat on the back! 3y

merelybookish @Lcsmcat It's pretty amazing how all conflict was removed from this play. Even the "losers" are at peace with events. 3y

vlwelser ? Pericles caught my attention. Reading 1 act a week even when the play is bad isn't much of a "chore." 3y

merelybookish @vlwelser It's true. Once you get into the rhythm, it's pretty easy. 3y

vlwelser Thank you for hosting! I have no idea how you're pulling discussion/talking points out of some of these. 3y

Graywacke @Lcsmcat well, I see consistency in this Katherine. She‘s savvy and strong willed, but not suicidal (and she has a daughter to protect). I think she fought when she was able to and relented when she needed to stay in Henry‘s good graces. (And never compromised her safety line - the Spanish royal connection that made physically harming her politically impossible. Anne didn‘t have that safety line. But that‘s not really this play.) 3y

Graywacke @vlwelser if you can get through Pericles you get through anything (except maybe Coriolanus) 🙂 3y

Graywacke @merelybookish maybe you‘re right, but I struggled with all these names and their ups and downs in Henry‘s and others‘ eyes. I thought the dialogue was clear and paved out for me what was happening. (Usually I struggle to make out exactly what‘s going on with Shakespeare.) (edited) 3y

merelybookish @Graywacke oh Im sorry. I was dismissive. I get what you're saying and actually there were times I wasn't sure who was on who's side until the end of themscene 3y

Graywacke @merelybookish i appreciated your honesty. 🙂 Certainly it challenged my thinking and that‘s always a good thing. 3y

batsy That sums it up! It was pretty awkward all around and definitely felt like a PR vehicle for the Tudors. Henry VIII definitely appears really benevolent and wise... Which seems, well 🧐😆 Also, your last post as SR coordinator! Thank you for all of your work and for inspiring good discussions 💖 3y

GingerAntics This was definitely all about getting on the good side of the queen. Not my favourite at all. 3y

jewright I just thought there would be more drama. There‘s more drama in the history than we get here. The christening also seems like just a big time to suck up to the queen. 3y

TheBookHippie I am so very disappointed in this play. It could have been so great! Or I had my opinions beforehand! 🤣🤷🏻‍♀️I did however like Katherine very much and enjoyed that bit way more than anticipated ! As always thanks for leading us through!!! I back read discussions as I caught up! Phenomenal as usual! I look forward to King John!! 3y

TheBookHippie @Graywacke Katherine was my favorite part! I think I was expecting more drama or something, I was thinking this play would be more exciting 🤷🏻‍♀️🤣. 3y

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merelybookish

Henry VIII | William Shakespeare

Act VI. We get accounts of Anne's coronation, Wolsey's death & legacy, and Katherine's final wishes. As well as a strange vision/dream dance to reassure us Katherine will end peacefully? I won't lie. This act had me rolling my eyes #shakespearereadalong. If everyone is an angel and a saint, who is responsible for anything? It feels like the whole play is written in the passive voice. Would love to hear your thoughts! Am I alone in my skepticism?

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merelybookish @Riveted_Reader_Melissa @erzascarletbookgasm @Liz_M @Cuilin @saresmoore @catebutler @kathedron @Gezemice @Daisey 3y

TheBookHippie I‘m catching up!!! 10 days of influenza for each of my family and it‘s members and in the middle of it my daughter and her son had to move into their first home from their apartment -all healthy people moved them . Healthy people= me, I‘m the only one who didn‘t get influenza b 🤯😷😳. 3y

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merelybookish @TheBookHippie Yikes! Good you didn't catch it but sounds like that left you with all the work to do. 😬 Take your time and take care of yourself! We'll be here when you get time! ❤️ 3y

Graywacke I think I was more tolerant than you with the patronizing of the ancestors of their patrons. At least today I was. Gotta protect your company from those nutty royals. But it‘s a thin act. Felt to me like it was all for one memorable line by Katherine: “O my good lord, that comfort comes too late. ‘Tis like a pardon after execution.” 3y

Graywacke @TheBookHippie glad you didn‘t get sick. But tough reward. 3y

merelybookish @Graywacke That is a good line! I also noted "Men's evil manners live in brass, their virtues we write in water." What there was to the act was in that scene. 3y

batsy I thought it was a strange act, a little flimsy, and my Signet intro suggests it was entirely written by Fletcher. The lines that stood out for me were those that you both highlighted @merelybookish @Graywacke It did read a bit like a PR exercise on behalf of Wolsey 😆 3y

batsy Oof, that's tough about your family being sick though I'm glad you're OK. It is stressful so take care 🌻 3y

Lcsmcat @merelybookish @Graywacke Those quotes stood out to me too. Sometimes it feels like the best quotes come from worse acts. They can be so easily pulled out because the text isn‘t organic. 3y

Lcsmcat @TheBookHippie I‘m so sorry! Take care that all the extra work doesn‘t make you fall ill! 3y

vlwelser I also felt this act was a bit flimsy. The dream dance thing was just weird. This also doesn't seem to follow the normal Shakespeare format. And it's a bit lame all around. 3y

GingerAntics This seemed so short. It didn‘t feel like it did much as far as moving the story along. 3y

merelybookish @vlwelser The dance was definitely weird lol. What did you make of it? I figured it was supposed to make the audience feel ok about Katherine's fate. 3y

merelybookish @Lcsmcat That's a good theory. Certainly arent overwhelmed by beautiful lines in this act! 3y

merelybookish @batsy Blame it on Fletcher! Lol. 3y

merelybookish @GingerAntics So few of the main characters even spoke in this act. So much was from a 3rd party. It's all very distancing. 3y

GingerAntics @merelybookish we really could have done without this act. It just didn‘t add anything to the storyline or plot. 3y

jewright @TheBookHippie So sorry everyone has been sick. 3y

jewright I just feel this play has taken pretty dramatic events and sanitized them. There‘s not nearly enough drama. 3y

vlwelser @merelybookish not totally sure where the dance is leading other than maybe she's crazy now so ignore her. 3y

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merelybookish

Henry VIII | William Shakespeare

We get two scenes in Act III. The first in the Queen's bedchamber where she continues to speak her truth against plotting cardinals before acquiescing? In the second, the downfall of Wolsey. Cromwell is introduced. Oh, and we learn the King has married Anne. Apparently Shakespeare changed the timeline as the marriage occured 3 years after Wolsey's fall. I wonder why. (Does it make Anne look better?) Thoughts so far? #shakespearereadalong

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merelybookish Anyone feel bad for Wolsey in the end? Curious how Cromwell will come out in this as he is believed to be behind the fall of Anne. Also, a big THANK YOU to @GingerAntics for taking over hosting duties last week! 😘 3y

Lcsmcat I couldn‘t decide if Catherine was acquiescing or just pretending to, to get them to shut up. It‘s not like they made any cogent arguments. 3y

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merelybookish @Lcsmcat I was also uncertain about the shift at the end of that scene: whether she was pretending or giving up. I feel like it's better for Shakespeare if she eventually sails off into the sunset without complaint. It seems more pleasing to Elizabeth I. 3y

Graywacke I really enjoyed this act. It‘s all laid out so clearly and I‘m kind of fascinated (even though it‘s not fully true to history.) On Scene1: I think Katherine understood everything. It seemed she knew Wolsey needed to her to acquiesce for _his_ sake and she didn‘t cooperate. But she also understood her power over H8 was nil. And she also understands how to survive. She came across to me as very savvy. 3y

Graywacke @merelybookish @Lcsmcat i don‘t think she gave in to what Wolsey really wanted and needed. 3y

Graywacke On Scene 2: I really like how Wolsey was handled. He‘s no clear villain, but moving and human. He‘s caught in a vice and got exposed trying to have it both ways. I can‘t help thinking Mantel had this by her side when she wrote Wolf Hall. 3y

Graywacke Sorry, one last comment. I was thinking about authorship. It‘s a nicely written play, I think. It‘s not so poetic and compressed … and ambiguous… as we‘re used to with Shakespeare. It felt to me in this act particularly that the more traditional Shakespeare touches are elegantly incorporated into a different style. 3y

batsy I agree @Graywacke I kind of read it as Katherine realising she had to play the situation a certain way and being savvy. I'm wondering if my reading of that scene is coloured by how I remembered the characterisation of the Queen in The Tudors 😅 3y

batsy I thought it was interesting that the play made Wolsey sympathetic; I was all ready to fully hate him and then I was like, "oh no, poor guy, everything sucks". I'm also curious about the timeline of the marriage to Anne—no clue atm why the change was made but maybe some clarity in the next few Acts. And when Cromwell finally made his entrance I was excited and then disappointed to realise this wasn't Mantel's Cromwell. 3y

Graywacke @batsy @merelybookish The relationship between the Boleyn marriage and the break from the church is messy and Wolsey‘s part is complicated. I thought the timeline change was about simplifying and making the marriage a symbol of H8‘s break with Wolsey and the church in one go. ?? Not sure where this play is headed, but I think in Shakespeare‘s time Anne Boleyn was perceived as the hero of the founding of the Church of England. 3y

merelybookish @Graywacke @batsy That makes sense. I did wonder if it offered some narrative expediency. Also, it feels like all the characters are being treated with some generosity. No one is a simple villain. Although Anne is rather good in this version and no schemer (unlike in The Tudors. 🤣) 3y

merelybookish @Graywacke and interesting observation about the authorship! I agree that it is easy to read. 3y

vlwelser @batsy I also felt sympathy for Wolsey. Which was just weird. Everywhere else he's portrayed as the villain. But maybe he's the fall guy here. 3y

vlwelser I thought this was odd in the sense that I'm not used to there only being 2 scenes per act. But that may be because I haven't read enough Shakespeare. 3y

merelybookish @vlwelser Im pretty sure Wolsey was legit corrupt and power-hungry but he was inadvertently responsible for Anne & Henry meeting and marrying. Perhaps he is granted some grace to acknowledge his role in Elizabeth's birth? 3y

vlwelser @merelybookish this whole play so far has Shakespeare looking like a sychophant. 3y

Graywacke @merelybookish @vlwelser in Wolsey's historical defense, he was notoriously tolerant of critics. In an era of inquisition and torture and constant executions of heretics, he was not part of this bloodiness and strove to avoid it. Some of the people he could have gone after, and forgave, would help bring him down. My source is Diarmaid MacCulloch's

Thomas Cromwell: A Revolutionary Life

merelybookish @Graywacke That seems like a better source than a tv show. 😂 I do think it's interesting Wolsey was not noble-born (and there's a reference to that in this play.) I'm sure it drove the nobility crazy for a butcher's son to have such power & influence. 3y

GingerAntics Cromwell is a douche and I wish he could be beheaded right now before he causes problems for my ancestors, but it was AWESOME seeing Wolsey going down. He was no a particularly pleasant character either. I did feel like Catherine sort of went into the sunset in a way. “Oh okay, cool, I‘ll move into this nunnery. The scenery around the convent is nice at least.” 🤷🏼‍♀️ 3y

GingerAntics @merelybookish Anytime!!! I hope you had a wonderful time at the birthday party. 3y

batsy @merelybookish @Graywacke Narrative expediency seems to be the thing here, I agree. Also, that's an interesting point about Wolsey and yes, I probably should get my info from actual historical texts instead of TV shows 😆 3y

merelybookish @batsy To be fair, it was as a good tv show. 🤣. 3y

batsy @merelybookish So fun and gossipy! Lol 3y

Graywacke @batsy @merelybookish I clearly need to watch more tv 3y

merelybookish @Graywacke Yes, that clearly is the takeaway here. 😆 3y

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Daisey

Henry VIII | William Shakespeare

I‘m a few weeks behind schedule, but today‘s Sunday morning #BookAndBreakfast included a breakfast enchilada and finally starting Henry VIII.

#ShakespeareReadalong #ArkAngelShakespeare

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GingerAntics

Henry VIII | William Shakespeare

@merelybookish is at a surprise birthday party this weekend (shhh don‘t tell), so I said I‘d post this week. It was impressive seeing Henry put his wife on trial, then try to point a finger at just about everyone to explain why he didn‘t want a divorce but everyone else made me do it. Katherine stole the show by walking out of the trial. I like this version of Katherine, although I suppose that was not Shakes‘s plan, considering.

Graywacke

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Lcsmcat Katherine had class. And I‘m not sure that wasn‘t intentional on Shakespeare‘s part. She was a Queen beloved by the people, and that wouldn‘t have changed. 3y

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batsy I felt the same; Katherine definitely stole the show. She had so many great lines & a dignity in the manner of her speech. Like @Lcsmcat I feel like it might have been intentional. The other bit I liked is the ordinary "gentlemen" talking about court matters in a familiar way; seemed like how most of us are on Twitter ? 3y

Graywacke Katherine comes out well. I enjoyed this act. Seemed to me the long speeches were clear and understandable and interesting. Wolsey challenged (unexpectedly(?) from Katherine) and responding. It has a different feel from other Shakespeare plays. 3y

Graywacke Also kudos to @GingerAntics for stepping in this week. Thanks! 3y

Graywacke #shakespearereadalong 3y

Graywacke @vlwelser (edited) 3y

GingerAntics @batsy 😂🤣😂 I‘m loving Shakespearean Twitter now. I hadn‘t thought of it that way, but that is never leaving my brain now. 💙💙💙 3y

GingerAntics @Lcsmcat Class is the best descriptor of her. Shakespeare certainly knew his audience. He needed to make Anne Boleyn a lovable character as well, but he knew the first move was to pull them in with his love of Katherine. 3y

GingerAntics @Graywacke I knew I forgot something!!! I forgot the tag. Thanks for helping. See, it took both of us. lol 3y

GingerAntics @Graywacke this does feel much different than other Shakespeare plays, especially the history plays. I don‘t think this really seemed like a history play to the people of his time, and maybe that‘s why it doesn‘t particularly feel that way to us. It was legitimately written differently. 3y

vlwelser I think Katherine looks good here but he also makes Anne seem really modest/humble. Like as if none of them really wanted this situation. It's very readable so far. 3y

Graywacke @GingerAntics 🙂 Just noticed those two things. You did the hard stuff. 3y

Graywacke @vlwelser no one is to blame, of course. The pure nobility. (So blame Wolsey.) The alternative would be to show them all blood hungry for power (especially because in these stakes the opposite to getting power was losing your head. Most these historical characters don‘t end well.) 3y

Graywacke @vlwelser despite that, it seems actually a lot more historically correct than the 8-history-set prequel. 3y

GingerAntics @Graywacke @vlwelser actually, King John and H8 are stand alone. Neither directly connect with the other history plays. That‘s probably why most editions pair them together. 3y

GingerAntics @Graywacke I didn‘t know about that one added person, so I added them to my list so I‘ll have them for the next time I lead. 3y

Graywacke @GingerAntics he just skipped a few parts between r3 and h8. 🙂 Anyhow this has a very different feel. 3y

GingerAntics @Graywacke way different by comparison. It hardly feels like a history at all. 3y

LitStephanie I thought the hearing (scene 4) was really well done. I was surprised at how strongly I felt for Queen Katharine. You really get a raw sense of the humiliation and betrayal she must be feeling. 3y

GingerAntics @LitStephanie so well written!!! Truly brilliant, real, and raw. 3y

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Graywacke

Henry VIII | William Shakespeare

A made for the #shakespearereadalong Signet edition. These are our next two plays. First, today, I started H8.

batsy Yup, an edition that's ideal for our requirements 😆 3y

GingerAntics My edition put these two plays together as well. It must be a common pairing. I suppose H8 and KJ aren‘t the most popular plays. 3y

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merelybookish

Henry VIII | William Shakespeare

Welcome back #shakespearereadalong! Off to the Tudor court of Henry VIII where we are warned about a sad tale a ahead. In Act I, we see the treachery of Cardinal Wolsey, the arrest of Buckingham, hints of civil unrest, Queen Katherine disagreeing with her husband, and the first meeting between the King & Anne 'Bullen'. There's a lot packed in! What are your initial impressions?

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merelybookish I will admit most of my knowledge of this era comes from The Tudors (TV show) & Mantel's Wolf Hall. 😬So far, Shakespeare's Cardinal Wolsey fits with both of those sources. Also am assuming Anne Boleyn will fare pretty well in this version since she's Queen Elizabeth I's mother. 3y

jewright I was a tiny bit obsessed with Henry VIII and his wives in high school and read a couple of gigantic books on them. I will be interested to see Shakespeare‘s take. 3y

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Lcsmcat When I was 14 my family went to England. At one museum (the Tower?) there were about six sets of armor for Henry VIII, from his youth to his final girth. My sister and I were giggling over it and a guard showed up and said “Are you pulling faces at Henry VIII?” So that‘s my introduction to Henry VIII. 😂 3y

GingerAntics @Lcsmcat 🤣😂🤣 he was a rather large man… and then he got rather rotund as well. Apparently he was most proud of his manly calves. He probably would have had you beheaded for pulling faces at him. 🤣 3y

GingerAntics Oh Cardinal Wolsey. I have a feeling things are going to end badly for him, no matter who‘s doing the writing. 3y

batsy @merelybookish My points of reference are also The Tudors and Wolf Hall! 😆 Also, I forgot we start this week... Oops. I'm gonna catch up on Act I asap and get back 🙈 3y

merelybookish @jewright Yes, let us know how he differs from other sources! 3y

merelybookish @Lcsmcat That's a great story! 😄 3y

merelybookish @GingerAntics I think he was pretty corrupt, by anyone's measure. 3y

merelybookish @batsy That's funny! Henry is definitely not rotund in the TV version. 😆 And it's my fault. I forgot to post a reminder last week. Was shocked yesterday when I realized we started today. ☹️ 3y

jewright I like the prologue at the beginning of the play. I wonder what was his motivation for including it in just a few plays? 3y

GingerAntics @merelybookish oh I totally agree! The fact he was basically pandering to a Protestant Queen and Wolsey was Catholic, that‘s not going to help his cause either. 3y

merelybookish @jewright I feel like everything about this version is connected to Elizabeth. So maybe it's sad in retrospect that her mother was beheaded? 3y

vlwelser In the fist scene I was feeling bad for anyone who had to memorize all these crazy lines. The speeches are mega long. But maybe that's an indication that this wasn't sparking my interest. I'm assuming also that this is going to be biased toward pleasing Elizabeth I. It'll be interesting to see how this goes. 3y

Graywacke @vlwelser i found the lines tough. Well, it varies. I‘m confused and then i sorta get it again. (Anyway, i was able to follow that there‘s lots of corruption around Wolsey.) 3y

Graywacke @merelybookish @batsy I‘m reading while thinking about Mantel. All those complicated deadly court battles. Seems it‘s kind of captured here. Where‘s Cromwell? 3y

Lcsmcat @jewright I particularly liked the Prologue too. (edited) 3y

Lcsmcat @Graywacke I think Cromwell comes in Act 3. If I remember correctly his rise to power coincides (sort of) with Anne‘s. So we have always to go. 3y

LitStephanie @Lcsmcat that is hilarious! He had a kingly appetite. 3y

LitStephanie Is anyone else a little puzzled as to why is scene 1, Buckingham is SO MAD that Cardinal York/Wolsey organized the summit between Henry and Francis and is such a good event planner? 3y

Lcsmcat @LitStephanie I believe it‘s because it was a big waste of money for no gain, and caused Charles, Holy Roman Emperor, to turn against England. 3y

LitStephanie @Lcsmcat oh OK, so he is blaming Wolsey for the event itself, saying he is the one who instigated it rather than just being the person who made it really lavish after others decided to do it in the first place. That makes more sense. I was just seeing Wolsey as the one who was appointed by the king to organise it. 3y

Graywacke @LitStephanie I think he‘s blaming Wolsey for instigating it primarily for his own personal profit. (I don‘t know the true history behind it.) 3y

LitStephanie @merelybookish @GingerAntics regardless of Wosley's true history, in this act he already seems so corrupt that I was picturing a Disney villian grinning and rubbing his hands together greedily, muttering about how everything is going exactly as he planned. 😆 3y

merelybookish @vlwelser Agreed on the long speeches. I assumed there was political nuance I was missing. 3y

merelybookish @LitStephanie In the other sources I mentioned (a tv show & novel 🙃) Wosley is depicted as self-interested and lacking in morals. He's a priest with a mistress and a penchant for the finer things in life. But smart! 3y

GingerAntics @LitStephanie 😂🤣😂 that is a great description of him (in this act and possibly in real life). 3y

batsy The intro to my Signet edition divides the Acts into bits written by Shakespeare and those by his co-writer, Fletcher. Scenes 1 & 2 by Shakespeare, 3 & 4 by Fletcher, so probably because I read that I felt the "difference" & wonder if I'm being biased in thinking scenes 3 & 4 seem more blunt & less poetic (language-wise) ? But most of all my main impression was that Katherine seems like the most reasonable & thoughtful human among this lot. 3y

batsy @LitStephanie I absolutely picture Wolsey as the grinning Disney villain twirling his moustache & whatnot 😆 Like @merelybookish says the pop culture & literary depictions of him that I'm aware of already paint him that way (Sam Neill was particularly good at conveying his clever, sly smarminess in The Tudors!) 3y

41 likes30 comments

Lcsmcat

Henry VIII | William Shakespeare

Hey #shakespearereadalong peeps, you know I always want to watch the plays? Well I found not one, but two Zoom performances of Henry VIII. (And no full performance otherwise.) We live in odd times.

janeycanuck Have you checked StratFest@Home? The Festival has made a tonne of their productions available through that - some are still available with no subscription, too, I think. 3y

Lcsmcat @janeycanuck I haven‘t yet. Thanks for the reminder. 3y

29 likes2 comments

merelybookish

Henry VIII | William Shakespeare

Up next #shakespearereadalong...Who's ready to dig into Shakespeare's version of Henry VIII? It's gotta be better than Coriolanus right? 😛 Right?!
Let's start in 3 weeks... hopefully that gives enough time to get a copy. (Apologies for the late schedule announcement.)
Act 1 - April 10th
Act 2 - April 17th
Act 3 - April 24th
Act 4 - May 1st
Act 5 - May 8th
I wonder if any wives appear.

merelybookish @Graywacke @GingerAntics @Lcsmcat @batsy @TheBookHippie @jewright @Daisey @Riveted_Reader_Melissa @LitStephanie @mollyrotondo @Cuilin @Melismatic @Liz_M @erzascarletbookgasm @CoffeeNBooks @vlwelser @kathedron @saresmoore @catebutler 3y

merelybookish Full disclosure: I removed several people from the tagged list. People who haven't participated in a while and/or have inactive accounts. But always happy to add people back/new people on. Just let me know!! 3y

merelybookish Please share @LitsyHappenings 3y

See All 26 Comments

Graywacke Yay! My copy is here. Ready. 3y

Graywacke Will we do King John? I was planning to lead it next. 😊☺️ 3y

TheBookHippie @Graywacke OH YES!!! King John! 3y

TheBookHippie I cannot believe I do not own a stand alone copy of this!! HA. NOW. Which one to buy!!? 3y

merelybookish @Graywacke Oh yes King John! Sorry to steal your last play thunder. 😂 Will edit my misleading post. 3y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa Ok… I skipped the last 2, I may have to come back and see the bards take on this history. 3y

merelybookish @Riveted_Reader_Melissa You didn't miss much. 🤨🤪 3y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @merelybookish I got that impress from the posts 😂 3y

Lcsmcat It‘s got to be better! And I‘ll be listening to Six while I read. 😁 3y

merelybookish @Lcsmcat Oh yes! I was going to put a link to that. My daughter and I listened to it on our recent road trip. It's so fun! 3y

Graywacke @merelybookish my last play thunder 🙂 3y

Graywacke @Lcsmcat what is Six? (I mean other them the upcoming wife count) 3y

Lcsmcat @Graywacke It‘s a musical with the six wives reclaiming their stories. Here‘s a link to one song https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=km0FJAG8UsE 3y

merelybookish @Graywacke @Lcsmcat Yes, it's fun. Apparently premise of the show is they are forming pop group and competing for lead singer. 3y

LitStephanie I am in! 3y

erzascarletbookgasm I‘ll try to do better, I gave up on Coriolanus. I‘ve never read his history plays, not sure if Henry VIII is an accessible one 😬 3y

batsy Ooh! Sometimes I marvel at the fact that we still have more Shakespeare to read 😁 3y

GingerAntics I‘m pretty sure they‘re all better than Coriolanus. Even Anthony and Cleopatra. 3y

merelybookish @LitStephanie Great! 👍 3y

merelybookish @erzascarletbookgasm Giving up on Coriolanus is understandable! I have no idea what this play will be like. He was Elizabeth 1's father so I expect he will be portrayed favourably. 3y

merelybookish @batsy I kind of marvel that too. But we're really into the dregs of his catalogue. 😬 3y

merelybookish @GingerAntics It's our new low bar. 3y

GingerAntics @merelybookish it sure is. I‘m actually stunned how low the bar is. 3y

52 likes26 comments

AvidReader25

King Henry VIII | William Shakespeare

so-so

There's a lot crammed into this one, but a few of the characters truly shine. Your heart breaks for the neglected Katherine. She‘s tossed aside by her husband of 20 years when someone younger catches his eye. She has some fantastic moments when she challenges Cardinal Wolsey.

Overall the play doesn't flow as well as many of his others. It's too scattered, too many moving pieces, but it's still got some beautiful language.

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jpmcwisemorgan

Henry VIII | William Shakespeare

The #injustice is that this isn‘t true for a lot of people. #Quotsy #QuotsyJan19 #LitsyQuoteChallenge

TK-421

49 likes

GripLitGrl

Henry VIII | William Shakespeare

#quotsyApril2018 #honesty @TK-421

Cedricsmom Not that you can tell tho. 7y

GripLitGrl @Cedricsmom in Shakespeare's time I imagine you can tell. 7y

54 likes2 comments

TotallyPretentious

Henry VIII | William Shakespeare

so-so

The characters in this play are pretty sterile. None of them has much of a personality or any complexity. However, the long speeches will not fail to move you, even when a despicable person like Wolsey speaks them, and they are some of Shakespeare's finest poetry. You could also say that it's a compelling portrayal of fortune's fickleness, but that seems like forcing profundity on what was clearly supposed to be a simple, enjoyable spectacle.

8 likes

Lcsmcat

Henry VIII | William Shakespeare

#eight #novemberbythenumbers @JoeStalksBeck @Tiffy_Reads

31 likes

Lcsmcat

Henry VIII | William Shakespeare

In keeping with my British monarchs theme, Henry VIII seems perfect for #kissmarrykill #sparklingmaybookishdreams @maich

22 likes

RowReads1

Henry VIII | William Shakespeare

One of my #favoritequotes #riotgrams

31 likes

Kristy_K

King Henry VIII | William Shakespeare

Quote from King Henry VIII.
#bookishtattoo #riotgram

Bookish.Heart Love this ❤ 8y

67 likes1 comment

BeckaroniAndCheese

King Henry VIII | William Shakespeare

Sound advice.

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BeckaroniAndCheese

King Henry VIII | William Shakespeare

I love the way this ginormous book looks on my shelves and especially love getting it down to read. I hate that I can't read it in bed - have to lay it out flat on a table due to heft and brittle bones. (Kidding about the bones but I can see this one snapping a wrist easily)

1 like

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