Episode 222:

We can’t say for sure that ‘Macbeth’ was Shakespeare's next offering after 'Anthony and Cleopatra' as precise dating of these early 17th century plays is next to impossible, but whatever the case, it certainly has a very different feel and focus from it’s near contemporises. Although recounting historical events it is dominated by the presence and effect of the supernatural. This proved a mix that audiences have flocked to ever since and it remains one of Shakespeare’s most performed plays, for tragedy ranking only behind ‘Hamlet’.

The dating of the play

The text in the First Folio and adaptations by Thomas Middleton

The sources for the play

A brief Synopsis of the play

Macbeth and Julius Caesar

Macbeth’s ambition

The importance of the soliloquy in the play

Macbeth’s feelings of guilt

The reports of the play by Simon Foreman

Banquo’s ghost as a manifestation of Macbeth’s guilt

Blood as a symbol of guilt

The torment of sleeplessness

The tensions between destiny and free will

The three witches

Link to ‘That Shakespeare Life’ episode featuring Prof. Laurie Johnson on the ‘weird sisters’:

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/that-shakespeare-life/id1372846116?i=1000751203466

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www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.com

www.patreon.com/thoetp

www.ko-fi.com/thoetp

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Episode 221:

Last time I took you into the world of the court masque with the help of Kristen Macdermott who, I think you will agree, painted a very detailed picture of that very particular theatrical form and the way the Stuart court embraced it. As we heard, masques were often written by playwrights and performed by actors who also wrote for and performed in the public playhouse, so it’s no surprise that a few plays feature masques. We have already encountered short masques in ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ and ‘Timon of Athens’, with the best known example from ‘The Tempest’ still to come and Shakespeare’s next offering ‘Anthony and Cleopatra’ would, you might think, have been another opportunity to include a masque featuring exotic characters to add to the glamorous setting. In fact, Shakespeare chose not to include a masque specifically, but we can see that he uses the attributes of the masque throughout the play.

Masque elements used in ‘Antony and Cleopatra’

The dating of the play

The early print history of the play

The sources for the play

The different style of the play from it’s near neighbours

A brief synopsis of the play

How the main characters and the political story and love story are balanced in the play

The hyperbolic language used in the play

The character of Antony

Equals and opposites in the play and how Antony deals with them

The character of Octavius

The character of Cleopatra

The death of Cleopatra

Antony and Cleopatra as a Stuart period play

A short word on the history of criticism of the play

The later performance history of the play

Support the podcast at:

www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.com

www.patreon.com/thoetp

www.ko-fi.com/thoetp

You can find an advertisement free version of the latest podcast episodes by joining on Patreon at the lowest paid tier level – that’s for just £1 per month.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 220:

This is the second part of my conversation with Kristen McDermott about the court masque. In this part we discuss two masques and the later history of the art form.

Kristen McDermott is professor of English at Central Michigan University and co-author with Ari Berk of ‘William Shakespeare his life and times’ and the collection ‘Masques of Difference’, as well as numerous papers on Shakespeare and renaissance theatre. I have put a link in the show notes to Kristen’s website where you can find further details of her work. Kris is also a listener and supporter of the podcast, so I was particularly happy to welcome her as a contributor on the microphone as well. I spoke to Kris over a zoom call from her home in Michigan.

Find more about Kris at: https://kristen-mcdermott.com

Links to ‘Masques of Difference’

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Masques-Difference-Revels-Student-Editions/dp/071905754X/ref=sr_1_1?

https://www.amazon.com/Masques-Difference-masques-Student-Editions/dp/071905754X/ref=sr_1_1?

https://manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9780719057540/

Links to Greer Gilman books: https://smallbeerpress.com/books/2014/09/23/exit-pursued-by-a-bear/

Support the podcast at:

www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.com

www.patreon.com/thoetp

www.ko-fi.com/thoetp

You can find an advertisement free version of the latest podcast episodes by joining on Patreon at the lowest paid tier level – that’s for just £1 per month.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.