In the 1965 movie Olivier remained meticulous about the aesthetic preparation that would transform him into the Moor. Despite his studious approach, American critics balked at his blackface portrayal.
Shakespeare's play, however, is more about politics than it is about ancient heroes, about the politics of Rome as the elected government gave way to dictatorship. It's a story about patriotism and corruption, about conspiracies and alliances.
My concerns about missing the most perfect turns of the English language were largely unfounded. The plays are so good, that in the hands of passionate performers they go beyond the need to comprehend the words to get their meaning.
This is the one time in class where viewing the movie is beneficial. Shakespeare was written as a play, not a book, so seeing the scenes played out is helpful when trying to decipher the plot-line and character motivation.
The exact nature of Shakespeare's illness, and subsequent death, remains unknown, and is still the subject of much speculation. Here are the hypotheses currently debated by scholars.
Briony Westinghouse reporting from the field with Part Two of my investigative series, "Earth Things Which Could Be Aliens." In this segment, I uncover the true identities of high-profile extraterrestrials living among us.
This week we saw some crazy art endeavors, whether they involved 24 hours converted into a single photo or drawings that look exactly like photographs...
Shakespeare may be the most quotable man in history, but is he the most musical? A group of England-based, Renaissance-style musicians seem to think s...
From his sharp wit, profound devotion to language and characters which resound with contemporary audiences, Shakespeare's legacy is felt from the high...
Today marks the approximate birth and death of our friend, William Shakespeare. We would like to mourn the passing of the Great Bard through a silly v...
The following bit of Shakespearean amusement was concocted by my great friend Bernard Levin. I've decided to post it here so that and all of you can have it to download, print out, e-mail, link to... and enjoy.
What would happen if we all spoke the way Shakespeare wrote? Would we fall in love more deeply and seek revenge more swiftly? Today just might be the ...
On this day, April 23, the reported would-be 448th birthday (and death day) of the one and only William Shakespeare, we celebrate The Bard's legacy wi...
To celebrate Shakespeare's birthday, we're featuring some of our favorite archival pieces about his life and work. This one was first published in Jun...
To celebrate Shakespeare's birthday, we're featuring some of our favorite archival pieces about his life and work. This one was first published in Aug...
Not only have Shakespeare's works survived directorial updating and near-villainous tampering with the text, they are still taught in high schools and colleges around the world. What has changed is the wealth of teaching tools now available in the classroom and on the Internet.
It's hard to imagine what it would be like to follow Shakespeare. While these poems are a far cry from his escalated word-smithery, they are still very entertaining.
Anyone who has traveled the rocky roads of self-transformation can tell you that embarking on a journey of discovery is not for the faint at heart. It requires a warrior's heart and a fierce determination to conquer the unknown.