panI'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.
#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks
panThis 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. 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻
panHenry 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.
pickThis 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
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
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?
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
I‘m a few weeks behind schedule, but today‘s Sunday morning #BookAndBreakfast included a breakfast enchilada and finally starting Henry VIII.
#ShakespeareReadalong #ArkAngelShakespeare
@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.
A made for the #shakespearereadalong Signet edition. These are our next two plays. First, today, I started H8.
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?
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.
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.
so-soThere'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.
The #injustice is that this isn‘t true for a lot of people. #Quotsy #QuotsyJan19 #LitsyQuoteChallenge
so-soThe 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.
In keeping with my British monarchs theme, Henry VIII seems perfect for #kissmarrykill #sparklingmaybookishdreams @maich
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)
King Henry VIII | 
