sonnetarium
Unorthodox responses to the sonnets of Shakespeare
An audio-visual performance installation
(and blog / library)
An audio-visual performance installation
(and blog / library)
When a man's verses cannot be understood, nor a man's good wit seconded with the forward child understanding, it strikes a man more dead than a great reckoning in a little room. (As You Like It - 3iii)
It was many years ago that I first heard about the alternative theories surrounding the authorship of Shakespeare's work. Some often ask 'what does it matter who wrote them?' For me, the idea that we might not know the background and inspiration of some of the most important works of literature was both surprising and frustrating. Added to the fact that, as a gay man, one of the first things I'd wanted more understanding about was Shakespeare's sexuality – in light of the 'open secret' that many of the sonnets were addressed to another man; scandalous homoerotic material that Orthodoxy had felt embarrassed about for years. Some Victorian publishers had even changed the pronouns.
The 154 sonnets appear to be as near to direct autobiography as we can find for the Bard – with tantalising references to people, events, scandals, locations and most of all, relationships. They've therefore been seen as the most fruitful field in which to begin investigations. I'm sure I wasn't the first whose search began with a big surprise; that there was no tangibly provable or even revealing information or records of any links between Shakespeare of Stratford and the suggested events and relationships in the poems. Orthodoxy has even suggested the works are mere 'writing exercises', nothing more than flights of poetic fantasy (palpably untrue). So I looked further afield, and opened some heretical books - to discover that not only were there a multitude of others on the same quest as me who had published an extraordinary array of literature, many of them were convinced of alternative authorship candidates. Delving into some of this with alacrity, I was amazed to find the sonnets seemed to open up before my eyes. Obscurity became clarity, and abstracts, tangible.
Though there are now a host of prestigious academics, theatre practitioners, historians and researchers engaged with the authorship question the world over, (with hundreds of notables signed up to a declaration of reasonable doubt), Orthodox scholars have continually tried to denigrate both them and their research. Although it is not working, one of the mot frustrating aspects is the attempt to put out the light being shone upon odd corners of an era about which we know so little; the enigmatic and secretive Elizabethan age. Surely any research on the subject would be welcome, no? But reactionary resistance is strong – and even the idea of airing possible interpretations, let alone examining them, is seen as something approaching sacrilege.
I am hoping, when this becomes a blog space, to attract views and samples from the many enthusiasts and experts on the subject, sharing specific insight, research and interpretations about particular sonnets – but I also wish to open the floor to all kinds of alternative personal responses to the poems, by asking people to record short films that include the spoken text but with no explanatory notes; just their own creative responses expressed visually and orally. I hope it might open up the basic concept of being able to ponder the work in a more playful and less dogmatic manner.
As yet anyway, nobody knows has the definitive answers in this, one of the great literary mysteries in our heritage. Ultimately, whoever finds those answers, stumbles upon that Holy Grail, that 'smoking gun', is guaranteed fame and (perhaps) immortality (subjects dear to the writer themselves). The dedication to the original publication wishes the author 'that promised eternitie' – so it seems only right and fitting, that should it be someone other than we've been led to believe, they may finally, at last receive it.
..............................................................................................................................................
Below is a selection of videos from the original 16 in the audio-visual exhibition. The Unorthodox Whispers soundtrack can be heard by clicking the audios before each video. The next phase of the project is for it to expand it into an online blog/library and forum on the subject of the Shakespeare authorship question.
..............................................................................................................................................
It was many years ago that I first heard about the alternative theories surrounding the authorship of Shakespeare's work. Some often ask 'what does it matter who wrote them?' For me, the idea that we might not know the background and inspiration of some of the most important works of literature was both surprising and frustrating. Added to the fact that, as a gay man, one of the first things I'd wanted more understanding about was Shakespeare's sexuality – in light of the 'open secret' that many of the sonnets were addressed to another man; scandalous homoerotic material that Orthodoxy had felt embarrassed about for years. Some Victorian publishers had even changed the pronouns.
The 154 sonnets appear to be as near to direct autobiography as we can find for the Bard – with tantalising references to people, events, scandals, locations and most of all, relationships. They've therefore been seen as the most fruitful field in which to begin investigations. I'm sure I wasn't the first whose search began with a big surprise; that there was no tangibly provable or even revealing information or records of any links between Shakespeare of Stratford and the suggested events and relationships in the poems. Orthodoxy has even suggested the works are mere 'writing exercises', nothing more than flights of poetic fantasy (palpably untrue). So I looked further afield, and opened some heretical books - to discover that not only were there a multitude of others on the same quest as me who had published an extraordinary array of literature, many of them were convinced of alternative authorship candidates. Delving into some of this with alacrity, I was amazed to find the sonnets seemed to open up before my eyes. Obscurity became clarity, and abstracts, tangible.
Though there are now a host of prestigious academics, theatre practitioners, historians and researchers engaged with the authorship question the world over, (with hundreds of notables signed up to a declaration of reasonable doubt), Orthodox scholars have continually tried to denigrate both them and their research. Although it is not working, one of the mot frustrating aspects is the attempt to put out the light being shone upon odd corners of an era about which we know so little; the enigmatic and secretive Elizabethan age. Surely any research on the subject would be welcome, no? But reactionary resistance is strong – and even the idea of airing possible interpretations, let alone examining them, is seen as something approaching sacrilege.
I am hoping, when this becomes a blog space, to attract views and samples from the many enthusiasts and experts on the subject, sharing specific insight, research and interpretations about particular sonnets – but I also wish to open the floor to all kinds of alternative personal responses to the poems, by asking people to record short films that include the spoken text but with no explanatory notes; just their own creative responses expressed visually and orally. I hope it might open up the basic concept of being able to ponder the work in a more playful and less dogmatic manner.
As yet anyway, nobody knows has the definitive answers in this, one of the great literary mysteries in our heritage. Ultimately, whoever finds those answers, stumbles upon that Holy Grail, that 'smoking gun', is guaranteed fame and (perhaps) immortality (subjects dear to the writer themselves). The dedication to the original publication wishes the author 'that promised eternitie' – so it seems only right and fitting, that should it be someone other than we've been led to believe, they may finally, at last receive it.
..............................................................................................................................................
Below is a selection of videos from the original 16 in the audio-visual exhibition. The Unorthodox Whispers soundtrack can be heard by clicking the audios before each video. The next phase of the project is for it to expand it into an online blog/library and forum on the subject of the Shakespeare authorship question.
..............................................................................................................................................
Transcripts of audio files (below)
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