A SONNETARIUM
Few works of literature have inspired such intense scrutiny and debate as the Shakeseare sonnets - providing, as they appear to, a tantalising glimpse into the closest thing we have to direct autobiography of the famous but mysterious author.
Despite all the attention, the search for people, places and things in the 154 poems has proven frustratingly elusive. In fact, close scrutiny has rather compounded the confusion, spotlighting the lack of plausible connections between the works and the known public and private affairs of the glover's-son-made-good from Stratford-upon-Avon.
This conundrum has caused much fudge and bluster amongst traditional scholars and editors down the years - not only to counter any impudent speculations around the orthodox narrative (that something might indeed be rotten in the state of Denmark) but also to spare readers' blushes at these scanadlous warts-and-all, romantic revelations from the life of a clearly not-so-simple or homely, rural genius. Most bizarrely, it's even led some to claim the poems aren't personal at all, but mere writing exercises. Too much protesting all round, methinks.
Besides, as others have suggested (for quite some time now), seen through the portals of other potential candidates for the authorship of the works/brand we call Shakespeare, the sonnets appear to reveal all manner of credible scenarios, events and personal narratives. Some say it doesn't matter who wrote them, about what and whom. Others beg to differ. Investigation into any work by a dramatist, especially on behalf of an actor or director, revel in the background and experiences in the life of the writer at the time of composition, in the quest to find motivation, meaning and substance within; moreover, to understand and honour their lived experience.
Like many, I had little idea about the Shakespeare authorship question until I stumbled upon a book
about it some years ago (in my case John Michell's Who Wrote Shakespeare). Aside from the initial sensation of shock - like someone had just hung, drawn and quartered father Christmas - it fired me with curiosity to look into other secret tomes, and of course the works themselves, with heightened fascination. I was initially attracted to the case for Marlowe, then swayed towards becoming an Oxford groupie, before hovering somewhere between both, amongst the Groupists. Though I find aspects of other claimants cases intriguing too, and see virtue in all lines of enquiry and research - towards a better understanding of such a decidedly shadowy period of British history - I definately prefer the kind based on historical facts, rather than codes, acrostics, secret ciphers and cryptographs.
Being gay, I'd always been particularly curious about the sonnets (the vast majority of which were written man to man after all), and the quest to discover the truth behind the writer's forbidden experiences, feels decidedly, historically and morally important. Particularly so, given that the poet repeatedly speaks, within the works of fearing his name will be forgotten, his body consigned to an unmarked grave. Given some past publishers even restorted to changing pronouns in the poems - in a sneaky attempt at immortally (and mortally) heterosexualising the Bard - no counter punch to orthodoxy can ever be judged low enough, quite frankly.
Anyway, to the point. Because of all this, I wanted to create a central space for other enthusiasts to share thoughts, insights and links to new research - and more particularly, fresh creative explorations and responses to the sonnets themselves. In light of that, I've asked some actors and ex students of mine to get the ball rolling by making short films that include both the text of a sonnet, as well as their own unique imaginative reflections on them, that I will be publish in no particular order. I'll also be asking some notables from academia and the theatre to contribute short commentaries on particular sonnets, from the perspective of unorthodox narratives.
And thus I also hearby open the floor to anyone who is interested in sharing creative thoughts, insights and videos inspired by these texts - from all sides (even Will's, if respectful) and all in a good cause, for:
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)
Few works of literature have inspired such intense scrutiny and debate as the Shakeseare sonnets - providing, as they appear to, a tantalising glimpse into the closest thing we have to direct autobiography of the famous but mysterious author.
Despite all the attention, the search for people, places and things in the 154 poems has proven frustratingly elusive. In fact, close scrutiny has rather compounded the confusion, spotlighting the lack of plausible connections between the works and the known public and private affairs of the glover's-son-made-good from Stratford-upon-Avon.
This conundrum has caused much fudge and bluster amongst traditional scholars and editors down the years - not only to counter any impudent speculations around the orthodox narrative (that something might indeed be rotten in the state of Denmark) but also to spare readers' blushes at these scanadlous warts-and-all, romantic revelations from the life of a clearly not-so-simple or homely, rural genius. Most bizarrely, it's even led some to claim the poems aren't personal at all, but mere writing exercises. Too much protesting all round, methinks.
Besides, as others have suggested (for quite some time now), seen through the portals of other potential candidates for the authorship of the works/brand we call Shakespeare, the sonnets appear to reveal all manner of credible scenarios, events and personal narratives. Some say it doesn't matter who wrote them, about what and whom. Others beg to differ. Investigation into any work by a dramatist, especially on behalf of an actor or director, revel in the background and experiences in the life of the writer at the time of composition, in the quest to find motivation, meaning and substance within; moreover, to understand and honour their lived experience.
Like many, I had little idea about the Shakespeare authorship question until I stumbled upon a book
about it some years ago (in my case John Michell's Who Wrote Shakespeare). Aside from the initial sensation of shock - like someone had just hung, drawn and quartered father Christmas - it fired me with curiosity to look into other secret tomes, and of course the works themselves, with heightened fascination. I was initially attracted to the case for Marlowe, then swayed towards becoming an Oxford groupie, before hovering somewhere between both, amongst the Groupists. Though I find aspects of other claimants cases intriguing too, and see virtue in all lines of enquiry and research - towards a better understanding of such a decidedly shadowy period of British history - I definately prefer the kind based on historical facts, rather than codes, acrostics, secret ciphers and cryptographs.
Being gay, I'd always been particularly curious about the sonnets (the vast majority of which were written man to man after all), and the quest to discover the truth behind the writer's forbidden experiences, feels decidedly, historically and morally important. Particularly so, given that the poet repeatedly speaks, within the works of fearing his name will be forgotten, his body consigned to an unmarked grave. Given some past publishers even restorted to changing pronouns in the poems - in a sneaky attempt at immortally (and mortally) heterosexualising the Bard - no counter punch to orthodoxy can ever be judged low enough, quite frankly.
Anyway, to the point. Because of all this, I wanted to create a central space for other enthusiasts to share thoughts, insights and links to new research - and more particularly, fresh creative explorations and responses to the sonnets themselves. In light of that, I've asked some actors and ex students of mine to get the ball rolling by making short films that include both the text of a sonnet, as well as their own unique imaginative reflections on them, that I will be publish in no particular order. I'll also be asking some notables from academia and the theatre to contribute short commentaries on particular sonnets, from the perspective of unorthodox narratives.
And thus I also hearby open the floor to anyone who is interested in sharing creative thoughts, insights and videos inspired by these texts - from all sides (even Will's, if respectful) and all in a good cause, for:
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)
