8 January 2024 PROTEUS He after honour hunts, I after love. He leaves his friends to dignify them more, I leave myself, my friends, and all, for love. Thou, Julia, thou hast metamorphosed me, Made me neglect my studies, lose my time, War with good counsel, set the world at naught; Made wit with […]
Continue ReadingAuthor: Hester Lees-Jeffries
I’m off to MILAN, that well-known seaside resort (1.1.51-62) #2Dudes1Dog #SlowShakespeare
VALENTINE But wherefore waste I time to counsel thee That art a votary to fond desire? Once more adieu. My father at the road Expects my coming, there to see me shipped. PROTEUS And thither will I bring thee, Valentine. VALENTINE Sweet Proteus, no. Now let us take our leave. To Milan let me hear […]
Continue ReadingValentine: love is a CATERPILLAR eating your BRAIN (1.1.42-50) #2Dudes1Dog #SlowShakespeare
PROTEUS Yet writers say ‘As in the sweetest bud The eating canker dwells, so doting love Inhabits in the finest wits of all.’ VALENTINE And writers say ‘As the most forward bud Is eaten by the canker ere it blow, Even so by love the young and tender wit Is turned to folly, blasting in […]
Continue ReadingGotcha, you fool for love! (1.1.36-41) #2Dudes1Dog #SlowShakespeare
PROTEUS So by your circumstance you call me fool. VALENTINE So by your circumstance I fear you’ll prove. PROTEUS ’Tis love you cavil at. I am not love. VALENTINE Love is your master, for he masters you; And he that is so yokèd by a fool Methinks should not be chronicled for wise. (1.1.36-41) […]
Continue ReadingBeing in love? really not worth the effort, mate (1.1.29-35) #2Dudes1Dog #SlowShakespeare
VALENTINE To be in love, where scorn is bought with groans, Coy looks with heart-sore sighs, one fading moment’s mirth With twenty watchful, weary, tedious nights. If haply won, perhaps a hapless gain; If lost, why then a grievous labour won; However, but a folly bought with wit, Or else a wit by folly vanquishèd. […]
Continue ReadingBanter: Leander, shoes, and boots… (1.1.19-28) #2Dudes1Dog #SlowShakespeare
VALENTINE And on a love-book pray for my success? PROTEUS Upon some book I love I’ll pray for thee. VALENTINE That’s on some shallow story of deep love– How young Leander crossed the Hellespont. PROTEUS That’s a deep story of a deeper love, For he was more than over-shoes in love. VALENTINE ’Tis true, for […]
Continue ReadingProteus: think of me all the time when you’re away, I’ll be thinking of you! (1.1.11-18) #2Dudes1Dog #SlowShakespeare
PROTEUS Wilt thou be gone? Sweet Valentine, adieu. Think on thy Proteus when thou haply seest Some rare note-worthy object in thy travel. Wish me partaker in thy happiness When thou dost meet good hap; and in thy danger– If ever danger do environ thee– Commend thy grievance to my holy prayers; For I will […]
Continue ReadingValentine: I’ll be off on my gap year then, bro (1.1.1-10) #2Dudes1Dog #SlowShakespeare
1 January 2024 [Enter] Valentine and Proteus VALENTINE Cease to persuade, my loving Proteus. Home-keeping youth have ever homely wits. Were’t not affection chains thy tender days To the sweet glances of thy honoured love, I rather would entreat thy company To see the wonders of the world abroad Than, living dully sluggardized at […]
Continue ReadingNew #SlowShakespeare blog coming in 2024: #2Dudes1Dog The Two Gentlemen of Verona
I’ll begin a NEW #SlowShakespeare daily blog in January! As I get properly underway with my work on the new edition for the Arden Fourth Series, I’ll be (slowly) reading and writing about The Two Gentlemen of Verona #2Dudes1Dog – not one of the greatest hits, certainly, but interesting in lots of ways – and […]
Continue ReadingCaesar: bury Cleopatra and Antony in the same grave, together for all time (5.2.345-355) #BurningBarge #SlowShakespeare
CAESAR Take up her bed, And bear her women from the monument. She shall be buried by her Antony. No grave upon the earth shall clip in it A pair so famous. High events as these Strike those that make them, and their story is No less in pity than his glory which Brought them […]
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