Shakespeare and Pals: Recapping the Bard

Othello learns he should trust his wife more than his mustache-twirling sidekick. Othello is a black Venetian war hero, loved by everyone... Everyone except his new wife's father... and ensign Iago. To get back at Othello for passing him over for promotion, Iago will poison Othello's mind. He will make Othello think his new wife is cheating on him. Tragedy ensues. Join Michael and Sophie to discuss William Shakespeare's Othello! Make sure to subscribe and share this podcast! Comments and questions can be sent to [email protected] Sources:  The Oxford Shakespeare: Measure for Measure (Oxford University Press) Shakespeare: The Critical Heritage, edited by Brian Vickers (Routledge)          

A 19th Century Norwegian naturalistic social drama... It's much more exciting than it sounds. Nora and Torvald seem to have the perfect middle-class marriage, but one Christmas a secret from Nora's past comes back to haunt her. Years ago, for her husband's sake, she committed a little crime. Now she's being blackmailed. In 24 hours, can Nora make this whole thing go away? Join Michael and Sophie to discuss Henrik Ibsen's magnum opus! Make sure to subscribe and share this podcast! Comments and questions can be sent to [email protected] Source: Oxford World's Classics: Four Major Plays: Doll's House; Ghosts; Hedda Gabler; and The Master Builder

What price would you pay for your brother's life? Your life? Your body? The Duke's left town, leaving the puritanical Angelo in charge. Suddenly, pre-marital intercourse will get you the death penalty. After a night with his girl, Claudio gets locked up, and he begs his sister Isabella to beg Angelo for mercy. Angelo says he will let Claudio go... if she gives Angelo her body! What will she do? How does Shakespeare tackle this moral dilemna? Join Michael and Sophie to find out! Make sure to subscribe and share this podcast! Comments and questions can be sent to [email protected] Sources:  The Oxford Shakespeare: Measure for Measure (Oxford University Press) Shakespeare: The Critical Heritage, edited by Brian Vickers (Routledge)

Shakespeare needed to steal his stories from somewhere. We just did All's Well That Ends Well, but did you know Shakespeare nicked the plot from Boccaccio's Decameron? The Decameron is foundational work of Italian and Renaissance literature. A set of short stories by turns savage, funny, and bawdy. But it's not just men writing short stories in the Renaissance. Marguerite, Queen of Navarre, gave it a go with the Heptameron. And would you believe her tales are punchier, bloodier, and darker than Boccaccio's? Join us to discuss the Decameron (Day 3, Tale 9) and two tales from the Heptameron. Sources: Giovanni Boccaccio, The Decameron, Penguin. Marguerite, Queen of Navarre, The Heptameron, 

Helena loves Count Bertram, but fears he'll never love a commoner. She's right.  We're in the Kingdom of France, and the King is dying of disease. None of his doctors can help, but Helena's dead doctor dad left her a special medicinal formula. In exchange for saving the King's life, the King will let her choose any man she likes for a husband. She chooses her childhood friend Count Bertram. Rather than marry a commoner, Bertram runs away to war. Can Helena snare her man? Is all well in "All's Well"? Join Michael and Sophie to find out! Make sure to subscribe and share this podcast! Comments and questions can be sent to [email protected] Sources:  The Oxford Shakespeare: All's Well That Ends Well (Oxford University Press) Shakespeare: The Critical Heritage, edited by Brian Vickers (Routledge)    

Shakespeare's the boss of English literature. Homer's the boss of Western literature! After the Trojan War, lying Odysseus is running a bit late to return home. But he has a good excuse! Gods and goddesses are getting in his way, throwing cyclopses, sea monsters, comely sorceresses at him. Is the foundational text of Western literature a ripping yarn? Join Michael and Sophie to find out! Make sure to subscribe and share this podcast! Comments and questions can be sent to [email protected] Sources: The Odyssey, Homer (trans. Emily Wilson), W. W. Norton & Company.

It's the Trojan War! And young love is in the air. Shakespeare loves him a classical reference, so here's his love story set in the Trojan War. The Trojan nobles Troilus and Cressida love each other, and they manage to tie the knot. Unfortunately, Cressida's father defected to the Greek side, and he has Cressida brought to the Greek camp with him. Can Troilus and Cressida's love survive this?  Is this play a tragedy, or more of a parody of the Greek myths? Join Michael and Sophie to find out! Make sure to subscribe and share this podcast! Comments and questions can be sent to [email protected] Sources:  The Arden Shakespeare: Troilus and Cressida Shakespeare: The Critical Heritage, edited by Brian Vickers (Routledge)

A bawdy sex farce Restoration style... by a woman! Virginia Woolf said that, "All women together ought to let flowers fall upon the tomb of Aphra Behn, for it was she who earned them the right to speak their minds." Does that raise your expectations a little too high for this sex comedy? Probably. But anyway Aphra Behn gives us a fast-paced story of an Italian noblewoman who does not want to marry a prince, her sister who does not want to become a nun, and an Englishman who'll shag anything that moves. You've guessed it, we're bringing back the explicit tag for this one. Join Michael and Sophie for Aphra Behn's The Rover!

Do Italians do it (Shakespeare) better?  Giuseppe Verdi strips Shakespeare's bawdy farce down to basics, cutting characters, plots, scenes. And he makes the play... better?  Join us to discuss Giuseppe Verdi's opera version of Shakespeare! Make sure to subscribe and share this podcast! Comments and questions can be sent to [email protected]

Shakespeare's break out side-character Falstaff gets his own play! It worked so well for Jack Sparrow... Falstaff returns to the stage. There are no wars or princes this time, only love, swindling, and funny accents. Falstaff needs money, so he's going to woo and hoodwink two married ladies. But these merry wives are more cunning that Falstaff expects. Can Shakespeare's rotund philosopher-scoundrel hold a play by himself? Join Michael and Sophie to find out! Make sure to subscribe and share this podcast! Comments and questions can be sent to [email protected] Sources:  The Oxford Shakespeare: The Merry Wives of Windsor (Oxford University Press) Shakespeare: The Critical Heritage, edited by Brian Vickers (Routledge)