Sign no more, dear readers. It’s Bardfilm here!

A few days ago, Taylor Swift announced a new album—the first in several years. It will be called Reputation (Reputation, reputation, reputation! O, I have lost my reputation! I have lost the immortal part of myself, and what remains is bestial. My reputation, Iago, my reputation!).

Yesterday, she released “Look What You Made Me Do,” the first single from the album. In it, the narrator disclaims all responsibility for her actions, putting that responsibility on the you of the song’s title.

What character or line from Shakespeare most closely fits this song?  Is it “O, I am fortune’s fool”? Or the opposite of “The fault is not in our stars but in ourselves”? Or is it more like Edmund’s speech near the beginning of King Lear?  He says, “My father compounded with my mother under the dragon’s tail, and my nativity was under ursa major; so that it follows I am rough and lecherous.” Of course, he’s making fun of the idea there, but it might fit.

Any other places where people talk about responsibility in Shakespeare?

p.s. Here’s the song and its accompanying video:

It’s Bardfilm! I’ve taken over Shakespeare Geek (the blog, not the guy) while he’s away.

In effect, I’ve seized this bully pulpit.

Teddy Roosevelt coined the term “bully pulpit” to describe the presidency. He meant that it was a terrific (“bully”) place to deliver important messages (“pulpit”).

Shakespeare uses the word “bully” quite a bit. When I was just thinking about it, the only one I could remember was “bully Bottom!” from Midsummer Night’s Dream, but he uses it a lot in Merry Wives of Windsor—and once each in The Tempest and Henry V.

He uses the word “pulpit” in only one play. Can anyone guess which one?  Hint: It sounds anachronistic, but it isn’t.

Give me your answer in the comments!

Success!  It is I, Bardfilm, and I have hacked into Shakespeare Geek’s blog.

It wasn’t that hard. If you know the proper way to read the sonnets, you can find all sorts of cryptic material there.

In any case, when I learned that SG was away from social media for a while (for which, c.v.), I knew my time had come.

Now that I’m in, we’ll just have to see how I can shake (speare) things up around here.

Sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride!

Hey all,

Just wanted to let you my faithful readers know that I’m going on vacation for a bit and will be absent from social media. That means no new posts, no Facebook, no Twitter, for at least a week or more.  We’re off to see The Mouse.

If anybody happens to be in the neighborhood and sees me — I’ll be the guy in the geeky Shakespeare t-shirt, almost certainly — don’t be afraid to say hi!  It’ll make a fun story.

I don’t expect there’s much Shakespeare related merchandise to be had, but you know that if it’s there I’ll find it. See you when I get back!

-SG