Earlier this year I had the opportunity to review Wayne Myers’ The Book of Twelfth Night, or What You Will: Musings on Shakespeare’s Most Wonderful (and Erotic) Play [review can be found here]. Since it spends so much time describing famous productions of the play, I suggested that it needed some pictures.

Well, Wayne happens to be a follower of the blog, heard and agreed with my comments, and I’m happy to report that the latest edition addresses this very issue! I’m looking at a brand new copy with over a dozen pages of Twelfth Night images. Very cool!

I’m also happy to announce that the author has generously donated some copies for us to give away! And, since we’ve just launched Shakespeare Answers, this seemed like a golden opportunity to cross promote.

Rules

1) Create an account on Shakespeare Answers, if you do not already have one.

2) Answer this question. This is so that people interested in entering the contest can all be counted in one place. If you don’t know the answer, wait a moment, someone else is bound to (even if the author needs to give a little help…) Repeat answers are allowed, you don’t have to be the first one. This is just a place to check in.

3) Contribute to the site in at least three (3) additional ways. This could include asking a question, answering one, or commenting on someone else’s question or answer. The more you interact with the site, the higher your reputation/karma score gets. (Higher scores will not increase your chance of winning).

4) The subject does not have to be Twelfth Night – but if you *do* have a question about Shakespeare’s “most wonderful (and erotic) play”, then the author himself may be the one to answer it!

5) Contest ends on midnight Friday, June 24.

6) Three (3) names will be chosen at random from eligible entries received. Winners will receive a copy of the latest edition of Wayne Myers’ book. (As always, we must be able to notify you if you win, so please use a real email address when you create your Answers account, as this is what I’ll be using to contact you.)

Any questions?

Hi gang,
This topic has come up, in general, over the years. This time, though, I’ve got a specific twist in mind. Susan uses The Shakespeare Stealer to introduce her 6th graders to Shakespeare – in 7th and 8th grade her kids work on an actual Shakespeare play (last year Henry V, this year The Tempest).
So, here’s Susan’s question : We’ve done Shakespeare Stealer 5 years in a row now. Do you know any other good fiction novels, appropriate for middle school, that would serve as a good introduction to Shakespeare? If it ties in to The Tempest, bonus!
(It dawns on me that I should pick this book up for my kids. I don’t know why I haven’t yet.)

I think most of us know, at least superficially, the story with Shakespeare’s dad. He was a successful businessman and local politician, until something happened that brought it all tumbling down. He even stopped going to church, possibly for fear of being held accountable for his debts? I’ve forgotten the details, but I”m sure I’ve read the gist of the story in many biographies. Probably involved in wool-dealing (a crime at the time?) and usury (lending of money with interest).
Well, here’s a page that breaks down his “crimes” in pretty spectacular detail. His business partners, his court appearances, all broken out and explained. Amounts, and what they meant (“21pounds for 21 tods of wool?”). Additionally there’s details about exactly what John Shakespeare’s crimes were, and which things were technically illegal but still done on a wide scale (such as loans with interest).
Lots of data here for somebody who’s interested in the subject and may not have already had it. Looks to be from a paper published in 2009, so if you’re on top of things it may be old news. But everything is carefully footnoted so if you’re in a research mood, you could have a field day with this one.

Following up on our previous story about 14yr old Hainlee Steinfeld possibly getting naked for her turn as Juliet, the director has confirmed that it’s not happening. The rumor came about because the script – which clearly says “get naked” – had been leaked, so when the 14yr old was cast, it didn’t take long to put 2 and 2 together.
The script was written with a 20yr old actress, the director tells us. Once an age-appropriate Juliet was cast, they went back and snipped all the naked stuff.
I will cut the director some slack for assuming that he was using the gossip mill to generate buzz for his movie with the story. I won’t, however, forgive him for the quote in the original story where he said that he went with a 14 yr old girl for Juliet because “that’s the way Shakespeare did it.”

The inventor of Mad Libs, Leonard B. Stern, has died.
It seems only fair to mark his passing with a little Mad Libs Shakespeare. This is a quicky so it’s not formatted well (and you basically have to DIY), don’t read the second half until you’re ready to fill in:
1 Verb
3 Noun

4 Noun
5 Verb
6 Plural noun
7 Plural noun
8 Adjective
9 Noun
10 Plural noun
11 Noun
12 Plural noun
13 Verb
14 Verb
15 Verb
17 Number
18 Adjective
19 Plural noun
20 Noun
21 Past-tense verb
(*) I realize that a few numbers are missing, I realized after doing this that words were repeated but didn’t feel like renumbering all the slots 🙂
To __1__, or not to __1___: that is the __3___:

Whether ’tis nobler in the __4___ to __5___

The __6___ and __7___ of __8___ __9___,

Or to take _10____ against a __11___ of __12___,

And by opposing __13___ them? To __14___: to __15___;

No more; and by a __15___ to say we end

The heart-ache and the _17____ __18___ __19____

That flesh is heir to, ’tis a __20___

Devoutly to be _21____.