A lovely piece. Always a joy to find other Shakespeare enthusiasts.
As it happens I was at the Globe theatre in London on the afternoon of 15th September 2022, watching Shakespeare's Henry VIII, while a few feet away thousands of people were still in line for miles along the Thames Path, hoping to view the late Queen Elizabeth II lying in state at Westminster.
In Henry VIII his daughter Elizabeth is born and Shakespeare has Archbishop Cranmer predict, of the future Elizabeth I,
"This royal infant—heaven still move about her!—
Though in her cradle, yet now promises
Upon this land a thousand thousand blessings,
Which time shall bring to ripeness. She shall be—
But few now living can behold that goodness—
A pattern to all princes living with her
And all that shall succeed"
And of course everyone in that Globe audience made the connection, there was a collective sigh, and even the actors paused and acknowledged the moment - we all felt the power of Shakespeare's words linked with the death of our own dear Queen Elizabeth, who had indeed lived up to her own promise and had been that "pattern to all princes".
Ps, for more of what Shakespeare probably thought about the nobility and their righteous wars, there's no better example than what he has Falstaff do and say, in Henry IV part 1, especially his "what is honour?"speech.
Ever since reading Josephine Tey's "The Daughter of Time", I am convinced that Richard was "More sinned against than sinning".
Having gotten my O and A levels in England, I had the great privilege of reading most of Shakespeare's plays and making many trips to Stratford to see his plays.
I wish that more Americans were exposed to Shakespeare.
We all have our favorites, but "Julius Caesar" has to rank high.
Thomas, if you haven't watched “Wolf Hall” the second season of which is currently appearing on the PBS Masterpiece Series I highly recommend it to you. The first six episodes premiered in 2015 (available on Amazon) and the second season of six episodes premiered last Sunday. The programs are remarkably good and although a fictional account of Tudor England they are (more or less) historically accurate.
If you are interested in the history of Tudor England, the best British historian of the era was James Anthony Froude. Two of his books that I recommend to you are,
“The Divorce of Catherine of Aragon.” it is free on the Kindle
A lovely piece. Always a joy to find other Shakespeare enthusiasts.
As it happens I was at the Globe theatre in London on the afternoon of 15th September 2022, watching Shakespeare's Henry VIII, while a few feet away thousands of people were still in line for miles along the Thames Path, hoping to view the late Queen Elizabeth II lying in state at Westminster.
In Henry VIII his daughter Elizabeth is born and Shakespeare has Archbishop Cranmer predict, of the future Elizabeth I,
"This royal infant—heaven still move about her!—
Though in her cradle, yet now promises
Upon this land a thousand thousand blessings,
Which time shall bring to ripeness. She shall be—
But few now living can behold that goodness—
A pattern to all princes living with her
And all that shall succeed"
And of course everyone in that Globe audience made the connection, there was a collective sigh, and even the actors paused and acknowledged the moment - we all felt the power of Shakespeare's words linked with the death of our own dear Queen Elizabeth, who had indeed lived up to her own promise and had been that "pattern to all princes".
Ps, for more of what Shakespeare probably thought about the nobility and their righteous wars, there's no better example than what he has Falstaff do and say, in Henry IV part 1, especially his "what is honour?"speech.
Ever since reading Josephine Tey's "The Daughter of Time", I am convinced that Richard was "More sinned against than sinning".
Having gotten my O and A levels in England, I had the great privilege of reading most of Shakespeare's plays and making many trips to Stratford to see his plays.
I wish that more Americans were exposed to Shakespeare.
We all have our favorites, but "Julius Caesar" has to rank high.
Thomas, if you haven't watched “Wolf Hall” the second season of which is currently appearing on the PBS Masterpiece Series I highly recommend it to you. The first six episodes premiered in 2015 (available on Amazon) and the second season of six episodes premiered last Sunday. The programs are remarkably good and although a fictional account of Tudor England they are (more or less) historically accurate.
If you are interested in the history of Tudor England, the best British historian of the era was James Anthony Froude. Two of his books that I recommend to you are,
“The Divorce of Catherine of Aragon.” it is free on the Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Divorce-Catherine-Aragon-Imperial-Ambassadors/dp/1428653163
and
“The Reign of Mary Tudor.” Its also free.
https://www.amazon.com/Reign-Tudor-James-Anthony-Froude/dp/1434692299