Day 70 - Sonnet #145: dark lady, hate, love, insecurity, mistress

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a special thank you to Link for his cameo...

for more info on 145 - check out the Wikipedia page




Fun visual example




This isn't strictly by the text, but I LOVE how much energy they put into the interpretation - way to make it clear!



Those lips that Love's own hand did make,
Breathed forth the sound that said 'I hate',
To me that languished for her sake:
But when she saw my woeful state,
Straight in her heart did mercy come,
Chiding that tongue that ever sweet,
Was used in giving gentle doom:
And taught it thus anew to greet:
'I hate' she altered with an end,
That followed it as gentle day,
Doth follow night who like a fiend
From heaven to hell is flown away.
'I hate', from hate away she threw,
And saved my life saying 'not you'.

As always - feedback, comments and creativity are welcome!

Day 67 - Sonnet #138: dark lady, truth, insecurity, age, love

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some cool videos today - including footage of the RSC (Trevor Nunn & David Suchet) working on this sonnet!

AND - happy birthday to William Shakespeare! see how lots of other bloggers are celebrating at www.happybirthdayshakespeare.com, and follow the party on Twitter via the tag #HBWS.






from the vook "Shakespeare in the City"...





cool project for an English class...





Musical version...




Trevor Nunn & David Suchet working on sonnet 138...



When my love swears that she is made of truth,
I do believe her, though I know she lies,
That she might think me some untutored youth,
Unlearned in the world's false subtleties.
Thus vainly thinking that she thinks me young,
Although she knows my days are past the best,
Simply I credit her false-speaking tongue,
On both sides thus is simple truth suppressed:
But wherefore says she not she is unjust?
And wherefore say not I that I am old?
O love's best habit is in seeming trust,
And age in love, loves not to have years told.
Therefore I lie with her, and she with me,
And in our faults by lies we flattered be.

As always - feedback, comments and creativity are welcome!

Day 29 - Sonnet #29

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How Fortune smiles upon us - #29 on Day 29!

And I've decided to bring more people into the Challenge who have already put themselves out there by scouring online for more videos! Pretty cool stuff out there! Take a look and then join up! :-)

I've added Matthew Macfadyen, Rufus Wainwright, an ASL version, a short film, and a few other brave folks!

And in addition to all the videos, we also have a choral submission from The Antaeus Company and the William Tell Aggeler Opportunity High School (Chatsworth, CA). The collaboration connected at-risk students with Shakespeare's at-risk characters. These teenagers, many of whom have been convicted of felonies and all of whom have faced what most of us would perceive as insurmountable obstacles, worked with the ensemble members on the text. Below is their rendition of #29 - very awesome and thanks to Antaeus for sending the audio over!

Of course what I have is just a handful of what's out there - if there are other versions you'd like me to add, or have one you want to add, check out the "How To Upload" page above. Any questions - just send me an email!

Aggeler Audio:

a cool word cloud from a poetry blog: http://lv17.wordpress.com/2009/01/27/sonnet-29-william-shakespeare/

When in disgrace with Fortune and men's eyes,
I all alone beweep my outcast state,
And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries,
And look upon my self and curse my fate,
Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,
Featured like him, like him with friends possessed,
Desiring this man's art, and that man's scope,
With what I most enjoy contented least,
Yet in these thoughts my self almost despising,
Haply I think on thee, and then my state,
(Like to the lark at break of day arising
From sullen earth) sings hymns at heaven's gate,
For thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings,
That then I scorn to change my state with kings.

As always - feedback, comments and creativity are welcome!

Day 16 - Sonnet #58

That god forbid, that made me first your slave,
I should in thought control your times of pleasure,
Or at your hand the account of hours to crave,
Being your vassal, bound to stay your leisure!
O! let me suffer, being at your beck,
The imprison'd absence of your liberty;
And patience, tame to sufferance, bide each check,
Without accusing you of injury.
Be where you list, your charter is so strong
That you yourself may privilege your time
To what you will; to you it doth belong
Yourself to pardon of self-doing crime.
I am to wait, though waiting so be hell,
Not blame your pleasure be it ill or well.

As always - feedback, comments and creativity are welcome!