Greetings to all Richard III readers! It's been a while since I've hosted a blog reading group, and I'm looking forward to spending time with you all.
I know that you have jobs and obligations, and I don't want to oppress you with giant reading assignments. So here's your first homework: by this coming Sunday (September 16), try to make your way through act I, scenes 1 and 2. Then we'll reconnoitre and decide whether we should move more quickly or more slowly.
Some suggestions:
1. I want to create a personal relationship between the play and ourselves. So try to avoid reading critical commentary about the play until after we've finished this project.
2. On Sunday, plan to leave a response in the comments that begins with the phrase "I wonder . . . " Your response can deal with any aspect of your intersection with scenes 1 and 2: plot, character, language, author's process, poetic devices, etc., etc. Let yourself step forward into the shadows of Shakespeare's forest. You don't need to to answer your own question. Just allow yourself to focus on the mystery.
2 comments:
I wonder about the degree to which hermeticism influenced Shakespeare's metaphysics. The religious imagery/references in Richard III seems traditionally Christian at first glance, but also hold some distinct pagan notes that I can't always pin down. For instance, Anne's curse of, "O God, which this blood madest, revenge his death!
O earth, which this blood drink'st revenge his death!" is definitely suggestive of Abrahamic sacrifice, but seems tinged with something more alchemical: direct transmutation of a physical element into a manifestation of one's will-- a possible theme I can see developing. I'm interested to see if there are additional hints of pagan influence that can be directly identified in the authorship of the play.
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