Personal Evaluation

We are now at the end of the road. Semester is over! Here is my evaluation of my own work these past few months:

• Posts
• Quantity--  I have posted 37 posts over the semester, all fulfilling various learning outcomes. My posts have been regular and varied, looking into different aspects all while working towards my concluding thesis.
• Content -- I have tried to do a variety of posts, with some being historical, some being analysis of a character, some being summaries of scholarly sources, and some being a reflection on the social learning that I've participated in.
• Format -- I have tried to clearly label my posts, and include links to direct the reader to more detailed information so as not to confuse or bore with extremely long posts. My blog is organized and cleanly put together.
• Research
• Thematic Focus-- I started out the semester unsure of a theme to pursue, and upon research and reading I came up with my current thesis of modern popular culture and it's ties with Elizabethan popular culture. Throughout my blog I have supporting evidence that proves my thesis. 
• Thesis & Cohesion-- My hub post ties together my older posts with my recent additions by connecting them all to my thesis statement.
• Sources -- In my Sources page I outline all of the various sources I used for research throughout the semester, which are many and varied.
• Personal & Social
• Author identity -- I think I've done a good job of keeping my own personal voice throughout the blog. I have been more serious when it was necessary, but in the majority of my blog posts I let the reader see my personality through either my own personal commentary or the pictures that I include.
• Documentation of Process--I have a few posts that describe my process of deciding on a thesis, as well as some posts that admit complete and utter confusion and ask for the help of my peers. I'm not afraid to say I don't know! I think my blog has documented well what I've done throughout the semester, as well as my process of arriving at my thesis.
• Interactions-- I have done a really good job of interacting with others in the class. From participating in the flash mob, and the Grassroots production, to the Fred Adams interview, and general commenting and blog reading I've tried really hard to be connected with my classmates. It's way more enjoyable that way anyhow!
• Design
• Appropriate to Theme -- I'm still no master blogger, but I did learn how to edit my page and layout, and tried to edit it in a way that isn't distracting but compliments my theme of discussion, while still staying somewhat academic.
• Side content -- I have information about me as the author of the blog, as well as a blog archive that helps readers easily navigate my older blog posts.

My Ophelia Song!

 

My song is finally done! I don't know if I'd call it a masterpiece, but it's not too bad if I say so myself! I wrote it from the viewpoint of Ophelia, but not from the angle of craziness. I looked more at the confusion and loss she felt upon

1. Hamlet's retraction of his confessed love
2. The advice from many different sources telling her what to do.

I'll be set to perform in on the day of our final, so you can hear it then!

Tying it all Together - Final Hub Post: Modern and Elizabethan Pop Culture

THESIS STATEMENT: Shakespeare's time has long since passed. Though the people of Elizabethan age had a very different life experience from what we experience today with regards to education, government, religion, and technology, our methods of entertainment and reasoning for pop culture is the same - to express the culture of the masses through works of art written by the masses.

EVIDENCES:

1. Today, we use Shakespeare for many of our own works of art, perpetuating the very real scenarios that Shakespeare creates in his work, but adapting it to our modern ways of living and speaking. I talk about this adaptation in this blog post.
        A) Modern soundtracks to Shakespeare's plays are contrasted with traditional Renaissance music.
        B) Modern renditions of Shakespeare seek to recapture the authentic Shakespearean experience.
        C) My own songwriting project demonstrates modern pop culture meshing with Shakespeare.
        D) The BYU production of "Much Ado About Nothing" perfectly shows the cross-cultural    adaptation of Shakespeare, and how it transcends time and setting, speaking instead to the human condition.
        E)

2. Shakespeare's works have gone through a transformation, returning again to the way it was originally intended to be; entertainment for all levels of people in all walks of life.
        A) The putting on of his works by "common people" in the Grassroots production I took part in.
        B) The analysis of his works, including in a scholarly forum on Othello and Merchant.
        C) Our class adaptation of the "Romeo and Juliet" soliloquy for the flash mob.
        D) The close read of sonnets and character analysis done both in class and on my blog.
        E) The host of Shakespearean festivals held annually, including the Utah Festival organized by Fred Adams.
        F) The adaptation of Shakespeare to different cultures.
        G) The addressing of very personal human issues such as appearance and reputation.

To Conclude: Though Shakespeare himself is long gone, along with the Elizabethan people, there are many ways in which we owe them for the modern popular culture stories and productions we enjoy today.

Shakespeare and Appropriation

 "The Little Mermaid" was my favorite Disney film as a young girl. Little did I know at the time that its roots are based in Shakespeare's "The Tempest"!

I was reading a little bit about Shakespeare and his influence and presence in modern popular culture, and found an interesting passage in Shakespeare and Appropriation by Christy Desmet and Robert Sawyer: "By appropriating Shakespeare, "The Lion King" and "The Little Mermaid" - as films target at children, adolescents, and their parents - manage not just patterns of desire, but also cultural attitudes towards "growing up" and entering culture." (189)

The article goes on to cite several more instances of Shakespearean influence on Disney works, including "Aladdin" and "The Quest for Camelot."

According to Douglas Lanier's Shapespeare and Modern Popular Culture: "Popular culture is one of the forces that have produced the Shakespeare of out time, and studying its appropriations prompts us to turn our attention towards broad questions about Shakespeare's place, past, present, and future, in the politics of culture." (20)

Shakespeare has led to an offshoot of entertainment productions that have hints of, or even sometimes are entirely based off of his works. According to Lanier, " one of the more curious Shakespop phenomana of recent years has been the appearance of Shakespeare fan fiction." (82)

This type of appropriation by the masses shows that Shakespeare is not only a writer for scholars to admire, but also for the masses to enjoy. "Claims that Shakespeare is a source or analogue for popular culture do more than merely establish a dialogue between specific pop and Shakespearean works. They have also become a way of defending the value of popular sulture in general, of suggesting its cultural importance, its worthiness of close study, its artistic value. Idetifying Shakespearian elements in pop culture . . . asserts the fundamental continuity between high and popular culture." (Lanier 95)

As was asserted in Elizabeth Abele's "Whither Shakespop?" article and my previous post, Shakespeare has gone through a transformation: from entertainment for all types of people, to a scholarly pleasure, and is now coming to a hybridization of sorts, where the scholar and the casual consumer can enjoy the byproducts of Shakespeare's work, thereby bringing us closer to the Elizabethan popular culture view of Shakespeare; as a bard for both the rich and the poor.

Shakespeare and Elizabethan Popular Culture

Generally this is the first thing that comes to mind when the term "popular culture" is mentioned. Modern day movies, music, billboards, books, etc. are what we'd describe now as part of our current popular culture. I followed up on Rebecca's blog post where she mentions  The Arden Critical Companion on Shakespeare and Elizabethan popular culture, as this is very relevant to my current vein of study.


Gillespie and Rhodes argue that pop culture is currently defined as "cultural products created for the people", and that older forms of pop culture were created "of the people" as "cultural expressions of the people themselves. This older form of popular culture includes events such as:


1. dramatic reemactment of Bible stories
2. festive rituals associated with holidays
3. clowning
4. old romances told through ballads and songs
5. playhouse productions


I submit that there is not much difference between the production of works "for the people" and "of the people", since the popular culture phenomena we are enjoying today is in fact made up of works made "for and of the people". Modern day counterparts of the list above include:


1. Ben Hur and The Passion of the Christ; modern movies on Bible stories
2. our seasonal work parties for Thanksgiving and Christmas, not to mention many family gatherings and parties with friends
3. comedians like Bryan Regan and Dane Cook. Also includes modern comedy movies.
4. listen to any radio station and I challenge you to tell me there aren't romantic ballads and songs. Country music. Pop music. Rock music. These genres all contain love stories told through song.

5. Broadway productions such as Wicked and Phantom of the Opera, still including productions of Shakespeare's own works.


While many people think that the Elizabethan era was so far removed from our current day and age, it really was not so separate. The people of that era had a less sophisticated technological system, a different political system, and vastly different way of providing for the needs of themselves and their families, but they still enjoyed what we enjoy. They cried when we would cry. They too are humans, and as such enjoy many of the same things we still enjoy today, just in a different form.

Peer Blog Review: Martin Michalek

Posts

• Quantity:By my count Martin has 33 blog entries, a good number. He's a very regular blogger.
• Content: Honestly, Martin's blog has been one of the most interesting blogs to read this semester. I've loved to go over and look at what he's researched, or what he thinks about a topic. Really interesting topics, really interesting posts. Very indepth posts.
• Format: I have a feeling that Martin has blogged before! His blog is very well organized and formatted. It's very streamlined, and looks very clean cut.

Research

• Thematic Focus: Martin's focus has been Shakespeare and comic books. He just recently made a more concrete thesis about archetypes and the Batman mythos as compared to the Hamlet mythos.
• Thesis and Cohesion: He has his thesis, and has a hub post linking that thesis to other posts, but he needs to finish tying down his thesis with his research. He also needs to make a more forceful thesis. He stated what he's going to look at, now he needs to fully form his thesis statement.
• Sources: Martin is lacking a Sources page, which is a requirement he still needs to complete. I understand from one of his posts that academic sources were a bit difficult to find, but that he is working on it. So he needs to finish getting this set up. 

Personal & Social

• Author Identity: Martin's authorial voice is definitely present. He does a great job of getting across his viewpoints and personality.
• Documentation of Progress: Martin does a really good job of documenting all of his research and thoughts. 
• Interactions: From what I could gather, Martin has done a good job of commenting on other people's blogs. He doesn't really utilize linking to other blogs in his own blog, but I think he still does well in this area. Hard to tell without going through all his comments, which I couldn't see how to do on his blog (I was looking for an IntenseDebate box like on Professor Burton's).

Design

• Appropriate to Theme:I think his blog design is appropriate to theme. As I mentioned before, it is streamlined and well organized.
• Side Content: This is where Martin shows that he is no novice blogger. He has many different side options, including a calendar, what media he's currently enjoying, and a time machine option for his posts. Well utilized side space.

I think Martin has done a great job with his blog this semester. I think he still needs to gather more scholarly sources, add a sources tab, and maybe do one more hub post that ties together the thesis that he's forming. Once he does this, his blog will be, in my opinion, completed.

Responses to Comments

Thanks so much for commenting on my posts guys! Like Professor Burton says, it really does make the blogging experience a lot more interesting when I get the chance to interact with you guys and hear about what you are thinking. I've been asked by a few of you the same questions, and I figured I'd post about the answers rather than repeat myself three or four times!

1. More details on Richard III Grassroots Shakespeare - I played the parts of Hastings, and of Queen Margaret. Also at the end, I was in the big battle scene between Richard's army and Richmond's army. The setup of the rehearsal was that we broke off into groups, and each rehearsed our scene for about twenty minutes. We' figure out staging, as well as how we'd share our few copies of the script (since many of the parts got reassigned on the fly). They went through the whole play this way, just quickly rehearsing scenes in groups. Then, we did a dry run through of the play. Each scene went up and acted, and the rest of the cast would watch and provide feedback at the end of the scene. Then, it was showtime! Like I mentioned, it was definitely a mixed bag of actors, interpretations of the text, and props that were used.

2. As for my song, I am thinking I am going to write it from Ophelia's viewpoint...I have two verses written down and I'm working on a chorus. It's coming along! I'll hopefully be able to perform it in class this Friday! Thanks again for all of the input!

Office hours and Thesis Ideas

I went to Professor Burton's office hours on Friday to review my new thesis. A few problems with my thesis stated in this post include:

1. Still much too broad.
2. No groundbreaking thesis - too general.
3. Will require too much work to complete by the deadline.

After reviewing my previous posts, and revisiting my hub post, I have a revised thesis. It is based on an article I reviewed in this post. To recap, Shakespeare and the interaction of his works with popular culture have changed through time. They went from commodity for the masses, to a highbrow form of entertainment and culture. My thesis that I am proving on my blog is that SHAKESPEARE'S WORKS NOW CONTAIN A BIT OF BOTH WORLDS. IT HAS BOTH THEMES AND IDEAS TO BE STUDIED BY THE SCHOLARLY, AS WELL AS ENTERTAINMENT VALUE FOR THE MASSES. THE FACT THAT SHAKESPEARE'S WORKS HAVE REMAINED POPULAR THROUGHOUT THE AGES IS EVIDENCE THAT THOUGH MEANS OF TRANSMIT OF POPULAR CULTURE HAS CHANGED, PERHAPS WE ARE MORE SIMILAR TO THE CULTURE IN SHAKESPEARE'S DAY THAN WE REALIZE.


I need to find more scholarly sources for my argument, but the Shakespop article that I link to above is my main start. My posts on things such as Richard III - Play in a Day, the Othello symposium, She's the Man rendition of Twelfth Night, BYU's production of Much Ado About Nothing , our flashmob,  and my songwriting project, serve to show how mainstream popular culture, as well as scholars have adapted the use of Shakespeare.

Library Research

So yesterday I took Professor Burton's advice and went to the library. It took a good hour or so, but I couldn't believe how many books there were about Shakespeare! I definitely saw books pertinent to every single topic that we have indicidually chosen for our blogs, even as specific as the Naxi appropriation of Shakespeare. Pretty amazing. I found about fifteen books that I can use in my thesis statement study, as explained in my previous post. If any of you don't remember that thesis, here's a refresher!

SHAKESPEARE'S WORKS HAVE HAD SUCH LASTING SUCCESS NOT MERELY BECAUSE OF THEIR BEAUTY AND INSIGHT INTO THE HUMAN CONDITION, BUT BECAUSE THEY RAISE DIFFICULT QUESTIONS THAT NEED TO BE CONSIDERED AND ADDRESSED. THESE ISSUES ARE STILL BEING LOOKED AT TODAY, AND SHAKESPEARE'S WORKS HAVE FACILITATED PUBLIC THOUGHT INTO SUCH DILEMMAS.

Posts from here till I finish my research will go topic by topic based on my research into each area. To start it off, my next post will be on Shakespeare and the themes of revenge and victimization in his works.

RIchard III - Grassroots Shakespeare production

Saturday was a busy day! It started out for me with the Splash n Dash here in BYU campus. This was followed by a trip to the annual Festival of Colors! From there, I was planning on rushing to get cleaned up and then head to rehearsal for the Richard III production. That's how it was supposed to turn out anyhow. A friend of ours got pretty badly hurt at the Festival, and I got busy helping with first aid till the paramedics arrived! (I'm happy to report she is alright, she suffered a concussion but no broken bones.) I was running late for play rehearsal, but decided to stop by on my way home to see if they still needed my help, or if they had already reassigned the part. I walked in covered from head to toe in colored chalk, and talked to the directors of the production. They were ecstatic that I had come, because they were in sore need of more participants. So I told them great! I'd go home and clean up, and come back in about half an hour. Reasonable right? Wrong! They needed the rehearsal time so badly, they pleaded that I stayed as is. So...yes. I did in fact perform in the Richard III production covered in colored chalk. Head to toe. Needless to say, it was an experience. Since we didn't have many props, I'd say I probably brought the most color to the stage that night! Perhaps that's why they didn't want me to change...hm.

But on to more scholarly topics! One of the biggest things I noticed from doing the production in this manner (very little to no rehearsal) was that the play took on a completely new life. Each part was completely up to the interpretation of the actor that played it. This was even more sharply contrasted by having each part played by multiple actors. I was able to see how each different individual interpreted and acted out the role of Richard, or Lady Anne, or Buckingham, or Hastings, etc.

Each production of Shakespeare can be entirely different based on these interpretations. One actor even took the character of Tyrell, and changed his part into a modern day "ganster" persona. This was completely different than any interpretation of the part that I'd imagined while reading the play myself.

Othello Symposium

 

On Friday I attended the English Symposium! I saw on the schedule that there was a session about Othello and The Merchant of Venice, and I attended that session.

The three speakers had very interesting points regarding the plays and the issues that they addressed. Here is a brief list of the main points highlighted by the speakers:

1. Shakespeare creates 2 ideal feminine women in Othello and Merchant of Venice, but in process shows that these women (Portia with masculine traits, and Desdemona by being ideal and yet intelligent) are masculine in certain ways that make them ideal.

2.   Shakespeare blurs the line. He challenges audience to look at conception of what is good as far as genders go. 

3. Distortions that are taught to a person from childhood have a lasting effect on that individual. Othello was raised with the idea that women were unfaithful creatures, and even admits in the play that he knew he'd be subjected to infidelity. Iago wasn't the cause of the spiral of distrust, he merely facilitated what was already present in Othello's mind.
4. Pornography addiction is mirrored in the story of Othello and Desdemona. Pornography simply isolates body parts and turns a person into a thing. Othello tries to find answers in her body, rather than pursuing a companionate relationship. 

5. Women are in the same position as those who face racism in Shakespearean society, they are assigned a sense of “otherness,” and because of that have a lost sense of power. Ethnic oppression is echoed in female oppression.

6. In Merchant, Shakespeare allows woman to take masculine role and thereby have a happy ending. In Othello, Othello refuses to allow Desdemona to take the masculine role and ends up in tragedy and murder. Good becomes bad (Desdemona’s faithfulness) and bad good (Portia becomes a man). Shakespeare shows that a man NEEDS a female counterpart to be successful and whole.  

The insight that these English students had into Shakespeare's works was fascinating. While listening to their insight, my thesis began to form with regards to my own research project here in this blog. I am going to research and support the following statement: SHAKESPEARE'S WORKS HAVE HAD SUCH LASTING SUCCESS NOT MERELY BECAUSE OF THEIR BEAUTY AND INSIGHT INTO THE HUMAN CONDITION, BUT BECAUSE THEY RAISE DIFFICULT QUESTIONS THAT NEED TO BE CONSIDERED AND ADDRESSED. THESE ISSUES ARE STILL BEING LOOKED AT TODAY, AND SHAKESPEARE'S WORKS HAVE FACILITATED PUBLIC THOUGHT INTO SUCH DILEMMAS.

Play-in-a-Day!

 

This Saturday, the Grassroots Shakespeare Company is putting on a production of Richard III. I'd love it if you all came to watch! I think it will be a lot of fun. I am going to be acting in Act 3 Scene 2, and Act 5 Scene 1. If you'd like more information, you can go here and visit the website. But for just a quick run down:

Where: Dixon Middle School Auditorium
When: Saturday, March 26, 9-10 pm
What: Richard III!

Shakespearean song

 

So as I mentioned in my last post, I am beginning to brainstorm ideas for writing my song from the viewpoint of a character from one of Shakespeare's plays. I have a few ideas floating around, but I'd love to get some feedback from all of you before I begin writing. Do any of you have suggestions for character viewpoints I should use for this song? Topics I could write about? I'm open for all suggestions! Please, let them come! I'm going to start writing by Wednesday, so if I could get a good cache of ideas to work with by then it would be superb! Juliet? Hermione? Ophelia? Desdemona? Katherina? Romeo? Hamlet? Othello?

Recap of my Posts

 

I am at that place in my blogging experience where I am trying to hone in my focus a bit more. I feel that I am kind of unsure of where to go with my research, and when I sit down to try to blog I am unsure of what to study next. I did plan out my semester , and the idea I had was to study Shakespeare representation in popular culture. The problem with that focus is it is much too broad! I talked to some of my classmates in our small groups the other day, and David gave me the great idea of doing this post to see what I've already researched.

1. I've done some research into the historical context of the plays. I did  post about Renaissance music, covering how it sounds, what instruments are typical used, etc. I also researched typical marriage customs of Shakespeare's day, and how they were represented (whether well or poorly) in his plays.

2. I researched a little about the historical representation of Richard III, and whether or not he was as evil as the play construed him to be. I also was interested by how representation in popular culture can easily sway public opinion on a matter for many years to come.

3. I looked at the psychological effects of "being ugly"and the effect this label and ensuing treatment could possibly have upon a person's behavior, as well as how it was portrayed in Richard III. I drew connections between the Phantom from Phantom of the Opera and Richard III.

4. For some close read assignments, I have done a close read of a love sonnet as well as an analysis of Hermione's speech in Winter's Tale. I also read Prospero's speech and did a close read and historical research of how Prospero's character and sentiments may have lined up with Shakespeare's own feelings.

5. I looked at modern productions of Shakespeare's plays. First, I compared She's the Man and Twelfth Night. I looked at storyline changes, as well as character portrayal. I also looked at another modern and cultural setting for Shakespeare's Othello and how the different cultural perspective changed my experience of the story. Also just recently, I went and saw BYU's production of Much Ado About Nothing and compared the modern production of the play with how they would have performed it in the Globe Theater.

6. I did an interview with Fred Adams (courtesy of Cara), the head of the annual Shakespeare Festival. He had some really neat insight on the history behind Shakespeare, and talked about how politics of the time as well as laws and prejudices affected his plays. Mr. Adams also discussed how they go about putting on the productions so as to remain true to original form.

7. I found an article about Shakespearean popular culture and how Shakespeare's works and their acceptance has changed since they originally ran in the Globe Theater through today. It was interesting to see the demographic that enjoys the plays, and how both the demographic as well as media which is used as a vehicle has morphed.

8. Lastly, I participated in the flash mob that our class did at Provo towncenter. I looked at flashmobs as a popular culture phenomenon, and how they are used as a means of advertising and communication in our culture.

Some things I am CURRENTLY working on include:

1. I am beginning work on my Shakespeare song, as outlined in my course lesson plan (linked at the top of this post). Hopefully I can perform the finished product in class.

2. I found in the library a reference book on Shakespeare and how he's been used in every form of popular culture imaginable. If he's in something, this book will have it. This will certainly be very useful in my further research.

3. I'm working on a project with Brandon currently about musical representation and Shakespeare. We're trying to get the Battle of the Bands idea to pan out.

4. I am participating in the Grassroots Shakespeare's production of Richard III. I should be getting my lines today! I encourage everyone to attend the production on Saturday night!

5. I finally received my Looking for Richard dvd from netflix, and I'm planning on watching that movie in the next few days, so if anyone wants to see it with me, last call! Let me know!

6. I'm still planning involvement in Brooke's production of a scene from one of Shakespeare's plays.

That's a summary of what I have done and what I'm currently doing. I see a thread that I could possibly follow in how Shakespeare himself portrays certain issues in his plays, and how that translates to our productions today. I'd appreciate some feedback ladies and gentlemen. What do you think?

Much Ado About Nothing Pt 2

Referring back to my previous post, I enjoyed the BYU production of Much Ado About Nothing. There was a quick scare when I was informed I couldn't get in because they'd sold my seat, but all worked out. They found a seat and I managed to get in! Here are a few differences between the HFAC production and one held at the globe theater:

1. The BYU version of the play was set in the 1940s. The dress, hairstyles, as well as music were all from that time period. The dialogue was maintained the same in this production however. It was slightly odd to have the actors referring to swords when they didn't quite fit the period.


2. The actors were on the ground level. They were not on a stage performing, they were more in the crowd. That is a bit different than the stage that was employed by the actors who performed in the globe theater.

 

3. The props for the BYU production were very sparse. Since the production did not have a stage, they were not able to set up props and scenery. The scene transitions relied mainly upon change of characters. The few props that were used were carried out and replaced by a few stagehands in the dark. This is very different from the Globe which was known for its amazing special effects. According to this site, "Special effects at the Globe were also a spectacular addition at the theater allowing for smoke effects, the firing of a real canon, fireworks (for dramatic battle scenes) and spectacular 'flying' entrances from the rigging in the 'heavens'" 

All in all however, this production stayed fairly true to Shakespeare's work. The story was unchanged in every other regard but time period, and the story still rang true even in a different setting. The fact that Shakespeare's plays can be taken and moved to a different time period, and yet retain the same power and story that they had originally is remarkable. It shows how well Shakespeare understood the human condition, and all of the struggles and joys that come with it.

Much Ado About Nothing

 

My focus has been narrowed down to how Shakespeare's works have influenced popular culture since written, as well as how we have taken and changed Shakespeare's works ourselves to fit our interests.

This Saturday I'm going to see the matinee showing of "Much Ado About Nothing". This is a modernized take on the story, and is set in a post-WWII stage. I intend to look at the following points while watching the production:

1. Has modernizing the story changed/added/detracted from any elements that Shakespeare originally included in the story?

2. How did the production crew go about changing it to a modern setting?

3. How would changing the setting to an even more modern setting further change the story line?

In preparation for the play, I will be going and reading the background on the original production of the play, as well as trying to read the original play prior to the viewing.

 I also researched some materials that I can use in my study of this topic and came across the book "Shakespeare and Modern Popular Culture" by Douglas Lanier. I think this would be a good book to read and apply to various popular renditions of the plays.

Flashmobs and Advertising

 

So, this past Saturday I participated in a flashmob at the Provo Town Centre! It was on my bucket list, so thanks Max and Whitney for helping me to check on off!

We did have a minor change of plans before we actually performed our flashmob. Originally it was to be performed at University Mall, but the venue had to be changed to Provo Town Centre due to some stuffy management over at University.

I started looking into Flashmobs and publicity stunts, and was really interested to find that they are no longer simply something done by a random group of people for fun. More and more businesses are latching onto the concept, and are meeting with success. According to this article, "passers-by... were more inclined to take the brochures and listen to the volunteers to find out more about the event."

A few big name companies that have taken part in the flashmob phenomena include Coca-Cola,  the Esplanade, and Singapore 2010 CAN!.

Flashmobs aren't miracle events,  "All it can hope to achieve is through word of mouth where people talk about the activities to their friends. As a marketing or promotional tool, it must be supported by other strategies to achieve its intended impact." But if pulled off right, a flashmob will certainly garner plenty of attention. Take a look at this T-mobile flashmob campaign:

So, University Mall, Joke is on you!

Looking for Richard

So, I was looking for popular culture items, and I stumbled upon a really interesting movie project. Apparently Al Pacino directed and starred in a film of Richard III. Here is a brief description according to rottentomatoes.com:


Moving from New York's streets to London's reconstructed Globe Theater, and talking with everyone from strangers encountered by chance to scholars and... "Moving from New York's streets to London's reconstructed Globe Theater, and talking with everyone from strangers encountered by chance to scholars and celebrated actors, Al Pacino serves as the voluble, mercurial center of a film that interweaves commentary on Shakespeare with analysis of, rehearsals for, and key segments from, a film version of Richard III."

I think this is a really interesting take on Shakespeare. According to Wikipedia,

"Looking for Richard is a 1996 documentary film and the first film directed by Al Pacino. It is both a performance of selected scenes of William Shakespeare's Richard III and a broader examination of Shakespeare's continuing role and relevance in popular culture.^"

^{Since my focus is Shakespeare and pop culture, I'm planning on getting this movie and watching it sometime this week. If anyone else is interested in joining me just let me know! We can all get together and watch!}

Ideas?

 

Ok so before I get to my main post, this is kind of a cry for help guys. I know Professor Burton wants us to focus our blog on one main thing (mine is pop culture and Shakespeare), but I'm not entirely sure as what I should be focusing all of this research towards. Do we need to write a full final blog post in the format of a research paper? And if so, does anyone have any ideas as to what I should be aiming my research towards? I'd appreciate any and all feedback! Thanks guys! :)

Close Read of a Sonnet!

 

CXVI

Let me not to the marriage of true minds

Admit impediments. Love is not love

Which alters when it alteration finds,

Or bends with the remover to remove:

O no! it is an ever-fixed mark

That looks on tempests and is never shaken;

It is the star to every wandering bark,

Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.

Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks

Within his bending sickle's compass come:

Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,

But bears it out even to the edge of doom.

If this be error and upon me proved,

I never writ, nor no man ever loved.

I love this sonnet. We read it in class for Valentine's Day, and I instantly fell in love with it. So I decided to make this my close read text. To start with, I looked up an article with tips on how to close read a text properly. In that text, there was basically a bit of an outline for how to look over this very sonnet. The article said to pay attention to a few key things:

1. form

2. rhyme scheme

3. repetition

4. metaphor

The first thing to note is the repetition of love, alters/alteration, and remover/remove. Since a sonnet is so short, the words chosen to be included in the sonnet are very important. The repetition causes the reader to stop and pay attention to the main themes of this sonnet. The next thing I noticed was the rhyme scheme. "Ever fixed mark" and "every wandering bark" are paired together in a rhyme scheme. Notice that they are both opposites. One is fixed, one is wandering, bringing a sense of contrast and comparison. "Rosy lips and cheeks" is paired with "brief hours and weeks", which conveys to the reader that fleeting things such as rosy lips and cheeks are only temporary, and if that is all that you base love on it will fade in "brief hours and weeks" as well. The next lines that are paired are "sickle's compass come" and  "edge of doom". Shakespeare is showing the reader that when time and age come to a "love that is not love", one that is based on "rosy lips and cheeks", doom comes to that relationship, and it ends. The use of metaphors such as tempests and the heavens suggest forces that are powerful and unalterable. Love, true love, is also such a force.

Literary Analysis of Hermione from "The Winter's Tale"

 

So in reading Hermione's defense in "The Winter's Tale", I have to say the woman was quite an educated and well-spoken individual. She plays upon various aspects in her defense, all of which are very successful (except, for not really in the play, because she "dies" anyway). To outline a few:

1. She admits she knows that claiming innocence will do her no good, since it requires that she contradict her husband and king.

2.She personifies things like "false accusation", "tyranny", and "patience". This makes these things more tangible and life-like.

3. She reminds the king to look upon her past actions as proof of her innocence. She has been faithful as queen and bedmate to her husband, the king.

4. She contrasts life and honor, and tells the king to essentially go ahead and take her life, but spare her honor. This is very effective, as an honorable woman wouldn't have an affair with her husband's childhood friend and then stick around to defend her reputation. "To me can life be no commodity."

5. She stays strong. She tells the king at one point that his threats are pointless and to spare her of them. That which he threatens her with is no threat to her, as she has already lost all that make her life worth living (his favor, her son, her daughter, and her reputation).

Hermione is a strong woman with a very tragic story. In my opinion, Shakespeare portrays Hermione as a stronger and more righteous character than any other in this story, and in doing so puts forward a very strong and intelligent female presence.

Shakespop?! - Shakespeare and Popular Culture

 

So for my scholarly article that I brought to class, I looked for something to do with pop culture and Shakespeare. That's actually the focus of my blog (I believe I made not of this quite a few posts ago actually) and I'm attempting to make a connection between Shakespeare and music, as well as movies, books, plays, and other digital mediations. 

The article I found was entitled"Introduction: Whither Shakespop? Taking Stock of Shakespeare in Pop Culture" by Elizabeth Abele. This article was really interesting to read. It highlights the many forms of pop culture that Shakespeare's works have taken. To quote the article, "From being a marker of highbrow elitist fare, Shakespeare has become a commodity and brand that producers and marketers can exploit."

The article is more of an overview of many other articles looking at different uses of Shakespeare in pop culture, and the effects these adaptations are having on the inherent meaning. One such question is "Does Shakespop represent an enhanced appreciation or has it merely bred contempt—and exploitation?"

There have been many spin-offs, from numerous modern plays, to movies as well known as "10 Things I Hate About You" and "West Side Story", to corporate training manuals such as "The Bard of Enron: From Shakespeare to Noir Humanism", to comic books.

The conclusion reached in the text is best summed up in this quote. "Hamlet nor Cahban can escape the narrative logics in which they are inscribed (1966,212)—but in the narratives of American texts that appropriate Hamlet, our favorite prince can and often does escape his inherited burdens."

This article has been a good springboard for me to look at other sources that try to study Shakespeare and pop culture. It has given me good overview, as well as other sources to utilize for more in-depth research into other angles and avenues!

Personal Evaluation!

In preparation for interviews, here is my evaluation!

Learning Outcomes:

 

I feel like I've done a pretty good job of staying up to date with posting and commenting! I've posted regularly what I feel to be two substantial posts every week, and have been commenting on other blogs and posts as well. I've been getting involved with social learning by watching the Bollywood version of Othello with Brooke, involving my roommates and boyfriend with my various reading assignments, and I also attended the conference call with Fred Adams.  

1. Shakespeare Literacy

1a) Thus far, I have read Hamlet, Richard III, Romeo and Juliet, Twelfth Night, and The Tempest.

1b) With my reading of The Tempest, I researched the more detailed character analysis list so that I could be more familiar with not just the characters, but their defining characteristics and moments within the text.

1c) I have watched the Bollywood Othello, as well as the Mel Gibson Hamlet, and She's the Man, the modern take on Twelfth Night. I've also engaged a few Youtube videos, which include short clips and humorous spoofs.

1d) I've researched into the historical practices of the times. I've posted on Renaissance music, marriage customs, etc. that have attempted to go deeper into the text by understanding the common practices of the time. The focus of my blog is Shakespeare in popular culture such as music, movies, books, etc.

 

2. Analyze critically

2a) This is an area that I'm planning on focusing on more. Honestly, I would really appreciate suggestions on how to do this better. This learning outcome, in addition to outcome 2d is where I'm lacking the most.

 

2b) Again, I've looked a lot at the historical setting for the plays, as well as the influences these plays have had on modern media as well as our perception of historical events and persons (like Richard III).

 

2c) This is where I'm lacking the most. Actually, getting to look at Janelle's blog helped me a lot. I think it's a really good idea to engage literary lenses to analyze the different plays, and that's something I want to try to do myself. I would like other suggestions for how to do this better.

 

2d) I fulfilled this requirement by looking at a few different renditions of Shakespeare's work. The Bollywood version of Othello titled Omkara was an interesting look at hot other cultures perceive and present Shakespeare. I also looked at how the movie She's the Man took Shakespeare's play Twelfth Night and used it as a frame for the story they told in the movie, as well as how they changed the plot in some major ways.

3. Engage Shakespeare Creatively

3a) I'm involved in Brooke's planning for a edited video of a scene from Twelfth Night. I also plan on writing a song based on the emotions and thoughts of one of the characters of Shakespeare's plays.

3b) I'm not entirely sure that I understand this correctly, but I am planning on taking a scene from one of Shakespeare's plays and trying to do a modern translation. I want to still retain the main feeling and meaning in the text, but make it more understandable to a modern audience.

4. Share Meaningfully

 

This blog has been my main means of sharing Shakespeare meaningfully. It's been a really neat way to spread what I've researched and learned, as well as learn from others. I have been able to take what I've learned and not only utilize it in class, but I've also been able to share it with my roommates, family, and friends outside of class. It's really neat to be able to say "Hey, did you know that this is based on a Shakespeare play?" or "During this time, this is what the people thought about this, and this is how they did that!" It gives me credibility and helps me sound intelligent when I'm discussing not just Shakespeare, but the numerous other  works and artistic expressions that have come from it.

Reading and Research:

I outlined above which plays I've read. In addition to those plays, I've been reading a book about the practices and conventions of Shakespeare's time which has been very helpful to my understanding of certain things in the plays. I have read the introductions to each play that are in our Shakespeare book which has been very helpful by giving a brief history and background information for me before delving in. I've also read numerous online articles that have been very informative and interesting. Some of these articles have come from my own searching, while some have come from the research and searching of my fellow classmates on their blogs!

Peer Influence:

Ive really enjoyed Cara's posts, as well as her efforts to get the class involved. Her courage in setting up the interview with Mr. Adams was really beneficial for me, as well as I'm sure the rest of the class who read about the interview on our blogs. I also really have enjoyed Martin's blog. His posts have been interesting and informative, and his blog has been a really good example for how to layout a blog effectively. That has been very helpful since I've never done a blog before.

Personal Impact:

This class has forced me to try something new by creating my own blog. I'd never tried this before, and the closest I'd ever come to blogging (if you can even consider this remotely similar) is Facebook with my occasional posts. This has been a really fun experience, and has taught me that I can connect with other people to share my ideas and thoughts, and to learn from their ideas and thoughts as well. Blogging has enabled me to write about my progress, ask questions, and share the interesting things that I have come to learn. 

Another way this has impacted me, is by showing my that if I want to learn more about something, there are so many resources at my disposal! Books, articles, websites, as well as peers are all there! If I really want to know more about something, all I need to do is start looking. Even professionals are willing to talk and answer questions if I take the time to stop and ask them about their work and field of interest.

 

I've also come to notice that I tend to be really interested in how certain works and people have influenced thoughts and ideas and popular culture today. I love to see how things have changed and progressed, how ideas have been taken and expanded upon, and how things that are really quality and timeless works really do last. 

This class has shown me that learning is really a lot of fun! It takes time, but if it's something I'm interested in, and I'm able to work with other people around me who are interested to, it makes it so much less tedious and so much more real and interesting.

Personal Evaluation:

I think I've done a good job so far with this class. My blogging has been regular, I've been able to encompass most of the learning outcomes (to my knowledge), and I've engaged with my peers in the class to learn. Where I'm lacking the most right now is in my textual analysis and application of literary theories in my research of Shakespeare, but I will strive to make that more of a focus for my blogging efforts during the next half of the semester.

Peer Blog Review: Janelle McCune

Hey Janelle! So, I am just going to direct this post to you so you can look through and see my reviews/suggestions about your blog!

*Number of Posts:  

You've posted 13 posts to date. 

*Quality of Posts: 

You have had a few really good, substantial posts. For example, your historical analysis of King Henry IV was really good. It fulfilled a few learning outcomes, and was well organized and written out on your blog. Also, your formalistic view of Hamlet was really interesting and well done as well. It engages literary criticism of the text, which is something I'm trying to figure out how to do better myself. Your self-directed learning plan is also really organized and well planned. Overall though, your less substantial posts are more prevalent than your substantial posts. I commend your effort to follow Professor Burton's advice to continue blogging even if it can't be substantial! I would say that working on getting your posts more substantial would be a good goal for you.

*A Strength:

I think my favorite post of yours was the historical outline of King Henry IV. I think this post was really good for a few reasons! First, I liked how you gave a brief history of the major events. I also liked how you included a comparison of the actual Royal Genealogy of England as compared to Shakespeare's Royal Genealogy of England. The timeline that you included was also really informative and interesting. All in all, this post was really well done. 

*Suggested Improvement:

As I mentioned, I think focusing on making your posts more substantial would be a good goal for you. You've had good ideas with regards to how to do that. I like how you are trying to use literary lenses like formalism and mythology to study different plays, and are stepping out on a limb by proposing ideas like a puppet show, but I think you need to just make sure you go for it and get them going! You have a good start though!

Prospero - A character analysis and comparison

 

So, ladies and gentlemen, I first and foremost must apologize for my atrocious lack of posting up until this point in time. I was privileged enough to return home and celebrate my birthday this President's Day weekend in California with my family! So, while I had all of my research and blogs written out, I must confess I didn't feel the urge to log on and post them up until now!

So, on to Shakespearean topics! First, The Tempest was really enjoyable to read. I liked the elements of magic, and I won't lie to you, I like happily ever after, romantic endings.

I was reading the Sparknotes major character analysis about The Tempest, and the thing that stuck out to me the most was the idea that Prospero is a surrogate for Shakespeare in the play. According to Wikipedia, "Many feel that since The Tempest was Shakespeare's last play (though he did write one more, with some assistance), Prospero's feelings echo Shakespeare's own."

Epilogue

Now my charms are all o'erthrown,
And what strength I have's mine own,
Which is most faint: now, 'tis true,
I must be here confined by you,
Or sent to Naples. Let me not,
Since I have my dukedom got
And pardon'd the deceiver, dwell
In this bare island by your spell;
But release me from my bands
With the help of your good hands:
Gentle breath of yours my sails
Must fill, or else my project fails,
Which was to please. Now I want
Spirits to enforce, art to enchant,
And my ending is despair,
Unless I be relieved by prayer,
Which pierces so that it assaults
Mercy itself and frees all faults.
As you from crimes would pardon'd be,
Let your indulgence set me free .

 The Sparknotes character review also noted that by having Prospero control the happenings of events on the island, and be responsible for carrying forward the plot, Shakespeare was "enabling the audience to explore firsthand the ambiguities and ultimate wonder of the creative endeavor."

When looking at Prospero's character in this light, it is really interesting to me to notice how Shakespeare involves his audience in this work. He gives us a glimpse into what it is like to create a world and story. He also shows us how dependent his works and successes are upon the audience and their reception. When Prospero gives his final speech, his ability to depart from the island and regain his dukedom rests in the hands of the audience. They had all the power to bequeath or deny Prospero his freedom and success, just as they had the ability to decide the ultimate acceptance or flop of Shakespeare's plays.

An Interview with Fred Adams - head of the Utah Shakespeare Festival

 

 So, last Friday I went to the phone interview that Cara set up with Fred Adams. First, I have to say that this man knows his Shakespeare! It was a really neat experience talking to someone who uses so much of his time and effort to study Shakespeare and put on productions of his plays. Secondly, the only people who showed up to this phone interview were Cara, Brian, and myself. The rest of you guys missed out! I don't mean to gloat, but it was a really neat opportunity. Below are a few main points that I got from the interview. For a complete account of the interview, visit Cara's page!

1. During Shakespeare's time there was a lot of activity taking place around Globe theater! The theater was by Bear pits. There were dog and bear fights going on, as well Moorish dancers surrounding theater and dancing, attracting attention with bells and dancing, and there were vendors singing out their wares. recreated that feeling with the green show. In the Shakespeare festival, they recreate this atmosphere. It helps prepare an audience for a language used in Shakespeare's plays. When you first hear the language, you think won't be able to understand. By having performers already using that dialect and language, those attending the festival are already in the mood and the Shakespearean language is not as strange and foreign to them when the production begins.

2. The overriding reason that Shakespeare is so widely acclaimed and loved is universality. He understood the human condition. He recreated this in his plays so perfectly that a 14 year old girl in America or Nairobi would have the same thoughts and feelings today as Juliet did in Verona. Also, we recognize elements of self in the characters; elements within all of the characters we discover in ourselves, or if not in ourselves in those we know. The other reason for success was Shakespeare's magnificent use of language. He uses poetry and rich imagery to describe for example the sunrise description by Romeo (Romeo and Juliet). Shakespeare had the ability to capture humanity in its real state and also clothe with its poetic description.

3. We don't know a lot about private life of Shakespeare. It was dangerous to keep a journal or write about oneself. If the law changed, and it was written down on paper that you'd acted in a certain way it could mean a beheading. For example, Samuel Keats diary was the first diary kept. He was so frightened that it might be read that he wrote in special code - upside down mirror image. It took 3 centuries to decipher the code.Shakespeare could've played tennis, but doubt if he did. He uses tennis in several of his plays, but there is no record of whether he actually played. One of his favorite past-times was drinking. There is quite a bit of reference to his having loved to spend time in taverns and alehouses. That's where he heard his language and got his ideas for characters. All of these men in his plays came out of actual people in the taverns of London. Shakespeare would sit in the corner with an ale and observe and record language. That gave his works an actual sense of believability. Another reason don't know a lot about Shakeapeare is that more and more literary detectives are discovering that Shakespeare was probably a closet catholic. It was against the law to be catholic, and he could be punished for practicing. To the public, he let it be known he was a protestant, but found in his home hidden in rafters was a hidden catholic prayer book. Shakespeare's father was truly a catholic, and that's how he lost his position as Lord Mayor of Stratford. He was not keeping responsibility of city father to destroy catholic stained glass and alters; he was always "sick" when they went to do so. It was not not long before village realized he was catholic.

4. In Shakespeare's plays there are many strong women characters (Portia, Rosalind, etc). Most of them dressed as men to solve problems. In his plays, often women were in control, as in Merry Wives of Windsor. They were powerful and strong. These characters were produced when he was writing plays for Queen Elizabeth. She loved the strong women characters. The minute King James came into power, Shakespeare's plays changed. King James didn't like women in power. From that point on, Shakespeare has his women characters in his work change completely. They get smothered, drowned, raped, etc. Shakespeare was a political animal. He was writing his plays to sell at the theater that night, and they HAD to sell. Overall, in England women were treated more equally than many women of the time. Because of Queen Elizabeth, women were more honored in England's history than say in the history of Spain. Even so, English women could not inherit. When shakespeare dies he can only leave his wife his second best bed.

5. Shakespeare retired from London and returned to Stratford to live out the rest of his life with his family. According to legend,  he died choking on a vat of ale over a bawdy joke. We don't know whether it's true or not. We do know that he retired extremely wealthy and lionized throughout all of England. Shakespeare was a major household name. Even after retirement, his home in Stratford become somewhat of a mecca, even while he was still alive.

6. There is a "Shakespeare Consipracy" theory. People speculate "Who wrote Shakepeare's works?" Was it the Earl of Oxford? Bacon? Marlow? Elizabeth the first? All these theories have credible reasonings but no one has any proof. Remember, all we know is that the boy known as William Shakespeare, was considered during his entire lifetime by his competitors as well as contemporaries to be author of plays of Shakespeare. It was not till 200 years after in 1830 that anyone decided that he could not have written because the vocabulary in the plays is so huge, and Shakespeare was not a university graduate. That's slightly ridiculous according to Mr. Adams. It's like saying that Mozart couldn't have written music since he wasn't trained. There is such a thing as genius. Shakespeare didn't write all of the parts of the plays, there are elements of other writings incorporated in. Possibly by actors who rewrote a part to fit to self or make more powerful? The bulk are attributed to the lad William Shakespeare from Stratford.

7. There is a theory that Greenbaum and group of detectives discovered that there seems to be a lot of proof for, and which could be developing into a known fact soon. Shakespeare disappeared from Stratford after wife gave birth. They were living with parents, when all of a sudden he vanishes, and we don't hear about him until he shows up in London several years later. It was discovered that his schoolteachers in Stratford were catholic, and when catholic persecution began, they all vanished. They fled up to York, which was still a catholic city, and there took up residence as schoolteachers. It was discovered that in the library there that a young apprentice tutor that was teaching the Lord of the manor's children. He had had access to the Lord's library and in several of the books had written notes. The handwriting is the same as William Shakespeare's. According to the theory, he must've gone with his teachers up to York where he was apprenticed to tutor to a wealthy family and continue his studies. Prior to this, he had already been in school for seven years. He had learned greek, hebrew, latin, french, geography, and english history. He was a fairly credible tutor for children. This theory links perfectly with his appearance in London years later, where he appears with a traveling company. That same company that he appears with in London had performed only months earlier at the manor of the Lord of York.

Mr. Adams knew so much about not only the plays, but also the time frame and surrounding history! It was a really great experience to talk with him, and would encourage any and everyone to try to attend the Shakespeare festival when it comes to town! It Mr. Adams is any indication, I'm sure it's a really neat experience.

Othello and Adaptation to Different Cultures

So, I know Othello wasn't the tragedy I chose to read, but branching out is always good right? Brooke and I tried to watch a Bollywood version of Othello. It was an interesting take on the story. I didn't read the play, but it seemed to stick with the overall storyline fairly well. For details on how this version deviates, you'll have to visit Brooke's blog!

The thing that stuck out to me the most about watching this version, is how translation plays a big part in comprehension! This movie was not in english at all, so we watched it with subtitles. It worked for the most part, but there were certain scenes where jokes and such must be lost in translation, because I had no idea what it meant! I knew they were supposed to be funny, but the humor was lost on me. I think this is due to:

1. Some cultural things are known to the Indian people that I am unaware of

2. Certain words in other languages don't have a translation in English. They have an essence or idea that is only able to be conveyed in that original language

I think this is the case with reading Shakespeare sometimes. We feel like we are reading another language because the wording is so different, and also a lot of what Shakespeare deals with is pertinent to current events.

Marriage Customs During the Time of Shakespeare

So, I feel terrible that this post is going up so late. It's been one of those weeks. But, at least I'm getting a post up right? :) So, as I was reading Romeo and Juliet, it struck me how very young the two protagonists of the story are! Juliet is a mere fourteen years old. And Lady Capulet makes it seem that she's an old maid for not yet being married!

"Well, think of marriage now; younger than you,
Here in Verona, ladies of esteem,
Are made already mothers: by my count,
I was your mother much upon these years
That you are now a maid."

It would seem that young marriage was a common occurrence in Shakespeare's time. I went to the library and did a little digging, and happened across a book titled "Understanding Shakespeare's England". This book highlights the viewpoints and practices that were common at the time Shakespeare authored his works. I went to the section on marriage, and found some interesting facts about marriage practices of the time. Here is a brief list gleaned from the text for your convenience:

1. Elizabethans seldom married for love alone. They considered many other factors in the decision to marry. The idea of getting married to someone that they weren't head over heels for didn't repulse them as it does us in this present day. The middle-class Elizabethan couple may have come fairly close to marry for love.

2. Parents did have total control over who their children would marry. Often the parents loved their children enough to at least have some concern in what they thought, however if they wanted to use their children as pawns for personal advancement, they could and would.

3. The mean age for brides was just under twenty-four years old, and for bridegrooms was just under twenty-seven. Aristocrats tended to marry younger, average age for brides being just over nineteen and for grooms just over twenty-four.

4. The source of Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" was Arthur Brooke's "The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet. In this work, Juliet's age is specified as sixteen. While this is still very young, Shakespeare purposefully takes off another two years in his adaptation and makes Juliet a mere fourteen.

5. The betrothal of a couple was considered very binding in Elizabethan society, and it seems to have legitimized the sex life of the couple that was to be married. It wasn't uncommon for Elizabethan brides to be pregnant at the time  they actually said their vows. This had no repercussions for the couple so long as they did indeed get married.

6. Elizabethan newleyweds didn't go on a honeymoon. They would ceremoniously be put to bed in the house that had the wedding feast.

7. Brides could be married in while, however it was not as customary as it is today. The connection between white and purity/virginity had not yet come together. A popular color to be wedded in was russet.

8. Marriage was an emblem of harmony, concord, and reconciliation of disparate elements into a perfected whole. Canon law recognized marraige as a sacrament, not merely a civil contract. Divorce was not part of the Elizabethan experience.