That Shakespeare Life

By: Cassidy Cash
Listen for free

  • Summary

  • Hosted by Cassidy Cash, That Shakespeare Life takes you behind the curtain and into the real life of William Shakespeare. Get bonus episodes on Patreon

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
    Cassidy Cash
    Show more Show less
Social Sciences World
Show more Show less
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2
Episodes
  • Doors, How They Were Built, and Designed

    Doors, How They Were Built, and Designed
    Nov 18 2024

    Shakespeare has all kinds of references to doors in his works, at least 195 instances of the actual word “door” in fact, and for many of us, we probably gloss over the word ‘Door” thinking we understand what he’s talking about. However, architectural history tells us that doors were actually quite different for Shakespeare’s lifetime than what we have today from how they were made, to how they were constructed, and even how they were locked. Our guest this week, James Campbell is an expert in architectural history and joins us today to help us understand more about what doors were like in the 16-17th century including what kind Shakespeare might have had on his house.


    Get bonus episodes on Patreon

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
    Show more Show less
    41 mins
  • Gamut, a Musical Scale for the 16th Century

    Gamut, a Musical Scale for the 16th Century
    Nov 11 2024
    All 4 of Shakespeare’s references to the word “gamut” show up in his play Taming of the Shrew where the characters talk about learning, and teaching, the “gamut.” If you’ve ever heard the expression “run the gamut” or “cover the gamut” these expressions are based on an 11th century understanding of the word “gamut” developed by the musician and monk named Guido d'Arezzo, who used the term to described a whole range of notes. While there was no national standard of education in England for Shakespeare’s lifetime, knowing about music, how to play, and scales like that of D’Arezzo, were considered a sign of nobility, which is the cultural perspective Shakespeare utilizes when he puts a gamut in his play. Here today to share with us the history of the gamut, the 16th century musicians contemporary with Shakespeare that might have influenced the musical scenes of this play, as well as what exactly is meant by the phrase “run the gamut” is our guest and professor at the O’Neill Hall of Music at the University of Notre Dame, Alexander Blachly. Get bonus episodes on Patreon

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
    Show more Show less
    29 mins
  • The Gunpowder Plot

    The Gunpowder Plot
    Nov 4 2024
    Tomorrow night, November 5, is when many in England will celebrate an occasion known as Bonfire Night. They celebrate this day to mark the moment King James I was saved from the Gunpowder Plot (along with many in his government) when Guy Fawkes was thwarted in his attempt to blow up England’s Parliament using gunpowder hidden beneath the building during an official government meeting. The event was a terrorist attack of the 17th century, to put the plot in contemporary terms, and the aftermath in England impacted William Shakespeare personally. Newly minted as the King’s Men in 1603, the gunpowder plot is taking place just two years later, in 1605. Just one month after the Gunpowder Plot in December of 1605, Shakespeare writes King Lear, which contains many nods to the state of James’ government, but the real play most connected to The Gunpowder Plot has to be Macbeth, which I argue was the play whose performance would silence all doubt about William Shakespeare’s involvement, or suspected treasonous connections, in the aftermath of The Gunpowder Plot of 1605. Here today to walk us through the history of this event, and help us understand how the Gunpowder Plot connected to Shakespeare, is our guest, James Travers. Get bonus episodes on Patreon

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
    Show more Show less
    44 mins

What listeners say about That Shakespeare Life

Average customer ratings

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Audible.com reviews

Amazon reviews
No Reviews are Available