It's sad that not many people my age really get Shakespeare. His words are always so full of meaning and complexity that not many contemporary works get right (if any at all!) Thank you for this beautiful reading, and I hope to see and hear more readings from you down the line!
i really enjoyed this reading but i have to ask whats with all the pill bottles in the backround? lol i counted seven and who knows whats in that cup. i think i know where you get your inspiration from ha ha no just kidding keep up the good work!
Aqueste da al poema belicosa armadura. De erudición; estotro le da pompas y galas. Ambos baten en vano las ridículas alas... ¡Olvidaron cuitados el factor hermosua!
I thoroughly enjoyed your reading of this sonnet, and, if you don't mind, would like to share it with other poetry lovers in my poetry playlist on my humble page. There are many other lovers of sonnets there. I enjoy your focused and calm delivery. Thank you.
The video is copyrighted under the Creative Commons 3.0 share-alike noncommercial license, which means you are free to copy it, distribute it, link to it, and use it, so long as there is no commercial purpose and attribution is maintained.
Ad-supported websites are commercial, however; it's a violation of my copyright to use the work to attract eyeballs to advertising.
Although some may say that you put no emotion forth while reading I disagree. I see it more like you are personaly reading to me as opose to reading of a paper. I suppose the word I'm looking for is reciting. Either way you get 4stars. Thank you. Very little ppl take interest in mideval love poetry.
The Bard was, of course, a showman, first and foremost. The stentorian booming of actors is a given - for his plays. But his sonnets are different, I think. They are close, intimate, one-on-one. Presenting them as such makes sense to me.
I disagree with your "stentorian booming" remark Urgelt. That was the Shakespear of the Restoration Period. Hamlet to the actors; "speak the speech, I pray you as I prounounced it to you, trippingly on the tongue. But if you mouth it, as many of your players do, I had as lief the town crier spoke my lines..." Act 3. Scene 2. Three paragraphs from Will on how to act his work. Your natural and easy style would have pleased The Bard. Bravo! Let us hear more!
The truth is that the professional productions of his plays I have seen hewed closely to the advice Hamlet gave. And I enjoyed them thoroughly.
The main thrust of my point is that the sonnets are different. I don't see them as directed to a theater of people, but to a single person. I suspect the Bard himself would have spoken them softly.
If only we could hear him speak his sonnets today, in his own voice. What a treat that would be.
did you send your friend some donuts? I have found that can help. Literature is fine, but donuts can augment the verse quite a bit. They are also compact, and a fairly intimate gift. They can be dense as well, some are subtle in flavor, but they do lack a certain depth that poetry supplies. So as I said, they are a good supplement, not necessarily a substitute. When my cat Molotov is feeling low I buy him a donut and play some Bach on the piano. (He just loathes Beethoven for some reason)
I am considering putting up a Shakespeare sonnet on youtube. Please could you advise me on how to best present the lines? Also please could you watch my two videos and tell me what you think?
If you're doing stage swordfighting, you're serious about acting. That's hard work.
The sonnets are not like Shakespeare's plays. They are intimate and close, spoken to a single person; thoughtful and reflective, not booming or dramatic. They are also complicated and nuanced.
In my view, this suits them for a paced, careful reading, giving every word its full expression. The worst thing you can do is rip through a sonnet too fast and too loudly.
the source is the same for all of us, as it is heart which comes from heart rather than just my heart or your heart alone, love is the only foundation, the pain be mine but thine shall be the praise
You are SOOOO COOL I love your videos!!! yeah! I started out with the human bacteriaone, since I was just pondering that after too many rounds of anti-biotics..... you look like Leo Tolstoy or Darwin.. or basically a genius.
Very well read sir. I applaud your efforts. And to speak on the way the words are spoken. Back in the time of Shakespeare, and even earlier, you would not have rushed your words as we do now. Words & sentences were spoken much more slowly. What may take us but one minute to say may have very well taken them two to three and a half minutes to say. ....
.... . And remember, back then speech was an art more so then a form of communication. The more elaborate and detailed,the more wooing. Had I said some thing in say, 8 words and you said it in say, 22, You would be looked upon as the better. A perfect example of this would be 2 fold... 1 -read The Merry Wifes of Windsor. Quite detailed in the way of speech. and 2- look to the movie Hamlet,with Mel Gibson. A scene where in Polonius is...
....to read a note to the King & Queen from Hamlet to his daughter. The Queen tells him to get to the point by saying: More talk and less art, or something to that effect. Also people spoke as they felt, how ever they cared to pronounce a givin' word was up to them, with in reason of cause ;). So by speaking a bit different then say you or I just adds to the flavor. And holds more true to the tymes then not. Just my 2 cents. Again Great read.
I think we should wish to distinguish between Shakespeare's plays, his poetry, and period conversational tendencies (which no doubt varied by class). I think it may be hard to find sweeping truths to utter about all of them at once.
Yet I am inclined to think that there are differences in language use along the lines you have theorized between Shakespeare's time and our own. And, perhaps, even more differences we have not articulated.
For example, it seems to me that the moral sophistication to be found in language from his period far exceeds that of our own. Of course, Shakespeare was an exemplar, not a common writer. But I think it is significant that lauded poets of our age often embrace either morally unsophisticated language (as with Maya Angelou), or actual nonsense (as with Donald Hall, the originator of the "mouth pleasure" school of poetry).
As for our popular media, its moral sophistication is frankly weak.
But I am not sure how much of the difference in my perception is attributable to the telescopic view we have of Shakespeare's era, and the immersed view we have of our own culture. For all I know, Shakespeare himself lamented his own age in similar terms. Certainly it's true that he sought to lift the language to a more lofty and expressive perch; it was not the work of a man who was contented with the status quo.
In the end, what we find in Shakespeare is at least partly what we put there ourselves. We bring our minds and predilections to the experience and take away what lessons we will.
The presenter's task is to somehow divine the best way to bring the audience into contact with the art, so that this interaction can take place. The words, and the feelings behind the words, which in Shakespeare's case are nuanced and complex, must be delivered comprehensibly.
So in the end, this is what guides my amateurish attempts to present poetry. I do not seek to be true to an historical method. Any resemblance between my presentation and that of a presenter from 400 years ago is only coincidence.
If I were really good at this, my presentation would be "transparent." You would hardly notice the speaker at all, only the words and meanings of the artist.
Olivier could do that. On stage, he vanished, and the character lived and breathed. That, unfortunately for amateurs like myself, is the standard by which presenters should be judged.
No it's just that you look alot like two jewish men i know, and from the prof pic it looked a little like you had a Kipa. And btw that was amazingly un-stereotypical of you, those kinds of people are rare these days.
That's one of my all-time favorite soliloquies. If you know of a link where I can hear McElroy's interpretation, will you send it to me via YouTube mail?
And yet, pronouncing the contraction precisely as one syllable interferes with comprehension. What the heck is a "Pourst?"
I decided long ago not to indulge in sing-song recitation of poetry slaved to meter, but to instead grant primacy to the ideas within each poem. Method? The contracted syllables are "hurried," pronounced closely together, but each remains audible..
Would Shakespeare have pronounced it as a single syllable, or "hurried" them together as I have done? I have no clue.
Theories of a ghost-writer surfaced long ago among the English aristocracy, who preferred to think that no mere commoner could write so well. But there is no proof for the theory.
Minor similarities between Shakespeare's plays and sonnets and works of other contemporary authors are not proof. Such similarities will be found because contemporary authors share a culture, world-view, and idiomatic language.
i was obsessed with this topic for a while reading several books on the subject, the best alternative to Will from stratford is Lord Devere of Oxford, him being a poet, but he died several years before the publishing of Shakespere's later play's. A recent book called 'Will in the World' demonstrates that there is actually quite a lot of evidence that the poor glovers son from Stratford William Shakespere was the true author, as well as being one of the greatest geniuses of all time.
Gina, I recommend using Google to find what people have said about Sonnet 138. Use these search terms: "Shakespeare Sonnet 138 analysis." I'm sure you'll turn up web sites with the kind of information you're seeking.
I'm advising you this way because there is some very good analysis of Shakespeare's sonnets on the web, better than anything I could come up with.
i need to come create here out of fear in order to stear my mirror ya hear
for who so dumb that can not write to thee
my love for fear of clear sheer weakness to endure
to excellent and bent as in a tent when spent i in this state ponder and prate at the gate of my fate we can never satiate
the muse is my fuse and the druids and ovids and clover in nover scotier go have another beer in good cheer and never fear but stear near the rear in your career and be a seer not near the fEER
Not my cup of tea, but there are a couple of turns of phrase which I rather liked. "Druids and ovids" was evocative for me, and so far as I can recall, completely original.
If you hope to compete with Shakespeare, though, you'll have to try sequiturs instead.
Can you please help me interpret what this sonnet means .. or maybe also any other sonnet's of shakespeares. I need help for english, haha! Thank you very much.
Excellent job! You're right, this is a gem. I love trying to recite these and capture the emotion. I agree, these should be read softly, they are meant for intimacy, not the stage (in my opinion, anyway). Trying these in Russian is also a fun challenge.
Thank you for your comment. I was trained as an actor not as a director. But if I ever do direct I will take into account what you have said. Once again thank you for both your comment and this sonnet. I hope you will put more on youtube
Nicely done. Thank you. You inspire me to study that sonnet. I like your delivery. I will search out some of your other orations. Thanks again for sharing.
The poem itself is a gem among gems. I love the way Shakespeare puts his own art, and its inspirational source, into an historical context. He saw himself as from a vast distance in time, without giving up any of his passion to do it.
I only wish I were more skilled at transparency - the narrator's holy grail, if you will. The listener should hear Shakespeare's contemplative voice, and hardly notice the narrator at all. It's a test I failed, but not for want of trying.
I have performed shakespeare on the stage and for tests. Please would you look at my two videos and tell me what you think? I would appreciate any comments.
This is the only one of Shakespeare's sonnets I've presented.
The poems I've presented - there aren't that many, really - are from a variety of classic poets. My intent is just to share some of my favorites with my audience, and perhaps to get them thinking about how classic poetry can still be enjoyable and relevant in the modern age.
The meter is still there. It's just subdued (or warped, if you insist).
I've always felt that mechanical adherence to meter in poetry performances yields a sing-song effect which detracts from comprehension and gravitas. My preference is for a more conversational approach to poetic material.
Not everyone will agree. That's ok! Poetry is a big tent, there's lots of room for different artistic interpretations.
Indeed, that was.... very interesting. Im from Poland and going to prepare one of these for my audition to school next year. When I was listening to you I was like hipnotized, nice one.
I'm only an amateur, but I do have an opinion about how the sonnets should be presented.
Forget about the way the big name actors do MacBeth - full of self-importance and stentorious tones. The sonnets are best when spoken softly, gently, thoughtfully.
The comment is perhaps true with regards to one having to have a good grasp of literature for this to be a poem to cheer you up, but concurrently it is also something that involves thought, and not some clichéd poem that is one dimensional and flat.
I, for one, appreciate the poem. Others may not, but it is down to personal taste and opinion :)
We are accustomed to the greatest of Shakespearean actors possessing modern upper-class British accents.
But nobody knows what Elizabethan English sounded like. Thus we cannot show that one particular modern accent, found on Great Britain or elsewhere, is closer to it than the others. Who knows? "Colonials" might have kept more of the original than the English, mere miles from mainland European influences, did.
No matter. Shakespeare's legacy belongs to all of us. :-)
I chanced upon this video in a link a video linked to one of mine. (I act, and Shakespeare is all Ive put up so far) I'm always interested in renditions of Shakespeares words.
You have it pretty well here; his sonnets are quite a different beast to his plays. Your delivery was tender and well-spoken. As you've said there are a few little pacing things, but we all suffer that with such verse occasionally. Kudos to you for a such hearted interpretation.
I also understand what you're trying to achieve with the pace, but you have to be careful of punctuation. If it's not their, don't pronounce it. You can talk slowly without taking large pauses at strange intervals.
I feel that poetry is like music. The words are the notes; the punctuation is the rests; the meaning and emotion are the dynamics. And just like music it is free to subtle changes in interpretation, but that should be kept to the dynamics.
Well read. You have a wonderful voice: so gentle and so quiet. I certainly feel the emotion put into this. Beautiful.
The only points I would make are that you have to be careful with the rhythm and with the pace. There are meant to be ten syllables per line in this kind of sonnet. You add one to the third line by saying pourest instead of pour'st and miss one from the fifth line by omitting the word exclamation "O!".
Yep, you hit the nail on the head, Marc. Good job.
Shakespeare is the hardest English poet to perform well, I think. My effort here is embryonic; to do him full justice would require much more skill and practice.
For those mother language not English language, we find it very difficult to master that language. I have been learning English for more than 10 years (my job requires me to speak English), still can't see what is so beautiful about this language to be the world language.
I very much like your intepretation of this Shakespearean sonnet. It is gracefully recited with particular emphasis on emotion. If I were to summarise your performance in one word, I would say, "Soothing". Thanks for the video.
Also, the 'Shakespere' spelling is somewhat more likely to have been William's real name than the more commonly used and accepted 'Shakespeare' spelling. The truth is lost to history so none of us really know.
Yes, by contrast with his plays, his sonnets are so very intimate. Not the sort of thing to belt out to a vast audience in a booming voice. If they are to be performed successfully, the performer must convey that intimate quality somehow.
I've never worried much about the spelling of his name, and see no reason to start. :-)
Np i forgot to mention your samual thingy one that was great. it was about how he died or something, sorry for ebing so vague i remember watching it a while ago. fantastic!
I'm a modern American, and I speak with a definite American accent. I have not formally studied Renaissance English pronunciations. (It's not Old English, thankfully, or I'd never be able to stumble through it at all.)
In short, the way I pronounce Shakespeare can be understood by modern listeners, but it's probably not entirely accurate.
I am the artistic director of the British Shakespeare Company. Shakespeare belongs to everyone to the whole world. It is a great gift to be enjoyed by everyone and to be shared. Thank you for sharing this.
I most famous actors would concentrate their performance around the words and their meaning instead of the action, it might be almost as good as this rendition.
It's strange to hear such a compliment applied to my amateurish efforts.
Yet there is a truth lurking here. When an actor puffs himself up and grandstands, he is promoting only himself. It is when he vanishes, leaving only the poet's voice, that he achieves something of worth.
I'm not good at this trick of vanishing. But the effort alone seems enough to distinguish itself from the puffery that has overtaken our age.
Heh, I'm reasonably certain Shakespeare was a proud fellow, without any help from those who mumble his words. His mastery is self-aware; even in this one poem, you can see that he knew his future fame was secure.
Well, hearing you read poetry doesn't give me shivers down my spine, but it gives me a feeling of tranquility that is hard to find in a normal days routine.
The sonnet evokes a timeless state stretching from ancient myth to the far future. It is, indeed, tranquil.
Yet the sonnet's last line contradicts that sense of timelessness. Shakespeare is showing us that he has *crafted* this timeless state, has exerted effort, paid a price. And by crediting his muse, he shamelessly draws attention to his own genius and faux-humility.
Even freighted with ironies, though, the sonnet achieves tranquility. I like your choice of words.
As an actor, I came to watch this video with my head inflated. You have humbled me, sir. You have a soft and wonderful voice. You do justice to William Shakespeare and you have caused me to take a new light in my acting.
You're in the business, so you know all about stage dramaticism, striking a heroic pose, pontification which announces self-love. Not all actors do it, but some do - and it gets in the way of the written word.
I think the best compliment any actor can receive is that they were hardly visible at all - the author's work is what shines in their performance.
Excellent Urgelt! Bravo! Could you do and post the "now entertain conjecture of a time..." speech by the Chorus in Henry V? You'd be great with that one.
I'll give it some thought, but I can't promise I'll produce the video.
I am leery of tackling more Shakespeare any time soon. He's absolutely the hardest poet in the English language to get right; a daunting prospect for professional, let alone a newbie amateur like me.
In the future, who knows? But I think it's wise to first practice on easier poets.
Heh, I won't be shaving it, though it might suffer a trim from time to time. I grew a beard years ago because I suffered from a skin condition caused by shaving.
where are you from?
mrboxleytheonly 8 months ago
You look like John Berryman!
ZanderTheLegendary 11 months ago
@ZanderTheLegendary OMG You are right.mayb there related O.o
MrFuzzyballs69 11 months ago
It's sad that not many people my age really get Shakespeare. His words are always so full of meaning and complexity that not many contemporary works get right (if any at all!) Thank you for this beautiful reading, and I hope to see and hear more readings from you down the line!
kirby28645 1 year ago
i really enjoyed this reading but i have to ask whats with all the pill bottles in the backround? lol i counted seven and who knows whats in that cup. i think i know where you get your inspiration from ha ha no just kidding keep up the good work!
crackfiend570 1 year ago
Sorry to disillusion you, but it's just dietary supplements.
Urgelt 1 year ago
Aqueste da al poema belicosa armadura. De erudición; estotro le da pompas y galas. Ambos baten en vano las ridículas alas... ¡Olvidaron cuitados el factor hermosua!
lol, sorry, i miss irak...
omgtkseth 1 year ago
thank you
Natashahoneypot 1 year ago
Thank goodness.... an American with some passion and sensitivity....
You give the world hope
(most times when we say this - they turn out to be Canadian ha ha ha )
seahippies 1 year ago
I thoroughly enjoyed your reading of this sonnet, and, if you don't mind, would like to share it with other poetry lovers in my poetry playlist on my humble page. There are many other lovers of sonnets there. I enjoy your focused and calm delivery. Thank you.
AllErikaEclectica 1 year ago
The video is copyrighted under the Creative Commons 3.0 share-alike noncommercial license, which means you are free to copy it, distribute it, link to it, and use it, so long as there is no commercial purpose and attribution is maintained.
Ad-supported websites are commercial, however; it's a violation of my copyright to use the work to attract eyeballs to advertising.
Urgelt 1 year ago
@Urgelt Sorry, I just meant I wanted to favorite your video at Youtube and put it in a poetry playlist.
AllErikaEclectica 1 year ago
Ah, of course. Silly of me.
You don't need my permission for that. :-)
Urgelt 1 year ago
people sharing the same feelings and thoughts so far away space and time-wise.
It is the deepest consolation
thank you all!
PanagiotopouloKouros 1 year ago
As if hearing it from the author himself. As if written on this very day. You've made it new.
nobodady1 1 year ago
NEXT..!!!
Hi. What's your name? Okay, C-3P0. When you're ready... You can't possily be anymore dispassionate than the last guy.
TuneInTurnonWakeup 2 years ago
I love Shakespeare.
You should braid your beard.
JenkemLover 2 years ago
Although some may say that you put no emotion forth while reading I disagree. I see it more like you are personaly reading to me as opose to reading of a paper. I suppose the word I'm looking for is reciting. Either way you get 4stars. Thank you. Very little ppl take interest in mideval love poetry.
piinkgothbabe 2 years ago
A very kind comment, Jessica, thank you.
The Bard was, of course, a showman, first and foremost. The stentorian booming of actors is a given - for his plays. But his sonnets are different, I think. They are close, intimate, one-on-one. Presenting them as such makes sense to me.
I'm glad I'm not alone in that view.
Urgelt 2 years ago
I disagree with your "stentorian booming" remark Urgelt. That was the Shakespear of the Restoration Period. Hamlet to the actors; "speak the speech, I pray you as I prounounced it to you, trippingly on the tongue. But if you mouth it, as many of your players do, I had as lief the town crier spoke my lines..." Act 3. Scene 2. Three paragraphs from Will on how to act his work. Your natural and easy style would have pleased The Bard. Bravo! Let us hear more!
SwingshiftCat 1 year ago
Eh, you're probably right.
The truth is that the professional productions of his plays I have seen hewed closely to the advice Hamlet gave. And I enjoyed them thoroughly.
The main thrust of my point is that the sonnets are different. I don't see them as directed to a theater of people, but to a single person. I suspect the Bard himself would have spoken them softly.
If only we could hear him speak his sonnets today, in his own voice. What a treat that would be.
Urgelt 1 year ago
dude, you are so cool.
gavinsalisbury 2 years ago 9
i really like the way you present it. :)
animevampirate 2 years ago
maybe he was being just a bit sarcastic...
darkmarkrammstein 2 years ago
I really loved how you read that Sonnet. Really! It was just wonderful! Thank you! =D
Violetxbool 2 years ago
did you send your friend some donuts? I have found that can help. Literature is fine, but donuts can augment the verse quite a bit. They are also compact, and a fairly intimate gift. They can be dense as well, some are subtle in flavor, but they do lack a certain depth that poetry supplies. So as I said, they are a good supplement, not necessarily a substitute. When my cat Molotov is feeling low I buy him a donut and play some Bach on the piano. (He just loathes Beethoven for some reason)
buffuzo 2 years ago 6
Well, Bill I wish I knew how to call on number 10-- I think I would settle for 1-9 even.. Guess Im not worth of purusel..
kurtnils 2 years ago
My old friend Urgelt... beautifully done as always.
OscarLimaMike 2 years ago 2
Thanks, OLM.
Urgelt 2 years ago
I am considering putting up a Shakespeare sonnet on youtube. Please could you advise me on how to best present the lines? Also please could you watch my two videos and tell me what you think?
Davidthe29directors 2 years ago
If you're doing stage swordfighting, you're serious about acting. That's hard work.
The sonnets are not like Shakespeare's plays. They are intimate and close, spoken to a single person; thoughtful and reflective, not booming or dramatic. They are also complicated and nuanced.
In my view, this suits them for a paced, careful reading, giving every word its full expression. The worst thing you can do is rip through a sonnet too fast and too loudly.
Urgelt 2 years ago
the source is the same for all of us, as it is heart which comes from heart rather than just my heart or your heart alone, love is the only foundation, the pain be mine but thine shall be the praise
wojiwodj 2 years ago
A beautiful thought, wojiwodj.
Urgelt 2 years ago
You are SOOOO COOL I love your videos!!! yeah! I started out with the human bacteriaone, since I was just pondering that after too many rounds of anti-biotics..... you look like Leo Tolstoy or Darwin.. or basically a genius.
SusieYeah33 2 years ago
I'm glad you enjoyed the videos, Susie, but I hasten to add, my claim to genius is feeble next to Tolstoy or Darwin.
I have also learned, alas, that the power to grow a beard does not confer greatness. It just makes my face hairy. :P
Urgelt 2 years ago
Good reading! Since i'm a youth, i'll say that you'r "cool". haha
// best wishes from sweden
lkpgMJ 2 years ago
There's ads on your video now Urgelt. :-P Think your video is gettin some eyes.
garland81 2 years ago
Sure looks that way.
I don't much like the ads, but I hold my tongue. GooTube has to pay the bills somehow.
Urgelt 2 years ago
Very well read sir. I applaud your efforts. And to speak on the way the words are spoken. Back in the time of Shakespeare, and even earlier, you would not have rushed your words as we do now. Words & sentences were spoken much more slowly. What may take us but one minute to say may have very well taken them two to three and a half minutes to say. ....
JhudsonHNY 2 years ago
.... . And remember, back then speech was an art more so then a form of communication. The more elaborate and detailed,the more wooing. Had I said some thing in say, 8 words and you said it in say, 22, You would be looked upon as the better. A perfect example of this would be 2 fold... 1 -read The Merry Wifes of Windsor. Quite detailed in the way of speech. and 2- look to the movie Hamlet,with Mel Gibson. A scene where in Polonius is...
JhudsonHNY 2 years ago
....to read a note to the King & Queen from Hamlet to his daughter. The Queen tells him to get to the point by saying: More talk and less art, or something to that effect. Also people spoke as they felt, how ever they cared to pronounce a givin' word was up to them, with in reason of cause ;). So by speaking a bit different then say you or I just adds to the flavor. And holds more true to the tymes then not. Just my 2 cents. Again Great read.
JhudsonHNY 2 years ago
Thank you for your intriguing comments.
I think we should wish to distinguish between Shakespeare's plays, his poetry, and period conversational tendencies (which no doubt varied by class). I think it may be hard to find sweeping truths to utter about all of them at once.
Yet I am inclined to think that there are differences in language use along the lines you have theorized between Shakespeare's time and our own. And, perhaps, even more differences we have not articulated.
Urgelt 2 years ago
For example, it seems to me that the moral sophistication to be found in language from his period far exceeds that of our own. Of course, Shakespeare was an exemplar, not a common writer. But I think it is significant that lauded poets of our age often embrace either morally unsophisticated language (as with Maya Angelou), or actual nonsense (as with Donald Hall, the originator of the "mouth pleasure" school of poetry).
As for our popular media, its moral sophistication is frankly weak.
Urgelt 2 years ago
But I am not sure how much of the difference in my perception is attributable to the telescopic view we have of Shakespeare's era, and the immersed view we have of our own culture. For all I know, Shakespeare himself lamented his own age in similar terms. Certainly it's true that he sought to lift the language to a more lofty and expressive perch; it was not the work of a man who was contented with the status quo.
Urgelt 2 years ago
In the end, what we find in Shakespeare is at least partly what we put there ourselves. We bring our minds and predilections to the experience and take away what lessons we will.
The presenter's task is to somehow divine the best way to bring the audience into contact with the art, so that this interaction can take place. The words, and the feelings behind the words, which in Shakespeare's case are nuanced and complex, must be delivered comprehensibly.
To an amateur, it is a daunting task.
Urgelt 2 years ago
So in the end, this is what guides my amateurish attempts to present poetry. I do not seek to be true to an historical method. Any resemblance between my presentation and that of a presenter from 400 years ago is only coincidence.
If I were really good at this, my presentation would be "transparent." You would hardly notice the speaker at all, only the words and meanings of the artist.
Urgelt 2 years ago
Olivier could do that. On stage, he vanished, and the character lived and breathed. That, unfortunately for amateurs like myself, is the standard by which presenters should be judged.
Urgelt 2 years ago
This guy looks like a jew. Anyway someone told me to come here from a Lita-massage vid, told me u had a really relaxing voice, he was quite right.
laallaal75 2 years ago
"This guy" looks like an older man with a beard, which is what I am.
Your "Jew radar" doesn't work. Amazing that you think it should; Jews are as diverse in appearance as any population.
Urgelt 2 years ago
No it's just that you look alot like two jewish men i know, and from the prof pic it looked a little like you had a Kipa. And btw that was amazingly un-stereotypical of you, those kinds of people are rare these days.
laallaal75 2 years ago
Lewis Mcelroys shylock speech is the all time best. As good if not better than al pacinos. its worth checking out. what a brilliant actor
rozihill93 2 years ago
That's one of my all-time favorite soliloquies. If you know of a link where I can hear McElroy's interpretation, will you send it to me via YouTube mail?
Urgelt 2 years ago
'Pour'st', is pronounced with only one syllable (rhymes with coursed), otherwise, there's one syllable too many (ten syllables per line). ; )
AquarianAscent 2 years ago
And yet, pronouncing the contraction precisely as one syllable interferes with comprehension. What the heck is a "Pourst?"
I decided long ago not to indulge in sing-song recitation of poetry slaved to meter, but to instead grant primacy to the ideas within each poem. Method? The contracted syllables are "hurried," pronounced closely together, but each remains audible..
Would Shakespeare have pronounced it as a single syllable, or "hurried" them together as I have done? I have no clue.
Urgelt 2 years ago
shakespeare's truth bout whether he wrote all this or not is with me.comment i my profile to knoe the truth
darshanime 2 years ago
Theories of a ghost-writer surfaced long ago among the English aristocracy, who preferred to think that no mere commoner could write so well. But there is no proof for the theory.
Minor similarities between Shakespeare's plays and sonnets and works of other contemporary authors are not proof. Such similarities will be found because contemporary authors share a culture, world-view, and idiomatic language.
Urgelt 2 years ago
i was obsessed with this topic for a while reading several books on the subject, the best alternative to Will from stratford is Lord Devere of Oxford, him being a poet, but he died several years before the publishing of Shakespere's later play's. A recent book called 'Will in the World' demonstrates that there is actually quite a lot of evidence that the poor glovers son from Stratford William Shakespere was the true author, as well as being one of the greatest geniuses of all time.
wojiwodj 2 years ago
*Somebody* wrote these plays and sonnets. Reasons for doubting the man who took credit for them at the time are scanty at best.
He was indeed one of the greatest geniuses of all time.
Urgelt 2 years ago
I need help with sonnet 138. Pleeze? Thanks! Gina
ginalacubana 2 years ago
Gina, I recommend using Google to find what people have said about Sonnet 138. Use these search terms: "Shakespeare Sonnet 138 analysis." I'm sure you'll turn up web sites with the kind of information you're seeking.
I'm advising you this way because there is some very good analysis of Shakespeare's sonnets on the web, better than anything I could come up with.
Urgelt 2 years ago
I want a beard like yours..
aboowscarface 2 years ago
Urgelt, this is awesome!
I love the way you read it, it gives meaning to it and sounds amazing.
How is this interprited though, we are studying shakespeare in class but i have a hard time figuring them out. Can you help me with what it means?
-Samu
XPthesamuXD 2 years ago
Search engines are your friends.
Try typing this into Google: Shakespeare Sonnet 38 analysis.
Or substitute the word "interpretation" for "analysis."
You'll have to browse a few sites, but that's ok. You'll pick up fresh insights as you go.
There's a lot going on in these sonnets. Ol' Will knew how to shovel a lot of meaning into only 14 lines.
Urgelt 2 years ago
That was great, I love sonnet 18 myself
dazza2610 2 years ago
i need to come create here out of fear in order to stear my mirror ya hear
for who so dumb that can not write to thee
my love for fear of clear sheer weakness to endure
to excellent and bent as in a tent when spent i in this state ponder and prate at the gate of my fate we can never satiate
the muse is my fuse and the druids and ovids and clover in nover scotier go have another beer in good cheer and never fear but stear near the rear in your career and be a seer not near the fEER
wojiwodj 3 years ago
Alliterative non sequiturs, huh?
Not my cup of tea, but there are a couple of turns of phrase which I rather liked. "Druids and ovids" was evocative for me, and so far as I can recall, completely original.
If you hope to compete with Shakespeare, though, you'll have to try sequiturs instead.
Urgelt 2 years ago
i dig the beard.
PolkaP1G 3 years ago 3
Can you please help me interpret what this sonnet means .. or maybe also any other sonnet's of shakespeares. I need help for english, haha! Thank you very much.
And what a lovely poem = ).
XpianoxboyX 3 years ago
You can use Google to answer your question.
The search terms I suggest you try are these: "Shakespeare Sonnet 38 analysis."
Urgelt 3 years ago
will u be my new best friend please?
failureific 3 years ago
im sorry sir, but there is no soul in your tone or further more' there is no tone in your soul. we need to feel the pain!
rjbridle 3 years ago
Urgelt, Your awesome, as always!!
Thanks,
mysackofwrinkles 3 years ago
if you meet the buddha on the road,
kill him.
zensorrow1 3 years ago
Something's gotten hold of my hand
Dragging my soul to a beautiful land
dirtywrite 3 years ago
this is very nice
z0rgz0rg 3 years ago
My son is studying Shakespeare and it was awesome to find your reading to show him what Shakespaere's sonnets are like. Thank you for doing this.
suyapa91 3 years ago
Nice! Thanks for posting. I found your voice to be incredibly soothing.
herodotus53 3 years ago
Excellent job! You're right, this is a gem. I love trying to recite these and capture the emotion. I agree, these should be read softly, they are meant for intimacy, not the stage (in my opinion, anyway). Trying these in Russian is also a fun challenge.
has25252 3 years ago
Good on' ya - this was quality
krsfell 3 years ago
Wonderful! thank you for posting this! I love Shakespeare.
furio213 3 years ago
Thank you for your comment. I was trained as an actor not as a director. But if I ever do direct I will take into account what you have said. Once again thank you for both your comment and this sonnet. I hope you will put more on youtube
Davidthe29directors 3 years ago
Most welcome, David, and I will hope the same of you. With your training, I'd much rather see you interpreting Shakespeare than me.
Urgelt 3 years ago
Nicely done. Thank you. You inspire me to study that sonnet. I like your delivery. I will search out some of your other orations. Thanks again for sharing.
texasdallasbill 3 years ago
The poem itself is a gem among gems. I love the way Shakespeare puts his own art, and its inspirational source, into an historical context. He saw himself as from a vast distance in time, without giving up any of his passion to do it.
I only wish I were more skilled at transparency - the narrator's holy grail, if you will. The listener should hear Shakespeare's contemplative voice, and hardly notice the narrator at all. It's a test I failed, but not for want of trying.
Urgelt 3 years ago
I have performed shakespeare on the stage and for tests. Please would you look at my two videos and tell me what you think? I would appreciate any comments.
Davidthe29directors 3 years ago
I've left a comment, but I will ask you to bear in mind that I am not a critic, not an expert of any sort. Consider the source.
Urgelt 3 years ago
I think that some people can be quite rude. I really enjoyed this. Do you have any more sonnets?
Davidthe29directors 3 years ago
This is the only one of Shakespeare's sonnets I've presented.
The poems I've presented - there aren't that many, really - are from a variety of classic poets. My intent is just to share some of my favorites with my audience, and perhaps to get them thinking about how classic poetry can still be enjoyable and relevant in the modern age.
Urgelt 3 years ago
Almost forgot! Your reading was beautiful, I love William Shakespeare.
Keep it up!
666Antha666 3 years ago
PLEASEEE someone who know what is telling this old man write it here to the comments please....i dont understand it when this old man telling poetry
wqoeidasm 3 years ago
YouTube won't let me put a link here, so instead, I'll suggest some search terms you can use on Google.
"Shakespeare Sonnet 38 analysis" will bring up any number of web sites that will explain the sonnet.
Urgelt 3 years ago
beautifully spoken
witness64 3 years ago
Shakespeare with an American accent(well, i am english)....err.....
but it's jolly nice...
luciuslevett 3 years ago
Heh, Shakespeare sounds great in any accent. :-)
Urgelt 3 years ago
Americans are English, too.
nicksum29 3 years ago
Americans are American.
English are English.
At most, you can say you're American-English.
666Antha666 3 years ago
nice beard, you look like you should be a lord of the rings character.
XIPM3 3 years ago
That was really good i have to do a sonnet for drama class and ur video really helped. Thanks a lot!!
archloveblue 3 years ago
Perfect. Perfect. Perfect. sounds like one of the Shakespeare's fellows on stage... U did it Perfectly Sir.
angloshqiptari 3 years ago
you are chaning the iambic by reading too slowly
feversleeper 3 years ago
Did you mean "changing?"
The meter is still there. It's just subdued (or warped, if you insist).
I've always felt that mechanical adherence to meter in poetry performances yields a sing-song effect which detracts from comprehension and gravitas. My preference is for a more conversational approach to poetic material.
Not everyone will agree. That's ok! Poetry is a big tent, there's lots of room for different artistic interpretations.
Urgelt 3 years ago
I love your reading so much. Thank you kindly for a straightforward, unaffected and honest interpretation.
nicksum29 3 years ago
Yeah, feversleep is far too academic, missing the whole point of poetic voice. . . you did awesome Urgelt. Do some Keats.
ARCHETECTONIC 3 years ago
Indeed, that was.... very interesting. Im from Poland and going to prepare one of these for my audition to school next year. When I was listening to you I was like hipnotized, nice one.
Skwarekkk 3 years ago
I'm only an amateur, but I do have an opinion about how the sonnets should be presented.
Forget about the way the big name actors do MacBeth - full of self-importance and stentorious tones. The sonnets are best when spoken softly, gently, thoughtfully.
Good luck in your audition!
Urgelt 3 years ago
Fantastic. Absolutely fantastic.
krystalizedhope 3 years ago
Shakespeare's sonnets are so powerful, an amateur who approaches them with sincerity can't sound awful.
Hence I know who deserves the credit, and who is along for the ride.
Urgelt 3 years ago
Nice reading =D
Whovian2711 3 years ago
That was really awesome. I'm belgian, so I don't understand every word, but I enjoy listening. It makes me feel good somehow.
MyLifeMyChoise 3 years ago
Shakespeare can be hard to understand for native English speakers, too. English has changed since Shakespeare's day.
Glad you enjoyed it, MLMC.
Urgelt 3 years ago
That was a beautiful reading! Thanks for this!
CircaRigeI 3 years ago
You're too kind, CR, but I like you that way. :-)
Urgelt 3 years ago
The comment is perhaps true with regards to one having to have a good grasp of literature for this to be a poem to cheer you up, but concurrently it is also something that involves thought, and not some clichéd poem that is one dimensional and flat.
I, for one, appreciate the poem. Others may not, but it is down to personal taste and opinion :)
ajcardall 3 years ago
I agree, AJ.
Urgelt 3 years ago
I'm sorry mate, but that's not going to cheer anyone up, except maybe a literature academic
utubenicholas 3 years ago 2
Heh, you're probably right.
Urgelt 3 years ago
I guess I heard that in a movie, probably in Shakespeare in love. Love the movie though, and your reading too!
leojeen 3 years ago
Thanks, Leo.
Urgelt 3 years ago
Forgive me for saying I never thought Shakespeare could sound good in an American Accent.
You managed to make it as beautiful as ever though!
Good one, Urgelt!
Thank you.
JudeMurphyDublin 3 years ago
Thanks, Jude.
We are accustomed to the greatest of Shakespearean actors possessing modern upper-class British accents.
But nobody knows what Elizabethan English sounded like. Thus we cannot show that one particular modern accent, found on Great Britain or elsewhere, is closer to it than the others. Who knows? "Colonials" might have kept more of the original than the English, mere miles from mainland European influences, did.
No matter. Shakespeare's legacy belongs to all of us. :-)
Urgelt 3 years ago
I think the timing was good. You can soak in the meaning. Great recitation!!!
WillSkarlet 3 years ago
Hi Urgelt, two advices:
1. focus on the feelings of the poem and not in computer words.
2.work better your silents. if you feel the poem the silents will be organic.
All the best to you from Portugal.
desdosul 3 years ago
and now some advice for you...
"advice" is an uncountable noun and therefore is never plural and never preceded by a numbered quantifier.
with uncountable nouns you may use the "some", "a little" or "a lot of".... ;)
all the best to you from korea.
PersephoneSwimming 3 years ago
Urgelt, you are a baller
BurkeBefreier 3 years ago
Thank you so much urgelt, you gave me an idea!
I`m having my last exam tomorow on William Shakespear. So I`m going to read a sonnet or two.
:) 5/5
olebmx 3 years ago
can you read sonnet 61 too ?
kenyusi 3 years ago
a fine voice!
theathanor 3 years ago
Hello Urgelt,
I chanced upon this video in a link a video linked to one of mine. (I act, and Shakespeare is all Ive put up so far) I'm always interested in renditions of Shakespeares words.
You have it pretty well here; his sonnets are quite a different beast to his plays. Your delivery was tender and well-spoken. As you've said there are a few little pacing things, but we all suffer that with such verse occasionally. Kudos to you for a such hearted interpretation.
simonwoodcock 3 years ago
I also understand what you're trying to achieve with the pace, but you have to be careful of punctuation. If it's not their, don't pronounce it. You can talk slowly without taking large pauses at strange intervals.
I feel that poetry is like music. The words are the notes; the punctuation is the rests; the meaning and emotion are the dynamics. And just like music it is free to subtle changes in interpretation, but that should be kept to the dynamics.
Still, beautifully read.
iMarc89 3 years ago
Well read. You have a wonderful voice: so gentle and so quiet. I certainly feel the emotion put into this. Beautiful.
The only points I would make are that you have to be careful with the rhythm and with the pace. There are meant to be ten syllables per line in this kind of sonnet. You add one to the third line by saying pourest instead of pour'st and miss one from the fifth line by omitting the word exclamation "O!".
iMarc89 3 years ago
Yep, you hit the nail on the head, Marc. Good job.
Shakespeare is the hardest English poet to perform well, I think. My effort here is embryonic; to do him full justice would require much more skill and practice.
Urgelt 3 years ago
Good evening, Urgelt
Today I came across you for the first time
I am truly impressed by your way of speaking & particularly with the care you give to diction
At 68 I am now finding some difficulty in hearing such gently offered speech, but it is well worth closely attending your every word.
Your way of speaking seems more Canadian than American to me. Am I correct?
While looking for Longfellow I found another Anglophile, I think
You have opened a new door in my mind
Thank you
LORNATOM 3 years ago
I was born and raised in Michigan, USA. Ontario is quite near, and there is some cross-influencing going on, I'm certain.
I do love the English language. It's broad, deep, and versatile, a vast ocean of words with which to express thought.
Glad you enjoyed my videos, Tom, and thanks for taking the time to comment.
Urgelt 3 years ago
For those mother language not English language, we find it very difficult to master that language. I have been learning English for more than 10 years (my job requires me to speak English), still can't see what is so beautiful about this language to be the world language.
everydaysfri 3 years ago
shakespeare is quite depressing.
smileyman223336 3 years ago
Nice.
But I have a feeling this was invented for the advertisement.
Esteelauders 4 years ago
The text box explains why the video was made.
Urgelt 4 years ago
Dear Urgelt,
I very much like your intepretation of this Shakespearean sonnet. It is gracefully recited with particular emphasis on emotion. If I were to summarise your performance in one word, I would say, "Soothing". Thanks for the video.
Kind Regards,
Bertram Selwyn
bernardshakespeare 4 years ago
Thanks for your kind comment, Bertram, it's much appreciated.
Urgelt 4 years ago
I love William Shakespere's work. He's a great idol of mine. Great video I love it.
3 Top Role Models 4 me
1.Tim Duncan
2.Joel Olsteen
3.Shakespere.
BowendaBeast 4 years ago
to bad you spelt your third idol's name wrong
just saying...
pankakes1027 4 years ago
Let's not get too hung up on spelling, pankakes1027; we all live in glass houses. Did you notice you misspelled "too?"
Try as I might, I still slip up sometimes myself, in comments or even in carefully edited videos. To err is human.
I'm glad you liked the video, BowendaBeast, and you've chosen a wonderful idol to admire.
Urgelt 4 years ago
i dont care about regular talking on the computer
im just saying... that its pretty bad to spell your idols name wrong
pankakes1027 4 years ago
Also, the 'Shakespere' spelling is somewhat more likely to have been William's real name than the more commonly used and accepted 'Shakespeare' spelling. The truth is lost to history so none of us really know.
simonwoodcock 3 years ago
Yes, by contrast with his plays, his sonnets are so very intimate. Not the sort of thing to belt out to a vast audience in a booming voice. If they are to be performed successfully, the performer must convey that intimate quality somehow.
I've never worried much about the spelling of his name, and see no reason to start. :-)
Urgelt 3 years ago
brilliant. this is my fave video on youtube. (next to my music ones of course!)
easthousepinballwiza 4 years ago
Thanks, EHPBW.
Urgelt 4 years ago
Np i forgot to mention your samual thingy one that was great. it was about how he died or something, sorry for ebing so vague i remember watching it a while ago. fantastic!
easthousepinballwiza 4 years ago
I think you're remembering "The Cremation of Sam McGee," by Robert Service. Fun poem, that.
Urgelt 4 years ago
yeah thats it fantastic :D thanks i'll go look it up now
easthousepinballwiza 4 years ago
Finally, someone who can make poetry meaningful! I love it!
You have a great poetry reading style.
Mesila Doda
mesilakritike 4 years ago 2
Poetry is a performance art, truly. I don't think it can reach its full expression unless it's read aloud, almost acted.
I was fortunate to have had teachers who knew this.
Urgelt 4 years ago
Amazing! This is pure gold,especially since I needed some tips on how to read the words. My Old English is a little off. :] Ty!
peanutsarrgood 4 years ago
I'm glad you enjoyed it, but...
I'm a modern American, and I speak with a definite American accent. I have not formally studied Renaissance English pronunciations. (It's not Old English, thankfully, or I'd never be able to stumble through it at all.)
In short, the way I pronounce Shakespeare can be understood by modern listeners, but it's probably not entirely accurate.
Urgelt 4 years ago
I am the artistic director of the British Shakespeare Company. Shakespeare belongs to everyone to the whole world. It is a great gift to be enjoyed by everyone and to be shared. Thank you for sharing this.
WillShakespeare2007 4 years ago
He certainly does; his works are a glorious gift to every one of us.
I'm grateful for your encouragement, Will.
Urgelt 4 years ago
To be very honest, this moves me.
I would very much like to hear more of these from you.
DMSfilms 4 years ago
Shakespeare moves me, too.
Alas, he's a tough slog for a beginner, and a beginner I am. Perhaps one day I'll take another stab at him.
Urgelt 4 years ago
I thought you did quite well, better than I could do; and as they say, practice makes perfect. What harm could it do to try another?
DMSfilms 4 years ago
None, of course.
I'm in no hurry, though. It's a hobby. :-)
Urgelt 4 years ago
A hobby I quite enjoy watching you perform, I must say.
In a nutshell, I've subscribed.
DMSfilms 4 years ago
I most famous actors would concentrate their performance around the words and their meaning instead of the action, it might be almost as good as this rendition.
ghbg00107 4 years ago
It's strange to hear such a compliment applied to my amateurish efforts.
Yet there is a truth lurking here. When an actor puffs himself up and grandstands, he is promoting only himself. It is when he vanishes, leaving only the poet's voice, that he achieves something of worth.
I'm not good at this trick of vanishing. But the effort alone seems enough to distinguish itself from the puffery that has overtaken our age.
Urgelt 4 years ago
Stellar!
Tedian 4 years ago
will would be proud..good vid.
pauldan90 4 years ago
Thanks, pauldan90.
Heh, I'm reasonably certain Shakespeare was a proud fellow, without any help from those who mumble his words. His mastery is self-aware; even in this one poem, you can see that he knew his future fame was secure.
Urgelt 4 years ago
Well, hearing you read poetry doesn't give me shivers down my spine, but it gives me a feeling of tranquility that is hard to find in a normal days routine.
Thank you Urgelt
barrn11 4 years ago
The sonnet evokes a timeless state stretching from ancient myth to the far future. It is, indeed, tranquil.
Yet the sonnet's last line contradicts that sense of timelessness. Shakespeare is showing us that he has *crafted* this timeless state, has exerted effort, paid a price. And by crediting his muse, he shamelessly draws attention to his own genius and faux-humility.
Even freighted with ironies, though, the sonnet achieves tranquility. I like your choice of words.
Urgelt 4 years ago
As an actor, I came to watch this video with my head inflated. You have humbled me, sir. You have a soft and wonderful voice. You do justice to William Shakespeare and you have caused me to take a new light in my acting.
jeffdafrog7 4 years ago 2
I think I understand, Jeff.
You're in the business, so you know all about stage dramaticism, striking a heroic pose, pontification which announces self-love. Not all actors do it, but some do - and it gets in the way of the written word.
I think the best compliment any actor can receive is that they were hardly visible at all - the author's work is what shines in their performance.
Urgelt 4 years ago
Excellent Urgelt! Bravo! Could you do and post the "now entertain conjecture of a time..." speech by the Chorus in Henry V? You'd be great with that one.
jefff1963 4 years ago
I'll give it some thought, but I can't promise I'll produce the video.
I am leery of tackling more Shakespeare any time soon. He's absolutely the hardest poet in the English language to get right; a daunting prospect for professional, let alone a newbie amateur like me.
In the future, who knows? But I think it's wise to first practice on easier poets.
Urgelt 4 years ago
I really want to commend you on an excellent performance as well as a wonderful insight to the theater.
jeffdafrog7 4 years ago
Wonderful :x thank you very much for uploading this :x
HO3NIR 4 years ago 2
I'm happy you liked it, HO3NIR.
Urgelt 4 years ago
I loved it, your way of using your voice to read the poem.
Although you'd probably be able to get more feeling into it by memorizing the poem.
The beard kinda gives you that sage-look, don't ever shave it.
Athnagzo 4 years ago 2
Heh, I won't be shaving it, though it might suffer a trim from time to time. I grew a beard years ago because I suffered from a skin condition caused by shaving.
Urgelt 4 years ago
i respect, you
taeda1392 4 years ago