Status Updates From The New Oxford Shakespeare:...

“The comedy of errors” finalizado! 4,5 ⭐️
Adriana diva a frente do seu tempo!!

Rereading Hamlet because Baldwin mentioned it and I realized I no longer have the damn thing memorized. Fear I may be missing something if I don't do a refresher

King John

The absence of Magna Carta should be considered structural rather than inartful--this episodic text wherein alliances realign each act should be taken to represent a sort of hobbesian wasteland wherein it's better to trust in 'your strong possession much more than your right.' 'Commodity, the bias of the world' might only be diagnosed by a bastard who lacks right but is pure competence.

Midsummer Night's Dream

The substratum here is an alien dispute between Oberon and Titania regarding the possession of a changeling, which is a horrid little bit of myth. Within that context, Theseus consummates his forced marriage to Hippolyta, whom he 'wooed with the sword,' and Egeus mirrors Capulet's dire parental demands; the connection to R&J is solidified by the low mechanicals' parody thereof.

As You Like It illustrates a common phenomenon in Shakespeare's plays, namely the surprising ease with which a person can disguise themselves effectively enough to fool even their own parents. Not enough characters avail themselves of this strategy throughout the various plays, if you ask me.

Romeo and Juliet

It's not just that she's 13 and he's 16-20; sure they have irrational adolescent emotionalism--but he changes from loyalty to Rosaline, whereas Juliet once dedicated remains loyal--perhaps an artifact of the marriage market. Their decease brings extinction to their oikos lines, which is the only thing that can resolve the residual 'airy word' of the dantean feud, a la Williams and MacIntyre.