Hosted by Cassidy Cash, That Shakespeare Life takes you behind the curtain and into the real life of William Shakespeare.
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Shakespeare mentions cats over 30 times in his plays, including to talk about a gib cat, a musk-cat, cats chasing mice and even making perfume. It's obvious that cats were present for Shakespeare's lifetime, but what do these references in the plays show us about their place in society and perhaps in people's homes for Shakespeare's England? Did Shakespeare keep a pet cat, would they have been…
Shakespeare mentions "housewife" in his works 14 times, including to identify both a "good housewife" as well as a "false housewife." These descriptions appear alongside one accusation that a woman was being someone's "franklin's housewife." As an essential part of daily living in Shakespeare's England, I wanted to track down exactly what was involved in being a 16-17 th century housewife, and…
With it estimated that travel from Stratford Upon Avon to London might take days or even weeks depending on the weather and mode of transportation, it's only logical to think that Shakespeare must have had a place to stay when he was in London for work. There is a court case in which Shakespeare is mentioned by name that places him as a lodger with the Mountjoy family on Silver Street in 1604.…
In Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 1, there's a lively scene set in Eastcheap, inside the bustling Boar's Head Tavern, where the roguish Sir John Falstaff trades wit and wine with the young Prince Hal—England's future Henry V. To Shakespeare's audience, this wasn't some distant or imagined world. Eastcheap was real. The taverns were real. And the cups of ale and small beer passed across those tables…
" Close your eyes and imagine yourself in the sixteenth-century English countryside. Sounds of ploughs rattle in distant fields, and the delightful squeals of children at play fill the air. It is quiet, you think, quieter than you are used to, but loud and lively all the same. The air is pure, and it smells sweet with the natural floral fragrances of honeysuckle and apple blossom and lavender.…
Hamlet wagers 6 Barbary horses against 6 French swords. Falstaff talks about fighting with a Barbary hen. Bassanio in Merchant of Venice talks about travelling merchants going to foreign lands including "Tripolis, Mexico and England, Lisbon, Barbary, and India" There are also an additional 5 references to Barbary horses. The Barbary States were Algeria, Tunisia, Tripolis, and Morroco. These were…
In Stratford Upon Avon, where William Shakespeare was born, there is a house that was built in 1530, while King Henry VIII was ruling England. This house was there when Shakespeare was living in the town, and the owners have direct connections to Shakespeare himself. Today, the house is known as Wisson House and the thoughtfully preserved historical property has been updated with modern amenities…
Elaborate theatrical performances in Shakespeare's lifetime presented before the reigning monarch were known as court masques. These intricate and complex stories were presented in grand fashion, sparing no expense on costumes, props, and special effects. The most famous masque has to be that of Robert Dudley who hired actual performers from the Comedia del Arte in Italy to perform amazing feats…
In Shakespeare's play, A Midsummer Night's Dream , Puck has a line that says "And now they never meet in grove or green, By fountain clear, or spangled starlight sheen..." In Taming of the Shrew, Petruchio uses this term again saying, "What stars do spangle heaven with such beauty..." In a similar description again from Midsummer, Lysander says "Fair Helena, who more engilds the night Than all you…
Christopher Marlowe is one of the most fascinating—and mysterious—figures of Shakespeare's lifetime. A university-educated playwright at a time when that alone set him apart, Marlowe rose quickly through London's theater world, dazzling audiences with bold language, ambitious characters, and stories that pushed the boundaries of what the stage could do. But Marlowe's life wasn't confined to poetry…
In Shakespeare's England, the middle of summer was a time of celebration. While the summer season begins at May Day, the longest day of the year, from June 23 into the 24th, was celebrated as the holiday of Midsummer, and Christianized as St. John's Eve and St. John's Day. It was the longest day of the year, and for the life of William Shakespeare, this holiday was marked with celebrations of…
