Fall To Do List Check-In

A few weeks ago I wrote a to do list for this October. Since the month is almost up (already?!) I thought it was a good time to check-in and see how I'm doing!

1. Go to Salem. Check! I did this one this past Saturday with AJ, my sister, her boyfriend, and some friends. It was as crazy busy and crowded as I thought it'd be but still worth it the chaos! You can read about it here.

2. Go to an apple orchard/pumpkin patch. Check as well! We got this one done on Saturday as well before going to Salem. We headed to North Andover and spent a few hours at Smolak Farms. You can read about it here.

3. Watch Hocus Pocus. Check, thank goodness! I think I've done this one a few times.

4. Go to the Boston Book Festival. Not yet! But that's because it hasn't happened yet. Hopefully I'll be able to go!

5. Eat Halloween Candy. Check! We ate a few pieces while watching Hocus Pocus because it felt right.

6. Go to the Boston Common Pumpkin Festival. Yup! We did that on Sunday. It was the first really cold day of Fall so we only stayed for about an hour but in that time we got free samples from Davids Tea, free coffee from New England Coffee, and we watched cute kids frolicking in their costumes.

7. Make Kettle Corn with Halloween M&Ms. Half check. I made kettle corn twice this week but I'm saving the M&Ms for Halloween!

8. Eat chili and pumpkin cornbread. Check! Just did that one last night! Yum!

9. Watch Halloweentown, Halloweentown II, and Halloweentown High. Not yet because I don't think it's been on yet but I'm keeping my eye on the Disney Channel schedule!

10. Make an apple pie. Not yet! But my mom and grandmother are coming this weekend so I'm planning to make one for them, especially since I have a whole peck of apples waiting on the counter.

11. Watch Stephen King movies. No, not yet. Bummer. We have two dvds from Netflix right now and if I want to get some Stephen King movies before Halloween I either have to watch them fast and send them back or send them back unwatched.

12. Decorate the apartment. Check! I got a big mum plant from Trader Joe's, a few small pumpkins, and a few decorations are sprinkled about the apartment. I didn't buy the window applications because i don't think my neighbors would appreciate them as much as I do.

13. Get Married. CHECK! I checked off the most important item on the list on October 11th.

Shakespeare Saturday: Romeo and Juliet

I'm a little late on this one but better late than never. A few weeks ago, AJ went back to Connecticut and I stayed behind in Boston for a few more days before joining him. One night while he was gone, I decided to have a date night with myself. I made a big bowl of popcorn, pulled up Netflix, and got ready to watch a movie I'd been wanting to see for almost a year! The newest big-screen adaption of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. It came out in theaters last October and is directed by Carlo Carlei and stars Hailee Steinfeld and Douglas Booth as the titular characters.

Romeo and Juliet is one of my favorite Shakespeare plays and I like to see how different people adapt it in different ways. This film's adaptation was really interesting! It did not get great reviews, they were really bad actually which is why I didn't see it in theaters. But it was still enjoyable and quite different than what I expected.

The first thing that jumped out at me was that they strayed from the original script. That's normal, though, for a film especially because if you include every word, that'll make for one long movie. And I think some directors and screenwriters like to add their own language in to make the wording a bit to make it a bit easier to understand. Of course, the verbiage was still true to the tone and fit in with the original language.

Also, Benvolio was given a much bigger role than usual. He was everywhere! And he seemed younger than he is typically portrayed. Paul Giamatti as Friar Laurence was genius. I'm so used to seeing him in comical or unlikable roles so I thought that maybe the Friar would be humorous in this film, but he was surprisingly perfect for this role. I think he had the best performance out of everyone. Also, the nurse, played by Lesley Manville was a great choice. She did add quite a bit humor and her character was very likable.

My favorite part of the film was the scenery. It was gorgeous! It probably wasn't extremely realistic, but it was quintessential Italian renaissance styling. There was so much detail to each scene, especially during the masked dance and during the balcony scene. I would watch it all over again just to see the scenery.

I didn't think the acting by the main characters was great but what can you do? If you like Shakespeare or Romeo and Juliet, you should watch this anyway. It's fun and, like I said, very pleasing to the eyes.

Boston Has Been Good To Us

 We've been here for a full week now and have enjoyed our time to the fullest. There's a lot to do every day and we're taking advantage of it! Here are a few perks from our time in Boston so far:

I had my orientation this past Thursday and had some down time between events so I wandered over to Brattle Book Shop, one of my favorite places in Boston and a book lover's heaven on earth. While browsing the outdoor shelves, I came across the above book which you may recognize from past posts about my love for Elena Ferrante (are you sick of it yet?). I don't know how that copy ended up there—it's not available in the US until September 2nd. I checked the copy, flipping through pages and looking for any signs that it might be an advanced proof and as far as I could tell, it's the real the deal! At the end of the day I came home, told AJ about it and where it was, and the next day it was sitting on the kitchen table with a new mug as well. I'm still reading Russian Winter (I'm over halfway through and loving it!) but as soon as I'm done, I will jump right into Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay. 

This is AJ in his element. He's a big Manchester United fan and it just so happens that the same year we move here, a bar on Beacon Street becomes the official bar for Manchester United watching in Boston. AJ was excited to have a fun place to watch the games and even though we're not bar people, I thought it would be an experience. However, because the games are played in England, the time difference means that many games are first thing in the morning. So, at 7 am yesterday morning we rolled out of bed and made our way down Beacon Street for a 7:45 game at the bar, Crossroads.

We had breakfast sandwiches, potatoes, and coffee while watching the game among other rowdy fans. The man who organized the game watching at Crossroads introduced himself to us and said he liked having a community of fans together for games. It wasn't too crowded and it was very laid back, probably because it was so early, and we had a great time! I'm sure we'll be back for more games. 

Last night we went to Mass in the North End at St. Leonard's church. This weekend, the North End is celebrating the feast of St. Anthony so we knew there would be a lot going on down there. After Mass, we headed down Prince Street to Thacher Street where the original Regina Pizzeria location had set up an outdoor patio for diners to eat al fresco and watch the people milling about the food stands that had been set up in the streets. Of course, there was a line but I really wanted to eat there and we decided it was worth the wait. While in line, the procession of St. Anthony made it's way down the crowded street. There were trumpets and drums and people pinning money to the ribbons around St. Anthony's likeness. 

Our wait in the line was probably 30 minutes long, seating was limited, but the line moved faster than I thought it would. We ordered a crostini appetizer that was delicious and split a small pizza that had chicken, mozzarella, and peppers. Regina's Pizzeria is well-known in Massachusetts and has been in business since 1926! Their crust recipe is 80 years old and is probably the best pizza crust—it's crispy but not too thin—and the mozzarella is the best I've ever tasted! We both agreed the pizza was perfect and we'll be going back for more soon!

We could've stopped eating after the pizza, but the streets were filled with tempting smells from all the food stands set up around us. The most tempting smell was fried calamari. AJ bought a plate of that while I opted to buy myself a dessert of fried dough bites, covered with melted butter, honey, cinnamon, and powdered sugar. They were delicious, but not as good as my mom's pizza fritta. We walked among the heard of people and listened to the music that a local band was performing—they sang old school Italian songs as well as current pop songs so it was a fun mix! 

The smell from the cigar stand added to the feel of the night. Pizza and pasta and fried seafood were available at most food stands and there were plenty of cannolis being eaten from Mike's Pastry's stand—not to mention the huge line that was at Mike's real location on Hanover. 

Our last stop was at a drink stand where already drunk vendors were selling mixed frozen drinks in keepsake mason jars. I got a banana daiquiri and AJ got the piña colada. The prices were steep, $12 each, but you got to keep the jar and get a free refill. We listened to a bit more music and I sang along as the band played Che La Luna before calling it a night and walking back home to Beacon Hill. 

It was a fun night and personified the fun times I had hoped for while living here, and it's still only our first week! And what a great weeks it's been. Soon I'll be starting school and AJ will start working his new job and real life will set in but I have a feeling that, while living in Boston, doing something we've hoped to do since we started dating, it will never really feel like real life. 

Sisters in the City

A weekend in New York. All right, here we go. Friday afternoon, I hopped a train to Grand Central to spend the weekend with my sissy, Marina. She lives three blocks from Grand Central so I got off the train and walked to her building. We hung out for a few minutes, catching up, before heading out to the Morgan Museum and Library.

 It was a nice walk and not too far from her place and the museum was gorgeous. So many books! So many libraries! And there was an awesome exhibit on modern literature, showcasing rare editions, hand-edited manuscripts by the authors themselves, and interesting tidbits and facts about writers and their works. Both of us could speed through a museum pretty quickly, but we took our time here because all of the displays were so interesting! This museum also tends to change up their exhibits pretty quickly (and they are usually literary themed) so I feel like it's a place you could go to often and never get bored!

After the museum, we kept walking, went down through Union Square, and ended up at The Strand bookstore. I was in heaven. And of course, I have no photos to share because who has time to take photos when there are miles of books to be bought? I think we spent a good hour and a half to two hours in there, browsing. I must've picked up ten different books and carried them around for a while before deciding I had to be practical about what to buy. I only left with two books, The Valley of the Dolls and The Complete Short Stories of Flannery O' Connor, because they were both so well priced, but the walking and looking and reading was so fun and I will definitely be back.

All the book shopping tired us out so we took the subway back to Marina's and relaxed for a bit. We had dinner plans with some of her girlfriends who were coming up from DC but they wouldn't be in until 9 or later so we had plenty of time to just hangout. We put on a few episodes of Friends and Marina set out some cheese, crackers, and fruit and we started the bottle of rose we got to share with her friends.

Once we heard from the rest of the girls, we walked to a nearby restaurant called Tuttles. The four other girls met up with us there and we had a great night together! It was after 10, so Marina and I got some small plates to share and the whole table shared a bottle of Prosecco. We sat in the outdoor dining area that was enclosed by other buildings. It was beautiful summer night and we enjoyed the bright city lights.

I slept surprisingly well that night. I thought I would be awoken at all hours because of the noisy city, since I'm used to sleeping in the quiet suburbs, but I didn't wake up once! We didn't rush in the morning. We had breakfast, coffee, and I started reading The Valley of the Dolls.

Around eleven, we made our way down to Soho to check out the New Museum. They had an exhibit on Middle Eastern art and Marina and her friends used to live in Cairo together so they were all very interested in that!

From there, we made our way to The High Line and walked around it for a bit. It's so beautiful and such an odd feeling to be walking through a green park, winding its way through tall, city buildings. It was another gorgeous day but it started to get very hot in the midday sun and we were all hungry for lunch by then so we didn't stay up there too long before heading to the Chelsea Market for lunch. There, we ate and shopped around at the pop up shop.

After lunch, we walked to a nearby bar that had a roof deck for a glass of sparkling rose before Marina and I went back up town to get ready for dinner.

Dinner on Saturday night was probably one of the best parts of the entire weekend. We went to a great little restaurant in Chelsea called Bottino and sat outside on their patio that was strung with white lights. We had a good three and a half hour dinner. We split apps, had delicious entrees, and shared a big slice of tiramisu for dessert. We talked non stop and laughed like crazy. Our waiter commented on the fact that we had covered a wide variety of discussion topics over the night, spanning from Catholicism, Middle Eastern politics, waxing, weddings, the usual gossip, and college stories. Our waiter also fell in love with Marina's friend and slipped her a little love note as we left, which we then promptly performed dramatic readings of on our way down the street.

It was a great weekend made even better by the great company we had. I'd been wanting to stay with Marina in the city for a while and I'm so glad I was able to do it before I move to Boston! She was the greatest hostess and she guided me around the city like an expert. I love you sissy!

A Concert And What's On Tap For The Weekend

This photo has nothing to do with the post, but it's pretty and it's a good image to start the weekend with!

Last night, AJ and I made the trip out to Hartford to see his favorite band, Kings of Leon, in concert. We had tickets to see them live back in 2011, but they cancelled the show a few weeks before so it's been a long time coming! We had lawn tickets, meaning we were sitting outside on a big hill and looking down at the concert. It was a beautiful evening and we had a beach towel in the car so it was the perfect set up but about 30 minutes before show time, a man that worked at the venue started passing out stadium tickets to everyone so we got even better and much closer seats inside for free!!
The drive there was good, the drive back was not fun. It was after 1 am and trying to keep myself awake and focused was a challenge!



It's almost 9 am and I just saw AJ off on his own adventure for the day—I'll talk about that more later, though.

This weekend I am going to Manhattan to stay with my sister, Marina. It started out as just us but now a bunch of her girlfriends will be joining us, too!

Our plans for a weekend in the city, so far, include:

Exploring the Morgan Library and Museum, something Marina and I have wanted to check out for a while

Browsing the shelves at The Strand. So. Many. Books!

A late dinner at Tuttles once everyone arrives in NYC

Visiting the New Museum of Contemporary Art

Walking The High Line

Saturday night dinner at Bottino

And hopefully, bagels at some point

Of, course, some plans will change and some activities may be added but I'm just excited to spend some quality sister time with Marina before I move to Boston soon! Needless to say, it will be a fun, packed weekend and I am looking forward to it.

What do you have planned for this beautiful weekend?

Coming Up This Weekend

• Seeing my sister. My sister, Marina, has been in Cairo for the last month visiting her boyfriend. We've seen each other on Skype a few times and she's been back in the country since Monday but has been working in the city so we haven't seen her yet. But tonight, I'll finally get to see her again in person!
• Farmers Market! Each time I go to a Farmers Market, I see something that I want to go back for the following week. New Canaan has a market every Saturday and I'm hoping the stormy weather will hold out so I can go grab some healthy goodies!
• Dateline. That's a given for Friday and Saturday night. 
• Spend time with AJ. He had a really, really overly busy and tiring week at work so there will be a lot of time spent relaxing and decompressing this weekend. 
• Zumba Toning on Saturday morning. I love all Zumba classes at the studio I go to, but Saturday morning Zumba usually feels like the toughest workout of all. There's still cardio in it, but this instructor seems to focus on strength training much more and I need that!
• Hearing stories. I mentioned last week that some of AJ's family is visiting from Peru and this weekend they are going to D.C. They'll be back Sunday night and I'm looking forward to hearing about their trip!

What are you looking forward to this weekend? Happy August!

Saturday Morning and the Times

I like to start my Saturday mornings with two of my favorite things, coffee and the New York Times Book Review. It feels like a little treat, a little ritual to begin the weekend. This morning, I woke up around 7, ate a quick breakfast, got a work out in, and then settled at the kitchen table with hot coffee and the Book Review.

Some days are better than others as far as the articles go but this morning was a pretty good one! I always have my phone nearby with my Notes open in case there's a book I want to add to the ongoing list I keep there of books I want to read.

Today I only added one book to that list. A book called Astonish Me by Maggie Shipstead was reviewed by Jennifer B. McDonald. The book is about a New York ballerina who will soon be ending her career. The novel seems to focus on a number of different relationships as well as artistic need. Interestingly, the author does not have experience as a dancer but the professional world of ballet is such a small one, that in order to read good fiction about it, it sometimes needs to be written by outsiders. And I like to see how writers write about a world in which they are not experienced because it is something I hope to do.

The book is now on my list although not at the top. The review does not make it seem like a must-read but I love and miss ballet and dance in general (I danced for a good 15 years before stopping) so it might be fun and nostalgic to pick this up sometime.

How do you start your Saturday mornings?

Sunday Morning Musings

It's Sunday morning, and I could use one of these right now. The delicious coffee pictured above is called A Cold Roman, and I got one with my sister at the New Canaan Farmer's Market yesterday. It was delicious! It's cold espresso with whipped half & half which somehow makes it so much sweeter! I wish it came in a bigger cup! 

I'm very tired and a bit bummed this morning. AJ and I had dinner plans with our friends last night and, while it was so great to hang out with them and we had great discussions, the experience at the restaurant was awful. Service was terribly slow, food and drinks were sub par, and the owner did not want to honor the Groupon we bought last week because they had just changed the name of the restaurant...it was really bad business and put a damper on the whole night. It stinks when you just want to have a fun Saturday night out with friends (which we don't really do that often) and the restaurant kind of ruins it. Needless to say, we will not be returning to that place and we will try to stick to the restaurants we've had good experiences with. 

But the night was not a total loss. Like I said, we had great company and great conversation. And after dinner, two of my cousins came over for a sleepover! I haven't had a sleepover since high school and it was really fun to have a night to just hang out and talk with my cousins. One of them is in high school herself and the other is in college so it was fun to chat and see how we're all in different stages of life. I love having family that I can do that with and we talked until 3 am. I'm not used to staying up that late and my body clock wakes me up before 7 every morning so I'm sure I will crash for a nap later today, but it's so worth it to spend time with my lovely cousins! They're still asleep in my basement, actually. 

I'll be seeing more cousins later today at a graduation party and I'll keep today a little slow to just enjoy the sun and the nice weather. Sundays are the best and this sunshine makes it even better!

I hope you are all enjoying a happy weekend! Do you have any plans for this lovely day?

Shakespeare Saturdays: In Disney

Our last Shakespeare Saturday discussed the movie adaptations of Shakespeare plays. This week, we'll discuss how the plays have snuck their way into the most beloved Disney movies of our childhood. Believe it or not, there are an abundance of references to Shakespeare in these classic animated films and today I'll disclose just a few!

1. Beauty and the Beast. This is my favorite Disney movie and when I caught the reference to Romeo and Juliet in an added scene I loved it even more! At the end of the added song, 'Human Again', you can hear Belle read the last lines of Romeo and Juliet's epilogue: "There never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo." At this moment, the Beast asks her to read it again and you can hear her state, "Two households both alike in dignity..." It's a sweet moment between the characters and is a reflection of their relationship.

But that's not the only one in Beauty and the Beast! During the fight song when the villagers are getting ready to kill the beast, Gaston says, "Screw your courage to the sticking place," the same lines Lady Macbeth states to her husband in Act I Scene VII as she encourages him to pluck up the courage to kill the king.

2. Aladdin. This is undoubtedly one of the funniest Shakespeare references! After Aladdin asks Genie to make him a prince, the Genie is suddenly dressed in a toga and laurel wreath with a dagger and says, "Et tu Brute," the same thing Caesar says to Brutus in Act III Scene I of Julius Caesar.

3. Oliver and Company. This film of lovable mutts features Francis, the high brow bulldog, who in one scene is caught watching a television production of Macbeth. His monologue, one of Shakespeare's most famous, from Act V Scene V, "Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow" is heard from the television. These words mirror the plot of the movie, the dogs are awaiting the impending arrival of the film's evil antagonist, Sykes.

4. The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Fittingly to the themes of this film, Disney's darker animated movie contains a references from The Merchant of Venice. Victor, a gargoyle, says to Quasimodo, "Yet if you kick us, do we not flake? If you moisten us, do we not grow moss?" These lines are modeled after Shylock's famous speech in Shakespeare's play: "If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die?" This play is an appropriate one to fit into The Hunchback of Notre Dame because it focuses on conflict between Christians and Jew while the movie focuses on conflict between Christians and Gypsies in France.

5. The Little Mermaid. Another allusion to Romeo and Juliet! During the boat scene where all the animals are trying to convince Eric to kiss Ariel, Scuttle says he needs to perform a vocal romantic exercise. He starts to squawk a version of Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet instrumental.

6. The Lion King. This is perhaps the most obvious Shakespeare reference because the story is just that of Shakespeare's Hamlet. Mufasa and the King are both killed by their brother, Scar and Claudius respectively. Then their son, Simba and Hamlet, is visited by his father's ghost and is led astray by a duo, Timon and Pumba from The Lion King and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern from Hamlet. The endings are the same, too. Simba and Hamlet both return to avenge their father's deaths and take their throne back. Thankfully, Nala has a very different fate than that of Ophelia.

Shakespeare Saturdays: Hollywood Twists

One reason that Shakespeare's plays have remained relevant and important for so long is because people continue to reinterpret and adapt the historic plays. While many adaptations line the streets of Broadway or make their way to small town theaters, Hollywood plays a large part in remaking and modernizing the very best of his plays. Below are some of my favorite adaptations!

10 Things I Hate About You. I know I'm not alone on this one. This movie, based on The Taming of the Shrew, came out in 1999 and people are still quoting the famous poem at the end and fawning over Heath Ledger's smile. Of course, this movie does not stick to the original script or storyline, but it's a hilarious and updated take on love, trickery, and happy endings. This one makes my list because The Taming of the Shrew is my favorite Shakespearean comedy.

She's The Man. Again, another given. The movie is based on Twelfth Night and is such a good rendition of the play. It sticks to the bare bones of the plot but makes it absolutely hilarious, starring Amanda Bynes before she went cray cray. The comedy of it is truly Shakespearean and his influence is very apparent throughout the hijinks and missteps of the colorful characters.

Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet. This is one of my favorite movies and it is especially unique because it takes the exact, word-for-word script of Shakespeare's play and just updates the setting. I think I like the use of the original script so much because it shows that understanding the language is attainable. And, because it's a Baz Luhrmann film, everything is over the top and dramatized and that's always fun to watch.

Love's Labor's Lost. I love this play, even though it is not one of his most popular, because it is all in rhyme which makes it perfect to adapt into a musical. Kenneth Branagh did just that—also, everyone should watch Branagh in some form of a Shakespeare remake, he's in or has created a ton of them. Alicia Silverstone stars in this adaptation and I found the watching the movie made reading the play more fun and entertaining. The dance and singing scenes are occasionally cringeworthy but there's plenty of humor in it, as well!

Shakespeare Saturday: Walk Like Will

We know Shakespeare the writer, the actor, and the father but the long distance walker? That part of his persona is probably not as well-known. But in Shakespeare's day, walking was the most common and most affordable mode of transportation, even if that walk spans 146 miles.

From Shakespeare's birthplace in Stratford-Upon-Avon, the path that he most likely took to South London winds through towns and past rivers to lead to the Globe Theater. While we'll never know how often Shakespeare took this walk or what words he conjured up on his journey, anyone now has the opportunity to walk in his footsteps. To celebrate the Bard's 450th birthday coming up later this month, this path, called Shakespeare's Way, is being opened to the public for Shakespeare lovers to explore.

The walk is long but you can walk parts of it at your leisure. Start at Shakespeare's childhood home so you can experience that piece of history as well. Walk a few miles or as long as you like to get a feel for the beginning of Shakespeare's long journeys into the city. I would also suggest making sure you do the final leg of the walk so that you can enter London as he would have and head to the new Globe Theater, as the original is no longer standing—at least that's what I would do! And that's what I hope to do someday.

You can learn more about Shakespeare's Way here and here!

Shakespeare Saturdays: L'estatua di Giulietta

This statue of Shakespeare's famed Juliet has stood in the courtyard of Juliet's House in Verona, Italy since the 70's. I first read about her in the book, Letters to Juliet, which inspired the movie of the same name starring Amanda Seyfried. But this Juliet is getting a new home.  
The statue's breast is often touched by tourists which has caused damage over the years. 
My sister's good friend, Sarah Scheffer, recently wrote an article on this statue for PBS. She discusses how the statue's breast is often touched by tourists which has caused damage over the years. In order to preserve it, the statue has been moved to a museum where it can be restored and protected from wandering hands. 
I love the idea that tourists, love-seekers, and hopeless romantics can visit the supposed House of Juliet. You can leave her notes, stand at her balcony, and view her supposed tomb. You can even mail her letters if you can't catch a flight to Italy! (You can mail letters to this address: Club di Giulietta via Galilei 3 - 37133 Verona ITALY).  It's all very romantic and I would LOVE to go to Verona one day, and maybe even leave a letter for the eternal and loving Juliet. 


Shakespeare's immortalized character is one of the most famous names in literature and emotions of love, sadness, and bravery are conjured upon hearing her name. It is only fitting that she be remembered with a statue and a courtyard for many to honor her. 

You can read more about Juliet's statue here!

Shakespeare Saturdays: Sonnet 130

I have had a very long love affair with all things Shakespeare. I have a bookshelf dedicated to his works and works about his works. If a lit class at school promised we’d read one of his plays, I signed up. It is a goal of mine to see a production of his (ideally Romeo & Juliet or The Taming of the Shrew or Macbeth or Hamlet or anything really) at the Globe Theater.  I just can’t get enough of the man!

This is why I am introducing a weekly (maybe bimonthly) blog posting, dedicated to the Bard—Shakespeare Saturdays, if you will. Perhaps some Saturdays we’ll discuss a particular play, a sonnet, a theme of his, a mystery behind the man, a book about him, anything having to do with Shakespeare. It will be a great way (I promise!) to brush up on your knowledge of Will Shakey’s works or to learn something new about them!

Since this is the first posting, we’ll start slow with just a sonnet! One of the more well known sonnets. First, I’ll give you a little background information on Shakespeare’s sonnets.

There are 154, published in 1609, however they were not published by Shakespeare so it is unknown in what ordered he would have wanted them to appear. Almost all of the sonnets are constructed using three quatrains and a couplet at the end. Many argue that you can split the sonnets into two groups based on who the sonnets are about or who they are aimed towards. Numbers 1-126 are commonly viewed as being addressed to a ‘fair youth.’ These sonnets explore sexuality, love, family, and the brevity of time. The other half of the sonnets, 127-152, are addressed to The Dark Lady. These sonnets are overtly sexual and focus on passionate, sexual love instead of platonic or familial love.

Today, we will discuss Sonnet 130.

My mistress’ eye are nothing like the sun,

Coral is far more red than her lips’ red;

If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;

If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.

I have seen roses damasked, red and white,

But no such roses see I in her cheeks,

And in some perfumes is there more delight

Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.

I love to hear her speak, yet well I know

That music hath a far more pleasing sound.

I grant I never saw a goddess go:

My mistress when she walks treads on the ground.

         And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare

         As any she belied with false compare.

This sonnet is written to his Dark Lady, you can tell because he refers to her skin as “dun” and her hair as “black,” and can be read in many different ways. Shakespeare compares his mistress to beautiful things, but always states that his mistress is not as beautiful. Her lips are not as beautiful as coral, and her skin is dull and lacks the luminosity of snow. He makes it clear that she is no goddess nor does she have any qualities that would make her goddess-like. She can’t sing and she smells, ouch.

However, the turning point of this sonnet is in the final couplet. Shakespeare finds that his mistress is rare because she cannot compare to all of these other-worldly beauties. She is not a goddess, and that might be a good thing. She is real and tangible. And that is better than any goddess Shakespeare could imagine. By comparing her to all of these wondrous qualities that are not held by humans, he is not berating her, but praising her.

I think that a definite connection can be made between this sonnet and the world we live in today. People often want to look like supermodels and celebrities, that are airbrushed and professionally done-up to appear attractive behind possibility. But that might not be the best definition of beauty. Perhaps, as Shakespeare seems to argue, beauty is seen in the natural form of humanity. Being the most organic form of yourself is what is truly beautiful because it is relatable and real and for a person to be able to love you, they must see the real you.

I know, I am really reading this with as much optimism as possible but I think that is it a nice way to interpret these 14 lines. What do you think Shakespeare meant with his words? And what other works of his would you like to see on Shakespeare Saturdays?