Tag: #shakespeare

Books

Who Would Be the Worst Babysitter: Friar Lawrence or the Grinch?

Aubrey Leaman

I wouldn’t trust either of them within thirty-nine and a half feet of my child! But who would actually be the worst?

The Friar

Image result for friar lawrenceFriar Lawrence literally looked two teens in the eye and said, why yes, I’ll help you get married. Then he proceeded to give the EXTREMELY IMPORTANT letter detailing how Juliet isn’t actually dead to someone who has no idea what the stakes are. Shouldn’t he have said something like, “Hey man, if you don’t deliver this letter it’s going to be really, really, really, really, really bad?” Or maybe he did and the other friar just thought to himself, “Ha, another one of Larry’s jokes. What a guy!” Continue reading “Who Would Be the Worst Babysitter: Friar Lawrence or the Grinch?” →

Classical Music Stories

Classical Music Stories: Romeo, Juliet, and Grieg

Aubrey Leaman
(My man Grieg rocking an epic hat)

Adventure, drama, despair, irony…this music has it all! (And speaking of having it all, check out this photo where Grieg is rocking a truly SPECTACULAR hat and mustache…)

But anyways.

Classical Music Stories is a series that connects music to your favorite books and characters. Since listening to classical music can be like hearing a story, imagining specific stories that match the music can make it that much more fun and accessible! Continue reading “Classical Music Stories: Romeo, Juliet, and Grieg” →

Books

If Shakespeare’s Characters Were High School Stereotypes

Aubrey Leaman
Ellen_Terry_as_Lady_Macbeth.jpg
“I want the throne AND your lunch money…” –Lady Macbeth

While stereotypes are harmful and incorrect in the way that they oversimplify people, they’re everywhere in books, movies, and TV–especially when the setting is high school! If the characters in some of Shakespeare’s most famous plays were to be recast in this format, then, which high school stereotypes would we find?

1. The jock

Romeo from Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare: We’re always hearing about how Romeo and his friends are getting into fights with the Capulet boys, which surely keeps you in great shape. Sword fighting itself can be a sport, in a way (albeit a bloody one…). Plus, Romeo manages to kill both Tybalt and Paris, so he’s got to be pretty swol.

2. The loner

Continue reading “If Shakespeare’s Characters Were High School Stereotypes” →

Books

Classic Literature That Would Make Great Video Games

Aubrey Leaman

literature-video-games-2Lately I’ve been considering buying some sort of video game console in order to take fun breaks from Ph.D. music theory reading. I can be bad at taking breaks, but I only have classes on 3 days of the week this coming quarter so I’m not Continue reading “Classic Literature That Would Make Great Video Games” →

Books

If Macbeth Met Thor

Aubrey Leaman

thor-in-macbeth

I can just picture Macbeth and Thor chatting until Thor lets slip that he’s not only a king, but a god:

Macbeth: (Addresses an invisible audience off to the side:)
—Our fears in Thor
Stick deep; and in his royalty of nature
Reigns that which would be fear’d: ‘tis much he dares;
And, to that dauntless temper of— Continue reading “If Macbeth Met Thor” →