Battle # 4 Macbeth vs. King Lear

Battle #4 - Macbeth vs. King Lear

Welcome, welcome one and all to the third and forth official day of the Battle of the Bards!!

Today is a very special day because we will be having a double.... that is right DOUBLE match up. Make sure to scroll down or use the convenient battle list to your right ----> to check out the match up from earlier today. It has already gotten pretty heated so don't forget to cast your votes for both plays!!
For official rules and as well as explanations to how the game works be sure to check any of the other posts. We are curretly still in the first tier of the brackets so each correct answer for today's battles will earn you one point torwards THE GRAND PRIZE!?!?
The path is sure to be long and hard but fear not, your efforts shall be rewarded in the end!

Now that you have heard the rules it is time to begin the second battle of the day! So break out your foam fingers, practice your iambic pentameter, and let's get ready to rummmbbllleeeeee in.....
The Battle of the Bards!!!!!

vs

First up we have a play that we hope you all know and love. Macbeth has been a front runner since the very beginning but that doesn't mean it has quite shaken off the black spot that King Lear is sure to provide!!

Macbeth
Weighing in at: 2113
First Appearance: 1603-1607
Shortish Summary: wicked witches, possible prophesies, amazingggg speeches.
Much longer summary:

The first act of this play is down right creepy. It starts with the Three Witches deciding that their next meeting shall be with Macbeth. In the following scene, a wounded captain reports to King Duncan of Scotland that his generals Macbeth and Banquo have just won a nice victory, and Macbeth gets all the praise.

The scene changes. Macbeth and Banquo enter, discussing the weather and their victory ... however the 3 witches show up and burst their happy bubble with some prophesies. Apparently Macbeth will be king and Banquo will have some sons... who will eventually kill a king A little later, they find out that Macbeth is now officially king of some random country! Go figure. The first prophecy is thus fulfilled. Immediately, Macbeth begins to harbor ambitions of becoming king of his land.

Macbeth tells his wife who comes up with a plan to kill the current king (Duncan). Macbeth objects but she tells him to suck it up and be a man. So sure enough Macbeth kills the king and frames the servants. Later when the body is discovered, Macbeth pretends to be socked and kills some guards in his fake rage. However the country is still minus one king so Macbeth (as foretold) steps up.

Despite his success, Macbeth remains uneasy about the prophecy about Banquo and hires someone to kill his sons. However there is a bit of a mix up and Banquo ends up dead and his son runs back to the castle. A little later while everyone is partying, Banquo's ghost shows up and sits in Macbeth's seat! However unfortunately for Macbeth, he is the only one that can see the ghost, leading everyone to think hes nuts.

Macbeth is freaking out by this point goes to see the Witches They conjure up three spirits with three further warnings and prophecies, which tell him he will "never vanquish'd be until Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill shall come against him". Since Macduff is in exile in England, thinks he golden, but just to be safe he locks up Macduffs family.

Meanwhile, Lady Macbeth becomes wracked with guilt from the crimes she and her husband have committed. In a famous scene, she sleepwalks and tries to wash imaginary bloodstains from her hands, all the while speaking of the terrible things she knows.

In England, Malcolm and Macduff hear about the chaos going on at the castle and decide to return and take down Macbeth. Around this time Macbeth delivers a famous soliloquy ("Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow" read it, it's amazing) uponhearing Lady Macbeth's killed herself.

There is a fight and Macbeth is beheaded by Macduff fulfilling the witches' prophesies. Sad.

Fun Facts:

- You can't even begin to imagine how prevalent this place is in our daily life. Just by reading the very short 'tomorrow, and tomorrow' speech you can find at least 10 modern day works that have taken their titles or used an allusion. Aldus Huxley even has a short book of esssay's with the same title. Just look around folks, you will be suprised how many modern day things actually comes from this play.

Amazing Quotes:

• "Stars, hide your fires:
  Let not light see my black and deep desires:
  The eye wink at the hand; yet let that be
  Which the eye fears, when it is done, to see."

• Out, damned spot! Out, I say! One: two:
  why, then 'tis time to do't. Hell is murky. Fie, my lord,
  Fie! A soldier, and afeard? What need we fear who
  Knows it, when none can call our power accompt?
  Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?"

• "By the pricing of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes."
  

Here we have a nice modern translation of the famous 'something wicked' scene, as told by our good friends: The Animaniacs.

Well folks Macbeth came out swinging. With powerful quotes and the odds on it's side Macbeth is looking confident. Can the next contestant give it a run for it's money?
In the left corner, representing all those oldies out there we have:

King Lear
Weighing in at : 3216 Lines
First Appearance: 1603-1606
Short Summary: stubborn old fathers, greedy daughters, dysfunctional family
Longish Summary:

Lear, who is really old, wants to retire. He decides to divide his realm among his three daughters, and offers the largest share to the one who loves him best. Goneril and Regan (two of his daughters) both say over and over they love him more than anything in the world, which pleases him. To bad for Lear, but the two good daughters are just lying to get what they want.

Cordelia (the 3rd daughter) is quiet but honest which annoys him. Gramps gets made, disinherits them, and divides the kingdom between the other two. Kent (some guy hanging around) objects to this unfair treatment. Lear throws another fit and kicks him out too. Cordelia's two suitors enter. Learning that she is disinherited, the Duke of Burgundy withdraws his suit, but the King of France is impressed by her honesty and marries her anyway (yay!)

Kent returns from exile in disguise under the name of Caius, and Lear hires him as a servant. Around this time King Lear is starting to pick up on the fact that his daughters think he is an old fool and is getting pretty upset.

Alot, and I meant alot of death follows. We won't include spoilers but just know this isn't a Disney movie. Some eye-gouging might be included. As people are plotting and scheming away, King Lear who has this time basically become senile, realizes that the whole world is corrupt and runs away from the kingdom.

(A lot happens between then and now) But long story short Lear ends up carrying one of his dead daughters bodies (no spoiler here) across the stage and promptly dies himself.

What follows is even more death, corruption, and madness but we don't want to give it all away. If you want to know which daughter makes it to the end, if King Lear gets his 'crazy' under control, or hear about the entire subplot of a war, then by all means rush out and pick yourself up a copy!!!

(click to make bigger)

Sadly dinosaurs are not included in the play

Fun Facts: (taken from here)

• Portions of a radio performance of the play on BBC Radio 3 in the UK were used by John Lennon in The Beatles' song "I Am the Walrus", starting at about the halfway point, but most audible towards the end and during the long fadeout. Lennon added the BBC audio (live as it was being broadcast) during mixing of the track. The character Oswald's exhortation, "bury my body", as well as his lament, "O, untimely death!" (Act IV, Scene VI) were interpreted by fans as further pieces of evidence that band member Paul McCartney was dead.
• A lake in Watermead Country Park, Leicestershire is named King Lear's Lake, owing to its proximity of the legendary burial tomb of King Lear.
  
• At the beginning of the video game Final Fantasy IX, the play 'I Want To Be Your Canary' played in front of Queen Brahne is heavily inspired from King Lear (the two plays share both the characters' names and the plot) .

Fun Quotes:

• Come not between the dragon and his wrath.

• A man may see how this world goes with no eyes. Look with thine ears

• The weight of this sad time we must obey;
  Speak what we feel, not what we ought to say.
  The oldest hath borne most: we that are young
  Shall never see so much, nor live so long.

Finally for your viewing pleasure, we have some meerkat's a reading passage from King Lear because.... well why not?

Alright Bard lover's are you crying yet? If so, probably out of frustration on which play to pick. We encourage all of you to leave your comments, questions, personal anecdotes, etc to help others, and possibly yourselves to make up your minds! As always we encourage you to go above and beyond and possibly pick up the plays or at the very least, google some quotes. You might just be amazed at what you find!!

Battle # 4 Macbeth vs. King Lear

Battle #4 - Macbeth vs. King Lear

Welcome, welcome one and all to the third and forth official day of the Battle of the Bards!!

Today is a very special day because we will be having a double.... that is right DOUBLE match up. Make sure to scroll down or use the convenient battle list to your right ----> to check out the match up from earlier today. It has already gotten pretty heated so don't forget to cast your votes for both plays!!
For official rules and as well as explanations to how the game works be sure to check any of the other posts. We are curretly still in the first tier of the brackets so each correct answer for today's battles will earn you one point torwards THE GRAND PRIZE!?!?
The path is sure to be long and hard but fear not, your efforts shall be rewarded in the end!

Now that you have heard the rules it is time to begin the second battle of the day! So break out your foam fingers, practice your iambic pentameter, and let's get ready to rummmbbllleeeeee in.....
The Battle of the Bards!!!!!

vs

First up we have a play that we hope you all know and love. Macbeth has been a front runner since the very beginning but that doesn't mean it has quite shaken off the black spot that King Lear is sure to provide!!

Macbeth
Weighing in at: 2113
First Appearance: 1603-1607
Shortish Summary: wicked witches, possible prophesies, amazingggg speeches.
Much longer summary:

The first act of this play is down right creepy. It starts with the Three Witches deciding that their next meeting shall be with Macbeth. In the following scene, a wounded captain reports to King Duncan of Scotland that his generals Macbeth and Banquo have just won a nice victory, and Macbeth gets all the praise.

The scene changes. Macbeth and Banquo enter, discussing the weather and their victory ... however the 3 witches show up and burst their happy bubble with some prophesies. Apparently Macbeth will be king and Banquo will have some sons... who will eventually kill a king A little later, they find out that Macbeth is now officially king of some random country! Go figure. The first prophecy is thus fulfilled. Immediately, Macbeth begins to harbor ambitions of becoming king of his land.

Macbeth tells his wife who comes up with a plan to kill the current king (Duncan). Macbeth objects but she tells him to suck it up and be a man. So sure enough Macbeth kills the king and frames the servants. Later when the body is discovered, Macbeth pretends to be socked and kills some guards in his fake rage. However the country is still minus one king so Macbeth (as foretold) steps up.

Despite his success, Macbeth remains uneasy about the prophecy about Banquo and hires someone to kill his sons. However there is a bit of a mix up and Banquo ends up dead and his son runs back to the castle. A little later while everyone is partying, Banquo's ghost shows up and sits in Macbeth's seat! However unfortunately for Macbeth, he is the only one that can see the ghost, leading everyone to think hes nuts.

Macbeth is freaking out by this point goes to see the Witches They conjure up three spirits with three further warnings and prophecies, which tell him he will "never vanquish'd be until Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill shall come against him". Since Macduff is in exile in England, thinks he golden, but just to be safe he locks up Macduffs family.

Meanwhile, Lady Macbeth becomes wracked with guilt from the crimes she and her husband have committed. In a famous scene, she sleepwalks and tries to wash imaginary bloodstains from her hands, all the while speaking of the terrible things she knows.

In England, Malcolm and Macduff hear about the chaos going on at the castle and decide to return and take down Macbeth. Around this time Macbeth delivers a famous soliloquy ("Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow" read it, it's amazing) uponhearing Lady Macbeth's killed herself.

There is a fight and Macbeth is beheaded by Macduff fulfilling the witches' prophesies. Sad.

Fun Facts:

- You can't even begin to imagine how prevalent this place is in our daily life. Just by reading the very short 'tomorrow, and tomorrow' speech you can find at least 10 modern day works that have taken their titles or used an allusion. Aldus Huxley even has a short book of esssay's with the same title. Just look around folks, you will be suprised how many modern day things actually comes from this play.

Amazing Quotes:

• "Stars, hide your fires:
  Let not light see my black and deep desires:
  The eye wink at the hand; yet let that be
  Which the eye fears, when it is done, to see."

• Out, damned spot! Out, I say! One: two:
  why, then 'tis time to do't. Hell is murky. Fie, my lord,
  Fie! A soldier, and afeard? What need we fear who
  Knows it, when none can call our power accompt?
  Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?"

• "By the pricing of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes."
  

Here we have a nice modern translation of the famous 'something wicked' scene, as told by our good friends: The Animaniacs.

Well folks Macbeth came out swinging. With powerful quotes and the odds on it's side Macbeth is looking confident. Can the next contestant give it a run for it's money?
In the left corner, representing all those oldies out there we have:

King Lear
Weighing in at : 3216 Lines
First Appearance: 1603-1606
Short Summary: stubborn old fathers, greedy daughters, dysfunctional family
Longish Summary:

Lear, who is really old, wants to retire. He decides to divide his realm among his three daughters, and offers the largest share to the one who loves him best. Goneril and Regan (two of his daughters) both say over and over they love him more than anything in the world, which pleases him. To bad for Lear, but the two good daughters are just lying to get what they want.

Cordelia (the 3rd daughter) is quiet but honest which annoys him. Gramps gets made, disinherits them, and divides the kingdom between the other two. Kent (some guy hanging around) objects to this unfair treatment. Lear throws another fit and kicks him out too. Cordelia's two suitors enter. Learning that she is disinherited, the Duke of Burgundy withdraws his suit, but the King of France is impressed by her honesty and marries her anyway (yay!)

Kent returns from exile in disguise under the name of Caius, and Lear hires him as a servant. Around this time King Lear is starting to pick up on the fact that his daughters think he is an old fool and is getting pretty upset.

Alot, and I meant alot of death follows. We won't include spoilers but just know this isn't a Disney movie. Some eye-gouging might be included. As people are plotting and scheming away, King Lear who has this time basically become senile, realizes that the whole world is corrupt and runs away from the kingdom.

(A lot happens between then and now) But long story short Lear ends up carrying one of his dead daughters bodies (no spoiler here) across the stage and promptly dies himself.

What follows is even more death, corruption, and madness but we don't want to give it all away. If you want to know which daughter makes it to the end, if King Lear gets his 'crazy' under control, or hear about the entire subplot of a war, then by all means rush out and pick yourself up a copy!!!

(click to make bigger)

Sadly dinosaurs are not included in the play

Fun Facts: (taken from here)

• Portions of a radio performance of the play on BBC Radio 3 in the UK were used by John Lennon in The Beatles' song "I Am the Walrus", starting at about the halfway point, but most audible towards the end and during the long fadeout. Lennon added the BBC audio (live as it was being broadcast) during mixing of the track. The character Oswald's exhortation, "bury my body", as well as his lament, "O, untimely death!" (Act IV, Scene VI) were interpreted by fans as further pieces of evidence that band member Paul McCartney was dead.
• A lake in Watermead Country Park, Leicestershire is named King Lear's Lake, owing to its proximity of the legendary burial tomb of King Lear.
  
• At the beginning of the video game Final Fantasy IX, the play 'I Want To Be Your Canary' played in front of Queen Brahne is heavily inspired from King Lear (the two plays share both the characters' names and the plot) .

Fun Quotes:

• Come not between the dragon and his wrath.

• A man may see how this world goes with no eyes. Look with thine ears

• The weight of this sad time we must obey;
  Speak what we feel, not what we ought to say.
  The oldest hath borne most: we that are young
  Shall never see so much, nor live so long.

Finally for your viewing pleasure, we have some meerkat's a reading passage from King Lear because.... well why not?

Alright Bard lover's are you crying yet? If so, probably out of frustration on which play to pick. We encourage all of you to leave your comments, questions, personal anecdotes, etc to help others, and possibly yourselves to make up your minds! As always we encourage you to go above and beyond and possibly pick up the plays or at the very least, google some quotes. You might just be amazed at what you find!!

Battle #3 Midsummer Night's Dream vs The Merchant of Venice

Battle #3 - A Mid Summer Night's Dream vs. The Merchant of Venice

Welcome, welcome one and all to the third and forth official day of the Battle of the Bards!!
Today is a very special day because we will be having a double.... that is right DOUBLE match up. First make sure to check out the contenders in the 'comedy' battle for the week. After you stop crying from laughter, you can begin crying from sadness as you make your way over to the tragedy ring.
So come one, come call, come big, come small, and place your votes for BOTH of our matchups today!!
Before we begin today's match we will be reviewing the rules/concept for those of you playing at home. Twice a week we will be pitting two of Shakespeare's most classic plays against each other in a no holds 'bard' contest to answer the age old question
WHAT IS THE GREATEST SHAKESPEARE PLAY EVER?!?!??!
While some plays might be 'deeper' or more technically written this contest is worried not about those things. Our contest comes right down to what you, the readers, feel in your heart of hearts is the most deserving for the crown. So make sure to carefully weigh your decisions and aim true before selecting your choice. (The poll can be found directly to the top left of the page).

The comedy battles will take place every Monday while Friday will hold the tragedies. You will have 3 days time to vote on each match up so don't dillydally. However we encourage you in that 3 days to do a little outside research of your own. Maybe watch a movie version, find a fun tv. parody, or even actually read a bit of the play (gasp!). However if you don't feel like going the extra mile, we will be providing you with a cornucopia of information for each play to guide you in your quest.

The path is sure to be long and hard but fear not, your efforts shall be rewarded in the end!! This week marks the begging of the 'first tier' of battles. For those who filled out their brackets, each correct guess in this tier will earn you one point towards the grand prize.
LAST WEEKS WINNER: Julius Caesar!!!

So for all of you who had ole J.C to win the first battle, you have earned yourself one point towards the GRAND PRIZE!! As the battle gets a little further into the game, we will be providing some stats about point leaders.
Now that you have heard the rules it is time to bring today's competitors! So break out your foam fingers, practice your iambic pentameter, and let's get ready to rummmbbllleeeeee in.....

vs

A Midsummer Night's Dream

Weighing in at: 2119 lines

First appeared:1594-1596

Shortish summary: frolicking faeries, love potions, donkey heads

Much longer summary:

A Midsummer Night's dream is kind of like a vintage 'Love actually'. The play features three interlocking plots, connected by a celebration of the wedding of Duke Theseus of Athens and the Amazonian queen, Hippolyta, and set simultaneously in the woodland, and in the realm of Fairyland.

In the beginning, Hermia refuses to follow her father's instructions for her to marry his chosen man, Demetrius (sound familiar to any one?). In response, her daddy quotes before Theseus an ancient Athenian law whereby a daughter must marry the suitor chosen by her father, or else face death (dang!). Theseus gives her a choice, listen to her dad or prepare herself to be a virgin forever.

Unbeknown st to her dad, Hermia already has herself a man. Hermia and Lysander make the mistake of telling their friend Helena, who ends up spilling the beans. Her dad and Helena follow them through the woods while Hermia and her man think they have made it out safely....

Meanwhile, Oberon and Titania (king and queen of the faeries), are out in the forest as well. Titania has been messing with the wrong people apparently and the weather has gone all crazy. Oberon is annoyed at his wife so he calls for the mischievous Puck to help him play a trick on his wife. They plan to give her a special potion where she will fall in love with some random thing in the woods.

It just so happens that Oberon saw Hermia's dad and Helena fighting in the woods. He tells Puck to throw some of that magic stuff on Demetrius as well so he will stop acting like a jerk, but of course Puck messes up and puts it on Hermia's lover instead (who then falls in love with Helena!)

They finally get the magic stuff on the right person, but now there are 2 magically entranced men fighting over a kind of worthless woman. Helena apparently knows she isn't much of a prize and doesn't believe the two men really care about her at all. Luckily the spell gets reversed on Hermia's love, and he returns to her.

So here is where the 3rd story intertwines. A band of six lower-class labourers are hanging out in the forest. Mischievious Puck ends up turning one of their heads (a man named Bottom) into a donkey. When his friends see him they take one look at him and run screaming in terror. Determined to wait for his friends, he begins to sing to himself. Titania is awakened by Bottom's singing and immediately falls in love with him (remember folks she is also under the magic spell of love). She treats him like a nobleman and lavishes him with attention.

Eventually everyone gets righted back to their normal non-magical spell and the chaos dies down. The play ends with all the faeries blessing everyone!

Fun Facts:

• Get Over It: The 2001 film stars Kirsten Dunstin a "teen adaptation" of Shakespeare's play. The characters are set in high school, and in addition to some similarities in plot, there is a sub-plot involving the main characters acting in a musical production of A Midsummer Night's Dream.

• For his series The Sandman, Neil Gaiman included a fantastical retelling of the play's origins in the graphic novel Dream Country. It won several awards, and is distinguished by being the only comic that has ever won a World Fantasy Award.
  

Interesting Quotes:

• "Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind, and therefore is winged Cupid painted blind".

• "My heart Is true as steel."

• "The course of true love never did run smooth".

Make sure to check out the BBC animated series of 'A Mid Summer Night's Dream'. Not only is the language beautiful, but so is the animation!

We aren't going to lie, M.N.D is looking like a great contender. However don't count out our next entrant just yet. He is looking to take 'a pound of flesh' right out of his opponent.

The Merchant of Venice
Weighing in at: 2669
First appearance: 1596-1598
Short Summary: sneaky jews, slacker friends, pound of fleshh
Very long summary:

After Bassanio (a lazy but nobelmen) squandered away all of his money he decides to travel to Belmont to woo the beautiful and wealthy heiress Portia. Since he is lazy, he asks his friend Antonio (who is in fact not lazy) for some money for about the 100th time. Antonio agrees doesn't have much cash. He promises to cover a bond if Bassanio can find a lender. Bassanio turns to the JEWISH (woah Shakespeare) moneylender Shylock and names Antonio as the loan’s guarantor.

Shylock hates Antonio, both because he is a Christian and because he insulted and spat on Shylock for being a Jew. So to get back at him Shylock proposes a condition for the loan: if Antonio is unable to repay it at the specified date, he may take a pound of Antonio's flesh (um, ew). Bassiano says it isn't worth it but Antonio but no apparent reasons things that this time his friend might actually pay him back. Whoops. So Bassiano gets the money and with his friend Gratiano they roll out towards Belmont.

Meanwhile in Belmont, it turns out more people are trying to get with Portia than just Bassiano. Her father has left a will stipulating each of her suitors must choose correctly from one of three caskets – one each of gold, silver, and lead – before he could get the girl. In order to be granted an opportunity to marry Portia, each suitor must agree in advance to live out his life as a bachelor if he loses the contest. Of course there is a moral, and the father wants the suitor to pick the the ugly casket.

A few men try before Bassanio gets there, and of course they go for the expensive caskets. Wrong. So Bassanio shows up and of course chooses lead! Huzzah!!

During this time back in Venice, things are not looking so good for Antonio. Looks like he is going to be short on money and Shylock is more determined than ever to get his end of the bargain.

So back at Belmont, Portia and Bassanio have just been married when they get the news about Antonio. They rush back to Venice with some double the money that Bassanio owes, which they borrowed from Portia's daddy.

The climax of the play takes place when every one arrives to the Duke of Venice's court and start arguing about the loan. Shylock turns down the money and is dead set on getting a piece of Antonio (literally). Luckily for Antonio, Portia isn't just all looks, and discovers a loop hole in the agreement which frees Antonio from his debt and sends Shylock off pouting. Everyone gets a happy ending except poor sad Shylock. Don't worry though this isn't all as sad as it sounds. There are countless laughs along the way (mostly at Shylock's expense) and leaves you pretty happy that no one demands pounds of flesh for interest any more!

Some Interesting facts:

• Gears of War 2 has an achievement named 'A pound of flesh' which is a reference to Shylock's deal regarding a pound of flesh.

• In the Twilight Saga the end of Breaking Dawn is based on the ending of the play!

Fun Quotes:

• How far that little candle throws his beams!
  So shines a good deed in a naughty world.

• The devil can cite scripture for his purpose.

• "The quality of mercy is not strain'd/ It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven/ Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest:/ It blesseth him that gives and him that takes/ 'Tis mightiest in the mightiest, it becomes/ The throned monarch better than his crown

Here is a trailer for one of the better film versions of the film. Not going to lie, this doesn't mark it look like a comedy.... But it has Al Pacino and he rocks.

Alright folks there is battle # 1. Take a breather, gather your thoughts, and prepare for the second battle that will take place in just a matter of hours!! Get your votes in and break out those foam fingers! Don't forget that we love to hear your personal stories, debates, and rationales behind your votes!!

-mischief managed, for a few hours-

Battle #3 Midsummer Night's Dream vs The Merchant of Venice

Battle #3 - A Mid Summer Night's Dream vs. The Merchant of Venice

Welcome, welcome one and all to the third and forth official day of the Battle of the Bards!!
Today is a very special day because we will be having a double.... that is right DOUBLE match up. First make sure to check out the contenders in the 'comedy' battle for the week. After you stop crying from laughter, you can begin crying from sadness as you make your way over to the tragedy ring.
So come one, come call, come big, come small, and place your votes for BOTH of our matchups today!!
Before we begin today's match we will be reviewing the rules/concept for those of you playing at home. Twice a week we will be pitting two of Shakespeare's most classic plays against each other in a no holds 'bard' contest to answer the age old question
WHAT IS THE GREATEST SHAKESPEARE PLAY EVER?!?!??!
While some plays might be 'deeper' or more technically written this contest is worried not about those things. Our contest comes right down to what you, the readers, feel in your heart of hearts is the most deserving for the crown. So make sure to carefully weigh your decisions and aim true before selecting your choice. (The poll can be found directly to the top left of the page).

The comedy battles will take place every Monday while Friday will hold the tragedies. You will have 3 days time to vote on each match up so don't dillydally. However we encourage you in that 3 days to do a little outside research of your own. Maybe watch a movie version, find a fun tv. parody, or even actually read a bit of the play (gasp!). However if you don't feel like going the extra mile, we will be providing you with a cornucopia of information for each play to guide you in your quest.

The path is sure to be long and hard but fear not, your efforts shall be rewarded in the end!! This week marks the begging of the 'first tier' of battles. For those who filled out their brackets, each correct guess in this tier will earn you one point towards the grand prize.
LAST WEEKS WINNER: Julius Caesar!!!

So for all of you who had ole J.C to win the first battle, you have earned yourself one point towards the GRAND PRIZE!! As the battle gets a little further into the game, we will be providing some stats about point leaders.
Now that you have heard the rules it is time to bring today's competitors! So break out your foam fingers, practice your iambic pentameter, and let's get ready to rummmbbllleeeeee in.....

vs

A Midsummer Night's Dream

Weighing in at: 2119 lines

First appeared:1594-1596

Shortish summary: frolicking faeries, love potions, donkey heads

Much longer summary:

A Midsummer Night's dream is kind of like a vintage 'Love actually'. The play features three interlocking plots, connected by a celebration of the wedding of Duke Theseus of Athens and the Amazonian queen, Hippolyta, and set simultaneously in the woodland, and in the realm of Fairyland.

In the beginning, Hermia refuses to follow her father's instructions for her to marry his chosen man, Demetrius (sound familiar to any one?). In response, her daddy quotes before Theseus an ancient Athenian law whereby a daughter must marry the suitor chosen by her father, or else face death (dang!). Theseus gives her a choice, listen to her dad or prepare herself to be a virgin forever.

Unbeknown st to her dad, Hermia already has herself a man. Hermia and Lysander make the mistake of telling their friend Helena, who ends up spilling the beans. Her dad and Helena follow them through the woods while Hermia and her man think they have made it out safely....

Meanwhile, Oberon and Titania (king and queen of the faeries), are out in the forest as well. Titania has been messing with the wrong people apparently and the weather has gone all crazy. Oberon is annoyed at his wife so he calls for the mischievous Puck to help him play a trick on his wife. They plan to give her a special potion where she will fall in love with some random thing in the woods.

It just so happens that Oberon saw Hermia's dad and Helena fighting in the woods. He tells Puck to throw some of that magic stuff on Demetrius as well so he will stop acting like a jerk, but of course Puck messes up and puts it on Hermia's lover instead (who then falls in love with Helena!)

They finally get the magic stuff on the right person, but now there are 2 magically entranced men fighting over a kind of worthless woman. Helena apparently knows she isn't much of a prize and doesn't believe the two men really care about her at all. Luckily the spell gets reversed on Hermia's love, and he returns to her.

So here is where the 3rd story intertwines. A band of six lower-class labourers are hanging out in the forest. Mischievious Puck ends up turning one of their heads (a man named Bottom) into a donkey. When his friends see him they take one look at him and run screaming in terror. Determined to wait for his friends, he begins to sing to himself. Titania is awakened by Bottom's singing and immediately falls in love with him (remember folks she is also under the magic spell of love). She treats him like a nobleman and lavishes him with attention.

Eventually everyone gets righted back to their normal non-magical spell and the chaos dies down. The play ends with all the faeries blessing everyone!

Fun Facts:

• Get Over It: The 2001 film stars Kirsten Dunstin a "teen adaptation" of Shakespeare's play. The characters are set in high school, and in addition to some similarities in plot, there is a sub-plot involving the main characters acting in a musical production of A Midsummer Night's Dream.

• For his series The Sandman, Neil Gaiman included a fantastical retelling of the play's origins in the graphic novel Dream Country. It won several awards, and is distinguished by being the only comic that has ever won a World Fantasy Award.
  

Interesting Quotes:

• "Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind, and therefore is winged Cupid painted blind".

• "My heart Is true as steel."

• "The course of true love never did run smooth".

Make sure to check out the BBC animated series of 'A Mid Summer Night's Dream'. Not only is the language beautiful, but so is the animation!

We aren't going to lie, M.N.D is looking like a great contender. However don't count out our next entrant just yet. He is looking to take 'a pound of flesh' right out of his opponent.

The Merchant of Venice
Weighing in at: 2669
First appearance: 1596-1598
Short Summary: sneaky jews, slacker friends, pound of fleshh
Very long summary:

After Bassanio (a lazy but nobelmen) squandered away all of his money he decides to travel to Belmont to woo the beautiful and wealthy heiress Portia. Since he is lazy, he asks his friend Antonio (who is in fact not lazy) for some money for about the 100th time. Antonio agrees doesn't have much cash. He promises to cover a bond if Bassanio can find a lender. Bassanio turns to the JEWISH (woah Shakespeare) moneylender Shylock and names Antonio as the loan’s guarantor.

Shylock hates Antonio, both because he is a Christian and because he insulted and spat on Shylock for being a Jew. So to get back at him Shylock proposes a condition for the loan: if Antonio is unable to repay it at the specified date, he may take a pound of Antonio's flesh (um, ew). Bassiano says it isn't worth it but Antonio but no apparent reasons things that this time his friend might actually pay him back. Whoops. So Bassiano gets the money and with his friend Gratiano they roll out towards Belmont.

Meanwhile in Belmont, it turns out more people are trying to get with Portia than just Bassiano. Her father has left a will stipulating each of her suitors must choose correctly from one of three caskets – one each of gold, silver, and lead – before he could get the girl. In order to be granted an opportunity to marry Portia, each suitor must agree in advance to live out his life as a bachelor if he loses the contest. Of course there is a moral, and the father wants the suitor to pick the the ugly casket.

A few men try before Bassanio gets there, and of course they go for the expensive caskets. Wrong. So Bassanio shows up and of course chooses lead! Huzzah!!

During this time back in Venice, things are not looking so good for Antonio. Looks like he is going to be short on money and Shylock is more determined than ever to get his end of the bargain.

So back at Belmont, Portia and Bassanio have just been married when they get the news about Antonio. They rush back to Venice with some double the money that Bassanio owes, which they borrowed from Portia's daddy.

The climax of the play takes place when every one arrives to the Duke of Venice's court and start arguing about the loan. Shylock turns down the money and is dead set on getting a piece of Antonio (literally). Luckily for Antonio, Portia isn't just all looks, and discovers a loop hole in the agreement which frees Antonio from his debt and sends Shylock off pouting. Everyone gets a happy ending except poor sad Shylock. Don't worry though this isn't all as sad as it sounds. There are countless laughs along the way (mostly at Shylock's expense) and leaves you pretty happy that no one demands pounds of flesh for interest any more!

Some Interesting facts:

• Gears of War 2 has an achievement named 'A pound of flesh' which is a reference to Shylock's deal regarding a pound of flesh.

• In the Twilight Saga the end of Breaking Dawn is based on the ending of the play!

Fun Quotes:

• How far that little candle throws his beams!
  So shines a good deed in a naughty world.

• The devil can cite scripture for his purpose.

• "The quality of mercy is not strain'd/ It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven/ Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest:/ It blesseth him that gives and him that takes/ 'Tis mightiest in the mightiest, it becomes/ The throned monarch better than his crown

Here is a trailer for one of the better film versions of the film. Not going to lie, this doesn't mark it look like a comedy.... But it has Al Pacino and he rocks.

Alright folks there is battle # 1. Take a breather, gather your thoughts, and prepare for the second battle that will take place in just a matter of hours!! Get your votes in and break out those foam fingers! Don't forget that we love to hear your personal stories, debates, and rationales behind your votes!!

-mischief managed, for a few hours-

A Sad Day for Bananafish

Sad news marauders. If you havn't heard already, the talented J.D. Salinger, author of Catcher in the Rye, has died today at 91 of natural causes.

"It's everybody, I mean. Everything everybody does is so — I don't know — not wrong, or even mean, or even stupid necessarily. But just so tiny and meaningless and — sad-making. And the worst part is, if you go bohemian or something crazy like that, you're conforming just as much only in a different way."

-"Ask her if she still keeps all of her kings in the back row" - Catcher in the Rye

Salinger was known most for his beloved coming of age novel, Catcher in the Rye. Catcher in the Rye is taught in thousands of highschools across the country, and is a comforting voice for teenagers everywhere struggling with the difficult task of growing up.

In his late years Salinger had become something of a recluse. It is rumored that Salinger has been writing consistently during the vast void between his death and his public success, but nothing has been published.

"There is a marvelous peace in not publishing. ... It's peaceful. Still. Publishing is a terrible invasion of my privacy. I like to write. I live to write. But I write just for myself and my own pleasure. ... I don't necessarily intend to publish posthumously, but I do like to write for myself. ... I pay for this kind of attitude. I'm known as a strange, aloof kind of man. But all I'm doing is trying to protect myself and my work."

Although we are not huge fans of Catcher in the Rye (it's a little too angsty for our taste) we still recognize him as a legend; he is the writer of one of our favorite book of short stories entitled Nine Stories. And although he rejected the fame, and hid away in his New Hampshire mansion for most of his life, he is still one of best literary voices of our generation, and he will be greatly missed.

"It's History. It's Poetry."

A Sad Day for Bananafish

Sad news marauders. If you havn't heard already, the talented J.D. Salinger, author of Catcher in the Rye, has died today at 91 of natural causes.

"It's everybody, I mean. Everything everybody does is so — I don't know — not wrong, or even mean, or even stupid necessarily. But just so tiny and meaningless and — sad-making. And the worst part is, if you go bohemian or something crazy like that, you're conforming just as much only in a different way."

-"Ask her if she still keeps all of her kings in the back row" - Catcher in the Rye

Salinger was known most for his beloved coming of age novel, Catcher in the Rye. Catcher in the Rye is taught in thousands of highschools across the country, and is a comforting voice for teenagers everywhere struggling with the difficult task of growing up.

In his late years Salinger had become something of a recluse. It is rumored that Salinger has been writing consistently during the vast void between his death and his public success, but nothing has been published.

"There is a marvelous peace in not publishing. ... It's peaceful. Still. Publishing is a terrible invasion of my privacy. I like to write. I live to write. But I write just for myself and my own pleasure. ... I don't necessarily intend to publish posthumously, but I do like to write for myself. ... I pay for this kind of attitude. I'm known as a strange, aloof kind of man. But all I'm doing is trying to protect myself and my work."

Although we are not huge fans of Catcher in the Rye (it's a little too angsty for our taste) we still recognize him as a legend; he is the writer of one of our favorite book of short stories entitled Nine Stories. And although he rejected the fame, and hid away in his New Hampshire mansion for most of his life, he is still one of best literary voices of our generation, and he will be greatly missed.

"It's History. It's Poetry."

Battle # 2 Henry V vs Julius Caesar

Battle #2 - Henry V. vs. Julius Caesar
'Better late than never'

Welcome, welcome one and all to the second official day of the Battle of the Bards!! Today we have a tragic match up full of enough greed, betrayal, and death to make the burliest of thespians cry. Break out the tissues and get your mommy on speed dial because this battle promises to bring out the tears. So come one, come call, come big, come small, and place your votes!!

Before we begin today's match we will be reviewing the rules/concept for those of you playing at home. Twice a week we will be pitting two of Shakespeare's most classic plays against each other in a no holds 'bard' contest to answer the age old question
WHAT IS THE GREATEST SHAKESPEARE PLAY EVER?!?!??!
While some plays might be 'deeper' or more technically written this contest is worried not about those things. Our contest comes right down to what you, the readers, feel in your heart of hearts is the most deserving for the crown. So make sure to carefully weigh your decisions and aim true before selecting your choice. (The poll can be found directly to the top left of the page).

The comedy battles will take place every Monday while Friday will hold the tragedies. You will have 3 days time to vote on each match up so don't dillydally. However we encourage you in that 3 days to do a little outside research of your own. Maybe watch a movie version, find a fun tv. parody, or even actually read a bit of the play (gasp!). However if you don't feel like going the extra mile, we will be providing you with a cornucopia of information for each play to guide you in your quest.

The path is sure to be long and hard but fear not, your efforts shall be rewarded in the end!! This week marks the begging of the 'first tier' of battles. For those who filled out their brackets, each correct guess in this tier will earn you one point towards the grand prize.
LAST WEEKS WINNER: MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING!

So for all of you who had M.A.A.N to win the first battle, you have earned yourself one point towards the GRAND PRIZE!! As the battle gets a little further into the game, we will be providing some stats about point leaders.
Now that you have heard the rules it is time to bring today's competitors! So break out your foam fingers, practice your iambic pentameter, and let's get ready to rummmbbllleeeeee in the...

!!!BATTLE OF THE BARDS!!!

vs

In the left corner, representing all those oldies out there we have:

Henry V.
Weighing in at : 3403 Lines
First Appearance: 1599
Short Summary: Henry rising, Falstaff falling, victory speeches
Longish Summary:

Okay okay okay.... so technically this isn't really a tragedy It is based on the life of King Henry V of England, and focuses on events immediately before and after the Battle of Agincourt during the Hundred Years' War.

The play is the final part of a tetralogy, preceded by Richard II, Henry IV, part 1 and Henry IV, part 2. Original Shakespeare fans would already be pretty familiar with Henry, who was depicted in the Henry IV plays as a wild, undisciplined lad known as "Prince Hal." In Henry V, the young prince has become a mature man (boring) and embarks on an attempted conquest of France.

So even though this is tech. a history bear with us folks. We were trying to give you variety and this is one of the most tragic histories to us so here we go. The early scenes deal with the embarkation of Henry's fleet for France, and include a real-life incident in which the Earl of Cambridge and two others plotted to assassinate Henry (ohnoes!). However Henry is now not an idiot and figures this out.

When the Chorus reappears, he describes the country's dedication to the war effort - "They sell the pasture now to buy the horse" - and tells the audience "We'll not offend one stomach with our play" (lie.).

It isn't all as serious as it sounds though. In Henry's army there are some soldiers named Pistol, Nym, and Bardolph from the Henry IV plays, which have some pretty hilarious lines. The army also includes a Scot, an Irishman, an Englishman and Fluellen, a comically stereotyped Welsh soldier, whose name is an attempt at a phonetic rendition of "Llywelyn" (It's an Elizabethan thing). The play also deals briefly with the death of Falstaff who you have probably heard of even if you haven't read the play.

Before the Battle of Agincourt the chances of them winning aren't looking so great. However Henry steps it up with his decision to wander around the English camp at night, in disguise, so as to comfort his soldiers and find out what they really think of him. Before the battle begins, Henry rallies his troops with the famous speech:

"We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;

For he to-day that sheds his blood with me

Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,

This day shall gentle his condition:

And gentlemen in England now a-bed

Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,

And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks

That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day."

Pretty powerful stuff eh? I'd ride in to battle with him any day. What he said must have worked because they win!! The action ends with the French king adopting Henry as his heir to the French throne and the prayer of the French queen "that English may as French, French Englishmen, receive each other, God speak this Amen."

Interesting quotes:

• I think the king is but a man, as I am: the violet smells to him as it doth to me.
• Once more unto the breach, dear friends.
• You may as well say, that ’s a valiant flea that dare eat his breakfast on the lip of a lion.

In this video you can see Henry V. dropping some pretty powerful verbal bombs. Makes you want to go fight some Agincourts right?

Is this speech enough to rouse you to vote? If Henry V's infamous words aren't doing it for you perhaps your vote is better suited for our next contestant...


Julius Caesar
Weighing in at : 2459
First Appearance: 1599
Short Summary: hide from the ides, Brutus beware, multiple stabbings
Longish Summary: (with help from here)

Contrary to the title, Caesar is not actually the main character in this play. The play opens to the scene of two Tribunes, Marullus and Flavius scolding Roman citizens for blindly worshiping Caesar. Everyone is afraid that Caesar is growing too powerful and arrogant and must be stopped. Hoping to reduce the blind hero worship of Caesar, the two men remove ceremonial decorations off Caesar's "images" (statues) despite the obvious dangers of doing so...

A little later, we see Caesar forcing everyone to stare at him during a parade despite the fact that earlier he got the now classic warning 'beware the ides of March'. Obviously he doesn't care. Cassius, who fears Caesar's ever growing power, begins to recruit Brutus, a close friend of Caesar's, towards his conspiracy by implying that Caesar is becoming too powerful and reveals information to Brutus that suggests Caesar may be getting more ambitious. Some other people including Brutus finally join in and the conspiracy is on.

The complete group of conspirators meets at Brutus' house, to discuss Caesar's assassination. Brutus argues against Caesar's right hand man, Mark Antony being assassinated as well. Cassius and Trebonius have their doubts but go along with Brutus. Brutus' nosy wife Portia tries to find out what her husband is planning.

Calphurnia, Caesar's wife, wakes Caesar up after herself awakening from a terrible nightmare. Of course he doesn't listen and sure enough he gets stabbed later that day by Brutus. Mark Antony rolls out, however he shows back up to speak at the funeral.

During his speech, Mark Antony reveals his true hatred for the conspirators. Too bad for him, the whole city hated J.C too.

Using the immortal words, "Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears;" Mark Antony turns the citizens of Rome against Brutus and Cassius by making the citizens feel remorse for Caesar's cruel death and by bribing then with the news that Caesar's will gifts each citizen money from his will.

The crowd, now an angry, crazed mob (kill the beast!) go after the conspirators including Brutus and Cassius who flee in fear...

What follows is a pretty long and interesting battle between the conspirators and some towns people lead by Mark Anthony. Like we said earlier, Caesar wasn't even really the good part of this play. The play ends with everyone coming to some good realizations about themselves and others, however it is still pretty sad.
Fun Facts:

• Cry "Havoc," and let slip the dogs of war" -- No Tattoo Tuesday today, however enjoy this!!
  

• 
• Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more
• Cowards die many times before their deaths; The valiant never taste of death but once.
  Of all the wonders that I yet have heard, it seems to me most strange that men should fear;
  Seeing that death, a necessary end, will come when it will come

J.C gives old King Lear a punch to the gut with this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-2NmLTdSq8

Make sure you click to watch and wait until at least 2:10. The Cosby boys do a pretty HILARIOUS rap about good old J.C. which brings some humor to this tragedy. Alright folks there you have it. Which one of these classic gentlemen will prevail in the end? Will Caesar learn his lesson the second time around? Will Henry V. compel you to put that voting finger to use?
ONLY YOU CAN DECIDE!!
-mischief managed-