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September 10, 2007
Shakespeare and Insomnia
Recently, we've discovered that our local library--the one I made fun of at first, but am now learning to appreciate--has the complete BBC produced series of Shakespeare plays.
In the past, I haven't appreciated Shakespeare the way that I knew I should. I love to read, but for some reason, I can't seem to get the rhythm and sense of Shakespeare just from reading alone. But when I hear it out loud, it's beautiful, and even if I don't consciously understand every metaphor layered upon metaphor, my subconscious fills in the sense of it. Tim prefers reading Shakespeare to watching his plays, but since the BBC productions are so well-made and preserve the plays word-by-word, he's having a great time with these as well. Right now, we're working through some of the history plays--Richard II through Henry V (which we're currently watching).
A couple of recent intersections of pregnancy-induced insomnia and Shakespeare...
1) "How I sometimes feel these days, only Shakespeare says it so much better"
O sleep, O gentle sleep, Nature's soft nurse, how have I frighted thee, That thou no more wilt weigh my eyelids down And steep my senses in forgetfulness?
--Henry IV, Henry IV, Part II
(Tim couldn't figure out why I was laughing during this incredibly stirring speech-it was just so true!)
2) "When Shakespeare and insomnia don't mix"
After watching the beginning of Henry the Fifth last night, I fell asleep only to halfway wake up an hour or two later. I was convinced that King Henry thought that I was plotting to steal his crown. I knew that whatever I did--whether I fell back asleep or kept myself awake--he would read it as evidence that I was planning a coup. I was awake enough to question my logic, but not quite awake enough to undelude myself
I finally woke up my ever-enduring husband.
Tim: "What's wrong, honey?"
Joanna: "I don't know, I think it's the king."
Tim: "What king?!?!?!?"
Joanna: "King Henry. He thinks I want to take over his kingdom."
Instead of laughing at me, Tim helped to soothe me back to sleep. Meanwhile, I tried to reason with myself that being such a lowly minion, it would be a delusion of grandeur to think that Henry would be worried about me stealing his kingdom.
Literature | By Tim and Jo | 11:50 AM
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Comments
Good thing I'm not your husband b/c I would have laughed myself into convulsions!! :p
Posted by: Carrie at September 10, 2007 1:15 PM
Okay, THAT has got to be one of the most hilarious pregnancy dreams ever. I TOTALLY understand about not being able to shake off the fact that it's fiction, though. I had some pretty crazy dreams.
Posted by: Jeannette at September 10, 2007 2:41 PM
Heehee! Aww, poor silly you! I think I remember having a strange Henry V dream too, but not quite as crazy as yours!
Posted by: Grace at September 10, 2007 11:47 PM