Folger Shakespeare Library produces a terrific podcast. As with many other productions, they are addressing COVID-19, and this week’s was a bit different with several interviews with writers, actors, directors, and others about where they seek solace in Shakespeare’s writing. Here are some images from his island and text inspired by the episode. Hope it provides a bit of solace for you.
Glen Shiel
A few weeks ago, I shared an image inspired by Ariel in The Tempest. The other native on the island in that play is Caliban. In this scene, an invisible Ariel is making noises to scare two drunken shipwrecked sailors. The ugly, coarse Caliban, then speaks some beautiful poetry about his home island.
Highlands light
In reaction to that reading, the former Folger Library Director, Gail Kern Paster said:
I think too that one of the things that makes this passage so hopeful and beautiful at this moment is that it's really hard not to experience the world as toxic. The moment we walk out our doors, we feel as if we're in a toxic place. What this passage reminds us of is how beautiful our world is. And even in a time like our time, in a moment of plague, we cannot—we should not forget that we live in a very, very beautiful world.
Current Director, Michael Witmore offered:
Okay, I'm going to give you a couple more short ones. One of my favorites, this is from Troilus and Cressida. "One touch of nature makes the whole world kin." We're all human. Every one of us, but we share a common nature and this is what draws us together. I do feel like it speaks to my desire to feel like I'm in the boat with everybody else.
And then this is my favorite one I think, "Truth makes all things plain." “Truth makes all things plain,” does what it says. It's simple. It's direct, and so are the facts. And in this particular moment, we really do need facts. It's the thing we long for in addition to connection. So that's my favorite five word phrase for the thing we're experiencing now.
Elgol
The highlight of the podcast for me was listening to Derek Jacobi reading this overwhelmingly sad poem, that in true Elizabethan sonnet form twists in the last couplet to a ray of joy and love. So think of dear friends.
Isle of Skye