Episode 170: Printers, Plague and Poets

09/05/23 • 77 min

2 Listeners

In this episode, we examine the connection between poetry and plague in the early 1590s. An outbreak of the recurring sickness contributed to Shakespeare’s early career as a poet, and that poetry likely included his many sonnets. We also examine how an old acquaintance from Shakespeare’s hometown emerged as one of the leading printers in London and how his print shop influenced the development of English during the Elizabethan period. Works discussed in this episode include:
Defensative Against Plague
Venus and Adonis – William Shakespeare
Rape of Lucrece – William Shakespeare
Orlando Furioso
The Art of English Poesy – George Puttenham
William Shakespeare’s Sonnets

TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 170

TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 170

Previous Episode

Episode 169: Shakespeare Documented

William Shakespeare is widely considered to be the most important writer in the history of the English language, but relatively little is known about his personal life. The desire to know more about the ‘Bard of Avon’ has led to much speculation and conjecture over the centuries. In this episode, we try to separate fact from fiction as we look at the surviving documentation to determine what we actually know about the poet from Stratford-upon-Avon.

TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 169

Next Episode

Episode 171: Shakespeare’s English (featuring Ben Crystal)

In this episode, we turn our attention to the wordcraft of William Shakespeare. Today, many people have mixed opinions about his plays and poems. They know that he is widely regarded as the greatest English writer of all time, but they struggle with his language. This time, we explore what makes Shakespeare’s use of the English language so unique and why it is so challenging for modern speakers. Ben Crystal joins the discussion to provide insight into the Elizabethan theater, Shakespeare’s Original Pronunciation, and the way modern audiences respond to that original form of speech.

TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 171