BBC NEWS | UK | England | ‘English geniuses’ map launched

A map of English “genius” is being made available to combat perceived ignorance about creative and scientific pioneers. Just 59% of 1010 Britons knew As You Like it was by Shakespeare…5% thought he’d written Wuthering Heights.

Tag: shakespeare

Time Line of Banned Books in the United States

Interesting because Merchant of Venice is on the list. Doubly so because it was banned in 1980! Book banners choose funny battles to fight. If they knew half the filth that Will was writing in some of his “comedies” they’d all keel over.

The only thing I think is sillier on the list is the banning of Little Red Riding Hood because it depicts the title character bringing wine to the grandmother and some school system didn’t want to encourage underage drinking. Eh?

Tag: shakespeare

Watching “RadioActive Man” episode of the Simpsons tonight, where the movie of the comic of the same name comes to town and all the kids flock to play sidekick Fallout Boy. Bart is just so good that when he leaps on scene in front of all the other kids who are trying out and says the catch phrase, “Watch out, Radioactive man!” they all applaud his brilliance.

“Thank you, thank you,” he says, taking a bow. “It’s all in the delivery.” Adjusting his tone and wrapping his cape around his shoulders he continues, “Now is the winter of our discontent…”

“Oh no! Run!” screams Ralphie, and runs away.

Tags: shakespeare simpsons

Over on “Englicious” is a wonderful 3 part post deliberating the proper answer to the Why Teach Shakespeare? question. I hope to get over there and write something when I have more time to breathe, but I wanted to get a link up so that anybody who stops by here first knows about it.

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Hooray for whoever thought to do a Shakespeare meme!

If you’re seeing this, and you’ve got a blog, it’s your turn to quote some Shakespeare and pass it along.

I will not yield,
To kiss the ground before young Malcolm’s feet,
And to be baited with the rabble’s curse.
Though Birnam wood be come to Dunsinane,
And thou opposed, being of no woman born,
Yet I will try the last. Before my body
I throw my warlike shield. Lay on, Macduff,
And damn’d be him that first cris, ‘Hold, enough!’

Macbeth V.8

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