Tag Archives: Christmas

Plough Monday and Distaff Day

Although Christmas is well past, it’s been only a week since many people got  back to normal, so attached are the English to festivities at the turn of the year. It’s not a new phenomenon. From Elizabethan times, and probably … Continue reading

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It’s (almost) Christmas!

With Christmas approaching fast now, I’d like to wish all readers of The Shakespeare blog a very happy festive season. I hope it will be everything you could wish for, and more. To maintain the usual Shakespeare theme, here are some … Continue reading

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A heart that even cracks for woe

This week has been full of heartbreaking stories, including the coverage of repeated bouts of flooding in Cumbria, one of my favourite places. I can’t imagine what it must be like to find treasured possessions ruined and one’s home uninhabitable … Continue reading

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Christmas traditions: The Mummers’ Play

Christmas Day itself may have passed, but today as in past centuries the Christmas season continues. In Shakespeare’s time the Christmas period was marked by more home-grown traditions including the burning of the yule log, rural sports, feasting and misrule. … Continue reading

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Happy Christmas from the Shakespeare blog

Many thanks to all of you who have been reading the Shakespeare blog during 2014! Over the past year I’ve written 145 posts, and have had nearly 135,000 visits to the site. I’ve also had many responses to posts and suggestions … Continue reading

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Marking the centenary of World War 1 with Shakespeare

This week the marking of the centenary of the outbreak of World War 1 has reached its climax with Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day. The installation of the sea of ceramic poppies at the Tower of London has shown how … Continue reading

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Astrology at the winter solstice

This weekend is the winter solstice, the turn of the year after which days begin to lengthen again (at least for those of us in the northern hemisphere). It’s a perfect time to enjoy a wonderful illuminated book now kept … Continue reading

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Christmas shopping for Shakespeare-lovers

In case you’re still looking for Shakespeare-related Christmas presents for your nearest and dearest (or yourself), there are plenty to choose from. Top of my list is the DVD set of An Age of Kings, the fifteen-part BBC series from … Continue reading

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Celebrating Shakespeare at the turn of the year

As it’s the end of the year I want to thank readers of The Shakespeare blog for making it such a success. During 2012 the blog has had over 67,000 visits and over 100,000 page views. 239 of you have … Continue reading

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“New-fangled shows”: Christmas and the Rose Theatre

Christmas must have been anything but relaxing for Shakespeare when he was at the height of his career. Instead of putting his feet up in front of a roaring fire with a warming drink in his hand, he was hard … Continue reading

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