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King Lear: next stop–Bawdy-ville [EXPLICIT]

[EXPLICIT CONTENT, ADULT LANGUAGE AND SEXUAL IMAGERY AHEAD… SKIP IF EASILY OFFENDED.]
[secondary note: I usually like to say that these bawdy blogs contain “sophomoric humor”… but this one’s pretty much humorless… sorry]

You know me. I love the bawdy. But as we go through King Lear, I’m feeling very much like I felt during Hamlet–that this play sucks the fun out of the bawdy.

I’m not alone in that opinion. Eric Partridge, in his great dictionary of dirt in the Bard, Shakespeare’s Bawdy, says about the same:

King Lear: compare the remarks at Hamlet, than which it is, however, both less witty in its witty-sexual passages and less eloquent and impressive in its sexual invectives.
  • Shakespeare’s Bawdy, Partridge, Eric. New York: Routledge Classics, 2001; page 57

And unlike the old Miller Lite beer commercials, I really can’t say, “Less witty. Reads great!” Continue reading “King Lear: next stop–Bawdy-ville [EXPLICIT]”

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Carpet F-Bombing the Bawdy, Part Two

[EXPLICIT CONTENT, ADULT LANGUAGE AND SEXUAL IMAGERY AHEAD… SKIP IF EASILY OFFENDED.]

OK, yesterday, I recounted my love for bawdy, and discussed what Eric Partridge said about Othello in his great dictionary of the dirty stuff, Shakespeare’s Bawdy: Othello is “slightly … bawdier” (Shakespeare’s Bawdy, Partridge, Eric. New York: Routledge Classics, 2001; page 57) than Measure for Measure, and that the pair make up “Shakespeare’s most sexual, most bawdy plays” (Shakespeare’s Bawdy, 57). As I mentioned yesterday, I can’t argue that. In Othello, the sexuality is so pervasive as to make it commonplace.

With sex, sex organs, and lust out of the way, let’s take a look at whores…

Continue reading “Carpet F-Bombing the Bawdy, Part Two”

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Carpet F-Bombing the Bawdy, Part One

[EXPLICIT CONTENT, ADULT LANGUAGE AND SEXUAL IMAGERY AHEAD… SKIP IF EASILY OFFENDED.]

Anybody who’s spent any time on this blog knows I love the good, raunchy, dirty bit o’ bawdy. (sometimes too much) But I’m not alone… Shakespeare had quite the wicked wit himself, and he planted enough naughty bits to keep me occupied–usually happily–in every play. Back in Hamlet, though, I noted a disturbing trend: the increase of dirty concurrent with the decrease of fun. Troilus and Cressida got a little fun back, but ended diseased. All’s Well That Ends Well was a journey–a slog, really–from virginity to prostitution. And Measure for Measure? Well, sexuality so pervasive that even the bawdy stuff is subconscious.

So, where does that leave us with Othello?

Continue reading “Carpet F-Bombing the Bawdy, Part One”

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Podcast 121: Othello: Busting out with the Bawdy

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

[archive]

[WARNING: The following podcast contains adult language, sexual imagery, and words to make your mama blush. Skip and wait for Podcast 122 if easily offended. You HAVE been warned.]

This week’s podcast continues our three month-long discussion of Othello with a little nudge-nudge wink-wink, a lot of dirty innuendo and some not-so-sexy talk. Perfect for Valentine’s Day, no?

Continue reading “Podcast 121: Othello: Busting out with the Bawdy”

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An Apology

I have been contacted by Dr. Pauline Kiernan, author of a favorite reference book of mine, Filthy Shakespeare. My tone in referencing her work has offended her, and I apologize sincerely.

In the coming days, as I get over the death of my father, I’ll be redacting the blog entries that include references to her work. The podcasts will take a big longer, but they, too, will be edited; until that point, I will remove those podcasts altogether.

Again, I apologize for the offense, and I still urge readers to pick up the book.

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English Presentation 2: Shades of Meaning – Three Shakespearean Sonnets

As I mentioned a few weeks back, I’ve gone back to school to get my masters; I’m in the home stretch for the first course, Graduate Studies in the English Language, and for the class, I’ve had to do a couple of presentations. And two weeks ago, I posted the first one, on word formation and blending.

At that point, I promised another one, this one focused on Shakespeare. And here it is…

Continue reading “English Presentation 2: Shades of Meaning – Three Shakespearean Sonnets”

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Bawd-ily functions

[CONTENT REDACTED: In this blog entry, I made reference to Dr. Pauline Kiernan’s work and book on bawdy in the Bard, Filthy Shakespeare; in doing so, I have offended her by my tone and use of her material. I apologize for the offense, and have thus redacted the reference.]

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Sexuality so pervasive that even the bawdy is subconscious

[EXPLICIT CONTENT, ADULT LANGUAGE AND SEXUAL IMAGERY AHEAD… SKIP IF EASILY OFFENDED.]

A few weeks back, I bemoaned how Measure for Measure is timeless, but almost too timely. The play’s Vienna is rampant with sexuality, most of it rancid. So is our current world.

We live in the world of Measure for Measure.

Continue reading “Sexuality so pervasive that even the bawdy is subconscious”

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Podcast 116: Measure for Measure: Big, Big Bawdy

[archive]

[WARNING: The following podcast contains adult language, sexual imagery, sophomoric humor and words to make your mama blush. Skip and wait for Podcast 117 if easily offended. You HAVE been warned.]

This week’s podcast continues our two month-long discussion of Measure for Measure with a whole lotta nudge-nudge wink-wink, dirty innuendo, and some not-so-sexy talk.

Continue reading “Podcast 116: Measure for Measure: Big, Big Bawdy”

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Podcast 111: All’s Well That Ends Well: Rings, Things and a Lil’ Bit a Bawdy

[archive]

[WARNING: The following podcast contains adult language, sexual imagery, sophomoric humor and stuff to make your mama blush. Skip and wait for Podcast 112 if easily offended. You HAVE been warned.]

This week’s podcast continues our two month-long discussion of All’s Well That Ends Well with a whole lotta nudge-nudge wink-wink and sexy talk.

Continue reading “Podcast 111: All’s Well That Ends Well: Rings, Things and a Lil’ Bit a Bawdy”