OK, so doing research on this play, this weird, complicated play, Timon of Athens, I came upon coverage of a Canadian production from the year of my birth, 1963.
With incidental music commissioned and composed by Duke Ellington. Yeah, that Duke Ellington.
Previously on Timon of Athens: In the first act of the play, we meet Timon–a rich patron, generous to a fault–and an entire cast of sycophants and hangers-on who take advantage of the man’s foolish giving. We also meet Apemantus–a misanthropic rogue–and Alcibiades–a returning Athenian general. We witness one of Timon’s extravagant parties, and learn from his steward Flavius what Timon himself doesn’t yet know–that he has given all away and is now in debt. In the second act, Timon’s creditors begin to call on Timon to pay his debts. Timon criticizes Flavius for not telling him about the debts, but Flavius says that he has tried. Learning he owes more than twice what his possessions are worth, Timon decides to send his servants out to his followers and sycophants to see if they can get any money from them. In the third act, we see each of the flatterers refuse to help Timon, and Athens refuse mercy for Alcibiades’s soldier. The general vows war on Rome. Timon gives the flatterers one last feast–of stones and water–then rages at the world, and calls for hatred and destruction for all. In the fourth act, Timon goes full Misanthropos, railing on all who visit him in the wilderness (it doesn’t sound like it could fill and entire act…but there’s a whole lotta rage).
So where did Shakespeare (and Middleton, if you believe the data behind the New Oxford Shakespeare series) get the idea for Timon of Athens?
Previously on Timon of Athens: In the first act of the play, we meet Timon–a rich patron, generous to a fault–and an entire cast of sycophants and hangers-on who take advantage of the man’s foolish giving. We also meet Apemantus–a misanthropic rogue–and Alcibiades–a returning Athenian general. We witness one of Timon’s extravagant parties, and learn from his steward Flavius what Timon himself doesn’t yet know–that he has given all away and is now in debt. In the second act, Timon’s creditors begin to call on Timon to pay his debts. Timon criticizes Flavius for not telling him about the debts, but Flavius says that he has tried. Learning he owes more than twice what his possessions are worth, Timon decides to send his servants out to his followers and sycophants to see if they can get any money from them. In the third act, we see each of the servants greet each of the followers and get the same response: refusal. Timon does not handle this well, flying into a Lear-like rage; when calmed, he tells Flavius to invite the flatterers to one more feast. Meanwhile, Alcibiades pleads to the Senate for mercy for one of his soldiers. When he is refused and his soldier ordered for execution, Alcibiades decides to return to his army and attack Athens. Back at Timon’s home, the flatterers arrive for the feast, which turns out to be stones and water. Timon berates them, rages at the world, and calls for hatred and destruction for all.
Continue reading “Timon of Athens — Act Four: Mr. Misanthropos and the revolving door”
Previously on Timon of Athens: In the first act of the play, we meet Timon–a rich patron, generous to a fault–and an entire cast of sycophants and hangers-on who take advantage of the man’s foolish giving. We also meet Apemantus–a misanthropic rogue–and Alcibiades–a returning Athenian general. We witness one of Timon’s extravagant parties, and learn from his steward Flavius what Timon himself doesn’t yet know–that he has given all away and is now in debt. In the second act, Timon’s creditors begin to call on Timon to pay his debts. Timon tries to get them to give him more time, or to at least talks to his steward Flavius, but they refuse. While Timon and Flavius confer, Apemantus arrives to insult the creditors. Timon criticizes Flavius for not telling him about the debts, but Flavius says that he has tried. Flavius also gives Timon more bad news: he owes more than twice what his possessions are worth and all his lands have been mortgaged. Timon then decides to send his servants out to his followers and sycophants to see if they can get any money from them.
A couple of days back, I discussed the news that the Oxford University Press had announced that they had updated their authorship credits for many of Shakespeare’s plays, adding co-authors for many. But what about our current play understudy, Timon of Athens?
Previously on Timon of Athens: In the first act of the play, we meet not only our title character–a rich patron, generous to a fault–but also an entire cast of sycophants and hangers-on who take advantage of the man’s foolish giving. We also meet Apemantus–a misanthropic rogue who comments sarcastically on what he sees–and Alcibiades–an Athenian general returned from the wars. We witness one of Timon’s extravagant parties, and learn from his steward Flavius what Timon himself doesn’t yet know–that he has given all away and is now in debt.
In the short first scene of Act Two, an Athenian senator in soliloquy (the first verse one in the play; Apemantus has a 4-line throwaway at the end of Act One) reveals that Timon’s fancy parties have been funded by borrowings, including those from this senator, and at least three others. The senator calls in his servant and sends him to collect the debt. There’s no malice, only a present need for money by the senator, though he does realize
This senator know that if all collect their moneys (“every feather”) from Timon, he’ll be reduced to a “naked gull,” but this doesn’t trouble the senator because Timon is a phoenix, a bird who can rise from his own ashes.
Timon will be just fine.
Or will he?
Continue reading “Timon of Athens — Act Two: IOU, you owe me”
Act One, Scene One of Timon of Athens begins outside of the title character’s house, where a number of merchants and artisans have congregated. The stage directions make reference to a poet, a painter, a jeweler, a merchant and a mercer–this last one is supposedly a trader in fabrics, but we never know for certain as he never speaks, nor spoken to or even referenced, not in this scene or elsewhere in the play.
Continue reading “Timon of Athens – Act One: foolish generosity”
And so, my friends, it begins. Timon of Athens. Not oft produced, problematic, Timon of Athens.
A quick blast from the always informative and entertaining Oxford University Press (yup, the folks behind my fave, the Oxford English Dictionary)…
Continue reading “OUP blog: 10 crisp facts about money during Shakespeare’s time”
