Zoe and The Bard

Posted on by Chris The Story Reading Ape

Zoe and The Bard

Profile Pic_My Name Is ZoeKnock, knock . . . who’s there? ‘Tis I, Zoe the Fabulous Feline, and I thought that today I would open my story with that timeless joke. But alas! It loses something if the one being pranked is not available to answer in the flesh, so I guess I will just go on with my story instead. And speaking of flesh, this story is the naked truth and one I think you will enjoy.

Because, after all, you are here today because you are either a writer or a reader; either way you are a lover–a lover of words. Guess what? Me too! I may be a cat, but I am fabulous. Fabulous. Now there is a word I love; can you tell? My human named me Zoe, but I added “the Fabulous Feline.” Why? Well, because—in addition to the obvious—I love alliteration. I love words! That’s why. And I’m here today to call your attention to the joy of language. Now, why does that sound so familiar? Hmmm, let me think. Oh, I know! I saw this book on my human’s night table once, and it was entitled . . . well, never mind. The title is neither here nor there. But just remember, there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so; suffice it to say that the book’s title sounded similar to what I just wrote a minute ago and what I need to get back to: the joy of language. So, for goodness sake, enough of this rant. I will bring an end to this wild goose chase. I am sure you wait with bated breath for me to go on. And so, dear friends, I will. Today’s story is all about The Bard.

Shakespeare

I know what you’re thinking—finally, Zoe gets to it. Finally she comes full circle to the purpose of today’s story, which is The Bard. The Bard of which I speak is, of course, the incomparable, 16th century, England-born poet and playwright, William Shakespeare. (Or “Billy Shakespeare” as my canine comrade Danny the Dog calls him.) And I invite all of you, lover of words that you are, to put your hand over your heart, to turn your eyes skyward, and to think of Mr. Shakespeare with a fond, albeit belated, Happy 452nd Birthday!

I say belated birthday because, had I been on top of my game, I’d have written this story for last month’s column, at which time we could have wished him a happy birthday a bit before his special day, April 23rd, instead of a month later. Having said that, I must admit that, while it is a fact that he was born in 1564, nobody knows with absolute certainty what date Shakespeare was born, but scholars consider his birthday to be April 23rd. However, there exists no record of his birth, so how did they choose that date? Did they pull it out of their a—I mean . . . the air?

Nope, they surely did not. Here is the back-story and a little factoid for you. It is a matter of public record that William Shakespeare was baptized on April 26, 1564. In those days, babies were almost always baptized three days after their birth. Voila! His birthdate is presumed to be April 23rd. And to add a little ironic poetry to this prose, it is also a matter of public record that he died on April 23rd, in 1616, at a ripe old (in those days) age of fifty-two years.

Shakespeare Presumed Birth Room

Shakespeare was born to an ordinary family and lived his entire, relatively ordinary life where he was born, on Henley Street in Stratford-upon-Avon in the United Kingdom. Like many greats, Shakespeare gained his fame posthumously, becoming after his death the world’s most-read playwright—creator of the most-performed plays—in the world. Which leads me to this thought:

House Shakespeare was born in

We know what we are, but know not what we may be.

And that thought is a quote from The Bard, as are all the italicized phrases in my story, which came from some of Shakespeare’s great works, such as Othello, Hamlet, MacBeth, Love’s Labour Lost, The Merchant of Venice, King Lear, Henry VIII, and—speaking of lovers—the tragic Romeo and Juliet. Oh, and let’s not forget Some Like It Hot. OK, OK, so that last one was just a test. (Not really, but as a Fabulous Feline, I have to try to pull a fast one or at least be humorous, right?)

These are but a few of the many Shakespearean phrases commonly used in our modern vernacular. And this is why we all are actually far more sophisticated than we might have thought. We quote one of the greatest wordsmiths ever. And probably on a daily basis. How cool is that?!

Ciao, baby! OK, that is not Shakespeare. (I think it was Telly Savalas who made that famous.)

But this is Shakespeare and it seems a fitting end to this little bit of literary history:

“Words are easy, like the wind;

Faithful friends are hard to find.”

Zoe & Emily both live HERE

Zoe’s Facebook Page is HERE

Emily’s Facebook Page is HERE

Zoe’s Previous Story is HERE

43 thoughts on “Zoe and The Bard”

    • Might be a good time to add just a tidbit about the photos….but, according to Emily, I have to make this disclaimer – “it was reported that” – so, the photos were described as the house in which Shakespeare lived and the room is the room in which he was born. It was described thusly and who am I to argue? I’m just a feline sharing what I read! Thanks for the reblog, Suzanne!

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    • I verily agree! Not that this is a great post (but it *is* pretty good!), but that so much of our current vernacular was coined or at the least made more popular by The Bard way back when. It was a fun search. And now I can say that I–feline only though fabulous I may be–I have taught the great Andrew Joyce something new. Amazing! I am pawing myself on the back – and it feels good, too. Just sayin’…..meoooow!

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  4. Reblogged this on Smorgasbord – Variety is the spice of life and commented:
    Zoe the cat is guesting over on The Story Reading and waxing lyrical about the Bard… I could say that this was Much Ado about Nothing, or even Taming of the Shrew, but that is no way to talk about Zoe’s long suffering slave Emily.. However, head over and help Zoe celebrate (belatedly) Will’s birthday.. He would be 452 years old, thereabouts.. I wonder how many of us wordsmiths will be remembered in nearly five hundred years. Zoe will be of course.

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    • Sally, I must answer before Zoe gets back! Thank you for understanding my enslaved condition! That Zoe, she’s beautiful but a royal pain in the butt. Somebody said the other day, upon meeting her for the first time, that she was “a true tuxedo cat.” What do I know? I got her from a shelter after she tricked me into taking her home! But since our gentleman visitor said that, she’s been prancing around like – well, the proverbial cat’s meow, I guess. Anyway, I have not heard the end of it. She says she’s gonna write a story about “true tuxedo cats”…..whatever…..

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    • “500 years”…well, I don’t know if my name will be lights that long but…nunca se sabe! Sally, I enjoy your replies to posts (everyone’s) as much as I enjoy…well, publishing my own stories! You do have a way with words yourself, and you chose two that so nicely made your point. (Emily is looking over my shoulder and going, “What? What did she mean by *that*??)

      Speaking of The Taming of the Shrew (the play, not Emily), when I read Noelle’s post about college students having no interest in literature written by “old white dudes,” I went looking up that one in particular. And let me tell you, there were some risqué dialogue in that one . . . made me wonder what misguided, preconceived notion those college students had about English Lit. Maybe I’ll go copy a line or two and come back to post them here. Thanks for the reblog, mi amiga!

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        • Here is one leeetle exchange between husband Petruchio (the “tamer”) and wife Katherine (the “tamee”) in The Taming of the Shrew; however, I shall leave the last line out as Sally has asked that I keep it “clean.” (I had found an even more interesting, if racy, one the other night, but I’ll be darned if I can find it again now!) Now, pray tell, what college student would not find this at least mildly interesting? Never mind…..I found it interesting and that’s all that matters!

          Petruchio: Come, come, you wasp! In faith you are too angry!

          Katherina: If I be waspish, best beware my sting!

          Petruchio: My remedy then is to pluck it out!

          Katherina: Hah! Aye, if the fool could find where it lies!

          Petruchio: Who knows not where a wasp doth wear his sting? In his tail!

          Katherina: In his tongue!

          Petruchio: Whose tongue?

          Katherina: Yours! -if you talk of tales, and so farewell!

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  5. I am back to right a wrong. Just kidding, more or less…..”kidding on the square” as some old gangsas would say. Anyhoo, I was remiss in not introducing Lysle to all my friends and fans here on The Ape’s blog…..Lysle Shield is a Facebook friend, Lysle, a.k.a. Feather with Spots, is an incredibly talented artist, so if you like to look at great art, check out his FB page!

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  6. It is not oft that to a feline I reply
    but you do taunt me by saying I might be shy
    the truth be told
    I do come on as bold

    So turn to Emily and with a Meow so bold
    Tell her you heard from a man growing old
    Tell here each day that you want to play
    Then Tell her ” go away and let me lay”

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  9. Zoe, you are indeed fabulous. It’s a shame that there are several colleges in the US whose students want to abolish English lit because they don’t want to read things written by “old white dudes!”

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    • A shame indeed, Ms. Noelle! So much for wanting to come out of college “well-rounded.” Do you think the real reason could be because this type of literature might tax their brains just a little more than they like? Thanks for reading my story!

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