Mojo, The Bard, & Me

 Today’s Totally Random Line(s)

           

My leisure serves me, pensive daughter, now.—

My lord, we must entreat the time alone.

 

-Friar Laurence

Romeo and Juliet                   Act IV, Scene i, Line 40

                     

Okay, this morning we have Friar Knucklehead. His first line is directed at Juliet who’s asked if he has time to talk. With the second line he turns to Paris, telling him to beat it so that he can talk to Juliet alone.

Now here’s something interesting: If you look at today’s two lines, they don’t necessarily make much sense if just read them. Without knowing that the friar is speaking the first line to Juliet and then turning to Paris, the lines are a bit confusing. Which leads to the appropriate conclusion that although these words can be appreciated when read, they are meant to be heard when performed. And there’s no getting around that fact. I bring this up because I was reading a discussion group thread recently and one of the questions was about how to best read Shakespeare. I guess the answer is to not read it, but rather see and hear it.

In any event, once Paris is gone Juliet tells the friar that she’ll kill herself if she can’t marry Romeo, and that’s when Friar Einstein comes up with his brilliant scheme for Juliet to fake her own death. I just had a thought of Harry Potter and Ron Weasley hiding nearby and eavesdropping on this conversation. Harry would hear the plan about the potion that makes Juliet appear dead, and then he would turn to Ron and say, “That’s brilliant Ron!”

Now that I’ve had that thought, it’s got me to wondering what it would be like to write a story combining Harry Potter with Romeo and Juliet. Hmmm, that might be interesting. That would be another way of introducing the stories of Will. Or just write anyone into the story who’s there as all the action of the story takes place, either in the story, or just as an observer. Like Harry and Ron. Or as an observer who sees the story take place and then relates it to someone else.

Sure, great idea Pete. 

Or this; something like this might be a good way to introduce someone to one of Will's works. 

Another of Pete's brilliant ideas.