2005-05-07

Cardenio



I was flicking through the internet (cos it's like a big magazine, innit?) while watching the election online and I came across information about two missing plays by William Shakepeare. There are apparently booksellers' bills of sale, reviews and adaptations by later playwrights that point to the existence of two more comedies: Love's Labours Won (a companion piece to Love's Labours Lost) and Cardenio (based on a side character in Don Quixote).

Through school and college I either studied or acted in over half a dozen Shakespeares, and I'd never even heard of these two. Learning is fun! I also learned that I'll click on twenty Google results about Shakespeare before getting up off the sofa to look at The Complete Works, not ten feet away on my bookshelf.

posted by thisismarcus @ 02:48 

4 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

News to me! I saw a first folio Shakespeare at Eton last year (like you do)
[ http://www.bl.uk/images/content/perm4.jpg ]
and even turned the title page before realising that even though I was allowed, it was really not worth the shame and litigation should I accidentally drool on it or something. So I went and checked out their Gutenberg Bible.

Enough bibliographic name dropping. Match of the Day is on...

21:34  
Blogger DrHeimlich said...

I actually own a copy of Cardenio, a version which was published about a decade ago along with the accompanying essays in which researchers make their case that Cardenio was actually a work of William Shakespeare's. From what I understand, the academic community at large does not find their analysis especially convincing. In other words, you're still a long way from an updated "Complete Works of Shakespeare" that includes Cardenio (or Love's Labor Won, which I have not read, but had heard of).

To answer the question I'm sure you'll ask next: yes, I did read Cardenio. No, I don't remember much about it. But I see it here, taunting me from my bottom bookshelf as I type this. Perhaps I should pull it out and re-read it some time.

06:03  
Blogger thisismarcus said...

Mod, I remember you handing me a book from the 18th Century once, and I didn't know how to touch it without panicking.

Dr, is the text in your copy supposed to be Shakespeare or an adaptation? Sounds like the publishers of my book need to talk to the publisher of your book.

13:45  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

S'easy. Make sure you haven't been eating chocolate cake or sticky buns and avoid opening it too wide in case the binding goes "craaaaack" and you get charged $eleventy-eight.
That's about it. I always have to chuckle at tv programs where the presenter has to wear gloves to look at some 18th century book. Give over. The natural oils in your skin (not counting chip fat) are actually good for leather bindings...

14:00  

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