#king lear and the tempest

[britneyshakespeare]

I'm curious about people's levels of familiarity; I intend no judgment or elitism and it's absolutely fine not to be a completionist, btw. I didn't think I would've intended to have read them all at age 25; it just sort of happened that after I passed the halfway point in the middle of 2023, I came out of a reading slump and was motivated to finish. Fwiw I consider myself a hobbyist (I am not involved in academia or professional theater) but I realize that that label is usually attributed to people with less experience.

I also have always loved seeing other bloggers' Shakespeare polls where they put certain plays or characters up against each other, but I'm often left wondering if it's really a 'fair' fight all the time if you're putting up something like Hamlet or Twelfth Night against one of the more obscure works, like the Winter's Tale. It's not a grave affront to vote in those polls if you don't know every play, but I am curious about it.

Please reblog for exposure if you vote; I would appreciate it a lot. Also feel free to elaborate on your own Shakespeare journey in tags, comments, reblogs, because I love to hear about other people's personal relationships to literature.

[aq2003]

grabbed all of the ebook versions of the folger shakespeare library's annotated versions of shakespeare's plays (+sonnets and poems) and put them all in one place in case anyone is interested

[hamletkin]

i lied, i'll be nice. one more notification!

WRITER APPLICATIONS FOR A SHAKESPEARE DATING SIM ARE DUE TONIGHT

(July 9th, 2025)

gimme your applications gimme gimme gimme. artist applications to follow.

[his-own-kingdom]

would Nihal like Magnificent Century? In which characters she would project more?

In alternative- what could be to your opinion Nihal's favourite Shakespeare' plays? (Once you said Hamleth; and I can see it, but aside of that?)

Nihal would like Magnificent Century. Unfortunately she would be a Mahidevran, Hatice, Mustafa fan who hates Hürrem.

Nihal could like King Lear. She also would generally be a fan of all the late romances (Cymbeline, The Winter’s Tale, Pericles, The Tempest). Those all were basically tragicomedies (somber plays that had an unexpected happy ending) and were at least partially about father-daughter dynamics.

[edettethegreat]

Shakespeare Adaptation Stats (courtesy of wikipedia)

(all info is taken off of this wiki page

descriptions in purple refer to the most recent adaptation)

All's Well That Ends Well:

4 adaptations, oldest from 1968, most recent from 2009, from National Theatre Live

Antony and Cleopatra:

7 adaptations, oldest from 1908, most recent from 2002, 'Kannaki', Indian modern-day adaption (I never read A&C so idk how loyal the adaptation is based off of the wikipidia summary)

As You Like It:

11 adaptations, oldest from 1912, most recent from 2010, direct-to-video recording from a performance at Shakespeare's Globe

Comedy of Errors:

9 adaptations, oldest from 1940, most recent from 1989, Canadian TV production

Coriolanus:

2 adaptations, oldest from 1984, most recent from 2012, just listed as 'Film' with no notes, so nothing to say about this one

Cymbeline:

3 adaptations, oldest from 1913, most recent from 2014, a modern-day adaptation featuring biker gangs

Hamlet:

43 adaptations, oldest from 1900, most recent from 2019, the live-action Lion King remake, which somehow qualifies for this because it's listed on the wiki. unfortunately.

Henry IV, 1:

7 adaptations, oldest from 1960, most recent from 2012, The Hollow Crown series

Henry IV, 2:

6 adaptations, oldest from 1960, most recent from 2012, The Hollow Crown series

Henry V:

9 adaptations, oldest from 1944, most recent from 2019, 'The King', supposedly based on Henry IV 1+2 too, but only listed as an adaptation of Henry V

Henry VI, 1:

5 adaptations, oldest from 1960, most recent from 2016, The Hollow Crown series

Henry VI, 2:

8 adaptations, oldest from 1960, most recent from 2016, The Hollow Crown series

Henry VI, 3:

6 adaptations, oldest from 1960, most recent from 2016, The Hollow Crown series

Henry VIII:

2 adaptations, oldest from 1911, most recent from 1979, a BBC TV adaptation

Julius Caesar:

9 adaptations, oldest from 1950, most recent from 2018, all-female stage production, filmed

King John:

4 adaptations, oldest from 1899, most recent from 2015, Stratford festival stage production, filmed

King Lear:

20 adaptations, oldest from 1910, most recent from 2018, modern AU in a militarized London

Love's Labour's Lost:

4 adaptations, oldest from 1920, most recent from 2000, 1930s AU, also described as a 'musical romantic comedy,' also directed by Kenneth Branagh, also the music is "classic broadway songs of the 1930s"-- there's a lot going on with this one.

Macbeth:

47 adaptations, oldest from 1908, most recent from 2021, the A24 version

Measure for Measure:

6 adaptations, oldest from 1943, most recent from 2019, modern-day Australian AU

Merchant of Venice:

14 adaptations, oldest from 1914, most recent from 2004, the Al Pacino version, but other than that a straightforward adaptation

Merry Wives of Windsor:

5 adaptations, oldest from 1950, most recent from 1982, BBC TV adaptation

Midsummer Night's Dream:

22 adaptations, oldest from 1909, most recent from 2018, modern-day Los Angeles, California AU

Much Ado About Nothing:

7 adaptations, oldest from 1973, most recent from 2023, 'Anyone But You', an enemies to lovers romcom where the main characters named Beatrice and Ben-- other than that it doesn't seem like it has much in common with the original play (based on the wiki summary at least)

Othello:

26 adaptations, oldest from 1906, most recent from 2024, 'Athhoi', Indian adaptation, based on the wiki it seems to follow the main plot points fairly well

Pericles:

1 adaptation, 1984, BBC TV adaptation

Richard II:

9 adaptations, oldest from 1960, most recent from 2012, The Hollow Crown series

Richard III:

19 adaptations, oldest from 1911, most recent from 2022, 'The Lost King', seems to be more about someone who's obsessed with Richard III than the shakespeare play itself

Romeo and Juliet:

51 adaptations, oldest from 1900, most recent from 2021, West Side Story reboot

Taming of the Shrew:

23 adaptations, oldest from 1908, most recent from 2008, 'Frivolous Wife,' a Korean adaptations, wiki summary doesn't resemble anything from the original plot, to the point where I'm not sure why it's listed here. (I tried looking at summaries on different sites to understand what makes this a Taming of the Shrew adaptation, but it almost seems like the exact opposite of TotS. "spoiled girl who could have any guy she wants" is the opposite of Katherine, "awkward and shy guy" is the opposite of Petruchio, there's no taming and no shrew)

The Tempest:

17 adaptations, oldest from 1911, most recent from 2020, 'Shakespeare's Shitstorm', mad scientist AU, horror-comedy musical, seems like it's got a lot going on in general

Timon of Athens:

2 adaptations, oldest from 1973, most recent from 1981, BBC TV adaptation

Titus Andronicus:

3 adaptations, oldest from 1985, most recent from 2017, 'The Hungry,' modern-day AU set in New Delhi (no summary listed on the wiki, the only summary I could finds makes it seem like it's Titus Andronicus from Tamora's pov, so congrats to this one for being the adaptation I most wanna watch)

Troilus and Cressida:

2 adaptations, oldest form 1954, most recent from 1981, BBC TV adaptation

Twelfth Night:

13 adaptations, oldest from 1910, most recent from 2013, filmed Globe production, all-male cast in an original practice production

Two Gentlemen of Verona:

2 adaptations, oldest from 1931, most recent from 1983, BBC TV adaptation

The Winter's Tale:

4 adaptations, oldest from 1910, most recent from 1999, filmed version of a RSC production

[bethanydelleman]

The women in Shakespeare who may have inspired/remind me of Fanny Price of Mansfield Park:

Cordelia, King Lear: Fanny was indeed the daughter that he wanted. Fanny proves herself to be the true daughter of Sir Thomas, just as Cordelia is proved to be the faithful and true daughter of Lear. Both are sent into "exile" after displeasing their father/guardian.

Isabella, Measure for Measure: Fanny refuses to marry Henry Crawford in accordance to her moral code, just as Isabella refuses to sleep with Antonio to save her brother, saying it will cost her soul. Both face strong family pressure to break their beliefs.

Helena, All's Well that Ends Well: informally adopted child of a rich and powerful family who is in love with a true son of the family. Both persist in their love despite not being loved back. Both win their chosen husband in the end after proving themselves. Both men have the name Bertram.

[withasideofshakespeare]

Woah no way?? People (completely unprompted /s) want to hear my trans Shakespeare headcanons?? You bet I can do that.

I’ve done this once before:

But I have even more thoughts now!!

In no particular order:

Puck (A Midsummer Night’s Dream): Every single pronoun possible. He/she/they/it + all of the neopronouns and xenopronouns that exist currently or will ever exist. Fairy gender is always weird but Puck’s is extra weird.

Oberon (A Midsummer Night’s Dream): Fairy gender. Probably he/they/it?

Titania (A Midsummer Night’s Dream): More fairy gender. She/they/it?

Titania’s fairy attendants (Midsummer): Get a hat and fill it with various pronouns and draw them out at random for the fairies.

Benedick (Much Ado About Nothing): Could go either way, but I really like the idea of transfemme Benedick. Or he/him lesbian Benedick.

Beatrice (Much Ado About Nothing): The she/they to end all she/theys

Viola/Cesario (Twelfth Night): Could be trans in literally any direction. I made a post about this too at some point. My suggestion is all of the directions: they/she/he

Sebastian (Twelfth Night): He/him, transmasc. I also made a post about this at some point.

Feste (Twelfth Night): I saw a great she/her Feste last summer.

Orsino (Twelfth Night): Specifically the himbo variety of he/they

Margaret of Anjou (Henry VI trilogy and Richard III): If I ever play Margaret, I will use she/they pronouns.

Catesby (Richard III): Just played Catesby with she/her pronouns and it worked!

Richard II (Richard II): Tell me Richard isn’t the most they/he or he/they guy alive (or… dead).

Hal (1 Henry IV-Henry V): Saw Hal played with she/they pronouns last summer and it was great. Could also see he/they Hal. Very nonbinary vibe overall. I personally believe that going by Hal rather than Henry for two whole plays is their way of pulling the “going by the first letter of what my name used to be instead of picking a name from scratch” nonbinary trick. He probably pretends to be cis after his dad dies and he becomes king—one more element of Hal’s lifelong identity crisis.

Hotspur/Harry Percy Jr. (Richard II & 1 Henry IV): He/they in denial.

Kate Percy (1 & 2 Henry IV): She/they, not in denial. (Also Katespur should be bi4bi)

Ned Poins (1 & 2 Henry IV): Transmasc Ned Poins?? Maybe he doesn’t actually have a sister and Nell is just his deadname. Ned Poins’ failed scheme to flirt with Hal.

Romeo (Romeo & Juliet): he/they (t4t R&J!!!)

Juliet (Romeo & Juliet): she/they (t4t R&J!!!)

Mercutio (Romeo & Juliet): they/he(/it?). Vibes alone. Look at them. Just look.

Nurse (Romeo & Juliet): she/her, transfemme!

Cassius (Julius Caesar): Would love to see a they/them Cassius

Hamlet (Hamlet): he/they. I’ve made multiple posts about this theory and I still love it.

Ophelia (Hamlet): she/they. As she should.

Laertes (Hamlet): she/him and NOT just because Laertes used she/her pronouns the first time I saw this play.

Rosencrantz (Hamlet): he/they/she. Vibes. Sometimes goes by Ros/Rose. Probably genderfluid.

Malcolm (Macbeth): they/he or they/them. Also vibes.

Lady Macbeth (Macbeth): stolen straight from my last post because this is still my HC: she/they; would insult you for “having pronouns in your bio” and then turn around and punch you in the face for using their pronouns incorrectly.

Angus (Macbeth): she/her, transfemme. (t4t Ross/Angus. I will die on this hill… Dunsinane Hill.)

Ross (Macbeth): he/him, transmasc

Caithness (Macbeth): she/they lesbian

Mark Antony (Julius Caesar and Antony & Cleopatra): I would not bat an eye at he/they Mark Antony

Edmund (King Lear): they/he, nonbinary, sexiest man (/gn) alive.

Edgar (King Lear): he/him. Transmasc Edgar is slowly becoming canon To Me.

Cordelia (King Lear): she/her, transfemme.

Goneril (King Lear): she/they. I would let them kill me.

Coriolanus (Coriolanus): transmasc OR transfemme Coriolanus is!!!! The butterfly/metamorphosis motif! Name changes during canon! Discomfort with scars/body! Lack of autonomy granted by society! This is THE transgender play. (Other than Twelfth Night)

Imogen (Cymbeline): Tell me she doesn’t want to be a she/they so bad.

Florizel (The Winter’s Tale): he/they(/she?). Literally just a vibe. I have a pet rock named Florizel.

Perdita (The Winter’s Tale): she/they. I also have a pet rock named Perdita.

Ariel (The Tempest): Similar to Puck, probably they/she/he? Even my conservative English prof consistently rotates between she/her and he/him for Ariel (possibly not intentionally? I’m not convinced he knows what her canon pronouns are.)

Ferdinand (The Tempest): she/they. PLEASE give me transfemme Ferdinand. PLEASE let Miranda realize she’s a lesbian during canon.

Miranda (The Tempest): she/they. Ariel taught them about the existence of she/they pronouns and she immediately started using them.

So in other words… every Shakespeare character should be trans, actually.

[shakespearenews]

A month of Shakespeare News! 2/4:

When forgery makes you literally pull out your own hair, something has gone terribly wrong. Plus David Tennant thinks that he is “a very obvious Andrew Aguecheek," Sherlockians get pedantic about "Twelfth Night," and a neck implant that shocks you if you quote "Hamlet" too much (fictional).

[attemptedvictorian]

Shakespeare side of Tumblr.

I want to get more into his works but don’t know where to start. Guidance is welcome.

[macbooth]

I - X of shakespeare tarot lineart

find xi - xxi here

some of these are in their ugly phase i know but im trying to have faith that they will end up looking good okay...

[alwri-tes]

Ok so yesterday I saw a questionable take on Romeo and Juliet, and it got me thinking. A lot of Shakespeare's plays have a lot of bad/questionable takes on them and misinterpretations, but which one has the most? So, I leave that to you, Shakespeare tumblr.

[myclutteredbookshelf]

One of my goals for 2025 is to read through this illustrated collection of Shakespeare plays I inherited from my grandmother.

Some of them I've read and/or seen before, while others will be my first read-through.

Please reblog for a greater sample size.

[bodhrancomedy]

Me: I don't need to start new WIPs. Also me: SHAKESPEARE FANFICTION/SEQUELS/INSPIRATION.

Guess who went to the Globe for the first time.

[meandtheveggies]

my favourite works by Shakespeare

[rickie-the-storyteller]

Another Poll!

I've missed doing these lol.

Here's a fun question that's been on my mind lately... and it has nothing to do with my own writing.

Yes, I'm aware that there are more plays. These were just the ones I could think of currently.

Perhaps I'll do a part 2...

I love these stories so much. I don't know what I'd pick here as my personal favourite. Maybe Romeo and Juliet? Since that was my introduction to Shakespeare growing up lol. Or Macbeth... because GCSE English vibes lol.

Can't wait to see what you guys think!