2022 ShakespeareCAT Planning

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2022 ShakespeareCAT Planning

1Tess_W
Editat: nov. 12, 2021, 6:39 am


Painting of Shakespeare (in black) surrounded by fellow writers at the Mermaid Tavern in London. The painting by John Faed (1819-1902).

I think WillieCat would have been a niftier/easier title, but we will go with this. Tanya asked me to take the "lead." However, I'm relying heavily on YOU, the readers and participants.

From reading the suggestions, that is what I gathered:
12 months of reading Shakespeare:

read the actual play, or a modern version (No Fear Shakespeare)
OR

OR
Read about Shakespeare/Kings during the time of Shakespeare

OR
using some of Shakespeare's plot devices such that you could read the play that features the device, or another example of it. Hamlet and Twelfth night both feature a play within a play, this article mentions 9 other examples. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2012/may/25/10-of-the-best-plays-within-plays. Twelfth night and Comedy of errors both feature mistaken identity, as do these other works. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2008/oct/11/5

OR

- Macbeth: Books about/set in Scotland
- The Tempest/Midsummer Night’s Dream: fantasy
- Julius Caesar/Antony & Cleopatra/Coriolanus: ancient/classical history and/or politics and revolution
- The Henriad: Royalty and/or medieval history

OR
Elizabethan or Jacobean Society
OR
Comparing a history play with what actually happened
Or
Is Portia a radical feminist in The Merchant of Venice?
OR
How "real" are the ghosts in Hamlet? Are they convincing?
OR
Sexism in The Taming of the Shrew
OR
Who is responsible for the death of Romeo and Juliet
OR
1599: A Year in the Life of William Shakespeare by James Shapiro
OR
Contested Will: Who wrote Shakespeare by James Shapiro
OR
Reading 2-3 of his sonnets for a monthly read?
OR
Banishment as a theme in Romeo & Juliet or Richard II
OR
Gender fluidity in The Merchant of Venice, Twelfth Night, and As You Like It,
OR a biography of Shakespeare, such as Bill Bryson's Shakespeare: The World as Stage (and others!)
or
Reading some of the works that are only partly written by Shakespeare--and a few that are credited to the bard, but authorship is doubtful: Edward III, The Two Noble Kinsmen, Sir Thomas More (partly written by Shakespeare), and Cardenio
OR
Will's narrative and complaint poems: The Rape of Lucrece, Venus and Adonis, The Phoenix and the Turtle, A Lover's Complaint
OR
Shakespeare's works oftentimes incorporate Greek/Roman mythology into the characters/plots: A Midsummer Night's Dream, Titus Andronicus, The Winter's Tale, Love's Labor's Lost, The Tempest, Troilus and Cressida, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Hamlet, and Romeo and Juliet.
OR
Sonnets 127-154 seem to address the same mysterious "dark lady" with questionable morals.
OR
Shakespeare's pastoral works: Cymbeline, The Winter's Tale, The Tempest As You Like It, The Twelfth Night

January NinieB King Lear & Its Themes

February Susanna.Fraser rom com Much Ado About Nothing

March Silver Wolf Book based on a Shakespeare Play

April pamelad Hamlet Revenge

May- Tanya-dogearedcopy -Shakespeare’s Kings / Medieval History

June miss_watson Julius Caesar. Antony and Cleopatra, Coriolanus Ancient History

July- Tess_W Measure for Measure, The Tempest, The Merchant of Venice theme: justice

August mstrust Lesser known works

September thornton37814- Shakespeare sonnets/poems

October Christina_reads Macbeth Themes: murder, witchcraft, politics

November KristelH books fiction or nonfiction about Shakespeare/Globe Theater.

December ladyoftheLodge A Winter's Tale

2Helenliz
nov. 6, 2021, 5:13 pm

Is there a possibility of using some of Shakespeare's plot devices such that you could read the play that features the device, or another example of it. Hamlet and Twelfth night both feature a play within a play, this article mentions 9 other examples. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2012/may/25/10-of-the-best-plays-within-plays. Twelfth night and Comedy of errors both feature mistaken identity, as do these other works. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2008/oct/11/5

3Tanya-dogearedcopy
Editat: nov. 6, 2021, 6:44 pm

I'll take Henry VI, Part I for the Month of May! This is a History play featuring Joan of Arc-- so there's plenty of ways to go thematically/lots to work with! :-)

4Tess_W
nov. 6, 2021, 8:22 pm

>2 Helenliz: Absolutely, that is a great idea! 👍 What month would you like?

5Crypto-Willobie
nov. 6, 2021, 10:47 pm

Only a little bit of 1 Henry VI is by Shakespeare. Much of it is by Thomas Nashe and another collaborator or collaborators.

6Helenliz
nov. 7, 2021, 3:48 am

>4 Tess_W: I'm not offering to host, I was just trying to suggest other alternatives to widen the scope of the CAT.

7Tess_W
nov. 7, 2021, 5:06 am

8susanna.fraser
nov. 7, 2021, 11:29 am

Some ideas for monthly themes:

- Macbeth: Books about/set in Scotland
- The Tempest/Midsummer Night’s Dream: fantasy
- Julius Caesar/Antony & Cleopatra/Coriolanus: ancient/classical history and/or politics and revolution
- The Henriad: Royalty and/or medieval history
- Much Ado About Nothing/Taming of the Shrew: rom-coms

9LadyoftheLodge
nov. 7, 2021, 7:31 pm

>8 susanna.fraser: If this is the direction to go with this CAT, more people would probably participate.

10majkia
nov. 7, 2021, 7:58 pm

>8 susanna.fraser:>9 Yes, really. If we're just reading shakespeare, I'm not likely to particpate.

11Tess_W
Editat: nov. 7, 2021, 8:33 pm

All suggested topics have been posted. Thank you!

Keep those suggestions coming.

12Tanya-dogearedcopy
nov. 7, 2021, 10:06 pm

Are we also supposed to be indicating a theme to go along with the play? (I may have been under the mistaken impression that the options in the original post were applicable to all the plays.)

13Tess_W
nov. 8, 2021, 2:01 pm

I think we should leave it up to each host. What do you think?

14LadyoftheLodge
nov. 8, 2021, 3:31 pm

15mstrust
nov. 8, 2021, 5:09 pm

I'm happy to see a Shakespeare Cat.
What about a month of the lesser known works? The ones such as Cymbeline, Pericles, King John and such, that are less likely to be performed or filmed?

16Tess_W
nov. 8, 2021, 7:35 pm

>15 mstrust: That's a great one!

17susanna.fraser
nov. 8, 2021, 7:37 pm

I'd be happy to host a rom-com month focused on Much Ado About Nothing if people are good with that being one of themes. Maybe in February for a Valentine's Day tie-in?

18Tess_W
nov. 8, 2021, 7:46 pm

>That's a great idea--I can't wait! You are signed up for February!

19mstrust
nov. 8, 2021, 7:47 pm

>16 Tess_W: I could host that if you'd like. July or August?

20Tess_W
Editat: nov. 9, 2021, 3:26 pm

>19 mstrust: WOO HOO! I signed you up for August! TY TY TY!

We could really use some hosts, please! This was the most popular cat voted on! If you don't feel comfortable with a topic listed, by all means use one of your own! As this is the first time for this CAT, I think we will all learn a lot!

21SilverWolf28
Editat: nov. 9, 2021, 5:33 pm

I'll take March. Read a book based on a Shakespeare Play.

22pamelad
nov. 9, 2021, 5:43 pm

Since Hamlet is one of the few Shakespearean works I've read, I volunteer to do Revenge in April.

23NinieB
nov. 9, 2021, 5:46 pm

I'll do King Lear and its themes for January.

24Robertgreaves
nov. 9, 2021, 6:18 pm

What about Shakespeare's poetry? Could we include that somehow?

25LadyoftheLodge
Editat: nov. 10, 2021, 11:40 am

I will take December with The Winter’s Tale (appropriately enough!)

26Tess_W
nov. 9, 2021, 7:17 pm

>24 Robertgreaves: Yes, Robert. There have been suggestions posted above for a sonnet month and also for some of his narrative and complaint poems.

27Tess_W
nov. 9, 2021, 7:22 pm

Down to just 4 months now. I have deleted the topics that have already been chosen. Still accepting new ideas and new hosts!

28MissWatson
nov. 10, 2021, 3:29 am

I could do Julius Caesar/ Antony and Cleopatra / Coriolanus in June with ancient history as a theme.

29Tess_W
nov. 10, 2021, 8:23 am

>28 MissWatson: You are signed up for June!

30Tanya-dogearedcopy
nov. 10, 2021, 10:14 am

Hey Tess! Now that I see what’s what, I’d like to change/expand my month from “Henry VI, Part I” to “Shakespeare’s Kings / Medieval History”. Readers could pick a play, a novel and/or a NF book related to the time period or a topic within the time period.

31LadyoftheLodge
nov. 10, 2021, 11:43 am

For The Winter's Tale in December, readers could choose a reading selection related to themes or characters found in the play. They could also read the play itself, or something related to winter, or a book/story appropriate for reading on a winter's night (hence the title of the play). I will add more details when we get to December.

32Tess_W
nov. 10, 2021, 1:00 pm

>30 Tanya-dogearedcopy: Done
>31 LadyoftheLodge: Sounds good--will probably be doing the same!

33Tess_W
nov. 10, 2021, 1:02 pm

3 more hosts needed!

34Tess_W
nov. 11, 2021, 8:25 am

>24 Robertgreaves: Yes, there are some suggestions. Would you like to host that theme?

35Robertgreaves
nov. 11, 2021, 8:56 am

>25 LadyoftheLodge: I don't really know much about it, that's why I was hoping it would be a theme.

36LadyoftheLodge
nov. 11, 2021, 1:03 pm

>35 Robertgreaves: I found a lot of my information in Wikipedia (sorry, it had good synopses) so you might want to look there for poetry info.

37thornton37814
nov. 11, 2021, 1:13 pm

I'll volunteer to host a month featuring Shakespeare's poetry. We can include both the sonnets and the narrative poems. September will work.

38Tess_W
nov. 11, 2021, 1:27 pm

39christina_reads
nov. 11, 2021, 2:18 pm

Could I do Macbeth in October? Themes could include murder, witchcraft, prophecies, politics, ambition...

40Kristelh
nov. 11, 2021, 4:51 pm

I am not sure how this working but would a month for Shakespearian retellings work? or a month of books about Shakespeare?

41Tess_W
nov. 11, 2021, 5:15 pm

>40 Kristelh: We have a month for retellings (is a book based on a play of Shakespeare a retelling?). But I think a month ABOUT Shakespeare would work nicely. I know of 1599: A Year in the Life of Shakespeare. Also, perhaps something about the Globe theatre?

42Tess_W
nov. 11, 2021, 5:16 pm

Hosts needed for October and November!

43thornton37814
nov. 11, 2021, 5:19 pm

>40 Kristelh: Is March's "book based on a Shakespeare play" a retelling or a critical work or can it be either? I don't really know how it's supposed to be interpreted. I do think a "biography" month or about him in some other way would be a good addition.

44Tess_W
nov. 11, 2021, 5:25 pm

>40 Kristelh:, >43 thornton37814: I'm not sure of the host's intent. I have contacted her, but unless I hear back from her, I would think it could be interpreted as either, because even a critical essay might involve a different perspective on a work.

45Kristelh
nov. 11, 2021, 5:27 pm

I will take October and feature, books fiction or nonfiction about Shakespeare/Globe Theater.

46thornton37814
nov. 11, 2021, 6:02 pm

>42 Tess_W: >45 Kristelh: Wasn't October volunteered back in >39 christina_reads:?

47Kristelh
Editat: nov. 11, 2021, 6:22 pm

>46 thornton37814: What months are left?

48Tess_W
nov. 11, 2021, 9:28 pm

>46 thornton37814:
>47 Kristelh:
So sorry, October was spoken for. November is open. Will that be ok?

49Kristelh
nov. 11, 2021, 10:48 pm

50Tess_W
nov. 12, 2021, 6:40 am

Yeah, we have all the months filled! Thank you so much for all the suggestions and for volunteering to help. I'm really looking foward to this 2022 CAT!

51mstrust
nov. 12, 2021, 1:34 pm

Hooray!

52mathgirl40
nov. 12, 2021, 3:04 pm

Thanks to all the volunteers! Work has been a bit overwhelming lately, so I didn't think I'd better commit to volunteering but I do appreciate others doing so, and I will definitely be participating in this CAT.

53VivienneR
nov. 12, 2021, 9:04 pm

Thank you for setting this up, Tess, and thanks to the volunteer hosts. I'm looking forward to this CAT although I may not take part every month.

54Tess_W
nov. 13, 2021, 11:02 am

I need to create a wiki for this CAT. I would like it if somebody could "tell" me how to do it, some instructions; so I could learn. But if not, could somebody who has the ability create a wiki for this CAT?

55thornton37814
nov. 13, 2021, 11:45 am

You'll find the help page at https://wiki.librarything.com/index.php/Help:Editing

Your own page will be: https://wiki.librarything.com/index.php/User:Tess_W

You'll create a page (next level) for the ShakespeareCAT.

56Tess_W
nov. 13, 2021, 5:55 pm

57Tanya-dogearedcopy
Editat: nov. 14, 2021, 6:06 pm

>55 thornton37814: I also want to thank you! For a long time I have been frustrated in trying to figure out how simply to get to the Create page! With the links you have provided, I can start building a page I have had in mind that may prove useful for my month and beyond… We’ll see :-)

58pamelad
nov. 15, 2021, 12:26 am

>54 Tess_W: When you're in the help page you can search for ShakespeareCAT, which won't exist, and you'll be given the option of creating it.

Or if you create the ShakespeareCAT wiki under your own user name, there's an option to move the page so that it ends up in the right place with indexphp in its address rather than your own name. (My first try ended up in the wrong place.)

The easiest way to get started is to copy and paste another CAT Wiki, then edit it. For CATWoman I copied the AuthorCAT Wiki. Thank you, Majkia.

59thornton37814
nov. 15, 2021, 12:05 pm

>57 Tanya-dogearedcopy: You're welcome.

60majkia
nov. 15, 2021, 1:17 pm

Hi all. Tess_W is pretty stressed out in RL so I volunteered to do the wiki for her. Find it here:
https://wiki.librarything.com/index.php/2022_ShakespeareCAT

61thornton37814
nov. 15, 2021, 4:37 pm

>60 majkia: Thanks, Jean!

62Tess_W
Editat: nov. 15, 2021, 5:33 pm

Thank you so much, Jean!

63Robertgreaves
Editat: nov. 15, 2021, 8:28 pm

>60 majkia: >62 Tess_W: Thanks for taking over, Jean. I hope life gets on a more even keel for you soon, Tess.

64VivienneR
nov. 15, 2021, 8:08 pm

>60 majkia: >62 Tess_W: >63 Robertgreaves: Same message as Robert's from me. You are all appreciated for what you've accomplished.

65Kristelh
nov. 15, 2021, 10:28 pm

Tess, do hope your stress will soon pass, and thanks to all that help make these CATS work.

66Tess_W
nov. 16, 2021, 5:42 am

>63 Robertgreaves:
>64 VivienneR:
>65 Kristelh:

Thanks all! My mother had cancer surgery last Monday and I am her caregiver so that means I'm away from home for 3 weeks, don't have my desktop (working from a tablet) and I don't really have an hour to sit down and learn something new (when I'm not tired!). Thanks to all who volunteered to host and for the good wishes. I will be returning home (70 miles away) sometime next week and things will be getting back to "normal"!

67Kristelh
nov. 16, 2021, 6:43 am

>66 Tess_W: My thoughts and prayers are with you. Speedy recovery for mother. And for you, being caretaker is a blessing but it is very hard to be caretaker.

68Tess_W
nov. 16, 2021, 7:25 am

>67 Kristelh: TY TY TY

69majkia
nov. 16, 2021, 10:10 am

You are all very welcome. I hope you enjoy the challenge!

70mstrust
nov. 16, 2021, 10:58 am

>66 Tess_W: Wishing good health to your mom, and to you!

And thanks to >55 thornton37814: for posting that info, but I'm afraid it just goes over my head. I've hosted a bit here and there but have never created a Wikipage for them. I actually don't understand why they're necessary but I guess they must be.

71Kristelh
nov. 16, 2021, 12:55 pm

>70 mstrust:. I also don't understand the wiki. I think it is cool and I do them inconsistently but I don't know what purpose they serve. I don't know how to find them as resource once they are no longer current.

72Tess_W
nov. 16, 2021, 2:22 pm

73Crazymamie
nov. 16, 2021, 2:46 pm

>73 Crazymamie: Same! Ha! I thought it was just me.

74LadyoftheLodge
nov. 16, 2021, 2:47 pm

>71 Kristelh: You can find old wikis by going to a current wiki page and using the search function on the upper left. Just type in the name of the old wiki page in the search bar and it will appear.

75pamelad
nov. 16, 2021, 2:59 pm

>66 Tess_W: Best wishes to your mother and you too, Tess.

>71 Kristelh: Wikis are so time consuming to update because you have to copy the address from the book page then fiddle around with all of those === and ''''. Once I get behind on the BingoDOG wiki, usually at about book 5, I give up. In 2022 I am going to update as I go!

They're useful for finding ideas for books, but there must be an easier way.

76Tess_W
nov. 16, 2021, 8:53 pm

>75 pamelad: I always say I'm going to keep current with the wikis---they are right up there with my new year's resolutions!

77Robertgreaves
nov. 16, 2021, 9:58 pm

I will chime in as another one who doesn't really understand the wikis. I was told they constitute a record for people who are looking for book suggestions, but I don't know if anybody actually uses them like that. I try to fill them in as I finish books but sometimes I can't be bothered. And if there is no link in the introductory post, then I definitely can't be bothered.

78MissWatson
nov. 17, 2021, 5:33 am

>66 Tess_W: All the best for your mother's recovery!

79thornton37814
nov. 17, 2021, 6:48 am

I usually forget to post what I read for a CAT or KIT on the wiki until months later. I'm way behind at the moment. I didn't even know the wikis were there for many years. I just participated without adding to them. I'm hoping I'll have time to catch up on posting to them next week. I should have time around Christmas to catch up anything read between next week and the end of the year that fits.

80majkia
nov. 17, 2021, 10:42 am

Well, certainly no pressure to post your reads. No pressure to read anything for the challenges either.

The bingo dog wiki is helpful. It helps give me hints about what will fit a square I might not otherwise think about.

81VivienneR
nov. 17, 2021, 2:15 pm

I think it's interesting to see what we're all reading in any challenge all in one spot. In my early years in the group I didn't enter my books because it sounded complicated but when I discovered how easy it was I started adding every book to the wiki (unless I have a senior moment and forget).

82sallylou61
nov. 17, 2021, 3:30 pm

I think that it is helpful as a tracking device. If example, when we were weighing whether or not to change RandomCAT to RandomKIT, we looked on the activities of the various CATs/KITs. Another example is the concern some of us had at the use of the KITastrophe in 2020. Although the use as shown by the wiki was not ever very high, we decided to try it again this yea (2021) but make it quarterly. Again it appears not to have had much participation, and is not being offered in 2022.

Also, I enjoy seeing what people are reading for a challenge in one place as >81 VivienneR: mentioned.

83Tess_W
nov. 17, 2021, 3:50 pm

>78 MissWatson: TY she's recovering wonderfully. After an initial evaluation by the occupational therapist and the physical therapist they conclude she needs no therapy. Hopefully drains will come out on Friday.

84Jackie_K
nov. 17, 2021, 4:18 pm

>83 Tess_W: That's such good news, I'm so glad she's recovering well!

85Kristelh
nov. 17, 2021, 4:38 pm

>83 Tess_W:, that is good news!

86Robertgreaves
nov. 17, 2021, 5:57 pm

>83 Tess_W: That sounds positive. Best wishes for continued improvement.

87VivienneR
nov. 17, 2021, 7:42 pm

>83 Tess_W: Good news, Tess. Wishing you and your mother all the best.

88NinieB
des. 12, 2021, 5:03 pm

I'm very excited to announce that January ShakespeareCAT, King Lear and Its Themes, is now posted: https://www.librarything.com/topic/337448!

90SilverWolf28
feb. 15, 2022, 8:52 pm

91pamelad
març 14, 2022, 6:47 pm

92Tanya-dogearedcopy
abr. 15, 2022, 10:21 pm

93MissWatson
maig 16, 2022, 3:58 am

I'm sorry for being late, I could have sworn it was my turn in July! Will rectify ASAP!

94MissWatson
maig 17, 2022, 2:08 am

95Tess_W
juny 14, 2022, 1:54 pm

96mstrust
jul. 14, 2022, 1:27 pm

97thornton37814
ag. 16, 2022, 8:21 am

98christina_reads
set. 15, 2022, 11:44 am

The October thread is here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/344181.

99Kristelh
oct. 14, 2022, 3:10 pm

100kac522
oct. 25, 2022, 3:56 pm

2023 CAT Voting is now open at https://www.librarything.com/topic/345396

101LadyoftheLodge
nov. 14, 2022, 3:40 pm