Comedies, Romances, and Shakespeare's Heroines: Crash Course Theater #16

This week we're continuing our discussion of William Shakespeare and looking at his comedies and romances. As well as something called problem plays. Some of his plays, they had problems. We'll also put on pants, escape to forest, and talk about Shakepeare's heroines, lots of whom had quite a bit more agency in these plays than the women in the tragedies had.
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[@Trag-zj2yo]

A course on Shakespeare with an episode for each play is something I would watch.

[@Kraflyn]

"... and if it ends with marriage, it's definitely a comedy." XD :D

[@TheRachaelLefler]

if it ends with almost all named characters getting a sword in the gut, tragedy

[@Kraflyn]

yes, very precise definitions alright! XD Cheers :D

[@BasedChad]

Kraflyn agreeed lmaooo

[@angelheart1701]

I love how the play is titled "Cymboline" but the guy is only in two scenes.

[@michaelarcaro8815]

You're not alone in thinking that it's weird! In fact, we've started to see major theatre companies in the US and the UK produce the show under the titles "Innogen" and "Imogen" after the principal protagonist.

[@mayen655]

I absolutely, absolutely loved this presentation! To be honest, I don't know too much about the works of Shakespeare, it's not as big a thing in Cameroon. But Michael slayed this presentation, so damn upbeat and witty and... just fun! I enjoyed it big time. There was much laughing, and I just know I am going to be giggling all day.

[@ellaser93]

"Ten Things I Hate About You" is by far my favorite Shakespeare comedy!

[@BadWebDiver]

IE: Taming of the Shrew for young contemporary teens. (One of my favorite adaptation). On the subject, O wasn't too bad a version of Othello.

[@emilytopham5069]

Thanks for giving the problem plays and Romances their due! The Winter's Tale is one of my favorites, and you articulate why so excellently!

[@camiloiribarren1450]

Shakespearean comedies are fun and some are funny. It’s all about giving a good ending. Thanks, Mike

[@1evonvielen]

"Ophelia in the forest (in pants)" is a novel I would love to read...

[@danniantagonist]

Lovingly done, and as a once-Portia (the leading lady in Merchant of Venice) I can confirm that problem plays are indeed problematic. But worth the substantial effort. Thank you for this. :-)

[@jeffreybernath6627]

Boys dressed as girls dressed as boys. Sounds like a song by Blur.

[@DuluthTW]

Excellent. I'm going right now to dig out the Shakespeare book I meant to read years ago. Thanks, Mike, CrashCourse folks and sponsors!

[@michaelarcaro8815]

Pretty descent take for the comedies! Overall though, I feel that this one should be split in two - one for the earlier comedies which are more well known to be under that genre and the latter romances and problem plays.

[@jazminlado]

im watching this video because my teacher gave me a set of questions to answer from this video dang

[@kgw72]

Love the show, still, I wonder, are you gonna talk about the Spanish Golden Age of Theater, with Lope de Vega and his 500 plays, for example? :)

[@karabatakpoezie]

For what it's worht, I fully support this suggestion!

[@serotol]

Completely agree! It would also be a nice way to contrast shakespeare's work with other contemporary authors from europe instead of just presenting his theater in isolation (Although with some nice background)

[@franciscomedianero9280]

That would be awesome

[@kgw72]

If Thoth could stand his mispronunciation of Ancient Egyptian words, we can stand it, too. :)

[@USSAnimeNCC-]

"And in the end the queen dies" me: Wut lol

[@NoelleMar]

Shakespeare really jumped the shark with Cymbeline. I lost it at, "Thanks, Jupiter!" The amount of suffering Imogen undergoes reminded me of a Lars von Trier movie.

[@canadmexi]

(Spoilers?) Dying Mercutio: Ask me for to-morrow and you shall find me a 'grave' man.

[@BadWebDiver]

One of *the* best puns in Shakespear. (At least my personal favourite...)

[@sixpomegranateseeds6893]

Favorite Shakespeare play? A Midsummer Night's Dream. Favorite Shakespeare character? Olivia from Twelft Night. Favorite Shakespeare moment? Romeo and Juliet dying. I swear, I actually laughed out loud during that scene, I'm sorry. Least favorite play? Titus Andronicus. That is, if he wrote it. Favorite adaptation? She's the Man. One of my teachers lent me a huge book with everything ever written by Shakespeare ever. It's awesome!

[@That_Ozian]

Bottom: Odious Quince: O D O R O U S

[@carenzaprice5074]

Never audibly laughed at a Thought Bubble before 😂

[@therealjish7733]

One doesn't regret watching 1:56 to 1:59

[@CapriUni]

Is that Ben Jonson quote from the First Folio (I don't see any citation notes)? *Anyway*: "... That sometimes it was necessary he should be stopped." In other words: put down the quill, and go to bed! My very first exposure to Shakespeare was the BBC TV production of As You Like It (1978, with a very young Helen Mirren as Rosalind).... Not for class, or anything: just channel flipping and got hooked. I laughed so hard during the bad poetry scene that the person in the other room wondered what I'd gotten into. So I argue that much of his comedies are laugh out loud funny... 10/10 would recommend.

[@TheBibliophiliac]

The Winter's Tale and Much Ado About Nothing are my two favorites.

[@rparl]

TheBibliophiliac The Tempest Oh brave new world, with such people in't.

[@JDazell]

The story is also borrowed loosely from my favourite story in Boccaccio's The Decameron

[@BadWebDiver]

Wow! I never knew that! Thanks for the info! :)

[@sixpomegranateseeds6893]

Oh my god, that reference at the beginning!

[@MaxSabba]

"You can do a lot! ....better..." ...com'ooooooon

[@vrixphillips]

Yaaay Jacobean drama

[@dancergirl101]

Ugh I have to be here for my English lesson

[@Jaydoggy531]

I love Shakespeare's C-bombs like the ones in 12th Night and Hamlet.

[@tatianafokina6456]

hello! why don't you make an Art History course? it would be amazing ;)

[@ms.rstake_1211]

check out The Art Assignment by John's wife (I know that sounds terrible but her name escapes me).

[@tatianafokina6456]

Oma Rumunna omg thank you! ❤️

[@rkpetry]

*_the forest retreat is like your "thought-bubble"..._*

[@Firegen1]

Damn Ben that's some epitaph. You should write plays 😉

[@BigNWide]

I've watched a performance of Cymbeline. It's the only one of Shakespeare's plays where I couldn't follow at all what was going on.

[@Epinardscaramel]

The Theatre playlist is not updated anymore :(

[@kyndramb7050]

I know!!

[@ms.rstake_1211]

mine always is ;-D

[@SMF24601]

I have to disagree with Titus not being a knee slapper. As tragic as it is, modern productions often really play up the comedy element of the play.

[@jamiee7367]

Have you ever watched the movie version of _Titus?_ It's got Hannibal Lector in a Chef Boyardee outfit, and it is hilarious.

[@sixpomegranateseeds6893]

Or maybe they run into the forest on bicycles. Looking at you, Midsummer 1999! It was a really good movie though.

[@BadWebDiver]

Not bad. The one with Kevin Kline, Christian Bale and David Strathaim was good too.

[@vagnervargas7880]

He looks like Shakespeare!

[@MelodicNoise23]

5:20, Mike says "Macbeth" and nothing happens.

[@b.sharp.]

Where is my crash course entrepreneurship?

[@animekrrish]

Make a video on featuring Indian Epic ""Mahabharata""

[@lakrids-pibe]

No, not _Heinrich_ Ibsen. _Henrik_ , with a hen like in Henry. He was norwegian, not german.

[@ishragsdale4208]

Hey Crash Course! The numbering is off on the Theater videos is off!

[@htoodoh5770]

4:25 LOL, man that sound like my wife.

[@TigerRBLX]

Me having to do this for homework

[@rohanghoshdastidar1047]

I'm sure this is gonna be awesome too

[@mwangimacharia861]

Anyone else wanted this Shakespearian episode not to end??😫😫😂

[@AshishGupta-ql9lq]

The upstart crow

[@TalysAlankil]

Hey, why did you say macbeth in this one with nothing happening

[@anungodlyamountofcereal6384]

Maybe it's not one of the better ones,idk,I don't have a lot of experience with Shakespeare. But what about The Taming Of The Shrew? I thought that one was pretty funny

[@canadmexi]

Goldfish_Overlord TheFirst Congratulations, you wear a fedora!

[@BadWebDiver]

It is, even if the ending is *_not_* modern-day pc feminist friendly. But some of the lines are real zingers!

[@beth8775]

Much Ado About Nothing! But not Joss Whedon's production; they made it too dark. Sorry, Joss.

[@WhaleManMan]

Don't really know why Mike is talking about Shakespeare plays liking women when Taming of the Shrew exists.

[@BadWebDiver]

It's historically relative.

[@rajatjaga288]

I love my india...n love usa too...

[@The8Ronin]

Sooo the forest in shakespear is like Mtvs the real world

[@raggedy4647]

Why are the transcripts done as if they were stanzas to a poem

[@JrmyJ]

This is the first time I click as fast as I can to watch this Video I see Shakespeare I unliken't

[@arghyachakraborty]

Mike what? Still don't know his name(surname). Anyone?

[@zeevtarantov]

Mike Rugnetta

[@arghyachakraborty]

Zeev Tarantov Thank you, brother.

[@TigerRBLX]

Interesting

[@MizuAstrum91]

Drag!!!

[@JonBastian]

LOL. Cymbeline is fun... but it's a hot mess.

[@misaelquinonez2569]

my teacher made me watch this ;(

[@deniseglines8239]

a cross-dressing cross-dresser!

[@caimacd]

lol. taming of the shrew anyone?

[@caimacd]

That's you

[@BadWebDiver]

Try the version 10 Things I Hate About You.

[@fromthe4621]

Shakespeare's plays are better than that Romeo & Juliet movie with Leonardo DiCaprio

[@josephyml]

that movie is so freaking weird

[@BadWebDiver]

LOL! That _was_ Shakespear!!! :DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD

[@thecker99]

Wait the merchant of Venice ends “sourly” ? I mean yes for Shylock but all our heroes get genuinely happy endings and Shylock is evil, yes a racist figure a lot like the Aaron who gets mentioned here, but ultimately evil and I assume would have not given elizabethians much pause.

[@rob9802]

Hot take: R & J is a comedy.

[@nigelfaxberth2644]

This stuff made me do the funny haha.

[@88MrsDarcy]

Oh, marry me.

[@icegelofficial]

👍💖

[@gardenhead92]

"The guys are always braver, more clever, and more sensible than the girls, as per usual." Would this have been ok to say, or is it only acceptable to attack guys?

[@Detson404]

Stephen Bly He's discussing specific works. If you have a beef, take it up with Shakespeare.

[@htoodoh5770]

Stephen Bly I thought it was women.

[@Zarakendog]

This is a very shallow representation of Shakespeare's plays.

[@BadWebDiver]

Do it better then... And what part of *_Crash Course_* don't you understand???

[@jamiee7367]

It's an 11 minute video. It's only a basic overview.