Monday, November 01, 2010

November 1, 2010

from The Tempest
Act IV Scene I

Prospero. Be cheerful, sir:
Our revels now are ended. These our actors,
As I foretold you, were all spirits and
Are melted into air, into thin air:
And, like the baseless fabric of this vision
the cloud-capp'd towers, the gorgeous palaces,
The solemn temples, the great globe itself,
Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve
And, like this insubstantial pageant faded,
Leave not a rack behind. We are such stuff
as dreams are made on, and our little life
Is rounded with sleep.

–W. Shakespeare

"The first mention of The Tempest is in the royal Account Books of the Revels Office: On Hallowmass night, November 1st 1611, 'a play called the Tempest' was performed before the most cultured of kings, James I." from Poem a Day, edited by Karen McCosker & Nicholas Albery

2 comments:

mouse (aka kimy) said...

and seven years earlier othello - all saints day must have been an auspicious time to debut plays in shakespeare's day.


this post qualifies for being interesting and literary! not at all mundane and boring - and since you shined your light on the tempest, not a tragedy but a comedy!!

happy november and nablopomo!!!!

Baino said...

Peter Greenway did an amazing movie called Prospero's Books based on The Tempest. Good luck with Nablopomo . . Ijust can't do it capt'n