Curated Video
Hamlet 1.3 Word Nerd: Censure
The words "censor" and "censure" originate from a Latin term meaning to judge or assess. In contemporary usage, "censor" refers to the act of reviewing and possibly removing objectionable content, such as in films, whereas "censure"...
Curated Video
Hamlet 1.3 Dull Palms
Polonius advises against wasting time by socially engaging with every new, inexperienced individual, likening this to dulling one's hand from excessive handshaking. He uses the metaphor of "unfledged" young birds who have not yet grown...
Curated Video
Hamlet 1.3 Discussion: Household Management
"Borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry". Let's examine the language and context of this phrase to understand what Shakespeare means by this. In his time, husbandry meant household financial management so this phrase is a commentary on...
Curated Video
Hamlet 1.2 Word Nerd: Merely
The Latin root of the word mirely meant pure or unmixed. The original meaning of merely had a positive connotation, it meant completely or totally and that's how Shakespeare uses it here. However, in Elizabethan English it was already...
Curated Video
Hamlet 1.2 Word Nerd: Canon
Explore the evolution of the word "canon," which began as a term for laws or decrees issued by the Christian Church, then referred to the official list of Biblical books, and eventually denoted a collection of authenticated works by a...
Curated Video
Hamlet 1.2 Solid vs Sullied
This video explores the textual discrepancies in Hamlet's soliloquy, focusing on the variation between "too too solid flesh" and "too too sullied flesh." It highlights the existence of three primary sources of the play—two early quartos...
Curated Video
Hamlet 1.2 Metaphor: Nature's Garden
Hamlet's metaphor of the world as an "unweeded garden" reflects his view of it as ugly and disappointing, overrun with unchecked nature. In Shakespeare's time, the wildness of nature was seen negatively, associated with brutality,...
Curated Video
Hamlet 1.3 Word Nerd: Vulgar
In this video, a French woman criticizes Americans for being vulgar, clarifying that this was not about the use of crude language but rather about a lack of refinement and commonness in tastes and behaviors. This view aligns with the...
Curated Video
A Midsummer Night's Dream 2.1.92 Animated Note: Proud River
In A Midsumer Night's Dream, Titania describes her quarrel with Oberon as disrupting the natural world, causing mists to pull water from the sea and flood rivers, which she personifies as becoming "proud and arrogant." This video...
Curated Video
A Midsummer Night's Dream 2.1.245 Word Nerd: Nymph
Tthe word nymph derives from the latin verb "nubrey," to mary in ancient latin. The word, "nymph" referred to a woman who was ready to marry because she had reached sexual maturity. In medieval English, however, nymph was used to refer...
Curated Video
A Midsummer Night's Dream 1.2: The Mechanicals
Explore the many ways Shakespeare creatively names his characters to reflect their respective trades. For example, "Quince the carpenter" refers to a carpentry tool, while "Snug the joiner" is a cabinet maker.
Curated Video
A Midsummer Night's Dream: French Crown 1.2.087
In his remark, Quince uses the expression “French crown” to refer, not to a French coin, but to the top of the head of an everyday Frenchman. Quince says that some of these heads “have no hair at all.” His remark alludes to the fact that...
Curated Video
A Midsummer Night's Dream 5.1.202 Word Nerd: Ninny
The word "innocent" originates from the Latin prefix "in-" (not) and the verb "nocere" (to do harm), initially meaning someone who does no harm. By the time of Shakespeare, "innocent" had evolved to describe someone naive due to youth....
Curated Video
A Midsummer Night's Dream 5.1.046 Eunuch
The term "eunuch" refers to a castrated man. It was originally used in ancient kingdoms where eunuchs served as guards for the ruler's harem, ensuring they would not engage with the women they protected. Additionally, there was a...
Curated Video
A Midsummer Night's Dream 4.1.55 Word Nerd: Orient Pearls
Titania places a flowery wreath on Bottom's head, and Oberon remarks that the dewdrops on the flowers, resembling tears, suggest the flowers are lamenting their dishonor in adorning Bottom's donkey head. He compares these to pearls,...
Curated Video
A Midsummer Night's Dream 3.2.214 Heraldry
In A Midsummer Night's Dream, Helena uses wordplay and heraldry to symbolize the deep connection between herself and Hermia, likening them to "two seeming bodies but one heart," indicating their close friendship. She references heraldry,...
Curated Video
A Midsummer Night's Dream 3.2.203 Word Nerd: Artificial
The term "artificial" originates from the Latin "artificium," meaning craftsmanship or artistry, which was its initial meaning in English. Nowadays, "artificial" typically refers to anything man-made, often carrying a negative...
Curated Video
A Midsummer Night's Dream 3.2.158 Word Nerd: Conjure
The word "conjure" comes from the Latin words for "with" and "oath," initially meaning to accomplish something through a sacred oath. By Shakespeare's era, it evolved to refer specifically to summoning devils or spirits by using a sacred...
Curated Video
A Midsummer Night's Dream 3.1.126 Cuckoo
The cuckoo bird is named after the sound it makes. Its behavior of the female laying eggs in the nests of males other than her partner has led to the term "cuckold," referring to a man whose wife has been unfaithful. In A Midsummer...
Curated Video
A Midsummer Night's Dream 2.1.84 Word Nerd: Purple Grain
Before the advent of modern chemistry in the 19th century, one of the most unusual natural coloring agents was a red dye made by grinding up the bodies of insects living on cacti in Central America. This dye was known as "purple in...
Curated Video
A Midsummer Night's Dream 2.1.195 Word Nerd: Adamant
The word "adamant" originates from the Latin word "aramas," meaning a hard stone, and has evolved to denote anything unbreakable. In Shakespeare's era, "adamant" specifically referred to a lodestone or naturally occurring magnet,...
Curated Video
A Midsummer Night's Dream 2.1.158 Word Nerd: Vestal
The term "vestal" originates from Vesta, an ancient Roman goddess, and was initially associated with the Vestal Virgins who served her temple in Rome, pledging thirty years of chastity. By Shakespeare's time, "vestal" had broadened to...
Curated Video
A Midsummer Night's Dream 1.1.71 Word Nerd: Mew
The word "mew" originates from the Latin word "mutate," which means to change, and is the root of the English word "mutate." However, "mew" is specifically used to describe the molting process of a bird. This term has been extended...
Curated Video
A Midsummer Night's Dream 1.1.19 Word Nerd: Triumph
The term "triumph" originally comes from the Latin "triumpus," signifying the highest honor bestowed by the Roman Empire for a significant military victory. By Shakespeare's era, "triumph" had evolved to denote any public celebration, as...