Shakespeare - Bill Bryson

"Our revels are now 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 tow'rs, 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 a sleep."

The Tempest, Act 4

I dipped into this book when it first came out, but did not read it all the way through. During my crazy summer of Shakespearean theatre, I felt it was the perfect time to read it properly, to learn more about the man himself, life in Elizabethan London and hopefully have a giggle along with Bryson's writing.

I was only slightly disappointed. Bryson himself was the first to point out that this is indeed a slim volume compared to some of the epic tomes written on the playwright and his works. However, for this biography, Bryson has attempted to stick to the facts, not only about the man, but his work and the city and nation that he lived in. This has perhaps limited the amount that Bryson could actually tell us about Shakespeare, but has also restricted the pages of conjecture and supposition that you can easily find in most biographies. This makes for a unique look at Shakespeare, theatre and London of the 16th and early 17th centuries.

As a self-confessed Shakespeare and history nerd, I of course adored this book and all the tidbits of information on my favourite playwright that it gave me. I was not expecting the wealth of information on life in Elizabethan London, nor the modest humour with which Bryson writes (perhaps I was expecting cheap laughs, or a less sensitive American hand...we Brits are quite possessive of dear Will you know!). I found the book interesting (though perhaps not riveting) and educational, although I do have one quite major gripe.

What is it about Shakespeare that gets tens, nay hundreds of thousands of people reading his work every year? Why it is the work itself of course. Shakespeare's plays. Little gems of the English language, every one, full of humour, drama, romance and history, horror and war, magic and mystery. These are what I am continuely inspired to read, travel miles (and withstand torrential rain!) to see performed and watch on film. Bryson speaks very little about the plays themselves, aside from a clinical examination of their language, structure, content and occasionally authorship. There is no passion in his description of their words and meaning, no joy in his quotes or any other sign that he actually enjoys them at all. In fact, it does make me wonder what drew Bryson to write the book in the first place. Perhaps he spotted some money that could be made, or perhaps that is me being too cynical. I hope so.

This would not stop me from recommending the book to anyone, indeed I believe I have enough passion to make up for any lukewarm writing about one of the funniest and most insightful playwrights I believe has every published (whether you debate the authorship is neither here nor there). But is was a little disappointing. I think I shall reread 1599 by James Shapiro or try Frank Kermode's The Age of Shakespeare or Peter Ackroyd's Shakespeare in the hope of absorbing a little more passion from a biographer.

An excellent companion to my Shakespearean summer and a perfect starting point for anyone interested in learning about the wonderful William Shakespeare, though perhaps a little too light for some.

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