Understand Shakespeare's language with this sonnet followed by a modern translation. I like to have fun with these videos, but I felt it appropriate to be serious with this one. The world needs to be a kinder place where people shouldn't suffer abuse for who they are and how they were born; be that race, religion, nationality, disability, gender, sexual orientation or anything.
When all my acting work got cancelled in the first lockdown, I decided to use the time to start learning all of Shakespeare's sonnets. I hope you find the modern translation afterwards entertaining. 121 down 33 to go!
This poem is both part of the Fair Youth Sonnets & part of the sequence from 87-126 known as the Fickle Youth Sonnets.
Sonnet 121 full text:
'Tis better to be vile than vile esteemed
When not to be receives reproach of being,
And the just pleasure lost, which is so deemed
Not by our feeling but by others' seeing.
For why should others' false adulterate eyes
Give salutation to my sportive blood?
Or on my frailties why are frailer spies,
Which in their wills count bad what I think good?
No, I am that I am, and they that level
At my abuses reckon up their own;
I may be straight though they themselves be bevel.
By their rank thoughts, my deeds must not be shown,
Unless this general evil they maintain:
All men are bad and in their badness reign.
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Shakespeare and superpowers? Yes please! - • Understand Shakespeare...
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Intro music composed & recorded by Joel Goodman.
/ @eppingmusicschool