Thursday 12 January 2012

Revisiting Books: Shakespeare by Bill Bryson

Have I mentioned lately how awesome I think Bill Bryson is? He really really is, and I think he's kind of a genius too. This book, which could easily have been really dry and boring (and I think already has been in countless* Shakespeare biographies) manages to me hugely entertaining because, whilst he sticks completely to the facts, and packs in a lot of information in less than 200 pages; he also never misses an opportunity to be gently mocking, or to point out the absurdities of various situations. This makes this book, for me, the perfect Shakespeare biography to read.

When I say Bryson really packs in the facts, I don't actually mean facts about Shakespeare because there are disturbingly, and annoyingly, few of those. As Bryson puts it, "We can know only what came out of his work, never what went into it." There are so many theories about every aspect of Shakespeare's life: what his relationship with his wife was like, whether or not he was bisexual, where he was during his last years, what influenced the writing of which play, and so many other things. What Bryson does is gently tear down all of these assumptions, theories and out and out fabrications, explaining why they're most likely wrong, or simply calling them out as fantasies of whoever thought them up. And all this in an amusing, but never mean, way.

So, it kind of sounds like Bryson's left with almost no actual information about Shakespeare, and that's more or less true. What we're left with is basically the barest facts about his life- when and where he was born and died, who he married and who is children were, and what he said in his will. Not massively interesting, but whilst debunking Shakespeare myths, Bryson also tells stories about other playwrights, and members of the theatre scene (essentially Shakespeare's contemporaries) as well as building up what I can only assume is a wholly accurate description of what living in London and working in the theatres would have felt like at the time. In doing this, Bryson immerses us in the world that Shakespeare inhabited, and so while we may not know what he ate for breakfast, or whether or not he liked cats, we can, thanks to Bryson, get a sense of of what it felt like to live in his world, which, I feel, is so much better.

And, of course, while we don't have all (or any of) the facts about Shakespeare, what we do have is a great body of work that, as Bryson points out, we are very lucky to have (Shakespeare's plays represent 15% of all the plays we have from that time, but many many more were written). And what can't be related to us through his writing that we could find elsewhere? Everyone else's views of Shakespeare would be just that- their own views, and since Shakespeare can't exactly be asked anything anymore, his writing has to be enough to tell us everything we need to know about him. And not to be too brutal about this, but what do we need to know about him, beyond the fact that he wrote these wonderful plays that we continue to love and appreciate today. Wanting to know anything else about the man himself really seems greedy and, to be brutally honest, unnecessary.

Basically, in its lack of facts, this book is well worth reading for the immersive experience of late 16th and early 17th century London. It doesn't pretend to know anything that isn't wholly provable, in this honesty, I think it's rare and also wonderful. It's also worth reading for Bryson's discussion of the words and phrases first written/recorded by Shakespeare, and for some fairly hilarious debunkings of some ludicrous candidates for the 'actual' writer of Shakespeare's plays. Basically, Bryson is fabulous, and I'm not sure anyone could have written better about the wonderfully elusive Shakespeare.

*Fun fact: Shakespeare first coined the word 'countless'

21 comments:

  1. He also coined 'assassinate.' Or something.

    FINE I'll read this. I keep meaning to read something of Bryson's, but Other Things keep popping up. This will be read...eventually.

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    1. Good, read it! Everyone thinks you should, therefore you must. Or something. He coined lots of words and really good phrases that are so good that we used them too much and now they're cliches. Many many things to be learnt from this book!

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  2. Even when Shakespeare was born is up for debate since the only thing we have is his baptism records. I swear Shakespeare destroyed records on purpose, just to laugh at people from the other side.

    Also it seems like everyone and their mom is reading this book for the Shakespeare reading month and I'm feeling the peer pressure to jump on the bandwagon and give it a re-read. Because really, Shakespeare and Bryson, how could it be anything but super fun?

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    1. The birth thing is true- I just like to think that he was born on the 23rd because he died on the same day and for some reason dying on your birthday sounds like a cool thing to do... as long as it's after the cake. Also, RE-READ IT! It's still so so good the second time around, and also, you know peer pressure has to be bowed to. It just does.

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  3. I've never read Bryson, but I've also never heard anything but good things about him. I do enjoy Shakespeare so maybe I'll be picking this one up sometime in the future.

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    1. Do it Jenn! It's pretty awesome, AND it's a good introduction to Bryson's writing style (i.e. witty and amazing)

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  4. I have heard so many good things about Bill Bryson but still haven't picked up one of his books. Shakespeare sounds like a good one to start with.

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    1. Shakespeare is a good one to start with! Plus it's the one I started with, which means that it's the only way to go really! Plus, you know, Shakespeare! He's awesome!

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  5. Oh I read this aaaaages ago but I haven't revisited it since. Thanks for the prompt, I suddenly feel inspired to do so!

    Wanting to know anything else about the man himself really seems greedy and, to be brutally honest, unnecessary. This is EXACTLY how I feel, and always have. I find the arguments that Shakespeare didn't write those plays interesting, but the second somebody talks about how 'obvious' it is that he didn't, I go into Irritation Mode. NOTHING is obvious about Shakespeare, that's kind of the point... Ah. I've started ranting, haven't I? Sorry...

    Anyway, I'm a new follower! *waves*

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    1. *waves back* Hi! Good to have you here! In a way, I don't really care whether it was like 'actual' Shakespeare or someone else (although I do find conspiracy theories interesting!) because I think what's really important is the stuff he's left behind. Not that the person isn't important, but when there really isn't any information to be had, I think the best thing to do is just be grateful for the plays! Also, yay for re-reading this! Everyone who's said they're going to better read it! Hehe

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    2. That's what I was trying to say, but you did it much more eloquently! 'Interesting, but irrelevant.' Could have just said that instead of a lengthy mini-rant, couldn't I?

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    3. I do love mini-rants though! :)

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  6. I have read only one book by Bryson and it was his own autobiography. I highly recommend it. Even though I am told it's not his best I thought it was entertaining.

    I would probably pick his biography of Shakespeare up before any of the others. Surprisingly I am more interested in his work than I am in the man himself. Normally I am one of those greedy people who want to know a little about the person who wrote the book.

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    1. Ah, see, I'm generally more interested in the writing than the actual person who does it because, in general, as Stephen King has said, writer's lives aren't really that interesting, and the most interesting parts of their lives are the parts they set down on paper. On the whole, I'd say I'm much more interested in the lives of say actors and musicians, because there's so much about them NOT revealed in their work.

      Also, I have The life and times of the Thunderbolt Kid! Just haven't gotten around to reading it yet, but I will one day!

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  7. Every time I see a Bill Bryson reference on your blog I really want to read him. I even write it down and everything, but alas, I keep forgetting. I'm making a New February's Resolution! Where should I start? Though, I don't think I'm going to be able to handle anything with Shakespeare in the title after this month...

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    1. I've actually only read this and Notes From A Big Country by Bryson, but this one is my favourite! Although I understand the need for a Shakespeare break after January! From what I've heard, A Short History of Nearly Everything is pretty good, and it's going to be my next Bryson read, so I'm going to recommend that in advance!

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  8. Every time I see a Bill Bryson reference on your blog I really want to read him. I even write it down and everything, but alas, I keep forgetting. I'm making a New February's Resolution! Where should I start? Though, I don't think I'm going to be able to handle anything with Shakespeare in the title after this month...

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  9. I love this book! Blogged about it the other day, seems everyone is right now! It is brilliant :)

    I've only read Notes from a Small Island by him, officially on the look out for more :)

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    1. I just bought that! It's so weird, I have loads of Bryson books, but I've only read this, and Notes From A Big Country... I must read the books I have!!!

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  10. I'm reading this right now and really enjoying it. It's really a fascinating look at England during that time and certainly sheds a lot of light on what Shakespeare's life may have been like, if not on the man himself.

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    1. Definitely! I really liked that kind of aspect of it, especially since we can't really know anything at all about him- instead of just making things up, Bryson shows what it was really like to live at that time.

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