Monday, February 16, 2015

Literary Movement Reading Challenge 2015: February Renaissance Check-In



Here we are in the shortest month of the year: February. Hopefully it does not discourage you to dig into Renaissance literature for our #LitMoveRC. Today is the last chance for you to submit your reviews of January Medieval, then we can move on right away to February Renaissance. The linky has been up here, you can link up your reviews or posts on renaissance literature until March 15th.

Renaissance is the new era of poems and dramatic plays. Which one do you generally prefer, poems or plays? Shakespeare or Marlowe?  And which renaissance lit will  you/are you reading?

It has been my habit since 2012 to read something by or about Dickens every February, as it’s his birth-month. This year I picked The Last Dickens by Matthew Pearl, a historical fiction about Dickens’ unfinished book: The Mystery of Edwin Drood. It is very special, because Pearl included many historical facts about Dickens and the literary circumstances during that time, including the appearances of Dickens himself, which is so lively! Anyway, I have spent the first ten days of February to savour it; and now it’s time to dive into the dark soul of Doctor Faustus! It’s my first reading of Marlowe, and so far I love him, maybe a bit over Uncle Willy… ;) After this I’m going to read Macbeth, and only then can I properly justify them.

How about you?


9 comments:

  1. Hello Fanda. I've been away for a while and was wondering if it was still possible to participate in this event? I've been meaning to read some of Shakespeare's lesser known works or perhaps take a closer look at some of his sonnets so this would be a great opportunity to do so.

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    1. Hello Jason, of course you can still participate, you're welcomed! For February Renaissance, the linky will be closed only on March 15th, so you have enough time to delve in Shakespeare's works as you like. :)

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    2. Thank you Fanda, much obliged. I changed my mind and decided to read Philip Sidney instead.

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  2. I'm currently reading John Ford (though yesterday I bought a copy of Marlowe's plays - I don't think I'll get to them this month, though!). So far I've read The Lover's Melancholy and The Broken Heart. This week I'll be reading 'Tis Pity She's a Whore, and next week Perkin Warbeck. I must admit it's a bit of an effort this month! Roll on the Victorian month! :)

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  3. Hi Fanda,

    I read Marlowe's "Doctor Faustus", Shakespeare's "King Lear" & "Macbeth", and Machiavelli's "The Prince" so far, and I am starting "Paradise Lost" tomorrow. I wanted to read Webster's play "The Duchess of Malfi" and Pedro Calderon de La Barca's play "Life is a Dream", but, I'm not sure there'd be enough time to do so. I've just finished Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales" few hours ago (I loved the Medieval literature). I do really enjoy this challenge.

    All the best :)

    Maan K

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    1. Ah, I read Doctor Faustus and Macbeth too. Which one did you prefer? Mine is Doctor Faustus. :) Machiavelli's The prince is also intriguing, do you like it?

      I'm so happy that you are enjoying this challenge, bet it's not quite a challenge for you ;)

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  4. Hi Fanda,

    I loved Marlowe's 'Doctor Faustus' so much! Yes, I liked 'The Prince" although I don't agree with some of its ideas (It is a great book indeed).

    I read Shakespeare's "King Lear", "Macbeth", and "Richard III" and they are all wonderful plays. Moreover, I read "The Age of Shakespeare", which talks about the time as well as Shakespeare's works.

    I loved your reviews of "Doctor Faustus" and "Macbeth" so much.

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What do you think?