Why Are You Called Romeo? | Upstart Crow | BBC Comedy Greats 

@Seven Watson - Although creatives have found inspiration in the words and deeds of others forever, much of what you are saying is introduced IRONICALLY. Especially since so many goofy theory's have been invented about Will in the last 150 years (NOT before), the script is a tongue-in-cheek spoof on them. Examples: 1. Some goofy theorists say that Marlowe "wrote" Shakespeare plays, so as irony in this show, they have Will writing Marlowe plays. 2. The goofy theorists claim that Will was not smart enough to have written the plays because he lacked education. So the shows leans into that by having so many people around him inspiring, even coming up with, some of the iconic pieces of the plays which Will then borrows. (Jane Austen only had a few years of formal schooling as a young child, in a school for young ladies in subjects like embroidery, and went on to be another English literary genius. Charles Dickens worked in a shoe polish factory as a child in order to support his family. No extensive education for him, either. Yet, he ranks right up there with Shakespeare and Austen as another English literary genius.)

@@MossyMozart The reasoning people question Shakespeare is a bit more sophisticated, that he often refrences historical events in rather nuanced ways that seem to be very well versed in. However, there js a much simpler explanation: he began reading and spending more time with more learned folk later in life and incorporated those things into his work. This later theory is supported by his works. The ones dated earlier, while often containing very brilliant examples of writing, are more crude and unsophisticated in subject and style (compare Titus Andronicus to Julius Caesor, for instance. Titus is much more of a blood fest that seems less concerned with nuanced dilemmas and plays loose with history and is an inferior literary work. It is commonly seen as an attempt by Shakespeare (likely with Peele) to emulate other contemporary styles he would have no doubt been familiar which often portrayed very violent spectacles. This would fit with him studying contemporary writers and honing his craft which would diverge from them.

Shaksper's daughter couldn't read.

@@MossyMozart I wish they would Upstart Crow inspired comedies for some of the other British literary greats.

It is a myth that Shakespeare invented a large vocabulary of words and phrases, but what he did was more important. He put into writing, for basically the first time, witticisms and a lower class word play that the usual class of author was unaware. Most authors of the time and earlier were out to impress their educated peers and nobility, whereas Shakespeare was much more in love with the common English tongue and the possibilities that arose from that, and to get bums on seats. The English language that he captured existed for only a relatively short period. It was a language of innovation and change,, and much of Shakespeare is now completely incomprehensible to the modern reader. An example is in this clip with the use of the words 'wherefore art'. That isn't a Shakespeare invention it was the English of the day, and as the clip points out it roughly translates to 'why are', or better still "for what are", but we don't really have a modern equivalent.

Its awful rubbish

So do I.

what ?

Rosaline? Never read it then?

Ben Elton, a Dainty? Never, Sirrah, never! 😂😃😂

i could have excreted this program

@@rowanredwood9316 You write comedy for DAVE then.

What you did there. I see it.

@@kyleglover9456 Yes the whoie Shakespeare did not write Shakespeare thing annoys me.

@TeamBridgeBSC - I am a New Yorker myself and cannot get enough of "Upstart Crow". (It has been presented on Public Television in the US.) I wish that more episodes would be made. There are still more plays in the oeuvre for Shakespeare, Anne, Kate, Susanna, Marlowe, and Bottom to discuss, criticize, inspire, disassemble, remake, then present. Hop to it, BBC!

@@brotherowl : ... and that's a bloody good start :-)

@@MossyMozart And other playwrights to introduce. I would love to see what _Upstart Crow_ would do with the dynamic between Ben Jonson and Shakespeare.

Better get back to your Micheal McIntyre clips then... this is clearly a little too high brow for you.

@Williamus Rex- NAY!

The thickies don't get it!

It's very cliche,- the stroppy daughter figure. I've never taken to the series I must admit.

Thanks for telling us that... you probably think your comment was witty too...

It's one thing being thick. You don't have to proud of the fact!

@@StopSpyingMaya I watched and commented on this video nine months ago and I don't remember what lies within. I will have to take your word that it's far too clever for my tiny brain to find amusing. I have to admit, though, as I don't remember commenting, it's like reading it for the first time and my original comment does seem quite mean-spirited. What a misery guts. 😁