Oh, My the Jedi Are Going To Feel This...

   Today is an unofficial holiday. That’s right millions of school kids return... to school! (Cue lightning and theremin music. Kids, ask a teacher what a theremin is!) After three months of relaxation, summer camps, staying up late, and summer blockbusters, it’s time for kids to return to school. (Unless, of course you were one of those schools that returned last week. Wow, then I should have written something then. Just imagine you’re reading this a week ago.)

    Yes, right now a million Jedi are screaming in agony at the collective sigh that is most schools returning to school. Most commuters are screaming in terror at the increased traffic as people aren’t on vacation and are now back on the road. Lifeguards leave their summer in the sun and pools become scary lots that you pretend not to notice. Pumpkin is added to every menu, beer, whatever. And once again you can go to the movies on a weeknight and it’s just a little emptier. (Also, the movies start either sucking or going into major prestige mode.) We are getting toward jean jacket weather. The holidays are just around the corner.

    I love autumn. I know we don’t really hit it up for another three weeks, and it’s going to remain ungodly hot for another month or two. But there’s something about this time of year. Something in the air for me. Something that just gets my blood pumping and gets my creative juices flowing. I love this time of year.

    I know I’m in the minority on this. Especially those kids who are currently looking at horror at their backpack right now, and are not looking forward to the homework they are about to have. But look at it in a new light. Think of it as an opportunity. Right now anything can happen. Right now there is an opportunity for a brand new school year ahead of you! Take advantage of it! We are going to head toward this new school year together! (I'll be watching from the sideline. Hopefully not for too long.)

    But seriously, stop putting pumpkin in everything this time of year.

Breaking Bad Shakespeare Friday: Skyler White

    Last week, we looked at Saul Goodman and the comic fool aspect of Breaking Bad and how that pushes the show into the realm of “True Shakespearean Masterpiece.” This week, we’re going to look at a character that seems more problematic: Skyler White, Walter’s wife.

    If you type in “Skyler White” into Google, you will see a series of prompts. One of the prompts is “Skyler White Hate.” There are forums, essays and other things dedicated to how much they hate this woman, who is initially ignorant of Walter’s crimes. (I use ignorant here to indicate that she didn’t know. Not that I think she’s stupid.) At first, this was one of the reasons that I mentioned that yes, I was having a problem with the show: I hated her. But Breaking Bad is truly like a fine Shakespearean play: If you try judging the show on it’s first act, then you may not be around to see the final act where you can appreciate the hints dropped in the first act.
   
    Skyler’s “job” in the first season is a prop, let’s face it. Her pregnancy, her existence is so we as the audience can get behind a guy doing something pretty terrible. I mean, Meth has never been portrayed as “glamourous” or “harmless” in any media. So, Skyler is pretty much around to show us, “hey, Walt is just trying to provide for his family the best way he knows how.” Shakespeare loved to do this to us. Hey, Macbeth is just acting on some knowledge of some witches. Hey, Lear is dying, so he has a pass for acting a little goofy. Hamlet’s father died, he’s just trying to get through his grief. Iago just thinks that he deserves Othello’s spot. Those are things introduced in Act 1.

    However, as things continue, we get to see what Skyler is like. I was annoyed that she seemed to take Walt’s diagnosis so personally. She wanted him to go into (expensive) treatment. Which he ignored as long as possible, then gave in. But what I wasn’t seeing was the hints as to why Walt would dive so quickly into the drug world. Skyler is controlling. Not in the “stereotypical bitchy TV wife” way. (Excuse the language, but if we’re talking meth and this show, well, sometimes there’s no way around it.) No, she’s subtle. When she figures out that Walt isn’t telling her everything, she is passive aggressive to the max. (There’s no other way to state that.) Then she starts cheating on him, pretty much while Walt knows everything. (She makes sure he knows.) Then she figures out he’s dealing drugs. She kicks him out, asks for a divorce, which prompts him to try to quit, and get in line, despite the fact that at this point he’s a local drug legend. When he eventually goes right back to it, she uses her super book-keeping skills to help launder the money... on her terms. Stealing him away from Saul Goodman’s ideas. She comes up with the script that allows him to announce to his family that they have all of this money. She decides that they’re going to buy the car wash where Walt worked and was treated badly.

    The car wash. To me the car wash is where we finally meet Skyler White as a character. As mentioned she buys it to “launder money”. But it’s a symbol. It’s a symbol of a time when Walt couldn’t afford anything. It’s where Walt first collapses before his diagnosis. It’s where we see Walt being treated horribly. And now she owns it, (Well, they own it but she’s the one in charge of it.) and acquired it through devious means.

    I could go on, but I think you get my point. I know eventually she is doing this because she says she’s “afraid” of Walt, but she’s not. She’s always been in control. She’s probably one of the most complex characters in the entire series because she is, and there’s no other way to avoid saying it any longer... but she’s this show’s Lady Macbeth. She’s behind the scenes. Her hands are only a little dirty. But she laid every seed possible for Walt to start being who he is in the series today.

    “I’m going to protect this family from the man who’s trying to protect this family.”

I'm Enthusiastically Inexperienced

    The one thing I haven’t discussed that much in the wonderful world of class-taking in lively art of Theatre and the ever so useful topic of Folklore is why I’m taking these two classes. You see... I’m mostly done with my teaching degree. Next up on my magical mystery tour of college I have to do...

    The Internship.

    Now, there are very few programs of study for a Masters Degree (I’m getting an M.ED for anyone who’s interested in the technical terms. If you aren’t, then don’t read this sentence) that force you to quit your job, don’t work, and take this unpaid internship while you take an additional class for a few months. Now, yes, there are other options, like getting a provisional license, which is about as easy as teaching your cat to fetch and Career switcher, which won’t work too well for someone in my situation who wants to go from Government to teaching English, well... that’s not the kind of move the State licensure board is looking for. (And they don’t normally take “enthusiasm” as a substitute for “experience.). So I’m left with...

    The Internship.

    It’s kind of a scary thing. First of all to take that leap of faith to quit a steady job -- something I’ve had since I graduated from college all those years ago -- and to dive into a field that 1) Not a lot of people support and 2) with budget cuts promises that it’s not really a growth industry. But I’ve covered that.  It’s just while I talk about getting out of my comfort zone... this is OUTSIDE outside my comfort zone.

    I know I’ve done stuff in the past, but this is an established teacher giving me the reigns. It’s kind of intimidating. I’m sure I’ll do well, but this isn’t like going from one job to another. This is like going from being a contractor on the Death Star to Ewok village, only the Ewoks aren’t always so cute and cuddly. (Deadly Ewoks will be the name of my indie band.)

    Ideally, this is only about four months off. I mean, I still have to let you all know how I’m going to do on the Praxis 2. That little experience is coming up in September and merits a little blogging as I prepare for that as well. But as I get ready to gear up for this semester, which I am looking forward to, don’t get me wrong. One thing is sitting at the top of my mind, something that I need to start really considering.

    The Internship.

Of Teaching Theatre and Yankees Fans.

    Back when I was beautiful, I wanted to do a lot more with the theatre. I’ve mentioned it before, but for newcomers I spell it “theatre” because that’s the way my old Theatre Teacher, RL Mirabal (That’s Mr. Mirabal to you) would spell it, so. But in college I took directing, acting and playwriting courses, mostly because I hoped to be a playwright one day. Then there’s that old joke.

Q. What’s the difference between a pizza and a playwright?

A. A pizza can feed a family of four.

    So I did the responsible thing and got a job in data entry, and sort of gave up on my dream of being a writer/beautiful until of course I started this blog and writing, more, now I have lofty goals of writing something magnificent enough to be published and so I can meet all of my writing heroes.
   
    But that brings us back to the idea of theatre. Why am I discussing theatre (on a Bad Shakespeare blog) today of all days, on the first day of Fall classes? Well, I’ll tell you why, you curious folk. (and I guess the folk that aren’t too curious.) I’m discussing it because I am taking a class on the teaching of Theatre that starts tonight! (Just like Mr. Mirabal, except I’m not a Yankees fan.)

    Now, as it turns out I’m not qualified to get a certificate in teaching theatre. While I’ve taken a lot of the classes required in undergraduate, way back in the days of “dial up” (kids, ask your parents) but I neglected my technical theatre skills. I mean, I learned some while in High School, back even BEFORE there was “dial up” (it was a dark, ignorant time when we had to walk to libraries to Google information) but I really don’t retain a whole lot of it. It you put me in front of a board today I could eventually run it ok (with hilarious results) but alas, I just don’t have them.

    “So why do it?” my you are all an inquisitive bunch today. I’m doing it because I enjoyed my time taking theatre, and because I denied it to myself for too long. I took the responsible path out, and now I feel as though a big part of me is now gone. And while I’m still going to be responsible, I’m going to take time to enjoy myself. At the end of the day, my degree will still say “Michael B. Hock, English Teacher.” (Now THAT’s the title of a crime novel.)

    I mentioned a few posts back about how I went to go see Children in the Mist, a Horror Opera. I enjoyed it. And it reminded me of how much I missed seeing a production on the stage. The fact that a friend of mine wrote it... I miss that experience, too. I’ve written a play. I’ve seen it performed. There’s no experience like it.

    This doesn’t mean I love English any less. No, I’m still Englishing. But what it means is that I’m going to do something for myself, and re-immerse myself in the theatre world.  Because I enjoy it.

Breaking Bad Shakespeare Friday: You Better Call Saul

    I am going to start the second part of this series with an obvious disclaimer: spoilers for a television show that has been on since 2008. I will be covering the first four seasons, since those are readily available on Netflix. I won’t delve too much into the fifth season for right now... maybe in the future. While I’m spoiling things, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde... same person. Sorry if I just blew your mind.

    You better call Saul. With those words we get introduced to Saul Goodman (played by Bob Odenkirk), the flashy criminal lawyer with flashier suits and even flashier office who manages to help Walter White further his not so flashy criminal activities.

    Whenever someone discusses a television show, movie, character or fast food franchise that they consider to be “Shakespearean” they tend to focus on certain aspects that everyone covers. The tragic hero, motifs, young Italians deciding to kill themselves... what tends to be overlooked is the fact that William Shakespeare loved his fools that were smarter than everyone else.

    From Feste to King Lear’s Fool to (some may consider) Hal Falstaff, Shakespeare littered his plays with people who were labeled “fool” that were really smarter than the rest of the characters. Some of this may have been to subvert expectations, some may have been to have someone the audience can work with. (Of course he may have done this because his company had a resident fool and he was eager to give him meatier parts.) I talked last time about many of the Shakespearean similarities, but in my opinion, the one that puts it over the top is the character of Saul Goodman.

    Saul is the stereotype of the sleazy late night lawyer with the aforementioned flashy smile, the cheesy commercials, and it seems as if he is constantly chasing an ambulance. I have not really laughed out loud too many times while watching Breaking Bad (It’s kind of a dark show, if you couldn’t tell) but if I have, it’s because of something Saul has said.

    However, Saul Goodman is easily the smartest character in the entire show (In terms of criminals. The smartest character is the one not doing the illegal activities). He is constantly using his legal expertise to not just get his clients out of trouble, but to get them actively ahead. After Walter first meets up with him, Saul is able to track him down in the school where he works (without the benefit of Walter's real name, mind you), and then starts setting up meetings so Walter can get ahead in his Meth-Cooking activities. (For a finders fee.  I never thought I’d be comparing Shakespeare so much with Meth. I always thought it would be a show based on Cocaine.) He also helps to set up money laundering, and when there’s the little incident with the car that Walt manages to blow up, well, he gets that swept under the rug, too.

    Wise fools are interesting characters. I mention before that they are the characters the audience empathize with to a certain extent. They are, because we know that Walt shouldn’t keep getting involved deeper with Gus Fring’s operation. (That sentence will make more sense soon.) We know that Walt is walking down a dangerous path, and we may choose to yell it at the screen. (Like when we yell at the Jersey Shore cast when they continue to do Jersey Shore things.)But the wise fools... they have everyone in the world of the show fooled. They are goofy. We laugh at them. Feste, from Twelfth Night, is abused by the characters, but he’s the only one who possibly knows Viola’s secret (I say "possibly" but, but no. Feste knew her secret. It's in the text if you read close enough.). Saul Goodman is the same way. He’s the one telling Walt to be careful. He’s the one who tells people “this is a bad idea” when we are thinking it. But he's the one ignored by everyone because they're the criminals, and he's just the silly lawyer.

    We laugh with the fool. And Bob Odenkirk is a funny guy. He plays the character well, and we laugh at him. But at the end of the day, when this show ends in a bloodbath (and it probably will), it’s Saul that is going to head on back to work, probably even wiser and funnier than before.

    Trouble? You better call Saul.

Quickly, Someone Call a Folklorist!

               As you may be able to tell from reading this blog, the commercials on the radio or television, or just looking out the window at the bright yellow school bus starting to roam around neighborhoods, looking for children’s summer dreams to crush, we are firmly within the grip of back to school days.

                This is true of everyone, including your good buddy here at Bad Shakespeare. That’s right… as of Monday, I will be returning to the classroom to take two very special classes. I call them very special because I don’t have to take them. I’m just learning for the sake of learning at this point. But this year I will be taking an introduction to teaching Theatre class, and a class in Folklore. As you can tell that I am expecting to be given ALL OF THE MONEY once I finish these two classes and emerge into the world.

                I joke but this goes back to a point I’ve made time and time again: classes for the sake of learning. The Theatre class might be useful in my future as a teacher (Whereupon I can throw my arms up Jon Lovitz-style and scream “ACTING!” at the top of my lungs. If they don’t teach us how to do this properly in the class, then my tuition is wasted.) However outside an episode of Supernatural or Buffy the Vampire Slayer, there’s not much need for a folklorist in modern society. (But if any werewolves want to attack around this area so I can come to the police’s aid, I’d appreciate it.)

                So why am I taking it? Because I like Folklore. I’d like to know more about Folklore. I’d like to enjoy my time in class, read some cool folklore stories, and I’d like to explore what makes folklore folklore. (I’m also going to try to stop using the world “Folklore”. It’s starting to look strange.) I want to enjoy my time. I’ve had several years of education courses, not all of which were my first choice to take but required by “the man.” So now I have a rare opportunity. I’m a Grad Student who’s done with most of his classes, can’t take one of them just yet, someone else is paying and I have the time. So why not?

                But that’s just me. I know a lot of students are going to get their heads filled with (and I’m paraphrasing) “omygodyouhavetotakeacoursenowthatwillsecureyourwholefuture!” Yes, I understand that when it comes time for the job market, “folklore” isn’t going to be as enticing than “economics” or “just about anything else.”

                At the end of the day, beyond the perfect future that you think you’re planning for yourself (and will inevitably change based on the whims of whoever is pulling the strings) you have to take a few minutes to enjoy yourself. Relax. Take a stupid class that won’t count for something. Why? Because learning should be enjoyable. Remind yourself what learning is supposed to be about: discovering more about something that fascinates you.

                But you know, if a werewolf were to hang around here for a bit, I'd be pretty useful.

Your Bad Shakespeare Back to School Guide!

    Well, boys and girls, we’ve returned to that time of year. That time of year when the traffic in the DC area gets “worse” (somehow), where you have to go get your own damn coffee instead of assigning it to an unsuspecting intern, and where all the coeds are taken safely off the streets and put back together in one ecosystem to thrive in their natural habitat. Yes, that’s right it’s once again time for back to college time for everyone.

    Back to college time can be an interesting and strange time for everyone. It can be especially frightening for those students making the transition from the comfort of High School into the big bright beautiful world of college. Your good buddy Bad Shakespeare is here to help! Here is Bad Shakespeare’s advice to your first few weeks at college.

1. Freshman gentlemen, those really pretty girls are called “juniors.” They generally won’t give you the time of day.

2. For most of you, this is your first extended time away from your parents. Many of you will find this a time to “cut loose” or “party till your head comes off.” Others will see this as an opportunity buckle down, prove that you can be on your own. Fair warning now, you’ll probably end up rooming together.

3. This is a great time to set up a new identity for yourself, separate from your old High School self. “Ninja” or “Pirate” are always popular. Don’t discount the seldom used “Leprechaun” or “Natalie Portman from Black Swan.”

4. You’re going to have to buy books for your classes. Good luck with that.

5. It’s important to take down the biggest, strongest professor in the yard on your first day. That’s how you earn respect.

6. That one episode of that show you want to watch on Netflix is going to turn into a marathon the day that big paper is due, by the way. There’s no way around that. I wish there was another way.

7. You’ve heard of the freshman 15. Every year thousands of writers are paid to write at least a million articles on how you’re supposed to avoid this. They have to write at least a million based on an ancient deal with the god Bacchus, otherwise he’ll destroy Detroit. Don’t worry about it that much.

8. You know how you were the funny guy in all your high school classes? You aren't.

Enjoy your first semester at college, everyone!