Shakespearestealer

A Poetic Summary and Brief Commentary of....

"The Shakespeare Stealer" by Gary Blackwood.

Get yourself comfy, Grab a beer from the fridge, And follow this orphan-- This young man they call "Widge."

He's sold to a master, Who sells him again, And poor Widge continues To call hopelessness a friend.

He's taught a new language, Though its agendas are hidden; And helpless young Widge longs to escape his life's midden.

A scarred up man with doom in his pores (The supposed assitant to his new master) Leads him to London, where he's sent To steal Hamlet, and avoid disaster.

But avoid it he doesn't, and soon falls In love with friendship and hope, But that scarred up assitant's Got Widge on the ropes.

Widge finds refuge in life at the Globe And seems to abandon his attempted deceit But his agenda must surface, Lies and frienship must meet.

The content is fruitful, And the dialogue has wit At times it runs slow, But overall, it's legit.

Surprises and twists And fun themes are bridged, But this poem is exhuasted, I need a new beer from the fridge.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Although the novel is set in Shakespeare's time, very little of that era's vocabulary is used in the novel. I believe it is this way so that a high school student might not get frustrated with foreign words. Therefore, I have also written this poem without using flowery, Shakespearean words. My goal is to provide a creative overview of what a student, or any reader for that matter, can expect when diving into this novel. The references to beer have no real merit as far as connection to the novel goes, but placing them at the beggining and the end might make for a less rigid feel when dealing with a subject whose aura is typically, well, rigid. I also did not want to write something that would entirely give away what goes on in the novel; some stones are left unturned. On second read, I may have even included more than I would have liked. I believe it is a sensible amount for a student to still become engaged with the text.

A Letter to the Author: Dear Gary Blackwood, I really enjoyed reading your rendition of England and particularly London during Shakespeare's time in your novel The Shakespeare Stealer told from the perspective of a twelve year old named Widge.

Most of the story is about Widge and three other boys ho are learning to be players in the Globe Theatre. Each day they practice sword fighting with each other. One day Nick, the oldest boy, accidentally stabs Julian, the next eldest, as they practiced. When Mr. Armin, the trainer, went to check Julian's injury, he discovered Julian was a girl.

Nick's astonishment gave way to anger. "It         can't be true! You can't tell me I've been           fencing with a girl for most of a year, and          never knew it!"

Nick's reaction seems appropriate for the time. Shortly afterward the adult players discuss Julia's actions and vote her out of the players. They seem to be sad that she has to leave them and can't continue as a player. I would think that the players would have been absolutely furious that they had been duped by a mere girl for such a long time. Your idea of an amicable parting seems to be a bit too tame considering that it could have been a capital offense for all of the players if she had been discovered by an outsider. Am I mistaken about the attitudes of the players? Were the people during Elizabethan times more tolerant than I have been led to believe? I thought that Queen Elizabeth was totally intolerant of anyone who disobeyed her laws after all she had her closest personal adviser beheaded when she felt that he had attempted to usurp some of her power. Sincerely, Sue Fraser I felt that this subject and how the author handled it struck a slightly false note in the story. He worked hard to make the novel as authentic as possible with the working conditions, life styles and livelihoods including descriptions of the countryside, Globe Theatre and London during Elizabethan times. So I felt a letter to the author could help me voice my confusion as I asked him why the players "acted" as they did.

WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE!
An intimidating and fierce man named Falconer is on the loose! He is a tall and brooding man that is often covered by a dark hood. He has a long scar on his face. He was last seen in London and is thought to be trying to capture a boy named Widge. He is known to be involved with a group of thieves that steal current plays. He is also suspected in many assault cases. He should be considered armed and dangerous! Please call the authorities if you see this man right away! If you or information you provide lead to the arrest of Falconer a reward will be offered. The reward is offered by Shakespeare's players at The Globe Theatre, London.


 * Writers Note: I chose to make a wanted ad for this book because I thought it was a fun way to recap what I read. It was also a way to recall a specific character's appearance and actions. If I had done this on paper I would have added a picture of how I imagine Falconer. This would be a fun way to get kids to engage with the text. -Nicole Santa Maria

WANTED: Desperatly looking for a man who can write shorthanded. Must be willing to travel to London. Will be accompanied by Falconer, and will set out to complete a mission. Must be willing to steal William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet which then must be copies word for word. Must be young, energetic, and willing to go all out. Oh yeah, and it wouldn’t hurt if your name was Widge. MasterChief