I make my living collaborating with debt people mostly I collaborate with the
people mostly I collaborate with the
people mostly I collaborate with the dead man named Shakespeare
dead man named Shakespeare
dead man named Shakespeare now you might reasonably ask what’s the
now you might reasonably ask what’s the
now you might reasonably ask what’s the point of collaborating with somebody
point of collaborating with somebody
point of collaborating with somebody who’s already dead sooner or later all
who’s already dead sooner or later all
who’s already dead sooner or later all of us learn the answer to that question
of us learn the answer to that question
of us learn the answer to that question because sooner or later all of us know
because sooner or later all of us know
because sooner or later all of us know and love and grieve for somebody dead
and love and grieve for somebody dead
and love and grieve for somebody dead our grandparents our parents usually die
our grandparents our parents usually die
our grandparents our parents usually die before we do sometimes even our children
before we do sometimes even our children
before we do sometimes even our children die before we do Shakespeare’s King Lear
die before we do Shakespeare’s King Lear
die before we do Shakespeare’s King Lear has to carry on to the stage the body of
has to carry on to the stage the body of
has to carry on to the stage the body of his murdered youngest daughter I know
his murdered youngest daughter I know
his murdered youngest daughter I know when one is dead and when one lives
when one is dead and when one lives
when one is dead and when one lives she’s dead as Earth he says and then
she’s dead as Earth he says and then
she’s dead as Earth he says and then even though he knows she’s dead he talks
even though he knows she’s dead he talks
even though he knows she’s dead he talks to her that would come no more never
never never never never my grandfather
never never never never my grandfather who loved me like the son he never had
who loved me like the son he never had
who loved me like the son he never had died when I was in high school my
died when I was in high school my
died when I was in high school my youngest sister died from medical
youngest sister died from medical
youngest sister died from medical malpractice when she was only 17 they
malpractice when she was only 17 they
malpractice when she was only 17 they will come no more our ability to love
will come no more our ability to love
will come no more our ability to love people who are dead can extend to loving
people who are dead can extend to loving
people who are dead can extend to loving people who died before we even met them
people who died before we even met them
people who died before we even met them chimpanzees and whales can love can
chimpanzees and whales can love can
chimpanzees and whales can love can grieve but as far as we know we are the
grieve but as far as we know we are the
grieve but as far as we know we are the only animals who can love a member of
only animals who can love a member of
only animals who can love a member of our species who died before we were even
our species who died before we were even
our species who died before we were even born in fact our relationships with the
born in fact our relationships with the
born in fact our relationships with the dead can be as powerful as our
dead can be as powerful as our
dead can be as powerful as our relationships with the living
relationships with the living
relationships with the living Jesus and Mohammed died many centuries
Jesus and Mohammed died many centuries
Jesus and Mohammed died many centuries ago but those two dead men still
ago but those two dead men still
ago but those two dead men still profoundly shaped the identities and
profoundly shaped the identities and
profoundly shaped the identities and actions of billions of living human
actions of billions of living human
actions of billions of living human beings how is that possible
beings how is that possible
beings how is that possible the dead are the most disempowered the
the dead are the most disempowered the
the dead are the most disempowered the most disadvantaged of all human
most disadvantaged of all human
most disadvantaged of all human ethnicities communities minorities what
ethnicities communities minorities what
ethnicities communities minorities what I call human genres genres of human
I call human genres genres of human
I call human genres genres of human identity and possibility the dead have
identity and possibility the dead have
identity and possibility the dead have no power at all unless we the living
no power at all unless we the living
no power at all unless we the living decide to give them power for 40 years
decide to give them power for 40 years
decide to give them power for 40 years I’ve been collaborating with dead mr.
I’ve been collaborating with dead mr.
I’ve been collaborating with dead mr. Shakespeare but in that time I’ve also
Shakespeare but in that time I’ve also
Shakespeare but in that time I’ve also collaborated with a lot of living people
collaborated with a lot of living people
collaborated with a lot of living people I’m a member of the global Shakespeare
I’m a member of the global Shakespeare
I’m a member of the global Shakespeare community we collaborate with him by
community we collaborate with him by
community we collaborate with him by proofreading his tax correcting them
proofreading his tax correcting them
proofreading his tax correcting them explaining the meanings of obsolete
explaining the meanings of obsolete
explaining the meanings of obsolete words memorizing his lines singing his
words memorizing his lines singing his
words memorizing his lines singing his songs performing his plays directing
songs performing his plays directing
songs performing his plays directing them designing them filming them
them designing them filming them
them designing them filming them illustrating them teaching them
illustrating them teaching them
illustrating them teaching them translating them transmitting them to
translating them transmitting them to
translating them transmitting them to new readers and audiences so from a lot
new readers and audiences so from a lot
new readers and audiences so from a lot of personal activity collaborating with
of personal activity collaborating with
of personal activity collaborating with those living shakespeareans I can tell
those living shakespeareans I can tell
those living shakespeareans I can tell you that working with dead people has
you that working with dead people has
you that working with dead people has one huge advantage over working with
one huge advantage over working with
one huge advantage over working with living people when you collaborate with
living people when you collaborate with
living people when you collaborate with the dead you can win every argument
the dead you can win every argument
the dead you can win every argument they can’t raise their hands and object
they can’t raise their hands and object
they can’t raise their hands and object they can’t storm out of the room which
they can’t storm out of the room which
they can’t storm out of the room which means it’s very very easy to persuade
means it’s very very easy to persuade
means it’s very very easy to persuade yourself that the dead agree with you
yourself that the dead agree with you
yourself that the dead agree with you about everything
the advantage of collaborating with the
the advantage of collaborating with the dead is you can always get your own way
dead is you can always get your own way
dead is you can always get your own way the disadvantage of collaborating with
the disadvantage of collaborating with
the disadvantage of collaborating with the dead is you can always get your own
the dead is you can always get your own
the dead is you can always get your own way unless you’re super scrupulous the
way unless you’re super scrupulous the
way unless you’re super scrupulous the dead become your silent partner becomes
dead become your silent partner becomes
dead become your silent partner becomes just an echo just a mirror but you don’t
just an echo just a mirror but you don’t
just an echo just a mirror but you don’t want to actually learn something from
want to actually learn something from
want to actually learn something from the dad if the dead are going to be
the dad if the dead are going to be
the dad if the dead are going to be actually useful to the living we have to
actually useful to the living we have to
actually useful to the living we have to preserve their independence I have to
preserve their independence I have to
preserve their independence I have to listen especially carefully I have to
listen especially carefully I have to
listen especially carefully I have to watch especially closely for any sign of
watch especially closely for any sign of
watch especially closely for any sign of dissent I must become skeptical of my
dissent I must become skeptical of my
dissent I must become skeptical of my own assumptions I must entertain the
own assumptions I must entertain the
own assumptions I must entertain the possibility that this great dead genius
possibility that this great dead genius
possibility that this great dead genius that I love and admire might have seen
that I love and admire might have seen
that I love and admire might have seen things radically differently than I do
if we’re going to protect the
if we’re going to protect the independence of the dead if we’re going
independence of the dead if we’re going
independence of the dead if we’re going to ensure that a dead genius doesn’t
to ensure that a dead genius doesn’t
to ensure that a dead genius doesn’t become just another you know useless
become just another you know useless
become just another you know useless yes-man then we have to find empirical
yes-man then we have to find empirical
yes-man then we have to find empirical objective impersonal ways to study what
objective impersonal ways to study what
objective impersonal ways to study what the dead did you might think of those in
the dead did you might think of those in
the dead did you might think of those in Puritan people research as a kind of
Puritan people research as a kind of
Puritan people research as a kind of autopsy what remains of Shakespeare
autopsy what remains of Shakespeare
autopsy what remains of Shakespeare Shakespeare’s remains or a few dozen
Shakespeare’s remains or a few dozen
Shakespeare’s remains or a few dozen printed and manuscript texts texts make
printed and manuscript texts texts make
printed and manuscript texts texts make it possible for us to know and love the
it possible for us to know and love the
it possible for us to know and love the dead the history of texts are
dead the history of texts are
dead the history of texts are knowledge ease from cave paintings to
knowledge ease from cave paintings to
knowledge ease from cave paintings to 21st century multimedia digital files
21st century multimedia digital files
21st century multimedia digital files enable have enabled thousands of
enable have enabled thousands of
enable have enabled thousands of generations to record their experiences
generations to record their experiences
generations to record their experiences observations thoughts feelings dreams
observations thoughts feelings dreams
observations thoughts feelings dreams identities our job is to decipher those
identities our job is to decipher those
identities our job is to decipher those texts shakespeare’s remains are
texts shakespeare’s remains are
texts shakespeare’s remains are inanimate material objects when we
inanimate material objects when we
inanimate material objects when we autopsy a body we’re looking for
autopsy a body we’re looking for
autopsy a body we’re looking for evidence of past agency what killed this
evidence of past agency what killed this
evidence of past agency what killed this person a bullet a virus a blood clot
person a bullet a virus a blood clot
person a bullet a virus a blood clot when we look at Shakespeare’s remains
when we look at Shakespeare’s remains
when we look at Shakespeare’s remains we’re also looking for past agency who
we’re also looking for past agency who
we’re also looking for past agency who printed this book who copied this
printed this book who copied this
printed this book who copied this manuscript did Shakespeare write this
manuscript did Shakespeare write this
manuscript did Shakespeare write this poem or that play and when exactly did
poem or that play and when exactly did
poem or that play and when exactly did all of this happen and one of the things
all of this happen and one of the things
all of this happen and one of the things we find out when we use our increasingly
we find out when we use our increasingly
we find out when we use our increasingly comprehensive databases and our
comprehensive databases and our
comprehensive databases and our increasingly sophisticated linguistic
increasingly sophisticated linguistic
increasingly sophisticated linguistic and statistical tools is that
and statistical tools is that
and statistical tools is that Shakespeare collaborated a lot anywhere
Shakespeare collaborated a lot anywhere
Shakespeare collaborated a lot anywhere from a quarter to a third of his plays
from a quarter to a third of his plays
from a quarter to a third of his plays contained big chunks of writing by other
contained big chunks of writing by other
contained big chunks of writing by other playwrights his most important and most
playwrights his most important and most
playwrights his most important and most frequent collaborators were themselves
frequent collaborators were themselves
frequent collaborators were themselves amazing writers Thomas Middleton and
amazing writers Thomas Middleton and
amazing writers Thomas Middleton and Christopher Marlowe I call Middleton our
Christopher Marlowe I call Middleton our
Christopher Marlowe I call Middleton our other Shakespeare because he writes as
other Shakespeare because he writes as
other Shakespeare because he writes as brilliantly as Shakespeare but he writes
brilliantly as Shakespeare but he writes
brilliantly as Shakespeare but he writes about different things mostly urban life
about different things mostly urban life
about different things mostly urban life middle class people work money debts the
middle class people work money debts the
middle class people work money debts the modern economy including the modern
modern economy including the modern
modern economy including the modern sexual economy political religious
sexual economy political religious
sexual economy political religious ideological conflict Marlow was like
ideological conflict Marlow was like
ideological conflict Marlow was like Shakespeare and Middleton an amazing
Shakespeare and Middleton an amazing
Shakespeare and Middleton an amazing artistic innovator but he led a very
artistic innovator but he led a very
artistic innovator but he led a very different life and a much shorter one
different life and a much shorter one
different life and a much shorter one University educated probably a Ches
University educated probably a Ches
University educated probably a Ches we employed as a government spy
we employed as a government spy
we employed as a government spy certainly murdered when he was only 27
certainly murdered when he was only 27
certainly murdered when he was only 27 29 probably assassinated allegedly an
29 probably assassinated allegedly an
29 probably assassinated allegedly an atheist and a homosexual that man
atheist and a homosexual that man
atheist and a homosexual that man Marlowe wrote many scenes in three of
Marlowe wrote many scenes in three of
Marlowe wrote many scenes in three of Shakespeare’s early history plays and
Shakespeare’s early history plays and
Shakespeare’s early history plays and maybe four so when we’re collaborating
maybe four so when we’re collaborating
maybe four so when we’re collaborating with dead Shakespeare were also
with dead Shakespeare were also
with dead Shakespeare were also collaborating with dead Marlowe and Ed
collaborating with dead Marlowe and Ed
collaborating with dead Marlowe and Ed Middleton and several other dead
Middleton and several other dead
Middleton and several other dead interesting writers and this isn’t just
interesting writers and this isn’t just
interesting writers and this isn’t just something peculiar about Shakespeare if
something peculiar about Shakespeare if
something peculiar about Shakespeare if you fall in love with any particular
you fall in love with any particular
you fall in love with any particular dead guy and want to know everything
dead guy and want to know everything
dead guy and want to know everything about them you soon discover that you
about them you soon discover that you
about them you soon discover that you need to learn a lot about the other dead
need to learn a lot about the other dead
need to learn a lot about the other dead people who surrounded him and worked
people who surrounded him and worked
people who surrounded him and worked with him so you start out as a
with him so you start out as a
with him so you start out as a collaborator with one dead individual
collaborator with one dead individual
collaborator with one dead individual but you soon find yourself collaborating
but you soon find yourself collaborating
but you soon find yourself collaborating with an entire dead community and why
with an entire dead community and why
with an entire dead community and why should we do this because Marlowe
should we do this because Marlowe
should we do this because Marlowe differed from Shakespeare and both of
differed from Shakespeare and both of
differed from Shakespeare and both of them differed from us and they both
them differed from us and they both
them differed from us and they both inhabited a world that to us would be an
inhabited a world that to us would be an
inhabited a world that to us would be an alien environment they interacted with
alien environment they interacted with
alien environment they interacted with it and interpreted it each in a
it and interpreted it each in a
it and interpreted it each in a different way and when you get two great
different way and when you get two great
different way and when you get two great visionaries looking at their world what
visionaries looking at their world what
visionaries looking at their world what we get is a stereoscopic vision of that
we get is a stereoscopic vision of that
we get is a stereoscopic vision of that alien environment that unfamiliar
alien environment that unfamiliar
alien environment that unfamiliar manscape woman scape past scape we talk
manscape woman scape past scape we talk
manscape woman scape past scape we talk about the past as if it was one thing
about the past as if it was one thing
about the past as if it was one thing but there are millions of paths there
but there are millions of paths there
but there are millions of paths there were millions of people living in
were millions of people living in
were millions of people living in Elizabethan England each of them as
Elizabethan England each of them as
Elizabethan England each of them as distinct as Marlowe or Shakespeare or
distinct as Marlowe or Shakespeare or
distinct as Marlowe or Shakespeare or Queen Elizabeth the first and all of
Queen Elizabeth the first and all of
Queen Elizabeth the first and all of them now dead and even if we could time
them now dead and even if we could time
them now dead and even if we could time travel back to shake
travel back to shake
travel back to shake Speirs Marloes Elizabeth’s world we
Speirs Marloes Elizabeth’s world we
Speirs Marloes Elizabeth’s world we wouldn’t see it the way they did because
wouldn’t see it the way they did because
wouldn’t see it the way they did because they’re dead physical brains and their
they’re dead physical brains and their
they’re dead physical brains and their loss personal experiences are different
loss personal experiences are different
loss personal experiences are different from ours the dead are all immigrants
from ours the dead are all immigrants
from ours the dead are all immigrants from another time and that’s why we need
from another time and that’s why we need
from another time and that’s why we need them
them
them temporal immigrants people from another
temporal immigrants people from another
temporal immigrants people from another historical time zone demonstrate for us
historical time zone demonstrate for us
historical time zone demonstrate for us the khalaqtu cranes of human
the khalaqtu cranes of human
the khalaqtu cranes of human possibilities they are the deep gene
possibilities they are the deep gene
possibilities they are the deep gene pool of humanity and that deep diverse
pool of humanity and that deep diverse
pool of humanity and that deep diverse human gene pool is especially vital now
human gene pool is especially vital now
human gene pool is especially vital now when our culture is becoming
when our culture is becoming
when our culture is becoming increasingly globalized homogenized
increasingly globalized homogenized
increasingly globalized homogenized flattened our cultural variety the
flattened our cultural variety the
flattened our cultural variety the idiosyncratic variety of lots of local
idiosyncratic variety of lots of local
idiosyncratic variety of lots of local cultural experiments islands of
cultural experiments islands of
cultural experiments islands of eccentricity Shakespeare lived on an
eccentricity Shakespeare lived on an
eccentricity Shakespeare lived on an island he never left it as far as we
island he never left it as far as we
island he never left it as far as we know those Galapagos Islands of human
know those Galapagos Islands of human
know those Galapagos Islands of human experiment used to be the insurance
experiment used to be the insurance
experiment used to be the insurance policy for our species to protect us
policy for our species to protect us
policy for our species to protect us from the unpredictable uncontrollable
from the unpredictable uncontrollable
from the unpredictable uncontrollable world
world
world Shakespeare’s Miranda growing up on an
Shakespeare’s Miranda growing up on an
Shakespeare’s Miranda growing up on an isolated island almost uninhabited is
isolated island almost uninhabited is
isolated island almost uninhabited is astounded when she first encounters a
astounded when she first encounters a
astounded when she first encounters a brave new world that has such people in
brave new world that has such people in
brave new world that has such people in it but will our brave new future have
it but will our brave new future have
it but will our brave new future have any people in it what kind of people
any people in it what kind of people
any people in it what kind of people what kind of culture what humans onerous
what kind of culture what humans onerous
what kind of culture what humans onerous will be best suited to that
will be best suited to that
will be best suited to that unpredictable brave and scary new future
unpredictable brave and scary new future
unpredictable brave and scary new future the millions of human pasts are our
the millions of human pasts are our
the millions of human pasts are our safety net our seed store of human
safety net our seed store of human
safety net our seed store of human possibility but there’s many many pasts
possibility but there’s many many pasts
possibility but there’s many many pasts Shakespeare writes of millions of
Shakespeare writes of millions of
Shakespeare writes of millions of strange shadows they can’t preserve
strange shadows they can’t preserve
strange shadows they can’t preserve themselves they’re already dead they
themselves they’re already dead they
themselves they’re already dead they will only be protected and transmitted
will only be protected and transmitted
will only be protected and transmitted by the actions of living collaborators
by the actions of living collaborators
by the actions of living collaborators we will determine the future of the past
we will determine the future of the past
we will determine the future of the past so each of us needs to find our own
so each of us needs to find our own
so each of us needs to find our own personal dead partner pick one that you
personal dead partner pick one that you
personal dead partner pick one that you love that inspires you or puzzles you or
love that inspires you or puzzles you or
love that inspires you or puzzles you or talks back to you discover what is
talks back to you discover what is
talks back to you discover what is humanly possible when you collaborate
humanly possible when you collaborate
humanly possible when you collaborate with at least one dead person we can’t
with at least one dead person we can’t
with at least one dead person we can’t bring the dead back to life but we can
bring the dead back to life but we can
bring the dead back to life but we can bring the dead back to the living give a
bring the dead back to the living give a
bring the dead back to the living give a future give a past a future yours
”
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