This page would be easier to read if all of the entries were in the same font and the same size. Just a helpful suggestion.
I like to look at that quote backward, "I am, therefore I blog". As much as a blog can help develop the identity of the blogger, the blog itself is defined by the author of it. At least in my personal experience with blogging, I blog because that is the way I think about the world around me. I enjoy the social aspect of writing and commenting and collaborating with others across the globe as we discuss topics that I am passionate about. It has been quite an experience being able to explore Shakespeare and Germany via a blog, and to allow others to help me in my research.
I had always interpreted the song to be about suicide, and not fearing the reaper meaning giving in and dying. A quick Google search showed that I was not alone in this interpretation, although I did find a quote from the songwriter that said he wasn't talking about suicide.
The reference to Romeo and Juliet would also reinforce the suicide interpretation as they both did end up killing themselves.
Still, it is a pretty classic song.
It was an interesting forum, wasn't it? I'm just curious, what exactly about Shakespeare makes you think he would agree with that statement? Any specific lines or scenes or characters? I think that would make a fun blog post, using text from Shakespeare to show that he would agree or disagree with a certain philosophical point.
That's at least what this scholar believes, and I tend to agree, having read the lines that are almost word-for-word translations of Shakespeare's Hamlet. Some scholars think that both are based off of an Ur-Hamlet, some original source text that no longer exists.
That sounds like a lot of fun! I guess I had never thought about doing a fanfiction with Shakespeare, though wouldn't almost every adaptation or re-envisioning of Shakespeare be considered a fanfiction? Like 10 Things I Hate About You, or She's the Man? What is the difference between a fanfiction and an adaptation? Are they different genres, and do they interact with the text in different ways?
Nice. I love that song, it is always interesting to see how Shakespeare's words and ideas are being used and reused by modern bands and authors and everybody. Thanks for this connection.
This is very interesting, but it begs the question were these established archetypes that Shakespeare was drawing on, or did he come up with some of these archetypes on his own? There are a lot of writers who try to imitate Shakespeare, so do we create archetypes out of Shakespearean characters because we are trying to be like him and draw on his genius?
As someone who has some acting experience, I can say that it is extremely helpful to have a responsive audience. The actors feel the energy and excitement of the audience and it feeds them and helps them play their parts better. It is so difficult to play to an audience that is so afraid to make a sound. I try to make sure, when I attend a play, that I laugh louder and clap more, than I normally would. I am not one who normally laughs out loud, but I try to at a live performance, because I know how beneficial it is to the actors.
That's the real difference between a live show and a filmed show -- that connection between actor and audience.
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David Tertipes 
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