1. Bridgit, Bill, Diane and I met on the Zoom Machine at 10:00 this morning and our focus was on the BBC's mini-series, The Hollow Crown, an adaptation of Shakespeare's tetralogy spanning Richard II, the two parts of Henry IV, and Henry V.
We spent most of our two hours discussing Henry IV, part 1, but started out talking about these great lines from the deposed King Richard's final soliloquy:
Nor I nor any man that but man is
With nothing shall be pleased, till he be eased
We talked about this passage, not only as it illuminates the climax of Richard's spiritual progress in the play, but as a principle that is universal. Bridgit and Diane have a deep understanding of tarot cards and explained the parallels between the tower card and Richard's insight in these lines -- the insight being that we cannot really be pleased or at ease with having everything if we are not, first of all, pleased or at ease with having all the things in our lives stripped away. Richard realizes, in a moment of insight found in world religions and other wisdom teaching, that what's essential in life is not found in titles, material endowments, and other things. What's essential is invisible. It's nothing. He didn't see this until being deposed as king stripped him of all that he'd possessed and he realizes in way that is not unique to him but that is universal that until one is pleased and at ease with being nothing, one can't be at peace inwardly.
2. In our discussion of Henry IV, part 1, I posited that Prince Hal spends so much time in the tavern, not just to mess around, but to learn the base nature of the corruption that permeates the kingdom. The king of the tavern world is Falstaff, who, just by his behavior, instructs Hal in the ways of thievery, deception, and cowardice, the understanding of which will be central to Hal's reign when be is crowned Henry V. In this tetralogy, Shakespeare explores the demise of chivalry -- embodied in this play by Hotspur -- and the consequences King Henry IV confronts having violated the orderly and peaceful transfer of power by succession when he seized the crown from Richard. As king, Henry IV is no longer protected by ritual and tradition. He must confront the fact that his former allies have turned on him and are now willing to unseat Henry IV, just as he unseated Richard II. In these plays, Shakespeare dramatizes modern amoral power politics in its early days. He's giving us a picture of a transition from a medieval world to the modern one. The transition, in Shakespeare's plays, is chaotic.
Today Bridgit talked about how, in her perfect phrase, the "treachery of statehood" that Shakespeare explores in these history plays is also a point of focus in the Dune books -- which I haven't read. We discovered that by looking at the reign of Henry IV, the dangers of insurrection, and the nature of nationwide corruption, we once again saw how these plays are simultaneously of their time and timeless.
If you are still reading the post and if you've read and recall previous posts I've made about our Westminster Study Group, let me remind you that we are all graduates of Christian colleges (Diane graduated from Pacific Lutheran -- the rest of us from Whitworth). We have all, over the course of our lives and in our reading, gained much insight and wisdom from learning more about archetypes. (This began for me when I studied mythology under Prof Lew Archer at Whitworth.)
Today, along with discussing power politics and the corrupting impact of insurrection, we talked about the archetypal father son relationships between Henry IV and Prince Hal and between Falstaff and Prince Hal. In many ways in this play and in Henry IV, part 2, these intimate and uneasy relationships between Hal and his birth father the king and Falstaff, his surrogate father, become the lifeblood of the plays, become the emotional heart of these plays, and take us into complex explorations that transcend the historical moment and are universal. If you think about all the things you know about the struggles that transpire and the affection that is often shared between fathers and their sons, Shakespeare explores these dimensions, right alongside his exploration of how he dramatized power and politics in the 14th century.
We will dive into the father/son dynamics more deeply as King Henry IV ages and as Prince Hal ascends closer and closer to assuming his father's crown in Henry IV, part 2 and, I think, even see ways in which their personal relationship and political relationship become almost inseparable -- but always fraught with the complications inherent in this timeless archetypal relationship.
3. In preparation for both trick or treaters and Game 5 of the World Series, Debbie and I split a 22 oz bottle of Deschute's Imperial Stout, The Abyss. This particular bottle was brewed in 2016 and I was curious to taste how five years of aging might have affected it.
Oh, my!
Especially as this beer warmed today, its multiple flavors of molasses, licorice, cherry bark, and vanilla, along with hints of chocolate, gave me one of the beer tasting experiences I love: it's as if this Imperial stout had three stages of flavor -- I wish I could eloquently break them down -- so that when the molasses and licorice asserted themselves at first, that wasn't the end. Something rich and deep (like going into a flavor abyss!) followed next and then the finish balanced out the semi-sweet nature of this beer with a subtle bitterness.
I'm sure glad Debbie and I split the 22 oz bottle. This beer weighs in a 11.1% ABV so drinking no more than eleven ounces of it was just about right.
I settled in to hand out candy and watch Atlanta and Houston by eating a bowl and a half of Debbie's stuffed pepper soup, a perfect blend of orange peppers, ground beef, tomato, and other delicious ingredients.
We didn't have many trick or treaters, so I wasn't interrupted too many times as I watched the Houston Astros fall behind Atlanta 4-0 and then slowly and mightily awaken from the hitting hibernation they've been in and steadily not only chip away at this deficit, but blow past Atlanta and win this game, 9-5.
The World Series now returns to Houston. If, indeed, Dusty Baker's shuffling of the lineup, his moving Carlos Correa to the the 3 spot, moving Yuri Gurriel to the 5 spot, and moving Alex Bregman down to the 7th spot was just the shake up the Astros needed to get their offense back on track, look out.
Houston hosts Game 6 and Game 7 (if needed).
Houston will face two young and well-rested starters, Max Fried and Ian Anderson, ready to pitch on Tuesday and Wednesday (if needed).
Max Fried has struggled in his last two post season outings, first against the Dodger and then last week against the Astros.
Can he bounce back, give Atlanta about five solid innings before turning things over to the pretty well rested horses in Atlanta's bullpen?
Or will the Astros, very comfortable at home, continue to hit like they did last night? They piled up 12 hits, had the benefit of a most untimely error by Dansby Swanson, and, by being more patient at the plate, stacked up six walks, one of them with the bases loaded.
It's nail biting time.
I really have no idea what might ensue Tuesday night, or, if needed, on Wednesday.
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