Why is the Nightingale in the Pomegranate Tree?

Join Robin Williams for a conversational lecture on the symbolism in Shakespeare’s plays.

In Romeo and Juliet, the newly wedded Juliet tells Romeo:     

It was the nightingale, and not the lark,
That pierced the fearful hollow of thine ear;
Nightly she sings on yon pomegranate tree.

Why did Shakespeare choose the nightingale, and why is it in a pomegranate tree? What is the significance of the diamond that Duncan gives to Lady Macbeth? Why is Rhodope’s pyramid a backhanded compliment to Joan of Arc in Henry VI, part 1? What is an eye of newt, anyway? Shakespeare, like all poets throughout time, loads the text with subtle layers that reveal deeper meaning if we look closely enough.

Robin Williams spent a lifetime writing computer and graphic design books, then formalized her long study of Shakespeare with an M.A. and Ph.D. from Brunel University London in Shakespeare studies. She is cofounder of the International Shakespeare Center and Director of iReadShakespeare.org. She designs and edits the Shakespeare plays specifically for people reading the works out loud and in community.

Fee: $10 at the door

RENESAN Institute for Lifelong Learning
St. John’s United Methodist Church
1200 Old Pecos Trail
Santa Fe, NM 87505
505-982-9274 OR email renesan@newmexico.com

This course is posted under the umbrella of the International Shakespeare Center, promoting all things Shakespeare in Santa Fe!