shakespeare

[billy]

to mention one...would some of histories acclaimed poets fair as well in these times?

[rowens]

I always hear about how Shakespeare and Dante captured their societies at their times. And that was more possible then. Because of advanced communication and travelling, and the wider scope of reality people are so easily exposed to, poets seem to be seen as arbitrary as their own social niche. The sense of audience has increased in scope for the poet. He has so many considerations to make.

[billy]

slam poetry is a lot more prevalent now i think, and of course we have the internet and mass produced books.
wile the former would have faired well for William's work in latter means that his competition in the book department would be a lot greater. that and the fact of the size of the population. i think he'd probably get an odd play published, if not all of them. not so sure about his sonnets being as famous were they wrote now.

Browing's Sonnets from the Portuguese might fair a little better but i think that would be down to the fact they're only about 150 old. i do like some of them though and think they will stand the test of time. Still, i'm not sure if she'd get the same acclaim now as then.

[Leanne]

All Willy would have to do to be popular these days is go on Celebrity Big Brother and he'd be a hit. He had a good marketing team behind him (the royal family and all those upper crusties), so there's no reason he wouldn't be considered relevant today. EBB was a little emo, so she'd be fine, and her RB would probably write for some vampire series or other weirdness, so he'd survive too.

And Byron is a rock star. Mick Jagger would cower in shame.

[billy]

good point. maybe on other worlds poetry is main thing people listen to on cd's

would the he be able to get the same patronage today he had then?
i have a feeling philip would be saying something like:
toss off you namby pamby and get a real jot wot, wot

[Leanne]

Phil the Greek is just as susceptible to flattery as anyone -- Shakespeare was a great student of human nature and I have no doubt he'd have managed to win over lord and lad alike in pretty much any day.

[billy]

maybe but lizzy is no push over. and i suspect phil would be rather to jealous (he's greek) to let will's quill
scratch a syl

[Leanne]

I don't think Liz II is any tougher to please than Liz I would have been

[billy]

yes but now there's an army of security men keeping the likes of poets and beggers away, that said it has been known for commoners to climb through a palace window now and again.

would will have had a different education, then he was 1 among a really number. now he'd have 80 million to contend and vie with

[Leanne]

It would be nice to think that cream always rises to the top, but we all know that's not the truth... nowadays it's more a case of turds floating on the surface.

[billy]

now that i can grasp
i suppose his playwriting skills would still be able to get noticed. but some of his sonnets...rhyme isn't appreciated as it once was i supoose if he got fame from the plays his poems would be a natural progression.

[Leanne]

Most of his sonnets are bollocks anyway

A few are very clever, of course... but with the dumbing down of the world, works like "My Mistress' Eyes" would be completely lost.

[billy]

what about the reverse, how would we fair back then. when i say we i mean a good poet and not the we we, well maybe you