Shakespeare is saying that he in fact does not have access to a muse, but asks that the audience allow him (or ‘me’) to relate the tale as chorus. Gently to hear, kindly to judge, our play. Who prologue-like your humble patience pray, But he is saying ‘O I wish I had a ‘muse of fire’ to tell this tale.’ The rest of the prologue is devoted to imploring the audience to forgive the theatre company for having fairly meagre resources to tell such an astonishing tale. He is referencing the literary tradition of claiming the work has come from the Goddess muses. This is Shakespeare being very cheeky and subversive. It elevates the tale immediately doesn’t it? This is no longer just a story being told by one person to another, it’s coming form the Gods themselves! Did Shakespeare Use a Muse?Īnd monarchs to behold the swelling scene! Think for a moment about the effect of opening the tale in this way. Sing to me of the man, Muse, the man of twists and turnsĭriven time and again off course, once he had plundered These two foundational epic poems tell the tale of Helen of Troy’s abduction, and the Greek war on Troy to retrieve her, and the journey home. Homer was a slightly mysterious figure to whom contemporary scholars attribute authorship of ‘The Iliad’ and ‘The Odyssey’. Let’s take a look at some literary examples throughout history. Men have referred historically to certain women acting as their muse: this is another way of saying they feel inspired to creative when in the presence of the person. The idea starts in Greece! There were undoubtedly Gods and Goddesses of inspiration and artistry prior to the Ancient Greeks, but when people talk about the ‘nine muses’ they are usually referring to the inspirational Goddesses who embodied the knowledge contained in the fields of the arts, science, literature, poetry, mythology, song and many other areas.Ĭountless writes and artists refer colloquially to being inspired by a muse. So how can we encourage the muse to show up more and fill us with great creative ideas? How can we tap into a source of inspiration and encouragement that will set our writing on fire? Let’s explore the concept of the muse, and then move to some practical exercises to get us writing! What is a Creative Muse? We put aside the time and space for creative ideas to arrive in our minds, but there is still a slightly mysterious generative process that leads to those ideas showing up. There are many reasons for this need for external stimulation, but one is that we often don’t really know where creative ideas come from. What is a muse in creative writing? Fiction writers, poets, screenwriters and just about every other variety of writer often talk about waiting for the muse to strike, or finding inspiration in a muse. Something to enliven their short stories and poems, and kindle their words. Writers want something that will trigger their ability, and let them generate their best writing. We often ask, where do ideas come from? How can I find the inspiration and focus to finish a piece of writing? How can I get motivated to write? These questions have historically been personified and embodied in the creative muse!Įven the greatest writers of all time need encouragement to have their creative ability awakened, to feel creatively energised, and ignited. All writers need sometimes is a little bit of inspiration to get them started.
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