Hear my soul speak.
Of the very instant that I saw you,
Did my heart fly at your service
– The Tempest 3.1
Inspired by his own marital experiences, discussions from ShakespeareGeek.com forums, and conversations with professional wedding planners, Duane Morin this week published Hear My Soul Speak: Wedding Quotations from Shakespeare. The eBook format is ideal for this nifty little guidebook to using quotations from the works of William Shakespeare effectively throughout the marriage process. Developed for and by a web-oriented community, Morin is acutely aware of the audience for which he is aiming. Far more than merely a compilation of quotes, the most useful sections of this book are those that provide layman explications of sonnets and particularly difficult quotations, whom should recite them, and how.
The book is organized into categories related to whom or when certain passages could be used. It opens with a section on sonnets because they are so versatile and self-contained, requiring no extra context in order to be understood, and thus ideal for a ceremony or simply a private moment during the course of the big day. His explications of each sonnet are quick, witty, and readable, although sometimes inconsistent in the amount of time and explanation spent on each. Most handy are the suggestions as to whether a sonnet should be read from one to another or by a third party, as dictated by the content of the poem.
The second major section is that of useful quotations organized into subcategories: “Proposals and Vows,” “Toasts and Blessings,” “Father of the Bride,” “Thoughts on Love,” “But Seriously Folks” (comedic), “At The Reception.” Organizing the quotations by play may not be the most streamlined method of indexing, but these quick and cogent lists are well-considered and yet avoid overwhelming the reader with options. Morin makes necessary brief notes throughout for passages, often noting which ones support contradictory meanings within and without of their original contexts. He makes suggestions as to which are handy for decorations and invitations, welcoming guests, or breaking the ice. The “toasts and blessings” section is particularly oriented for the best man and bride of honor and provides directions and options for recitation, but the “But Seriously Folks” section is the most thorough.
What makes this book more than a cleverly arranged compilation is Morin’s penultimate chapter, “Tips for Reciting Shakespeare.” Here he provides the crucial follow-up component that makes this more than a reference tool by discussing how to recite poems by looking for the rhythm, the importance of going “off book”, and other layman basic tips for delivering a heartfelt performance. Included are Shakespeare-specific memorization tips and practical advice for the one-time recitation. I appreciate that Morin emphasizes that this is a performance and memorization reflects how much you value the person whose wedding you are attending, but also note that “you’re just trying to get through a wedding, you’re not staging Timon of Athens.”
The last item is a brief biography of William Shakespeare focused on the facts and most famous controversies related to his marriage and family life. While I am not sure the inclusion of this human-interest story is entirely necessary in the scope of the book’s project, it is a nice touch and remains relevant to the preceding content. Because of the guidebook-like stance of this text, I can foresee it really benefitting from further development of the layout and design to increase the book’s usability and readability; I hope digitized editions are in its future.
I would have also liked a slightly longer reference list including what text editions Morin worked with to compile his list of quotations, and what sources he may have referenced when developing his explications of the sonnets. The author makes a point to note that he is not a professional scholar, but a computer programer, which in essence makes him somewhat ideal for this kind of project. He has a kind of critical distance from the material and so can conceptualize the needs of the average wedding attendee without succumbing to professional anxieties.
Morin does a good job of putting Shakespeare’s passages in context of the modern wedding ceremony, providing recommended texts, ways in which to understand them, and then tools on how to convey the poems’ meaning to others. A good example of this is when he briefly addressed the debate over what gender certain sonnets are addressed to and from. Rather than hastily explaining early modern sexuality and gendered aesthetics, Morin appeals to their universality, stating that this ambiguity and flexibility makes them particularly ideal for both heterosexual and homosexual couples. I definitely recommend Morin’s Hear My Soul Speak to get you through your next nuptial predicament.
- Hear My Soul Speak: Wedding Quotations from Shakespeare. ShakespeareGeek.com. Lulu Publishing, 2010. eBook.
- Available as an instant download from Amazon (Kindle Edition), iTunes (iBook), and Lulu (PDF Edition).
As an update, I took at look back at this post and then the book in early fall of 2016. It provided great inspiration for parts of what became my Maid-of-Honour toast at my best friend’s wedding.