17 March 2011

Shakespearean March Madness: Round of Sixteen, Part 2

Welcome back for the second half of the Round of Sixteen! But who will be competing? For that, I have to announce the winners from Round 1, Part 4: Katharina Minola puts up a good fight, but she's no match for England's hero-king, and Henry V wins that bout 44-10. Our other fighting ladies in this bracket, however, gave the gentlemen a run for their money. Macduff just barely squeaked ahead of Cleopatra (28-25), and Macbeth didn't have much more of an advantage over Tamora (31-23). Finally, in the battle of the Roman generals, Coriolanus's brutal drive wins out over Enobarbus's more indulgent nature, 30-19. So that's Henry V, Macduff, Macbeth, and Coriolanus advancing to the Round of Sixteen, giving us today's matches:

Match 21: Titus Andronicus vs Joan of Arc

Who wins the battle?

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Match 22: Prospero vs Harry 'Hotspur' Percy

Who wins the battle?

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Match 23: Henry V vs Macduff

Who wins the battle?

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Match 24: Macbeth vs Coriolanus

Who wins the battle?

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My picks: Titus makes short work of Joan la Pucelle. Her claims to divine guidance aren't going to wash with him, so I feel he'll have no problem dealing with the Gallic trollop. I put Hotspur over Prospero, easy -- if he isn't cowed by Glendower, he's not going to be impressed by Prospero's airy spirits. Hal versus Macduff is a hard one, not least because I think very highly of both fighters and have affection for them both. I think this will be a close match -- What makes a man fight harder, inspiration or despair? Being of an optimistic nature myself, I give the edge to inspiration, so I think good Henry V will triumph. Finally, for Macbeth versus Coriolanus, I'm just not sure. I may have to wait for some opinions from the rest of you before I make my decision on that one.

These polls will be open until next Thursday. Don't forget to vote on the Round of Sixteen, Part 1, and check back next week for the Quarterfinals.

1 comment:

  1. Will Macbeth unseam Coriolanus from the nave to the chaps? Will Coriolanus squash Macbeth like a butcher killing flies? It's a tough call.

    We get some famous poetic descriptions of each man's fighting prowess. Macbeth comes in Act 1 of his play, courtesy of the Bloody Sergeant, while Coriolanus' comes in Act 4 of his play. Hmmm. At which point in their respective careers does this fight occur? So many factors!

    My final call is hardly objective, given my Scottish play opens today, but I'm giving it to Macbeth. He's certainly more introspective and wily than the Roman war-machine, and I tend to think this circumspection and deviousness will give him an edge. And though he may not Mars in human form, Macbeth is Bellona's Bridegroom.

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