Fashion Your Self
Hey friend, Katie here.
As part of my mission with Craft Polish, I’m invested in helping you craft your future human self.
In that process, the past has valuable lessons to impart.
Something you maybe didn’t know about me?
I’m a Shakespearean.
For most of my life I have loved, studied and taught Shakespeare.
Now before you bail, hear me out.
I’m not here to make you love Shakespeare. I’m here to tell you why Shakespeare is useful to you.
It’s for this reason:
Shakespeare is about self-fashioning.
‘Self-fashioning’ is a theory by Renaissance scholar Stephen Greenblatt.
It’s the process of constructing your identity and public persona.
In his drama, Shakespeare was fascinated by how language constructs the self in the world.
‘All the world’s a stage’
‘We are such stuff as dreams are made on’
‘To be, or not to be, that is the question’
So what?, you might say. Why does that matter to me?
That’s what I’m here to tell you.
You can fashion your self.
Renaissance-style.
You can craft and polish who you are, like a work of art.
This is how you become the Main Character of your life.
You do this by learning how you combine these three elements:
Character – all the traits that make you ‘you’
Narrative – the unique story of your life
Language – the words you use to construct yourself
Giving you insight into these elements, and how to use them to build and present yourself to the world, is why I’m here.
This is what Craft Polish is all about.
Are you ready to become the MC?
If you haven’t yet, hit ‘Reply’ and tell me about you. I’ll get back to you.
All warm best,
Katie
PS. If you’re intrigued, browse my Shakespeare blog archive here.