It occurred to me today that Shakespeare's acting career (some theorize that he did quite a bit of it, starting in the lost years) must have had quite a bit of impact on his writing one. The fact that he would have gained a lot of understanding regarding the experience of getting in front of crowds, performing actions, speaking memorized words, and carrying a story must have played a part in his work. In my December 10 post, I compared Shakespeare to Duke Ellington, but I didn't mention the performing parallel (Ellington was a great pianist), and now I realize that it might have been the most important of all. The varied experiences of these two giants, both generally acknowledged as the best in their fields, brings up the question of whether the arts, like many other endeavours, have become too specialized, compartmentalized even.