Shakespeare
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Sneakattack 
Posts: 1054
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 Posted: 08:34PM Oct 14, 2011 |
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What do you think about William Shakespeare and his works? I like his plays; I just don't like the different writing style.
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LogicalRoger
Posts: 2441
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Posted: 09:18PM Oct 14, 2011 |
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Shakespeare's pretty good. I've seen a bunch of his stuff, and there are some great dramatic elements that modern storytelling to this day still uses.
I have to agree mostly about his style. It's difficult to understand some of it without notes, but the general meaning is often there. [This is even more the case when watching one of the plays.] Besides style, he also uses some references that need to be researched, as in modern days they have left common knowledge (well, in his time it was probably the middle class' common knowledge). But what do you expect? Often, unless a writer is intentionally using a niche vernacular, the farther back a work is, the more difficult it is going to be, because our language has changed over time. I also, probably due to upbringing in this era/culture, am much more used to shorter and more direct passages. Thus Shakespeare and I conflict when he throws in tons of wordplay and gives lists of Classical comparisons. Just the facts, monsieur.
I've seen some manga adaptions of many of the major Shakespearean works, and that idea interests me. They're pretty loose from the original, but hopefully they at least keep the basic meanings. I haven't really read the dialogue either, but you'd think with cyborgs involved, some dialogue would have to change, so hopefully it's just a tad more modern.
I do like the grandiosity of Shakespearean words though and the actions of the characters.
Which works are your favourite?
Also, I am much more a fan of his plays than his poetry. Though that's because I prefer plays to poetry. Some of his sonnets have touching and true meanings, but ... I'm just not very poetic. Except lim'ricks.
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dolphingurl12
Posts: 5490
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Posted: 10:37PM Oct 14, 2011 |
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!!!!!!
I'm in a Shakespeare class at my university! I love it. Once you get through the obscure references, there are some really profound issues in the texts. It's amazing how the themes hold up over the centuries; that's what's so awesome about Shakespeare. It's also fun to discover all the phrases we use commonly as they appear first in the plays.
Writing is the only thing that, when I do it, I don't feel I should be doing something else. - Gloria Steinem |
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LogicalRoger
Posts: 2441
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Posted: 11:44PM Oct 14, 2011 |
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I wanted to take a Shakespeare course next semester, but my CommUni is cutting back and aren't going to even offer any English courses above American Lit. at all next semester.  And I had watched the major plays in preparation. Budget cuts. 
It is always nice to see where titles and quotes come from though, yep. I was spotting them throughout.
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dolphingurl12
Posts: 5490
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Posted: 10:03AM Oct 15, 2011 |
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Oh I hate budget cuts! My huge state-supported university has to cut back too, which means all the fun and/or specific but non-essential classes are cut. Luckily, Shakespeare is essential since it's required for English majors like me. I hope they offer more literature in the future!
Ohh, which ones did you watch? The movies or on a stage? My professor is big into the movie adaptations, and we always watch them after we read the play. Some of them are excellent and some I hate.
Writing is the only thing that, when I do it, I don't feel I should be doing something else. - Gloria Steinem |
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LogicalRoger
Posts: 2441
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Posted: 01:21PM Oct 15, 2011 |
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I hope they do too, for the future students. It won't affect me though, since I'm transferring in the fall. I never got to take Science Fiction & Fantasy or Children's Lit. either. My fault for taking the basic requirements first I guess. 
I guess they were more like movie adaptations. I had just regained my public library card in years, saw the movies section, didn't have enough days to bring films back, saw the educational 1 week rentals, saw at least thirteen classic Shakespearean play production, watched about two for six weeks or so.
The ones I saw were produced by the BBC in the late 1970s to early 1980s, so maybe a bit dated, but it's Shakespeare and the production values weren't bad. These are the ones. I would definitely say it cold help understand a scene better to see it acted out, and of course to get a sense of the passion (assuming the actors did it right). And it's probably essential for one of Shakespeare's songs.
I've also seen some Shakespeare in the park. The plays were strangely set in the early 20th century - or at least the costumes and set were - and there were some modern translations, but it still seemed in line with the original meaning.
Which ones did you see?
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dolphingurl12
Posts: 5490
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Posted: 01:44PM Oct 17, 2011 |
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Ah, I haven't seen any BBC productions, but the BBC does a generally good job with most things so I bet they were pretty good. Sometimes it's hard to judge their quality if you haven't seen another production or read the play.
Hmm, I've only seen A Midsummer Night's Dream staged in person. I've seen a ton of the movies between this class and high school. The famous Romeo + Juilet with Leonardo DiCaprio and Clair Danes, and the older Romeo and Juilet movie that I can't remember any details about... The Branagh versions (he's like Shakespeare movie royalty) of Hamlet, Much Ado About Nothing, and I'm about to watch his version of Henry V. We also watched a loose, loose adaptation of Henry IV which was called "My Own Private Idaho." Weird, weird movie.
*stops hogging topic* 
Has anyone acted in any plays? Anything? Anybody?
Writing is the only thing that, when I do it, I don't feel I should be doing something else. - Gloria Steinem |
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EMB92
Posts: 555
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Posted: 09:04PM Oct 27, 2011 |
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I love Shakespeare. I've read Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, Julius Caesar, and A Comedy of Errors. Don't bother with the Comedy, lol. I've seen Two Gentlemen of Verona the play. I've seen Romeo and Juliet, and Julius Caesar (the good one) and Comedy of Errors on film.
Best book ever? Reduced Shakespeare for the Attention Impaired (Abridged). Wonderful.
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mj1321 
Posts: 50
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Posted: 10:26AM Nov 22, 2011 |
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Shakespeare's writing is hard for me to read right now, so I can't really say much about his works. I tried reading Hamlet at school and I'm only in 7th grade.  It was a very complicated to read and understand, but it was an very interesting read. I'm gonna try reading it again once I get a little older and learn more about his writings, so I can better understand his writing techniques.
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caberet
We are Stardust!
Posts: 358
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Posted: 12:16PM Nov 22, 2011 |
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Watching the Bard's plays helps to learn about his writings. Another way I got my daughter to appreciate Shakespeare was through a comic! 
They use all of Shakespeare's original dialog, but have pictures to explain every frame! It's a win-win!
---This message was edited on 12:17PM Nov 22, 2011---
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EMB92
Posts: 555
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Posted: 12:20PM Nov 22, 2011 |
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OMG I FREAKING LOVE SHAKESPEARE.
Okay. But I'm serious. I've read 6 or 7 plays, and I've seen 3. Not counting the videos I saw. My favorites that I actually read are Macbeth and Julius Caesar.
And about writing style: Um, that's how everyone wrote. IT'S BEAUTIFUL. It's not hard compared to, say, Middle English. Or Old English. Which I'm attempting to learn, cuz that's how nerdy I am.
EDIT: Whoa. I didn't realize that 2 posts ago I already said this...but I'm leaving it because it's slightly different...
---This message was edited on 12:22PM Nov 22, 2011--- |
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Asha14
Posts: 463
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Posted: 03:22PM Nov 22, 2011 |
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I loved Romeo and Juliet. It's the only play I read, but I thought it was good.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. |
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dolphingurl12
Posts: 5490
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Posted: 01:07PM Dec 6, 2011 |
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caberet wrote: Watching the Bard's plays helps to learn about his writings. Another way I got my daughter to appreciate Shakespeare was through a comic!
They use all of Shakespeare's original dialog, but have pictures to explain every frame! It's a win-win!
Oh gosh, these are so cool! I think I need to find them and purchase them.
mj1321, you could try reading the No Fear Shakespeare versions (google it and they should come up) first, which translates the Shakespearein verse into modern English. That way, you can get a good feel for the plot and then maybe try reading the original versions again. I do that sometimes when I have a quiz on one of the plays to make sure I get all the minute details she likes to ask us about in class.
Writing is the only thing that, when I do it, I don't feel I should be doing something else. - Gloria Steinem |
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