Shakespeare: Love it or Hate it?

[paraparamore23]

My English class requires me to read Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew and Much Ado About Nothing over the summer.

Presently, I have no reluctance whatsoever to read these. However, I'll be sure to think more than twice to read any of his tragedies, aside from Romeo and Juliet.

I've read at least one Shakespearean play every year for the past five years, and I've come to enjoy it. I know plenty of people who completely reluctant to read anything that old.

So, your thoughts on Shakespeare?

[D3mo]

I've only been exposed to "a mid-summer nights dream" and "Romeo and Juliet." Both we're amazing to me xD I really liked how well the humor was in "Mid-summer night's dream"

And no matter what, I'll always be a sucker for Romeo and Juliet.

[Chrysics]

Depends on the play. I hate Romeo and Juliet for instance : /

Though I don't mind Othello, Macbeth, A Midsummer Night's Deam, The Tempest or King Lear.

But, I might add I hate academics that teach shakespeare at university. Back in my previous course I did a subject based on shakespeare and the tutors were absolute pretentious nazis :/

[Matt Cruea]

I... appreciate it. The thing about Shakespeare is that he's pretty much prototypical for a lot of what modern drama is (this is, of course, barring the Greeks and whatnot). So most students who read the big plays (R&J, Othello, Macbeth, Hamlet, and Midsummer... Tempest if you're being generous) pretty much know the plot going in because they're just tropes of fiction at this point. That doesn't mean they're bad at all, they're just tried and true. Shakespeare knew what he was doing, but now... so do we.

That said, the best Shakespeare play is absolutely Twelfth Night and anyone who disagree is a wrongy-wrongerson.

[Y. Chang]

That said, the best Shakespeare play is absolutely Twelfth Night and anyone who disagree is a wrongy-wrongerson.

Just curious, why Twelfth Night as opposed to Hamlet, Macbeth or Lear?

[Seymour]

William's work is astounding, and I loved his work with Hamlet, Macbeth (my personal favorite), and Romeo and Juliet, each story just drew you in, and for some, like me, has you start reciting it out loud.

On an acting standpoint, reciting Shakespeare's work is great practice

[Matt Cruea]

Just curious, why Twelfth Night as opposed to Hamlet, Macbeth or Lear?

I think Shakespeare does comedy a lot better than tragedy. His melodrama can leave something to be desired at times, but when he's funny, he's funny! I also just prefer comedy over tragedy in most cases anyway, which is more indicative of my personality, and thus personal tastes, rather than which play is objectively better. Viola is also probably one of the best-written female Shakespearean characters of all his plays.

Much Ado's a lot of fun, too, but Twelfth Night is better. Overall, Hamlet is probably the best-written, but I like Twelfth Night a whole lot.

While I certainly haven't read everything he's written, of what I've read, Taming of the Shrew is probably the worst.

[Joey-Hanna]

I do like some of Shakespeare's work, but being forced to study it and going through the book at such a slow pace does kill my interest. I do prefer to watch it rather than to read it, I can understand the renditions of the plays somewhat a little better than just reading it.

Although the language can be rather confusing at times and that probably makes a lot of people not read Shakespeare.

[Matt Cruea]

I think you actually bring up a good point in that really these were never meant to be read by anyone but the actors anyway. It's meant for the stage and is written as such.

[Y. Chang]

While I certainly haven't read everything he's written, of what I've read, Taming of the Shrew is probably the worst.

What makes you say that? It's totally a modern dark comedy. Also, something tells me you might like it better if you were to see it done well on stage. It is, after all, a play.