More than anyone, he understands what it is to be human.
That's not the experience of my school days. We had the Tempest taught to us by a less-than-enthusiastic teacher I'll admit, but I still managed to fall in love with it and do well on my exams. We then had Hamlet taught to us by a better teacher, which I always remember being suprised by because he was mainly a media studies teacher and a movie boffin and was known for that.Originally Posted by Mutatis-Mutandi
I have the Complete Works in five different editions! including the Arde (which I very nearly sold) he is amazing.
Is the BBC planning anything to celebrate it?
'Anger's my meat; I sup upon myself,
And so shall starve with feeding.'
Volumnia in Coriolanus
We had to do Twelfth Night in std XII. The teacher wasn't exceptionally good, but he did realise that this was a fun play and not a chore. He'd give us some explanation, then make us read it out, each taking a part. He also played us some records so we could hear professional actors reading the parts. It was a lot of fun, and Malvolio's yellow stockings brought the house down.
That was my introduction to Shakespeare, and a very good introduction it was.
Exit, pursued by a bear.
Of all the plays that I taught to secondary school students the one that never failed to grab them was Julius Caesar
Poor Malvolio for misreading feelings one is left wondering how one can truly misunderstand normal feelings to intimate ones.mona amon;1134866]We had to do Twelfth Night in std XII. The teacher wasn't exceptionally good, but he did realise that this was a fun play and not a chore. He'd give us some explanation, then make us read it out, each taking a part. He also played us some records so we could hear professional actors reading the parts. It was a lot of fun, and Malvolio's yellow stockings brought the house down.That was my introduction to Shakespeare, and a very good introduction it was.
Glad to see that shakespeare was spot on about forgeries and getting away with them.
And one more thought, I still do not get why woud one ever think smiling is ever offensive yellow is colour one would abhor and cross garters a detestable fashion, I thought that was what people wore all the time.
One would feel for poor Malvolio going roundexhibiting smiles looking all yellow and cross garted!
Great avatar by the way!!
it may never try
but when it does it sigh
it is just that
good
it fly
Perhaps he is the greatest English writer; but he is definitely not the greatest poet in the English language.
The greatest poet in the English language is John Milton.
Shakespeare is famous for his plays; and although his sonnets are memorable, they cannot compare to Paradise Lost.
Of course, a huge amount of the dialogue of his plays are written in blank verse, which is certainly poetic. Whether you can define it as poetry or not, though, is I suppose up to you individual subjective opinion of what poetry means.
"I should only believe in a God that would know how to dance. And when I saw my devil, I found him serious, thorough, profound, solemn: he was the spirit of gravity- through him all things fall. Not by wrath, but by laughter, do we slay. Come, let us slay the spirit of gravity!" - Nietzsche
Thanks, Cacian!
You are empathising with the character, and therefore seeing the dark side of the comedy, and yes, Malvolio is deserving of pity. We didn't get all those nuances though, at the time.Poor Malvolio for misreading feelings one is left wondering how one can truly misunderstand normal feelings to intimate ones.
Glad to see that shakespeare was spot on about forgeries and getting away with them.
And one more thought, I still do not get why woud one ever think smiling is ever offensive yellow is colour one would abhor and cross garters a detestable fashion, I thought that was what people wore all the time.
One would feel for poor Malvolio going roundexhibiting smiles looking all yellow and cross garted!
Great avatar by the way!!
Exit, pursued by a bear.
He's a virtuoso of words. And he means quite a bit to me. I do not think I would be the same person had it not been for Shakespeare and his many works. Because not only did he capture the human condition and human nature so well, but his works have influenced numerous others... Thus he has left a lasting trace on my perception of human behavior, relationships and psyche, of literature, of words, and of poetry.
Cheers, Shakespeare!
"All gods are homemade, and it is we who pull their strings, and so, give them the power to pull ours." -Aldous Huxley
"Sooner murder an infant in its cradle than nurse unacted desires." -William Blake
Oh and I took a Shakespeare class Freshman year in college... and absolutely loved it. It still remains, in my memory, as one of my favorite classes I have taken.
In high school Shakespeare was also not tedious, as I had some great English teachers, though I will admit that one high school teacher did turn me off of Romeo and Juliet somewhat.. just because we were forced to read it so many times and to analyze every single line... it almost became cliche.
"All gods are homemade, and it is we who pull their strings, and so, give them the power to pull ours." -Aldous Huxley
"Sooner murder an infant in its cradle than nurse unacted desires." -William Blake
sorry to ask is that something you drew yourself?mona amon;1134914]Thanks, Cacian!
Agreed I feel I have to empathise with a character that is made to dress up and then be turned down badly...it makes me think how intricately dark shakespeare was at getting into the psychic of man character being led on andlady character (maria) who is more then capable of deceit and forgery.You are empathising with the character, and therefore seeing the dark side of the comedy, and yes, Malvolio is deserving of pity. We didn't get all those nuances though, at the time.
Shakespeare twists, dark turns and tragic outcomes makes wonder about the psychic of the author himself. To be able to read into both sexes 's behaviour and thoughts in terms of deceptions, malicious acts and dellusions and be capable of such displayism of characters and stories in using them in is quite something.
it may never try
but when it does it sigh
it is just that
good
it fly
Happy Birthday, old man!
Well, I wish I read more Shakespeare than I have. I like him and I enjoyed reading him in school. But I've haven't kept up with him as I have other writers. I'm not sure why, exactly. Maybe it's because in college I fell in love with the Greek tragedians, and that love has been undying. So when I go to read drama, my thoughts turn to Euripides first. But I'll have to amend that this summer. I know that I've always wanted to read Richard III, but have never gotten around to it.
“Oh crap”
-- Hellboy
Oh, you have a treat in store there. Whatever people might say about Iago, he simply doesn't hold a candle to Richard in terms of a villain who is a delight to watch. The whole wonderful play is a study in how to revel in monstrosity.
"I should only believe in a God that would know how to dance. And when I saw my devil, I found him serious, thorough, profound, solemn: he was the spirit of gravity- through him all things fall. Not by wrath, but by laughter, do we slay. Come, let us slay the spirit of gravity!" - Nietzsche
I have read almost all of his plays and some more than once and more than twice... I have only seen his plays in a theater twice. The Tempest here on the ice a year ago and it was so very good but man I loved seeing Richard II in London a few years ago. Kevin Spacey as the king that was great!
I also loved the theater in London in general, here on the ice it's a real treat to go and people dress up and make a big deal about it but when I saw Richard II most people were just coming from work and nobody dressed up or anything, we were worried we looked to bad for the English theater but we were overdressed compared to everybody else. Now that doesn't happen to me a lot.
I hope death is joyful, and I hope I'll never return -Frida Khalo
If I seem insensitive to what you are going through, understand it's the way I am- Mr. Spock
Personally, I think that the unique and supreme delight lies in the certainty of doing 'evil'–and men and women know from birth that all pleasure lies in evil. - Baudelaire
I have a sneaking suspicion that Shakespeare goes over better in England than in the US.
Personally, I've never been a huge fan. I've tried to be, really tried. Im going to give him one more shot with another read of Hamlet sometime in the future, but that's his last chance.
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