The Town of Odyssey

The illustrious bard that no one can escape from in high-school English!
I just finished reading Hamlet and I could hear Edwin and Malcolm Lear fighting each other in "The Taming of the Two"
I'm not a big fan of Shakespeare. He has so much crudeness and sexual innuendos all the time. I really hate Romeo and Juliet. Everyone always says what a classic love story it is, but at least in my mind, it's lust not love. Romeo and Juliet (ages 17 and 14 respectively) know each other for only a few days before they kill each other for "love." Romeo begins the play by mooning over some other girl who he immediately forgets as soon as he sees Juliet. He doesn't know what love is.
However, since this is the Harlequin Theater, with Edwin Blackguard residing, I'll admit that Shakespeare does have some good lines and some good messages in his plays.

Romeo and Juliet isn't my favorite either; I prefer "The Merchant of Venice." Wow, um, I'm surprised at the critique to be sure. I usually only hear people who love Shakespeare or think he's stuffy. Not too many people actually break down his works. But I admire your willingness to take a stand and speak it as you see it.

To quote P.G. Wodehouse, "It's just like Shakespear. Sounds very well, doesn't really mean anything though." That sums it up for me. He was just a playright (sp?) who lived a long time ago, and has gotten way too much attention since then.

I have to admit my three favorite plays are Measure for Measure, The Taming of the Shrew, and Much Ado about Nothing. I also love this group, The reduced Shakespeare company. They have a show called, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare...Abirdged. It's a hoot. Especially since the entire cast consist of three guys.

Contrary to a bit of cliche', I believe the man was brilliant, and not just because of the Hype. I've read his plays, and found them to be of quite substance.

Shakespeare was a genius and a master of the English Language. He created over 1700 words--many of which we use today. I took a class on him last term, and despite the fact that the teacher gave more homework than my other professor's combined, I'm taking another course on him because I really started getting into his work. I had to read some in high school. but I never really went indepth as now. Honestly though, I will never be able to just sit down and read a play for fun unless I have read it before.....

My favorite so far is Richard III.

I am amazed when we start a new play how many lines I have heard from AIO!!!!

Anne wrote:The illustrious bard that no one can escape from in high-school English!
I just finished reading Hamlet and I could hear Edwin and Malcolm Lear fighting each other in "The Taming of the Two"
I'm not a big fan of Shakespeare. He has so much crudeness and sexual innuendos all the time. I really hate Romeo and Juliet. Everyone always says what a classic love story it is, but at least in my mind, it's lust not love. Romeo and Juliet (ages 17 and 14 respectively) know each other for only a few days before they kill each other for "love." Romeo begins the play by mooning over some other girl who he immediately forgets as soon as he sees Juliet. He doesn't know what love is.
However, since this is the Harlequin Theater, with Edwin Blackguard residing, I'll admit that Shakespeare does have some good lines and some good messages in his plays.

Romeo and Juliet is not suppose to be true, the tale was written by a man that wrote of fairies. Romeo and Juliet is one of the most romantic and beautiful plays in history, since when must it be true?

jessicado wrote:Shakespeare was a genius and a master of the English Language.

Now I have to agree with that. I've enjoyed reading some of his stuff just for the language. I'm weird I know but sometimes I enjoy reading just for the sake of how the guy wrote... not what the story's about.

I love Shakespeare. Do you realize how many words he made up that we use today? hundreds if not thousands and no that is not an exaggeration. I love mch ado about nothing. I just finished Hamlet in school. I have read several others and seen some of the films by Kenneth Branaugh. He got me hooked on much ado actually. it's so funny.

I have so many movies with Kenneth Branaugh in them the last two terms--and I never even knew who he was before that.

some of them are terribly overacted like Othello wit hAnthony Hopkins. THre is a scene towards the end where he is almost foaming at the mouth. Its crazy

My fav. is Much ado about Nothing! I have been in Much ado, Twelth Night, A midsummers nights dream!!! My fav to act in is much ado cause I got a bigger part!!

I love Julius Caesar but only because I crazy about Roman History and stuff

STRYPER wrote:I love Julius Caesar but only because I crazy about Roman History and stuff

I had to read Julius Caesar for my English class.

Sheakspeare was a brillant man, but his works are just like poetry sometimes: It sounds good, but you have to ask- What did he say? Or why couldn't he have just said that?

-Cowboy

I forget the persons name, but, alot of people say that Shakespear stole the plays and he did not actually write them and it was someone else!! I wish I could remember his name!!

Godsballerina wrote:I forget the persons name, but, alot of people say that Shakespear stole the plays and he did not actually write them and it was someone else!! I wish I could remember his name!!

I believe that Shakespear wrote all his own material and did not steal it.


-Cowboy

If you want something that's really funny and Shakespearian get the DVD "The Complete Works of Shakespear...Abridged" By the Reduced Shakespeare Company. Trust me you've never seen Shakespeare until you've seen this. basically what it is is three guys doing Shakespeare and to give you a feel for what they do is they condense all the comedies to one and Hamlet is the entire second act. And it's only 1 1/2 hour long

I've read Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet, and I thought they were both pretty good.

dawningoftime wrote:If you want something that's really funny and Shakespearian get the DVD "The Complete Works of Shakespear...Abridged" By the Reduced Shakespeare Company. Trust me you've never seen Shakespeare until you've seen this. basically what it is is three guys doing Shakespeare and to give you a feel for what they do is they condense all the comedies to one and Hamlet is the entire second act. And it's only 1 1/2 hour long

They had them on JEOPARDY! once and it was funny.


I will probably read a play or two for my AP English class.


-Cowboy