Truth will out, Shakespeare’s titles may be found all over the required reading lists in just about every American high school. If you major in English, you will also be required to join we few, we happy few, we band of brothers who have taken an entire year-long course just focused on studying the great bard and his works. For those who love his writing and the English language in general, there can never be too much of a good thing when it comes to Shakespeare.
Does untangling his semantical spider web have you up and arms? When handed one of his plays, do you mourn and lament: “Woe is me?” Well, my dear scholars here is the long and short of it: his entire body of work together is like a precious stone set in the silver sea. It is the stuff dreams are made of, for the primrose path that winds through and connects all great literature begins with the Bible, and all the works of Shakespeare. Knowing these works puts you in the happy place of being able to sift through the rich literary allusions that sparkle like little gems of wisdom in classic and modern works, alike. They are the keys to realizing that through this world of rich rhetoric may be madness, there is a method in it.
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There are, as in everything, the naysayers who believe the world’s obsession with the great bard of Stratford Upon Avon is much ado about nothing, but I say to all of them, the more fool you! When it comes to Shakespeare, I wear my heart upon my sleeve; his words, his characters, his themes are like good deeds that shine in a naughty world; and, as good luck would have it, I get to read and act out these words along with you over the next five weeks, and with my Will Power Troupe after school, as well.
If it is true what the bard says that brevity is the soul of wit, well then, I guess that this blog may be a sorry sight. But when writing anything to honor William Shakespeare, it is important to take great care, and choose the words very carefully, so that age will not wither it, nor custom stale its infinite variety. Putting it simply, the be all and end all is this:
All the World’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players: They have their exits and their entrances, and one man in his time plays many parts.
All the World’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players: They have their exits and their entrances, and one man in his time plays many parts.
The play’s the thing…and the thing is life!
Juniors, enjoy these two articles about Shakespeare in today’s world. I have also included two videos that show how Shakespeare continues to inspire children of today. Seniors, will you please take this time to reflect on your experience with Shakespeare, especially Taming of the Shrew, and those who traveled with Will Power, or have been a part of Will Power, we would like to hear your reflections on the bard (and your favorites!) as well! I look forward to your reflections!
(PS: Hidden within this blog are twenty eight Shakespearean sayings. Can you find them all?)
Articles:
Videos:
I do not indulge in the Shakespeare’s fine wine of literature as most people do. In all honesty, I enjoy the theater, though reading Shakespeare (and even other older plays) is a whole other story. I enjoy reading, though it is always hard for me to enjoy a novel that’s words are a puzzle. I am more fluent in the ‘modern language’ of English than the original, however, this does not squash my comprehension. I does, however, squash my motivation to continue to read. Being that I am very, for lack of a better word, ‘history-impaired’, meaning I am very bad at retaining any knowledge of history, I also struggle with knowing the happenings of the era. I become so lost in the newfangled, or rather old-fangled wording and the history in plays and novels that I comes to the point where I just don’t care to keep reading.
ReplyDeleteThough looking beyond that history, Shakespeare goes to tell of common and universal themes in funny and/or tragic ways. These always make them stick more so in my head because everytime I think of Taming of the Shrew, I think of themes regarding the power of transformation and finding identity through obedience.
Additionally, in traveling once this past year with Willpower, I got to see a live and wonderfully produced rendition of A Winter’s Tale, and having never heard of it before, oh MAN, did I realize that plays really are meant to be on stage because I felt the power, the energy, the heart, the power, EVERYTHING about the character. I connected with them deeper. I felt their feelings, and compared them of those I’ve felt. I could see their train of through, rather than just reading it. It’s a whole other layer to the physical text that just boosts comprehension and enjoyment.
In all fairness, Shakespeare is super fun to read and act out once you come around to it! :)
Shakespeare has always been one of my more favorite units every school year. I love the 'old English' that is used to tell so many different stories. They are all relatable in some sort of way. I really enjoyed reading this blog and seeing all of the sayings that Shakespeare is know for. I'm pretty sure that I saw all 28 sayings. It was fun trying to find all of the sayings and seeing how you used them in the blog. I have always enjoyed helping out with any play performance, and I have helped out with a few of the Shakespeare plays that the Troop has done here. I don't really remember which ones they were but I know that I had fun listening to them being acted out. So, I am super excited to read/act Taming of the Shrew. I have heard many great things about this play.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE Shakespeare! I have studied his works inside and outside of the classroom and have performed some of his pieces with Willpower in recent years. But in contrast to utmost enthusiasm of Shakespeare's work today, I used to be extremely afraid of performing his works.
ReplyDeleteI started to look at several plays in the months before my freshman year. I found his work very intriguing but quite difficult to decode and understand. I always enjoyed watching renditions of his plays by several companies that I would watch online or on stage, but was unsure of myself and my ability to perform such works because everything that I had done was quite modern in diction.
Once I joined Willpower and started working with Shakespeare I became more confident in my ability to comprehend, analyze and perform in the context of more classical plays. Through acting in Shakespeare pieces I have also realised how versatile and relevant his plays can be hundreds of years after their first performances. Since the time that I overcame my fear of Shakespeare I have witnessed many interpretations of classics like Macbeth, Hamlet, and Romeo and Juliet. I believe that these plays are still so popular today because the ideas in the pieces like thirst for power of forbidden love are still felt today.
So true! I love reading that you love Shakespeare! You have really done an amazing job interpreting his roles on the stage!!
DeleteI am sad to say that I have not been able to read or interact with many of Shakespeare's works. While I have read Macbeth last year and read through a bit of Romeo and Juliet in freshman year, I feel that I have not been able to really appreciate his works. This has only been encouraged for my struggles in reading his language and trying to understand the somewhat elaborate plots.
ReplyDeleteAlthough, while I have not had a lot of intentional interaction with Shakespeare, it seems to always be referenced within my life. Whether that is hearing presentations on the accent of Shakespeare's plays in a seniors presentation or ever hearing it referenced in my favorites movies and TV shows, Shakespeare is EVERYWHERE!
In the future, I hope to gain a better appreciation of his works and get a better understanding of the themes and beauty behind his pieces. I think that will come with reading his pieces on my own time and for personal enjoyment rather than for a assignment in school. I hope that in doing this, I can be inspired by Shakespeare just like all of those kids in the video have.
The only works of Shakespeare with which I am familiar are; Macbeth & Romeo and Juliet. That being said, the range of my Shakespeare knowledge is very limited, though what I have been exposed to I thought was quite good.
ReplyDeleteWhile the writing style of Shakespeare is quite hard to comprehend and sometimes redundant to a modern day english speaker, I LOVE the way it sounds. All of his works are elegant and even when the story is mundace and causal the dialect presents it as otherwise.
I do wonder though how exactly Shakespeare has become the phenomenon that he is today. I understand that his works are very well done and the storylines and characterization are amazing but Im sure there are other old writers that are equally as talented as Shakespeare but just don't have recognition. The series of events that lead to Shakespeare being the literary god he is today amazes me, his work has lived long after he has.
If I am going to be honest, I am not much of a Shakespeare fan because the way he writes is really hard for me to understand. I haven't seen many of his plays, but I am hoping to change that. However, after reading the articles and watching the videos, I didn’t realize the extent to which Shakespeare has affected people. I was especially surprised when one of the articles said that some prisoners read Shakespeare. I guess it is really true that Shakespeare can be, and can connect to everyone. I didn't realize how much Shakespeare is used in modern day, and how much Shakespeare has affected people's lives. I am hoping by the end of the unit, I will enjoy Shakespeare's plays as much as the kids in the videos did.
ReplyDeleteTo be completely honest,the works of Shakespeare are not my favorite to read because of the difficulty I have reading them. In class Mrs. Caraway told us that Shakespeare is not meant to be read but meant to be watched and I believe that is why I enjoyed the plays and movies of Romeo and Juliet.(honestly I am more of a movie person anyway).
ReplyDeletePutting Shakespeare aside it is hard to find a book that I can stick to and read the whole thing. I am into more of the modern romance or a book that I have seen the movie to like ¨The Help¨
In the videos posted one of the people asked the kids in the seats ¨ What if someone told you that you are too young to read Shakespeare¨. I remember watching a video in class and how it said that everyone can be an actor; I believe that truly shows how after you comprehend the hard works of Shakespeare it inspires all types of people.
I hope to get to the end of the unit and be more inspired to read and watch more Shakespeare
As one of the original Will Power performers of Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew, I will say that, at first, it can be a mouthful. The Bard is no stranger to figurative language, metaphors, and even witty dialogue that can confuse even the most skilled native speakers! Without a mentor, like Mrs. Caraway, I will say that the works of Shakespeare would have been next to impossible to understand.
ReplyDeleteSure there can be a lot going on, especially in scenes were the character's motivation and their actions are hidden in the subtext of a situation, but having a teacher there to walk you through the word play can really help. Additionally, I should point out that acting out a play helps the reader understand in unfathomable ways. If you sit and stare blankly at the stage directions and actor cues you will get lost. That's a fact. I've seen it happen to me this year with Cyrano De Bergerac. Plays were not meant to be read: they were meant to be preformed.
My moral here is to step out of your comfort zone and try to perform a section of the play. It's a comedy and a bit of a romance as well so you can REALLY have fun with this work.
If you're lost Do Not be afraid to ask for help.
Shakespeare is someone who I have learned to really appreciate. Although I may not always understand what he is trying to communicate in his plays full of allusions, rhythms, and old English, I have always felt that he was an intelligent and witty man who I would always admire. Throughout the past few years of high school where I’ve been able to read Shakespeare, I have realized that a lot of the time I need to ask for help. Occasionally there is a joke that I missed, or a point that didn’t come across to me that should have, because, at times, it can be a little overwhelming. However, the more I read, the more I am able to understand as I am absorbed into the language differences. I also realized this year that I seem to struggle with plays in general. Picturing it unfold on stage through the stage directions is a little difficult for me and sometimes results in me missing comedic action that is supposed to be occurring. Watching and performing pieces of these plays, along with Mrs. Caraway's guidance, has really helped me be able to understand the mood of the story line and the way it would be laid out for an audience. Although plays are not my most favorite to read, they’re definitely enjoyable. The Taming of the Shrew is probably my favorite Shakespeare play that I have read thus far, aside from Romeo and Juliet of course. The Taming of the Shrew was a very funny play that I enjoyed reading and analyzing because I interpreted the whole thing as just a really funny and lighthearted joke. It was something that allowed for me to see the difference of the time period it was written in along with the way Shakespeare himself as the author responded to it. I remember really enjoying the story line along with the performed version we were able to watch in class. Overall, Shakespeare, along with his masterful work, is someone who I hope will never be forgotten.
ReplyDeleteShakespeare's words have shaped my life in more ways than I may be able to comprehend. I have gained opportunities to travel abroad in order to share Arizona's interpretation of his plays; I have never felt more joy performing as characters I resonate with, even after my performance time is over. The characters and plot of Much Ado About Nothing stuck with me the most. The stubborn yet endearing qualities of Beatrice. The masculine and powerful facade of Benedick. The idea that love comes when you least expect it. These powerful dynamics allowed romantic comedy buffs (like myself) to get a glimpse of the dramatic irony smothered throughout the show. Shakespeare became a forefront for classic, raunchy plots that continue to show into society to this day.
ReplyDeleteThe ability to perform his work for a generation of individuals who are supposedly "mentally incapable of understanding" is both a liberating and challenging experience. In all reality, that is why I began to audition for Shakespeare shows. Being new to Shakespeare, I assumed that if no one could understand, then I would be able to act freely and without judgement. You certainly have to be open minded with his work because we are not used to Elizabethan English (rightfully so, and even Shakespeare takes a twist on HIS modern language!). The Bard is known for breaking boundaries, so I figured that is exactly what I would do with his work. Once you understand the basics of his language you can get around practically anything, and it is always going to trip me up, but as for performing, character motivation is KEY. What does my character want in this scene? What is my character’s overall goal? What advantages does my character have? SUPER basic questions, but it takes you far. It helped me perform such phenomenal characters throughout my high school career at Odyssey.
My advice? Do NOT be afraid of Shakespeare! He’s just a guy trying to write about his vast imagination, so let your mind go there with him. He is NOT trying to be eloquent; he wrote for the peasants of the Elizabethan era, so for all his comedies (like Taming of the Shrew) his metaphors are most likely sexual and actually hilarious. Don’t be afraid to laugh! His work has inspired many films and books of the generations to follow him, so do not take his work for granted, it truly is magical.
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ReplyDeleteShakespeare is one of the authors that you read to improve in your over all skill of literature. It's challenging to understand but once you start getting into the rhythm of his pieces you start to find other skills that you acquire. For instance, vocabulary drastically improves the more Shakespeare you read and run-on-sentences tend to float away from the work that you write.
ReplyDeleteThere are a few pieces of his that I wouldn't read for enjoyment, like Macbeth. However, Taming of the Shrew is my absolute favourite play of his. His comedies are he pieces that you find yourself quoting months after you finished the book. You find the character tropes from this play in Television and it's very easy to spot. Even sometimes find whole movies based off of it.
Some individuals say that the plays over all are difficult to understand because of the different varieties of interpretations done by actors around the world. The key to not be confused, or at least what I had done; make up your own interpretation. As you read it, stress on some words, allow the characters to yell and bicker or just have a conversation. This allows you to understand the context of the play a bit more, and even though the movie or actors in your classroom say something differently, you still have a general base of what's going on. This keeps you on track and able to deem yourself a Shakespeare Interpreter.
Great advice!
DeleteMy experience with Shakespeare has been a shaky road. When I was younger, I dreaded when we would begin our Shakespeare unit just because I didn't understand the language. Then, I discovered the magic of No Fear Shakespeare. With its help, I was finally able to understand the meaning behind these sometimes foreign words. As I've gotten older and joined Willpower, I had even more of an appreciation for Shakespeare. Through Willpower, I was able to see that not all of Shakespeare's roles are dramatic and romantic, there are comedic relief and incredibly funny roles. I saw this when I played Detective Dogberry and Rosencrantz the most. Dogberry had hilarious lines and would have very much been appreciated in Shakespeare's time, yet the modern audience didn't grasp what he was saying. So, I had to use body language and facials to portray the true meaning. One of my favorite roles I have ever played was Rosencrantz, he was such a dynamic character that I got to explore. Being able to play off Guildenstern and Hamlet, developing how he would walk and talk, playing Rosencrantz shaped me into becoming a better actor. My favorite thing about the character of Rosencrantz is that Shakespeare didn't make him just another flat, comedic relief character hidden in the background. Rosencrantz had his own motivation and own character track. In our interpretation, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern witnessed the mass death at the end of the show which allowed the audience to see that they're people too. They could experience trauma and grieve just like the other dramatic characters.
ReplyDeleteI love this, and I especially have loved the connection you develop with each of these roles that you played! Your shepherdess was lovely, as well!
DeleteMy experience with Shakespeare has changed so much throughout the years. The first time I ever ready a Shakespearean play was when in fifth grade when we read and performed A Midsummer Nights Dream and I really enjoyed it. In sixth grade we got a taste of Julius Caesar, another one I greatly enjoyed. In eighth grade we read Twelfth Night and that was the first time I really truly disliked a Shakespearean play. We did not really ever truly perform that play, more so read it from our seats and I was not a fan of that overall experience. Coming into high school we read: Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth (My all time favorite), and Taming of the Shrew. I really have an amazing experience with almost all of the plays we have read and performed. I personally love dissecting the Shakespearean language and Iambic Pentameters he uses in his work. I love finding the deeper meaning of plays and picking apart every little thing stated and discussed. My overall experience with Shakespeare has been great and I can't wait for the year long course I will be taking my sophomore year in college! (:
ReplyDeleteThat sounds AMAZING!! I hope that you will share that experience with me...I would love to hear about it! I'm sorry you were not in a class that let you perform Twelfth Night. That is too bad. That is really the essence of Shakespeare!
DeleteIt's interesting how much my view of Shakespeare has changed throughout my high school years. The first time I remember truly reading Shakespeare was freshmen year, in which we read Romeo and Juliet. It was interesting to finally read the play in which most people referenced when talking about star-crossed lovers. However Taming of the Shrew was a completely different experience from an average 'love' story. I honestly didn't feel more against a main character except for Rasheed in Thousand Splendid Suns. Petruchio was a wild character who I honestly hated, but I loved reading the play itself. Shakespeare has only been a blossoming part of my life thanks to managing Will Power, it is interesting to watch and listen to from the audience and behind the curtain.
ReplyDeleteShakespeare truly needs a stage in order to truly come alive.
Personally, I have not had the chance to indulge myself in the works of Shakespeare and experience as many as others. Every time a teacher states that my class will be reading his work in the class, I find myself groaning. I have always found the wording and context of the time period Shakespeare lived in difficult to understand, and this has developed my dislike for his work. However, as I dive further into his pieces, I find that I enjoy them much more than I previously believed. Although the words are not so suitable to our time, the messages and characters are intricately developed in only a way that Shakespeare could. Reading Romeo and Juliet and Macbeth have demonstrated how much Shakespeare understood the human experience and how he desired to share with others. The messages of love, loss, guilt, heartbreak, joy, laughter and many more are seen and can be easily interpreted from his works. Reading Shakespeare continually opens my eyes to the timelessness of emotions and how we all share the same feelings, desires, hopes and struggles, regardless of the time we live in. Shakespeare had the talent of bringing people together, and his work continues this skill and mission. I hope and pray that the words of Shakespeare never die, as he connects people in a way that I have never seen accomplished by any other author.
ReplyDeleteThank you for listening to my TED talk. :)
I love what you said. Yes, his works are timeless...once you wade through the language. :)
DeleteI must say that I had really enjoyed Macbeth as it was one of his shorter works it was not as tedious of a read as many of his other plays would have been to read for almost "fun" and to the inclusion of the first knock knock joke .Other ways that Shakespeare has impacted my being was when two friends of mine were preforming in the plays that the school had put on in the fall the first of which was a captivating tale of humor and love and as we learned in class "some things are not as they seemed " and the second of these plays upon reading the description of a a statue coming to life in the end left me with this quote of utmost absurdity "there I was in the school parking lot eating hazelnuts and wondering how they will bring a statue to life "-- Joshuah and that was my initial question concerning the winter bards tale . In all sincerity after my viewing of these plays I had saw why many of my language arts teachers had insisted that Shakespeare's plays were meant to be acted out and not just merely read .
ReplyDeleteIn all I can see how Poe had found himself so inspired by Shakespeare's plays and poetry alike.
Shakespeare is brilliant. His works, whether they be comedies, tragedies or historical, are all fascinating because they show life. Showing life in any art is necessary, because it shows the humanity and it helps readers connect. Relating to a work helps the art live on. And even if you don't find yourself relating to these characters, hopefully the story will resonate with you in a way that may change your perspective.
ReplyDeleteBeing a part of Will Power since my 7th Grade year has been a true blessing. I was able to travel 3 times, with The Taming of the Shrew, Much Ado About Nothing and The Winter's Tale, respectively. It's incredible to think about performing in a different country, even in Shakespeare's backyard once. An honor to perform his great works where he lived.
Another reason Shakespeare's works are great is because of the work they also inspired. For example, the story of Romeo and Juliet lives on in many new works, but one that I'd like to bring attention to is West Side Story. It's one of the greatest musicals and has most of the elements of Shakespeare's original play.
So not only is Shakespeare great, but the people who he has inspired have produced great works as well.
LOVE this....love your passion! :)
DeleteShakespeare is truly amazing. His way of presenting information has withheld the sands of time somehow connecting with modern day audiences in different ways than he intended. The things that he wrote about in his time were his way of rebelling and now his works are used as a way to both understand more about the time as well as the situations that we ourselves have encountered. Shakespeare has a way of impacting our thinking that we do not even realize,for example I just learned today that a phrase I use on an everyday basis "deader than a door nail" is actually from Shakespeare's 'King Henry VIII'.
ReplyDeleteYes! There are so many phrases like that! :)
DeleteShakespeare in my experience was very challenging in the beginning. As time went on and I read more and more of Shakespeare I learned to understand the language better and the humor or tragedy that came with it. With Taming of the Shrew it was at first hard to get into the story but as we watched, discussed, and acted it out in class I got more interested and I couldnt wait to finish it and find out what happened. With Shakespeare I think what is most important is to be patient in that you might not understand at first but if you keep reading you will and it will be worth it!
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't consider myself a Shakespeare ‘fan,’ but I honestly did enjoy The Taming of the Shrew, and I feel that you don’t need to be too familiar with Shakespeare's other plays in order to love this one. Unfortunately, I am not always able to catch Shakespeare’s wit with references to the time period, but I’ve learned that by asking Mrs.Caraway or a quick google search you will get your answer.
ReplyDeletePetruchio is one of my favorite literary characters, his quick wit is very clever and entertaining and his character arc is interesting, and was unexpected to me. While some of his words and actions can be seen as sexist, it is used for comedic effect, and Kate can take it and dish it out. It is also very important to keep in mind towards the end of the play, that this is a comedy and Shakespeare’s goal was to entertain the audience. Ultimately the idea that a couple must be broken down together to get the best from and for the other, is the idea that I believe Shakespeare hoping to portray.
Something else that is worth mentioning that this play, as well as many others, contains many rhyme patterns that aren't found in modern pronunciation of specific words. For this reason, and many others, I believe it is important that we take the time to listen to Shakespeare's words, and with a little patience, it is an amazing opportunity to learn about him and appreciate his works.
I love Petruchio, too! I am glad to see you have the comedic spirit that allows you to laugh at this play. So few can anymore. :) It's just charming, and with an open mind and heart, it's a treat!
DeleteAs far as I can remember, my first experience reading Shakespeare (emphasis on reading and not experiencing) was around Freshman year with Romeo and Juliet. Between that and Macbeth, I never really grew to like Shakespeare's works. However, Taming of the Shrew is one of my favorite plays, not only by Shakespeare but in general. Being able to watch the play definitely makes a big difference in understanding the meaning behind the play, but so does having Mrs. Caraway as a teacher. I've found it much easier to comprehend literary works in this class, but more specifically I was able to understand Shakespeare well and feel the comedy and the meaning of the play. Looking back, I don't know how we were able to just read Shakespeare and then watch a movie recreation. The Shakespeare experience comes from watching the story unfold on a stage, and we don't get that when we read the scripts from a book.
ReplyDeleteAwww, thank you, Brianna! This makes me happy. I love his works, and I am glad you loved that play, too....it's a fave!
DeleteShakespeare has been very prominent in my life since grade school. I live in a home where Shakespeare is greatly praised, so I know a lot about him. Having a lot of experience with it, novels and pieces in high school have been quite easy for me to read and understand just due to the fact that Shakespeare has been engraved in my brain. I personally really enjoy Shakespeare, and am able to detect common themes and stories Shakespeare has developed in modern day shows and films. In many of his pieces, the way he writes people expressing their love is so touching and beautiful and I have always found it very nice to read. Shakespeare doesn't really overwhelm me as it may some others, and I see it more as an intriguing read rather that a scary endeavor.
ReplyDeleteI have been a part of the Will Power Troupe every year, and let me tell you, the life experiences that Shakespeare has brought me are absolutely unbeatably priceless. Because I decided to spend time after school and study plays, characters, lines and Shakespeare's work has brought the world to my fingertips-- literally. I've had the privilege to travel to Europe on multiple occasions because of my choice to study Shakespeare and perform as his written characters. I've seen his home, where he grew up, had a family, put on his plays, and even his tomb where he was buried, and it almost makes me feel as if I was involved in his life somehow.
I will always love Shakespeare even if literature doesn't remain a major part of my life. Without Shakespeare, I 100% believe my life would be DRASTICALLY different from what it is now.
This brought tears. I am so happy to share that passion with you in our home, and I am beyond joy-filled that you had these experiences to enrich your life. You HAVE been involved in his lifetime...in these special ways, but also because you have breathed his lines out on that stage. Shakespeare's work are about that journey we all share: we cry, love, laugh, scream, and get angry right along with his characters because they share the complex and precious experience of life, itself. xoxo
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ReplyDeleteI have only read a few of Shakespeare’s plays over my high school years. The first being Romeo and Juliet during freshman year which I really liked because of the romance between the two star crossed lovers. Yet, I never really understood what Shakespeare was saying until the teacher made it evident that this is what he means, this is what he alludes to, this is theme etc. Fast forward to my sophomore year, I read Shakespeare’s Macbeth which I really enjoyed because I was beginning to understand his language and I loved the portrayal by the actors in the movie. However, when I got to DP Language and Literature, I really started to understand Shakespeare’s language because I finally delved deep into the world of Shakespeare and began to understand why we study him in the Literature. Before we began reading Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew, we got to learn about the Great Bard himself. I learned a lot of Shakespeare that I didn’t know before, this is part of the reason why I finally began to understand and admire his works.
ReplyDeleteOne of the most interesting facts I learned was that Shakespeare had a working vocabulary of 54,000 while today we only have about 3,000; that’s why his wording is so complex and has a deeper meaning! That being said, I think a lot of people dread Shakespeare at first (like me) because they don’t comprehend the beauty, comedy, and tragedy behind many of his characters, themes, and words. Once they have been exposed to Shakespeare’s language and slowly begin to understand his background in the Elizabethan era, who he wrote for, and how he inspired many works of literature and film today, they can see how and why his stories transcend time and culture. This is how I began to fully appreciate Shakespeare’s works.
The only Shakespeare play I have seen practiced and performed multiple times is The Winter’s Tale. Being a part of Will Power / the theater for the first time has led me to appreciate and experience Shakespeare’s play in a whole new way. This is because of the actor’s portrayal of the characters / the director's interpretation of the characters and plot. Seeing one of his plays performed was a lot different than simply reading it because of the actor’s portrayal of the characters, it brought it to the play to a whole different level for me.
Although Taming of the Shrew wasn’t my favorite play by Shakespeare, I still appreciate how he wrote the play. More specifically, I enjoyed how he developed Petruchio and Katherine’s characters and relationship. In the play, I saw how Petruchio was the peasant's hero because he comes in to teach the rich girl (Kate) a lesson. From this, I saw how Shakespeare used this play to make the peasant class laugh in a time of despair. With Petruchio and Kate’s relationship, I truly liked the banter and battle of power between them. It was really amusing and interesting to dissect their dialogues. Likewise, I also began to see the themes in Shakespeare’s plays more clearly after learning about him and his plays more. For example, in Taming of the Shrew, there are themes of marriage, transformation (of the characters), gender identity, social class/identity, and power. Overall, my experience with Shakespeare has been a learning opportunity, an opportunity to truly appreciate and understand the excellence behind his works.
I am so glad you got to experience that! You are SO right...you really have to see it performed, as he intended.
Deletei never thought i would enjoy Shakespeare because of the language, language was never my strong suit. So when I heard we had to read Romeo and Juiet in Freshman year, I automatically hated it. The same sophomore year reading Macbeth, I didn't like it nor did I understand it. But, when we started to read Taming of the Shrew, I can't stop reading! I have to stop myself from reading or I would be done with the whole play in one night. We have not gotten far in it but it makes me excited to be able to act this out and bring it to life.
ReplyDeletethe most exciting thing I have learned from this unit is that People really performed these plays way back in Shakespeare time and they are still funny! How much have we truly changed if we can still find such a historical piece so humerous?
Out of all of the books and plays we have read throughout our OI HS years, this is by far my favorite. I cannot wait to read the rest and act it out.
YAY!! This makes me happy!! This play truly is magical. :)
DeleteI wouldn't necessarily saw I am a Shakespeare 'fan' but I definitely enjoyed Taming of the Shrew. I found the humor most entertaining in all the ways possible. However when reading the book, I did miss some of the jokes that were said but that was always fixed when we would talk about the next day. I loved Petruchio and Katherine's together their humor and sarcastic notions made the play most enjoyable to watch. However, Petruchio alone was the ultimate best, I fancied his wit and humor when he was speaking with the other characters/audience. I never knew much of Shakespeare, only that he wrote Romeo and Juliet and that he was a poet. I do believe I learned a lot about him these past years and he is definitely an interesting author to study. Sometimes, I wish he was still alive so we could talk to him in person and get a deeper insight into his literary works. I didn't only enjoy reading the play but I enjoyed more watching the play, the version we watched in class I believed captured the characters most excellently; when comparing it to the play.
ReplyDeleteShakespeare for me was almost entirely ruined by Romeo and Juliet, and then by Macbeth. Macbeth I will admit, needs to be revisited by me as I may have just not enjoyed the class, and that bias against the class may have transferred over to the play. However, Romeo and Juliet is not a love story I enjoy and being compared to it is taken as an insult in my book. In literally a week they caused the death of dozens of people, all because Romeo didn't like that his girlfriend became a nun. But Taming of the Shrew truly opened my eyes to his work and I want to go through more of it once I have more time. The entire play from start to finish was all enjoyment and fun! It changed the way that I look at plays! To look at Taming of the Shrew's deeper meaning, it reminded me that love doesn't have to be at first sight and that appearances can always lie.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was younger I thought Shakespeare was awesome and I always loved watching Romeo and Juliet on Netflix, but as I got older, I started to become more distant and hateful of Shakespeare. I couldn't understand the language and to be quite honest, I'm still a little behind on understanding it. But most of all, I just hated his plots. I always thought Romeo and Juliet was about a boy who fell in love with a girl at first sight and then they killed themselves three days later because they were so "in love." I'd have to reread Romeo and Juliet to see what I think of it now that I'm a few years older, but as of recently my perspective on Shakespeare has changed so much. Now that I know his background and the parallels of movies in today's society, I think his work is quite awesome. I never understood the timeless nature of his work until now, because I can see all the recreations of his plays and allusions to them in pop culture. I also enjoyed reading about how Shakespeare makes kids smarter, and I hope that's true! I need all the knowledge I can get. Overall, my perspective of Shakespeare has changed so much since we started studying Taming of the Shrew this week, and I'm excited to keep learning more about him and his works, which are still prevalent over 400 years later.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite characters in Taming of the Shrew was Petruchio. His character possessed characteristics opposite from a "prince charming", but I believe that's what made him more attractive and interesting. I know personally that I automatically fall for the "bad boys", the ones that have an edge to them. Petruchio's character was so fun to read about because he was so confident and opinionated. I also found the actor who played him very attractive. But overall, I thought the play was humorous and the energy from the play was very laid-back and easy going. This was by far one of my favorite plays written by Shakespeare.
ReplyDeleteI agree!!
DeleteI would say I am rather familiar with the fantastic bard. I have performed many shows and seen many more. His works are always entertaining, so long as the actors on stage are truly acting. I would say that my favorite Comedy is Much Ado About Nothing mainly because of Noah Caraway and his famous line, "Drizzles Rain." Taming of the Shrew was the first Shakespeare play I saw performed, way back in 7th grade. I loved every second of it then and I love every second of it now. Petruchio is a man's man and while I don't know if I agree with everything about him, he is definitely someone I could respect by the end of the play. I do favour comedy over tragedy, but that is not to say that I do not appreciate a good sad story every now and then. There is something about Shakespeare that makes his works so great, it could be the universal character flaws in his main characters, impulsive Romeo, hesitant Hamlet, and ambitious Macbeth. I have yet to read any work of his I outright disliked.
ReplyDeleteYou are a natural Shakespearean actor on the stage, as well! You articulate well, and your appreciation for his works always comes through in your character interpretation. :)
DeleteI've enjoyed some of Shakespeare's works, and some *cough* Romeo and Juliet *cough* I didn't enjoy too much. However, I don't think I've experienced enough Shakespeare to make a judgement call on whether or not I do actually enjoy the things he's done. I've really only experienced about three of his works, but I would definitely be willing to explore his others, as I can see through the articles and and videos that they have something about them that other stories don't have. Shakespeare was obviously able to capture something that a lot of other authors weren't able to. What that is, I'm not entirely sure. However, I'd definitely be willing to find out.
ReplyDeleteI truly am excited to dive into another Shakespeare work this year. I remember when we first read A Midsummer Night's Dream in 5th grade and I was a little hesitant to get into his language (especially at that age). However, it ended up being a wonderful study and extremely fun. I learned then that Shakespeare has a way of personally touching his audience and making them feel something. Like in those videos and the articles, he has a way of reaching to all ages and becoming something that empowers us. It is amazing to see the large impact he holds on the world today. When we studied Romeo and Juliet, I truly fell in love Shakespeare's works and wanted to immerse myself in more because of the detail and meaning he puts in every word. He truly is an artist and I feel connected to his writing, I am excited to get into yet another play and immerse myself in yet again, a wonderful story.
ReplyDeleteI personally really love Shakespearean plays. Even if I have never experienced a situation even remotely close to what Shakespeare writes about, I can still always find it somewhat relatable. Before high school, I hadn't had much experience with his works, but after reading Romeo and Juliet as a freshman and Macbeth as a sophomore as well as watching a few plays preformed at Odyssey, I really started to appreciate the great bard. I'm really excited to read Taming of the Shrew. I knew about Romeo and Juliet, and Macbeth before reading them, but I know very little about this play and I can't wait to read it.
ReplyDeletePersonally, my experience with Shakespeare and his works has been very limited. This being said however, the very few works that I have been exposed to I can genuinely say to have enjoyed. From having analyzed his most famous plays of Romeo & Juliet and Macbeth, I feel to have learned much about Shakespeare's writing style and true essence as a dramatist. Most of all, I have come to learn just how impactful his works have been globally, as can be proven by the widely known phrases and extracts of his plays that are common to be heard in everyday conversations.
ReplyDeleteBecause of having grown so fond of Shakespeare's literary style from simply having read two of his works, I am very thrilled to become familiar with now The Taming of the Shrew. I am especially excited to be exposed to this more comedic and lighthearted work in order to experience a contrast from the last two plays I have read. The few scenes we have already analyzed this week have been enough to further excite me, and I am therefore ready to add this work into my list of Shakespearean favorites!!
Awesome!! You will love how this play comes together in the end!
DeleteAs with most texts, I prefer to read it in its natural format. Whether that means reading the book instead of watching the movie in order to preserve the intention of the text or watching a play instead of reading it. In my experience, I have always preferred seeing Shakespeare performed instead of reading it. The stage captures the Bard’s intentions much better than some words on a page can. When I watch a Shakespearean play, I can feel the emotions just as he intended to convey them more than five centuries ago. This makes the play way more appealing to me and engages me with the story much more. A particular instance that this happened was when we read Taming of the Shrew in class last year. As I read the scenes for homework, I didn’t pick up on many of the jokes. However, when we watched the scenes in class, I got to experience the same laughter that many did hundreds of years ago. In my opinion, plays are always better when they are performed because body language, gestures, emotion and blocking can’t be effectively conveyed by words alone.
ReplyDeleteI love reading Shakespeare even if it is hard to understand. Although I have to say that I wouldn't prefer to read everything in old English, I prefer modern English. Taming of the Shrew is a wonderful and extremely funny play that it makes you want to read it/watch it. His work is truly timeless and just amazing. Watching Taming of the Shrew helped it come alive and you can understand it better than reading it but both are equally as fun. Reading it can be a little tough but if you really dissect it, it slowly starts to make more sense but of course that takes time. Also, make sure you pay attention to detail and just in class while reading this or you will miss something and it won'y make any sense. Pay attention to both the reading and the play to really take it in and know what you're reading no matter how hard it might be.
ReplyDeleteKIRAN
ReplyDeleteI have gotten the privilege in studying most of Shakespeares work, especially due to my dad and his admiration for him. The best part about his plays, is the level of humanity it represents. Shakespeare never fails to represent human nature and the true complexity and beauty of life; whether it’s tradegy, romance, comedy, etc, all of these elements make up our lives making them even more relatable. His language is captivating, and his words are motivating and truly wonderful. While Its difficult to read, the expression makes it worthwhile.
I'm glad that I have been exposed to a decent amount of Shakespeare and I really enjoy his plays. Specifically, I've really like Taming of the Shrew and A Midsummer Night's Dream because of how well it is written for being very comedic. I appreciate that in his works there are so many possible ways for characters to be portrayed and I especially like to see it in comedic roles. I think that its mainly due to the universal themes in his plays that allow them to be so popular today, specifically movies like "10 things I hate about you" that enforce his status in history and pop culture. My favorite play from Shakespeare is absolutely A Midsummer Night's Dream just because of how comedic and exaggerated all of the characters can be played. I loved how confusing it could be to keep track of relationships and I'm excited to see a similar thing happen with the outfit swap in Taming of the Shrew.
ReplyDeleteYou will love Taming!
DeleteI have only read the Shakespeare that we have read in class, and have not ventured out into the world of Shakespeare, but I think we read quite a bit of Shakespeare in class, so I'm not completely oblivious to his works. I enjoy Shakespeare to an extent, but I feel as though I would not venture out to READ his works outside of school, but I would enjoy watching them play out on stage. Although I can usually catch on to the gist of what Shakespeare is saying, so it is not entirely confusing to me in that sense, but his comedies are hard to follow in the sense of disguises, messy relationships and similar characters. I am very excited to continue Taming of the Shrew and see where the story goes!
ReplyDeleteThe more I’ve read and explored the world of Shakespeare, the more enthusiastic I have been about his writings. Personally, I’ve only read Romeo & Juliet and Macbeth throughout my highschool years. Each time I would start reading a play, I would automatically become overwhelmed by the Old-English language used by Shakespeare. The No-Fear versions of the stories have truly helped my understanding a lot these past years. Even so, I haven’t been able to really focus on the actual literary choices and writing in detail. I have grown so much more appreciation for Shakespeare after reading more works from him and truly studying the pieces. Although it is still a bit baffling, it is enjoyable to read and learn about the works of such a well-known and influential figure to the world today.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first heard about Shakespeare when I was in elementary school I always learned that he made very complicating pieces and I always thought there was no way I would get into reading his work and actually enjoy and understand it. When I read Romeo and Juliet I enjoyed it so much and actually understood a lot of it. His work is very interesting and holds so much power. I am very excited to learn more about him and his work as well as read much more of his work.
ReplyDeleteShakespeare has been one of my favorite playwright's and author for years now. The 'old English' that is used makes me appreciate those who can perform his plays with the same intent as Shakespeare would have. Every play has a deeper meaning and a lesson to be learned. Through reading the blog and seeing all of the Shakespeare sayings, it bring happiness to my heart. I believe there were 26 sayings, but I could be wrong. It was very interesting to find them all and to see how you portrayed them in the blog. I have always enjoyed acting out the plays because to me it adds a sense of it being real, and they are being read how Shakespeare intended them to be. I have been in two Shakespeare plays so far, but I have to say that "Midsummer Night's Dream" is a classic to me. I got the chance to play Quince the play write within the play; Shakespeare seems to enjoy doing this because he has done it before in "Taming ofthe Shrew." I can waiting to see what happens next in the study of Shakespeare!
ReplyDeleteI recall acting out "A Midsummer Night's Dream" in middle school but I don't remember a lot of the plot. I wasn't very keen on joining my class with the acting and for that reason, I don't remember most of the play. It's a shame that I don't remember this work because it is one of the few comedies that Shakespeare wrote that we've read in class. When we read his two tragedies, "Romeo and Juliet" and "Macbeth" I think I found the movie adaptations more interesting than the plays. I think there's only so much tragedy that I can take. This is why I'm particularly excited to be reading his comedy "Taming of the Shrew". When we watched the ACT's performance of the beginning of "Taming of the Shrew" I found myself thoroughly enjoying it, but unlike when we read Shakespeare's tragedies, I didn't necessarily enjoy the performance more than the reading. So far, I'm enjoying the reading and I'm understanding and appreciating jokes rather than relying on the performance to understand what's going on. I'm excited to continue reading this comedy and I hope that later I will be able to re-read "A Midsummer Night's Dream" as well as open my horizons to other Shakespeare works.
ReplyDeletePersonally, Shakespeare has never excited me. I don't exactly say "Woohoo!" when I find out that we are reading his work in class. Though I did find it interesting to know why he is still so popular and why we still read his work even though the language that he uses is nearly extinct and very hard to read for someone who doesn't major in English. I find it hard to act out his scenes because it is hard to know what he is saying. It makes sense that he is still so popular because we still experience the topics that he covers in his plays (love, death, war, etc.). I also didn't realize how many movies, shows, and commercials come from Shakespeare or quote Shakespeare because most of the time, it's not obvious, or it is and I am just not well-versed enough in his work ha ha!
ReplyDeleteI don’t have the connection with Shakespeare that others may but I still like him. Sure I don’t choose to read any of his works outside of school and have never performed any of his plays but all of the plays I have read in school (Romeo & Juillet and Macbeth) I have enjoyed. I also like some of things that mirror and come from Shakespeare’s works like the movies The Lion King and Gnomeo & Juliet.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that I noticed about Shakespeares works with the help of the videos and articles provided is that Shakespeare incorporates ideas and themes that are still popular and relatable today. They connect with a lot of people today like they did back then because the ideas that were present then are still present now. They were written for people then and although the English language has changed a lot since then, they are still written for people today. They have the same impact on people now that they did then.
After watching the videos and seeing the impact that Shakespeare has on a lot of kids and adults in the UK, I have come to realize that I have a great appreaciation for him now than I have ever had before. I hope that I at least start to pick up more of Shakespeares works.
ReplyDeleteI've never really enjoyed going through Shakespeare's works in the classroom, a large part of that reasoning being that his plays are always full of fancy wording and phrases, but also because I've personally only read his tragedies. I hope, since we're reading a comedy, that I will enjoy it more in the long run (the first few scenes were kind of fun to read, but I can't say it will be the same for the entire play). I also find No Fear Shakespeare to be a saving grace in understanding the dialogue and word play. I'm hopeful that The Taming of the Shrew will be a more enjoyable experience compared to the plays I've read from Shakespeare in the past.
(Jaquelyn Sanchez)
(Sorry for the weird amount of spaces in the beginning)
DeleteMy first experience with Shakespeare wasn’t with reading a play or even in the classroom at all. When I was younger, I watched the movie version of Much Ado About Nothing. The humor was great and there was there was tons of dramatic irony that kept it interesting and built tension. I really enjoyed the movie, so I was disappointed that we never got to study it in class. I enjoyed studying The Taming of the Shrew for the same reasons, and that play did an amazing job of demonstrating how Shakespeare’s plays need to be performed to be fully understood. Reading the interactions between Kate and Petruchio on the page is completely different from seeing it acted out, with the two interrupting each other, snapping back responses, and playing off of each other’s words in creative ways. There’s something unique and special about Shakespeare. Every play connects to some universal idea that everyone can relate to, while still telling an original and engaging story. The quality of works that the Bard produced is incredible, and the fact that we still study his works today is testimony to his writing’s excellence.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I really like Shakespeare. I love the figurative language scattered threw out his work. Also, I really enjoy the stories themselves because they're both interesting and relatable. The only thing that has kept me from casually reading his plays is the 16th century language. However, in the future I wish to read a lot more of his works. I think it's awesome how so much of him has survived in our pop culture and even our language. Also, I did not know he coined the "greatness thrust upon them" thing. I always thought it was Teddy Roosevelt.
ReplyDeleteShakespeare is magical!
DeleteMy first exposure to Shakespeare was reading Romeo and Juliet in 9th grade. I already knew the basic setup - it is arguable his most recognizable work - but I'd never read anything of his before that point. It was an interesting experience from the beginning, and it was often difficult for me to decipher the meaning in his language. Shakespeare is still intriguing to me - what other single author has produced so many renowned works that have lasted for as long as his have? - and his works all seem to showcase excellent form for narrative storytelling. This is actually the first year of high school that we haven't studied a work by Shakespeare - Macbeth in 10th grade and, of course, Taming of the Shrew last year - but I might read some of his work on my own some day, if the fancy ever takes me. I do believe Shakespeare is worthy of some investigation, especially as an aspiring writer.
ReplyDeleteI originally did not have as large of an appreciation for Shakespeare as I have come to develop now. I was at first unaware of what made his work so special other than his elegant use of vocabulary and figurative language. While I enjoy both of these things in literature, my realization of Shakespeare's connection to those from all walks of life through is plays is what has allowed me to grow more admiration for the author. From average high school students in a classroom, actors and actresses presenting his work on a stage, or prisoners eager to learn... Shakespeare has a connection to everyone. Learning this throughout Freshman and now Junior year has made his work much more enjoyable to read and has grown my respect for the author.
ReplyDeleteI have always enjoyed reading Shakespeare, but I haven't quite felt that I've really tried to understand it and participate in the acting until now. I used to be very self-conscious and reserved, especially when it came to giving out my interpretations of his work. Nowadays, it is really amazing to see so many connections and to analyze his work because it gives me a great sense of how literary style has not only changed from his time but also how our literary style still can be compared to and connected with his works. I often find myself thinking that reading Shakespeare's works in today's world can be daunting at times, but it is also incredibly wonderful because as complex as the language might be, I can also see how his works still fit into the modern day world and connect with people, even after so many years.
ReplyDeleteI have always loved Shakespeare and I have always loved acting out his plays. I especially loved A Midsummer Night's Dream in where I got to be Puck in 8th grade. I love both his comedies and tragedies and I especially love how it has influenced pop-culture today. Before, it had never occurred to me that the Lion King was a reference to Hamlet, but ever since learning about it, I can't see it the same way again.
ReplyDeleteI feel that Shakespeare's writing really made the stage come alive. He had many jokes and jests but also many tragic and heartbreaking scenes that moved the audience and I feel this is a sign of a great writer. I look forward to reading and acting the rest of The Taming of the Shrew since it seems like such a fun play by such a beloved playwright!
Though I used to despise reading Shakespeare in class, my first memory being a condensed version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream in 5th grade, I now love it. It took me awhile to get over the language barrier, and even today I still struggle reading it. What I love most and what made me go from detest to delight when hearing our next novel is Shakespeare is the stories. Every story I’ve read by him is the origin of a classic storyline that I’ve seen many renditions of, but Shakespeare always does it best. I especially loved reading Taming of the Shrew because it is the source of inspiration for many of the films I love; we even got to watch one of my favorites, How to Lose A Guy in 10 Days, in class. Reading a play in class, whether that be Shakespeare or not, is super fun because we get to act it out, which makes the text come alive and strengthen my comprehension of the text, something especially useful with Shakespeare, which it sometimes a little hard to read.
ReplyDeleteEmilio Ramirez:
ReplyDeleteMe personally, in terms of Shakespeare, am not a big fan of his works. While most of this is mainly due to his style of writing, the plays themselves are quite enjoyable. For example some plays were easier to understand than others, this goes for the classic Romeo and Juliet and also A Midsummer Night's Dream which I feel were the two most performed and reviewed works of Shakespeare throughout school. When I say I do not like his style, it purely means that I dislike the way some things are described. I still credit him with his amazing talent as a writer, though in the end I definitely enjoyed some of his plays more than others. Taming of the Shrew specifically, was one of those plays, I definitely found this play humorous and (with the performance of the play) enjoyable. The way scenes were acted out and formatted really added aspects of humor and seriousness to Shakespeare's play.
Shakespeare has been a contentious figure in modern high school literature since probably before my parents graduated (so, a relatively long time), and this generation of students is no different in their opinions. Personally, while Shakespeare isn't my favorite author I do recognize the impressiveness of his works and how he changed literature for generations. Obviously, to us as a modern audience he is by no means the most readable author, as our language has evolved immensely in the centuries since his time, but a general idea of the content of his plays can be extrapolated even if you're not an expert in early modern English. Out of all his plays I've read in high school, Taming of the Shrew is probably my favorite, not because of the content but because of how we interacted with the text. Discussing it the way that we did, as well as watching it performed as a traditional play rather than an adapted movie (as we did with Macbeth in 10th grade) really helped with my understanding. With all of the resources easily available, like no fear Shakespeare and other similar publications, reading his material isn't as hard as it used to be, and I personally find it enjoyable at times! All of this, combined with the fact that he is the father of many of my favorite tropes in romance and comedy movies, make me not dislike Shakespeare as much as I initially did.
ReplyDeleteRomeo and Juliet was the first Shakespeare play that I have ever read. I loved it, it was a great story that had lots of twists and turns throughout the story. From that one piece I wanted to read more of his work and see more of his work. Even though I had some trouble trying to figure out what he was trying to say sometimes, once I finally got it I made tons of connections in the story. I love the different references he uses for characters, lines, and plots. He was an amazing and very talented person who has made many great plays.
ReplyDeleteAlthough reading and studying Shakespeare throughout school has been a challenge to me, I have acknowledged and appreciated the symbols, meaningful characters, complex tales and stories that lie within each of his works. Since studying Shakespeare, I have been able to recognize truly how impactful his work has become, as I often see similar stories or situations based off of Shakespeare's work even in an everyday modern setting. What has helped me understand Shakespeare's literature is not by attempting to understand every complex word or phrase used, but attempting to see and analyze the "bigger picture", finding themes and patterns, analyzing characters and setting within the writing is what helps me to understand the deeper meaning and purpose of the text.
ReplyDeleteShakespeare has been an author who has been with me since 5th grade and has stayed with me almost every year since. My experience with with his works has gotten to the point where the writing, performing in class, and reflecting on his works and the universal themes behind them is almost nostalgic. I still recall the first play that I read of his (A Midsummer Nights Dream) and how it's impact has solidified it as my favorite work of Shakespeare to this day. The emotion and eternal ideas presented by his stories have clearly transcended not just the authors life but the period they were written as well. I hope to study more of his works in college and will never forget the ones I've read already.
ReplyDeleteThroughout my school career, I have read a few of his works including: Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, A Midsummer’s Night Dream, Julius Caesar and now, Taming of the Shrew. So, as compared to many, I feel like I have read quite a lot of his works but I am happy that I have done so because I have been able to expand my knowledge of Shakespeare a little bit more.
ReplyDeleteIf I am being completely honest here, I have often found myself dreading reading Shakespeare as his work can be quite confusing to comprehend not to mention a very different writing style than the modern day writer. However, once I am able to understand Shakespeare through lots of explanations (and No Fear Shakespeare!), I end up becoming very intrigued with his writing as a lot of times it sounds so romantic and refined. Shakespeare definitely has an interesting and creative way of telling a story! I really hope that with our reading of Taming of the Shrew, I will be able to gain a better liking for Shakespeare’s work as it has truly impacted language, literature, theater, and other elements of culture. William Shakespeare and his works are the true definition of timeless!
I'll be completely honest, for a while I thought that Shakespeare was dumb. Now, I don't mean that Shakespeare himself was dumb, I just thought that it was kind of pointless for us to read a new Shakespeare play *every* year. At this point I've had to read five(?) Shakespeare plays, yet I haven't had to read a single work by Dickens, Hemingway, or Steinbeck. It seemed odd to me that we'd so heavily invest our time into Shakespeare, when we've only barely touched upon works from other authors. Now, I still feel that it's kind of lame that we haven't learned about some other notable authors, but I understand it now. Shakespeare's stories are universal, and they set the foundation for almost every other narrative you'll read. Learning Shakespeare's important because you're not necessarily learning Shakespeare, you're learning his style of storytelling. And hey, if you can get past the tough language, some of the stories are pretty great. I highly recommend watching the movies and plays done in Shakespearean language. The Baz Luhrmann Romeo and Juliet and the Marc Singer Taming of the Shrew are legitimately fantastic.
ReplyDeleteAlso, if reading Shakespeare's hard for you, don't be ashamed of reading with a side-by-side translation. It's better to pick up and retain the information than it is to just skim through words you don't understand. And if you read through the Shakespearean first and the translation second, pretty quickly you'll be able to read Shakespeare fairly easily. No Fear Shakespeare is your friend!
Yes - and Shakespeare's stories are so often alluded to in works of the authors you mentioned, you gain a whole new layer of meaning when you study those authors. :)
DeleteFor the last few years, Shakespeare plays have been a hit or miss when it comes to being able to catch my attention. This was more the case pre-Mrs. Caraway era when I was required to read. The addition of acting it out, watching recreations, and all the components that are added to the play in this class have made Shakespeare al the more enjoyable for me. It is about me being able to fully understand the meaning, humour, and context of the play rather than regurgitating the lines on the paper. I'm still not completely a devoted fan to his works but I can now follow along and actually understand the components that other people enjoy from his works. I can add to the shared experience especially in my favorite work so far, Taming of the Shrew. This was genuinely the first time I have fully enjoyed his work as if I had been a devoted fan for many years. Thank you Mrs. Caraway for providing me with the resources to establish a positive perspective on his great works! :)
ReplyDeleteMy first experience with Shakespeare was freshman year reading his famous Romeo and Juliet. To be completley honest I struggled with comprehending his word choice which made it not really enjoyable for me. However, when I've watched people act his work out its so much more enjoyable for me and in a sense more understanding because I am able to see their facial expressions and whats going on in which gives me some sort of insight on the situation. Taming of the Shrew was a lot more comprehendable for me. I did struggle with the readings, but the plays we would watch in class were very helpful and made it a lot more enjoyable. I definitely feel like I would like Shakespeares works more if I had been born in that era, so I would have a clear understanding of his word choice. I never really apprecaited Shakespeare until last year because we analyzed his work in deapth and I fully understood his purpose of the comedy Taming of the Shrew.
ReplyDeleteI don’t think I’ve ever realized the magnitude to which Shakespeare in hidden throughout the world. It’s easy to live never noticing everyday allusions made to Shakespeare's work and it’s astonish to find that his work is riddled throughout pop culture, in tv shows and movies. As well in the first article, it mentions that Shakespeare intended for his work to be acted out and I’ve come to learn that the medium in which Shakespeare's work is expressed is a key factor in the degree to which his work is understood. In reading Shakespeare over the years I’ve come to learn that it’s easier to understand his work when it’s acted out because the actors tone and the context clues within the plays provide for an easier understanding of the higher level of English being spoken. Even though his work was supposed to be understandable to all social classes in his times.
ReplyDeleteUnderstanding Shakespeare's writing has always been a struggle for me. I've never been able to fully grasp the meaning behind his writing. I would often have to reference the No Fear Shakespeare version for clarification (which saved me, I don't know what I would've done without it). However, this past year, I had the opportunity to be a part of and travel with Will Power to Europe for a performance of Shakespeare's A Winter's Tale in London. Besides the wonderful trip and experience I had performing on that stage, and also at my school, being a part of that play had a significant impact on my comprehension of and admiration for Shakespeare's writing. Because of my role as a major character in the play, and frequently attending rehearsals with the whole cast, I was forced to delve into Shakespeare's writing to fully understand my character and the events of the play. I went into more depth investigating his writing than I had ever before. If I'm being honest, I really didn't care much about Shakespeare before, and often skimmed through readings rather than taking the time to look at them with that same depth. My role in the play taught me the nuances and details of Shakespeare's writing that I would otherwise have probably never learned. And while reading Shakespeare is still a great struggle for me, I now have much more confidence in reading and comprehending his writing, and I have a newfound admiration for and joy in reading his writing.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading through the articles I found the article talking about the various terms coined by Shakespeare. Many that I've used in my everyday vocabulary, say for example "all that glitters is gold". It's always fun learning about the origin of terms and phrases. It is also fun to know we can attribute them to Shakespeare himself. Whats more fun is diving into how the phrases evolve over time and how culture effect the meaning.
ReplyDeleteShakespeare hasn't always been my favorite writer but with this class and with this blog I have learned to appreciate his unique writing style. Although it's difficult for me to understand most of his writing I do have a favorite piece of work by him; Taming of the Shrew. Since I can't really interpret his words just by reading them it was hard for me to pick up on the humor that’s sprinkled throughout the play. However, when we watched it, everything sort of clicked and became more evident. That’s when I was able to decipher the witty comments that Shakespeare makes, which made this play all the more enjoyable. This may have to do with the fact that I enjoy visuals such as plays and movies more than short stories and poems.
ReplyDeleteI do think that Shakespeare is a very interesting character and he is extremely talented. I believe he is rightfully infamous and it shocks me that he has such big impact on almost all literature. I’m not gonna lie, I don’t see myself reading Shakespeare for fun anytime soon but if the occasion presents itself I won't dread it as much as I used to.
I have not read many of Shakespeare's plays besides Romeo and Juliet during freshman year and Macbeth in Sophomore year. I will admit that when reading outside of school on my own time I tend to read anything other than Shakespeare mostly because of his language and the way he speaks in his plays. It is a bit hard to understand and it can be overwhelming at times. Although I don't read Shakespeare often I do find it interesting when we study it in class mostly because the when we "translate" a piece of text it usually ends up being completely different than what I thought it meant. I cant wait to read Taming of the Shrew because so far it has been very funny and entertaining.
ReplyDeleteI love Shakespeare and have been fascinated with his work since I first read my first passage of A Midsummer's Night Dream in fifth grade. Although in the beginning it was mildly difficult to understand the language, I was personally pretty quick to catch on to the majority of the meanings,especially when supported by the actions on the stage. Plot was easy to follow, although I didn't start catching the jokes and smaller details until my third year of reading and performing Shakespeare. For me, this was just something that came with time and exposure to Shakespeare's writing because it is, in a way, like learning a second language. I feel as though it's very fast pace to watch in a performance, but after dissecting main themes and plots and looking at language connections between our version of English versus Shakespeare's it no longer comes as such a challenge to interpret. Performing with Will Power in Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, Taming of the Shrew, and As You Like It, were big steps in my comprehension of Shakespeare's writing, but I have to say my development came more with the 'smaller scale' performances our fifth and sixth grade class of A Midsummer's Night Dream and Julius Caesar since they were my initial experiences. Overall, I strongly believe learning Shakespeare can be easily picked up simply with time and practice, because, like learning a second language, different phrases and words can be easily connected to our speech today, and it only takes a little bit of time to associate them with our own language.
ReplyDeleteSO true!!
DeleteShakespeare's work has not always been intriguing to me. I believe this is simply because I was not raised speaking old English and thus I have struggled reading Shakespeare's elaborate wording. However, over the years in Mrs. Caraway's class, I have learned to understand more of this language and by reading it, I have become a better speaker of it. I think aside from the diction used, Shakespeare tells very interesting stories through his plays. I am also amused by how important his words have been to our modern English. A lot of our modern idioms and phrases originate from him, making him so well known and likable. Overall, I think if Shakespeare were alive today or if I were alive during his playwriting time, I would enjoy his work more because I'd be able to comprehend it more quickly and accurately.
ReplyDeleteI still have to fix my profile on this account but the above response was mine.
ReplyDelete- Eve
After reading the article on phrases coined by Shakespeare, I've developed a deeper appreciation for the playwright. All throughout my school years, I've always known that Shakespeare was a talented individual, however, like most of the things I learned in school, there was this presumption that the knowledge would only be necessary for the classroom and solely used to obtain a good grade. Seeing as that phrases I use on an almost daily basis such as "all of a sudden" and "in a pickle" were coined by Shakespeare, the vast amount of time we have spent over the last few years learning about him and his creations seems well deserved.
ReplyDeleteThe first piece of Shakespeare I read was “Twelfth Night,” which proved to be a good introduction to Shakespeare as I enjoyed reading and watching the play. Though Shakespeare can be difficult to read at times, when the play is acted out it is easily understandable. Despite this, I did not realize how much of Shakespearean language I don’t understand until we listened to the original pronunciation of the text. There is so much to decipher when it comes to Shakespeare’s works and it can be overwhelming at times, however it is rewarding once understood. I can confidently state that I have enjoyed all the works of Shakespeare that I have seen and read, and I hope to study more in the future.
ReplyDeleteReflecting on my experiences with Shakespeare I have come to realize a few things, the first being that his works aren't as complicated and convoluted as people make them out to be. When we first began reading Shakespeare I was extremely confused as to what was happening and had no interest in pursuing any of his other works. This was due to the fact that instead of focusing on all there was Shakespeare had to offer, we focused on minute details that weren't as interesting as everything there was present within the text. After having read The Taming of the Shrew our Junior year, I have come to from a new appreciation for Shakespeare and his works. I actually thoroughly enjoyed the play and found it extremely entertaining compared to other times we have studied Shakespeare and my dis interest kept me from enjoying the works. Out of all the Shakespeare works we have read I have also come to find that The Taming of the Shrew is my favorite play written by Shakespeare.
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to William Shakespeare, understanding his writing has been a struggle. The reason for this is mostly based on how widespread his vocabulary was compared to how mine is, even though during Shakespeare’s time that was (probably) how everyone spoke and how everyone was used to speaking is the way he did. The words and phrases that Shakespeare uses have become so foreign due to my time it is made very uncommon and hard for me to understand what he talks about. When I read my first piece by Shakespeare it was “Romeo and Juliet”. When reading “Romeo and Juliet” by William Shakespeare, it was quite hard for me to understand (probably due to the way I was taught when I had to read it). When reading the “Taming of the Shrew”, it has become much easier for me to understand based on how Mrs. Caraway takes everything very piece by piece. When seeing his plays in action rather than just reading them it helps me to get a better understanding of what is actually going on and I am then eventually able to comprehend what he is trying to say to the audience, or readers. When Mrs. Caraway mentioned that the movie “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days” was a spinoff of the original version “The Taming of the Shrew” I am able to see how they both tie into each other based on the events that happen within both from what I have read so far. I am looking forward to seeing what happens in the future of the book, even if it doesn’t end happily.
ReplyDeleteYarely Mendoza
ReplyDeleteWhen I read William Shakespeare's work it has been a struggle for me to understand certain words. I understand that these words are how they spoke back in his time. It's crazy to see how much the words have changed from then to now. How our language is much more simple and dumbed down. I love his work because the stories are so difficult to read yet have deep feelings and stories that are so much deeper than usual. I enjoyed reading Taming of The Shrew it was interesting to see the actions and the end message. I have caught on to the language and words within his work and can understand most of the basics. I definitely will not stop reading his works and seeing what else I can learn from his works and teach others about them. I'm hoping to share my knowledge with others.
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