When I was teaching it was common for kids to say, “why should I care about what he had to say,” in reference to some writer. I would respond, “why should I care about what you have to say?”
Do people that proudly proclaim their ignorance piss you off?
[quote]PGA wrote:
Reading something you dont understand, for entertainment purposes, is impossible. You’re doomed to hate it.
[/quote]
Since I miss a lot of what Shakespeare is talking about, it’s not a bad idea to pick up a Coles Notes version of the writing to accompany it.
I’d rather take extra time to read it and understand then just read it as written and miss parts of the meaning. (To the OP - this is why your teacher has you discussing it in groups and in class).
[quote]TShaw wrote:
FightinIrish26 wrote:
First, the guy said more about human nature than any writer before or since, and there’s a reason why he’s at the top of the pantheon of writers.
Fans of Geoffrey Chaucer would beg to differ.
[/quote]
I know they would. At least Shakespeare didn’t pussy out on his deathbed and renounce the things he wrote though. 
My apologies. I should have known that. I always confuse the time periods.
[quote]nephorm wrote:
I have yet to find one woman who isn’t impressed by a smart guy.
Sigh.
[/quote]
Do I want to ask what the ‘sigh’ is for?
[quote]FightinIrish26 wrote:
nephorm wrote:
I have yet to find one woman who isn’t impressed by a smart guy.
Sigh.
Do I want to ask what the ‘sigh’ is for?[/quote]
No, we’ve heard it in countless other threads as to why…
anyone else find it ironic that someone who goes by the name Beowolf [sic] referred to Shakespeare as using “shitty old English”?
[quote]PGA wrote:
FightinIrish26 wrote:
nephorm wrote:
I have yet to find one woman who isn’t impressed by a smart guy.
Sigh.
Do I want to ask what the ‘sigh’ is for?
No, we’ve heard it in countless other threads as to why…[/quote]
Ahhhhh OK I’m clear now.
[quote]m0dd3r wrote:
anyone else find it ironic that someone who goes by the name Beowolf [sic] referred to Shakespeare as using “shitty old English”?[/quote]
Or the fact that his handle is Beowolf not Beowulf…
[quote]Beowolf wrote:
Didn’t he invent the word cliche?[/quote]
I’d suspect the French.
[quote]Zap Branigan wrote:
Do people that proudly proclaim their ignorance piss you off?[/quote]
I’m reminded of Chris Rock’s definition of “nigger”. Specifically, it’s the “books are like kryptonite to [whoever]” thing which seems to apply so much more broadly than he originally intended.
If this were a post complaining about Charles Dickens being dull as a baseball bat then I might have some sympathy, but Shakespeare as too hard to read? Reading the gibberish of teenagers who only can write in internetonics is far more taxing.
Shakespear is a Dick.
[quote]FightinIrish26 wrote:
First, the guy said more about human nature than any writer before or since, and there’s a reason why he’s at the top of the pantheon of writers.
Secondly, its old english that he writes in. Of course you’re not going to understand it, half the words are out of use…but there’s not alot Shakespeare could do about that. Not too mention the way you feel about reading his works is the same way I feel about reading your posts- they’re called “periods” and “commas”. Use them.
Third, its not just loved by fat girls. There are people that appreciate it, and as you get older you’ll realize that when you have memorized passages from his plays, the women fucking love it. I have yet to find one woman who isn’t impressed by a smart guy.
Lastly, remember, “Life is but a walking shadow that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more”. Try not to judge harshly on stuff that other people like- to each their own. Let them enjoy what they like, and don’t get frustrated if they’re smarter than you.[/quote]
Man, I was in love with shakespeare in junior high. Dont know why. I sat by this huge portrait of him on the wall and just stared at him the entire class, I ended up drawing all these pictures of him throughout my english books. I was such a wierdo.
I think I even talked to him mentally like “hey shakeman, what are you doing in that there picture” and “hey! how are you doing today mr shakey” He wouldnt ever say anything, thank god. Then I wouldve been really screwed up.
[quote]Rockscar wrote:
Shakespeare is a Dick. [/quote]
Fixteded
[quote]relativelyfunguy wrote:
We just read through his romeo and juliet piece today in my class. The writing pretty much annoys me just because the fact of the matter is most people in the class don’t know what’s going on even though they try and act like they do, and the teacher just ends up telling everyone what goes on anyways. The only person who really comprehends what’s going on is the fat girl in the corner who has her own hardback book version of every play Shakespeare has ever written. It pissed me off cuz we were in groups today, and after every section, we’d have to discuss what happened, and i have 3 annoying girls in my group, one who is a total blob, all over the place, the other is huge too and snappy, and the other is just weird and looks like she should know a lot but knows shit about it, pretending she does. They give me mean looks when I just admit I have no clue what was just read, because it’s true, the shit is stupid. I can’t stand these fat girls whose lives are based only around these stupid readings, they have nothing better to do with themselves, so they figure they might as well get good at reading something pointless. Am I the only one who dislikes this crap so much?[/quote]
If ever a screen name was so wrong. You don’t sound like much fun at all.
DB
[quote]relativelyfunguy wrote:
We just read through his romeo and juliet piece today in my class. The writing pretty much annoys me just because the fact of the matter is most people in the class don’t know what’s going on even though they try and act like they do, and the teacher just ends up telling everyone what goes on anyways. The only person who really comprehends what’s going on is the fat girl in the corner who has her own hardback book version of every play Shakespeare has ever written. It pissed me off cuz we were in groups today, and after every section, we’d have to discuss what happened, and i have 3 annoying girls in my group, one who is a total blob, all over the place, the other is huge too and snappy, and the other is just weird and looks like she should know a lot but knows shit about it, pretending she does. They give me mean looks when I just admit I have no clue what was just read, because it’s true, the shit is stupid. I can’t stand these fat girls whose lives are based only around these stupid readings, they have nothing better to do with themselves, so they figure they might as well get good at reading something pointless. Am I the only one who dislikes this crap so much?[/quote]
I know you can’t possibly be above the age of 16, but shut the hell up, LOL it’s for your own benefit as your maturity really shines right through with this thread.
This comes across more as “whining” than “critque”, and I think many will notice such.
Try saying Iambic Pentameter five times fast!
The Tempest does it for me. For the o.p. the thing that a person who is not into literature can come away with from Shakespeare is, as another poster said, how timeless what he wrote about is.
This class is your chance to get in the pants of that kind-of-weird girl who probably is a sex fiend…
If Shakespeare was alive today, he’d lift in the APF. End. Of. Story.
[quote]
Blah Blah Blah, whiney illiterate punk babble.[/quote]
This might come off as elitist, but I don’t give a fuck-
realtivelyfunnyguy, If you were smart enough to have an opinion that mattered on Shakespere, you wouldn’t have such a hard time reading it.
Now shut up and read dem der books.
Ya might learn sum thin.
Here’s a rendition of Romeo and Juliet that breaks it down and makes it simple for the youth of today to understand: