Shakespeare is the biggest load of cr ap that has ever been printed. How on earth can anyone in their right mind say that it's any good? It's unintelligible drivel. Every person who has read any of his cr ap, have to have it explained to them in modern language. I defy anyone to tell me they can read a full Shakespeare play, and perfectly understand it all, and genuinely call it a good laugh, or a good plot.
Are people who say they like his work, just pretentious pricks?
2007-01-24 04:19:32 · 10 answers · asked by papa.rumbo 1 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Theater & Acting
Let me guess - you don't like Shakespeare because you can't understand it?? There is of course the everlasting debate about whether or not Shakespeare actually wrote any plays ... but regardless of that the plays are fantastic!
2007-01-24 21:02:52 · answer #1 · answered by HB 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That it needs to be explained is irrelevant when determining whether it is any good. The olde English that was spoken in Shakespeare's day (thus the language he uses in his writings) has evolved to the point of becoming not unlike a foriegn language to us today. So what? That does not make it good or bad. It only means it needs interpretting. As if you were reading a work in German, or Korean or Swahili. Once it has been interpretted so that you can understand it, it can then be judged either good or not. Some of the people who like his work are pretentious pricks, yes. Most of them, however, are simply capable of comprehending what he has written (like people who can read German, Korean or Swahili). As for the plots, most of today's most popular movies are no more than modern version retellings of the Bard's original works.
Ask yourself: How bad can it be, if theatres are still performing it 400+ years later, to sold-out crowds who still PAY for their seats?
2007-01-25 11:59:59 · answer #2 · answered by actor22 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some shakespeare is unintelligible, as its virtually a foreign language to modern readers. However I accept your challenge, I can read a full shakespeare play, understand it, and call it a good laugh/plot, depending on the play. The trick is to try to see it played out in your mind as you read it. Better yet, don't read it like a book at all, go and see a really good production acted out. There are fights, romance, comedy sketches, all the elements we still want in movies. Rent the kenneth brannagh movie versions, they make perfect sense.
2007-01-27 07:36:54 · answer #3 · answered by Ian S 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I love shakespear and the reason it is written like that is so that the plays can be put into many time periods
this is the wonder that is shakespear as lots of people can relate to it once they understand
and anyway u shpould have seen the play i was just in it had shakespears stuff in it and was really modern set in space
it was called return to the forbidden planet and was a re write of the tempest.
mayb you should b more open minded about stuff
2007-01-25 16:14:10 · answer #4 · answered by Hayley D 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ya know what? I'm going to have to agree with ya whole heartedly there...thanks!!! I'm a director with my university's drama group, so people assume that I eat, sleep and live Shakespeare...BOLLOX!!! I've studied it in school, I've tried to read it... It's just boring, pure and simple!!! I'd rather watch paint dry...
I think it's so funny when you hear people shiting on about "oh, the iambic pentameter is so beautiful...", does anyone actually understand What that IS?... "oh, his dialogue is so deep...and the plot..the characters..." SHUT UP...PLEASE!!! It's annoying ****!!!
You should go see The Reduced Shakespeare Company's "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Abridged"...it is fantastic...The 3 guys perform the all shakespeare's works...plays and sonnets...in 90 minutes and it is hillarious!!! They rap Othelo, do Titus Andronicus as a cooking show and do all the "King" plays as an American football game...not to mention Hamlet...they play it once in about 5 minutes, then again faster, then a third time backwards!!!!! Briliant!!!
I think this is how old Shakey intended his plays to be performed ;-)
2007-01-25 08:34:44 · answer #5 · answered by Steel Elf 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Hmm.
Well as a working actor who enjoys doing Shakespeare above all else I'd have to say I think your attitude is a bit narrow.
If on the other hand all you've seen of his work is some bad productions or you've been forced to read it at school I can well understand.
2007-01-27 21:13:28 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
shakespeare is difficult to read and get your head around, in my last year of 6th form i was studying shakespeare in drama and english and i know i was confused and bored out of my brain.
but at the end of the day, i think shakespeare is good.
lots of people dont like it cause they dont understand it. thats fair enough, it is difficult. but shakespeare does not deserve to be slated or put down. he is a leader of playwrights, if it wasnt for him, we wouldnt have half the plays that we have today, cause no one would be influenced to write the plays.
i like shakespeare, does that mean im a pretentious prick?? no, it just means i like the father of playwrights. anyway, shakespeare stole most of his ideas from rubbishy plays!
2007-01-26 16:12:54 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your situation is obvious. You tried to read it, weren't up to the task, and now find it easier to condemn it than to try to rise to the occasion. Clearly, the fault lies with the MATERIAL, and not with your reading/comprehension skills.
Not to worry. As long as Will Ferrell and the "Jackass" crew are churning out movies, there will always be enough "art" in the world for the likes of you.
2007-01-26 10:45:50 · answer #8 · answered by shkspr 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Obviously, you have some issues with Mr. Shakespeare. Perhaps if it were translated into modern vernacular, it would make more sense? Or slang?
2007-01-25 16:54:11 · answer #9 · answered by peskylisa 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i think it is because you are not intelligent enough to understand shakespeare huh?
2007-01-26 12:50:43 · answer #10 · answered by jay 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋