Does anyone else see the deep & fantastic humour in Shakespeare's plays?

Question

Not only do I understand his writing (I surprise myself sometimes) but find the plays very dry, witty, hilarious even if it is sometimes rather black! Are there any fellow 'heathens' out there who can also see this in his works? I'm not well read by any means but his plays are large as life to me and very, very funny! :-D (On the most part).

At school I'd be laughing when everyone else was furrowed of brow whenever we studied Shakespeares work.

Incidentally I knew a girl called SHAKESHEFF who claimed her name was derived from Shakespeare, does anyone know her coz I'd love to get in touch with her again? LUCY was her first name.

Answer 1

Absolutely, I'm just surprised that you're surprised. Shakespeare had the best armoury of insults ever - calling someone a puppet, acorn, bean or painted Maypoll is always pretty funny and there's some absolutely classic slagging matches in Shakespeare. If you can see the funny side of Shakespeare easily, you should try Chaucer, he wrote some pretty funny stuff about branding people's bums with hot irons and giving a friar a fart as a gift!! Weird and wacky stuff all round really

Answer 2

Yah, the humor was pretty broad in the "comedies" ... but then they were designed for a pretty rough crowd. There are potty jokes and sex jokes and stupid jokes and puns.
The historicals have some humor tossed in (the crowd at THE GLOBE would be getting restless after a scene or two of nobles stalking about declaiming).
The dramas ... well. Mostly pretty grim, but even they can have funny bits.
Some of the comedies though, are just incomprehensible. Love's Labour's Lost is an example of a "comedy" I just never can get behind, try as I might.
But Midsummer Night's Dream is funny enough for anyone ... sexy fairies in love and lots of blundering about by the mortals doing mortal-type stuff.
By the way, Willy Shaky-spear was probably a pseudonym ... the name just conjures up way too many adolescent jokes to be real.

Answer 3

Most people who enjoy shakespeare understand the humour. You are fortunately you find it so easy to understand.

If your friend claims that she is a decendant of william shakespear then I'm afraid she is mistaken. Though he did have children about 2 or 3 generations down the line all his decendants had died out.

Answer 4

Much Ado About Nothing is most humorous. I do enjoy Shakespeare's plays, although as with most plays, I prefer to see them performed....it's what brings them to life and how they can be best enjoyed.

Shakespeare was a talented and witty playwright, although some of his sonnets are a little dreary

Answer 5

There's nothing 'heathen' about appreciating Shakespeare in this way - it would be more unusual not to. At the time the plays were written there was nothing pedantic about appreciating them - they were quite accessible. It is sad that they are no longer - the way they are taught in schools doesn't help matters.

Answer 6

Oh yes. I, too, found hilarity when the rest of my class was plodding along. As I got older and left school, I discovered many more of his works and was quite glad that I had been introduced to him.

I make 'top ten' lists. If I'm deserted on a desert island and I can bring along the complete works of only ten authors, WS is #1. Good on you, girl!

Answer 7

Yes his plays were funny, some more than others (12th Night comes to mind). Agree totally

Answer 8

You make me feel very ignorant not to have tried any of his work or watched any of his plays. Shame on me I will try.

Answer 9

I find some of them hilarious and some of them dull, lifeless

Answer 10

if u don't understand i suggest u don't read his writings. but to me he is the best