Did you have to learn Shakespeare at school?

Question

Did you understand what he was one about? I did not have a clue. We had to four years of his plays. The Tempest, Hamlet,
Macbeth and Love's Labour Lost.. It was only when I was older and saw the movies I actually understood what the man was saying.

Answer 1

Yeah and I hated it. Now as an adult (stop laughing you lot) I can finally appreciate it. I love it.

I fancy a bit of the 'bush poet' too. Good ol Banjo Paterson!!!

Why am I feeling very Australian tonight!!!

Answer 2

I believe we took a class vote. Shakespeare or Chaucer. And none of us knew Chaucer, so our English Lit. teacher
was great in breaking down the stories and explaining all of
us what was going on. And in her doing that, we took an in-
terest. She even had us pretend that we were taking a walk
in Canterburys' Tales and we had to describe all of the char-
acters in the story that the writer came upon in his travels. I
got an "A" for that written review. And was so proud of it.
Shortly after she told the class that she had submitted my
version of the story to the school board, to have it under
display in some school administration office. Everyone was
very pleased with my achievement. And once when I was
browsing in a thrift store a former student came over to me,
and asked if I "Still wrote those amazing stories". That made
me feel good, knowing that someone thought so highly of
my written work back then.
My teacher thought I had alot of imagination.

Answer 3

We read Romeo and Juliet and MacBeth in 9th grade, didnt understand a thing and made me HATE Shakespeare.
Now that I am older and have read some of his works I can understand it better and see the beauty in it, some of his sonnets are exquisite.
High School is too young to start Shakespeare, true appreciation happens when one is older, I think high school literature teachers are doing a disservice to him.

Answer 4

We had to read Romeo and Juliet and Macbeth. I agree with the others though, high school is a little too early to teach Shakespeare. (or maybe we just needed better teachers)
I find that people appreciate it more when their minds are more open. This usually begins in college I believe.

Answer 5

We had to read a few but I only remember Macbeth which I enjoyed which was in Grade 12 and by then I could understand the launguage a little better.

Answer 6

Yeh, we did the whole "MacBeth, Taming of the Shrew, Midsummers Nites Dream" in High School. A lot of it was hard to get through, due to the language, But I survived it. Not saying I like it much, just wasn't my cup of tea. I did like the "Scarlet Letter" though.

Answer 7

some people are thrown by making use of the previous English that Shakespeare wrote in. It often takes better than one play to relatively get into Shakespeare. attempt examining "Taming of the Shrew" (the precursor to ten issues I hate approximately you), "MacBeth", or a "Mid summer season's evening Dream," they seem to be a splash much less puzzling to study than "Julius Caesar." That stated, the performs are substantial to study by way of fact they're part of our historic previous and you will learn very plenty without proceeding to.

Answer 8

I had very good English literature teachers who managed to make the Bard come alive for us. It was fun being able to discuss the plays and their meanings as we read them (the whole class together). And then sometimes even got to act out our favourite bits at the front of the class, with a lot of help from the audience.

Answer 9

We read Julius Caesar (I still have my copy) , and As You Like It. This play, we all had a part to play and then it became more real for us and we could actually understand the humour in it. I have never been a fan though.

Answer 10

I must be one of the few weirdos that took to Shakespear like the proverbial duck...that anyone could mold language so beautifully was a shock and delight for me,though I didn't understand,the words were meant to be spoken aloud.