Quote:
Originally Posted by DixieGal
People are afraid of Shakespeare. A kid mentions a homework assignment and parents groan and moan about it. Educated adults are familiar with the plays. Thinking about the plays does not fit into their mindless over-filled schedules.
Just completing a play does as much for their self esteems as a whole season of sports/music/math extracurricular activities.
|
Unfortunately, I think people are afraid of classic literature in general. Perhaps our expectations need to be managed better, so that we do not approach every classic work as if it is supposed to be a ton of work, or that it is supposed to transform our lives somehow.
A great piece of fiction can be appreciated on many different levels by people of all kinds of different education levels. On the surface level, there is the plot to enjoy, and with any Shakespearean play there are lots of juicy twists and turns. It can be appreciated for the poetry of the language, and on a deeper level, for all its linguistic nuances, wordplay, and metaphor. It can be appreciated for its interesting characters, and if you want to go deeper, for its insights into humanity.
A great classic work should be subject to the Simpsons test. The Simpsons, before the show went downhill, was a show that could be appreciated by almost anybody. On the surface level it was funny and had quirky characters, but it also subtly (today not to subtle) was able to parody and critique and analyze current events, structures, and trends.
I am curious about the graphic novels that people have mentioned. Do these have the full Shakespearan texts, or are they just abridgments. How do they do the lengthy monologues? Do they break them up into several frames?
As far as plays and movies, I once read that it was unlikely that even those who lived in Shakespeare's time understood half of what he wrote. His language is not archaic, but poetic, and hence has always been difficult to understand. What really makes Shakespeare comprehensible is the performances of the actors, how they convey the words and the emotion they express. Shakespeare did not come alive for me until I saw the 1953 version of Julius Caesar, with brilliant performances by John Gielglud, James Mason, and of course the immortal Marlon Brando. Every one knows about the funeral oration, but my favorite part of the movie was the dogs of war monologue.