Does anyone really like Shakespeare? And if so, which is your favourite?

So, wanting to be a literature student, I've had to read Shakespeare, and write about Shakespeare, and learn about him, pretend to like some of his things, analyse them to the point of breakdown and basically know everything there is to know about certain works.
Now I love The Taming of the Shrew. I also love the film with Elizabeth Taylor but that's not the point.
I hate, as in absolutely detest, Romeo and Juliet. The films are OK but the written play, I hate it. I also don't really like A Midsummer's Night Dream, but remember this is only my opinion.
So, as the title says, do you like Shakespeare? And if so, what do you like? His sonnets, his plays, what?

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Reply 1

battycatlady

I like going to watch his plays, but I hate studying them.

My favourites are King Lear and Othello.

I don't mind his sonnets, but I prefer other poetry.

And yeah I hate Romeo and Juliet as well!

Reply 2

bunnyonthehill

I ADORE Richard III- the play, not the King, lol. The king was a bit of a *******. Ooh, I like Othello too- Iago is the best baddie ever!

Reply 3

kittyb99

I'm a nerd for Richard III! :biggrin:

(see what I did there?)

Reply 4

Reform

Gimme the loot - Wiliiam Shakespeare. Honestly though I'm not a big fan of Shakespeare...I wouldn't, in my spare time read any of his plays. If I had to choose though Othello is my favourite.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 5

The_Super_Nerd(:

I love Othello just for Iago and his soliloquies. Such a brilliant villian!
'I am not what I am'. Just perfect.

Macbeth majorly creeped me out the first time I read it, but I love it too. Adore the supernatural elements :love:

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 6

bunnyonthehill

Original post by The_Super_Nerd(:

I love Othello just for Iago and his soliloquys. Such a brilliant villian!
'I am not what I am'. Just perfect.

Macbeth majorily creeped me out the first time I read it, but I love it too. Adore the supernatural elements :love:

Totally agree with you! Shakey was having a good day when he created Iago!

Macbeth is brilliant! When I first started studying Scottish history I couldn't look at 'King Macbeth' without giggling :colondollar:

Reply 7

The_Super_Nerd(:

Original post by bunnyonthehill

Haha 'Shakey', brilliant!

I'm glad you agree, Iago is such a cheeky so-so accepting praise for being so 'honest' when really he's a complete malcontent! :tongue:

I really want to see Othello in the theatre...

Reply 8

manic_fuzz

I really do like Othello, I'm not quite sure why though because the only character I like in the slightest is Emilia :K:

Reply 9

Melthusa

Midsummer nights dream, or what you will!! :smile:

His finest work!

Reply 10

Felix1944

Richard III - Olivier production. I saw it when I was at school and have seen it many times since then. But I don't think I've seen a film or stage production to match that. Sometimes I find myself thinking how truly dreadful some of Shakespeare's writing is. Most of the comedy, for example. There is a scene in Henry V where a French princess is learning English words. I can hardly believe that Shakespeare wrote that. Mostly I prefer to read a play myself. This does away with lousy actors, many of whom mangle the lines, and I can skip the bits that I suspect WS handed out to an apprentice to write.

Reply 11

lilyobz

I enjoy his history players the most of all

Reply 12

Birkenhead

Original post by Melthusa

Midsummer nights dream, or what you will!! :smile:

His finest work!

What You Will was the alternate title to Twelfth Night. Awkward that you can say it's his best work and mistake a fairly fundamental detail about it. Hopefully some good trolling.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 13

Melthusa

Original post by Tuerin

What You Will was the alternate title to Twelfth Night. Awkward that you can say its his best work and mistake a fairly fundamental detail about it. Hopefully some good trolling.

Are you trolling yourself?

I was stating two shakespeare plays, not one; sorry, was that against the rules!?!?!?!?

Reply 14

therisenmitten

Much ado about nothing!
So romantic in an unconventional way. Also full of innuendos :teehee:

Reply 15

RadioHawk

Don't know many plays but I like Macbeth and Hamlet
Midsummer Nights Dream I don't quite know how I feel, was in a production of it but the story is.... odd
Demetrius gets screwed over -_-

Reply 16

Schichtoe

Original post by kittyb99

I'm a nerd for Richard III! :biggrin:

(see what I did there?)

Och! Marry me.

I truly adore Hamlet. Enjoy most anything, though, particularly live.

Reply 17

Birkenhead

Here's an interesting question: were you to see two mystery plays, one written by Shakespeare and one by Marlowe, hypothetically ones you'd never seen, read or heard of before, would you be able to tell the difference? If so, what sort of stylistic/structural differences would you potentially recognise?

I really don't know why this is being negged to oblivion. I've only tried to stimulate discussion.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 18

edwinemanuelposse

Othello i like,

and? Wasnt Shakespeare an opium smoker?

Reply 19

Melthusa

Original post by Tuerin

No you weren't.

Had the last word been plural you would have been referring to two separate plays. As it stands you were clearly mistaking What You Will as the alternate title for Midsummer Night's Dream.