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

Reply 20

Birkenhead

3

Original post by Melthusa

Sorry Mr Napoleon. :rolleyes:

You quite obviously know best right?

That does tend to be the case, admittedly.

Reply 21

Felix1944

5

Original post by Tuerin

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 remember Marlowe's poetry as being rather bookish, and much of Shakespeare's wasn't. And I think Shakespeare's use of language can be infinitely more complex than anything Marlowe wrote. The difficult thing would be if there was nothing of Shakespeare at his best in the play.

Reply 22

deathhead

10

I used to hate him but that was just out of pre-conceived ignorance. Now I love Shakespeare. He is virtually unparalleled in what he writes, the complexity of his language and the depth of the themes he plays upon are incredible. My favourite is definitely Othello after studying it for A-Level last year. Shakespeare is daunting for everybody at first, mainly because of the language but it is brilliant when you manage to get past that. My mind was so opened to him by the time of my exam almost a year ago that it strikes me that though written so long ago, many traits of human emotion are still powerfully represented through his characters that his plays are so relevant today. Give it a chance mate.

^God I really sound like I'm bumming him there haha

Reply 23

deathhead

10

Original post by Felix1944

I remember Marlowe's poetry as being rather bookish, and much of Shakespeare's wasn't. And I think Shakespeare's use of language can be infinitely more complex than anything Marlowe wrote. The difficult thing would be if there was nothing of Shakespeare at his best in the play.

Hmm Marlowe I do think can lay it on a bit thick sometimes but what he writes is quite powerful. Especially in the case of Dr. Faustus. Will never forget the last line 'Whose deepness doth entice such forward wits To practise more than heavenly power permits.' such a good little blank verse ending.

Reply 24

Birkenhead

3

Original post by Felix1944

I remember Marlowe's poetry as being rather bookish, and much of Shakespeare's wasn't. And I think Shakespeare's use of language can be infinitely more complex than anything Marlowe wrote. The difficult thing would be if there was nothing of Shakespeare at his best in the play.

Doctor Faustus I found incredibly long-winded, and that was only the A-text; God knows what students of the B-text went through! I'm not scholared enough in them to make judgements about style but from what I've read I suspect your view on their uses of language is probably right. Interesting.

Reply 25

edwinemanuelposse

In Holland u had like 4 schools levels, one was for slightly retarded people, one was the lowest common standard, then u get on level higher, and then u get the highest level... This was for kids of 13 till like 18...

Only the highest school level ( Called VWO ) in Holland teached Sheakspeare to kids,,,, Is this also in Uk, or does also a medium intelligent schools in the UK teach Sheakespear to kids?

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 26

Felix1944

5

Original post by deathhead

Hmm Marlowe I do think can lay it on a bit thick sometimes but what he writes is quite powerful. Especially in the case of Dr. Faustus. Will never forget the last line 'Whose deepness doth entice such forward wits To practise more than heavenly power permits.' such a good little blank verse ending.

I agree; some of Marlowe is grand. 'Tamburlaine' II.7.12-29 is a good example. ('Nature that framed us of four elements' etc.) The thought lurking at the back of my mind was that I could never imagine him writing something like 'I know a bank where the wild thyme blows / Where oxslips and the nodding violet grows'.

Reply 27

Felix1944

5

Oddly, I encountered the Faust story as opera via Gounod before I came across it in Marlowe's version. It's just possible you might find the music more fun! I haven't Marlowe's play to hand, but I do remember a rather splendid ending - and then the quiet line (from the chorus?) 'Cut is the branch that might have grown full straight ...'

Reply 28

sufferin succotash

10

I like his comedy's - Much ado and I liked As You Like It. I saw Richard III at the globe, which was also wesome!

Reply 29

sufferin succotash

10

Original post by edwinemanuelposse

In Holland u had like 4 schools levels, one was for slightly retarded people, one was the lowest common standard, then u get on level higher, and then u get the highest level... This was for kids of 13 till like 18...

Only the highest school level ( Called VWO ) in Holland teached Sheakspeare to kids,,,, Is this also in Uk, or does also a medium intelligent schools in the UK teach Sheakespear to kids?

Everyone gets taught it at some point in england schools.

Reply 30

edwinemanuelposse

Original post by sufferin succotash

Everyone gets taught it at some point in england schools.

Ha oke cool, sheakspear is lot about love and betrail hey, so even intresting for a person who studies to be a car mechanic ( i think ) , but in Holland, sheakspeare seems only for the smartest kids....

Reply 31

Shruti2

2

I had to study As You Like It and Macbeth at school. At first, it wasn't very enjoyable, especially As You Like It but I really love both the plays now and I wish I could see it at the Globe!!

Reply 32

bunnyonthehill

Original post by The_Super_Nerd(:

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...

My best friend went to see it (she's an English Lit student) and she said it was AMAZING! It is certainly on my list :smile:

Reply 33

kittyb99

11

Original post by Schichtoe

Och! Marry me.

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

You seem rather persistent on marriage! :tongue:

Reply 34

Muppet Science

14

Not a massive fan of Shakespeare, though my favourite is Hamlet. One of the reasons was it allowed me to baffle my biology teacher. There was a question in a mock paper I had no idea what the answer to it was, so instead I wrote 'Hamlet, Act 4, Scene 1, line 16' - 'Alas, how shall this bloody deed be answer'd?' (something like that) and she wrote a smiley on the script XD

Yes I found Romeo and Juliet very dull. I loathe most poetry anyway so was also not a fan of his sonnets either.

Reply 35

ForgettingWhatsername

11

I started really liking Shakespeare when I read Troilus & Cressida. It's very dark and witty at the same time, critics can't even agree if it's a tragedy or a comedy. Macbeth, A Winter's Tale and Richard III are my other favourites. Oh and Hamlet as well. Actually, I just like all of them :tongue:

Reply 36

IAmAStegosaurus

9

I studied A Midsummer Night's Dream and Macbeth at secondary school and As You Like It for GCSE, and then Twelfth Night at A level, and absolutely loved them all! I just love Shakespeare's style and the stories themselves are brilliant (though I know he didn't come up with some of the stories himself, but they're still brilliantly told). I've also studied Dr. Faustus by Christopher Marlowe and for some reason, it just didn't excite me as much as Shakespeare's plays; I found the plot dragged and the style of writing rather monotonous and heavy. I'd have to say my favourite Shakespeare play so far is Twelfth Night, just because it's so fun and has amazing characters :smile:

Reply 37

the bear

20

i am loving Shakey's comedies too much... i have to stock up on rib cream before going to the theatre.

Reply 38

Katy200

13

I hate studying Shakespeare at school but I really enjoy it now especially seeing them at the theatre,

I saw Macbeth at the royal exchange a few years ago and it was probably the best play I have ever seen,