04-13-2004, 01:51 AM
Kak: You're approach is quite right - pick some Shakespeare that might interest you. When I was in school Macbeth was the first Shakespeare I was introduced to and I was hooked - murder, power, magic and ambition. (Incidentally, it's been touted that Tolkien felt cheated when he discovered the true nature of Birnam Wood moving and thus created the Ents). I soon discovered that I enjoyed the tragedy and history plays, but not the comedies - a woman disguised as a man might have been hilarious in the 1600s, but not so much when I was reading them. However, I accepted Portia in The Merchant of Venice because the play is so good.
The side notes are there to be read - everybody reads them. It can be hard to read something that you're supposed to which you are supposed to listen although it's not a case of dub vs sub with Shakespeare!
If anyone finds Shakespeare tough perhaps they try watching films based on his plays. Throne of Blood by Kurosawa is magnificent and is basically Macbeth. Ran by the same director is based on King Lear.
Interesting point about the language of today being different. America was more or less founded on the English that Shakespeare used. It's been argued that if the colonists made their journey at any other time English in America could evolved so much differently. Read Made in America by Bill Bryson. It's an interesting account of how the English language developed in America. It should be required reading for people in the UK who moan about 'Americanisms' without basis!
Robert Jordan is a quality Fantasy writer. I started reading him nearly 10 years ago and quickly caught up to the latest hardback release (Book 7, I think). So I decided to stop reading, wait and buy the paperbacks without reading them and then start the reading the whole series in one go (it was promised that The Wheel of Time would be 10-book series). Of course Jordan has decided to go beyond 10 books. So I have all 10 books so far although I only read 7 of them and that was years ago.
Fantasy has become an overcrowded genre and there is a lot of crap floating around out there. Jordan is one of the few that seems to have put some thought into the world he has created rather than just conjured up some characters with outlandish names and a dash of magic and a pinch of orcs.
Reading for me isn't just books either. I have to read a newspaper every day (a broadsheet for news and comment) and a tabloid to see what the UK public wants, which is usually sleaze, gossip and hatred. I used to subscribe to Time (because it was cheap), but I found to be a dull read and ended binning each issue unread.
Batz You don't have to look at it as a defeat - I wasn't trying to score points and humiliate you.
I suppose the one irony of the situation is that you seem to be studying more books at school than I did (I read in my own freetime instead) and I never had to be tested on Shakespeare - write essays on his work certainly, but not on his life and background (what's the point?)
I'm also sure you'll be pleased to know :p that Julius Caesar is my favourite Shakespeare play. If you're still curious about modern day relevance take another look at some of the things that happen: a dictator with overwhelming power, assassination, stirring speeches to rouse mob mentality, battles and war in the name of 'freedom' and what is 'right'.
Anyway, good luck in your test!
The side notes are there to be read - everybody reads them. It can be hard to read something that you're supposed to which you are supposed to listen although it's not a case of dub vs sub with Shakespeare!
If anyone finds Shakespeare tough perhaps they try watching films based on his plays. Throne of Blood by Kurosawa is magnificent and is basically Macbeth. Ran by the same director is based on King Lear.
Interesting point about the language of today being different. America was more or less founded on the English that Shakespeare used. It's been argued that if the colonists made their journey at any other time English in America could evolved so much differently. Read Made in America by Bill Bryson. It's an interesting account of how the English language developed in America. It should be required reading for people in the UK who moan about 'Americanisms' without basis!
Robert Jordan is a quality Fantasy writer. I started reading him nearly 10 years ago and quickly caught up to the latest hardback release (Book 7, I think). So I decided to stop reading, wait and buy the paperbacks without reading them and then start the reading the whole series in one go (it was promised that The Wheel of Time would be 10-book series). Of course Jordan has decided to go beyond 10 books. So I have all 10 books so far although I only read 7 of them and that was years ago.
Fantasy has become an overcrowded genre and there is a lot of crap floating around out there. Jordan is one of the few that seems to have put some thought into the world he has created rather than just conjured up some characters with outlandish names and a dash of magic and a pinch of orcs.
Reading for me isn't just books either. I have to read a newspaper every day (a broadsheet for news and comment) and a tabloid to see what the UK public wants, which is usually sleaze, gossip and hatred. I used to subscribe to Time (because it was cheap), but I found to be a dull read and ended binning each issue unread.
Batz You don't have to look at it as a defeat - I wasn't trying to score points and humiliate you.
I suppose the one irony of the situation is that you seem to be studying more books at school than I did (I read in my own freetime instead) and I never had to be tested on Shakespeare - write essays on his work certainly, but not on his life and background (what's the point?)
I'm also sure you'll be pleased to know :p that Julius Caesar is my favourite Shakespeare play. If you're still curious about modern day relevance take another look at some of the things that happen: a dictator with overwhelming power, assassination, stirring speeches to rouse mob mentality, battles and war in the name of 'freedom' and what is 'right'.
Anyway, good luck in your test!