Shakespeare....to read or not to read?

Yes, that is true. We should criticize his work for its value and what it has done for the rest of the world. Just as Da Vinci, and all other people that have made an impression on history. There are always people that don't like others, but their work is something to be appreciated. That is really what you get from someone who is an "artist," there is always some kind of eccentricity that we have to get past.

Yes, watching the plays, or even participating in them, is a very fun experience. And, the funny thing is that the plays were all performed by men, back then. So, that probably made them even more interesting.

Thank you for such a nice response, I am grateful to my sister-in-law for sending me the collection of his best works. And, I remember in my poetry class in college, my English professor had started the Shakespeare Academy, so he loved to discuss everything about Shakespeare. And he used to say that we would not have such a broad dictionary, without Shakespeare.

Yes, that is true. It will be a while before we figure out who is the Shakespeare of modern times, and then all the younger generations will be learning about that artist. And have to dissect his/her work for hidden meanings also. It is different when we read Shakespeare's work for our own pleasure and not in school/college, because it is enjoyable.

I agree with you, that is what I had recommended to people who don't like the Old Enlgish, that they can just read modern versions. Really, only the poems need to be read in their original version. And, the movies that come out now, that portray his written work, are so much fun. There is so much to learn and enjoy from his work.

Yes, they tend to be. When we are in school, we lose the enjoyment, becuase we are on a deadline...

That is an interesting point of view. I don't believe that he should be excluded from highschool education, because then, people would miss out on a lot of stories, that are so interesting. Yes, there are others that wrote the same, or even better work, but sometimes, there are factors involved that cause one writer to be more widespread than another. I tend to gravitate towards masterpieces, personality-wise, but there are some works, that stay with me, even though they are by people who are not so famous/infamous...I studied abroad for so many years, and I have learned, that in America, we tend to baby students, and they graduate from highschool with a degree of education that is far beneath that of what you would expect from a nation that prides itself on being so "smart." In general, there needs to be a lot more work done, to encourage students to enjoy reading (and everything else in school), and to succeed. Shakespeare is not the main problem, although many of us look back at our younger years, and blame him for the sad state of our grades, in English Lit, there is always going to be a class that we could have gone without (or a teacher). Thank you for your response, because it led to a bigger issue that really gets to me, everytime I think of the state of our educational system.

I will have to look into what we have for Shakepeare in my area (because I moved), that way there will be a chance for me to enjoy his work live. Thank goodness there are the movies to watch. It is good to read, I love to read, but there are times when I prefer to watch his work.

I agree with you...there is so much hidden meaning and it is mostly aimed at politicians, and people in power. Some people get sidetracked by the complex wording and lose the real meaning.

If you have difficulty understanding the "dialect" that he used, then I recommend getting a modern-day text, using everyday words, because then you will understand the meanings that he is trying to portray, in his plays and poems. It will take away some of the excitement and authenticity, but it will at least get the meaning across.