Booking Through Thursday asks:
Okay, show of hands … who has read Shakespeare OUTSIDE of school required reading? Do you watch the plays? How about movies? Do you love him? Think he’s overrated?
I've actually read Shakespeare outside of school... and that was after reading three of his plays that I didn't like as assigned reading. In school, we read A Midsummer Night's Dream, Julius Caesar, and Hamlet (twice... in Grade 12 and in first-year English in university). I hated the first, barely recall the second, and am simply tired of the third. After that, I picked up Much Ado About Nothing (which I loved) and The Tempest (which was just okay) on my own.
I love the movie version of Much Ado About Nothing. I haven't had much experience with adaptations of other Shakespeare plays. I do remember some boring movie versions of Hamlet, though...
I do think Shakespeare is a bit overrated. I wish we hadn't had to study one play every year in high school. Pick one or two and do them in the same year; that's more than enough.
I don't know about over rated, but he certainly is an acquired taste! I think Shakespeare is best when performed on stage and not simply read aloud in a classroom. 2 Kids and Tired Books BTT
ReplyDeleteI agree. Reading one of his plays is not the same as seeing it performed.
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