What Are You Doing Now?

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Courtenay
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Re: What Are You Doing Now?

Post by Courtenay »

Rob Houghton wrote: I find it hard to put into words, but each time I've studied Shakespeare - at A Level twice, then in an Access Course (when we did Othello) I have started out feeling apathetic, and within a few minutes, Shakespeare's magic floods over me and you realise just how clever and how deep and above all how relevant to life and how human, his writing is. 8)

I think too many people try to figure out every word and every meaning - like its some sacred text that we should be able to understand, but feel bad if we can't. We tend to forget that Shakespeare wrote the 'TV soaps' of the day, and it was mass entertainment - not highbrow - it was entertainment for the common man in the street, filled with action and murder etc. It dealt with themes that everyone understood, and wasn't intellectual at all. 8)
Well put, Rob. I haven't read/seen a huge amount of Shakespeare, but what always comes through to me is how real and believable his characters are — he creates people and situations we can still relate to today, no matter how distant or even fantastical the original settings are. I guess that's why there are so many modern versions and rewrites of his stories and themes, because in most cases they really work no matter what era or setting they're transposed to.
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Re: What Are You Doing Now?

Post by Moonraker »

Eddie wrote:Studying Shakespeare really requires a considerable amount of effort
I think you've hit the nail on the head, Eddie. You have to study Shakespeare. Reading to me is a pleasure, and I don't want to study it to understand it. Maybe that's the price I have to pay for reading 90% Blyton in my childhood. It just seems like homework if you have to study an author's work to enjoy it! I know Courtenay and Rob are far more literary highbrow than me, so can understand how they love his work. I just keep to the simple things in life.
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Re: What Are You Doing Now?

Post by Julie2owlsdene »

Shakespeare isn't my cup of tea, either! As mentioned it has to be studied. I like to read for pleasure.

We didn't do Shakespeare at school, I think I would have been bored stupid if we had! :lol: :lol:

Sorry Shakespeare lovers. :|

8)
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Re: What Are You Doing Now?

Post by Rob Houghton »

Moonraker wrote:
Eddie wrote:Studying Shakespeare really requires a considerable amount of effort
I know Courtenay and Rob are far more literary highbrow than me, so can understand how they love his work.
Lol...as I say, I can never tell when you're being sarcastic...but I'm the least highbrow person on here, lol! Some of the things people mention reading, and I shudder at the thought! I daresay I wouldn't have ever opened a Shakespeare text if it hadn't been that I was studying them at college - but I'm glad I did, and it certainly gave me a wider appreciation of his work. Of course, living not 20 miles from where he was (supposedly!) born, I guess I find him interesting on local levels too! 8)

When I hear of people reading 'War and Peace' and loads of Dickens, and other such novels, THAT'S when I consider people to be 'highbrow'! I'm much more your Daphne DuMaurier, Catherine Cookson, Linwood Barclay type of reader! Even J K Rowling is too 'highbrow' for me!
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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Re: What Are You Doing Now?

Post by pete9012S »

Shakespeare's not for me. I studied it at school with a three brilliant English teachers.

I explained why I didn't like it to my favourite English teacher and begged to be allowed to study other work for my final exams.

I think the alternatives were 'Of Mice And Men','Kes' and 'Shane'. I promised my teacher I would get an 'A' in my English literature if he allowed me to ditch Shakespeare for these 'lesser' works.

He agreed as long as I got the mark I promised... Verily Sire, anon,anon release the fleshpots - I got an 'A' in the alternative books and yes,I still don't like Shakespeare!

I do like some of his poetry though...
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Re: What Are You Doing Now?

Post by Rob Houghton »

One of the reasons I like Shakespeare is all the well-known quotes and bits of wisdom, and the sayings that we still use today. Many people don't realise they are actually quoting Shakespeare on a daily basis! :lol:

I must admit, I think if we'd done Shakespeare at ')' Level rather than 'A' Level, I might have been put off. 'O' Level when I was at school were books like 'The Chocolate War', Death of a Salesman, 'Across The Barricades' and lord of the Flies. :-D
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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Re: What Are You Doing Now?

Post by Courtenay »

Rob Houghton wrote:One of the reasons I like Shakespeare is all the well-known quotes and bits of wisdom, and the sayings that we still use today. Many people don't realise they are actually quoting Shakespeare on a daily basis! :lol:
Like this... :wink:
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Re: What Are You Doing Now?

Post by Rob Houghton »

Brilliant! yes - exactly! :-D
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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Re: What Are You Doing Now?

Post by Poppy »

Thanks sixret and Courtenay!
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Re: What Are You Doing Now?

Post by KEVP »

I am a huge Shakespeare fan. I became a huge Shakespeare fan when I was 14 and saw Antony Sher play Richard III.

Sometimes literature teachers forget that Shakespeare is theatre. I would recommend to anyone going to see a really good live performance of Shakespeare. That's really the best way to find out what all the fuss is about. Avoid the old movies, they really didn't get it in those days. Some of the modern movies are really good, but some are still pretty poor.
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Re: What Are You Doing Now?

Post by pete9012S »

I think there's more chance of John converting to being a Maxey lover than me ever getting into Shakespeare.
Glad you enjoy it though KEVP.
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Re: What Are You Doing Now?

Post by sixret »

Which John, Pete? :wink:
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Re: What Are You Doing Now?

Post by pete9012S »

The Maxey hating John - although I don't suppose that narrows it down too much! :D
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Re: What Are You Doing Now?

Post by Chrissie777 »

Rob Houghton wrote:I'm much more your Daphne DuMaurier, Catherine Cookson, Linwood Barclay type of reader! Even J K Rowling is too 'highbrow' for me!
I love most of Daphne DuMaurier's novels (especially "Frenchman's Creek", "The House on the Strand" and "The King's General", but also books on her life...just watched an incredible ARTE documentary yesterday on DDM and "Rebecca").
And I've read most of Linwood Barclay's crime novels (now I've started reading Harlan Coben's "Tell No One" who writes similar stuff). Also I enjoy Carlene Thompson's thrillers for years.

Even though I've tried reading both some 17+ years ago, Rowling and Diana Gabaldon just didn't intrigue me. :oops:
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Rob Houghton
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Re: What Are You Doing Now?

Post by Rob Houghton »

KEVP wrote:Avoid the old movies, they really didn't get it in those days. Some of the modern movies are really good, but some are still pretty poor.
Hmmm...I'd have to disagree about Lawernce Olivier's Hamlet - its still widely recognised as the most powerful film version ever made. :?

I've read most of Linwood Barclay's novels, Chrissie - and also quite a few of Haran Coben's. :-)
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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