The very first play we had to study at highschool was The Merchant of Venice which I believe was a poor choice to as a students introduction to Shakespeare. I am sure the A midsummer's Night Dream or Romeo and Juliet would have appealed more to a class of teenage girls (yes, I went to an all girls school)
"Well, I wrestled with reality for 35 years, Doctor, and I'm happy to state I finally won out over it."-- Elwood P. Dowd (Jimmy Stewart) in HARVEY
Re: Shakespeare.
My first introduction to Shakespeare was also Merchant of Venice at an all girls school. Must be an Australian thing. . That was in 4th Form/10th Grade. We followed that up with part of Julius Caeser (the year ended). That was a strange year. We also read The Hobbit and for some reason an historical romance by Georgette Heyer. I think it was These Old Shades. Unfortunately, we had to do Richard II, and Henry IV Parts I & II in 11th & 12th grade. Not the most riveting for a group of 16/17 year old girls.
Re: Shakespeare.
My introduction to Shakespeare was seeing Twelfth Night. Before that, I always said I hated Shakespeare, but I was only in 9th grade and hadn't a clue what I was talking about. Saw a brilliant performance and was hooked!
Then our English teacher allowed those of us who were breezing through class to read classics and take essay tests to give us something more challenging to do, which I absolutely loved. We read Romeo and Juliet for that, a play I found absolutely absurd.
But every year in high school, our English teachers took us to a Shakespeare production for extra credit. I know I also saw Much Ado About Nothing and A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Othello, and probably As You Like It. I much prefer the comedies to the tragedies.
Has anyone seen Kenneth Branagh's film adaptations? I'm rather addicted to Much Ado About Nothing (look for Kate Beckinsale), and quite fond of Love's Labour's Lost as well.
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LFrench Admin of Darkness
(12/14/01 8:50 am) Reply
Re: Shakespeare.
I've read.....
Othello
Romeo & Juliet
Julius Ceasar
MacBeth
Darn......some more, but I'm not thinking very straight right now. I definately have not read Hamlet.
Re: Shakespeare.
Had to study Macbeth for the school exams, so I always end up correcting the false quotes from that, like 'Lead On MacDuff' should really be ' Lay on, MacDuff and 'out out d*mn spot' should be 'Out, d*mn spot, out I say'
But his work is so enduring. Quotes crop up everywhere - correct or not!
. That was in 4th Form/10th Grade. We followed that up with part of Julius Caeser (the year ended). That was a strange year. We also read The Hobbit and for some reason an historical romance by Georgette Heyer. I think it was These Old Shades. Unfortunately, we had to do Richard II, and Henry IV Parts I & II in 11th & 12th grade. Not the most riveting for a group of 16/17 year old girls.
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