laciemn

I can't say I like it--I don't despise it and I can get into it it, it just isn't me thing.

Defiant Rain

Shakespeare is wonderful. I loved Hamlet and Midsummernights dream the most. I love his characters the most, Mercutio, Malvolio. I think his death scenes are amazing.

SnipSnap

I was reccomended by a homely librarian to read to Henry V, but I can't find a copy of it anywhere [I really haven't looked anywhere, though] I'm sure there's a copy on the internet.

Writ-with-Hand

I wrote a two papers on two of Shakespeare's works in English 202.

I wrote one on his Sonnet No. 130: My Mistress' Eyes Are Nothing Like the Sun. I argued in my paper that Shakespeare's dark lady in the poem was what Latin Americans would define broadly as a morena. Potentially a dark Moor.

The other paper I wrote was on Hamlet. I should dig that essay up because for some reason I seem to recall finding out some interesting and surprising things in the research I did through some existing critiques of Hamlet. I think it was something sexual but I can't really remember - it might have been homosexual. Nonetheless, Hamlet addressed moral questions, if I'm remembering correctly, regarding the times, about Purgatory and dieing in a state of "mortal sin."

Wallmaker

Love him.
Course I'm biased. I took a lotta Shakespeare... a LOT.

I think why people don't like the works is becuase a play is really meant to be performed and it needs energy and visualization to get passed the older (yet lovely) language for ease of understanding. That being said... Brannagh's and Thomson's Much Ado About Nothing is one of my favorites and I also loved Richard III with Sir Ian McKellen and its sincerely creepy ending.

As for Shakespeare's work being adaptations... it was all good in those days. Adaptation showed a love for source material and passing on the story. Most of Chaucer's Canterberry Tales were also retelling of classic stories as well. But his tales stuck around cause he told 'em good. Much like Mr. Shakespeare and his plays later on.

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Writ-With-Hand ... Yes. I don't know of any homosexual things going on [It's possible Polonius had a thing w/ men, but he would have swung both ways.]

But the thing about dying w/ mortal sin ... an awesome theme of the play. We only get two glimpses at it. First, in Hamlet's "famous" soliliquoy in Act 3 Scene 1. He questions "To be, or not to be." and goes on to say that it would be better to die w/ moral sin attatched to a human, than to live gathering more sin all the while. We also see this further in Act 5 Scene 1. The two "clowns" talk about how Ophelia drowned herself, so she shouldn't get a Christian burial, and will thus go to Hell.

The Most interesting part of the play is when we learn that Ophelia will not be buried in christian suit, and Hamlet jumps in to join her. So does Laertes.

Shakespeare definately is trying to tell use something about death.

It's such an awesome play. One of my favorites by him.

CelticRose

I just stumbled upon this. I actually love Shakespeare's works quite a lot. And I would have to agree with many of you that my favorite play is Hamlet. The plot is so intricately woven with such amazing speech. I myself have played the role of Ophelia.

I suppose that many people find Shakespeare dull, since he wrote his plays about four-hundred years ago and the language was different then. But if one really gets into it... Shakespeare's writing can open entirely different doors in terms of your perception of the world.

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Mike C

Seek and you shall find. Henry V by William Shakespeare - Project Gutenberg

Plus any bookshop - you really haven't looked anywhere, have you!

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SnipSnap

Thanks Much.

Flintenspiel

Shakespeare is so hard to just sit down and read. Damn near impossible. It really helps to read it aloud, and especially to hear it read by different parts. You don't need to act it out, but hearing it, (it was written to be performed) certainly helps.

RebelGoddess

His sonnets are a favorite of mine as well : ).

Personally, I adore Shakespeare! I find his plays interesting, funny, and just all around great.

His plays are so well crafted, with each play having intricate plots and very descriptive characters.

I agree with whomever said he is a genius!

This is all too true: Shakespeare's work was NOT meant to be read, it was meant to be watched.

My personal favorites are King Lear, Titus Andronicus, and Hamlet.

Racheal

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Aeria Gloris

I find Shakespeare bearable in small amounts.

Last year I read A Midsummer Night's Dream with college and thought it was wonderful. This year has been Measure for Measure which I don't like nearly as much, but the conflicts in the play make good excuses for debates.

Currently, I am writing an essay to decide whether Measure for Measure is a comedy or a tragedy, and another which centers around Isabella's character.

And I've been told to steer clear of King Lear, as it was described to me as 'one of the most depressing and pointless things he has ever written'.

RebelGoddess

LOL, it's not even the most depressing of all Shakespeare's plays.

Titus Andronicus has to take the cake for that: rape, murder, mutillation, cannibalism...

Racheal

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