Shakespeare Noob

[Falvlun]

So I have a confession to make.

The only Shakespeare I have ever read was an excerpt from Macbeth. I have a feeling I will not like Shakespeare, but I am also ashamed at my uninitiated status.

Which play should I slog through first? Is it as bad as I am guessing?

 

[Storm]

Don't read it. Watch it.

 

[Buttercup]

Don't read it. Watch it.

Yes, I agree.

Much Ado About Nothing is pretty well done
Much Ado About Nothing (1993)

 

[Storm]

It's a bit controversial, but both my father and I like William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet.

 

[dawny0826]

I couldn't bring myself to read Macbeth and the flippin' movie was excruciating. I've never read Hamlet and refuse to.

Now, Romeo and Juliet, I did enjoy. I also liked King Lear.

 

[Sunstone]

If possible, refrain from introducing yourself to Shakespeare by reading him. The plays the thing.

 

[methylatedghosts]

If possible, refrain from introducing yourself to Shakespeare by reading him. The plays the thing

Agree...

They're meant to be seen as plays, not read as books.

Reading them is tedious, boring and... well.. absolutely destroys any possibility of enjoying shakespeare as a playwrite.

MY first introduction to shakespeare was in school... we were given the damn things to read... I still avoid shakespeare where I can...

 

[gnomon]

So I have a confession to make.

The only Shakespeare I have ever read was an excerpt from Macbeth. I have a feeling I will not like Shakespeare, but I am also ashamed at my uninitiated status.

Which play should I slog through first? Is it as bad as I am guessing?

Read Hamlet.

Watch all three major film productions of Hamlet....

Lawrence Olivier
Mel Gibson
Kenneth Branagh

Within each there is something unique to find regarding Hamlet.

Aside from Hamlet I've only been a fan of Macbeth though I'm thinking of giving The Tempest a good read here shortly.

 

[methylatedghosts]

I've read Othello and Macbeth.

*yawn* is about all it did for me...

It's really hard to get a grips with the language if you don't hear it spoken.

 

[Oberon]

Read Hamlet.

Watch all three major film productions of Hamlet....

Lawrence Olivier
Mel Gibson
Kenneth Branagh

Hamlet has been my favorite since fifth grade. However, I would recommend skipping Mel Gibson's, and starting with Branagh's version.

 

[gnomon]

Hamlet has been my favorite since fifth grade. However, I would recommend skipping Mel Gibson's, and starting with Branagh's version.

That's a fair recommendation. Gibson's is narrowly focused.

 

[Ringer]

Kenneth Branaugh's Hamlet is amazing. A bit slow to start off but it gets real good. I will also say that the best way to get into Shakespeare is to watch first and read second. When you're reading, you can take the time to appreciate how masterful he is with the english language. IIRC, the average person has about a 6,000 word vocabulary. Shakespeare had about 30,000+.​

 

[England my lionheart]

Don't read it. Watch it.

Yes definately better to watch although Shakespeare isn't that bad to read,i like Midsummer nights dream or Much ado about nothing

 

[Quagmire]

I would echo what almost everyone else has said; watch first.

First recomendation; The Merchant of Venice (Al Pachino, Jeremy Irons).

"O" (based on Othello) was pretty good too.

I've read almost everything Shakespeare wrote, and I've watched almost every movie based on his plays and I can say the same thing about both on a play to play basis; it'll either grab you and wont let go, or you'll have to force yourself to sit there and read/watch it.

 

[gnomon]

I would echo what almost everyone else has said; watch first.

First recomendation; The Merchant of Venice (Al Pachino, Jeremy Irons).

"O" (based on Othello) was pretty good too.

I've read almost everything Shakespeare wrote, and I've watched almost every movie based on his plays and I can say the same thing about both on a play to play basis; it'll either grab you and wont let go, or you'll have to force yourself to sit there and read/watch it.

Merchant of Venice was really good. Pacino's performance as Shylock was outstanding. For me it definitely removed the baggage from the character of prior criticisms.

edit: Which film version of Othello would you recommend. I have not seen any. I don't know which ones may even be available. I shy away from any modernized adaptations of the plays.

 

[Quagmire]

Merchant of Venice was really good. Pacino's performance as Shylock was outstanding. For me it definitely removed the baggage from the character of prior criticisms.

edit: Which film version of Othello would you recommend. I have not seen any. I don't know which ones may even be available. I shy away from any modernized adaptations of the plays.

This is the one I was talking about; O (film) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

There was another adaptation, a British version of Othello, that I believe was made for BBC in the 70's or 80's, but it was only so-so.

 

[gnomon]

This is the one I was talking about; O (film) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

There was another adaptation, a British version of Othello, that I believe was made for BBC in the 70's or 80's, but it was only so-so.

As I'm not usually one to pick up modern adaptations before seeing one that remains true to the time period I will check this one out.

Julia Stiles.

I'll definitely pick this one up.

 

[Quagmire]

As I'm not usually one to pick up modern adaptations before seeing one that remains true to the time period I will check this one out.

Julia Stiles.

Yeah.

Stiles is also in 10 Things I Hate About You which is a modernized version of The Taming of the Shrew. It's nothing special (like the Richard Burton, Elizebeth Taylor version a lot better), but it's fairly faithful to the play.

 

[Storm]

The Taming of the Shrew is absolutely revolting to this feminist.

 

[gnomon]

The Taming of the Shrew is absolutely revolting to this feminist.

Oh tell.

I've never read or seen an adaptation. One has to be careful with Shakespeare as the character of Shylock in The Merchant of Venice was often portrayed as a villainous Jew characterized by negative stereotypes. The latest film with Al Pacino playing Shylock shows the character in a much truer and the most sympathetic light.

I need to read more Shakespeare. I don't know why?