Shakespeare - love or hate?

"Nothing can please many, and please long, but just representations of human nature.....he approximates the remote, and familarizes the wonderful...his truth is general, and universal." Samuel Johnson on Shakespeare

E.g.

"When troubles come, they come not in single spies, but in battalions."

"Give sorrow words. The grief that does not speak
Whispers the o'er fraught heart and bids it break."

Etc. Anyway....better than the so often quoted words of Polonius, which are one long list of Elizabethan cliches. (To thine own self be true etc)

thanks feetlebaum yes it is in our language. I didn't get it at school but doing a degree at 40 I got fasinated and sidelined doing a special study. Have loved ever since. But yes the actual plays. All human nature is there. Human nature hasn't changed. King Lear, Taming of the shrew, my daughter was in Twelth Night at school. I only love them in the period with the old language and nver go to modern versions but maybe young people who have never done him cope with these. There is such depth for us to relate to.

Faye Lucky, lucky granddaughters. How wonderful to be brought up with Shakespeare all around them. I remember DD2 as a very small girl sitting so still she hardly seemed to breathe for two hours in the hot sun at the Minack Theatre in Cornwall. Now her small son gets so engrossed in the pantomime he cannot sit in his seat but has to stand at the front of the dress circle clutching the brass rail, and again hardly seeming to breathe. He will progress to loving Shakespeare I am sure. My problem is that going to the theatre is SO expensive. The concessions, apart from the RSC who are wonderful and do half price tickets for children, are infinitesimal.

Did you see that wonderful programme last night on Shakespeare By Heart? Children from all over the country, picked from 11,000 I think it was, to come to Stratford and recite speeches they had learned. They were absolutely brilliant, and so enthusiastic about Shakespeare. Filled me with hope for the next generation.

When the RSC Education team ran a project with the local primary and secondary schools, my 9-year-old GD took part with enthusiasm and played the part of Jessica in a scene from The Merchant of Venice. The schools also did scenes from The Dream in which she was cast as Helena and did written work based on the play. This is the way to capture the interest of children - involve them.

Ganga That 'Shakespeare by Heart' was indeed a wonderful programme.
I came on it by chance and was absolutely riveted.I do wish that all those who are bored by the bard can watch it.I will certainly try to watch it again on Catchup.
What amazing children- they must have had inspiring teachers.

D1 just gave me the local paper to read about one of her ex students who D1 taught when she herself was teaching as a contract teacher at the local secondary school. Her student who is now 25 and has been offered a place in a Master"s course in Goldsmith"s part of the University of London. In the article she said when she was younger she never read a lot but when she began studying English and Drama she was hooked. Then she went on to say she was greatly encouraged by her drama teacher and named my daughter. She also added that she came to love Shakespeare after playing Puck in Midsummer Night"s Dream in a school play. I can still remember watching that particular performance and remember the student. My daughter.is thrilled!!

I am quite surprised at how long this thread has continued. Thank you all for your comments. Reading some of them has made me think that I should, the next opportunity I get, watch one of his more well known or comic plays. I believe that it is quite possible that I could enjoy it as I have grown to appreciate other more serious things in later life.