Why do we still study Shakespear's work?

[BMBLB]

if you think shakespeare's work is irrelevant to modern society, that just goes to show that you really should be writing that 2000 word essay, and maybe learn how shakespeare is relevant. there are a plethora of words and phrases which he coined which we are familiar with and use today and the themes presented in his plays have been replicated in some way, shape, or form time and time again in books, movies, and tv shows. if you go a single day without encountering some shakespeare reference, it's probably because you spent the whole day playing minesweeper because it's everywhere.

[Waaldo]

Think for yourself. Maybe that's the lesson here.
Life will throw things at you that aren't used to. Take it upon yourself to deal with this. Instead of saying "it's my professor's fault he's not spoon-feeding me content" you should instead be asking "what can I do to learn more about Shakespeare and be successful?". Good luck with future bosses that toss you a project you may be unfamiliar with.

You sir, are the reason why education fails. A job of an educator isn't to feed you content so you can digest and regurgitate for a test. A job of an educator is to prepare you for life's challenges.

A teachers isn't supposed to teach? I don't need a person with a doctorate to throw me a book and say read it and write a paper. The point of the teacher is to help you along your journey of trying to learn more. If we could do everything on our own than we wouldn't need teachers in the first place.

[Rastas]

Yes! This! I never said Shakespeare is a bad writer, or that he didn't play a major contribution into the evolution of the English Language. The reason I said his writing is like a foreign language is because I am being thrown a story that is written in a way I am not used to reading. This is the first time I have ever read Shakespeare and I'm not used to having to re-read almost every line a couple of times. And my professor isn't doing a good job at making it more understandable.

Can't you then take Shakespeare as a learning experience where you learn to read old english? Certainly, if your professor isn't of any help to make you understand what is being said he isn't the greatest professor out there. Part of going to any degree of more advanced studies is to learn to go out of your comfort zone and to do stuff you might not do on your free time and to actually learn a bit from it. I doubt too many people would study math at home if it wasn't a school subject (I know I wouldn't). I bet more contemporary texts gain a ton of new meanings after you go through a few Shakespeare pieces.

I'm not a native english speaker myself, but I have a copy of all of Shakespeare's works sitting there on the shelf. Thus far I've only went through Hamlet and about halfway through the sonnets, but I'm having no trouble reading it. Sure, some of the words might take two readings to open up, but hey, I do that all the time while reading.

[Waaldo]

if you think shakespeare's work is irrelevant to modern society, that just goes to show that you really should be writing that 2000 word essay, and maybe learn how shakespeare is relevant. there are a plethora of words and phrases which he coined which we are familiar with and use today and the themes presented in his plays have been replicated in some way, shape, or form time and time again in books, movies, and tv shows. if you go a single day without encountering some shakespeare reference, it's probably because you spent the whole day playing minesweeper because it's everywhere.

I NEVER said his stories are irrelevant, just his style of writing it. Why can't people understand that?

[Violent]

The point of the teacher is to help you along your journey of trying to learn more. If we could do everything on our own than we wouldn't need teachers in the first place.

Wrong.. You're not in elementary school anymore.. People WILL NOT hold your hand through-out your life, you have to get used to that fact and move on.

[vizzle]

I NEVER said his stories are irrelevant, just his style of writing it. Why can't people understand that?

Tbh they do have those "shakespeare in modern language" books, which is basically just a shakespeare book with a sidebyside translation to modern English. If this is your concern you should buy those books.



Just make sure you read both sides, so that you can appreciate Shakespeare's words as they are written.

[damntree]

Shakespeare is timeless. Sure, you can go through life having never read it and be fine but you are really missing out.

Ay, that I had not done a thousand more.
Even now I curse the day- and yet, I think,
Few come within the compass of my curse-
Wherein I did not some notorious ill;
As kill a man, or else devise his death;
Ravish a maid, or plot the way to do it;
Accuse some innocent, and forswear myself;
Set deadly enmity between two friends;
Make poor men's cattle break their necks;
Set fire on barns and hay-stacks in the night,
And bid the owners quench them with their tears.
Oft have I digg'd up dead men from their graves,
And set them upright at their dear friends' door
Even when their sorrows almost was forgot,
And on their skins, as on the bark of trees,
Have with my knife carved in Roman letters
'Let not your sorrow die, though I am dead.'
Tut, I have done a thousand dreadful things
As willingly as one would kill a fly;
And nothing grieves me heartily indeed
But that I cannot do ten thousand more.”
― William Shakespeare, Titus Andronicus

[Epiphanes]

He invented 1,700 words and used over 17,000 in total over the span of his entire works. Doesn't that make him the largest contributor to the English language? Regardless, he's worth reading. His prose makes you think.

[Waaldo]

Can't you then take Shakespeare as a learning experience where you learn to read old english? Certainly, if your professor isn't of any help to make you understand what is being said he isn't the greatest professor out there. Part of going to any degree of more advanced studies is to learn to go out of your comfort zone and to do stuff you might not do on your free time and to actually learn a bit from it. I doubt too many people would study math at home if it wasn't a school subject (I know I wouldn't). I bet more contemporary texts gain a ton of new meanings after you go through a few Shakespeare pieces.

I'm not a native english speaker myself, but I have a copy of all of Shakespeare's works sitting there on the shelf. Thus far I've only went through Hamlet and about halfway through the sonnets, but I'm having no trouble reading it. Sure, some of the words might take two readings to open up, but hey, I do that all the time while reading.

I'm not saying I'm going to drop out of this class, or not write the paper in protest. I will do my research, and I will write the best paper I possibly can. My point of this thread is just to understand why we are reading something that just isn't written towards our our generation.

[Callace]

In one of my classes we are reading Othello, and for our final we have to write a 2000w research paper on it. I don't understand why we are reading and studying such an old piece of work that is basically written in a foreign language. I get that they are very well written stories for his time,but shouldn't we be reading a more relevant re-write of the story or just a more relevant story in general. I.E. something that my generation can understand without looking of the definition of every other word because we don't normally use it in that context.

He is directly responsible for the development of the English language during his period. He was more than a famous writer. He is the most influential author in history. It's not what he wrote, but the fact that thousands and thousands of authors over the centuries have inherited his influences. Everything you've ever read was impacted by him ever so slightly, indirectly.

[Ciano]

Wrong.. You're not in elementary school anymore.. People WILL NOT hold your hand through-out your life, you have to get used to that fact and move on.

So what is a teacher supposed to do? Hand you a book and tell you to write an essay?

I'm sorry, but that is NOT teaching. Teaching is guiding someone to a destination. A teacher should present ideas to you that may never have occurred to you, so you can then take those ideas and build on them and gain knowledge.

[Callace]

I'm not saying I'm going to drop out of this class, or not write the paper in protest. I will do my research, and I will write the best paper I possibly can. My point of this thread is just to understand why we are reading something that just isn't written towards our our generation.

It's important to understand that everyone is influenced by someone, and most of that influence can be traced back to Shakespeare. If a book you like that was written last year represents a leaf on the tree, Shakespeare is close to the center of the trunk.

The problem with your English Instructor is that he or she isn't teaching you how works are connected like that.

[Waaldo]

Tbh they do have those "shakespeare in modern language" books, which is basically just a shakespeare book with a sidebyside translation to modern English. If this is your concern you should buy those books.



Just make sure you read both sides, so that you can appreciate Shakespeare's words as they are written.

I didn't know about these. ;] thank you!
Now my question is, why isn't this the book we get from the schools to help learn Shakespeare?

[gunner_recall]

I'm not saying I'm going to drop out of this class, or not write the paper in protest. I will do my research, and I will write the best paper I possibly can. My point of this thread is just to understand why we are reading something that just isn't written towards our our generation.

So, I have a question: if you don't enjoy Shakespeare then why did you take this class?

I didn't know about these. ;] thank you!
Now my question is, why isn't this the book we get from the schools to help learn Shakespeare?

What? Books aren't expensive enough?

[Hedleyazg]

Why do you read anything? It is good for the mind and expands vocabulary.

[sugarlily]

The stories are absolutely relevant, regardless of how much time has gone by & the wording is 'old fashioned'. Do you think your generation invented sex? Intrigue? Family problems? Jealousy? Anger? Love? Murder? Lying?

It's like young ppl think that ppl were SO different 'back then'. "They probably never had children out of wedlock & didn't know what oral sex was."

How is being knowledgeable about classics important?

What is past is prologue. Stories about the human condition never change. Stop whining & learn something.

I'm talking about college classes, not middle school. Just because I want something more current doesn't mean it has to be about werewolves and vampires, or like I said above, crazy action packed robot war. There is a lot of relevant and not ridiculous literature.

Every story has at it's heart something to do with the human condition; encompasses the unique and inescapable features of being human in a social, cultural, and personal context. Just b/c the 'background', clothing & exact wordage is different than you are used to doesn't make it less so.

The stories are absolutely relevant, regardless of how much time has gone by & the wording is 'old fashioned'. Do you think your generation invented sex? Intrigue? Family problems? Jealousy? Anger? Love? Murder? Lying?

It's like young ppl think that ppl were SO different 'back then'. "They probably never had children out of wedlock & didn't know what oral sex was."

How is being knowledgeable about classics important?

What is past is prologue. Stories about the human condition never change. Stop whining & learn something.

I'm talking about college classes, not middle school. Just because I want something more current doesn't mean it has to be about werewolves and vampires, or like I said above, crazy action packed robot war. There is a lot of relevant and not ridiculous literature.

Every story has at it's heart something to do with the human condition; encompasses the unique and inescapable features of being human in a social, cultural, and personal context. Just b/c the 'background', clothing & exact wordage is different than you are used to doesn't make it less so.

I'm pretty sure all of those things existed before shakespeare.

---------- Post added 2012-04-06 at 10:06 PM ----------

Just saying "They are TOO relevant!" does not convince me that they are relevant. I forgot he existed until I saw this thread. I've never once in my life said, "Thank god I learned about shakespeare!"

You're right! They did exist before William Shakespeare & will continue to after. His story telling & style is recognized by those who are acquainted, as having a lasting impression that still influences writers today.

Just because you see "no relevance & forgot he existed til you saw this thread" speaks volumes more to your education & retention abilities than it does against Shakespeare himself or his work.

[buck008]

A teachers isn't supposed to teach? I don't need a person with a doctorate to throw me a book and say read it and write a paper. The point of the teacher is to help you along your journey of trying to learn more. If we could do everything on our own than we wouldn't need teachers in the first place.

A teacher is supposed to teach, but many times part of learning is figuring things out for yourself. Ask questions, seek guidance for sure. It's a fine line though. A teacher standing in front of a classroom telling you they know exactly what a very old play means and exactly how you should interpret it doesn't help you at all. That's regurgitation learning and useless.

If you read his work, and see how he writes characters, uses linguistic devices, and captures the tone of each scene, then you are getting something out of it. You don't need to understand it perfectly. You don't need to apply it to your life. That's not the point. Appreciate it for the experience that it is, that's all. I can promise you, you'll never read anything else like it.

Edit: If you read those "modernized" books all you get is the plot. You miss anything that is important or interesting about reading Shakespeare.

[AmerikanRejekt]

If only lit classes had students read more brilliant things, like Homestuck... :'D

[Violent]

So what is a teacher supposed to do? Hand you a book and tell you to write an essay?

I'm sorry, but that is NOT teaching. Teaching is guiding someone to a destination. A teacher should present ideas to you that may never have occurred to you, so you can then take those ideas and build on them and gain knowledge.

Regardless of what YOU think a teacher should be.. (maybe you should teach then) "So what is a teacher supposed to do? Hand you a book and tell you to write an essay?" That's exactly how it works.

[Waaldo]

So, I have a question: if you don't enjoy Shakespeare then why did you take this class?



What? Books aren't expensive enough?

It's just a prerequisite english class, it's not just about Shakespeare. My professor chose to use Shakespeare in his curriculum.

And yes books are expensive, but I had to buy the book with Shakespeare in it anyways, why not make it a better one for people just getting into Shakespeare for the first time?