But I never could, and still can't, understand or enjoy Shakespeare. Most of the modern adaptations are fine, but not the originals.
I guess I have no taste or class. That's what some English teachers told me when I'd say I'd rather read Poe than read Shakespeare. Even Chaucer, Melville, Niestche, Dostoyovski...no problem.
Heck, we don't even know who Shakepeare really was. Probably some serial killer royal.
that is because Shakespeare was meant to be watched! watch the plays... they are fantastic... try not to watch adaptations before you watch in the original language... i introduced my sons to Shakespeare while they were tots... they love him... i first showed them Shakespeare: The Animated Tales dvds... these are adaptations for children done in several styles of animation... then i showed them movies like Two Gentlemen from Verona and Taming of the Shrew... than MacBeth and Othello... then we started going to plays when they were grammar school/middle school-aged...
and there is a new Julius Caesar movie coming out soon... i cannot wait to take them to watch this... the love Shakespeare and Roman history, so this will be a double shot of enjoyment for them... :)
rent Taming of the Shrew starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton... it is fantastic!
I must have no class or taste either. I can’t and won’t read Shakespeare. I went to see A Midsummer Nights Dream at a live theatre and left during intermission. Of course it was half in English with Vietnamese subtitles and half in Vietnamese with English subtitles (this was when I was in Hawaii). Way too confusing.
Joss Wheldon filmed Much Ado About Nothing last year. He filmed it in 12 days at his home (in black and white), presumably in California. The dialogue is Shakespearean but the surroundings are modern day including Mercedes Benz’s, iPods, iPhones, modern kitchens, etc. This helped me understand the story better than had it been done as a period piece (subtitles help, too!). I think the b&w helps you focus on the characters instead of the background, too. It’s on Netflix, maybe Amazon Prime, but give it ten minutes and tell me what you think.