-210 Why do we still study Shakespeare in high school? It's the most useless thing ever, amirite?

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Seriously, who decided Shakespeare was talented?

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Queen Elizabeth the first for one...

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Who decided she was a valid opinion:p but really I don't see any merit in Macbeth, and I suppose the storyline of R&J is decent, but extremely silly.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

How do you remember your username to log in ???

by Anonymous 12 years ago

The fact that the word "swagger" is so commonly used nowadays would prove otherwise.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Thou cockered motley minded puttock. Translated: motherfucker.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

i actually enjoy Shakespeare... if you really read them you'll see the Shakespearean Culture, and truths about the human mind... i.e.. Macbeth and when else do you get to speak like that?

by Anonymous 12 years ago

*e.g. for examples i.e. for definitions

by Anonymous 12 years ago

SOMEONE'S never heard of Justin Beiber

by Anonymous 12 years ago

The fact that so many people YYA'd this is sickening... I don't want to live on this planet anymore.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

My English teacher gave up the priesthood because he felt that Shakespeare's works taught him more about life than the Bible could. "Useless", indeed.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Don't tell any of my friends, but I memorize Shakespeare soliloquies for fun.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

As someone mentioned above, Shakespeare is one of the greatest writers in the history of English literature. This isn't based solely on the opinion of Elizabeth I, but on the opinions of the millions of people who have read his works and seen them performed over the ages. When you can write plays and poems that offer insights into human nature that are so profound they can still speak to people centuries later, then, and ONLY then, will you have the right to call Shakespeare "useless."

by Anonymous 12 years ago

It may not be useful, but it's more fun than having the same grammar lessons you've been "learning" since elementary school.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Sure it's more fun, but that's like having ice cream in hell. It's nice, but it's still hell.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

I studied Shakespeare and hated every single one of his books that I read. Most of it is just nonsense. Pages and pages and pages of nonsense. Oh God I'm getting flashbacks. Most people who talk about him being the "greatest author ever" would have to force themselves to read even one of his books. I don't get what people see in him. There are other, better classics (Wuthering Heights is fairly decent, 1984 is very good, but my biologist side can't help but enjoy 20'000 Leagues too. Give em a go!). You're free to enjoy them if you actually really like them and AREN'T just saying you do because you feel like you should or want sound well-read, but I don't udnerstand why people think he's so amazing. If people tried to get away with those monologues and purple prose today, they'd be called a pretentious amateur with no skill for pacing, which is exactly - I'll stop there.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

It isn't nonsense. It's just written in an archaic style. You actually have to THINK a little bit to get the meaning. For instance, in Hamlet's famous soliloquy, "To be or not to be," the main character is wondering why everyone doesn't just commit suicide since life sucks so much, eventually concluding that it's because most people are too scared of what happens after death. The value of Shakespeare comes from the beauty and depth of the language used to express this concept. It may be true that some people who claim to like Shakespeare really haven't read any of his works. However, there are many other people who HAVE read his works and genuinely enjoy them. There are people who devote their entire academic careers to studying Shakespeare. There are even actors who have become famous for their portrayals of his characters. Of course the more recent classics are good too and well worth reading. I understand that Shakespeare isn't everyone's cup of tea, but his skill with language and his influence on literature cannot be denied.

by Anonymous 12 years ago