1. I expect we were all introduced to Shakespeare with "Romeo and Juliet." We watched the 1968 film while studying it, which helped. 2. Have I been inspired to tears? I don't believe so. I have been moved, but not brought to tears. 3. My journey has been largely self guided, but were I pressed to answer I would say that the Stratford Festival (in Stratford Ont.) has been significant in inspiring further love of Shakespeare's body of work, and not a specific person. 4. Favourite book: Peter Ackroyd's biography. Film: "Shakespeare in Love" was fun. "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead" meets both requirements: book and film. 5. Prospero. He's a bookish soul. 6. The Scottish play. I've never seen it performed live. 7. I think I'd have liked to see Ralph Fiennes play Hamlet. 8. Fav soliloquy? Prince Hal's in Henry IV, Act 1, Scene 2, his "unyoked humour of [his] idleness" speech. 9. Most intimidating? Titus Andronicus. Sooo violent. So disturbingly violent it is rarely performed. 10. A helpful "translation" guide to Shakespeare's plays online is "Shakescleare." Easily accessible either by cellphone or computer, original text alongside modern English. I would also suggest to read no more than one scene a day. 11. My favourite play remains Hamlet thus far, but I haven't read them all yet. I'm doing that as we speak, and have read up to and including "The Merry Wives of Windsor." Halfway through. Most of his best are still to come, so who knows if that fav will be unseated. 12. I'm not a Booktuber, so the best I could do is list here and challenge others to list their answers here, too.
Sadly, my only exposure to reading Shakespeare was during high school by a teacher I'm fairly certain despised either teaching, or children, or both; we were forced to read the very difficult original version of Shakespeare and Canterbury Tales within the same semester. It created in me a lifelong aversion of English Literature. I am only now beginning to overcome that prejudice and it's been 30+ years.
@@greatbooksbigideas I recently became a grandmother; they are a great inspiration to delve into the classics and lay out a much better path of education than I received. ❤
I think my favorite Shakespeare to read are the histories. Some underrated ones are Henry IV, V, and VI. But if I'm watching a play, its gotta be one of the comedies. I've seen As You Like It at least 3 times, for some reason. I'd like to Recommend Isaac Asimov's Guide to Shakespeare. It goes through all the plays, gives a synopsis and explains some of the more obscure references. A good companion book.
1. I expect we were all introduced to Shakespeare with "Romeo and Juliet." We watched the 1968 film while studying it, which helped.
2. Have I been inspired to tears? I don't believe so. I have been moved, but not brought to tears.
3. My journey has been largely self guided, but were I pressed to answer I would say that the Stratford Festival (in Stratford Ont.) has been significant in inspiring further love of Shakespeare's body of work, and not a specific person.
4. Favourite book: Peter Ackroyd's biography. Film: "Shakespeare in Love" was fun. "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead" meets both requirements: book and film.
5. Prospero. He's a bookish soul.
6. The Scottish play. I've never seen it performed live.
7. I think I'd have liked to see Ralph Fiennes play Hamlet.
8. Fav soliloquy? Prince Hal's in Henry IV, Act 1, Scene 2, his "unyoked humour of [his] idleness" speech.
9. Most intimidating? Titus Andronicus. Sooo violent. So disturbingly violent it is rarely performed.
10. A helpful "translation" guide to Shakespeare's plays online is "Shakescleare." Easily accessible either by cellphone or computer, original text alongside modern English. I would also suggest to read no more than one scene a day.
11. My favourite play remains Hamlet thus far, but I haven't read them all yet. I'm doing that as we speak, and have read up to and including "The Merry Wives of Windsor." Halfway through. Most of his best are still to come, so who knows if that fav will be unseated.
12. I'm not a Booktuber, so the best I could do is list here and challenge others to list their answers here, too.
I appreciate you taking the time to respond to all of the prompts! I hope others take your cue.
Sadly, my only exposure to reading Shakespeare was during high school by a teacher I'm fairly certain despised either teaching, or children, or both; we were forced to read the very difficult original version of Shakespeare and Canterbury Tales within the same semester. It created in me a lifelong aversion of English Literature. I am only now beginning to overcome that prejudice and it's been 30+ years.
It's true, a teacher can make or break one's experience of an author. I hope you will be able to crawl out of that shadow!
@@greatbooksbigideas I recently became a grandmother; they are a great inspiration to delve into the classics and lay out a much better path of education than I received. ❤
I think my favorite Shakespeare to read are the histories. Some underrated ones are Henry IV, V, and VI. But if I'm watching a play, its gotta be one of the comedies. I've seen As You Like It at least 3 times, for some reason. I'd like to Recommend Isaac Asimov's Guide to Shakespeare. It goes through all the plays, gives a synopsis and explains some of the more obscure references. A good companion book.
If I saw the Asimov guide in a used bookshop, I would definitely pick it up!