Young Writers Society

I see one person here has called Shakespeare a copy-cat. Maybe so. Maybe he did borrow ideas and story-lines. But who doesn't? Are the fanatsy novelists who delve into fairy-tales and mythology any less worthwhile because they do retellings rather than write "original" stories? Or the writers who retell historical events? No, they are not. I love reading the many interpretations of classic stories and reimaginings of popular fairytales and myths. We all borrow, and we are all influenced by others. What matters is not what ideas we have, or where we got them, but how we use them. Shakespeare was a genius. He is the greatest playwright in the English language to ever live, and possible the greatest writer n general. He really did include crowd-pleasers and things that screenwriters do today. Stuff that was added not because it was brilliant, but because that was what the audience of the time wanted. If you know how to read it, you'd be amazed by how much swearing there is in some of his plays.

Actually, it has been side many times that if Shakespeare had written his plays today, he would've been called a plagerist. Only a couple of his plays were completely original, and some of his famous plays, such as Romeo and Juliet, borrow almost entire sections from the work of previous playwrights.

However, it is not the story-line nor the ideas that keep us reading Shakespeare; it's the language. Nearly every single one of his plays is timeless, and his plays contain speeches and dialogue that is absolutely genius. And while the plots are not original, he presented them in a way that brought them a fresh face such that people forgot who first wrote the story of Hamlet.

In any case, I love Shakespeare. He's definitely the reason why the English language is the best language on Earth

Oh yeah. One more thing. if Shakespeare is so terrible, why has he remained so popular for hundreds of years? I love the language (but I also love the stories, Nate, and how he used them) Besides, even if he was appealing only the the body, is there anything wrong with that?

I can't wait until I can play Kate in Taming of the Shew. It's such a fun role.

It just asked for our humble opinions. I'm not going to prove you wrong, Rei. You don't like me, I don't like you. So, until we settle our immature differences, I think it would be best if we just stopped antagonizing each other, especially since you really want me to stop talking to you.

I really don't think you could. In the past when you have suggested we stop arguing, you have immediately started again when (from the wayyou I saw it) felt confident that you could win. Besides, there is no rule her about not expanding on other people's posts.

Hehe. If you really wanted me to shutup, you wouldn't have responded at all.

Keep it on topic.

Sorry Nate. Silly Brad. I never asked you to shut up. How American of you to twist things so they make you look like the better person even when you're not (including cases where nobody is right or wrong)

Anyway, here's something more on topic

Oh Reason not the need Our based beggars are in their poorest thing superfluous. Allow not nature more than nature needs Thou art a lady If only to go warm were gorgeous.
Why nature need not what thou gorgeous wearest Which scarcely keeps you warm but for true need Hevean, Give me that patience, patience I need You see me hear you gods a poor old man as full as greif as age, wretched in both If it be you who stirs these daughters hearts agaist their Father fool me not so much to bear it tamely Touch me with noble anger and let not womens weapons, Water drops, stain my mans cheeks No you unnatural hags. I will have such vengance on you both For all the world to... I shall do such things, what they are yet, I know not, but they shall be the terrors of the earth. You think I'll weep. No, I'll ot weep.
King Lear, Act two, scene four

Wrote that out from memory myself. Hand to perform it for my English class once.

I saw Romeo and Juliet for the first time today at the Folger Shakespeare Theatre in DC, and it was very disappointing. The play was boring, and just seemed way too excessive in parts. Of course, Romeo and Juliet is also the only Shakespeare play that I hate, so I am a bit biased.

Although, I think it may just be the Folger; it's never all that good. From now on, I'll just go to the Shakespeare Theater, where they'll be showing the Tempest this March

I've never actually seen it...just read it.

where do you think I got my sig, all you shakespeare fans? (the last line)

I'm not even a Shakespeare fan and I know it's from Hamlet, Sam.

it's painfully obvious

We did this whole section on Shakespeare (The frothy drink, lol, right Crysi?) my freshmen year. This one guy in our class kept translating it to...very simple terms, lol.

We studied Romeo and Juliet in school. It was a little confusing at first but you get used to it after a while and it became very enjoyable.

I also read a book which was Hamlet turned into a novel. It was written from the princesses point of view(can't remember her name) and it was really good. Because it was written like a normal novel, it was easy to follow and was more to the point than the play. When i read this it showed how brilliant his ideas are, even though it was written by somebody else.

I've read Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, Taming the Shrew and Much Ado About Nothing (or whatever) and although the language was a bit confusing to understand I really enjoyed them. My favourite has to be Macbeth and my least favourite is Romeo and Juliet.