What Work of Shakespeare's Did You Read For School?

@kel1483 (986)
United States
March 25, 2009 10:21am CST
I was just curious what works of Shakespeare's did you have to read as part of your school's curriculum? Which were your favorites or least favorites? For me I had to read Romeo & Juliet (freshman English), Julius Ceaser (sophomore English), Macbeth (senior English) and Hamlet (college English 101). I liked all of them, though sometimes it was hard to get the point of certain parts because of the older style of writing. I think if I had to chose I'd say Macbeth was my favorite of those.
9 responses
@Sandra1952 (6047)
• Spain
27 Apr 09
When I studied for my BA, I read several of Shakespeare's plays, including 'Romeo and Juliet,' 'Hamlet' and 'The Tempest.' My dissertation was on the cultural differences between old and new Shakespeare productions on screen, for which I studied 'Henry V,' 'Othello' and 'A Midsummer Night's Dream.' If you find studying the scripts difficult, try watching films, or better still, go to the theatre and see a live production. It makes it so much easier to understand when you see an actor interpreting the script. If you like 'A Midsummer Night's Dream,' read Angela Carter's 'Wise Children,' for a very different take on the play. It's about twin sisters who were the children of a famous Shakespearian actor who worked on a 1930's Hollywood production of the play, and it offers some great insights, as well as being a very entertaining read.
@kel1483 (986)
• United States
27 Apr 09
I have seen some of them live and in movies. In my high school freshman English, we watched two film versions of Romeo and Juliet and then we also saw a play of it. It is nice to see them being portrayed visually. 'Wise Children' sounds interesting.
9 Apr 09
I read Midsummer Night's Dream, Romeo and Juiliet and Twelfth Night. Twelfth Night was my O level text. I enjoyed all of them and have seen them all on stage. I have also seen the Romeo and Juliet ballet. Prokofiev's music is wonderful.
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@kel1483 (986)
• United States
27 Apr 09
I have seen Romeo And Juliet and Twelfth Night on stage before, too. It was nice seeing them live. I haven't ever seen Midsummer Nights Dream live, and I haven't watched the whole movie either, jsut part of it in my Drama class in high school.
@Jezebella (1446)
• United States
27 Mar 09
I think I have read almost every play and poem by shakespeare. I read a lot of them in college and high school, but I also read them for pleasure. I know I am weird.
• United States
5 Apr 09
I guess that makes me weired too, cause I read them for pleasure too.
• India
25 Mar 09
during my schooling i read Shakespears play such as Macbeth,Tempest,Twelfth night,Julius ceasar,Taming of the shrew,Hamlet and King Lear.out of his works my favourite one is Twelfth night a romantic comedy where Viola the main lead of the story disguise herself as a boy and Olivia falls in love later she realises and the ending is good.
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@kel1483 (986)
• United States
25 Mar 09
I never read Twelfth Night, but in high school I went on a trip to Stratford, Ontario and saw the play. It was really good.
@uicbear (1900)
• United States
25 Mar 09
I'm wondering if you went to my high school? Those are the same works and order that we read as well. I also took a Shakespear course in college and the only two I really remember reading off the top of my head right now is Hamlet, and King Lear. I enjoyed Julius Ceasar and Macbeth in high school. I had an excellent teacher who made learning to enjoy it painless. My best memory was one day for Julius Ceasar, we dressed up and had a toga party in class with sparkling grape juice, fruit, bread and cheese. We ate, drank and read the play, it was a blast.
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@kel1483 (986)
• United States
31 Mar 09
I think a lot of curriculums are similar, so probably a lot of people have to read the same ones. Funny thing, my sophomore teacher for Julius Ceasar was also really into it. We didn't dress up or anything but he would make voices and like stand on the desk and stuff and just get waaaayyyy into it. My college didn't offer a Shakespeare class, so I didn't read more than just the one in my English 101 class. I have never read King Lear.
• United States
11 Dec 09
In high school I read Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, and A Missummer's Night Dream, I also read the Tempest on my own. In college I have read most of his works, there's a few history plays I haven't read yet, and a comedy or two. Though I also have taken three different Shakespeare classes.
• United States
5 Apr 09
I read the same ones in high school in the same order. In eighth grade we also read As You Like It. It got me started liking Shakespeare. I have read almost every play. I even have a book of his complete works. I love Shakespeare and read his stuff for fun (my friends call me a dork).
@rymebristol (1808)
• Philippines
27 May 09
Hamlet was the only work of Shakespeare that I had read and studied. i was part of our Communications 101 when i was in my 1st year in college. we need to act the scene that was assigned on us, i can't remember what was the scene cause it was ages ago since then.
@anna728 (1499)
• United States
26 Jun 09
I read Macbeth and As You like It for my tenth grade English course. We might have read some sonnets, too. I really liked As You Like It.