Does anyone else read Shakespeare for pleasure?

[pscot]

I just reread Lear, and was surprised at how well it still works after 400 years. The language is a little challenging at first, but one soon gets over it. I have several of the plays in signet paperbacks, which provide copious footnotes to help out with the most archaic forms, and unwind Shakespeare's numerous puns. The man was an inveterate punster, even in his bleakest moments, but you need a gloss to catch the meaning. Paperback editions of individual plays are the handiest way to access them. The better ones contain footnotes, glossaries, historical information and critical essays that help explore the meaning of the plays. And the plays incourage the closest reading you can give them. Next time you can't find anything to read, pick up the Taming of the Shrew, or The Merchant of Venice, Julius Ceasar or Richard II. The bard makes for great company on a rainy fall evening.

[Waya]

1. Not me.....Shakespeare never did it for me........

........but my son always loved it.......still does......when he turned 16 he wanted Shakespeare's complete works - so I got it for him and now that he's almost 23 he still has that book on his shelf and reads thru it at times.....

[qwertyMike]

22. The Sonnets

[China_cat]

2. I've always been fond of "The Tempest"

Best effect for any Shakespeare is to read it out loud.

[terisan]

3. Thanks for mentioning. I haven't read one in a while. Think I will re-read one--

used to enjoy reciting passages.

I can still remember my very talented English Lit professor putting on a show for us with recitations from Cleopatra. "The barge she sat in, like a burnish'd throne, burned on the water........

[Golden Raisin]

4. Yes. Occasionally.

Although my reading time (old-fashioned-crack-open-a-book) as opposed to stare-at-computer-screen-on-the-internet is rather limited these days.

[Journeyman]

5. Read him often -- plays, sonnets, select quotes . . .

I try to see a production every few years (there's a festival in my area each Summer), but I much prefer to read a play than see it performed. As you said, footnotes and critical essays are always helpful, especially the first time through, and it's rare to find actors equal to the task.

[USA_1]

6. Not Any More But ...

I agree that it does make for great reading.

MacBeth was my favorite --- ''Fly false thanes and mingle with the English epicures!''

But in recent years, ''Merchant of Venice'' is the one I've thought of the most. As a third year law school student I wrote a seminar paper dealing with its many judicial flaws. The report resulted in my highest grade!

[Lucinda]

7. I have a theatre background, so I've read quite a bit

over the years, for pleasure and for work. My Riverside has seen better days, but I wouldnt let it go for anything.

I think Much Ado is a good start for newbies.

[pscot]

11. Taming of the Shrew is a good entry also

because of the strong film versions.

[Glorfindel]

8. Oh, yes. I love Shakespeare

My favorite play is probably "Henry V," depending on the mood I'm in, but I also really like "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and "As You Like It."

[fenriswolf]

9. love shakespeare

in highschool i had this really cool math teacher who started something called "bards on the boards" once a month we get together and perform a monologue or scene then after we would carve our names on some boards, later the boards provided the set (ie walls, doors) it was really cool, fav monologue the st crispin day speach from henry the V.

[soothsayer]

10. Love to watch it (season tickets) but find it really, really hard to read

[pscot]

12. I haven't seen many live performances

but reading gives you time to really savor the language, which is amazingly rich and complex.

[emilyg]

13. Yes - his sonnets.

[LeftishBrit]

14. Yes, me too!

I don't enjoy all his plays equally; and some are much better seen than read; but I love "As You Like It" and "Midsummer Night's Dream" among the comedies and "Macbeth" and "Julius Caesar" among the tragedies. The latter is one of the best works of political fiction (obviously based on real events!) ever written, so should interest lots of people here.

[raccoon]

15. Occasionally. Recently re-read Henry IV Part 1 and Macbeth. nt

[flamingyouth]

16. I haven't for a while but I did a few years ago.

I went through a period where I re-read several plays. I love "Hamlet" and "Twelfth Night."

[superconnected]

17. I definitely read it for pleasure.

I laugh at the jokes. I adore the prose.

My favorites are Romeo and Juliet, A midsummer nights dream and The Tempest. Every now and then I will go back and read Othello just because one scene always got to me. "Did you say your prayers?"

The one play I don't like by Shakespeare is Titus Andronicas. People writing about violence to women(especially multilation) always makes not trust them. I loathe that play. It's hard to believe he wrote so many others that I like/love.

on edit: I just re-read my post and realized I picked a scene in Othello where he's about to smother his wife. I guess I should have seen titus coming. Merchant of Venice and The Taming of the shrew are also ones I like a lot of his. Merchant of Venice is know for the pound of flesh, so again, back to Titus Andronicus, and the Shrew... back to women submisives. I better stick to A mid summer nights dream.

[LWolf]

18. I just reread Romeo and Juliet.

I have Hamlet, Lear, and Macbeth waiting.

While I love them, I don't find that I "soon get over" the language. Reading in a language I'm not fluent in, and having to reread and look up notations, etc., diminishes the enjoyment of reading.

Still, I pull them out every few years to "restudy" them.

I prefer Shakespeare on stage, and am fortunate to have a perpetual Shakespeare festival about a 4 hour drive from home.

[mcctatas]

19. I do!

my 11 year old daughter just finished shakespeare for kids and she said "mom, it's like every other story anyone ever wrote was just a rip off of shakespeare" pretty astute observation, although eventually she'll realize that even Shakespeare's stuff is a rip off of somebody else. I just reread Hamlet, one of my personal faves, I had to write a paper for an English class where Hamlet has a conversation with a modern day celebrity...I chose Dolly Parton, it was the most fun I've had writing a paper in a long time!

[pscot]

20. Hamlet and Dollly Parton LOL

Having a hard time getting my head around that. I think the whole play might have ended differently.

[unpossibles]

21. I have

I have to be in the right mood (ie: not stoned), but the man could turn a mean phrase and tell a good story. There's a reason he is a classic. I've only read about 5 of the plays, and a little poetry, but want to read more.