Shakespeare, Romeo And Juliet

I could never pretend to understand Shakespeare-- no one could. The language is so hard to understand, and I think that is part of what makes it so interesting. No one speaks that way any more, so it's a novelty, and that is the attraction. When you listen to the way that the actors speak, it's lovely. In "A Midsummer Night's Dream," the character of Helena stood out to me-- her willingness to please Demetrius, and her friendship with Hermia were two key points that never failed to interest me. Only because of Puck, she develops a sense of passion for Demetrius. In the end, though, all is right because of Oberon, and his over-zealous attitude toward the magical flower potion. He plots to resolve the "love square," and in turn, ruins many emotional connections. I think that while we were watching the movie, it got easier and easier for me to understand what the actors were saying, since we were watching their actions coincide with their words.

I have mixed feelings about starting on  "Romeo And Juliet." It has an interesting plot from what I know. At the same time, I am nervous about the language, and actually reading it. If we are reading it in class as a play, I think it'll be much easier to understand rather than if we had to read a bunch of it on our own. I do think I will enjoy our Shakespeare unit very much, and I'm glad to start it when we come back to school.