Another course…

I am about to start on another course, an on-line free course, about Shakespeare. I studied his plays when I was at school and doing my degree, and have taught a couple of plays too… but although I have seen many productions, there are still quite a few of his works which I don’t know. I thought this course which looks at seven plays would be a nice way to remind myself of how much  I enjoy him.

The first play we are going to study is one I haven’t read, seen, studied, the merry Wives of Windsor. I have started reading it and I must say my grasp of Shakespearean language has gone very rusty and I am struggling with the opening scenes. I am sure that once I get into the swing of it I’ll be fine, but it does make my sympathise with the students I used to teach. I tried to make the plays as accessible as I could but even so for young people today I think it is more difficult than ever, and I’m not going to make any comment at all about the education system at the moment, except that I don’t think it helps hem a great deal! I also think that the comedies are harder in a way because our idea of humour and what is funny has changed, so in order for us to understand the import of the text, we have to do some sustained research and preparation. The drama of the tragedies or historical plays somehow seems to jump the centuries better.

Thinking about it… I was actually in ‘Twelfth Night’ when I was at school… I had the classic lines ‘Will you go hunt, my lord’ and when the duke replies I have the great two words, ‘The hart’. I did have another couple of lines… I don’t think I made a great impact!!