Shakespeare often gets a bad rap.
(Originally published February, 26, 2008, updated March 20, 2019)
High school English is an interesting creature. My former career as a literature teacher required that I teach a group of hormonally-driven, confused, but well-intentioned young people about literature and the fundamentals of writing.
This becomes especially challenging when you throw parents into the mix.
I once fielded a phone call from a concerned parent. (And in subsequent years at least one similar email.) The issue: The Taming of the Shrew contains lewd scenes and inappropriate innuendo.
The parents suggested we do one of Shakespeare’s less offensive plays: Maybe Midsummer Night’s Dream? Or perhaps Hamlet?
This is where my diplomacy had to kick in. Because, really? Have you read Midsummer? Hamlet? Oh, my!
An old movie version of Shrew called “Kiss Me Kate,” starring Kathryn Grayson and Howard Keel (if you haven’t seen it you should), includes a comical dance number performed by two thugs singing, “brush up your Shakespeare, start quoting him now.”
His words and language simply roll off the tongue.
One of my favorite introductory lessons included “tossing lines.” Every one in class was given a strip of paper with a key line from the play. We would use a small stuffed donkey to toss around the circle, and when the donkey came to you, you would shout the line. This familiarized students with the language enough to demonstrate, that taken in pieces, Shakespeare was totally understandable. Some kids even liked it!
Usually, after reading a play such as Midsummer students would inevitably adopt their favorite insults such as “tawny tarter” and “cankerblossom” to use around school. And like it or not, the universal power of story prevailed.
Shakespeare invented or adapted words and phrases to add around 1700 new terms to the English language. As good luck would have it you quote him every day…
His work is the be all, end all of English literature. Like the radiance of a moonbeam. Dauntless, countless, equivocal brilliance. Elbow your neighbor with hurried amazement. Do not be disheartened by lackluster language. Avoid the green-eyed monster.The total words he coined is unreal. (Just to give you an idea.)
What is your favorite Shakespearean inspired word or line?
