Should School students be taught shakespeare? Absolutely! These are the reasons why,
Romeo and Juliet- Summary
Romeo and Juliet is one of the most romantic and well known love story in the world. Romeo and Juliet is a play written by William Shakespeare. The story takes place in Verona, Italy. It is story about a family rivalry between the Montagues and the Capulets. William Shakespeare was very clever with his writing as he mixed comedy and tragedy in his play, creating a different kind of romantic tragedy play. This play includes many conflicts and events such as fate, revenge, values, love and a secret marriage between the two star crossed lovers. Romeo and Juliet meet at a dance and fall in love. The two decide to get married in secret the following day. Romeo then kills Juliet’s cousin and is chased away from Verona. Juliet’s parents have made it clear to Juliet, that she has to marry a very wealthy man called Paris. The only problem with this is, that Juliet is already married to Romeo. Their parents are both unaware of this situation. In doing this the young star crossed lovers grow up very fast and due to rivalries between the two families, the couple take their own lives as they cannot be together. The friar who married them helps Juliet come up with a plan, for Juliet to drink poison that will make her seem dead for three days, that is when Romeo would come to her and they would both run away. The problem was that Romeo did not receive the letter from the Friar in time and when Romeo returns to verona and sees Juliet dead, Romeo kills himself. Finally when Juliet awakens and sees Romeo dead she kills herself. The two families both arrive and see what has happened and finally agree to come to a truce.
Macbeth- Summary
Macbeth is a play written by William Shakespeare. This is well known to be one of the best written play by William Shakespeare.
Macbeth begins with a quick appearance by three witches. The play then moves to the military camp where the Scottish King hears the news that his fellow generals, Macbeth and Banquo have defeated the two different armies. Macbeth then comes across the witches with his fellow partner Banquo. The three witches foretell a prophecy of Macbeth becoming a Thane of Cawdor, then become the King of Scotland. They also foretell that Banquo will lead to him become part of the line of Scottish kings, but will unfortunately never become King. They don’t believe the witches, until Macbeth is made thane of Cawdor. Macbeth tells his wife about what the witches said to him and his wife convinces Macbeth to Kill the king, so he may become the King. While King Duncan is asleep Macbeth stabs him, killing him. When Duncan is discovered dead Macbeth kills the chamberlains and assumes he is the king. Duncans sons then flee Scotland, and go and hide in England and Ireland. Macbeth then orders to kill Banquo and his son Fleance. The murderers fail to kill Fleance but are successful with Banquo. Later Banquo’s ghost appears to Macbeth, he is scared and then goes to the witches who then foretell another uprising opponent, Macduff. Macbeth orders that Macduff’s wife and children to be murdered due to Macduff fleeing to join Malcolm. King Duncan son, Prince Malcolm. Macbeth’s wife commits suicide due to plague and fits of sleepwalking. Macbeth is weakened by this, but still expects Malcolms army. In the battle Macbeth is very violent and ruthless, but the English are gradually overwhelming his army and cast. Macduff says that Macbeth is not “women born” but “untimely ripped” this was said to Macbeth straight and Macbeth kept fighting until Macduff beheads him. Malcolm is then named the king of Scotland after the magnificent victory.
Universal theme
William Shakespeare’s plays are still very relevant to modern day students. William Shakespeare wrote many tragic love stories and comedies alike. Shakespeare has influence many writers over the centuries, even until todays world. Shakespeare has been the most quoted writer. In today’s time, there are so many occurrences of lovers split by family, religious or ethnic circumstances.
The universal themes of Romeo and Juliet are violence, feuding,teenage rebellion, suicide, love, passion and hatred. The couple are connected with love, but their families are connected with hatred, no matter what happens they die for each other. In today’s time, there are so many occurrences of lovers having family, religious or ethnic problems. Love is the main theme in this play. Love seems to takes away their worries and they cannot see the evil side to what is happening. There is a saying, ” Love is Blind.” Love can overwhelm people. Though in this play love is an overpowering force that throws out all the other emotions. With the feud, it still happens in todays society. The arranged marriages in some cultures, the need for children to marry their own religion or culture, can sometime cause much stress and strain on people. Teenagers rebel against their families and take matters into their own hands. Teenagers or people alike feel as if there is no way out, except death and take their own lives. Hatred is a strong emotion that most humans at one point in their lives will feel. It is how we deal with it and over come it.
The universal theme for Macbeth is that greed, hatred and violence will never end good. Unfortunately, when greed is involved the power of lust, does something to humans and drives us to do harm and wrong things. Macbeth’s situation is that what destroys him. Macbeth’s ambition is what has made him great, this is happens in todays world. The human desire to be great and succeed, but at what cost to other’s. What happened many centuries ago, ironically happens today. The drive and hunger for wealth, status and nobility has no price. People destroy what good they have and don’t think of consequences of why will happen. People live for the moment. Macbeth shows us the nature of evil, how corrupt of how we humans are evil. The emotion of evil lies deep in us all, it is only how we can stop it from destroying us and not taking it further. There is a saying, “what comes around, goes around.” humans can do harm to others, but at what cost to themselves.
Some of the characteristics/qualities that the key characters possess.
There is a musical, which most call a modern day Romeo and Juliet. It is called the West side story. It happens in the street of Manhattan, New York City, America. this story has family, love, violence, feuds and gangs. This emulates to Romeo and Juliet, but in different ways, but still having the same characteristics. Two gangs fight for the right to own the upper west side, just like Romeo and Juliet ( Montagues and Capulets ).The problem unfolds when a gang members falls in love with a rival’s sister ( Relates to Romeo and Julliet).Riff, from the gang, “The Jets”, has a rival gang. They are all Puerto Rican immigrants and called “The Sharks” The led gang member is called Bernardo. The Sharks and The Jetts start challenging each other to who will get control of the streets and call it their turf. They ask Tony to join the gang and present the challenge to The Sharks. Tony, left the gang to start working at a local store. At first Tony had his concerns and says no, but later changes his mind and accepts. Meanwhile, Maria, Bernardo’s sister complains to Bernardo’s girlfriend Anita, that her brother never lets her have fun. Maria says her brother is overprotective over her.
Luckily, Bernardo takes her to a dance at the gym. At the dance all of them are having a great time. Just like Romeo and Juliet, where they met each other at a dance.
Tony and Maria connect with their eyes and become infatuated with other. Tony and Maria fall head over heels in love at the moment. They hug each other and then they kiss. Bernardo pushes them apart, angry, telling his sister Maria to go home and then threatens Tony to stay away from his sister.
Tony and Maria secretly meet each other at her home and declare their love for each other, but unfortunately due to the rivalry between the two gangs, they cannot let anyone know. She asks Tony to please not the planned fight with The Sharks, go ahead. Just like in Romeo and Juliet when Romeo fought with Juliet’s Cousin.
The fight begins and Tony tries to stop the fight, but Bernardo kills his friend Riff, and Tony retaliated and kills Bernardo. Tony and Maria’s love is ripped apart as it is driven by hate.
It does not end like Romeo and Juliet, but in the end, they cant be together, as there is too much hatred for each other.
Language!
Shakespeare invented many words and phrases to help him with his plays. A lot of his phrases are still used today. One well known phrase is “Fair play”, we use this phrase a lot, especially for sport. Fair play means follow the rules and don’t cheat, this phrase ranges from business to sport. Another cool saying shakespeare invented was ‘ All of a sudden ‘ which means Suddenly. He used all of his personal sayings/words in his plays.
Fun facts about Shakespeare
Fun fact #1: William Shakespeare was a very keen business man in his original town.
Fun fact #2: William Shakespeare invented the word assassination.
Fun fact #3: William Shakespeare one of the greatest literature writers never attended university.
Fun fact #4: William Shakespeare lived through the black death! The black death killed 33,000 in London!
Fun fact #5: William Shakespeare’s birthday is unknown!
Fun fact #6: William Shakespeare was baptised on April the 26th.
Some Cool Quotes by William Shakespeare
Hamlet-
“To be, or not to be: that is the question”. – (Act III, Scene I).
“In my mind’s eye”. – (Act I, Scene II).
Sonnet
“Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate:
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer’s lease hath all too short a date”.
Other Quotes
“If music be the food of love, play on.”
“A fool thinks himself to be wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool.”
“Hell is empty and all the devils are here.”
“ If you prick us do we not bleed? If you tickle us do we not laugh? If you poison us do we not die? And if you wrong us shall we not revenge?”
“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.”
“There is a tide in the affairs of men, Which taken at the flood, leads on to fortune. Omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries. On such a full sea are we now afloat. And we must take the current when it serves, or lose our ventures.”
Yes William Shakespeare is still relevant to modern day students, without him the English language would be dull.
By Marco Chadinha
Quotes:
William Shakespeare Quotes – BrainyQuote . 2014. William Shakespeare Quotes – BrainyQuote . [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/w/william_shakespeare.html. [Accessed 18 November 2014].
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