But that <Book> is the ultimate

[Wingates_Hellsing]

I generally come under a lot of criticism for not liking Jane Austen. Specifically, Pride and Prejudice. I never read it in high school, so I picked it up a few years ago because I'd heard such rave reviews about it. More than once I wanted to throw the thing across the room in frustration. How many chapters do you need to reiterate the same point?

What about Pride and Prejudice and Zombies ?

Back on topic though, I always found it infuriating when I was asked to analyze Shakespeare when it's language makes it so thoroughly difficult to understand that I would have to rely on either a dumbed-down version or another person's analysis.

I think that's kind of stupid, but hey, that's just me.

[jackfaire]

Specifically, Pride and Prejudice. ?

I tried to read it once was bored. Recently someone got me to watch the movie I kept falling asleep.

[Fryk]

Sorry, I don't even know why I typed books. I think I'll blame the gremlins in my brain.

And yes, the point of the paper was to sum up what we thought of it. It's not like I deviated from the assignment and just took the time to bitch and moan. It was a paper about what we thought. So that's what I did. She just didn't like my opinion very much. Also, in the interest of honesty, I probably was VERY sarcastic and wise-assed in it. And the reasons why I didn't like it, I probably wouldn't be so harsh about now (I thought the McCarthyism parallels were very heavy-handed, and that the writing was dry and dull. Except for Giles Corey.). My point wasn't that I was right and she was wrong. My point is that she held the book as sacrosanct. Nothing in literature should be. Even Saint Shakespeare and the Right Reverend Twain aren't going to please everyone. Freaking out o people who don't hold your opinion about them is stupid.

[protege]

I'm one of those people who didn't enjoy Shakespeare. Why? Well, when you have to read Romeo & Juliet, Macbeth or Hamlet every damn year...and having your English teacher spend about 3 *months* on it every year...you soon get tired of it. Boring as hell, in other words

[Lace Neil Singer]

I never did. XD But then, that's just me.

The only book I had to do in English that I hated with the fires of a thousand suns was The Mayor Of Casterbridge, that was one of the set texts for GCSE. I just could not get thru more than a quarter of that drivel. Luckily, I only had to memorise three out of four of the books, and the others were Animal Farm, Hobson's Choice and Romeo And Juliet, so I was cool.

[AdminAssistant]

I'm one of those people who didn't enjoy Shakespeare. Why? Well, when you have to read Romeo & Juliet, Macbeth or Hamlet every damn year...and having your English teacher spend about 3 *months* on it every year...you soon get tired of it. Boring as hell, in other words

That's really the fault of the teacher - and the tradition of theatre being taught in English/Literature classes. It's a completely different kind of literature. While R & J is very bleh, Hamlet has plenty in it to hold interest if it's taught well.

[Fryk]

I really don't think plays should be read through like books. To me, that's part of what makes them so boring.

[Wingates_Hellsing]

I really don't think plays should be read through like books. To me, that's part of what makes them so boring.

It's roughly equivalent to reading through a film script as if it were a novel... doesn't work.

[AdminAssistant]

I really don't think plays should be read through like books. To me, that's part of what makes them so boring.

It's a skill that you have to develop; plays have to be read with a mind toward production. If you're the type of person that visualizes well, it's much easier.

[jackfaire]

Over the course of three years I had to study Romeo and Juliet in three different English classes in depth each time. When I went to see the ballet I heard the lines in my head.

[Boozy]

I don't like reading plays. I love love LOVE Shakespeare whenever I see it performed, but I have never enjoyed reading one.

Also, AdminAssistant: You are crazy for not liking the comedies! A Midsummer Night's Dream and Much Ado About Nothing are fantastically funny when done well. But again, a read-through does very little for them. They have to be performed.

[bunnyboy]

While I like SOME of the Bard, (Midsummer, Tempest, That Scottish Play, Lear) You only get the two he's sooooo well known for in any english class, take your pick of him... but your picks are *trumpets* Romeo and Juliet *sigh* the star crossed lovers, or Julius Ceasar the horrid tragedy.

And all this time I wanted to convince a drama teacher to let us do Titus Andronicus... or even something like.... That Scottish Play, but nope, in the world of High School English lit and drama, he only wrote two plays.

and as for books I dislike that everyone seems to, I can't stand Twain, nor Austin, nor Lewis beyond Narnia.

And I seem to like oddities like Chesterton... go fig.

[jackfaire]

nor Lewis beyond Narnia.

I wholeheartedly agree.

An author I love that not a lot of others seem to have heard of is Edward Eager

[blas87]

I come from such a bassackwards place that kids loved reading Huck Finn in English because reading aloud, the teacher didn't care if they said "nigger" when reading about the character Nigger Jim.

Personally, I think Twain was a great author and we only read Huck Finn in that class, but I did go to the school library and find other books after that. Walt Whitman and Charles Dickens bored me to DEATH.

[Lace Neil Singer]

My fave Shakespeare plays are Midsummer Night's Dream, The Tempest and Macbeth.

I read Julius Caeser in third year; I got to read as Brutus. It was seriously fun; I got to perform stabbage!