Why is Shakespeare so highly regarded?

I think this captures it perfectly, by Bernard Levin. I want to get the poster of it

If you cannot understand my argument, and declare "It's Greek to me", you are quoting Shakespeare; if you claim to be more sinned against than sinning, you are quoting Shakespeare; if you recall your salad days, you are quoting Shakespeare; if you act more in sorrow than in anger, if your wish is father to the thought, if your lost property has vanished into thin air, you are quoting Shakespeare; if you have ever refused to budge an inch or suffered from green-eyed jealousy, if you have played fast and loose, if you have been tongue-tied, a tower of strength, hoodwinked or in a pickle, if you have knitted your brows, made a virtue of necessity, insisted on fair play, slept not one wink, stood on ceremony, danced attendance (on your lord and master), laughed yourself into stitches, had short shrift, cold comfort or too much of a good thing, if you have seen better days or lived in a fool's paradise - why, be that as it may, the more fool you, for it is a foregone conclusion that you are (as good luck would have it) quoting Shakespeare; if you think it is early days and clear out bag and baggage, if you think it is high time and that that is the long and short of it, if you believe that the game is up and that truth will out even if it involves your own flesh and blood, if you lie low till the crack of doom because you suspect foul play, if you have your teeth set on edge (at one fell swoop) without rhyme or reason, then - to give the devil his due - if the truth were known (for surely you have a tongue in your head) you are quoting Shakespeare; even if you bid me good riddance and send me packing, if you wish I were dead as a door-nail, if you think I am an eyesore, a laughing stock, the devil incarnate, a stony-hearted villain, bloody-minded or a blinking idiot, then - by Jove! O Lord! Tut, tut! for goodness' sake! what the dickens! but me no buts - it is all one to me, for you are quoting Shakespeare. (The Story of English, 145)

Seanchai wrote: »

Because he was a better plagiarist than his contempories in the English language. Although the very mention of Shakespeare being, in fact, a plagiarist would provoke the ire of British nationalists.

I don't think that anyone in the UK gives a toss, except for those involved in the "Shakespeare Country" tourism industry, and they're more concerned with hard cash than British nationalism.

Eve_Dublin wrote: »

I think this is the reason so many teenagers loath it though. The time spent dissecting every last word and stanza in class and finding meaning where he probably never intended it. I think it was particularly bad at honours level. The LC sucked any kind of joy out of it for me, to be honest. So in turn, I hated Shakespeare back then. However, I went to see a play of his in The Globe in London and really loved it. I've been to a few of his plays since and enjoyed them all and I'm not saying that in an effort to sound intellectual. It came alive on stage and all of a sudden I understood it.

I'll be honest with you though, school did much the same for everything I studied. Memorising for exams and not transmitting any kind of passion to learn for the sake of it.

It's not wonder he has such a bad rep.

Same with Irish. School makes a lot of people hate a lot of great stuff. I loved English class, though I blame school for making science seem really, really, really boring when it's actually endlessly fascinating. Damn school, I coulda been a scientist :pac:

crazy cabbage wrote: »

Becouse i seem to remembering him banishing all witches from earth..... or was that docter who...

St Patrick. :cool:

IMO "Shakespeare is ****" is a euphemism for "I don't understand it, therefore it can't be any good". It's something we all do, I suppose; saying "people who don't like to read are idiots" or "How can people like classical music? I think it's boring".

When you get your ear in Shakespeare is very well written, hugely funny, and incredibly dirty. I especially like the bit in Hamlet where he tries to convince Ophelia to just let him put the tip of his cock in.

Gauss wrote: »

Some interesting points being made. Taken on board.

Who would be the equivalent of Shakespeare in other languages if they exist at all?

Tolstoy in Russia
Joyce in Ireland....all good foir tourism.
The bunch of nuts who cobbled together the Bible.

Gauss wrote: »

Some interesting points being made. Taken on board.

Who would be the equivalent of Shakespeare in other languages if they exist at all?

I'm not really sure they could be an equivalent, simply due to the flexibility, variety of pronunciation, and immense vocabulary of English compared to other major languages.

There was an interesting episode of Stephen Fry's programme about words which focussed largely on Shakespeare. He talked to actors and theatre directors from around the world and while they mentioned the merits of Shakespeare's works translated into their own language, all, as I recall, agreed without hesitation that Shakespeare was infinitely superior in English.

He was the greatest writer writing in the greatest language.

ejmaztec wrote: »

The most annoying thing about Shakespeare IMO is the bunch of "intellectuals" who insist on using Shakespeare quotes in everyday conversation. They 'deserve a good slap'.

that's from Shakespeare.


so em, slaaaaappppph.

ArtSmart wrote: »

that's from Shakespeare.


so em, slaaaaappppph.

Eve_Dublin wrote: »

I did Hardy's Mayor of Casterbridge for my LC and fooking hated it. Decided to give Hardy another shot the year after I left school and now he's still my favourite writer of all time. I simply read his books and drew what I wanted from them instead of being told what I was supposed to think.

I had the same experience with Jane Austin; I hated every second of it in school, but have enjoyed reading her work since. It may be a problem with the way it's taught.