First post

My only experiences with Shakespeare thus far consist of what I learned about him in school. It started in seventh grade when we read A Midsummer Nights's Dream, which I absolutely adored. At the time, I was going through the awkward phase of puberty, and it was more than easy to relate to Helena and her desire to be desired. The relatability of Shakespeare's characters coupled with amusement and whimsy captured my literary affections.

It wasn't until freshman year of high school that I read another play: Romeo and Juliet. I did not enjoy it as much as some other plays, but the passion between the two lovers still appealed very much to my pre-teen nature. But more than romeo and Juliet themselves, I adored Mercutio and the amusement he brought to the play.

Then Sophomore year, we read two plays. The first was the dark, foreboding story of Macbeth, filled with guilt, dread, and suspense. Eagerly, I flipped through the pages, exploring and analyzing Lady Macbeth's neurosis that began to consume her. Her obsessive-compulsive behavior intrigued me as she continued to wash her blood-stained hands. The other play we read was my favorite, The Taming of the Shrew, filled with it's hilarious innuendos and the ever-amusing Petruchio on his quest to "kill a wife with kindness." Kate, a once blunt recluse, was made to learn, not absolute obedience, but the illusion of obedience while holding all the true power. Instead of sacrificing her will to Petruchio, she learned to stroke his ego and let him believe that he had tamed her.

Unfortunately, we did not read any Shakespeare in my Junior year, but Senior year we tackled the complexity of Hamlet. It was so easy to wonder at Hamlet's sanity, his affections to Ophelia, and his strange behavior to his mother. Had Hamlet been sane? Did he die sane? Did he truly love Ophelia, or is it a strange, sad parody of love? Perhaps Ophelia never truly appealed to him, but simply served as an outlet for his desires for his mother. Hamlet's depressive and confusing psyche continues to elude and confound me, but I am determined to find the truth.

I really enjoy reading Shakespeare and exploring the depths of his characters. I can't wait to get further into the class!