Shakespeare Without All Those Words
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After reading the chapter Shakespeare without all those Words, I have to agree with the arguments in it. Although I am no pro on Shakespeare or not even a repetitive reader of his works I tend to believe that what is said throughout the chapter to be true like many of the great masterpieces of our era. The meanings get lost over time and through manipulation.
In todays society everyone wants the gratification of something without putting the effort in to achieve it. The inexperienced reader Shakespeare may take many, many readings before it becomes clear. Were a “Now” society, we want the quickest, easiest way for everything and expect to get the same effect of the original Shakespearian readers.
The section in the chapter where you speak of the plays becoming something unlike the written play or as far off the mark as possible, is true and bothersome. Writers and directors today want the notoriety that the name Shakespeare brings but then shames the playwright itself. They put their own spin on it, to make it more appealing to the audience or less time consuming. In doing so your missing a great deal of the play and usually it ends up being the core of the story. Audiences walk away without a true understanding of Shakespeare but a twisted and misconstrued idea.
The world in which we live is all about theatrics, exaggerations, fabrications, as well as, entertainment. As you pointed on in the chapter the works of Franco Zeffirellis film version of The Taming of the Shrew was only 30% of actual Shakespeare leaving 70% for his own interpretation plus plenty of room for entertainment. Whats the point then? Why even claim its Shakespeare? Answer, they know the name will allure the audience to the play. That being said the people are their under the false pretense that their there for Shakespeare. Not the Shakespeare that has been twisted, turned, tied into the interpretation that feels its necessary to draw on the name of someone elses merits to allure an audience. Its okay for writers to use the name Shakespeare but when it comes to his works apparently many believe theyre not good enough to entertain.
With all this being said I also agree that todays society is not the same as it was when Shakespeare was more prevalent. Todays