Change of Mind: Shakespeare

Up until today, I assure you that Shakespeare was not at the top of my reading list. In fact, the thought of reading Shakespeare made me cringe. I'm more of an Ellen Hopkins or Nicholas Sparks fan. Literature from the 1500s was not in my comfort zone, even though I had a delightful stroll through Shakespeare's home in Stratford on Avon and listened intently to the guide's story of his life and writings last Christmas. However, when it came time to actually sitting down with his works, neither the tricky craft of Shakespearean language nor its "vintage" seemed appetizing. Don't get me wrong; I'm always up for a challenge. However, I certainly wasn't ready to believe that his works applied to my time period. There's just no way.

So, today, when Mr. Allen asked the class to plop out King Lear, I wasn't too cheerful. The thick, purple cover did not bring any warm feelings. Rather, I was irritated. Kings? Kingdoms? No thanks. As my classmates sang aloud the words of Shakespeare, I felt perplexed. I mixed up characters like Gloucester and Kent repeatedly, and I couldn't grasp what Shakespeare was saying behind his confusing vocabulary.

But soon enough, Mr. Allen interrupted the play. He explained the characters and their personalities, such as King Lear's ignorance. Suddenly, things clicked. No longer did Shakespeare feel out of my reach. Mr. Allen's analysis connected to my 21st century lifestyle. Characters like Goneril and her insincerity reminded me of many people that I've encountered. And finally, Shakespeare's puns made sense!

Now, it seems funny that I was so "anti-Shakespeare." The craft of his language only adds to the literature's greatness. While it might've taken a while to understand this, I'm thankful to Mr. Allen for helping me. I've learned that language is immortal, which is why Shakespeare still applies to today.