Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Should We Modernize Shakespeare?

The Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland OR is commissioning a group of experienced playwrights to rewrite the plays into modern language, for better comprehension and therefore more participation by the "I can't understand what they're saying" crowd. The language of the Bard just sounds so beautiful to the ear, and we can hope they don't muck with "Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow..." or "With love's light wings..." but Juliet's "I should have been more strange" would make more sense if she says what Shakespeare intended, which is "I should have been more discreet (less impulsive)..." They say that they intend to have some plays in modern language and some in Elizabethan. 

What do you think, upon sober consideration? 

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