This should be interesting
I'm taking an introductory course to Shakespeare this semester, and I think it'll be fun. I know the teacher, I've had him before and he's neat. Plus, I have a friend in there, and that makes it the one class I have with a built-in study buddy. There're also just eight students, so the discussions should be pretty good.
But there's this girl. She apparently grew up in England (I don't know if she's an exchange student, an army brat, or just moved. Either way England to Wyoming is a big jump). That's neat! I've always wanted to go there, and she comes in with a much different perspective than the rest of us.
There's just one little hitch--she's really elitist. In the first class, she said that people who have trouble with Shakespeare are "stupid" because "It's so easy, you twit" (to a member of the class). And apparently, American English is inferior to British English. Because, y'know, there's only one valid way to say anything. And Shakespeare must never be changed or adapted in any form because it's SACRILEDGE and how DARE YOU BUILD ON THE WORK OF THE BARD. By which I mean she has insisted that the only place to see Shakespeare is the Globe, props should be minimal if present, and any change to the setting or cutting of lines for a theatre or movie production should get the director shot (Quote "I want to shoot them [when they do that].")
She has also used the phrase "Stupid Americans" several times. Not in reference to specific people, either.
So I sort of hate her. Being from England does not make her Shakespeare's avatar, nor does it mean that she has a sekrit, special understanding of the material.
She and I spent the entire class smiling politely and saying things like "Well, I can see your point, but... (it's full of crap and this is why)."
It's going to be an interesting semester. And we aren't even reading the plays yet.
But there's this girl. She apparently grew up in England (I don't know if she's an exchange student, an army brat, or just moved. Either way England to Wyoming is a big jump). That's neat! I've always wanted to go there, and she comes in with a much different perspective than the rest of us.
There's just one little hitch--she's really elitist. In the first class, she said that people who have trouble with Shakespeare are "stupid" because "It's so easy, you twit" (to a member of the class). And apparently, American English is inferior to British English. Because, y'know, there's only one valid way to say anything. And Shakespeare must never be changed or adapted in any form because it's SACRILEDGE and how DARE YOU BUILD ON THE WORK OF THE BARD. By which I mean she has insisted that the only place to see Shakespeare is the Globe, props should be minimal if present, and any change to the setting or cutting of lines for a theatre or movie production should get the director shot (Quote "I want to shoot them [when they do that].")
She has also used the phrase "Stupid Americans" several times. Not in reference to specific people, either.
So I sort of hate her. Being from England does not make her Shakespeare's avatar, nor does it mean that she has a sekrit, special understanding of the material.
She and I spent the entire class smiling politely and saying things like "Well, I can see your point, but... (it's full of crap and this is why)."
It's going to be an interesting semester. And we aren't even reading the plays yet.