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Is Shakespeare Too Out Of Touch For Children To Read Today

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Whether you’ve read his stories or not, you’ve probably heard of Shakespeare. He’s constantly discussed by historians and authors. You may have had to read on of his plays or sonnets before in school, and wondered why you were reading a story by someone who spoke so differently with wit, confused by most conversations. But how do we know if Shakespeare is finally too out of touch for kids to read today? The truth is, William Shakespeare, author, playwright, poet, and actor, a man from the 16th Century, influenced how we talk in so many ways. When none of the words worked for the feeling he wanted to give, Shakespeare made his own words. Words such as bedazzled and torture exist because of him. “Without him, our vocabulary would be just too different. He gave us uniquely vivid ways in which to express hope and despair, sorrow and rage, love and lust,” (Anderson 2). If Shakespeare had not lived, someone else might have enhanced or small vocabulary, but how well could they have …show more content…
His humor also seems to be out of date. At times, you have to spend hours just figuring out what he means with the different names and words. This has often made students and adults reluctant to read the plays and sonnets. Characters, depending on gender and race, are represented the same way every time, upsetting people and causing problems. This can happen more for those who fight for gender equality, especially with the female characters. “All of Shakespeare's major female characters are gruesomely reliant on male attention. And if you aren't a leading lady, start practising your deferential maid,” (Beech 10). His humor is forgotten if you get distracted by all of the smaller effects, when someone takes an insult or serious comment and makes fun of the words or creates a dumb joke. Occasionally you can receive an epiphany, but often times you are left in doubt of what was just

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