'Bottom, thou art translated.'

[davem]

ANd then I found this
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/liv...n_page_id=1770

Now, I can actually see that this kind of (very) simplified 'primer' might be of some use in getting across the basics of the stories for those with no knowledge of the plays, but I can't see that these 'translations' have any real value beyond that. But I wonder how similar these 'translations' of Shakepeare are to some of the modern translations of Tolkien? Now, admittedly, there are versions of these comics which use the original language, but what really annoyed me was the 'Peter Jackson-ish' approach of Clive Bryant, Chairman of the company behind the project:

"We want to make Shakespeare as energetic and colourful as Spiderman" he told the Times Educational Supplement.

I've heard some trendy producers claim that if Shakespeare were around today he'd be writing scripts for Eastenders (a badly written soap opera about depressed Cockerney's going to the pub & having fights among the market stalls) but the idea that if he was around now he'd be writing superhero comics takes the biscuit. Surely Shakespeare plays a few divisions above Stan Lee? Or am I wrong - do the 'boring' plays of W.S. have to be raised up to the level of our friendly neighbourhood web-slinger?

As an aside, I can't help but compare the quality of illustrations in these editions with the work of illustrators like Walter Crane (Faerie Queene), Gustave Dore (Paradise Lost) & Aubrey Beardsley (Morte d'Arthur). Thwack! Crump! Aaargh!

[Bêthberry]

Originally Posted by davem

ANd then I found this
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/liv...n_page_id=1770

Oh dear, and they have the stamp of approval from the National Association for the Teaching of English. I suppose the teachers there think that poetry and metre and rhyme don't play any role in the art of reading.

On the other hand, if they had Neil Gaiman to write the lines and some of his illustrators . . . now there'd be something indeed to stimulate some imaginations. Come to think of it, why don't they just use some of the Sandman graphic novels to reach out to Shakespeare?

[davem]

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

Oh dear, and they have the stamp of approval from the National Association for the Teaching of English. I suppose the teachers there think that poetry and metre and rhyme don't play any role in the art of reading.

And because they see it as an acceptable way of teaching Shakespeare they assume there's no problem - to me the fact that they see some kind of 'equivalence' speaks volumes about their own limitations. I recall a Minister in the Education Department some years back claiming Bob Dylan was a greater poet than Keats. Now, I think Dylan has produced some great songs, & is a gifted artist, but greater than Keats?? But then this attitude seems to be a commonplace - 'If Ithink Dylan is greater than Keats then Dylan is greater than Keats. If I think Eastenders is comparable to Lear then it is. If I think Shakespeare needs bringing up to the standard of Spiderman, then lets get the comic book writers to 'adapt' the stories'. Someone should tell

Ian McNeilly, director of the National Association for the Teaching of English

he needs educating. This is dumbing Shakespeare down to the level of the lowest common denominator & telling kids who read the 'quick' versions that they've read Shakespeare. In reality, its not 'Shakespeare' at all, in any way, shape or form.

Actually, a few years back the BBC produced some animated versions of Shakespeare's plays, using narration & original text, which would serve far better as introductions:
Hamlet http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=sFDb8S...elated&search=
The Tempest http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=7SeJza...elated&search=
(They also produced adaptations of The Canterbury Tales, btw)

[obloquy]

Yeah, yeah. We get your intellectual outrage. blah. The comics are intended to spark an interest in Shakespeare, not replace his work. It sounds to me like the kids these are intended for would either get very little out of reading Shakespeare (due to their lack of interest), or wouldn't read him at all.

Originally Posted by Article

They are targeted at older primary pupils and teenagers

These are for children. Where's the harm?

But then this attitude seems to be a commonplace - 'If Ithink Dylan is greater than Keats then Dylan is greater than Keats."

So "Dylan is greater than Keats" is just some crackpot's dissenting opinion, but "Keats is greater than Dylan" is an objectively established fact? Who do you think you are?

[davem]

Originally Posted by obloquy

These are for children. Where's the harm?

Well, there's a real danger that they might not be able to tell the difference between Dylan & Keats when they grow up.

[obloquy]

Originally Posted by davem

Well, there's a real danger that they might not be able to tell the difference between Dylan & Keats when they grow up.

I know you're just trying to be clever so I don't expect you to explain how that might follow from Shakespeare comics.

I don't see the disaster, though. Kids come out of high school not knowing the difference between capitalism and communism, too; they're not given any sort of perspective on Pearl Harbor and the horrific culmination of U.S. retaliation; they're made to read Hemingway and completely ignore Dostoevsky; they learn to sing Disney songs in music class instead of being exposed to Chopin and Dvorak. There's a lot of things to whine about when it comes to education. So what? It'd be nice if everybody's idea of what constitutes a meaningful education could be fulfilled in tax-supported schools, but it's not going to happen, and a comic book used to spark an interest in Shakespeare is better than ignoring him altogether, whether deliberately through curriculum, or through the kids' lack of interest.

Whether Dylan is "greater" than Keats remains a matter of opinion, regardless of how hard you blow.

[davem]

Originally Posted by obloquy

I know you're just trying to be clever so I don't expect you to explain how that might follow from Shakespeare comics.

They aren't 'Shakespeare' comics. The 'quick' versions contain nothing of Shakespeare's poetry, & the full versions, which contain the original text, are redundant. And the 'art' is terrible....

a comic book used to spark an interest in Shakespeare is better than ignoring him altogether, whether deliberately through curriculum, or through the kids' lack of interest.

Oh, believe me, there are many 'educationalists' in this country who would love nothing better than to dump Shakespeare altogether & replace him with something more 'relevant'. This is their attempt to make Shakespeare 'easy' - not for the kids, but for the teachers.

Whether Dylan is "greater" than Keats remains a matter of opinion, regardless of how hard you blow.

No its isn't. Keats is greater than Dylan. Bach is greater than Andrew Lloyd Webber. Tolkien is greater than Robert Jordan. etc, etc, etc I place no value on 'opinion' at all, unless its the informed opinion of someone who knows what they're talking about & can offer some evidence in support. Now, I'm not saying that Keats is more 'popular' than Dylan, but that's another issue. 'I prefer 'X' to 'Y'' is totally different to ''X' is greater than 'Y''. The problem is that some (the minister I mentioned for instance) don't make that distinction.