Why Shakespeare?

A couple months ago a friend came over and we ended up talking Home-School – go figure!

 

 

One of the subjects we addressed, albeit briefly, was Shakespeare.  She asked why we need to study Shakespeare?  Honestly, I knew it was super important, but could not specifically tell her why.  I told her it was important because it really set up entertainment for everything we read or watch.

And yes, we  have been reading  some Shakespeare for 3 years  now.  We read this book:

Beautiful Stories from Shakespeare for Children

 

This is a great book – it is a Shakespeare story – but told so children can understand it – and the adult stuff is tamed down.   I have loved this book, because honestly I really understood Shakespeare for the first time.

We love that book, but this year we are reading a few more as well.

Bard of Avon The Story of William Shakespeare

 

Tales from Shakespeare

And, wow!  We have loved reading this book and really learning so much more about Shakespeare!

 

So Shakespeare was obviously a playwright – but do you realize that his plays set up almost every store we know today.  At the root of it is usually some sort of “Shakespearian” story-telling.

 

 

Also, during his time, between ten and twelve thousand words created,  in the years 1500- 1650.  Crazy!  So many of those words roll off your tongue without you even knowing where they came from!!

Check out this list :

Tongue-tied

Fool’s paradise

Budge an inch

Seen better days

Fair play

Played fast and loose

Green-eyed jealousy

Dead as a doornail

Set your teeth on edge

Without rhyme or reason

Laughing stock

At one fell swoop

Give the devil his due

Send him packing

Foregone conclusion

Melted into thin air

The long and short of it

As luck would have it

So, once again I have to confess, I think I love this homeschool thing more than even my kids!  I love learning this stuff – this stuff that I never got when someone was trying to teach me!! 

I love homeschooling!!  I really love home-learning!!