Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Higher Education Is Scary

This whole thing is totally random. Blame Keely.


  • School starts next week. I'm taking English Literature and Shakespeare. There's really nothing to say beyond I. AM. SCARED. Hold me!

  • I'm trying to cram in as much pleasure reading as possible in the next 6 days because (please refer back to bullet point #1). I mean really. DAMN.

  • We're going back to Wisconsin on Thursday for a couple of days - one last hoorah before the weather turns, which is kind of funny because if anything, the weather never "turned" to summer here, so basically we're going to enjoy our last weekend of shitty weather before school starts. Because (please refer back to bullet point #1). What was I thinking?

  • I mean, I LIKE Shakespeare and all. I used to read him all the time in high school. But his words are wordy and word-filled. Not to mention...WHAT THE FUCK DOES "galliard" MEAN? I have a feeling this will challenge me in a challenging sort of mental challenge.

  • Did I mention this is an upper-division level course? Which means I don't have to just read stuff, I have to understand it, and then I have to create arguments about it and then defend those arguments, but of course the ability to do all of that goes back to the point about understanding it. And it's Shakespeare, ya'll. Not exactly Dick & Jane, if you know what I mean.

  • Throw on top of that an English Literature course which begins with such light reading as fucking BEOWULF. Are you familiar with the joy that is Beowulf? NO?!? Then consider yourself blessed by god. I lived through this hell back in high school and I am just so pumped to do it again. Truly.


  • Have I mentioned bullet point #1 yet?
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11 comments:

  1. expateekAugust 18, 2009 8:40 AM

    Here's a suggestion. Read the Shakespeare aloud, or listen to books on tape, or rent every dvd performance there is of whatever you're reading. They are plays, after all, and they're a lot easier to understand when they're off the page.

    Beowolf is possibly also available in a Spoken Book format at your local library as well. Really, give yourself every opportunity to enjoy the works -- sometimes letting someone else do the reading gives you a different way of learning. Good luck!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Mrs JonesAugust 18, 2009 8:58 AM

    Dear Ms Bones

    May I introduce you to Katyboo? She's a lovely lady who lives in Leicester, England, who goes to the theatre A LOT. (I think expateek is familiar with her work and can confirm her brilliance). And one of the things she does occasionally on her blog is interpret Shakespeare in a modern day manner. Here, check these out, they'll suddenly make a LOT more sense:

    http://katyboo1.wordpress.com/2009/07/17/the-merchant-of-venice-by-katyboo/

    http://katyboo1.wordpress.com/2009/06/16/tuesday-16th-june-hamlet-and-aristotle-sitting-in-a-tree/

    http://katyboo1.wordpress.com/2009/06/01/monday-1st-june-much-ado-about-nothing-boo-stylie/

    http://katyboo1.wordpress.com/2009/05/06/king-lear-by-katyboo-the-long-version-you-will-need-cushions/

    http://katyboo1.wordpress.com/2009/04/10/othello-by-katyboo/

    ReplyDelete
  3. miss. chiefAugust 18, 2009 9:12 AM

    i agree with expateek, when i had to read oedipus (which is by no means boring) i still had trouble with it, so i found a crappy movie of it on youtube and it was a bit easier to follow.

    ReplyDelete
  4. CaseyAugust 18, 2009 9:34 AM

    I think I'm the only person out there who hates Shakespeare. Fuck that dead dude, he's dumb. Good luck with school though.

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  5. KMcJosephAugust 18, 2009 11:46 AM

    Beowulf is definetly a "guys" book. I enjoyed the hell out of it. Try reading "Grendel" which is a book told from the point of view of the monster that is in Beowulf. It is different and awesome.

    ReplyDelete
  6. MichelleAugust 18, 2009 1:38 PM

    I read Beowulf in middle school for no damn reason. For reals. Stop crying.

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  7. KatAugust 18, 2009 2:35 PM

    I hate Beowulf with the fire of a thousand hells.

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  8. MicheleAugust 18, 2009 4:06 PM

    What were you thinking? Any class that you can't just regurgitate facts is just too hard.

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  9. IBAugust 18, 2009 4:44 PM

    Beowulf makes Shakespeare seem like a walk in yon park anon.

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  10. Captain DumbassAugust 18, 2009 9:31 PM

    Hmm... I didn't mind Beowulf. Anyway, I'm pretty sure that if you went back in time and asked Shakespeare an English Lit question about one of his works he'd be all, "dude, I was just trying to get laid. What the fuck are you talking about?"

    ReplyDelete
  11. http://howtobecomeacatladywithoutthecats.blogspot.comAugust 19, 2009 5:15 AM

    I love to read, but I always messed up literature courses in college... it was like I had read a different book than everyone else.

    ReplyDelete

You.Yeah, you. Speak the fuck up.

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