Redheaded Jill

**Disclaimer: I am not an academic. This is based on my humble (not so humble) opinion.

I’m pretty sure I’ve written before about different love stories that drive me crazy. For example, I refuse to watch the Titanic. I think everything about the story is horrible and I’m pretty sure the boat was intentionally sunk to kill off anyone of importance who opposed the federal reserve and going off the gold standard. BUT… some love stories aren’t really “love” stories.

One such story is Romeo and Juliet. I can appreciate Shakespeare sometimes. I can see his brilliance and the hilarity of the comedies. But dadgum, some of it got so dark! (Titus Andronicus(?) anyone?)

Suicide is not romantic. Sorry not sorry. Romeo is flighty and impetuous. He would have made Juliet a miserable husband had they lived. And Juliet was practically an infant. Her life may have been miserable without Romeo, but it was cut short with Romeo. I don’t like how celebrated the story is and I don’t like to see glorified suicide.

Truth be told, my dislike of Leonardo DiCaprio and Clare Danes may be largely due to Romeo and Juliet. I don’t know if I didn’t care for them so it made the play worse OR if I hate the play so I dislike the actors more…

I much prefer Beatrice and Benedick from Much Ado About Nothing. I also liked A Midsummer Night’s Dream, As You Like It, Taming of the Shrew, and I remember laughing out loud during Merchant of Venice. I would like to read more, and maybe someday I will. If you haven’t seen David Tennant in Much Ado you DEFINITELY should. He’s amazing. Also Kiss Me Kate with Howard Keel and Kathryn Grayson is based on Taming of the Shrew. (It’s kind of meta… life mimics art with music added.)

What’s your favorite work of Shakespeare?