The art of persuasion

I agree about "Macbeth". Great play! I still have a photo of my son from primary school, when they studied Macbeth and acted out some of the scenes. He was one of the witches in "When shall we three meet again? In thunder,lightning or in rain?" scene.

I am going to teach him Macbeth next.
He chose Hamlet after reading synopses of both, because his other grandparents live near Helsingor and he has been to the castle. And because he is Danish, of course, but not a prince, although he is to me.
I taught Macbeth when I was a teacher, but not Hamlet.

I did wonder about the Danish connection.

Goody goody! You'll be able to give Ana some advice. She seems very keen to know about how to teach Hamlet. Personally, I think it's a bit grim.

Oooh Hamlet - Benedict Cumberbatch. Yes!!

daphnedil did you actually read the OP before firing off jibes on here?
I think not.
More flies caught with honey than with vinegar etc.

Thanks for the informative answers although not for the snipes from the usual suspects.

I'm sure all we got at school was an instruction to 'read it' then we'd have a bit of a discussion in class then have to write an essay or two...not very inspiring!

Another way to reach Hamlet or Macbethe is to go to the Old Vic !! If you live near enoug of course. I was lucky enough to be able to go when I was doing English A level. Although what I actually went to see was Henry IV part one with Richard Burton playing Prince Hal - that dates me somewhat! My friend and I were able to go with the ALevel group above us who were doing the play. It was during the London smogs and we travelled home on the tube and then by the time we got off we could not see a hand in front of our faces! - had been clear when we left home - so we walked along the wall until we came to the place to turn off.
We could not get tickets for Macbeth which I gather was great with the troops rushing down the aisles onto the stage.
What novel are you reading with him*Jen *?

Pardon? I don't understand your point rosesarered. I thought Ana was asking a genuine question about teaching Hamlet. I was being polite (and I thought helpful) by answering. Why else would she have asked the question? The way literature is now taught has moved on from the days when we read some dusty and smelly old book in class and then wrote an essay, for which we were not prepared.

Please feel free to explain your accusation, because the only sniping I see is from you.

I agree with you Ww. There's nothing like seeing a Shakespeare play being performed. I was totally switched off by Shakespeare until I went on a school trip to Stratford. We're so fortunate now to have videos for those who can't see a live stage production.

Welshwife, having read all the usual Tolkein, as well as The Sylmarillion with him, I decided to go lighter. We read a Philippa Gregory, called Stormbringers, about the children's crusade last. It lead to reading about different philosophers, as well as finding out about whether the children's crusade was real.
What I hadn't realised was that it was the middle book of a trilogy, but the other two books were out of print. They have just come back in so I have ordered them for next term.

Sorry, Tolkien. You'd think I'd have got that right, wouldn't you?