Shakespeare

It is emerging that one of Seri’s passions and talents lie in Shakespeare and his works.

I guess part of it is genetic. My mother was given a set of his complete works (She then gave them to Matt) for her birthday as a teen and Matt and I have always loved his work and the stage. That has been about as far as we have taken it though….

For Seri it is something entirely different.  I like to think it all started when she was an infant in El Paso, Texas and we would take her to this place cut out of the mountains for “Shakespeare on the rocks”.  It was all decked out in Elizabethan theme and it was an outdoor stage so the weather and sky were an awesome component.  They would also use trails on the mountain so that people and horses were coming off the mountain. It was always truly an amazing production.

A few years ago she had the opportunity to take a pretty in depth Shakespeare class. Of course she jumped at the chance.  They studied the times, culture, and language and then each read 17 of his works individually, gave an oral presentation and then put on a play at the end of the year.  Pretty intense, even if it had been a college course.

Thus, my home became a place where references to his works were talked about, discussed and rehearsed.  Even the two year old would walk around quoting from his plays.

I was surprised at the ease with which my children were able to comprehend Shakespearean language.  Plenty of adults have issues with understanding it and figuring out what the plot of the play is.  When discussing this with a friend she said she has found that children who were raised hearing and reading aloud from the scriptures on a daily basis are usually able to pick up the cadence and meaning of Shakespearean language fairly easy as it is in many ways comparable to the language used in the scriptures.  chalk another benefit up to family scripture reading!

This year she again had the chance to take Shakespeare and while a lot of the other kids she has been going to class with have moved on to other things she wouldn’t miss it for the world.

This is her latest sonnet.  I must say I am rather impressed, even if I am a proud and biased mom.

The ultimate pain of the war called love

None of Olympus dares to enter the fray

The beat echoes off of the whitest dove

Delivering letters of love they say

To knights who hold hearts captive unknowing

Colors are raised on three sides of the field

In response to the reply that is showing

But the fair mistress of this battle yields

Mother Earth stays her hand and views mans toils

As he fights for the woman of his dreams

Against many men which fight to make her spoil

Fragrance caused by scented lotions and creams

Making the rose smell even more alluring

But she is a prize that is enduring.

-Serenitie R. M. Olson