Old Shakespeare is a New Bestseller

When I saw the PBS advertisement for Richard II, I passed right over it. However the ad stayed with me and I got to thinking about Shakespeare as a writer. He died nearly 500 years ago.  Why are we still reading his work?  I'll be honest: the language in his plays throws me.

I recently watched the movie Green for Danger and, while somewhat interesting from an historical viewpoint, it was so stilted, it was laughable - right down to the women who don't know how to do anything but scream. What makes 500-year old stuff better than 50-year old work? I decided to watch PBS and find out.

The language still sounds foreign but with this adaptation it didn't matter. Superb performances and real settings made the play understandable. I was caught up in the palace intrigue, the political jockeying, the emotional and physical struggles of the characters.

I finally saw Shakespeare's incredible craft. In this production, his plotting, his pacing, and his character development could be easily seen. The dialogue was tight; no wasted words. Now I understand why actors work so hard to master these roles. If they can convey Shakespeare successfully, they can do anything; whether that means portraying John of Gaunt or a star ship captain.

Why am I praising this television series so highly? Because it demonstrates that, over the expanse of time, Shakespeare still communicates and he does it extremely well. I watched and understood the struggles of King Richard II and his court. I rooted for Henry and cringed when the bad guys were beheaded. The English language may have changed but the basics of telling a good story have not.

Shakespeare wrote to sell tickets; not to be studied in literature class.  He was popular in his time and remains so in ours because he was so successful in capturing the human condition. We may not like Richard but we understand him. Perhaps we would not actually take poison but we remember how it felt to be young and in love. Shakespeare told stories about being human and his writing is a mirror in which we see ourselves. Few writers have accomplished that so successfully. I have no doubt that were he writing today, we would all happily pay to watch movies made from his screenplays.

I don't expect everyone to become fans of Shakespeare's plays but, if you have a chance, give this series a try. Enjoy the drama and the performances and give the Bard credit. He is one of the best to ever put pen to paper and now I have a better understanding as to why. He is a great communicator.

I Say Happy New Year and Mean It

I took a couple of weeks off to recover from a bad cold (the flu perhaps?) and to enjoy the holidays. Now it is a new year and I got to thinking about what we all mean when we wish one another a happy one.

Certainly happiness is the cardinal desire of all of us. We wish it for ourselves and probably harbor some hope that if we wish it for others, the goodwill will somehow influence the kind of year we will experience. These past couple of years have been tough on a lot of people. Sadly, I know too many who lost their jobs and/or their homes. In some cases, friends lost their parents and even their health. Many of us are connected in some way to the horrific losses suffered by those who went through Hurricane Sandy.  So when I wish folks a happy new year, I am really saying that I hope 2013 is a lot better than 2012.  You probably feel the same way.

A recent PBS program segment about happiness (Learn more about it here.) was on This Emotional Life and I happened to catch it while taking down the holiday decorations. The general consensus was that happiness is a choice. We can decide to be happier by concentrating on the good things.  Sound overly simplistic? Many think so however there is evidence that positive psychology can help improve emotional outlook. And when we are in a better place emotionally, we may be better equipped to deal with whatever Life throws at us.

The program spoke to people with real problems and examined their responses to their difficulties.  As their stories progressed, we saw the subjects gradually feel better about themselves and their circumstances by changing their focus from what was wrong in their lives to what was right. Through various means including counseling and forgiveness training, they moved through their grief or anger. This is not cure for cancer, although the patient said she felt emotional relief, but it might have helped one man find a job. No one wants to hire a grump.

So I am wishing you a happy new year and meaning every word of it.  May you find a long list of things to celebrate and may your 2013 be a very good year for you indeed.

Thinking Clearly

During a Charlie Rose PBS interview on July 7, 2008, David McCullough, writer of best sellers about some of this country’s most interesting history, said, “To write well is to think clearly.”

That struck me the moment I heard it. There is magic in words that are on target and that exactly convey the message. As readers, we recognize good writing even if we don’t always agree with the statements it contains.

Thoughtful contemplation is rare in these times. We rush to communicate, tapping out text messages, grabbing our cell phones and firing off emails. However, the more instantaneous the words, the less meaning they seem to carry.

I once taught a business communication workshop in which a young man complained that his emails prompted cubicle visits from angry colleagues. As we examined his process, we discovered that he replied immediately to emails. Instead of taking a moment to digest what he had read and organize his thoughts about it, he responded right away because he thought that is what he was supposed to do. Unfortunately his desire to be high-speed was promoting tension in his department and jeopardizing his career.

Taking a few extra moments up front saves time later. For our intent to be clear, we must understand what we are about to say. We must examine every word for its true meaning and we have to consider how our words will be interpreted by our readers. By being precise in what we say initially, we don’t have to restate it later.

McCullough is right. I write my best when I am knowledgeable about my topic and when I have carefully considered what I will say and how I will say it. In other words - when my head is clear.