Reminiscing

My previous experiences with Shakespeare consist of the rather ordinary encounters one has with such things in grade school. I remember, in fourth grade, reading and acting (in a minor role, mind you) in A Midsummer Night's Dream. My classmates and I designed the set and our costumes. After that, I recall making a decision in my mind that I should be a playwright. Unfortunately, that thought didn't last long.



In middle school I read Two Gentleman of Verona–to this day, I can hardly remember it. (I think there was some cross dressing?) In high school I read several of Shakespeare's plays. I can remember Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Macbeth, and Julius Caesar. 


I also remember, at some point in my grade school career, building a miniature model of the Globe Theater out of foam core and paper. It was a good model; it was to scale, it was painted. I was proud of it. It's a good memory.

Shakespeare has always intrigued me with his ability to craft stories that have lasted so long and have proven to be so timeless. What is it that makes his plays this way? I still don't think I have an answer for that. Sure, people can relate to the characters. They have depth and can be thoroughly analyzed. But still, even at the fundamental level of entertainment, what makes these stories so likable? Maybe I will figure it someday.

I enjoy classic literature. I love to think, and to think about thinking. Things that people do and the decisions they make are fascinating to me (this is also interesting when considering how Shakespeare decided to have his characters make certain decisions). I love design. I am a designer. I enjoy solving problems through designing, and finding cause and effect through visual interaction as well as interaction with information. Design is powerful–it influences how people think and how they make decisions. The way they interact with what is designed can lead them to action. All of these things enthrall me.

I hope to, throughout this blog, find connections between Shakespeare and design. Perhaps I can contribute some useful thoughts to similar conversations in these areas.