How NOT to Hate Shakespeare | Rob Crisell | TEDxTemecula

Does Shakespeare make you feel dumb? Stop reading him and start experiencing him. Rob talks about using acting to teach Shakespeare to kids.
Rob Crisell has spent more than two decades in publishing, non-profit work, law, and commercial real estate. These days he’s a full-time writer and educator, teaching Shakespeare at local schools on behalf of Murrieta Valley Union School District and Shakespeare in the Vines. As an actor, he’s appeared in Merchant of Venice, Complete Works of Shakespeare, The Tempest, Romeo and Juliet, and Hamlet, among others. He’s the author of Red, White & Bard: A Celebration of Shakespeare in America, a one-man show slated to premier this winter. He’s a graduate of Yale University and George Mason University School of Law. His adventure novel for kids, The Zoo of Impossible Animals, was published this fall. He lives in Temecula with his wife Monisha and their two children.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at ted.com/tedx

[@lesleyjolly9273]

Nearly 40 years of teaching experience - English/Drama graduate - and I have to say this is one of the most inspiring 'how to' presentations I've ever seen! I love Shakespeare - the language and ideas are powerful. And students can be profoundly moved by his works. Watching a group of students argue passionately (and loudly) about Lady Macbeth's motives was one of my proudest moments! I would commend Rob Crisell's presentation to anyone!

[@miragracestudios5104]

Thank you so much, Lesley! I'm so glad you're doing Shakespeare with your students.

[@MegaMarygal]

Rob is a gifted actor, and fabulous teacher. He inspires students to LOVE Shakespeare!

[@courtneylovesreading4116]

He came to my class today to help us understand the story of Hamlet. He was an amazing speaker and actor. I was among the few students who gave him consistent eye contact while he spoke, so he chose me to be the first victim/volunteer to act out a scene along with another student.

[@courtneylovesreading4116]

Miranda Crisell Thank you so much for coming. My classmates, teacher, and I really enjoyed your presentation. Thank you for being so kind and accommodating by reading the lines out to me to repeat. You could have easily gotten scared off by my blindness and selected a different student, but you didn’t. Also, thanks for the awesome Shakespeare pin!

[@patyserrano3185]

I'm lucky to say that I've met and "worked" with Rob. He's inspired me to do so many things! Mr. Crisell, I met in sixth grade last year, and I have to say, I legitimately enjoyed his work. This summer I was able to perform in my first ever Shakespeare production, The Tempest. I wouldn't of done that performance if I didn't meet him. I wouldn't of become Prospero, I wouldn't have taken first place in the Shakespeare Monologue. If I never met this heavily completed Shakespeare genius, I'd never have been interviewed. So, today, I thank you Mr. Rob Crisell. Thank you for making me who I am.

[@robertc938]

Thank you so much! That is about as nice a note as I've ever received in my life. I greatly appreciate it. I know you'll do well throughout your life because you work so hard. God bless!

[@patyserrano3185]

Rob Crisell many thank sir!

[@jeffbbranham]

Brilliant as a retired educator of 38 years this is truly a blessing for teachers and students alike. Please keep up your efforts bravo

[@miragracestudios5104]

Thank you so much! Take care. --Rob

[@smallcreativecorner5930]

I have watched this Ted Talk at least 5 times over the year. Good teachers are so important. Had Julius Caesar's excerpt in 10th grade. I used to read it over and over. With every iteration, I used to understand a little more. When we had to actually study the play, our English teacher picked random people out of the class to enact the play. I was Calpurnia. I truly understood Shakespeare then. It lead me to read the complete Julius caesar and later Hamlet. Starting Shakespeare is always daunting. But if initiated properly, it could open a gate of some of the best stories ever written, which are relevant to this day. What Rob explains in this video is absolutely true. Those kids he is teaching are so lucky.

[@robertc938]

Thank you for your very kind comment!

[@natadamscole]

Bless this man xo

[@Owen_XD]

Broooo… he’s my poetry teacher

[@rdsavoca]

Great job, Rob! Well done! - R. Savoca

[@turtletube]

Are you complimenting yourself

[@appujosephjose6129]

I am reading all his plays one scene a day.

[@kamrulhassan9349]

Joy is the most wonderful thing in life.

[@David-live-love-laugh]

Very, very, well done!

[@dariaSorhaindo]

Thank you!

[@Swamprat422]

Wow. Illuminating and refreshing. Ok, I’m in, I’ll give Shakespeare another shot, with fresh eyes. Great video, thank you for sharing your brilliant well crafted and acted out thoughts, much appreciated!

[@imfromchina.4048]

I wish my teacher could see this.

[@Berniewahlbrinck]

Go tell her/him.

[@dominicsutherland1319]

Brilliant.

[@tedcrisell1]

bravo....!!!

[@franksmith7247]

I have difficult in understanding and appreciating Shakespeare. The language and the messages within are inaccessible to my mind. I struggle to relate or find enjoyment with the most basic of Shakespeare. The words seem to be written in 16th century code and the intertwining stories and their characters all seem to run together in my mind.

[@BeatlesCentricUniverse]

Shakespeare is not easy and takes work. You have to keep at it. Take one line at a time. Think about each line and go back to it over and over. Once you start to get it, one line at a time, you'll start to enjoy it! Check out How To Teach Your Children Shakespeare by Ken Ludwig. Not just for children. Ludwig uses well chosen and really famous examples of Shakespeare's writing. Great starting point.

[@kellydg471]

Don't try to understand him, go and see a performance and experience him.

[@iancossey105]

@a_slight_veneer_of_privacy "Nobody understands it anymore"? I think there may be at least a few thousand Shakespeare scholars out there who'd disagree with you :-)

[@tedcrisell1]

BRAVO!!!! VERY WELL DONE!!!!

[@robertc938]

Hi, Ted! I hope all is well. I'm glad you liked the talk. --Rob

[@tedcrisell1]

@@robertc938 ...well done!!!!

[@desertari]

Witty and insightful !

[@HD_Simplicityy]

I beg to differ William Shakespeare is as influential, or more, than the Bible. Was not mentioned. The hard thing is understanding his writing thematically and character-motivationally. Its harder to see that performed. Breaking apart his writing. Do that.

[@rutherhood5961]

It's funny because at this time I was ready to sit an exam on Macbeth, I hateddddd Shakespeare at the time, never having seen it and being forced into reading the words and they went straight over my head, it wasn't until I watched the Micheal Fassbinder movie that I got it, such a backwards education system we have, schools have become exam factories

[@gamers7800]

Unfortunately you saw the wrong version of Macbeth, you should have watched the 1971 version or the version from 1948 by Orson Wells.

[@scrippted9310]

This man is my poem teacher 💀

[@GUMMRUCHK]

If you want people to not hate Shakespeare then stop making it mandatory learning in high school learning about Shakespeare and his plays is not a justifiable mandatory class and even the kids in high school can see that. When this guy talks about all the people who still watch and listen to Shakespeare 400 years later that comes of as extremely hollow when you think about how much of that is just mandatory classes that untold numbers of students absolutely hate it doesn't really count when you force it on people.

[@maryamjaved3694]

Awesome

[@michaelappourchaux1521]

Methinks "To be or not to be" is Act III, sc.1

[@tomthx5804]

He should let his class cut off a pound of flesh

[@soslothful]

Hahahahahaha.

[@jordancridland9657]

Except in the play, he didn't get the flesh taken out so it would be anti-climax

[@soslothful]

@@jordancridland9657 I think you missed the point in the play. The pound of flesh was not taken because taking it would require blood to be taken too. Blood was not specified in the contract. A sort of legal technicality.

[@jordancridland9657]

@@soslothful Yeah, I know. I'm actully top of my class for English. All I'm saying is that it would be an anti climax for the class students who just have to see his bear chest rather than actually cutting him up. Sorry I had to explain my joke.

[@reyrey4993]

He kinda looks like Ryan Reynolds in 30 years.

[@miragracestudios5104]

I'm his daughter and let me just say trust me...he gets that A LOT XD

[@maryamjaved3694]

I love it

[@CaptainCritical]

The next Matt Damon? LoL Couldn't he have thought of a better example.

[@stuartgraham5045]

Is Shylock from Dundee?

[@mrgamersmith857]

1:54

[@mrgamersmith857]

7:38

[@priyakoul7558]

Too good!

[@elisepower7024]

Why does Shylock sound Scottish :P

[@hexaresal6487]

Anybody else think he looks like Ryan Reynolds?

[@volkerschmitt]

Act V, Scene 2 ?? hum ... not to be

[@mrgamersmith857]

16:11

[@Growa_pear]

NERDDDDDDDDDDDDD

[@Khak1]

ok

[@_Lobster_]

shashumga

[@helloeveryone1921]

still hate shakespeare after watching this

[@classact9557]

Shakespeare makes no freakin sense!!!! Change my mind

[@peterbrown7688]

If you think Shakespeare is greater than Cervantes may you remain silent and remain silent forever.

[@soslothful]

Perhaps each author may be for his own merit.

[@tamarfischer283]

Shakespeare was NOT talking about Auschwitz. Look at a timeline, dude. He was bad-mouthing Jews as any Christian in early modern England would.

[@miragracestudios5104]

Did you think that I thought Shakespeare was LITERALLY referring to Auschwitz? I'm sorry if that was confusing for you. But I have to disagree with your contention that Shakespeare was simply "bad-mouthing" Jews through MOV and Shylock. As indicated by numerous books, essays, and productions over the past century (for example, see Wrestling with Shylock, ed. Nahshon, 2017), Shylock and his place in MOV are much more complicated and profound.

[@Anicius_]

@@miragracestudios5104 what art thou?

[@maybebabyny]

The spitting thing is super weird and his Shylock is Bela Lugosi bad.