Chapter 778: Tree Hill High School
Tuesday, March 28th, Noon
The bell rang, and the kids left the classroom to pass to their next class, activity, or free period. Standing up from behind his desk, he walked over to his classroom's window. He leaned on the sill and looked out to the high school grounds. His life was coming to a crossroads in about two weeks.
Lucas looked over the slowly greening grass. He liked to watch the lawn come to life every year. It was amazing to watch the cycle of the year. It was amazing to watch the cycle of the year, but this year, he wouldn't see the vibrant green as he would be recovering from his impending surgery.
With a sigh, he studied the world outside his window. Several students were outside; some were smoking, and others seemed to be having lunch. Lucas even noticed a young couple making out in a corner of the lawn.
Lucas smiled; he should go out there and break them up. But young love, or was it like those great writers of the modern English language Waters and Gilmour called Young Lust, in their opus? If he broke it up, Lucas felt it would be hypocritical, as he would do the same when he was young and in high school. It depended on which year of high school and which young woman he would be lip-locked with.
The door opened behind him; he turned around to see a student from his next class walk into the classroom. Lucas studied the student as they took their seat. Lucas stepped away from the window. Taking his seat behind the desk, he looked at the young student.
"Mister Scott," the student said.
"Yes, Harlow?" Lucas asked.
"We're covering Romeo and Juliet today?" Harlow asked.
Lucas nodded, "Yes, we are starting it today," he said.
"Oh, okay," Harlow said.
"Why do you ask?" Lucas asked.
"It scares me, Mister Scott," Harlow said.
"Why?" Lucas asked.
"I don't understand what they are saying," Harlow said.
"Why it's in English?" Lucas asked.
"It is?" Harlow asked.
"Yes, it is," Lucas said.
"Then why is it so hard?" Harlow asked.
"It's in a version of English known as Early Modern English or Elizabethian English," Lucas said, "We'll be covering that today as well."
"I still don't get it," Harlow said.
"Wait until you hear it in OP," Lucas said.
"What, Mister Scott?" Harlow asked.
"Nothing," Lucas said, nodded, picked up one of his books, and flipped through the pages. He found what he was looking for.
"Whan that Aprille with his shoures sote
The droghte of Marche hath perced to the rote,
And bathed every veyne in swich licour,
Of which vertu engendred is the flour," Lucas read aloud.
"What was that?" Harlow asked.
"English," Lucas said.
"No, it wasn't," Harlow said.
"In some regards, you're correct; it's in Middle English or Chaucer's English; it was the first four lines of the General Prologue of The Canterbury Tales," Lucas said.
"What did it say?" Harlow asked.
"It was setting up the time of year," Lucas said.
"Oh, I think I understood maybe two or three words," Harlow said.
"Because those words hadn't changed that much," Lucas said.
"How does it help me understand Romeo and Juliet?" Harlow asked.
"There are harder writers to read," Lucas said, "Stephan King for one."
"What?" Harlow asked.
Lucas changed the page and checked the text. He put the book down and then picked up the room's tablet. The smart board came to life, and words started to appear on the board.
Two households, both alike in dignity,
In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.
"What's that, Mister Scott?" Harlow asked.
"The first four lines of Romeo and Juliet," Lucas said, "Please, read it out loud."
"Two households, both alike in dignity, In fair Verona, where we lay our scene, From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean," Harlow read.
"Do you understand it better?" Lucas asked.
Harlow nodded, "More, it makes some sense compared to the first thing you read," Harlow said.
"What do you think it means?" Lucas asked.
"It sounds like the setup for the play," Harlow said.
"Yeah, that's what it is," Lucas said, "It's setting up what was happening before the play," Lucas put the tablet down and sat behind his desk.
"I don't get it," Harlow said.
"What don't you get?" Lucas asked.
"When I read it last night, I didn't get it, but when I read it with you, it started to make sense," Harlow said.
"Because Shakespeare wrote plays and not books, the lines are meant to be spoken out loud and heard," Lucas said.
Harlow nodded, "Why do we still study these old plays?" Harlow asked.
Lucas sighed, "The stage in Shakespeare's time set the foundations for modern entertainment, and the act arts, drama, comedy, tragedy, all find their roots from those stages," he said.
"What do you mean?" Harlow asked.
"Did you see the movie West Side Story?" Lucas asked.
Harlow nodded, "Yeah, I enjoyed it," Harlow said.
"It's loosely based on Romeo and Juliet. At one time, many Shakespeare's plays were adapted to the screen, several as teen movies," Lucas said.
"Like what?" Harlow asked.
"She's the Man is based on The Twelfth Night, a Shakespeare play, which involves some things that could be considered modern talking points," Lucas said.
Harlow nodded, "Okay," Harlow said.
"We'll take this up during class," Lucas said.
Harlow nodded, "Okay, Mister Scott," Harlow said.
Lucas nodded as more students started to enter the classroom.