Does Shakespeare annoy the wits out of you?

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I am reading King Lear in my British Lit. Class this semester, and it annoys the daylights out of me....in fact, so does the rest of Shakespears's works!!
All the mistaken identity, the lack of communication amongst the characters, and the catty deception.. it's all so disorganized that it makes me want to take some extra time on the punching bag!
Anyone else hate Shakespeare for these reasons (or other reasons perhaps?)

I would probably like Shakespeare if someone would just translate his prose into modern English.

I love translating it!! ! I love the technical aspect. It's the situations that bug me

They're 16th Century soap operas, which explains their appeal. (I write the obvious,)

Shakespeare's stories are pretty good. Some of them become great movies and pop culture success.

TVland has its conventions; Shakespeare's time had its conventions. Neither are realistic. But, oh, the language and poetry of Shakespeare!

I've been assured over the years by pretentious literature snobs that my dislike of Shakespeare is due either to my own stupidity or something being lost in translation between Middle English and Modern English. I don't buy it. Even when it's translated into Modern English, I still don't find Shakespeare nearly as brilliant and clever as he's made out to be. I wonder how many people genuinely enjoy Shakespeare and how many people simply nod their heads in polite reverence.

According to this article, I'm not alone:

I actually kind of like Shakes....

Via my mediocre American education I've only been exposed to Julius Caesar, Romeo & Juliet, Macbeth, Hamlet, The Tempest, and maybe one or two more...

Sometimes getting through the plays was hard work, but I always found something worthwhile in them--something new to think about or something that improved me in some way.

The biggest problem with Shakespeare is the way his works are (usually) taught. Basically,students are simply charged with reading the works and perhaps told to look for certain themes... The thing is, these works are meant to be experienced as performance, not read! The language is difficult enough. This wrong approach to teaching simply compounds the problem of understanding them.

Here's the way I attack Shakespeare. I read the play. I watch the play. I read the play again and refer to a summary/analysis text such as 'no fear Shakespeare" if I'm still having problems grasping the meaning. Finally, I WATCH THE PLAY AGAIN!

This method is hard work, but sometimes that's what it takes.

As far as the OP's criticisms go, certainly, some of Shaky's methods and plot devices are a bit silly.

But there's also something basic, true, and compelling at the heart of his best stories that make them worthy of consideration. Who hasn't asked Hamlet's question or felt Romeo's passion? And don't get me started on Julius Caesar! There's so much there that people should be thinking about (fate vs free will, personal ambition vs public service, compromise vs stubbornness, the power of words and the danger of the mob, etc...) even though most people aren't...

Call me a literate snob, but I rather like Shakespeare. I admit, I only really came to have an appreciation for the bard while in college, when I had taken a required Shakespeare class, but it turned out to be one of the most enjoyable classes I had ever taken. I loved the language, as that it was almost foreign, but at the same time, it wasn't. The first assigned play, The Taming Of The Shrew, I admit I could barely make heads or tales out of. But as time passed, I had gotten use to the English of Shakespeare's time.
Without a doubt, my favorite play by Shakespeare is Othello, and, dare I say it, my favorite character was Iago. What can I say, I've got a soft spot for bad guys, and few can match Iago in villainy!

-Bill, otherwise known as Kraichgauer

I don't like TV either...so that probably explains it....I can't stand the lack of communication between characters!! ! These stories are dull, long-winded and pointless!

I hear William Shakespeare is going to start a blog called http://tobeornottobe.blogspot.com/

Doth he dare Sir Brootay? He doth! Well play William, well played.

HATE his works. Think the man did an awful lot for the english language and I respect him for that, but honestly I find his works teeth-pullingly awful. It's actually the main reason I'm put off studying for an english degree, as two thirds of it will be based around his works.

Teeth-pullingly!! I like that Monkee4eva!! I couldn't agree with you more!!