The Rover

During The Rover, it was very hard for me to keep track of what was going on between characters. It reminded me of how I feel when reading Shakespeare plays. I always have a general idea of the plot by watching or reading intently, but I lack a knowledge of the details that typically come with reading the English language. Reading and hearing Old English is like reading or hearing a completely different language. Spanish and German are the equivalents of Old English. I can't imagine having to memorize the lines of the play or to place myself in the shoes of one of the characters by dressing and presenting myself in a similar manner to how they would have acted in those days. I don't think that teaching Shakespeare or presenting plays such as The Rover is completely necessary. We no longer live in that age and no one speaks as they did back then. Every well-known play that was written during that time has been adapted to a modern version. Why do we need to learn the older versions? I would be just as happy knowing that there is a previous version and I would respect that someone had written the play in such a complex language, but I have never found enjoyment in reading the plays. I love English and it is my favorite subject, but I absolutely hate the drama unit. I really would like to know why we teach Shakespeare. I'm not trying to be rude, but why is it needed?