Using the word Shakespeare within any classroom in the 21st century
在21世纪的课堂内使用莎士比亚这个字，
has become almost as dangerous for teachers as putting balloons in a toaster.
对老师而言其危险程度就像把气球放在烤面包机里一样。
After uttering this simple word, the common teacher is met with a mass of groans, moans, devastated looks,
在说出这个简单的字之后，老师会碰到一片哀嚎、呻吟及绝望的表情，
and the occasional chair tossed in his or her direction.
偶尔还会被丢椅子。
But Shakespearean works are not boring, confusing, long and painful plays written more than 400 years ago.
但莎士比亚的作品，并不是在400多年前所写下的无聊、难懂、又臭又长的剧本。
They're adventures relating to the extremities of human nature:
他们是冒险故事，诉说着人性的极端：
love, hate, jealousy, zealous ambition, fear, mistrust, deception, and murder.
爱、恨、嫉妒、狂热的野心、恐惧、怀疑、欺诈和谋杀。
We owe much of our own language to his invention.
我们自己的语言很多要归功于他的创造。
He invented over 2,000 words for use in his plays, which still remain in the Oxford English Dictionary.
他创造了超过二千个字，在他的戏剧中使用，而今仍然保留在牛津英语词典里。
Words like 'countless' and 'assassination' as well as phrases like 'one fell swoop,' 'foul play'
像“无数”及“暗杀”这些单词，还有像“一举”、“诈欺”这样的词组，
and even 'to be in a pickle' all originated from William's brilliant brain.
甚至是“陷入绝境”，都是来自威廉充满才气的脑袋。
And there are many echoes of Shakespeare's romantic language too.
此外，还有很多仿效莎士比亚的浪漫语言。

If you read 'Romeo and Juliet', you'll come across sentences like,
如果你读罗密欧与朱丽叶，你会碰到词句像是，
'She doth teach the torches to burn bright,' and, 'So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows.'
“火炬远不及她的明亮”及“像鸦群中一头白鸽蹁跹”
Both are quite clever metaphors, suggesting that Juliet is both exceptionally beautiful and far moreso than anyone else.
这两句都是相当高明的隐喻，暗示朱丽叶分外美丽、姿貌绝伦。
'For thou art as glorious to this night, being o'er my head, as is a winged messenger of heaven,'
“你在这黑夜里如此地明亮，在我上方（使我仰望），如同天堂那有翼的使者。”
is a simile suggesting angelic qualities of the lady in question.
是一个明喻，暗示此淑女天使般的素质。
This is not too different from today's comments like, 'Hey, beautiful!' and, 'You're the hottest girl in the room.'
这和今天的说法区别不是太大，比如“嗨， 美女！”，“你是这屋里最有魅力的女孩”。
Shakespeare also uses slightly more complex metaphors to describe the intentions of a mischievous man.
莎士比亚也用稍微复杂一点的暗喻来形容一个公子哥儿的轻薄意图。
For instance, 'This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this: My lips, two blushing pilgrims,
例如，“要是我这俗手上的尘污亵渎了你的神圣的庙宇，这两片嘴唇，
ready stand to smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss,' essentially means, 'I wish to kiss you.'
含羞的信徒，愿意用温柔的一吻祈求你宽恕，”其实就是在说“我想要亲你”。
Such male intentions were not limited to simple pecks on the cheek either.
像这样的男性意图并不只限于在脸颊上的轻轻一啄而已。
An intentional ambiguity was often used as a cheeky means to proposition marriage or a more intimate relationship.
故意含糊常被用作厚脸皮的手段来求婚，或建立一种更亲密的关系。
Therefore, instead of viewing Shakespearean works as out-dated, boring, and unhelpful,
所以与其视莎士比亚的作品为过时、无聊、又无用，
start reading today and discover the best ways to get the one you love to love you back.
不如今天就开始阅读，并在其中找到最好的方法，让你所爱的人也爱上你。