Reading a play written by the all mighty and powerful Shakespeare isn’t that bad, but from afar it can seem really scary. Every High School student has been forced to read one of the plays that just seem like pages upon pages of babbling old English. Most students struggle to understand what is being said, and often times never get the jist of what the play was actually about. You can now let the rain wash away all of your confusion and worry because this blog post is here to help you through your troubling times.
There are several things that Shakespeare does that can be befuddling. One of those things is that he sometimes makes up his own word. I know your inner 5 year old is screaming now because you were told that was a major “no no”, but it's true. One of the best writers of all time made up his own words while writing his plays. So while reading any one of his plays I suggest having the internet nearby (unless you have one of the cool books with translations on the same page). In most cases while reading you can look at the context the word is put in and you can decipher the word on your own, but if you cannot use your resources. There are tons of Shakespeare word translating websites out there. If you are struggling to find a good site, try this site. |
When reading one of Shakespeare’s plays it is blatantly obvious that the guy loved his soliloquies and monologues. While reading them it is easy to get distracted and miss the point all together, so re-reading is going to be your best friend. When he writes these long passages there are always some key phrases he throws in there that can summarize the entire speech. At the end of act I scene iii Iago has his really menacing monologue. The first time reading it is probably a blur, so you have to re-read and find what makes sense. Picking out lines you understand are important like “I hate the Moor, And it is thought abroad that ‘twixt my sheets ‘Has done my office” ( I, iii, 429-431) and “Cassio’s a proper man… to get his place… After some time, to abuse Othello’s <ear> That he is too familiar with his wife” (I, iii, 435-439). These lines tell us what Iago’s intentions are and his motive behind them. A good rule of thumb for long speeches is look at the last line and get the tone that is given off by the speaker.
The last and most fool-proof tool for reading a Shakespearean play is to act it out. Whether you act it out yourself, or see someone else doing it, watching it on a stage helps you understand what is going on. If the story was written as a play then it was meant to be read as one. By seeing what people are actually visible during a scene and the emotions being portrayed by the actors you can get a better sense of what Shakespeare was trying to portray. |
Shakespeare’s work can be confusing to even the most avid readers, but don’t worry, all it takes is patience. Even if you’ve read one of his plays multiple times and you still dont understand, dont blame yourself, blame Shakespeare. It’s just a book written by a dead guy. There are plenty others out there that are less frustrating.