How to (read) Shakespeare
P.S. Willy, we’re not afraid of you.
The work and lasting impact of William Shakespeare is absolutely everywhere. If you have ever said that you have been on a “wild goose chase”, then you are quoting Romeo and Juliet. The phrase “kill them with kindness”, or “break the ice”, is quoting The Taming of the Shrew. In fact, the first ever “your mom” joke actually originates from Titus Andronicus.
Chiron: Thou hast undone our mother.
Aaron: Villain, I have done thy mother.
So, how can we actually understand the plays written by Shakespeare?
First and foremost, it is important to note that the plays are meant to be performed, NOT read. Even the actors who were Shakespeare’s contemporaries were not often given the whole script to read; they were just given their lines. With that, the best way to understand these plays is by reading them aloud to yourself or watching adaptations and performances of them.
Hearing actors perform these lines will give you a better insight into the tone that the line is meant to be read in. Also, the way these actors deliver their lines makes it clearer: 1. Who is speaking, and 2. When there are jokes or witticisms. National Theatre would be a good starter kit somehow.
Such modern adaptations and performances often challenge the traditional impressions that we get from plays. For example, the most modern version of Othello performed by the Royal Shakespeare Company casts a character who is typically assumed to be racist as a black actor, which is interesting since it really flips everything on its head. Besides, some others even include rap battles and dance-offs. It is just chaotic, a wild time, and thoroughly recommended.
The Language of Shakespeare
It tends to piss a lot of people off. However, organisations (such as No Fear Shakespeare) provide a modern translation of Shakespeare’s writing right next to the original script. This helps you to understand exactly what each line is trying to tell you, so you can really focus on the language that Shakespeare uses.
Reading a synopsis of what is about to happen on each page can also be an option, so you are still reading it in a way where the plot is slowly fed to you. In other words, you are not getting the whole thing in one go and ruining it completely, instead, you really focus on the language and how the plot unfolds. The Oxford and Arden editions of Shakespeare plays are especially good for this.
To add, your first reading of a Shakespeare play is always just receiving the plot, and it is only upon re-reading that you can truly understand the artistry that goes into crafting each line. Most Shakespeare plays will not take you anywhere near as long as it will take you to read a novel. Yet, if you are consuming the plot only, then you are only getting about 20% of the artistry that Shakespeare puts into those plays.
Reading slowly and steady is the matter. It is a marathon, not a sprint.
Now, if you are just starting out, these plays may go easy on you:
1. Othello — the least characters
2. Macbeth — a straightforward plot
3. A Midsummer Night’s Dream — the most performed one
Above all, it can be intimidating and difficult, but it is very useful once we start to truly appreciate the artistry/crafting that goes behind the incredible world of Shakespeare’s writing. Toodle-oo!
