So Shakespeare sounds daunting to you? You can’t seem to get into Romeo and Juliet, King Lear, or Hamlet? I know: that Elizabethan language is just too much to handle, right? If you’ve ever had a hard time enjoying Shakespeare, why not try a few of these hints?
First, read a narrative of the play in Charles and Mary Lamb’s Tales from Shakespeare. The Lambs retold Shakespeare’s tales in forms of stories back in the 1800s. Their children’s classic can assist you in getting an overview of the play you study before you delve into it headlong.
Second, check out an audio recording. Elizabethan English varies greatly from American English of the twenty-first century, but when you hear professional actors reading lines that look daunting on paper, it’s much easier to understand what the Old Bard meant. Remember: Shakespeare’s plays were intended to be performed by actors, not to be “waded through” as some type of boring matter in a literature book. An audio recording brings these old words to life! Where to find these recordings? How about the following audio resources:
1) The Folger Shakespeare Library provides a wealth of audio recordings produced by Simon & Schuster Audio, available on either CD or for download: https://www.folger.edu/
2) The Complete Arkangel Shakespeare includes the dramatized and unabridged versions of each Shakespeare play. It is available as a CD boxed set for a hefty amount from Amazon or, perhaps, for free check out at your local library.
3) Librivox is recorded by individuals for free and often includes dramatized versions of Shakespeare plays. One can search by title or author to locate the specific play. https://librivox.org/pages/librivox- feeds/ (See also resources listed later in article.)
Third, follow along in your copy of the play as you listen to the portion of the play assigned in your evening’s homework. (Remember those fun read-along recordings you had when you were little?) Shakespeare’s lines will come to life as you hear the actors’ and actresses’ interpretations. A quiet whisper breathed to a lover; angry words spat out violently from the mouth of a churlish murderer—these tones will vibrate with realism like black words on a white page simply cannot do alone. As the actors perform, pay close attention to the side notes of vocabulary and other background information that is located in your text.
Fourth, investigate websites dedicated specifically to the Shakespearian play you are studying. You go to the Internet for just about everything else; why not Shakespeare, too? Online quizzes, games, and synopses of each act or scene are just a few examples of the wealth of information available on this famous playwright and his works. Take some time to browse various internet sites to find that little bit of extra information that will give you an edge on a test or quiz you’re going to take—or just to impress your English literature teacher into thinking you’re one of those brainy literature buffs.
Some Shakespeare Sites you’ll want to see:
1) my Shakespeare: https://myshakespeare.com/ (Interactive Content includes complete audio recordings, interviews with characters, and contemporary translation.)
2) The Shakespeare Resource Center: https://www.bardweb.net (includes a list of “Study Links” for locating even more helpful resources)
3) Shakespeare Online: www.shakespeare-online.com (Investigate this site for thematic elements in various plays.)
4) Folger Shakespeare Library https://www.folger.edu/ (This is perhaps the best known and widely acclaimed Shakespeare treasure trove.)
5) St. Clair County Community College provides a comprehensive list of some great Shakespeare sites to keep you going: https://esearch.sc4.edu/shakespeare/websites
Fifth, consider the characters of Shakespeare’s plays in light of human nature and universal themes, which do not change. Try comparing characters you meet in the drama you’re studying to others in books you have read. For example, you might find the appropriate comparison between Shakespeare’s Lady Macbeth (a real character from history) and the Bible’s Jezebel (also a historical figure) when studying the Macbeth tragedy. Additionally, why not compare characters to those in movies you’ve seen? Romeo and Juliet are a lot like modern-day teens in their attraction for one another and their desire to have what they wanted, despite the roadblocks in their way. Also, think comparisons to people you’ve met in your everyday life. King Lear might remind you of an elderly neighbor who retired early and gave his kids the inheritance, only to be greatly hurt by some selfish family members.
Finally, as you complete an act or portion of the drama (or perhaps when you finish studying the play), watch a performance of the play. Bob Jones University has produced some excellent Shakespearian dramas. The BBC typically offers Shakespeare plays that carefully follow Shakespeare’s verbiage. Watching the play as a “grand finale” often greatly enriches the experience, much like if you have read a book and then seen a movie based on the book.
Taking these six elements, you can shake those Shakespeare blues and actually enjoy Shakespeare! And the next time you’re around when someone says that Shakespeare is dull and boring, will they ever hear it from you!
People the world over have been Shakespeare fans for hundreds of years, so you’re in good company learning to appreciate his work.
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Author’s Addendum:
Special Challenges for the Christian Student
While Shakespeare’s use of the English language is rich indeed, the old bard does present some challenges of another nature for the Christian student. A raw or off-color sense of humor finds place in not a few of his plays. Scatological and sensual elements occur in certain of his dramas. As always, Philippians 4:8 must be the Christian’s yardstick when examining literature. Christian teachers and parents do well to familiarize themselves with play elements that are not praiseworthy to provide guidance to students who will study Shakespeare. (Reading a modernized account may assist one in more quickly locating the off-color, unpraiseworthy elements.)
A further challenge is the actual dramatic production, presented on screen or theater. Previewing such visual elements proves wise before sharing with students a play or production in full. While a teacher’s preview takes more time, it proves invaluable in the estimation of the believer who lives in the reality that “the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom and to depart from evil is understanding” (Job 28:28).
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