How to Read Shakespeare (and enjoy it)

A lot of people become annoyed reading Shakespeare and, I suppose, it’s little wonder, given that was never the intended purpose.

You wouldn’t sit down to read the screenplay of The Dark Knight Rises, would you? Well, you might, but I’m guessing you’d rather see the movie, because there would be a lot you’d be missing out on by just reading the script.

And the same applies to Shakespeare’s plays. So, if you want to read a Shakespeare and, more importantly, understand and enjoy it, I believe, your first port of call should be to watch whichever play it is you have to (or want to) read.

That doesn’t necessarily mean having to go to the theater though, because there are many, very good, screen adaptations of Shakespeare’s plays available on DVD.

It’s a huge mistake to believe that Shakespeare’s plays are irrelevant, simply because they are hundreds of years old. Yes, there may be some archaic words and turns of phrase in them, but the crux of the plays; the meat, the innards, the themes if you like, are all very much timeless. And, by finding the things that speak to you, you’ll be well on the way to enjoying Shakespeare’s work.

For example, Hamlet is about grief, conspiracy, a strained relationship between mother and child, a young man who feels misunderstood, revenge, questions regarding the meaning of life and much more.

Typically, differences in the actual text of the scripts will be small. However, the editions vary greatly in how the plays are presented and how much additional information is supplied. If you’re finding the play particularly difficult to understand, you may prefer a version with a modern ‘translation’.

As mentioned above, Shakespeare never meant for you to sit alone reading his work. And, when it comes to understanding the words of the play, it is much more difficult to do so by internalizing them.

Reading aloud will help give life to the words and allow you to get a feel for the sound of them, because the beauty of Shakespeare; the thing that sets him apart from his contemporaries and has ensured his continued popularity, is the poetry of the dialogue.

And one final tip, if you come across a word that you don't understand, don't let it faze you - just keep reading. Rather than obsess over one archaic word, allow yourself to understand the speech or scene as a whole. Once you've got the gist of what's going on, you can make an educated guess as to the approximate meaning of those more unusual words, and they won't seem quite as intimidating.

Remember, reading Shakespeare can, and should, be fun!