How to Read Shakespeare (and a Little Bit of Why)

First, let's get the "why" out of the way. Why read Shakespeare?

I can't answer for anyone but myself. I read Shakespeare because I need to focus my mind on just one thing after being cognitively pulled in skeighty-nine different directions all week. And after listening to everyone else, it's nice to be able to use my own voice.

Why Shakespeare in particular? I just have great affection for thoughts that are well constructed and distinctly delivered (though a young, uninitiated reader may wonder why there are so many cliches in Shakespeare. Heh).

Shakespeare's principal characters are fully human, even when they merely exist to advance a plot. Why was Don John, the Bastard Brother in Much Ado about Nothing, so irrationally villainous? Because Shakespeare needed him to create obstacles for a couple of too-perfectly perfect sweethearts.

Anyway, I read Shakespeare for fun. And you can, too! Here's how.

First, find your text.

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Many of the members of Shakespeare Readers use large, beautifully bound volumes of the collected works, treasured and tended as lovingly as a family Bible over the course of a lifetime. Others bring along a cheap or even used paperback of whatever play is scheduled for our monthly reading. Some editions include helpful notes that put plots in context or offer clearer definitions for ancient terms.

So far, I am the first member to go the e-book route for our readings. Amazon offers free Kindle apps for PCs and it was very easy to install the app on my Acer Netbook. The ability to enlarge the type was a very welcome bonus for me.

In the Kindle store, search for your selected play or the collected works. There are many free editions, but the Complete Plays that I purchased was only three bucks.

Here is what a page looks like, from Much Ado About Nothing. (I highlighted a couple of my favorite lines. And I drew on the picture, not on my computer. *g*)

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You do, of course, have the option of purchasing a recording. My voice certainly can't compare with those of great actors and actresses like Vanessa Redgrave or John Gielgud.

But being read to isn't the same as reading. It's also more dangerous, because if you are read to in your car, Shakespeare will have transported you to another time and place. Your fellow travelers sharing the road may not be so tolerant of your distraction.

If you wish to have Shakespeare read to you, I recommend getting the full treatment in a theater, whether live and in 3-D or on a nice big high-def screen.

You can certainly read Shakespeare the way you read any book, but Shakespeare intended his words to be spoken aloud. If you read aloud by yourself, I recommend using the Kindle app on a device that lets you to pretend you are talking on a phone. *g*

Alternatively, find a nice group of friendly people (like us!) to read along with you. Even a small group can work very well. At Shakespeare Readers, we have tried assigning parts when we have big groups, or just reading around the table with small groups (we had just four readers yesterday).

I admit I sometimes read too quickly. For a play that is as close to my heart as Much Ado is, I know the feelings that are behind the words and feel very comfortable acting a little bit. With a forgiving group of fellow readers, I'll muff up my share of words, but we all sally forth and read on. It is an afternoon well spent.

Next up, The Scottish Play!

love, hosaa
a little mirth, a little matter

assorted links:
Much Ado About Nothing on screen
Folger Shakespeare Library
The Shakespeare Theatre Company (Washington, D.C.)
Plot Summaries, Shakespeare Online
Maryland Shakespeare (Jamie's site)
Shakespeare Explorers (Meetup group, membership required)

And, because I have a few other interesting interests:
Hosaa's Blog