SHAKESPEARE & YOU

A Guide to Understanding and Loving the Bard

SHAKESPEARE IS OLD.

BUT NOT THAT OLD.

THIS IS OLD.

baet hine on ylde eft gewunigenwilgesibas, bonne wig cume,leode gelaesten; lofdaedum scealin maegba gehwaere man gebeon.

-Beowulf (7th or 8th century)

AND THIS IS OLD.

Whilom, as olde stories tellen us,Ther was a duc that highte theseus;Of atthenes he was lord and governour,And in his tyme swich a conquerour,That gretter was ther noon under the sonne.

The Canterbury Tales (14th century)

BUT THIS…NOT SO MUCH.

Come, gentle night, come, loving, black-brow'd night,Give me my Romeo; and, when he shall die,Take him and cut him out in little stars,And he will make the face of heaven so fineThat all the world will be in love with nightAnd pay no worship to the garish sun.

Romeo and Juliet, 16th Century

SO WHAT MAKES IT HARD?

Well…it’s similar to poetry. And poetry can be hard.

It’s elevated.

The intensity and complexity of the language matches the intensity and complexity of the moment.

It makes you look at something in a different way.

And do you know who you have to thank for that?

THIS GUY. AGAIN.

“Tragedy, then, is an imitation of an action of high importance, complete and of some ampli tude; in language enhanced by distinct and varying beauties; acted not narrated; by means of pity and fear effectuating its purgation of these emotions.”

-Poetics

DID THEY REALLY TALK L IKE THAT?

No.

Nooooooooooooooooo.

No.But, the were sort of used to it.

SO WHAT CAN WE DO?

First, know your enemy.-Sun Tzu, The Art of War

TRICK #1

Shakespeare has a poetic structure, but don’t let it fool you.

Read to the end punctuation.

(colons and semi-colons don’t count)

Tis but thy name that is my enemy;Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.What's Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot,Nor arm, nor face, nor any other partBelonging to a man. O, be some other name!What's in a name? that which we call a roseBy any other name would smell as sweet;So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd,Retain that dear perfection which he owesWithout that title. Romeo, doff thy name,And for that name which is no part of theeTake all myself.

Tis but thy name that is my enemy;Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.What's Montague? It is nor hand, nor foot,Nor arm, nor face, nor any other partBelonging to a man. O, be some other name!What's in a name? That which we call a roseBy any other name would smell as sweet;So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd,Retain that dear perfection which he owesWithout that title. Romeo, doff thy name,And for that name which is no part of theeTake all myself.

TRICK #2

Shakespeare likes to put words out of order for emphasis, and to retain his poetic structure.

Re-arrange the words so they make sense.

(Usually, this means putting the subject first)

Never was seen so black a day as this.

A day so black as this was never seen.

TRICK #3

The English language has evolved since the 16th century. Sometimes, you’ll see a word that looks

unfamiliar.

Use the resources available to you.

(In this case, the left side of your text.)

TRICK #4

Shakespeare was also a shifty little bugger

(and incredibly brilliant wordsmith).

Sometimes, you’ll see a word that has many meanings…on purpose.

Use the resources available to you.

And have a little fun.

Doubt thou the stars are fire;Doubt that the sun doth move;Doubt truth to be a liar;But never doubt I love.

My father's spirit in arms! all is not well;I doubt some foul play: would the night were come!

SAMPSONGregory, o' my word, we'll not carry coals.

GREGORYNo, for then we should be colliers.

SAMPSONI mean, an we be in choler, we'll draw.

GREGORYAy, while you live, draw your neck out o' the collar.

So, yes. It’s hard.

But remember what Jimmy Dugan said.

(Just replace “baseball” with “Shakespeare.”)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndL7y0MIRE4&feature=related