For many students, being told they’ll be studying a Shakespere play in class is akin to the end of the world. But once you begin to understand how to read his work, it can lead you towards profound textual insights.
The first thing to understand about Shakespere is the context in which he writes. Shakespeare’s earlier works, such as Much Ado About Nothing and A Midsummer Night’s Dream were written in the Elizabethan era. This era of Shakespeare’s work is characterised by lighter plays, written for the benefit of the royalty. By contrast, works written after Queen Elizabeth I’s death, under the rule of King James I, were more cynical, and illustrated Shakespere’s questions about the capabilities of his ruler. These Jacobean works include Macbeth, King Lear and Othello.
It is also important to understand the form and purpose of Shakespere’s works. As plays, they are works written to be performed and not just read. This means that as you read, consider the emotional weight of a scene, it’s staging and how it might be delivered to an audience. Also, pay extra attention to moments of monologue or soliloquy, and consider what Shakespere might be trying to convey by engaging these techniques that are unique to the play form.
What students may be most concerned about is understanding Shakespere’s language. Whilst it can be helpful to read modern summaries and translations, do not forgo reading the original text, so you don’t miss nuances, and also to familiarise yourself with the work, which makes it much easier to engage with the text in an essay. When reading Shakespere, it’s okay not to understand every word, but you should try to understand every page.
Finally, when reading Shakespere, it’s helpful to look out for recurring recurring characters, themes and techniques. Key recurring characters are those of the fool, who often expresses uncomfortable truths, and the tragic hero, who is blinded by their hamartia. Key recurring themes are deception, power, love and chaos. Key techniques used across plays are dramatic irony, pathetic fallacy, and switches between metered verse, blank verse, and everyday prose.
