SHAKESPEARE & YOU

1. SHAKESPEARE & YOU A Guide to Understanding and Loving the Bard

2. SHAKESPEARE IS OLD.

3. BUT NOT THAT OLD.

4. THIS IS OLD. baethine on yldeeftgewunigen wilgesibas, bonne wig cume, leodegelaesten; lofdaedumsceal in maegbagehwaere man gebeon. -Beowulf (7th or 8th century)

5. AND THIS IS OLD. Whilom, as olde stories tellen us, Ther was a duc that hightetheseus; Of atthenes he was lord and governour, And in his tymeswich a conquerour, That gretter was ther noon under the sonne. The Canterbury Tales (14th century)

6. 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 fine That all the world will be in love with night And pay no worship to the garish sun. Romeo and Juliet, 16th Century

7. 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?

8. THIS GUY. AGAIN. “Tragedy, then, is an imitation of an action of high importance, complete and of some ampli­tude; in language enhanced by distinct and varying beauties; acted not narrated; by means of pity and fear effectuating its purgation of these emotions.” -Poetics

9. DID THEY REALLY TALK LIKE THAT? No. Nooooooooooooooooo. No. But, the were sort of used to it.

10. SO WHAT CAN WE DO? First, know your enemy. -Sun Tzu, The Art of War

11. 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)

12. 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 part Belonging to a man. O, be some other name! What's in a name? that which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet; So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd, Retain that dear perfection which he owes Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name, And for that name which is no part of thee Take all myself.

13. 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 part Belonging to a man. O, be some other name! What's in a name? That which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet; So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd, Retain that dear perfection which he owes Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name, And for that name which is no part of thee Take all myself.

14. 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)

15. Never was seen so black a day as this.

16. A day so black as this was never seen.

17. 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.)

19. 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.

21. My father's spirit in arms! all is not well; I doubt some foul play: would the night were come! Doubt thou the stars are fire; Doubt that the sun doth move; Doubt truth to be a liar; But never doubt I love.

22. SAMPSON Gregory, o' my word, we'll not carry coals. GREGORY No, for then we should be colliers. SAMPSON I mean, an we be in choler, we'll draw. GREGORY Ay, while you live, draw your neck out o' the collar.

23. 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