I don't care what anyone says, Shakespeare is confusing and intimidating. Of course, there are ways to fix this, but as a beginner--or not-- I have some tips to make Shakespeare a bit more easy and hopefully enjoyable.
Now go, go my little Grasshopper and read Shakespeare!
- Reading it more than once is a MUST.
- Read it to read it, so it's in your brain
- Read it again for approximate comprehension.
- Repeat step 2 as many times as you see fit
- Read for enjoyment
- Take Notes. Personally, I'm not a fan of taking notes on anything, but it must be done. It also helps to do them, while reading. Just take a pause every once in a while, write down what you got out of it and keep on trucking. Maybe after that, when you reread, you can take more in depth and analytical notes. Writing something on paper-no matter how "good" it is, is a must in the ways of learning Shakespeare
- Picture it. While reading, probably by your second round, try to imagine what the characters are doing, what they look like, the faces they're making; it's so much more fun when you see it in your head. So just try, REALLY TRY to picture it.
- Use Your Resources. If you really don't understand a word, or something that's going on, its not bad to talk to people, look at the references in your book or--GASP--use the internet. Seriously, if you need the help, get it. There's no point in torturing yourself when you've tried and it just isn't working.
- Don't Procrastinate. Seriously. Don't do it. The less time you give yourself to read it, the more you'll rush and the worse it will be, I know from experience. Make sure you have time to read it over, give yourself time to think about it. Don't make it stressful when it doesn't have to be.
- Be Open Minded. A large amount of people groan when they hear the name Shakespeare, but don't do that. At least try to enjoy it, and you'll do fine.
Now go, go my little Grasshopper and read Shakespeare!
Note: the title is a reference to a song by the artist "Drake" i'm just trying to avoid copyright issues because you never know when pop stars will look at AP student's Shakespeare blogs.