How can I start to enjoy Shakespeare's plays?

Question: How can I start to enjoy Shakespeare's plays!?

I have trouble getting into the story and at times understanding some of the phrasing!. Has anyone started out thinking his plays were boring and ended up liking them!?Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

You should check out No Fear Shakespeare!. The company has made books that have put shakespeare language into everyday wording so you can understand it but they have also left in the original wording too, it's just a side by side comparison so you can read both!. You can either go to a book store to pick up the certain plays you want or you can go to sparknotes!.com and look up no fear shakespeare there and you can read them all for free!. I took a college shakespeare class last year and my teacher actually encouraged us to use these because it is so helpful!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I started rather indifferent and I am now a fan!.

They are plays!. They are meant to be seen on a stage; the words are meant to be spoken!. It may seem strange, but the words actually make more sense when they're spoken!. I think this is partly because actors' skills, together with staging and props convey a lot of nonverbal information that helps you interpret the words, and partly because while listening it's easier to decide what's important and what's okay to filter out!.

Do understand that enjoyment takes a little bit of effort!. The language does require a little more attention than more contemporary plays!. Expect to have difficulty understanding some of the phrasing!. It's okay not be sure what he means by this line or that!. Not only is Shakespeare's English 500 years old, he's also much more playful with the language than we are used to with our journalistic post-Hemingway aesthetic!.

But be clear: Shakespeare's language is not "Old English!." It's Early Modern English, and it's a lot closer than you might think!. A little effort pays off immensely, especially if you enjoy word games!.

I'd start with those plays that have multiple film adaptations!. Hamlet has been filmed multiple times: watch as many as you can and see whether it grows on you!. Personally, I think Hamlet is just a bit overrated and seems to bring out some of the worst in those who produce it, but still it's one of Shakespeare's most frequently quoted plays and time spent with it is not wasted!. If the Hamlet films seem to ponderous, try lighter ones: Twelfth Night is fun, as is Midsummer Night's Dream!.

From there move on to other plays -- and support local productions whenever you can!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Watch them on the stage as was intended!. They are plays and best understood as such!. They were not written to be read like a book and as such can be hard going!.
If you can't get to the theatre at least try and watch a screen adaptation!. You should use the scipt and notes as a guide to the visual experience!. You should also try to read a couple of critiques of the plays that you watch to get an idea of what other people think of the production!. Once you start seeing it performed the language becomes much more understandable and you should have with you annotated notes to help with some of the more obscure words and phrases!.
Good luck!. He really is quite good!. I'm sure you will enjoy it!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I have heard this analogy describing Shakespeare before: reading Shakespeare for the first time is like walking into a dark room!. At first, you can't see anything!. But, gradually, as your eyes ajust, you begin to be able to see things around you!. So basically, you just need to get used to the language!. Once you can read straight across the paige and understand what's going on, you'll discover hillarious jokes, horror (like ghosts), romances, and really quite modern characters (it sounds like I'm giving a sales pitch, doesn't it!? :) )!. I had a hard time with the language at first, but then I got past that and I really started enjoying the plays!. (No Fear Shakespeare is really good, as that guy says, becuase it also gives you some historical background, which is important to understanding the plays!.) I really hope you learn to love Shakespeare!
(Oh and it might be easier for you to listen to an audio version while you read, because the plays were meant to be dramatised and I think the audio part might help you keep the characters and plot straight!.)Www@QuestionHome@Com

Go to see some of them!.

I *like* Shakespeare, and I have to be in the right mood to read his work!. The thing about his plays is that they were meant to be seen, not read!. It really is easier to understand his meaning when you hear people speak it in conversational tones (like good actors will)!. I'd suggest picking the comedies over the tragedies to start with!. "Twelfth Night" is actually really funny, and "Midsummer Night's Dream" is cute, but "Hamlet" or "Othello" would be pretty heavy to start off with!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

One good way might be to watch a film of one of his plays!. The Leonardo di Caprio 'Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet' is really good, and so is the Kenneth Branagh version of 'Much Ado About Nothing'!. If you live anywhere near a theatre you might see if you can catch a performance of one of his plays, as I really believe that Shakespeare is meant to be seen rather than read!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Go and see some plays, or get some films! There are some great ones out there, and it really helps to put the language and story in context to see it on stage/screen!.

You can also get lots of good interpretory books which explain the stories in simple ways!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

at start, i felt it was a bit boring and it was repeating the same thing all over again but after a while i started to read it slowly and i tried to see the story in my head!.
so i got used to his beautiful way of expressing some feelings!. i enjoy them!.

and also old english is coolWww@QuestionHome@Com

I started out confused and ended up loving Shakespeare!.

Try this:

Read West Side Story, THEN read Romeo & Juliet!.

West Side Story is a modernized Romeo & Juliet!.

You may appreciate the original more, by reading and comparing the modernized version!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

read the no fear books, it is shakespeare's play but they edited it so we can understand!. b/c i read some and i totally get it!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

you can'tWww@QuestionHome@Com

Try Dating Hamlet by Lisa Fielding!. she also di one on Romeo and Juliet, they are easier to understand!Www@QuestionHome@Com