Reading Shakespeare is a task to behold. He was brilliant, yes. Cultured, yes. But easy to comprehend in our time? No. The genius of his writings came from blending multiple dialects into one line—as communication was seriously lacking between even neighbors at his time. His language appealed to all, and everyone could find a little of their own speech pattern in his plots. What does that spell for us in the days of a text or call away from a whole other continent? Disaster—unless you find some help in these tips.
GO SLOWLY. The slower the better even. Which doesn’t mean to break up every line by line play, but rather go a sentence at a time and truly reflect on what it means to you personally, then apply it to the context. Find certain words that he uses often and look up their meaning before continuing, and always pay attention to the way he uses them.
Look at character connections and motives. Why is so and so angry at the other one? Why are these two in love? Why does a hanky mean so much when essentially it is just a snot rag? As you go through Othello-as well as any other play-you’ll see that the way a character interacts with another sometimes shows more of his makeup than any soliloquy.
Watch the play being performed. It instills the voice, mood, tone shifts, and screen play that many find hard to interpret with Shakespeare’s habit of giving little of his own stage directions. The pauses, the run on-s, the frantic moments versus the calm are incredibly difficult to perceive as a novice Shakespeare fan, and watching a director’s interpretation is a valuable resource.
Read with friends! Make the play fun between yourselves by experimenting with overly dramatic read alouds to truly immerse yourself in the literature
Look at power characters, and by that I mean those with the most lines. Always observe who hold the upper hand and where it transitions in a scene. The character with the most lines generally rules the roost, but is subject to change in an instant-if you lose track suddenly your Iago is weak where he should be strong and the perception of the play is skewed.
Pay close attention to syntax and diction to reveal hints of the characters. Some are devious and sneaky, others are smooth and flirty, some may be timid and short while their partner is controlling and long winded. Its all in the punctuation and word choice.
Below is a soliloquy of Iago:
T hus do I ever make my fool my purse:
For I mine own gain’d knowledge should profane,
If I would time expend with such a snipe.
But for my sport and profit. I hate the Moor:
And it is thought abroad, that ‘twixt my sheets
He has done my office: I know not if’t be true;
But I, for mere suspicion in that kind,
Will do as if for surety. He holds me well;
The better shall my purpose work on him.
Cassio’s a proper man: let me see now:
To get his place and to plume up my will
In double knavery–How, how? Let’s see:–
After some time, to abuse Othello’s ear
That he is too familiar with his wife.
He hath a person and a smooth dispose
To be suspected, framed to make women false.
The Moor is of a free and open nature,
That thinks men honest that but seem to be so,
And will as tenderly be led by the nose
I have’t. It is engender’d. Hell and night
Must bring this monstrous birth to the world’s light
(1.3.381-403)
Now to dissect it into meaning:
After reading it several times it is easy to gather Iago’s intense hatred for Othello and the fact that he has a plot brewing to bring down his favorite thing-his marriage. Iago plans to use Desdemona to his advantage to take down Othello, and shows no remorse for anyone who may get caught in the crossfire. It is obvious Iago holds the power right now for he has a plan and the means to enact it while staying anonymous. Iago reveals his ominous and perceptive nature in his picking apart of Othellos trusting character as well as his habit of revealing some of his plan but not enough details that the audience can truly foreshadow what he wants to unfold. The hardest part to differentiate is why Iago is angry-he hates the Moor and suspects him of sleeping with his wife, but has little concrete proof to justify his murderous rage.
Shakespeare doesn't have to be complicated or terrifying. His use of language is astounding, but through some careful analysis and multiple media views the true timeless meaning of his work shines through. Goodluck!
GO SLOWLY. The slower the better even. Which doesn’t mean to break up every line by line play, but rather go a sentence at a time and truly reflect on what it means to you personally, then apply it to the context. Find certain words that he uses often and look up their meaning before continuing, and always pay attention to the way he uses them.
Look at character connections and motives. Why is so and so angry at the other one? Why are these two in love? Why does a hanky mean so much when essentially it is just a snot rag? As you go through Othello-as well as any other play-you’ll see that the way a character interacts with another sometimes shows more of his makeup than any soliloquy.
Watch the play being performed. It instills the voice, mood, tone shifts, and screen play that many find hard to interpret with Shakespeare’s habit of giving little of his own stage directions. The pauses, the run on-s, the frantic moments versus the calm are incredibly difficult to perceive as a novice Shakespeare fan, and watching a director’s interpretation is a valuable resource.
Read with friends! Make the play fun between yourselves by experimenting with overly dramatic read alouds to truly immerse yourself in the literature
Look at power characters, and by that I mean those with the most lines. Always observe who hold the upper hand and where it transitions in a scene. The character with the most lines generally rules the roost, but is subject to change in an instant-if you lose track suddenly your Iago is weak where he should be strong and the perception of the play is skewed.
Pay close attention to syntax and diction to reveal hints of the characters. Some are devious and sneaky, others are smooth and flirty, some may be timid and short while their partner is controlling and long winded. Its all in the punctuation and word choice.
Below is a soliloquy of Iago:
T hus do I ever make my fool my purse:
For I mine own gain’d knowledge should profane,
If I would time expend with such a snipe.
But for my sport and profit. I hate the Moor:
And it is thought abroad, that ‘twixt my sheets
He has done my office: I know not if’t be true;
But I, for mere suspicion in that kind,
Will do as if for surety. He holds me well;
The better shall my purpose work on him.
Cassio’s a proper man: let me see now:
To get his place and to plume up my will
In double knavery–How, how? Let’s see:–
After some time, to abuse Othello’s ear
That he is too familiar with his wife.
He hath a person and a smooth dispose
To be suspected, framed to make women false.
The Moor is of a free and open nature,
That thinks men honest that but seem to be so,
And will as tenderly be led by the nose
I have’t. It is engender’d. Hell and night
Must bring this monstrous birth to the world’s light
(1.3.381-403)
Now to dissect it into meaning:
After reading it several times it is easy to gather Iago’s intense hatred for Othello and the fact that he has a plot brewing to bring down his favorite thing-his marriage. Iago plans to use Desdemona to his advantage to take down Othello, and shows no remorse for anyone who may get caught in the crossfire. It is obvious Iago holds the power right now for he has a plan and the means to enact it while staying anonymous. Iago reveals his ominous and perceptive nature in his picking apart of Othellos trusting character as well as his habit of revealing some of his plan but not enough details that the audience can truly foreshadow what he wants to unfold. The hardest part to differentiate is why Iago is angry-he hates the Moor and suspects him of sleeping with his wife, but has little concrete proof to justify his murderous rage.
Shakespeare doesn't have to be complicated or terrifying. His use of language is astounding, but through some careful analysis and multiple media views the true timeless meaning of his work shines through. Goodluck!