1. English I
Tips for Reading Shakespeare (There will be a quiz on this material Friday/Tuesday)

2. No, People Didn’t Really Talk Exactly Like That
The plays and sonnets are written in iambic pentameter- a pattern that sounds like a heart beat. People don’t talk like that.
When a character is exiting, usually his or her last lines rhyme; again, not normal in conversations
The characters consistently refer to mythology; most of Shakespeare’s audience was illiterate, so they certainly didn’t talk like this.

3. Shakespeare Does Sometimes Write Using Middle English
Thee= you
Thou= you
Thy/Thine= your
Hath=has
Nay=No
Yea/Aye=Yes

4. Do Not Read For Rhyme
Read until the end of the sentence to understand meaning; do not read line to line.
Do not expect to understand the meaning of the sentence on the first read—use context clues and any footnotes for words unknown.

5. Tragedies by Shakespeare
Romeo and Juliet
Hamlet
Macbeth
Julius Caesar
Characteristics:
1. Having too much pride
2. A Tragic Hero meets his end
3. Many deaths
4. Fate

6. Comedies by Shakespeare
The Taming of the Shrew (WE ARE READING THIS ONE)
Much Ado About Nothing
Twelfth Night
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Characteristics:
1. Magic
2. Confusion of Thought
3. Love and Marriage

7. Terms to Know and Look For
Aside - When a character is talking and only the audience can hear him
Soliloquoy - When a character has a long speech and is by himself on stage
Dramatic Irony - When the audience knows something the characters in the play don’t
Foreshadowing - Hints of what will happen next

8. Pay Attention to the Characters
It will help you to take notes about the characters as you read. Use adjectives!
Example:
Romeo- flakey, tender-hearted, stubborn
Tybalt- angry, ill-willed, prideful

9. Use These Tips to Help You!
You can read Shakespeare, too! Remember to
take your time with the text,
read till the end of sentences,
and focus on the plot.
Look for asides, allusions, figurative language,
but mainly, keep track of the who, what, when, where, and why!