How do you read a Shakespearan play?

spintendo

Do you use summary notes at the end of every scene or just read it straight through?

Kinski

Just use a good edition. Arden ones are generally considered to be the best.

Duffy the Vampire Slayer

I prefer having notes at the side of the page which are easy to read along with the text.

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

E.T.

The more you read about the history of the time, the more sense a lot of Shakespeare's work makes. Othello is one of my favourite reads of all time, the language is amazing.

raah!

I like to read them in my best Shakespearean accent.

The Mad Hatter

My recommendation would be to read a synopsis first, especially if you're concerned about the language; then, if you can, see or hear (the BBC did a terrific series of Shakespeare audio productions which you should be able to get in your local library) a version of the play; then read it with the notes. If I have to read one of his plays without seeing it first, then I'll usually skip the notes on the first read, because they interrupt the flow.

Denerick

I shave my head and try my best to look like Sir Patrick Stewart.

Gordon Gecko

I use an annotated version and act out every scene in my head as I read, I find it works quite well.

kamagrajelly

Really, Shakespeare's plays are meant to be performed, and not merely read. But I've understood, that while reading, if I can keep in mind the stage, the people the plays were performed, the background of the plays, ...

sceptre

Reading a synopsis should help, I think. Even something as basic as whatever you can find as a synopsis on wikipedia.

I'd regard annotations next to the text (rather than at the bottom of the page and certainly in preference to notes at the end of the play) as the most accessible way of getting into the play and knowing what's going on. There are some excellent audio and video versions of the Shakespeare plays though, which can add some colour at the very least.

Odysseus

As suggetsed an synopsis is good, the best edition I know is the Arden Shakespeare. If there is a good quality DVD available of the text you are reading that can be a good start too, if you can't get to a production of it. I was only introducted to Shakespeare in third level, I was struggling with Hamlet, I got the Kenneth Branagh DVD of it, and the Adren Shakespear edition of it. Within 6 years I had read the complete works.

It took a lot of work by me at the start, by once I read a few it started to get easier. The most enjoyable reading I do now is revisiting my Shakespeare. I have suggest this to others over the years and they found it worked for them too. May I ask what text are you starting off with? I still watch a DVD of the text I'm about to read next, just to refresh the main body of it in my mind.

Reading Shakespear is a real journey, I hope you enjoy it.