© Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved.literature and Culture • tHe traGedY OF MaCBetH
How to read Shakespeare
Shakespeare wrote his plays in the language of his time. To the modern
ear, however, that language can sound almost foreign. Certain words have
changed meaning or fallen out of use. The idioms, slang, and humor of
twenty-first-century America are very different from those of Elizabethan
England. Even our way of viewing reality has changed. These differences
present challenges for modern-day readers of Shakespeare. Here are some
strategies for dealing with them.TYPE OF
WORDCONTEMPORARY
ENGLISHELIZABETHAN
ENGLISHEXAMPLE FROM
THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH
Pronouns you, your, yours thou, thee,
thy, thineWe are sent / to give thee,
from our royal master, thanks
(I.iii.100–101)
Verbs come, will, do,
hascometh, wilt,
doth, hathWhat he hath lost, noble
Macbeth hath won. (I.ii.67)
Time words morning,
eveningmorrow, even Oh, never / Shall sun that
morrow see! (I.v.60–61)
Familiar
words
used in
unfamiliar
waysonlyfortunatebuthappyWe fail? / But screw your
courage to the sticking-
place / And we’ll not fail.
(I.vii.59–60)
Two truths are told, / As
happy prologues to the
swelling act.... (I.iii.128–129)Challenge: elizabethan Words
Many words Shakespeare used are now archaic, or outdated. Here are some
examples:Challenge: elizabethan Syntax
The syntax, or word order, Shakespeare uses may also be archaic. In
contemporary English, the subject (s) of a sentence usually appears before
the verb (v). Shakespeare often inverts this order, placing the verb first.
Contemporary english Syntax elizabethan english Syntax
s v v s
What do you say? What say you?Challenge: long Sentences
Many of Shakespeare’s sentences span more than one line of verse. This is
especially true when he uses a semicolon to connect two or more clauses.
Their hands and faces were all badged with blood;
So were their daggers, which unwiped we found
Upon their pillows. (Macbeth, II.iii)StrateGieS
Familiarize yourself
with the meanings of
common archaic words in
Shakespeare.
If a word is completely
unfamiliar, look to the
marginal notes for a transla-
tion or for clues to meaning
in the surrounding text.StrateGY
If a sentence uses inverted
syntax, identify its subject
and verb. Then, rephrase
the sentence, placing the
subject before the verb.StrateGieS
Look for capital letters and
end marks to see where
sentences begin and end.
When a sentence is
made up of two clauses
connected by a semicolon,
consider how the ideas in
the clauses relate.256 UNIT 3 • FACING THE FUTURE, CONFRONTING THE PASTLIT17_SE12_U03_A1C_WC.indd 256 20/03/16 1:19 AMTEACHING
How to Read Shakespeare
Many students will find Shakespeare’s language
a challenge. He uses words and structures not
familiar to the modern ear. Underscore that
the richness of the language and insights into
human nature make Shakespeare worth reading.
Students may increase their understanding of the
text by analyzing information from text features
that appear throughout the text. These include
background notes, stage directions, illustrations,
and margin notes. Stage directions will help
students visualize setting and events.256 UNIT 3 • FACING THE FUTURE, CONFRONTING THE PAST
LIT17_TE12_U03_A1C_WC.indd 256 16-03-29 11:10 AM