The Many Benefits of Studying Shakespeare – Mhairi M
For most, this is a name that will evoke mixed feelings: painful memories of battling through texts that couldn’t possibly be English, perhaps thoughts of giggles shared over the absurdity of his phrasing, and of course there will have been joy amongst many of you at the thought that you’d never have to suffer through his plays again. However, it is unlikely that you’ll have taken the time to consider the wide ranging reasons why we should study his work, as tiresome or as seemingly impenetrable as it can be.
1. Gaining a greater historical perspective
Shakespeare produced a series of histories, most of which are generally labelled by the youth of today as ‘dull’, ‘far too long’ and of course ‘confusing’. It must be said that these views are valid, at times the Henry’s can drag on a bit, and the several parts to plays and family trees can be the makings of some major loss in interest in Shakespeare. However, these plays are a brilliant way of improving our understanding of history and power. Whilst they often stray from the truth -artistic license- and are embellished with memorable motifs; this can help both readers and audiences as historians. Shakespeare’s literary embroidery urges us now, no matter the form you are engaging with his histories in, to question the shtick that is shared now. Did Richard III have a “Withered arm”? Did he kill his nephews in the tower? To what extent was Macbeth evil? Were his plays just that, a story spun for our enjoyment, or were they written to introduce us to a different way of viewing power? Shakespeare’s histories force us to investigate the truth, how much did he bend it, and who really knows what happened. The point about these plays is that they encourage us to question what we know, and why it is that we hold these beliefs. This is why they should be engaged with, not simply as a method of torture from your English teacher.
2. Play at being a film snob
Several of Shakespeare’s plays have been adapted in recent years to either become films, or have inspired other films. Examples of these include ’10 Things I Hate About You’ retelling ‘The Taming of The Shrew’, and ‘She’s The Man’ retelling ‘Twelfth Night’. These films don’t use difficult language, have simple and engaging scenes and are generally more accessible than the original story that they portray. Reading the literature around these films can help you to better understand what you are watching, and it gives you a chance to consider why certain things have been changed. You can even wind your family up by filling in the actual scenes or lines that are being referenced.
3. Empathy (supposedly)
Reading or watching plays that are apparently completely separate to our lives can allow you to gain greater empathy. Watching a play that was set several hundred years ago in a country you’ve never been to, or a land ruled by a tyrant, or a play where there are two sets of identical twins separated at birth can seem like it has very little relevance to you. However, it is important to broaden your horizons through literature, to gain different perspectives. Often you’ll realise that you can learn something from these characters who you once viewed as so different from yourself. Similarities can be drawn between lives that are led in separate centuries, understanding this helps you to develop empathy, as you connect with characters.
4. Your own curiosity may be spurred on
Who knows, maybe studying ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ or ‘Macbeth’ has piqued your curiosity, you may have started actually enjoying it. Perhaps not quite to that extent, but hopefully you’ll have
found yourself thinking at some point that it was even a little bit amusing. No doubt you will have asked yourself what was going on at some point, this confusion will have led to greater understanding eventually- the important part! You may have found yourself thinking that the rich characters Shakespeare created are rather powerful within the text, causing a search for more. It would be impossible to say that you have read or watched one of Shakespeare’s plays without having at least one question, this is an incredibly valuable aspect of his work, this curiosity that he has managed to cultivate many years after his death can help your learning now, in the classroom and beyond.
5. Sneakily expand your vocabulary
I am definitely guilty of requiring a dictionary whenever I start reading Shakespeare, and I’m sure this is the case for most of us. But, in spite of the faff of having to flit between different books in an attempt to work out the punchline of an insult, there is a satisfaction that comes from this. Reading Shakespeare gives you a chance to introduce some unique language to your vocabulary, and even the structure of his work is different to most of the literature we interact with today. The compounding effect of this evocative language and purposeful structure makes for an often challenging read, but learning to understand can be a thing of joy. Who knows, maybe you can sprinkle some juicy new vocab you picked up from ‘The Taming of The Shrew’ in your next English essay. His insults are certainly worth a look, and perfect inspiration for tormenting siblings with.
“Hie thee to hell for shame, and leave this world, thou cacodemon! There thy kingdom is.” – Queen Margaret, Richard III, 1.3
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