The Literary Life Podcast Episode 318: How to Read Shakespeare
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Mar 3, 2026 Stories of first encounters with Shakespeare lead into why his plays are accessible, not just for scholars. They explain blank verse and why reading aloud helps. A hot take recommends reading before watching, with audio as a middle path. They map play structures, Elizabethan cosmology of order and disorder, and warn against modern facing‑page translations.
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Read Shakespeare Without Scholarly Crutches
- Do not assume Shakespeare is only for scholars; approach his plays as accessible to general readers.
- Thomas Banks emphasizes Shakespeare wrote for mixed popular audiences, so read without heavy commentaries first.
Read Shakespeare Aloud To Hear The Meaning
- Read Shakespeare aloud to yourself to let blank verse and poetic rhythm reveal meaning.
- Angelina Stanford and Thomas Banks both recommend vocalizing lines so the ear catches syntax and puns the eye misses.
Read The Play Before Watching Adaptations
- Avoid making a film adaptation your first Shakespeare encounter because most are director interpretations.
- Angelina argues that movies like Kenneth Branagh's are someone's version, so read the play first to get Shakespeare's words.
