Why Read Shakespeare? (Revised Reading)

Like a New Song

Have you ever heard a song you didn't like at first? But then, if you listen a few more times, it starts to sound good. You might even discover new things in the music each time. Soon, what seemed messy or random feels complex and interesting. What was annoying might become cool. And what felt weird now seems wonderful. Shakespeare is a lot like this music. He might be hard to understand at first, and even the second time. But if you keep trying, you'll have a moment when it all clicks. You'll feel excited and happy to say, "I understand it now!"

When you first hear complicated music, you might hear the sounds but not truly understand it. So, it's not surprising that when people first read Shakespeare, they don't get it right away. In fact, it would be strange if someone read Shakespeare once and thought they understood everything. That would be a real problem.

It's not new for people to find Shakespeare difficult. This problem existed long before our short attention spans and love for quick videos. Even in 1623, just seven years after Shakespeare died, his friends and fellow actors, John Heminge and Henry Condell, talked about this issue. They were the editors of the "First Folio," the first collection of his plays. They wrote to all sorts of readers, telling them: "Read him, therefore; and again and again. And if then you do not like him, surely you are in some manifest danger, not to understand him." This means they knew people wouldn't understand Shakespeare right away. That's why they suggested reading him "again and again." They understood Shakespeare was hard, but they believed he was worth the effort. They even suggested that if someone didn't like Shakespeare, it was because they didn't understand him, not because Shakespeare was bad.

A Time for Exploring

But what exactly do you understand when you finally "get" Shakespeare? That's the question Heminge and Condell didn't fully answer, and one I still need to explain. I want to talk to those of you who don't think of yourselves as readers or "literary types." Maybe you're thinking, "Shakespeare isn't for me. I like simple things. What would my friends think?" Or perhaps you're in a special school and just want to finish your main studies quickly. Others might prefer science and "real" facts, thinking fiction is just for fun reading during vacation.

To answer these doubts about reading Shakespeare, I believe what you learn from him is just as important as what you learn in science, history, or other serious classes. We often think of subjects like biology, chemistry, history, and social studies as being about the real world. But Shakespeare also helps us see and understand the real world we live in.

During Shakespeare's time, people thought of great books as mirrors. When you read a great book, it's like looking into a special mirror. This mirror shows you the world in a way that helps you see its true nature. When we read Shakespeare, his stories reflect not only the world around us but also ourselves. So, what do we find in Shakespeare? We find ourselves and the world itself. These are truly important things to study.

In fact, some people at Shakespeare's time said that fictional stories were serious because even Christ used them. Think about the story of the prodigal son: in this story, you learn about mistakes and forgiveness. But you also learn about yourself. You might realize the story is about you, that you are the 'prodigal son' (the one who made mistakes). The tricky part is you might also be like the angry, proud older brother. As you think about the story, it helps you understand yourself in different ways. When you find the real meaning of the story, you find the truth about who you are.

Take the play Macbeth, for example. It perfectly shows the dangers of ambition. The play is scary not because Macbeth looks like a mean leader (though that's how some plays show him). It's scary because Macbeth looks like us. If you don't see your own desires for too much power in Macbeth's wild, restless happiness, you need to read it again. Maybe you don't truly understand Macbeth's ambition, or maybe you don't truly know yourself. It could even be both.

From these examples, we see that life and literature are deeply connected. Books teach you about life, and the more you understand books, the better you understand life. Also, the more you know about life, the better you can understand what you read in books. This connection means that learning about literature and learning about life go together. Understanding the beauty and meaning in Shakespeare is like practicing to find beauty and meaning in your own life.

So, when you learn to read Shakespeare, you are really learning to understand the world. When you try to understand Shakespeare's characters, you are practicing how to understand real people in life. Working through the difficult parts of Shakespeare prepares you wonderfully for handling the difficult parts of life. Shakespeare gives you a chance to experience things without actually living them – like a virtual world or a flight simulator. This gives you a big advantage when you go out into the real world.

So, Shakespeare isn't just for people who love books. He's for anyone who wants to understand and deal with the real world.

There is Knowledge and there is Knowledge

Finally, I want to remind you that learning isn't just about facts and logic (your head); it's also about feelings and emotions (your heart). Shakespeare can really help you understand your heart. Read Shakespeare, and you might even avoid some bad experiences in life! He teaches us that our thoughts and feelings must work together.

One of the most important things to learn is about your own feelings. Why do you feel certain ways? Have others felt this way too? What did they do, and what happened as a result?

When you read about emotions and feelings, your mind and heart connect more fully. This strong connection, where you understand your feelings and listen with empathy, shows you are truly educated.

So, again, "Why read Shakespeare?" I've suggested that learning about Shakespeare helps you learn about the world and yourself. I invite you to try this idea: see if becoming better at reading Shakespeare also makes you better at living life. See if reading Shakespeare helps you find more happiness and appreciate what truly matters.

Shakespeare Warm-Up: Initial Challenges

Think about something you found difficult or confusing at first, but later came to understand or even enjoy. This could be a new skill, a challenging video game level, a complex math problem, or a piece of music.

1. What was this challenging thing?

1. What made it difficult at first?

1. What did you do to eventually understand or appreciate it?

1. How did it feel when you finally 'got it' or mastered it?

Shakespeare Discussion Guide

Use these questions to guide your discussion about Michael Mack's arguments for reading Shakespeare.

Section 1: Music and First Impressions

1. Mack compares reading Shakespeare to listening to a new song. What does he mean by 'music you don't particularly like the first time you hear it, but if you give it a chance, it grows on you'?
2. Why is it okay, and even expected, not to understand Shakespeare the first time you read him?

Section 2: Shakespeare as a Mirror

3. Mack suggests that great books, like Shakespeare's, act as 'mirrors.' How can a book reflect the real world and ourselves?
4. Think about the example of Macbeth and ambition. How does seeing ambition in a fictional character help us understand ourselves?

Section 3: Life and Learning

5. How does Mack argue that reading Shakespeare is not just for 'literary types' but for anyone interested in 'navigating the real world'?
6. What does Mack mean when he says learning about literature and learning about life 'go hand in hand'? Can you think of an example from your own experience?
7. Mack says college isn't just about the 'head' but also the 'heart.' How can reading Shakespeare help us understand our 'emotional life' and become more 'educated'?

Connecting to Your Life

8. Based on this reading, what is one new reason you might consider engaging with challenging texts, whether it's Shakespeare or something else?

Shakespeare Cool-Down: One Last Thought

Based on today's lesson and the reading, complete the following statement in one or two sentences:

One reason I might consider reading Shakespeare, or other challenging literature, in the future is...