Much Ado About Nothing is the play I’m reading currently and oh my god I’m in love with this play! The romance, the comedy and the amazing dialogues, its just absolutely fantastic!
100% 👍 Henry IV Part 1 is the great all-rounder ... loads of drama, tragedy, comedy and whatever else you want from Shakespeare. Arguably his greatest play.
The Arden Shakespeare is hands down the best edition of Shakespeare out there. Oxford comes close in amount and quality of notes, but some plays are horribly botched to fit in the editors' ideology, I don't really trust them.
@@BTypeGuy There is no "definitive text" for any of the plays and consequently there is much debate and bickering in academia over what the best/ideal/original/etc. text should look like, which is reflected in these scholarly editions; Arden tries to give balanced composite texts of all the trustworthy sources available, Oxford Complete Works wanted to reconstruct the texts as they were first played publicly, other editions try to approach the text as it was first written, etc. Some of the approaches can be interesting, like the as-it-was-first-played one (the best example for this is "King Henry IV, Part 1" where Oxford changed Falstaff's name to Oldcastle because that's what the character was originally called), but some editors carry it too far, and in any case you need to know the other versions too to understand which changes were made and why. So I'd say it's interesting for a Shakespeare enthusiast, but a newbie is going to get a very specialised version of Shakespeare and miss out on a lot of other things (thinking of "Hamlet" here, which survives in three very different versions).
@@minnie2410 Thank you for your response. I was thinking with strong statements like "horribly botched" and "I don't really trust them" that the Oxford Shakespeare editions did something sacrilegious. And as a newbie, I'm not sure what it means for editors to "carry it too far." All I can gather from your response is that there's a myriad of ways to approach the texts, which was certainly informative, but by no means justifies or explains your incredible hostility towards the Oxford editions.
@@BTypeGuy The debate can get a bit heated, especially if you immerse yourself into the matter for prolonged periods of time and see the editorial mistakes and idiosyncrasies before you. I study comparative literature and at the time I was writing my thesis on Shakespeare, so I had actually been immersed into the issues of textual revision up to my ears 😄 You're right, the wording is a bit too subjective and hostile, and I wouldn't put it as strongly today, certainly not in an academic capacity, but as a reader it was a legit frustration back then and tbh if I were to work on Shakespeare again I'd probably get into the same mindset. Ultimately however it's just a subjective opinion and it probably already goes far deeper into the matter than people just getting into Shakespeare are looking for, so I trust it will go under pretty quickly and not accumulate more significance than it's meant to have 😄 I still think Arden is the best edition, regardless of what I think about Oxford, that's the gist of it basically.
I've been reading Shakespeare for a few years (for fun) but I haven't read a lot of plays yet, I think I've read about 11. I might be mistaken but I've noticed that his tragedies are written more in a "poetic" form than the comedies, which are more in an "ordinary" form. I'm not a native English speaker so it's hard for me to read a lot of it at once, especially before bedtime! Also, I don't really like his comedies because they are mostly about love and I just can't get the point, even though I understand all the words. To add, what annoys me most is that I can't seem to remember the plot in details in some time after finishing the book, I mean I can remember some quotes and characters' names and the general idea but that's it, it's super upsetting, idk why it happens, maybe it's difficult for me to absorb this "play" format, even though I enjoy it ((. But I love Shakespeare's writng anyway, it's so beautiful and let's say, he's a freaking genius!
Before I start reading Shakespeare I’m reading a book called Shakespeare’s language by Frank Kermode. It teaches you what everything means basically and it’s incredibly helpful. I also watched one of his plays called Much ado about nothing. It’s on TH-cam, David Tennant and Cathrine Tate play the main characters.
I always read the Reclam edition. Reclam is a German publishing company which is specialized on classics. They have a ton of German classics, but they also have classics in other languages, specifically made for German people learning these languages. That makes it easier for me to read Shakespeare's plays, because they explain certain words and give a little background information. Also, they are very affordable :)
When I read shakespeares history plays of the English King's I read a bit about each king first . Also I would suggest reading them in order of when they reigned.
As a Medieval English Literature grad, I stand by what you said about reading Shakespeare. These sort of plays can be intimidating when you first start reading but that's literally what they are. You need to reread and re-watch it so many times to get to the bottom of it. I remember reading the plays 3 times before our classes and reading Shmoop/E-Notes/Sparknotes so many times. Movie versions are usually different than the actual plays and how the characters are represented but they're definitely a good start in understanding the plays. ♥︎♥︎
Over the last week I watched Kurosawa’s Throne of Blood followed by 2 different film adaptations of Macbeth and I honestly now consider it one of my favorite Shakespeare plays.
The Lion King is clearly the superior film version of Hamlet 😂 Silliness aside, of the four film adaptations of Hamlet that I've seen (1948, 1990, 1996, and 2000), the 1996 Kenneth Branagh version is my absolute favorite. He changed the setting a bit, but the entire film is a complete 4-hour unabridged performance of the play and it is incredible. As far as I know, it is still to this day the only unabridged film production of the play. I was fascinated at how the 2000 Ethan Hawke version tried to bring the play to life for modern audiences, though it was very inaccurate. There's something very odd about people in a contemporary setting speaking in ye olde Shakespearean English lol.
My first experience with the Shakespeare history plays was with the 2012 series The Hollow Crown. Seeing some of my favorite actors being these plays to life helped me fall in love with the stories to the point where I bought the Arden Shakespeare editions of the second tetralogy (King Richard II - Henry V). I bought the Arden’s for fun because I wanted all of the extra notes and information.
I most certainly will!! Just putting the final touches on some of my shelves!! 🥰 The little black books are the Penguin Little Black Classics!!! I unboxed the whole set in a past book haul!! 🥰📖💕
I have been highlighting my "Shakespeare insults" in the versions I have (No Fear and Folgers). I did not know a calendar existed. I just pre-ordered the 2022 calendar, but I will continue to highlight my own insults to compare and contrast. I'm on my third read-through of the plays, and I've approached it differently each time. I also came upon the podcast "No Holds Bard." They have over 200 episodes, and I've gotten through almost all of them. Their "So Your Going to See" renditions are an amazing synopsis on each of the plays (IMHO).
I have nothing much to say except you sound like a wonderful person 🙂 I loved the info in this video. I’m trying to build a Shakespeare collection. Keep it up 👍
I grew up listening to Shakespeare, though I have struggled for a long time to understand the stories. I found this video super helpful, and have been having more fun with it then ever before! Thank you.
Just found you channel today and love it . I use to love reading when I was young but didn’t continue. Now I encourage my kids to read as much as I can .
Hi Carolyn! thanks for this video. I'm going to take your advice to heart. You have quickly become one of my favorite booktubers, by the way! I've been binge watching all your backlist videos. xoxo
I love the idea of giving a try on audiobook, I had never thought about that 😅 I think I’m a bit scared of not understanding old English since it’s not my first language
Oh it's actually not too hard to get used to it because it is Early Modern English which is the start of our Modern English period. 🧡 It may seem extremely scary at first but you get used to it because we have so many similar words in the current daily English. Believe me it would be extremely hard to understand Old English because it is nothing like English that modern English speakers are used to. 😅
@@MarianaQuesada Audiobooks may be the better choice because it is written for the actors’ benefit. You don’t need to worry about old english! The language used gives the actors/narrators tools to know how to bring it to life. Once you start listening you’ll know what they’re trying to say. I also recommend watching BBC’s The Hollow Crown. It’s a masterpiece adaption of his history plays, a lot of speeches are shortened but they still carry the same weight. It’s worth noting that he was essentially creating Tudor propaganda when listening/watching/reading the Wars of the Roses plays.
I am just now watching this, but when you took out the calendar I realized you were filming on my birthday! Thanks for the useful insights :) I subscribed both for the thoughtful advice AND for the synchronized chronology of my birth and the Shakespearean Insult Calendar.
Very interesting. I’m currently reading ‘Shakespeare, The Biography’ by Peter Ackroyd, and this is absolutely fascinating as it takes a deep dive into 16th century life, pulling together all the different influences Shakespeare would have had in his amazing journey from unknown farmer’s son to well-respected playwright. I also enjoyed ‘The Lodger’ by Charles Nichol, which explores a specific period in his life, and brings 16th century London to full vibrant life. I’m looking forward to starting on the plays…
I have the entire works of William Shakespeare and am very I’m love with the old English but haven’t sat down to read it yet other than some sonnets and Romeo and Juliet and hamlet
Thank you, Missy...! You made Shakespeare less intimidating to me..😊 . And i would suggest you to watch a Bollywood film called 'Haider'...! Its a great adaptation of "Hamlet", released in 2014..👌 . My American friends just loved it..💓
loved the video! these tips were super helpful and that is what i do as well. we studied tales from shakespeare at school but i still have the book and always read the short story version before getting started with the play. also, off topic but your makeup looks SO PRETTY!! and also i love the energy your videos give off it's just so sweet and soft and cheerful😭❤
I'm so glad you found this helpful!!! 📖💕 I love that you also read Tales from Shakespeare!! They really are a great way to introduce yourself to the plays!! Awww thank you so much!!! 🥰🥰🥰 You're incredibly kind!!! 💕
Good morning I found your channel through Emmie's and I like you both so much. In particular I love classics and Shakespeare is one of my favourite authors. I had the chance to encounter his work on stage, and then on print. I was even a teenager, so I wasn't intimidated. Now I read him moreover for fun. When I need to uplift myself I just read some by the Bard. Thank you for all your content. I'm following you on Goodreads too. Bye
I have been getting more into shakespeare recently after watching a few plays here on youtube and loving them, i have purchased the lambs tales from shakespeare which i will read first and i also have the complete illustrated works of shakespeare and a book i don't know anything about called shakespeare the comedies a collection of critical essays, i'm really looking forward to delving deeper in to the shakespearean world in the next few months, there is also an open air theatre doing romeo and juliet in my town for the next couple of months that i plan on going to see
I was noodling around your channel after discovering the DA bookclub, and lo & behold I find a lovely shout out - thank you so much! If you're still looking for a history to sink your teeth into, I recommend in the highest terms Richard II - it's a lot more personal than most of the other histories which are pretty focused on battle and politics.
I took Shakespeare in college online we were given a website to read and site from for discussions and we had to cover 1 play a week plus my other paralegal courses which reading tons of case law (lol unfortunately there isn’t any plane English translations for legal jargon! ) I couldn’t spend the time rereading Shakespearean language! Lol so I bought no fear or for hamlet just a parallel text it was a lifesaver I’d spend a full day reading my play and do my discussions and then I could site the line so much easier. There so much room to annotate in them too!! But I like the idea of the Folgers editions but we also did papers we had to do extensive research on his life so.
Lol I feel you! Maybe try changing your thinking? Instead of thinking that Shakespearean language intimidates you, think “I’m so excited to learn!” You might not understand everything but it gets easier the more you read of his! 💗
I've found one of the easiest ways to do it when you don't know the words is listen to the audio book (can be found online free) and reading along because sometimes it makes it easier to understand
I completely agree with you all, and I felt the same way when I started!!! Shakespeare plays can be very intimidating at first, but I can't tell you how much fun you'll have once you actually pick them up!! 🥰 Like I said in the video, audiobooks and stage/movie adaptation are a huge help!! (They also make it much more fun!) Try not to pressure yourself to understand every word, because then it really won't be fun! I'd start with A Midsummer Night's Dream (the film I mentioned) and then maybe listen to the play while you sight read!! I feel like that might be the best way to go if you're feeling a bit timid! Of course feel free to read whichever way/play you want to!! 🥰🥰🥰 I hope this helps!!
*Dear Carolyn.* If you consider yourself being ,,a beginner" in reading William Shakespeare, honestly, who am I? An ultra/mega/ultimate beginner...Or who knows? Altough that is much less existential question as ,,To be or not to be? That is the question..Whether tis' nobler in mind to suffer..." I profoundly, solemnly and ,,proudly" proclaim that these words written and created by William Shakespeare several centuries ago - I remember, of course from the internet and I have seen maybe 5 theatre plays by William Shakespeare. I have also created 12 hour video about him approximately or almost four years ago. That could be my ,,magnum opus" as I dare to say.
WS was from Stratford upon Avon, Wiltshire county, England. If you want to know what people sound like from there. Chef Gordon Ramsay, he’s from there originally. That’s what someone from Shakespeare country sound like.
I’ve really wanted to and I’ve gotten better at understanding the way people talked a long time ago because of AP history classes I’ve taken such as European and American. I’m just scared to start and I’m also currently in a huge reading slump! I’ve been crocheting a lot recently so maybe I’ll watch some of the adaptations
Ooww reading slumps are the worst, but crocheting sounds fun!! 🥰 Definitely watch some of the adaptations!! Hopefully they'll help inspire you to read or listen to the plays!! 📖💕
While I can't quite go along with the Lin-Manuel Miranda / William Shakespeare genius-comparison, I enjoyed the video. With tier-ranking being popular of late on BookTube, I'd like to see one from you on the Bard's plays. : )
Aww thank you!!! I use Cantu shampoo and conditioner in the shower, and then out of the shower I just put in a ton of their argan oil leave in conditioner!! 🥰
I very recently read The Merchant of Venice. It was my first Shakespeare and I loved it. (It is a bit controversial on some topics like maybe don't read it if you're jewish)
Your so sweet I would date you instantly I can't imagine ever having an argument with you. . Now is the Winter of our... If you break your videos up into smaller chunks it's easier for us to watch. 50 min is too long. Richard iii by laurence olivier is incredible.
Much Ado About Nothing is the play I’m reading currently and oh my god I’m in love with this play! The romance, the comedy and the amazing dialogues, its just absolutely fantastic!
Read Henry the IV part I if your scared of histories. Its so hilarious and honestly my favorite Shakespeare play ❤
Ooowww okay I definitely will then!!! Thank you for the recommendation!! Much needed! 🥰📖💕
I just watched the episode of The Hollow Crown that adapts Henry the IV, part 1 and LOVED it
100% 👍 Henry IV Part 1 is the great all-rounder ... loads of drama, tragedy, comedy and whatever else you want from Shakespeare. Arguably his greatest play.
The Arden Shakespeare is hands down the best edition of Shakespeare out there. Oxford comes close in amount and quality of notes, but some plays are horribly botched to fit in the editors' ideology, I don't really trust them.
Ooww I've actually never heard of those!! I'll have to check them out! Thank you for letting me know! 🥰📖💕
I'm really curious about what you mean by "some plays are horribly botched to fit in the editors' ideology."
@@BTypeGuy There is no "definitive text" for any of the plays and consequently there is much debate and bickering in academia over what the best/ideal/original/etc. text should look like, which is reflected in these scholarly editions; Arden tries to give balanced composite texts of all the trustworthy sources available, Oxford Complete Works wanted to reconstruct the texts as they were first played publicly, other editions try to approach the text as it was first written, etc. Some of the approaches can be interesting, like the as-it-was-first-played one (the best example for this is "King Henry IV, Part 1" where Oxford changed Falstaff's name to Oldcastle because that's what the character was originally called), but some editors carry it too far, and in any case you need to know the other versions too to understand which changes were made and why. So I'd say it's interesting for a Shakespeare enthusiast, but a newbie is going to get a very specialised version of Shakespeare and miss out on a lot of other things (thinking of "Hamlet" here, which survives in three very different versions).
@@minnie2410 Thank you for your response. I was thinking with strong statements like "horribly botched" and "I don't really trust them" that the Oxford Shakespeare editions did something sacrilegious. And as a newbie, I'm not sure what it means for editors to "carry it too far." All I can gather from your response is that there's a myriad of ways to approach the texts, which was certainly informative, but by no means justifies or explains your incredible hostility towards the Oxford editions.
@@BTypeGuy The debate can get a bit heated, especially if you immerse yourself into the matter for prolonged periods of time and see the editorial mistakes and idiosyncrasies before you. I study comparative literature and at the time I was writing my thesis on Shakespeare, so I had actually been immersed into the issues of textual revision up to my ears 😄 You're right, the wording is a bit too subjective and hostile, and I wouldn't put it as strongly today, certainly not in an academic capacity, but as a reader it was a legit frustration back then and tbh if I were to work on Shakespeare again I'd probably get into the same mindset. Ultimately however it's just a subjective opinion and it probably already goes far deeper into the matter than people just getting into Shakespeare are looking for, so I trust it will go under pretty quickly and not accumulate more significance than it's meant to have 😄 I still think Arden is the best edition, regardless of what I think about Oxford, that's the gist of it basically.
I've been reading Shakespeare for a few years (for fun) but I haven't read a lot of plays yet, I think I've read about 11. I might be mistaken but I've noticed that his tragedies are written more in a "poetic" form than the comedies, which are more in an "ordinary" form. I'm not a native English speaker so it's hard for me to read a lot of it at once, especially before bedtime! Also, I don't really like his comedies because they are mostly about love and I just can't get the point, even though I understand all the words. To add, what annoys me most is that I can't seem to remember the plot in details in some time after finishing the book, I mean I can remember some quotes and characters' names and the general idea but that's it, it's super upsetting, idk why it happens, maybe it's difficult for me to absorb this "play" format, even though I enjoy it ((. But I love Shakespeare's writng anyway, it's so beautiful and let's say, he's a freaking genius!
Yes, the Folgers editions are fantastic!
I love reading Shakespeare for fun! I'm determined to get through them all. Like you I have not yet read his histories
So am I!!! 🥰📖💕 I hope we both enjoy the histories once we read them!! 😂
Before I start reading Shakespeare I’m reading a book called Shakespeare’s language by Frank Kermode. It teaches you what everything means basically and it’s incredibly helpful. I also watched one of his plays called Much ado about nothing. It’s on TH-cam, David Tennant and Cathrine Tate play the main characters.
That book with all the plays by him..got my heart🥺❤️
My favourite adaptation of Macbeth is the movie by Roman Polanski, beautiful landscape scenery and the witches look great
It was really helpful for me.
Thank u so much!
i can't believe i just watched you talk about shakespeare for almost an hour! loved your video as always 💜 sending u lots of love x x
Hahaha I’m so glad you did!
Sending love back to you! ❤️
I always read the Reclam edition. Reclam is a German publishing company which is specialized on classics. They have a ton of German classics, but they also have classics in other languages, specifically made for German people learning these languages. That makes it easier for me to read Shakespeare's plays, because they explain certain words and give a little background information. Also, they are very affordable :)
Oh wow!! I've never heard of them before, but they sound wonderful!!! 📖✨
When I read shakespeares history plays of the English King's I read a bit about each king first . Also I would suggest reading them in order of when they reigned.
As a Medieval English Literature grad, I stand by what you said about reading Shakespeare. These sort of plays can be intimidating when you first start reading but that's literally what they are. You need to reread and re-watch it so many times to get to the bottom of it. I remember reading the plays 3 times before our classes and reading Shmoop/E-Notes/Sparknotes so many times. Movie versions are usually different than the actual plays and how the characters are represented but they're definitely a good start in understanding the plays. ♥︎♥︎
Over the last week I watched Kurosawa’s Throne of Blood followed by 2 different film adaptations of Macbeth and I honestly now consider it one of my favorite Shakespeare plays.
The Lion King is clearly the superior film version of Hamlet 😂
Silliness aside, of the four film adaptations of Hamlet that I've seen (1948, 1990, 1996, and 2000), the 1996 Kenneth Branagh version is my absolute favorite. He changed the setting a bit, but the entire film is a complete 4-hour unabridged performance of the play and it is incredible. As far as I know, it is still to this day the only unabridged film production of the play.
I was fascinated at how the 2000 Ethan Hawke version tried to bring the play to life for modern audiences, though it was very inaccurate. There's something very odd about people in a contemporary setting speaking in ye olde Shakespearean English lol.
My first experience with the Shakespeare history plays was with the 2012 series The Hollow Crown. Seeing some of my favorite actors being these plays to life helped me fall in love with the stories to the point where I bought the Arden Shakespeare editions of the second tetralogy (King Richard II - Henry V). I bought the Arden’s for fun because I wanted all of the extra notes and information.
If u haven't yet, then watch Kenneth Branagh's Hamlet... full text adaptation, very nice art direction... IMHO a masterpiece.
you should do a bookshelf tour!!! i love the little figurines you have and i’ve always wondered what those black books are!
I most certainly will!! Just putting the final touches on some of my shelves!! 🥰 The little black books are the Penguin Little Black Classics!!! I unboxed the whole set in a past book haul!! 🥰📖💕
I have been highlighting my "Shakespeare insults" in the versions I have (No Fear and Folgers). I did not know a calendar existed. I just pre-ordered the 2022 calendar, but I will continue to highlight my own insults to compare and contrast.
I'm on my third read-through of the plays, and I've approached it differently each time. I also came upon the podcast "No Holds Bard." They have over 200 episodes, and I've gotten through almost all of them. Their "So Your Going to See" renditions are an amazing synopsis on each of the plays (IMHO).
once i read every shakespeare play i will not hesitate to get a calendar of shakespeare insults
Girl, no need to wait...I didn't!!! 😂😂😂
@@CarolynMarieReads okay you've convinced me
I completely agree about A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
I have nothing much to say except you sound like a wonderful person 🙂 I loved the info in this video. I’m trying to build a Shakespeare collection. Keep it up 👍
Very helpful guide, and your enthusiastic and unassuming way makes you absolutely simpatica. Thanks, from a brand new subscriber.
I grew up listening to Shakespeare, though I have struggled for a long time to understand the stories. I found this video super helpful, and have been having more fun with it then ever before! Thank you.
Just found you channel today and love it . I use to love reading when I was young but didn’t continue. Now I encourage my kids to read as much as I can .
Hi Carolyn! thanks for this video. I'm going to take your advice to heart. You have quickly become one of my favorite booktubers, by the way! I've been binge watching all your backlist videos. xoxo
Aww thank you so much!! That means the world to me! 🥰📖💕
Showing this video to my grade 9s today..Thanks, Caro!
Did they like it?
I love the idea of giving a try on audiobook, I had never thought about that 😅 I think I’m a bit scared of not understanding old English since it’s not my first language
I completely understand!!! I think sight-reading with an audiobook will make it much more approachable for you!! 🥰📖💕
@@CarolynMarieReads great idea! Thanks 💕
Oh it's actually not too hard to get used to it because it is Early Modern English which is the start of our Modern English period. 🧡 It may seem extremely scary at first but you get used to it because we have so many similar words in the current daily English. Believe me it would be extremely hard to understand Old English because it is nothing like English that modern English speakers are used to. 😅
@@MarianaQuesada Audiobooks may be the better choice because it is written for the actors’ benefit. You don’t need to worry about old english! The language used gives the actors/narrators tools to know how to bring it to life. Once you start listening you’ll know what they’re trying to say. I also recommend watching BBC’s The Hollow Crown. It’s a masterpiece adaption of his history plays, a lot of speeches are shortened but they still carry the same weight. It’s worth noting that he was essentially creating Tudor propaganda when listening/watching/reading the Wars of the Roses plays.
@@bbictorr oh thank you so much! The Hollow Crown sounds perfect!
I am just now watching this, but when you took out the calendar I realized you were filming on my birthday! Thanks for the useful insights :) I subscribed both for the thoughtful advice AND for the synchronized chronology of my birth and the Shakespearean Insult Calendar.
I am reading the Tales from Shakespeare to my 7 year old while my 14 year old is doing the No Fear versions... 😊
Very interesting.
I’m currently reading ‘Shakespeare, The Biography’ by Peter Ackroyd, and this is absolutely fascinating as it takes a deep dive into 16th century life, pulling together all the different influences Shakespeare would have had in his amazing journey from unknown farmer’s son to well-respected playwright.
I also enjoyed ‘The Lodger’ by Charles Nichol, which explores a specific period in his life, and brings 16th century London to full vibrant life.
I’m looking forward to starting on the plays…
I have the entire works of William Shakespeare and am very I’m love with the old English but haven’t sat down to read it yet other than some sonnets and Romeo and Juliet and hamlet
Thank you, Missy...!
You made Shakespeare less intimidating to me..😊
.
And i would suggest you to watch a Bollywood film called 'Haider'...!
Its a great adaptation of "Hamlet", released in 2014..👌
.
My American friends just loved it..💓
loved the video! these tips were super helpful and that is what i do as well. we studied tales from shakespeare at school but i still have the book and always read the short story version before getting started with the play. also, off topic but your makeup looks SO PRETTY!! and also i love the energy your videos give off it's just so sweet and soft and cheerful😭❤
I'm so glad you found this helpful!!! 📖💕 I love that you also read Tales from Shakespeare!! They really are a great way to introduce yourself to the plays!! Awww thank you so much!!! 🥰🥰🥰 You're incredibly kind!!! 💕
Thank you for this video! By the way, speaking of opera, I love Verdi’s Macbeth.
The Tempest, my favorite🧚🏽♀️
We saw A Midsummer Nights Dream at the Globe theater in London…it was fun!
Good morning I found your channel through Emmie's and I like you both so much.
In particular I love classics and Shakespeare is one of my favourite authors. I had the chance to encounter his work on stage,
and then on print. I was even a teenager, so I wasn't intimidated. Now I read him moreover for fun. When I need to uplift myself I just read some by the Bard. Thank you for all your content. I'm following you on Goodreads too. Bye
I have been getting more into shakespeare recently after watching a few plays here on youtube and loving them, i have purchased the lambs tales from shakespeare which i will read first and i also have the complete illustrated works of shakespeare and a book i don't know anything about called shakespeare the comedies a collection of critical essays, i'm really looking forward to delving deeper in to the shakespearean world in the next few months, there is also an open air theatre doing romeo and juliet in my town for the next couple of months that i plan on going to see
I was noodling around your channel after discovering the DA bookclub, and lo & behold I find a lovely shout out - thank you so much! If you're still looking for a history to sink your teeth into, I recommend in the highest terms Richard II - it's a lot more personal than most of the other histories which are pretty focused on battle and politics.
I took Shakespeare in college online we were given a website to read and site from for discussions and we had to cover 1 play a week plus my other paralegal courses which reading tons of case law (lol unfortunately there isn’t any plane English translations for legal jargon! ) I couldn’t spend the time rereading Shakespearean language! Lol so I bought no fear or for hamlet just a parallel text it was a lifesaver I’d spend a full day reading my play and do my discussions and then I could site the line so much easier. There so much room to annotate in them too!! But I like the idea of the Folgers editions but we also did papers we had to do extensive research on his life so.
I have always wanted to do this but the amount of words that i do not understand intimidates me 😂
Lol I feel you! Maybe try changing your thinking? Instead of thinking that Shakespearean language intimidates you, think “I’m so excited to learn!” You might not understand everything but it gets easier the more you read of his! 💗
I've found one of the easiest ways to do it when you don't know the words is listen to the audio book (can be found online free) and reading along because sometimes it makes it easier to understand
I completely agree with you all, and I felt the same way when I started!!! Shakespeare plays can be very intimidating at first, but I can't tell you how much fun you'll have once you actually pick them up!! 🥰 Like I said in the video, audiobooks and stage/movie adaptation are a huge help!! (They also make it much more fun!) Try not to pressure yourself to understand every word, because then it really won't be fun! I'd start with A Midsummer Night's Dream (the film I mentioned) and then maybe listen to the play while you sight read!! I feel like that might be the best way to go if you're feeling a bit timid! Of course feel free to read whichever way/play you want to!! 🥰🥰🥰 I hope this helps!!
thank you! i’m about to read my first shakespeare play but don’t know how to start. wish me luck! 😂
How exciting!!! I hope this video helped in some way!! Good luck! 📖✨
This was a great video! Thank you so much 😇
Awww thank you so much!!! 🥰💕
*Dear Carolyn.*
If you consider yourself being ,,a beginner" in reading William Shakespeare, honestly, who am I?
An ultra/mega/ultimate beginner...Or who knows?
Altough that is much less existential question as ,,To be or not to be? That is the question..Whether tis' nobler in mind to suffer..." I profoundly, solemnly and ,,proudly" proclaim that these words written and created by William Shakespeare several centuries ago - I remember, of course from the internet and I have seen maybe 5 theatre plays by William Shakespeare.
I have also created 12 hour video about him approximately or almost four years ago. That could be my ,,magnum opus" as I dare to say.
WS was from Stratford upon Avon, Wiltshire county, England. If you want to know what people sound like from there. Chef Gordon Ramsay, he’s from there originally. That’s what someone from Shakespeare country sound like.
I’ve really wanted to and I’ve gotten better at understanding the way people talked a long time ago because of AP history classes I’ve taken such as European and American. I’m just scared to start and I’m also currently in a huge reading slump! I’ve been crocheting a lot recently so maybe I’ll watch some of the adaptations
Ooww reading slumps are the worst, but crocheting sounds fun!! 🥰 Definitely watch some of the adaptations!! Hopefully they'll help inspire you to read or listen to the plays!! 📖💕
I've recently inherited 3 signet classics shakespeare plays. I haven't read them yet, but the covers are gorgeous!
Ooowww that's lovely!! They covers really are stunning!!
While I can't quite go along with the Lin-Manuel Miranda / William Shakespeare genius-comparison, I enjoyed the video. With tier-ranking being popular of late on BookTube, I'd like to see one from you on the Bard's plays. : )
(BTW, I do like a lot of Hamilton.)
I put Othello, Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet and The taming of the Shrew on my Goodreads list!
Ooowww yayay!!! I hope you enjoy them!!
I live in Edinburgh (Scotland) where do you want to visit? The north is nice, but be warned, it’s cold here!!! 😅😊
Hamlet is my fav tragedy 💜
Great video! Hands down my new favorite channel!
Thank you so much! That means the world to me! :)
My favorite film version of Romeo and Juliet is the 2013 one done by Julian Fellowes. You should definitely check that version out!
Ooww I'll definitely check that one out!!!
Thank you❤
50:20 what's that Macbeth edition 😂 😁
Great video
Thank you!!
What do you use on your hair it looks amazing!
Aww thank you!!! I use Cantu shampoo and conditioner in the shower, and then out of the shower I just put in a ton of their argan oil leave in conditioner!! 🥰
Girls, what about your recommendations for a beginner?
I very recently read The Merchant of Venice. It was my first Shakespeare and I loved it.
(It is a bit controversial on some topics like maybe don't read it if you're jewish)
That's wonderful!! I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed it!! 🥰📖💕
It would be so much fun if you had us read a Shakespeare history together. Please consider it. :-)
Oowww that would be so much fun!!! I'll definitely consider it!! Thank you for the idea!! 🥰📖💕
What about u-tube shakespeare
I assure you, the little guy that wobbled across your bookcase didn't write Shakespeare.
Your so sweet I would date you instantly I can't imagine ever having an argument with you. . Now is the Winter of our...
If you break your videos up into smaller chunks it's easier for us to watch. 50 min is too long.
Richard iii by laurence olivier is incredible.