Shakespeare: I find it difficult, help please.

[merlotmerlin]

Watching a film or play is OK, I let the words wash over me and I sort of get what is going on.
I want to read the stories but there are so many words, I just don't stick with it. (It's worse than Dickens)
Are there any abridges versions that I can read to get the story in say 100 pages or less of modern English.
I do it with the Bible, I read a modern translation, Good News say but go back to Authorized (King James) edition for the quotes and poetry and the sense of continuity over the centuries.
I would prefer not a version for Children.

One thing I found most useful was being taught to read it between the punctuation points. Stop, think about it, translate if necessary and then move to the next punctuation point.

The words are what make it what it is, @merlotmerlin . Watch the film to get the gist, read the play savouring the words and their meaning, then go and see the play.

You can get graphic novels.

www.heathbooks.co.uk/product-category/secondary/fiction/graphic-novels/shakespeare/

Play scripts are hard to read at the best of times as they are intended to go along with visuals.

A summary won't help because it's then just a story and the language is the bit that is so important.

Which plays have you tried?

I would start with a lighter one and have a study guide alongside to help you through. Know the plot in advance so you have an idea of what's coming.

Oh and read it aloud.

Am not convinced Shakespeare really is for reading (except the sonnets). It comes alive in performance.

If you are anywhere near Cambridge the summer Shakespeare festival is brilliant. Period style performances by a director who really understands the text. I went somewhat unwillingly but it was the hot summer and seemed a shame not too and am now hooked. For one thing I had no idea the plays were that funny! (Be prepared for an endless stream of knob gags, even in the tragedies)

Agree with the PP, just watch the plays. Shakespeare's plays are meant to be watched not read.

The Sparknotes website has the Ye Olde Worlde version opposite the modern English version which is super useful.

I'm completely the opposite. I love the words, and the imagery that they create, rather than watching the plays, where I find it harder to follow. And I'm someone who studied Shakespeare as part of my degree!

But the words and the writing are truly beautiful, so @merlotmerlin it really is worth persevering.

Choose a play that's most dramatic - one of the tragedies perhaps? Othello or King Lear are both brilliant. And then just take it slowly, so you can appreciate it.

Thanks for the replies so far. I will read any more replies when I can but a detailed reply after work.

Thank you for your comments. I have been Googling for Graphic Novels. There are three.
1 is only taking orders from schools, not personal shoppers.
BlackWells in Oxford have two series, one has a modernised language and the other the Original Words.
I will go to see their shop tomorrow as they have both versions of Macbeth in stock. I will probably use the modernised version to learn the story and the characters. I have a book of the 'Complete Works' here so I can refer to that when I know the story.
Many thanks for all suggestions.

I know you said not for kids ideally, but I really rate these versions by Leon Garfield.

Shakespeare Stories https://amzn.eu/d/01P9dfU

He doesn’t talk down to readers, and he uses bits of original text in the speech. He’s done 12 of them. You can get the books more cheaply second hand on world of books etc.

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=hK-_lL2c6roC&pg=PA3&source=gbs_selected_pages&cad=1#v=onepage&q&f=false has a preview of some of the pages to check if the style works for you?

Why do you want them, @merlotmerlin ? To know what the plots are, or to enjoy he language?

The plots are frequently ludicrous or stolen from earlier stories, or involve an awful lot of convenient miscommunication.

The characters and the language are amazing, but you do need the actual language. The edited highlights or translations to modern language will kind of kill it.

Would audiobooks or radio versions maybe work?

Just watch the plays. Wasn’t meant to be read.

Try ‘Tales from Shakespeare’, Charles and Mary Lamb: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tales-Shakespeare-Student-Complete-Unabridged/dp/1441405658

Watch them online, in 20 minute chunks.
Older versions may seem dated, but the actors speak more slowly than in many modern productions and they enunciate more clearly.
Many complete plays can be found on YouTube.
Here is Richard II with a young Ian McKellen:

BBC iPlayer has several older plays from the 80s with Lawrence Olivier, Maggie Smith and Judi Dench which are great it really doesn't matter that they are older their performances are great

There are definitely more graphic novels available, we went to see Midsummer Night's Dream on Sat in Stratford (which was bloody awesome btw) and they had loads in their shop as my DD8 was choosing between them.

But I agree with others read a summary of the play first, then watch a film so you know what is happening and then slowly but surely work your way through. I used to like having one of the gcse guides (even at uni) with me so if I reached words or phrases I didn't really understand I could almost translate them.

I agree with both of the above posters - the BBC iPlayer ones are a great watch. The other thing you could do is to watch with the script in front of you. That will help you connect the words to the visual.
I am delighted that you want to get to grips with Shakespeare. He is the greatest.

The Lamb ones are great.

I would also suggest watching upstart crow. While it's not true it does help with some of the in jokes with of Shakespeare and give a horrible history background to some of the messages.

Another option is to find podcasts of while plays and then you could read along.

Or read them out loud to yourself aiming for a heartbeat rythem

You could try reading the famous speeches rather than the whole play.
When you sink into them the language starts to make sense.

I did a lot of Shakespeare and you just start to understand it with exposure, once you’ve learned a few speeches. By the time I was sitting exams questions I struggled to translate into ‘clear modern English’ because it already made sense to me.

The original word graphic novels are what you need. But Shakespeare is written to be watched and heard, not read. I'd just read a summary of the plot so you know the story, then go to as many live productions as you can.

I really want to see the Romeo & Juliet on BMX bikes at the Globe.

I was there too, I probably saw you in the shop 😂 Brilliant performance. I did it at school but watching that was another level.

@LenaLamont , the question about why & what I want is the best question so far. Thank You
I keep hearing quotations, "To thine own self be true"; "Milk of human kindness" etc. and so many are Shakespeare. I started Googling for them.
At home I have A "Complete Works" book. When I start reading looking for the context of a quote I get lost. Unfamiliar language, archaic words and so many characters.
In answer to other people I want to read for pleasure. Not to take an exam. Similarly I have the 'too many words' problem with Dickens. Again I want to read him for pleasure not for a multi hour sermon. Already I spend too many hours with a screen in my work so I want to read more.
By the way my education stopped behind the bike shed, way before A'Level anything!
Thanks for all your input, I hope to get more.

Google the phrase you hear, then read the passage around it.
When you get a few passages under your belt, it gets so much easier.

When you realise you have a few passages from the same play decoded, read the play- you’ll already get the ‘good’ bits!