Resource of the Week - Shakespeare's Language
Our resource this week is a guide to the language used by Shakespeare in his plays from the Read - Write - Think Institute. It is designed for students who are beginning their studies of Shakespeare for the first time in school. You can download the resource by visiting our English resources section on our website or download it directly by clicking here.
This is a great resource for students to use to develop their understanding of the terms used in Shakespearean plays - an element that many students often find challenging at first. The resource provides a series of commonly used terms during the Elizabethan era and their meaning in modern English. The resource itself is quite explanatory, however, below is our general advice for students on how to overcome the language barrier when revising Shakespeare:
Develop a list of key vocabulary in the play. This can be done by searching for the play’s key vocabulary online. Ensure that you understand these terms and actively use them in your writing and discussion to embed their meaning and use in your work.
Focus on identifying small quotes (2-3 words) to memorise. This will minimise the amount of memorisation you have to undertake and allow you to focus your analysis at the word level - what connotations does it create? Which themes can you link it to?
Watch the plays being performed whether at the theatre or online. Shakespeare’s plays are written for the stage with a reactive audience. Watching the body language of the actors and the audience’s reaction will support your understanding of the language through context.
Read your own copy of the play and make notes in the margins regarding key information and vocabulary - this is one of the best revision resources possible for any Shakespeare play.
We hope that this resource will be used to aid students’ understanding of the language used in Shakespeare’s plays and enable students to further access their learning as well as enjoy and revel in the glory of the bard. From all of us at Libra Education, never stop learning!