This document provides tips for understanding Shakespeare's language in his plays. It recommends skimming for familiar words, using footnotes to understand unfamiliar words, listening to actors' delivery to understand emotions and meanings, and using resources like SparkNotes if passages are still unclear. The document emphasizes that Shakespeare's word order and meanings have changed over time, so these tips can help a modern reader start to comprehend his rich language through patience and practice.

1. Tips for Understanding
Shakespeare’s Language

2. Key Words
 Always skim the lines of dialogue for words you
recognize.
 Finding key adjectives, nouns, and verbs can help
you to get an idea of what is being said.
 Example:
“Two households, both alike in dignity.
In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,…”
 You recognize most of these words, and if you think
for a minute, you can figure out what is basically
being said.

3. Foot Notes and Side Notes
 Meanings of words change over time, and
Shakespeare used a lot of words that you may
never have heard.
 Make sure you read the foot notes and side
notes provided in the text book; they’re not there
for decoration.
 If you see a little number next to a word, find the
matching number on the page to find the
meaning.

4. Noun/Verb Inversion
 Shakespeare used nouns and verbs to
make sentences, but he didn’t always put
them in the order we’re used to;
sometimes, he inverted them.
Think about Spanish and other languages!
 Example:
“Turn thee, Benvolio; look upon thy death.”
Benvolio, turn around and look at your death
(cause I’m about to kill you).

5. Listen Carefully!
 Emotions are KEY to understanding Shakespeare.
 Listen carefully to the actors reading the text
because the way they express the words gives us
an idea of what they mean.
 Example:
“But, and you will not wed, I’ll pardon you!
Graze where you will, you shall not house with me!”
Lord Capulet is angrily yelling this at Juliet when she
refuses to marry Paris. We can guess some of this
meaning from the key words, but we can also
guess that he’s furious with Juliet based on the
tone and volume of his voice; this can’t be good.

6. Don’t Fear Shakespeare
 To know the text is to understand it and all its
rich subtleties.
 If you find you have no idea what’s going on ever
and can’t figure it out using these tips, have no
fear; help is available!
 Go to www.sparknotes.com and click on Romeo
and Juliet under “No Fear Shakespeare”.

7. Patience, Grasshopper!
 Lastly, be patient with yourself and the text.
 In Shakespeare’s day, the audience probably
would’ve understood maybe 10% more than
you; they relied on visuals and emotions to
understand.
 Shakespeare added over 20,000 words to the English
language.
 So relax, pay attention , follow my tips, refer to
No fear Shakespeare, and go with it. Eventually
you’ll start picking it up and “get” Shakespeare in
no time!