Making Elizabethan plays understandable and fun to read
Efforts to make Elizabethan drama easier and more enjoyable to read, such as annotated editions and free online resources, are prompting fresh debate about how we should approach Shakespeare and his contemporaries today. Many argue that cultural context, stage performance, and explanatory notes are enough to bridge the gap with Early Modern English, while others support full modern-language “translations” to improve accessibility, especially for students. The exchange highlights broader questions about what is lost or gained when classic works are updated, how they’re taught in schools, and whether the value of Shakespeare lies more in his plots or in the original language itself.
Site & Infrastructure Issues
- Original site was “hugged to death” and often unavailable; several people used the Internet Archive mirror.
- One commenter asked about suitable free CDNs for small hobby sites; Cloudflare was the only one with first‑hand experience.
Value of the Elizabethan Drama Project
- Strong appreciation for freely available, well‑annotated editions of non‑Shakespeare Elizabethan and Jacobean plays.
- Some see it as the kind of passion project that “renews faith in the internet,” especially for giving cultural, historical, and classical-allusion context.
How Hard Is Shakespeare/Early Modern English?
- Experiences diverge sharply:
- Some find Shakespeare “perfectly comprehensible” modern English once you adjust.
- Others, including strong readers, find even basic comprehension extremely difficult, describing it as “word salad.”
- Non‑native but highly literate English speakers often report less difficulty, possibly due to language‑learning habits and etymological awareness.
Translation vs. Original Language
- One camp argues plays should be translated into contemporary English, comparing this to Beowulf or Dante: otherwise many readers effectively have no access.
- Opponents insist Shakespeare is (early) modern English and that the value lies in the original wording, puns, and verse; translations are seen as flat and “penitential.”
- Middle position: keep originals but provide side‑by‑side modern paraphrases and annotations; this is praised as very helpful.
Performance vs. Reading
- Many argue Shakespeare “comes alive” in performance; watching good productions is recommended over reading scripts, especially for beginners.
- Others say even live productions can be opaque without prior reading or notes, especially in dense comedies.
- Several describe specific teaching methods: reading aloud in class, multiple readers, acting, pausing to explain vocabulary and cultural context.
Culture, Context, and Allusion
- Several stress that the main barrier is cultural, not purely linguistic:
- Heavy use of Ovid, mythology, politics, contemporary jokes, and sexual innuendo.
- Modern students often lack this background, so detailed notes are crucial.
- Some liken reading Shakespeare to “foreign language on easy mode” and find joy in the slightly alien grammar and semantics.
Pronunciation, Accents, and OP
- “Original Pronunciation” (OP) is highlighted as revealing lost rhymes, puns, and bawdiness; some find it transformative, others see it as an interesting but niche curiosity.
- Multiple accents (regional British, American, etc.) are seen as valid and often delightful for performance; RP is viewed as just one tradition, historically over‑privileged.
Education, Canon, and Alternatives
- Multiple commenters recount being turned off Shakespeare in school by unsupported silent reading and over‑analysis.
- There is debate over whether forcing difficult originals on all students is elitist gatekeeping or valuable intellectual training.
- Some suggest starting with more accessible plays, modern adaptations, or even other early modern authors instead of defaulting to Shakespeare.