Posted on April 5, 2021 at 11:00 AM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek
Those who struggle with reading William Shakespeare’s works have long been advised to watch a performance or listen to them be read aloud.
It’s good advice — but not perfect.
As JSTOR reports, even Shakespearean actors admit to occasional confusion over what the Bard is trying to say.
And that’s quite possibly because we’ve been taught to read his plays all wrong.
Mort Paterson, the actor who acknowledges difficulties with Shakespeare, argues that the traditional approach of reading it in iambic pentameter could very well be to blame.
In fact, he says, that rhythm was actually discouraged back in Shakespeare’s day as “too sing-songy.”
Head to JSTOR to how Paterson suggests we recite Shakespeare's plays.
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Categories: Today in Books