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| Yes | 24% | 297 votes | Total: 1224 votes | |
| No | 76% | 927 votes |
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Add to FavoritesYes Shakespeare's writing is incomprehensible, if you have not been taught how to access it. His incomprehensibility is, however, not a good enough reason to discard him. That his writing has enthralled generations of humans for nearly six hundred years would suggest that more effort be made to access his work.
As a South African I found the American electoral system incomprehensible, and so I decided to find out more. Access to the Internet can transform the incomprehensible to the understandable.I disagree with Tanu Bhandari that language has become more structured and is therefore more difficult to grasp. Language is just differently structured, meaning has shifted, that's all. We shall be as unintelligible to our own descendant's in five hundred years time. Those that care will try to access our work, words and our lives.
The question is not whether Shakespeare is incomprehensible or not, but whether we are willing to make the effort to understand him. Certainly it is not easy. Anything we attempt without any effort is often not worth attempting. There is a challenge to understanding Shakespeare, that is half the fun. In our 'instant' consumer society we expect results instantly, Shakespeare will not satisfy the diet dependent on fast food. Read the vast array of pulp fiction that lines the road to mediocrity if that is your choice, but do not write off Shakespeare for the absurd reason of incomprehensibility. With effort, there is nothing in the world beyond the limit of comprehension.
H. L. White writes sincerely and I commend his article as a piece of honest writing. I hear what he is saying, and it is indeed sad that he feels forever out of reach of Shakespeare. Sometimes all it takes is a little inspiration, some reason to want to pursue Shakespeare. To anyone who has not yet been inspired, I recommend Al Pacino's "Looking for Richard." One of the most exciting explorations of Shakespeare's accessibility to modern culture.
I ask my students this question: "Do you want to enter the mind of a psychopath and glimpse the struggle between humanity and insanity?" Then read Macbeth.
Learn more about this author, Michael Scallan.
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No
Absolutely not. Shakespeare's writing is just a more flowery rendition of the English language. He used words that were not in the usual English conversation, so further definition was and is required. For comprehension, a dictionary is a necessary tool for most readers. Just as modern writers feel the need to use expletives to make a point, Shakespeare used words that would get his point across and give a colorful picture of the characters. He wrote in a time that the flowery language, the luxurious costumes and the flamboyant actors were all needed to give a performance that impressed the audiences. In the Globe Theater, there were no lights, cameras or technology in the production of the plays. Everything focused on the actors and the script.
Shakespeare also wrote in a poetic form that often required a word to fit into the verse that he was using. The positioning of the words is also different and challenging for the reader. Again, this was needed to fit to the verse and give meaning to the script.
It takes a little more effort to read Shakespeare. With some front loading of vocabulary and guidance by an instructor, his writing is comprehensible. Many of the themes of Shakespeare have been redone in modern productions and this is a way for the reader to get a better understanding of some of his writings. When the reader realizes that he is familiar with the story it is not as difficult to comprehend the words of Shakespeare. There are quotes used in our society and literature that have been taken from some of Shakespeare's plays. When students learn where they are from and how they were originally used, they gain a better understanding when they come across them in other writings or conversation.
Shakespeare is comprehensible and can be enjoyable. The hardest thing is to get over the idea that it is impossible to read and understand. Learning about the time that Shakespeare lived and wrote helps put some of the reason for the style of writing into perspective. The Renaissance was a revival of art, literature and learning. The Renaissance Man was skilled and well-versed in many fields of knowledge. This was a time of transformation from the medieval world to the modern. Writers, like Shakespeare, could write freely about what they felt and wanted to present to the public and the audiences were able to relate to the literature that developed.
Shakespeare wrote in very cultured English, but can be comprehended with a little effort to learn the meanings of the words he used. There are publications that put his writings in modern language for easier understanding. In my experience, side notes and guidance were helpful for classes using either the real version or a modern version. Reading and comprehending Shakespeare is a learning experience that should not be missed.
Learn more about this author, Carol Kondrat.
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