HOW CAN I LEARN TO ENJOY SHAKESPEARE. A lesson on how to read Shakespeare.

How can I learn to enjoy Shakespeare? Have you ever asked that question? You are not alone. Millions have asked the same question.
MAKE SURE TO READ THE REST OF THIS DESCRIPTION!!!
We are all told that Shakespeare is the Greatest writer to have ever lived. But high school Shakespeare, or home school Shakespeare, can put many of us off. Shakespearean language can seem difficult which makes Shakespeare's plays hard to understand.
The truth is, that you CAN learn to enjoy Shakespeare. His words have more beauty than almost anything else in the English language and, once you begin to learn how to understand Shakespeare, then you will be lit up in wonder at the treasures that you can find.
IMPORTANT NOTE!!!
This video is done as a lesson on Shakespeare. Set some quiet time aside, switch off your phone, and get ready to follow along as we look at a speech from Richard II.
You will want a copy of John of Gaunt's speech from Richard II, Act II Scene 1. It is better known as the "Sceptered Isle" speech if you wish to search for it online. There is a transcript below but it would be better if you had a copy which you can highlight.
THE SPEECH
Methinks I am a prophet new inspired
And thus expiring do foretell of him:
His rash fierce blaze of riot cannot last,
For violent fires soon burn out themselves;
Small showers last long, but sudden storms are short;
He tires betimes that spurs too fast betimes;
With eager feeding food doth choke the feeder:
Light vanity, insatiate cormorant,
Consuming means, soon preys upon itself.
This royal throne of kings, this scepter'd isle,
This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars,
This other Eden, demi-paradise,
This fortress built by Nature for herself
Against infection and the hand of war,
This happy breed of men, this little world,
This precious stone set in the silver sea,
Which serves it in the office of a wall,
Or as a moat defensive to a house,
Against the envy of less happier lands,
This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England,
This nurse, this teeming womb of royal kings,
Fear'd by their breed and famous by their birth,
Renowned for their deeds as far from home,
For Christian service and true chivalry,
As is the sepulchre in stubborn Jewry,
Of the world's ransom, blessed Mary's Son,
This land of such dear souls, this dear dear land,
Dear for her reputation through the world,
Is now leased out, I die pronouncing it,
Like to a tenement or pelting farm:
England, bound in with the triumphant sea
Whose rocky shore beats back the envious siege
Of watery Neptune, is now bound in with shame,
With inky blots and rotten parchment bonds:
That England, that was wont to conquer others,
Hath made a shameful conquest of itself.
Ah, would the scandal vanish with my life,
How happy then were my ensuing death!
If you would like to support my channel please visit my Buy me a Coffee page
buymeacoffee.com/tristanclassics
Follow me on Instagram
/ tristan_and_the_classics

[@peterwilliams6188]

Tristan, thank you, thank you thank you.. I did what you suggested and read the speech myself three times. This is the first time I have read out loud any of Shakespeare’s words. It felt good. I have been to see many Shakespeare plays over the past 40 years, but I have never really appreciated their brilliance. You have opened a window for me and I love it. I have watched your videos on Richard the third and Iambic pentameter and they have been so educational. I hope you do produce more videos in the future, they are so valuable. Thank you once again. Peter.

[@tristanandtheclassics6538]

I say, Peter! This is one of the best comments I've ever received. SO pleased that you have found a new door to Shakespeare. He really is uniquely special.

[@tristanandtheclassics6538]

This video is designed as a proper classroom lesson or lecture on understanding Shakespeare. Set some time aside and learn to love Shakespeare 💘

[@bradchristy5002]

Absolutely RIGHT! Read thrice and amazing things do happen! Tristan has, with this single video, proven himself a Masterful Teacher. Never in my entire 75 years of life have I been blessed with such wisdom! Upon my last reading, I found myself moved, understanding, appreciating (though admittedly only minimally at my current skill level), and LEARNING the true importance of Shakespeare to my English language and my personal educational growth. Bless Tristan and his marvelous work. My heartfelt thanks!

[@petersuitch3129]

Tristan, you are a brilliant teacher! What I would greatly appreciate in a course would be a brief background discussion of the play, and then an analysis of just some of the more difficult speeches. Especially a play, like King Lear, which I found very difficult to understand. Thank you so much for all the hard. Work you have put in!

[@retribution999]

Started by reading a few sonnets which really resonated with me. Picked one, learned it by heart, read some analysis to understand but better. Then read and learnt by heart Soliloquies which really appealled to me. Then read Macbeth with a commentary on each line. Take it slowly, chew it, savour it.

[@Beesmakelifegoo]

I am loving how you read. It’s so wonderful to learn how extraordinary Shakespeare is Today. Thank you,it’s much appreciated.

[@emilywilliams6683]

Tristan I loved this video! Thank you! It really increased my understanding of this iconic speech I’ve always loved but didn’t understand at the level you explained. Please do more detailed analyses of Shakespeare monologues when you can. Also love the way you explained iambic pentameter as “flowing speech”. It’s lovely. Many thanks again. 👑

[@juliasweeney3479]

Wonderful! WOW, you cracked my mind open. Thank you Tristan ❤

[@tristanandtheclassics6538]

So pleased you enjoyed it, Julia.

[@terririley186]

Wow!!! Wow!!! Wow!!! Tristin, you are brilliant!!! I never thought I would ever enjoy Shakespeare, but your explanation and interpretation helps me finally see why Shakespeare is thought to be so brilliant!!! Thank you so much!!! I will be looking for your course!

[@dorothysatterfield3699]

Tristan, you are a gifted teacher.

[@PompadourSamurai]

I'm a fan of this channel and binged a good amount of videos. My only suggestion for you is to keep the volume of your videos in mind. This one is quiet, I had to listen to it on headphones. It could be the result of how you recorded it. Not sure how audio 'mixing' works for youtube, but try to find a baseline video of the right audio volume and get the other videos to match it by editing it when needed to. Keep up the good videos and see if making some more shorts will help with subscriptions.

[@tristanandtheclassics6538]

So pleased you enjoy my ramblings and thank you for the sound advice. I've tried to rectify the problem in my latest vid and have just learned something else I can do to improve the volume which I'll add to the next one.😁👍

[@pattube]

I think Shakespeare was meant for the ear as well as the eye. 😀Hence I read Shakespeare sort of like how I read a modern screenplay. I try to imagine how the words will appear if they were a film (or something similar). As such, it's helpful to watch great actors deliver lines from Shakespeare (e.g. Kenneth Branagh, Derek Jacobi, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen). Or to watch a great Shakespearean adaptation like Branagh's Hamlet.

[@duke927]

Shakespeare can be tough reading. But they are plays after all. There have been many wonderful films and plays faithful to his scripts. If you watch a faithful well done play or film adaptation. The meaning of the script comes clear by the actors acting out their lines and the production itself and the capabilities of the director. Branaugh’s Henry V, Zefferelli’s Romeo and Juliet, Laurence Olivier’s Hamlet, Even Mel Gibson’s Hamlet among others. In a play or on the screen the language becomes clear. Thank you for the video:) you are well versed in the material and a good teacher. Your passion for the material comes through.

[@adyshih]

You and your channel is the reason that I picked up Shakespeare again in new year of 2022, the last time I read them seriously was more than 5 years ago and now I am about 54 yeas old and very grateful to find someone like you to help a reader like me from Taiwan where Shakespeare resources had not been very accessible and now I live in HK and do have chance to watch actual plays and the world of youtube during pandemic period is really a blessing for people never get to see Shakespeares real plays. I really like the way you think, feel, and explore in a way to guide the reader to appreciate true classic and I have learned so much from you just watching a few episodes: your way of thinking about the criteria of classic and gothic novel are all really insightful. Even I have been reading classic for some decades but never really thought about the underlying reasons that I keep reading them on and off as if my essence of life can be reflected through my relationship with how I read these classic books that have been living in my shelfs......thank you Mr. Teed.

[@tristanandtheclassics6538]

WOW! Thank you for this beautiful comment adyshih. It really made my day. Shakespeare is amazing and I'm pleased you enjoy him. Classic Literature is so good for exploring ideas, emotions etc. It also teaches patience which I think is important too. Once again, thank you for the encouraging words. 🙏😀

[@Holmnielsen-]

Wonderful Shakespeare! I would take a course!!

[@tristanandtheclassics6538]

Thank you. I'm still tinkering with the idea. I'll keep you posted.

[@jameswhyte5094]

Great delivery of a great speech. Wonderful breakdown, thank you.

[@mikedl1105]

I give my 7th grade English teacher credit for making Shakespeare unintimidating. I can't say I always understand it, but I'm not afraid of Shakespeare so I can get into his works and enjoy them

[@annamarielewis7078]

I think the most important thing is to pick a work that interests you. Not all Shakespeare is created equal. I prefer the war stories way more than the comedies.👍

[@ralphjenkins1507]

❤️ Shakespeare, grâce à toi !

[@michaelgarcia2973]

I was watching the life Of The Canadian Pianist Glenn Gould and one time he was asked that if he liked any Shakespeare play and he said That his favorite Play was Richard II and i watched The Film starring Wilem Dafoe as Vincent Van Gogh in The Film At The Eternity's End he was asked what was his favorite Shakespeare Play and he said Richard II

[@vickyagnew1651]

I thought your delivery was compelling. Thank you so much for this. At the age of 56, I am returning to Shakespeare for the first time in four decades, and I needed your instruction and encouragement. I so appreciate the time you take to share things with us.

[@kadressmoothoosamy5490]

Thank you ,Mr. Tristan.Words do not flow when the heart is full .

[@ruperttristanblythe7512]

I have never been into Shakespeare. This video was so good. You explain things so well. I really got into the video.

[@Beesmakelifegoo]

I would love to hear a cd of a play read entirely by you. (with some exceptions to bring such awareness. Thank you,it’s the first time that I can say,yes indeed it’s absolutely amazing!

[@janicemacdonald4252]

O yes…more please!! Yearning now for Understanding Shakespeare…thank you so much!

[@tristanandtheclassics6538]

Really pleased you enjoyed it Janice. 😀

[@jhmstagg9104]

Cool thank you so much, finally my dive into since high school.

[@carolynwestlake7670]

It’s so interesting, I’m looking forward to learning more.😊

[@jacquelynjohnson5596]

Enjoyed and learned from the explanations of passages from Shakespeare. Would be interested in a course on the plays.

[@libbylou6031]

Thank you for posting this video. It's taken me a bit to get through because I keep stopping and going back over the text. Strong work on showing how interesting Shakespeare is.

[@tristanandtheclassics6538]

Thanks so much Libbylou! Shakespeare, if stuck with, is the finest reward anybody can have in literature. Accept me sincerest commendation for your tenacity. It was a long video and later videos I will try and make a bit more bitesized😅❤

[@charmainesaliba5546]

Thanks so much Tristan for this lesson. The way you explain it made it easier to understand. I saved this video for future reference 🙂

[@tristanandtheclassics6538]

Thanks Charmaine. 😊 I really want to help people learn to love Shakespeare so they can experience some of the most precious treasure that civilisation has ever produced.

[@susprime7018]

The "moat defensive" worked in 1588. Maybe Shakespeare was recalling that for Elizabeth's sake? Excellent.

[@tristanandtheclassics6538]

Absolutely. The wind worked wonders too.😃

[@GG-pg6rp]

Absolutely inspiring and engaging. Thank you!

[@tristanandtheclassics6538]

Thank you G G, I'm pleased you enjoyed it. My I also say how much I appreciate your kindness and support in taking the time to comment. It really means a lot. Thank you.

[@lucyssweetjournaling]

I'm already excited by this video. To have a lesson like this is really awesome! Thank you. I've saved the video so I can go through it in two goes.

[@tristanandtheclassics6538]

Brilliant! Taking it in parts is fine. Be sure to get through it all though. The latter part deals with a specific technique which you might find interesting.

[@audreydimbleby8774]

Thank you for such a great video. Please do keep them coming. Your enthusiasm is contagious. Such a treat!

[@tristanandtheclassics6538]

Thank you Audrey. 😊 I get enthusiastic because Shakespeare is so worth the time getting into.

[@mimimayhem]

I’ve always wanted to read Shakespeare (I’m not a native English speaker), but never got around to till I read and enjoyed, though with a bit of difficulty, Much Ado About Nothing months ago. I just bought a beautiful copy of Hamlet but I’m afraid it’ll be a tougher read. I came across this video of yours, watched till after your explanation of the Richard III passage and downloaded it. I’m so excited to finish watching this. Excellent so far.

[@tristanandtheclassics6538]

Shakespeare can be daunting but he is very worth getting into. He is almost unique in literature. A real genius.

[@patriciatolliver4057]

Patty- I read Katherine by Anya Seton. John of Gaunt is a major character in that story. Katherine's love interest. He was such a powerful figure in that novel. I could still feel his strength of character in that speech, even though he was on his deathbed. I really need to reread that speech. Thank you for walking us through it.

[@PoiemaLee]

Excellent and clear presentation. Thank you !

[@tristanandtheclassics6538]

Thank you Terri 😊

[@stevemcelmury4618]

"His rash, fierce blaze of riot cannot last..." Made me think of another tyrant, one living in the Kremlin. And comforts me to realize this is the way of all bullies... he'll be defeated, & sink into ignominy... you're the best, Tristan. Thanks.

[@jotaig8735]

Hi, this is so brilliantly delivered,Tristan. Really enjoyed it! Very effective, this has definitely helped me to understand his works in a different light. So thank you!

[@tristanandtheclassics6538]

Great to hear Jo! Thanks for letting me know that you enjoyed it. I hope that you get a great deal of joy from reading Shakespeare.

[@tommonk7651]

Tristan, love your videos. May I make a small suggestion? You should consider getting a mic. The sound on many of your videos is very low. I think it would help your presentation.

[@lingbing9460]

Just like good experiences on college literature.

[@xaviercrain7336]

Great play then on the etymology of prophet and the semantic level of meaning to expire But let us not forget the double entendre on profit and prophet

[@KSS709]

I’m curious now. Do you think the M&S food advert been taken from Shakespeare when it says ‘This is M&S food’? Amazing video!

[@patriciatolliver4057]

Patty-I must confess. The Bard is my favorite classic author. I get flack for that, but I don't care. :) Okay, I was in theater.

[@xaviercrain7336]

Also for those listening to your analysis will realize the royal road to the unconscious and its sceptered throne of the superego when socialized becomes totalizing for a nation and claims a need to separate which is the bane of all evil

[@bertasylvia2572]

Shakespeares the merchant of Venice. Please tell me what you think. I have it on cd. Al Pacino plays the merchant. I love love love it

[@davidannderson9796]

English= Iambic pentameter Greek= Hexameters Sanskrit=Slokas Italian: Sonnet, probably Japanese: Tanka, Haiku probably Different languages, different music

[@davidannderson9796]

Shakespeare: greatest use of the English language ever Milton: second greatest My favorite: Tolkien, for storytelling (not the same thing; Shakespeare is an amazing storyteller too; I'm a massive Tolkien nerd) My favorite for language: Shakespeare Second favorite for language: Milton The only reason that I put Tolkien above Shakespeare and Milton: Tolkien's works are both serious and happy Tragedy is not happy comedy is not serious Just my quirks But I love Shakespeare and Milton! Read them aloud! Read poetry aloud! Also: Dante I know no Italian Have heard Dante recited while reading translation If you speak Italian Good God: Dante If you know Sanskrit The Ramayana As good as Tolkien for this Tolkien nerd!

[@stephenperera7382]

Woe betide those who do not cast their weary eyes and pick their ears up at this wondrous channel of Tristan of England

[@xaviercrain7336]

Not with those vicious fires we are having today

[@xaviercrain7336]

To be patriotic is to be xenophobic or to by nationalist jingoism is to be deeply racist