Tips for Memorizing Shakespeare

It was about ten years ago that our class was reading a Shakespeare play for English class. Right away the idea of being told that I had to read something made me less enthused to do so. I loved to read but I hated to be forced to read specific things. Lucky for me I had a curiosity for learning about Shakespeare and enjoyed the play very much. One thing that I found to be difficult and challenging at first was the request that we memorize certain lines from the Shakespeare play. I saw no reason that this would give me a greater appreciation for the play nor would it really help me better understand the play. However it was the assignment and so I took it seriously. By the time it was time to recite what I was to memorize I had learned a few tricks that didn't make it so hard, and I took the assignment as an opportunity to both memorize words of Shakespeare and learn about the meaning of the words.

Some thing that may not always be an option when you are given the assignment to memorize Shakespeare is the option to choose what part of the play that you have to memorize. If you are giving the assignment to memorize a scene that is frankly not what you care about most in the play or you find another scene in the play more interesting and would rather learn and memorize that instead, you should bring this up to your teacher. If the scene is close in length they most likely will not have a problem. If you have decided on your own to choose a scene or two from Shakespeare to learn and memorize make sure you choose wisely, something that really, really interest you. I know that this makes the initial part of getting familiar with the words a lot easier. The next thing that I also found very, very helpful is probably something that your teacher will initially disapprove of.

In addition to reading the Shakespeare scene or scenes that you are trying to remember it can be very helpful to hear them spoken correctly from someone else. This can be from the Shakespeare play on tape or CD, you could go and see a showing of the play and pay attention to the pronunciation of the words or you if the play has been made into a movie and the script included the scene you need to memorize you can watch the scene in the movie. Of course you'll still want to read the required material but you'll be able to memorize something if you hear it in addition to reading it. I have happily read all of the Harry Potter books and seen all that the movies that have been released. The quotes that I recall off the top of my head were easily memorized once I saw them in one of the movies. The play is a great way to appreciate the words but you won't be able to play the scene over and over again. Make sure that if you use a movie as a way of helping you memorize that the scene that it is, is identical to the play script that you are required to memorize from. This is why ideally you want to find the play on CD or tape and listen to the scene over and over and over again.

Although hearing the words of Shakespeare spoken that you need to memorize is very helpful what really will help you is learning the meaning of the words. If you are questioning anything about what is being said inquire about it. As soon as you understand the words that you are required to memorize you'll be able to memorize them much better. Plus you'll be able to actually learn something from the memorizing assignment about the Shakespeare words. With this and the other things mentioned the last thing that you should do to memorize the Shakespeare words is practice saying them over and over and over and over again. Practice saying the words clear and out loud in front of the mirror and then practice saying them to someone who has the Shakespeare scene in front of them. By the time it is your turn to recite your memorized Shakespeare words it will be a piece of cake.