Making Shakespeare accessible on World Shakespeare Day

Making Shakespeare accessible on World Shakespeare Day

April 23rd marks World Shakespeare Day and with so many children preparing for their exams having to read and analyse Shakespeare plays, it is the right time of year to talk to your family about the Bard himself.

Many students find themselves overwhelmed when presented with Shakespeare for the first time and parents also find themselves out of their depths when asked for help, but Shakespeare needn’t be scary and there are many easy ways to engage your children’s interest without having to splash out on textbooks.

One of the simplest ways to introduce Shakespeare to the family and engage in it with them is through adaptations, of which there are many, most of which you’ll have either heard of before or will have already experienced.

Firstly, The Lion King.
Yes, Disney’s Lion King is based on the story of Hamlet, a play about a Danish Prince who’s uncle murders his father, something he’s trying to prove. While Simba doesn’t have quite the same amount of existential turmoil as Hamlet, it’s a good starting point and from here, you can move onto other adaptations that follow the original script.

Gnomeo and Juliet.
Another children’s classic where fiction’s greatest love story is portrayed by gnomes to the music of Elton John. The animated film follows the story of Romeo and Juliet, including the introduction of love rival Paris. Start off with this to give you a taste for the story before delving into the Leonardo DiCaprio retelling. If imagining gnomes reciting the words of Shakespeare isn’t enough to get your head around it, I don’t know what is.

10 Things I hate about You.
A staple in teen dramas and perhaps Heath Ledger’s greatest performance, 10 Things I Hate About You is based on the Taming of the Shew and is pretty true to the source material in terms of storyline. Thinking of these characters as spoiled high schoolers who just want to go to prom will definitely help make it more relatable.

She’s the Man.
This Amanda Bynes film is the story of Twelfth Night. The story of gender swapping and hilarity ensuing through cases of mistaken identity. Again, the school setting makes it easier for the story and characters to be understood.

The best thing? These aren’t the only available adaptations that make Shakespeare more accessible. From novel retellings to movies and TV shows, there are a whole host of options to allow students to get their heads around the plays and for parents to get involved in their education and be able to discuss the assignments without having to panic.

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