Shakespeare's English, in spite of the calamitous cries of high school students everywhere, is only one linguistic generation removed from the English spoken today. Although the Elizabethan dialect differs slightly from Modern English, the principles are generally the same.
Nevertheless, for many people today, reading Shakespeare's language can be a problem. But it is a problem that can be solved. Here is a snippet from Hamlet, Act 1, Scene 1 in 'Shakespearian - and in italics the same sentence in today's English:
Marcellus:
Horatio says 'tis but our fantasy, and will not let belief take hold of him. Touching this dreaded sight, twice seen of us. Therefore I have entreated him along with us to watch the minutes of this night; That if again this apparition come, he may approve our eyes and speak to it.
Horatio thinks we're loopy. He doesn't believe in ghosts even though we've seen it twice, now. So I dragged him along to stand watch with us tonight. If the ghost shows up again he can see it for himself. And maybe if he's so darn smart, he'll even talk to it.
Original The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark.
Hamlet in today's English.
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