What we’re about
* * We will not be returning to in-person reading groups because our readers in the Zoom meetings are now in four countries and many states across America! So all upcoming meetings are online. * *
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Not what we give, but what we share.
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If you think you know a lot about Shakespeare, try a close read and see what unexpected treasures appear! If you are new to Shakespeare, this is a great way to be introduced to why the plays are considered so great.
This is a non-academic discussion and non-performance-based reading! We read aloud and talk about it, and everyone finds they have insights to share. Silent readers are also most welcome! Feel free to drop in and check it out.
There is a $4.75 fee (plus Meetup small fee) per person per session, payable via the link on the session page (cheaper than yoga or a dog-training session!). This helps pay our Meetup fees, Zoom fees, and the iReadShakespeare.org site. We have event fee sponsorships available; contact [email protected].
We have two reading groups: Saturdays and Wednesdays, both at 10:30 a.m. on Zoom.
Exactly what we do is explained below, “What we do at a Shakespeare Close Read.”
Please provide a first and last name (even if it is not your real last name) so we can tell apart people with the same first names! It is also extremely thoughtful if you provide an actual photo of yourself so other members in the community can recognize you. Thank you!
An article about us in Local Flavor! (page 36)
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What we do at a Shakespeare Close Read
Our group is very non-intimidating. No one HAS to read—we have many people who have never read a line but thoroughly enjoy listening and participating in the discussion. Some people have been coming for years and never said a word and that’s just fine too!
- From SlantBooks.org: Close Reading is the art of paying attention to the ways that literary form and meaning interact. In our politicized era, when craft and vision have often been replaced by propaganda, the art of close reading reminds us that great literature deepens our respect for mystery and the divided nature of the human heart — and in so doing offers us hope for healing and reconciliation.
Each week we carefully go through about 50–200 lines. We stop after every couple of lines and make sure we know what it means, how it relates to the play, what we learned, what we see, etc. With all these bright minds, we all discover amazing riches that we hadn't noticed before.
The following week we first read straight through the section we closely read the week before. Then we start the close read. Parts are chosen in a lottery at the beginning of the sessions if you want to read aloud.
Robin, who usually facilitates, makes a BEEP sound to interrupt and open clarification and/or discussion. Anyone can also beep at any time if they need clarification or want to comment, although she beeps VERY often!
We have readers of all levels and no one is discouraged or corrected.
You'll find it's a very welcoming group with no pressure whatsoever. No one will ever put you on the spot! Come join us, from anywhere in the world!
One thing we cannot talk about is the Authorship Question; that is, who wrote Shakespeare? There are believers of various persuasions in the group and everyone is allowed their own opinion! This includes no discussion of the man named William Shakespeare as he is one of the candidates for authorship.
