ABSTRACT
A good dictionary such as the OED is the most important tool in understanding Shakespeare's plays. Look for one that gives archaic meanings of words and offers multiple choices as to meaning. Shakespeare often juxtaposes public and private stories in his plays because he was interested in how the public sphere, political and societal, affects our daily lives, and how individuals can alter the course of events. Critical writing on his plays is often based on viewing productions that have cut out important sections of his texts, often in the public stories because they may be more difficult to identify 400 years later. Over time this fossilizes into false traditions that distort the plays and fail to realize their full scope and beauty. The Prologue promises that one will see a public story about power. The texts one have examined so far are just the first installment.
