Why do people study Shakespeare when he meant for his plays to be performed, not

Question: Why do people study Shakespeare when he meant for his plays to be performed, not studied!?
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

two simple reasons i think:
(1) in order to perform the play to its fullest potential, the director & the actors have to fully understand and see the playwright's intended vision!. hence, for those who will potentially be involved in theatrical studies or whatnot, studying shakespeare will be a good foundation (because he is after all the first major playwright) & useful for future productions!.
(2) shakespeare is the first major playwright who wrote his plays in accordance to the Aristotellian definition of a "well-made play"!. the structure and the plot development of shakespeare's plays characterize very well, the plays of that genre (the well-made play)!. for a lower educational level, shakespeare's plays are the easiest and the most basic of plays!. similarly, we study samuel beckett & harold pinter for absurdism, tenessee williams for melodrama, thornton wilder for realism etc!. Www@QuestionHome@Com

Yes, they are meant to be performed, and people study them in order to benefit from the creativity of views, language, history, and play techniques!. Moreover, a close study to his texts can lead to both of a better performance and a better understanding from the audience!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

All plays are meant to be performed!. That doesn't mean that we can't get their meaning, beauty, etc from reading it and using our imagination!. We gain things when we see them performed!.!. but we lose too!. The director, art designer, actors all add their own perspectives which are designed to influence the way we feel about the action!. Reading it for yourself means you filter it for yourselfWww@QuestionHome@Com

because people believe that they will gain the knowledge of the great play writes of the middle ages if they study their work!.

they wont >_>Www@QuestionHome@Com

To know about the language, culture and set-up of the society at his time!.Www@QuestionHome@Com