Reading Shakespeare His Dramatic Language

Shakespeare and Daily Language what’s done is done Are you familiar with any of these expressions? in my heart of hearts Knock, knock! Who’s there? good riddance something wicked this way comes William Shakespeare gave us these and many other phrases. not budge an inch full circle

Understanding Shakespeare’s Language Shakespeare’s grammar and vocabulary are different from the language we use today. Use these tips to get the most from reading Shakespeare’s works. Read the text aloud. Don’t just look for meaning—listen for it, too. Read the text more than once if needed. Imagine that you are acting the part: what are you telling the audience?

Understanding Shakespeare’s Language Let the punctuation guide your reading. Do not pause or stop at the end of a line unless you see punctuation there. Do pause or stop for punctuation that occurs in the middle of a line. Watch for footnotes as you read. Footnotes define archaic words or familiar words with unfamiliar meanings explain idioms of the time and provide historical background King Macbeth. The eye wink at the hand;° °wink at the hand: be blind to the hand’s deed.

Understanding Shakespeare’s Language Watch for archaic words—words that are no longer commonly used in modern English. Hither, thither, whither mean “to here,” “to there,” and “to where.” Note how Shakespeare uses the pronouns thou and thee, and ye and you. Th– forms were used in talking to one person who was an intimate friend or to a person of a lower of rank. Y– forms were used in talking to several persons, to one person who was a social equal but not an intimate friend, or to a person of higher rank.

Understanding Shakespeare’s Language Paraphrase Shakespeare’s language using your own words. Paraphrasing will help you check your understanding of an important speech or scene.

Poetry vs. Prose Dialogue in Shakespeare’s plays is presented in either poetry or prose form. Pay attention to the form of characters’ speech, because it can give you information about that character’s importance or rank. Important or noble characters tend to speak in poetry. Less-important or lower-ranking characters tend to speak in prose. In special situations, a high-ranking character may speak in prose or a low-ranking character may speak in poetry.

Shakespeare’s Use of Poetry Poetic dialogue may be either blank verse or rhymed verse. Blank verse is unrhymed iambic pentameter. Sometimes, a line of blank verse is divided between two or more characters. Macbeth. So foul and fair a day I have not seen. ´ˇ´ˇ´ˇ´ˇ´ˇ Lennox. Good morrow, noble sir: Macbeth. Good morrow, both. ´ˇ´ˇ´ˇ ´ˇ´ˇ

Rhymed dialogue is usually written in iambic pentameter. Rhymes may occur at the ends of alternating lines, or at the ends of two lines next to each other (called a couplet). Rhymed dialogue may focus on love or other strong feelings. A rhymed couplet may summarize, foreshadow, or dramatically close a scene. Shakespeare’s Use of Poetry Away, and mock the time with fairest show: False face must hide what the false heart doth know. ´ˇ´ˇ´ˇ´ˇ´ˇ ´ˇ´ˇ´ˇ´ˇ´ˇ

Shakespeare’s Use of Prose Prose lacks a consistent rhythm and sounds like ordinary speech. Shakespeare usually used prose for common characters. Notice the lack of consistent rhythm in the porter’s speech from Macbeth. Porter. Here’s a knocking indeed! If a man were porter of hell gate, he should have old° turning the key. (Knock.) Knock, knock, knock! Who’s there, i’ th’ name of Beelzebub? ° Here’s a farmer, that hanged himself on th’ expectation of plenty.... (Knock.) Knock, Knock! Who’s there, in th’ other devils name?... (Knock.) Anon, anon! (Opens an entrance.) I pray you, remember the porter. °have old: grown old °Beelzebub: the Devil.

Shakespeare’s Use of Prose Noble characters who usually speak in poetry may lapse into prose to signal a change in tone, attitude, or emotion. Lady Macbeth. Out, damned spot! Out, I say! One: two: why, then ‘tis time to do’t. Hell is murky. Fie, my lord, fie! A soldier, and afeard? What need we fear who knows it, when none can call our pow’r to accompt?° Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him? °to accompt: into account. In Act V of Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, overwhelmed by guilt and madness, speaks in prose.

Let’s Practice Read the passage aloud, paying attention to punctuation. Note the general subject of the passage. Lady Macbeth. Come, you spirits That tend on mortal ° thoughts, unsex me here, And fill me, from the crown to the toe, top-full Of direst cruelty! Make thick my blood, Stop up th’ access and passage to remorse, That no compunctious visitings of nature ° Shake my fell ° purpose, nor keep peace between Th’ effect and it! °mortal: deadly. °compunctious... nature: natural feelings of compassion. °fell: savage.

Let’s Practice Note what the use of poetry or prose tells you about the character, subject, or tone. Lady Macbeth. Come, you spirits That tend on mortal ° thoughts, unsex me here, And fill me, from the crown to the toe, top-full Of direst cruelty! Make thick my blood, Stop up th’ access and passage to remorse, That no compunctious visitings of nature ° Shake my fell ° purpose, nor keep peace between Th’ effect and it! °mortal: deadly. °compunctious... nature: natural feelings of compassion. °fell: savage.

Lady Macbeth. Come, you spirits That tend on mortal ° thoughts, unsex me here, And fill me, from the crown to the toe, top-full Of direst cruelty! Make thick my blood, Stop up th’ access and passage to remorse, That no compunctious visitings of nature ° Shake my fell ° purpose, nor keep peace between Th’ effect and it! Let’s Practice Then, pick out words or phrases that sound archaic or confusing. Use any footnotes provided. °mortal: deadly. °compunctious... nature: natural feelings of compassion. °fell: savage.

Let’s Practice Now, rephrase the passage in Modern English. Lady Macbeth. Come, you spirits that support deadly thoughts, take away my feminine qualities and fill me, from head to toe with cruelty! Make my blood thick. Don’t let me feel any remorse, and don’t let any feelings of compassion ruin my savage plans or keep me from doing what I plan to do!

On Your Own Read the following passage from Macbeth following the steps you just learned. °fell: pelt. °treatise: story. °start: startle. Macbeth. I have almost forgot the taste of fears: The time has been, my senses would have cooled To hear a night-shriek, and my fell° of hair Would at a dismal treatise° rouse and stir As life were in’t. I have supped full with horrors. Direness, familiar to my slaughterous thoughts, Cannot once start° me.

The End