William Shakespeare and the Sonnets Why Shakespeare?

Explicating Poetry: 5 Steps Examine the situation. Examine the structure. Examine the language. Examine the musical devices. Write about your conclusions!

William Shakespeare c b. Stratford-upon-Avon, England Playwright, Poet, Actor Most famous for his plays All but 2 of his 154 sonnets were published in 1609 Wrote during the Renaissance period Time of carpé diem poetry

Shakespearean Sonnets 1609 Quarto only source of most 152 Shakespearean Sonnets 3 categories of poems in Quarto: addressed to The Fair Youth addressed to The Dark Mistress A Lover’s Complaint a 329-line poem written in Rhyme Royal

Shakespeare’s Addressees The Fair Youth (sonnets 1-126) An unnamed young man Loving and romantic language Some suggest this may be a homosexual love, others find support that it is platonic, or father-son love The Dark Mistress (sonnets ) Described as being dark-haired Sonnets written about her express infatuation and are more sexual

Shakespearean Sonnet Form Still 14 lines Broken into 4 parts 3 quatrains 1 rhyming couplet Written in iambic pentameter: / / / / / Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? ∩ ∩∩ ∩∩

Shakespearean Sonnet Form Rhyme Scheme: Quatrain 1: a b a b [introduces question] Quatrain 2: c d c d [tentative Quatrain 3: e f e f answers] Rhyming Couplet: g g [final answer] Volta: The turn or transition in line 9 which marks a shift in focus or thought

Shakespearean Language

Shakespeare’s Language Singular Pronouns Thou - Subject: "Thou art my brother." Thee - Object: "Come, let me clutch thee." Thy - Possessive Adjective: "What is thy name?" Thine - Possessive Noun: "To thine own self be true."

The funny verb endings… -st –est –t Used to show 2 nd person Talking to someone Thou hast to do thine schoolwork. -t, -th, -eth/ -s Used to show 3 rd person (closer to what we use now) Talking about someone She hath to do her homework.

Word Inventor Shakespeare is credited with creating over 1700 of our common words Change the part of speech Combine words Adding prefixes or suffixes Making up wholly original words

academeaccusedaddictionacademeaccusedaddictionadvertising amazementamazement arouseassassinationbackingbanditarouseassassinationbackingbandit bedroombedroom beachedbesmirchbirthplaceblanketbeachedbesmirchbirthplaceblanket bloodstainedbloodstained Barefacedblushingbetbumpbuzzer cakedcaterchampion cakedcaterchampion circumstantial cold-bloodedcold-blooded compromisecourtshipcountlesscriticcompromisecourtshipcountlesscritic dauntlessdauntless dawndeafeningdiscontentdisheartendrugged dwindleepilepticequivocalelbowdwindleepilepticequivocalelbow excitementexcitement exposureeyeballfashionablefixtureexposureeyeballfashionablefixture flawedflawed frugalgenerousgloomygossipfrugalgenerousgloomygossip green-eyedgreen-eyed gusthinthobnobhurriedgusthinthobnobhurried impedeimpede impartialinvulnerablejadedlabelimpartialinvulnerablejadedlabel lacklusterlackluster laughablelonelylowerluggagelaughablelonelylowerluggage lustrouslustrous madcapmajesticmarketablemetamorphizemimic monumentalmoonbeammountaineernegotiate noiseless ObsceneobsequiouslyodeolympianObsceneobsequiouslyodeolympian outbreakoutbreak panderspedantpremeditatedpukingpanderspedantpremeditatedpuking radianceradiance rantremorselesssavageryscufflerantremorselesssavageryscuffle securesecure skim milksubmergesummitswaggerskim milksubmergesummitswagger torturetorture tranquilundressunrealvariedtranquilundressunrealvaried vaultingvaulting worthlesszanygnarledgrovel

Word Order Shakespeare was very particular in his word order. He may have been trying to: Create a specific rhythm Emphasize a certain word Give a character a specific speech pattern