1. Prose and Poetry

2.   Words or ideas are arranged in no fixed pattern of strong or weak beats  Often used for “common” speech, by lower class characters  Example: Sir Toby says, “What a plague means my niece to take the death of her brother thus? I am sure care’s an enemy to life” (1.3.1-2). Prose

3.   Up until the late 1500s, all English plays were written in verse (poetry).  Hence, playwrights in Shakespeare’s day were called poets.  Audiences in Shakespeare’s day expected to hear the actors speak in verse.  Shakespeare’s plays were meant to be heard (they weren’t published in his day, and most of the population was illiterate anyway)  This rhythm made it easier to follow Background: Poetry

4.   Place your right hand over your heart  You’ll feel the familiar thump: DA- DUM, DA- DUM, DA- DUM, DA- DUM  This rhythm is called “iambic”  in other words, the weak beat is first and the strong beat is second: DA- DUM, DA- DUM How the rhythm works: Iambic

5.   Although  Because  Unless  Today  Perhaps  For sure  I think  Indeed  delight Some words with iambic rhythm:

6.   Trochaic rhythm puts stress on the first syllable:  Happy  Frightened  Lovely  Certain  Starving  Roasting  Love it  Bring it….  Shakespeare Compare to trochaic rhythm:

7.   “Pente” means “five”  “Pentameter” means 5 strong beats per line  In total, there will be 10 syllables per line (5 strong beats and 5 weak beats)  u / u / u / u / u /  But soft what light through yonder window breaks? (Romeo and Juliet)… OR…  Conceal me what I am, and be my aid  For such disguise as haply shall become  The form of my intent. I’ll serve this Duke; How it works: Pentameter

8.   Each line of iambic pentameter can be broken down like this:  How sweet (1) the moon (2) light sleeps (3) upon (4) this bank! (5)  If mu- (1) sic be (2) the food (3) of love (4) play on (5)  It is (1) to hard (2) a knot (3) for me (4) to untie (5)  I wish (1) my class (2) would read (3) Twelfth Night (4) at home (5)  If on- (1) ly kids (2) could love(3) the Bard (4) like me (5) Iambic Pentameter

9.   Iambic pentameter that does not rhyme is called blank verse  Example:  She made good view of me; indeed, so much  That sure methought her eyes had lost her tongue,  For she did speak in starts distractedly.  She loves me, sure; the cunning of her passion  Invites me in this churlish messenger. Blank verse…

10.   A 14 line poem  Rhyme scheme: abab cdcd efef gg  Shakespeare wrote 154 sonnets  Sometimes characters’ lines combine to make a sonnet Sonnet

11.   ROMEO [To JULIET] If I profane with my unworthiest hand This holy shrine, the gentle fine is this: My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss.  JULIET Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much, Which mannerly devotion shows in this; For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch, And palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss.  ROMEO Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?  JULIET Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer.  ROMEO O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do; They pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair.  JULIET Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake.  ROMEO Then move not, while my prayer's effect I take. Sonnet from Romeo and Juliet :

12.   Two rhyming lines are called a rhyming couplet  A rhyming couplet will usually complete a long speech or a scene  Example:  To woo your lady… yet, a barful strife!  Whoe’er I woo, myself would be his wife.  (1.4. 41-42) Rhyming couplet

13.   Speech spoken by one person, seemingly to himself/herself but really to inform the audience of his motives and to reveal true character. Often is it a kind of internal debate.  Example: Olivia, after Cesario departs in 1.5.297-301:  I do not know what, and fear to find Mine eye too great a flatterer for my mind. Fate, show thy force; ourselves we do not owe. What is decreed must be, and be this so. Soliloquy

14.   Actor’s comment or a short speech meant to be heard by the audience and not by other performers  Example:  Viola to the Duke: I’ll do my best To woo your lady; [Aside] yet, a barful strife! Whoe’er I woo, myself would be his wife.  (1.4.40-42) Aside

15.   Gibson, Rex, and Field-Pickering, Janet. Discovering Shakespeare’s Language. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 1998. Print.  “Stressing Shakespeare.” Literary Cavalcade 54.7 (2002): 10. Literary Reference Center Plus. Web. 16 May 2013. Sources: