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William Shakespeare and the Sonnets Why Shakespeare?
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Explicating Poetry: 5 Steps Examine the situation. Examine the structure. Examine the language. Examine the musical devices. Write about your conclusions!
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William Shakespeare c. 1564-1616 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
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Shakespearean Sonnets 1609 Quarto only source of most 152 Shakespearean Sonnets 3 categories of poems in Quarto: 1-126 addressed to The Fair Youth 127-152 addressed to The Dark Mistress A Lover’s Complaint a 329-line poem written in Rhyme Royal
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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 127-152) Described as being dark-haired Sonnets written about her express infatuation and are more sexual
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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? ∩ ∩∩ ∩∩
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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
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Shakespearean Language
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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."
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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.
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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
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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
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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
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