The Language of Shakespeare

1. The Language of Shakespeare CREATED BY DARREN ZYGADLO (C)2010

2. Introduction • Shakespeare’s use of language made him one of the greatest writers in the world. • With extraordinary skill and poetic imagination, he could describe vivid scenes, express powerful emotions and reveal characters in highly original ways. • Many of his phrases have become part of our everyday language. CREATED BY DARREN ZYGADLO (C)2010

3. The times • It is interesting to note that during Shakespeare’s time English was considered a primitive language and not capable of expressing powerful and sensitive ideas and emotions. • Shakespeare has been credited in being largely responsible for changing all this. He introduced many words into the English language like: • Accommodation, assassination, coldhearted, employment, fashionable, freezing, laughable, lonely, monumental and many many more. CREATED BY DARREN ZYGADLO (C)2010

4. Sayings • Many of Shakespeare’s expressions have also become part of our language, you may use them without even knowing! • Ex. “You’ll eat us out of house and home…” – Henry IV • Ex. “There’s method in my madness” – Hamlet • Ex. “The world’s your oyster” – Merry Wives of Windsor CREATED BY DARREN ZYGADLO (C)2010

5. Activity • In the blue duo tang, read the section titled “Some Useful Shakespearean Language” and complete the activity called “Rewriting Shakespeare” over the page. • You have 15 min. CREATED BY DARREN ZYGADLO (C)2010

6. Reading • Reading Shakespeare can sometimes be considered difficult because of the different words and language used. Also, much of his writing has a rhythmic pattern of beats and syllables to it. (iambic pentameter) • The type of language used in his time (Elizabethan English) was not how all people spoke. • Shakespeare wrote poetry in the form of what is called “blank verse”. CREATED BY DARREN ZYGADLO (C)2010

7. Dramatic literary terms • A dramatic device is a convention (accepted way of doing something) to present the audience with a substituted reality that the audience knows is not real but still accepts it. CREATED BY DARREN ZYGADLO (C)2010

8. Words words words • Act: Division within the play usually to indicate a change of scene or character. • Aside: a character reveals his/her true feelings by directly addressing the audience. He/she is not supposedly heard by any other characters. • Catharsis: an emotional purification or relief. • Chorus: a character or group of characters who give comments on the play to link acts or foreshadow. • Dramatic Irony: when a character’s words or actions carry a larger meaning, expects the opposite of what fate holds or unknowingly says something that has a double meaning. They don’t know but the audience usually does. CREATED BY DARREN ZYGADLO (C)2010

9. Words cont. • Hubris: Excessive self-confidence that leads to a downfall. • Paradox:When a character says something that sounds contrary or absurd but has some truth. • Pathos:The portrayal of an incident that arouses feelings of pity and sadness in reader. • Rhyming Couplet: a pair of lines of poetry in a row that rhyme. Usually at end of a scene. • Scene:A smaller unit of an act. • Soliloquy:A speech delivered by a character alone on stage. Talking or expressing their thoughts, mood or opinions aloud. This is used to show the character’s state of mind or motives. CREATED BY DARREN ZYGADLO (C)2010

10. Words (last one) • Sonnet:a short poem of 14 lines and strict rhyme. • Tragic Flaw: a negative quality or bad decision made under pressure by the protagonist. • Tragic Hero: When the hero or protagonist makes the wrong choice which triggers terrible consequences. CREATED BY DARREN ZYGADLO (C)2010