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Unveil the fascinating world of Shakespeare's language and theatrical techniques. Learn why Shakespeare's characters speak unrealistically, explore Middle English, and master essential tips for reading his works. Discover the mysteries behind the playwright's unique style!
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Rule of Thumb for Presentation • You must write down anything in this presentation that is in a red font.
Commonly Asked Question “Did people really talk like that back then?”
Answer Short answer: nope Longer answer: No, people in England in Shakespeare’s lifetime did not exactly talk like the people in the plays. Here are 3 reasons you should know about the language that shows it was not realistic everyday speech:
Unrealistic Language 1.) The plays and sonnets are written in iambic pentameter – this refers to its rhythm or how the syllables sound. • This is a pattern meant to sound like a heart beat, so no people didn’t talk like that and they don’t today either. • Example from Romeo and Juliet (with the stronger syllables emphasized): “But soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east and Juliet is the sun!”
Unrealistic Language 2.) When a character is exiting the stage (walking off), usually his or her last lines rhyme. • Again, this is not something you see in normal conversations (unless you are a successful freestyle rapper, and you aren’t yet). • Example from Richard III, where Richard is leaving the stage at the end of the first scene and says to himself: “Clarence still breathes; Edward still lives and reigns: When they are gone, then must I count my gains.”
Unrealistic Language 3.) The characters are CONSTANTLY making allusions, sometimes to classic mythology and other times to The Bible. • The main reason this was unrealistic for the people in Shakespeare’s time is that most of Shakespeare’s audience was illiterate. So if these people couldn’t even read, there was no way they were walking around making references to The Odyssey and stuff! • Example from Henry VI Part 3: “Deceive more slyly than Ulysses could” • Ulysses was the Romans’ name for Odysseus so here the character Gloucester is making an allusion to the hero of The Odyssey.
Middle English • Sometimes, Shakespeare writes using words in what is called “Middle English.” • (It’s in the middle between Old English and Modern [Today] English.) • These may have been used during his time but we definitely don’t use them here in 2019 Mississippi. • For example, what in the heck is Anne saying in Richard III when she says, “Lo, in these windows that let forththy life” ?????????????
Commonly Used Middle English Words • Thee or Thou both mean you • Thy or Thine means your • Hath means has • Nay means no • Yea (sounds like “yay”) means yes • Aye (sounds like “eye”) means yes
Do you follow me so far? Say the Middle English “Yes” if you do. Say the Middle English “No” if you don’t.
Attention • This next slide contains the single most important Shakespearean reading tip I can give you. • This is the biggest takeaway on this presentation. • Izza big deal, got it?
Super Important Tip A) Read until the end of the sentence – so stop when there is a period. This is the best way to understand the meaning. B) DO NOT STOP AT THE END OF EACH LINE! C) It’s OKAY if you don’t understand the meaning of the sentence reading it one time – that’s why we use context clues and footnotes.
The Tip in Action Use the tip you just wrote down to successfully read this example from The Taming of the Shrew aloud: Petruchio: “Verona, for a while I take my leave To see my friends in Padua, but of all My best beloved and approved friend, Hortensio.”
Take 5 We’re gonna take a quick break for 5 minutes!
Pop Quiz Time About how many books do you think Shakespeare wrote? (There will be a prize for the person who gets closest.)
Pop Quiz Answer • If you said anything other than ZERO, you missed it! Shakespeare DID NOT write ANY books! He wrote plays and poems! How many exactly? Well altogether, he wrote 37 plays, 154 sonnets (poems), and 5 long narrative poems.
Types of Shakespearean Plays Shakespeare wrote 3 types of plays: • Histories • Tragedies • Comedies The one we will read is a Comedy.
Comedies Characteristics of Comedies: 1.) Overall light and positive in tone – has positive subject material and funny situations. 2.) Confusion of thought – characters will pretend to be other people so it can get confusing. 3.) Love and Marriage – people falling in love moves the plot and they ALWAYS end with a wedding.
Every Shakespeare Comedy in a Nutshell • People fall in love and do crazy stuff. That’s the story in every comedy. Every time.
Popular Shakespearean Comedies Names of some Comedies by Shakespeare: ***The Taming of the Shrew*** Much Ado about Nothing As You Like It A Midsummer Night’s Dream Twelfth Night (Make sure you always underline the title of plays by Shakespeare)
Asides • Aside - When a character is whispering or talking almost to the audience. • Think of it as they’re talking “off to the side.” • These are intended to be funny because it’s the character/actor LITERALLY making a joke to the audience the other characters can’t hear.
Example of an Aside • In Act III, scene 1 of TTOTS, Lucentio makes a side comment about Hortensio implying that Hortensio’s tuning of his instrument will take forever. Hortensio: “You’ll leave his lecture when I am in tune?” Lucentio: [aside] “That will be never.” • Lucentio is throwing shade on Hortensio here so he makes the comment as an aside so Hortensio cannot hear him smack-talking him. This would be something the audience would laugh at.
Soliloquy • Soliloquy (pronounced “suh-lil-lo-qwee”) - when a character has a long speech and is by their self on stage, usually expressing their thoughts aloud. • These are really easy to spot because they ONLY happen when somebody is the only person onstage.
Example of a Soliloquy • In TTOTS, at the end of Act III, scene 1 Hortensio has discovered Bianca showing affection for Lucentio and not him. He is then left alone onstage and expresses his sadness over this saying: Hortensio: “But I have cause to pry into this pedant. Methinks he looks as though he were in love. Yet if thy thoughts, Bianca, be so humble To cast thy wand’ring eyes on every stale, Seize thee that list! If once I find thee ranging, Hortensio will be quit with thee by changing.” • He HAS TO BE expressing his inner thoughts because nobody else is onstage so he’s talking to himself/the audience.
Dramatic Irony • Dramatic Irony - when the audience knows something the characters in the play don’t. • We’ve discussed this before. • This will come in handy reading Shrew when there are parts where characters are disguised and pretending to be other people – WE will know who they really are but the other characters in the play may not.
Example of Dramatic Irony • In Act II, scene 1 Lucentio is pretending to be a teacher so that he can get closer to Bianca. Bianca’s dad Baptista has no idea that this guy is NOT really a teacher when he introduces him: Baptista: “… To express the like kindness, myself, that have been more kindly beholding to you than any, freely give unto you this young scholar [presents Lucentio, disguised as Cambio] that hath been long studying at Rheims…” • We the audience know that this “Cambio” guy is really just Lucentio in a disguise, but Baptista doesn’t realize that.
Almost There • I have 2 more tips to give you and then we are done!
Pro Tip • Pay attention to the characters in a way that you could describe them in your own words. • Think of some really strong adjectives you could use while you read! • It helps to compare them to people you know personally. • This will come in SUPER HANDY when you go to write about characters.
Example • In Act I, scene 1 we are introduced to Katherine and the fact that she is notoriously difficult and rude to everybody. • We could come up with some adjectives to describe her like this: “Katherine – stubborn, rude, mean, clever, witty, hardheaded.” • Then we could try to maybe compare her to someone we know to better get a picture of her: “Katherine reminds me of ________ because they both ___________________.”
Last But Not Least • Basically just keep track of the who, what, where, when, and why. • There are little tiny plot summaries at the start of every scene in our copy!
Putting that in Action • Example in Act II, scene 1: • WHO did something? Katherine & Hortensio. • WHAT happened? Katherine hits Hortensio over the head with an instrument. • WHERE did this happen? At Katherine’s house, in the other room; offstage. • WHEN did this happen? While Petruchio was talking to Baptista. • WHY did this happen? Katherine is confrontational to all men and did not like Hortensio.
Reminder • There WILL BE a quiz on this material the next time I see you!
