Shakespeare Toolbox Elision Feminine endings Antithesis Puns Partial line Shared line Enjambment.

Shakespeare Toolbox

• Elision

• Feminine endings

• Antithesis

• Puns

• Partial line

• Shared line

• Enjambment

Shakespeare Toolbox

Elision: squeezing words to fit the scansion (meter); often utilizes an apostrophe to indicate the “missing” syllable

o’er = over e’er = ever

sev’n = seven heav’n = heaven

Shakespeare ToolboxElision

But you don’t always need an apostrophe...

“O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?”

ro-me-o OR rome-yo ?(that is the question)

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Feminine endings: an extra, unstressed (or soft) 11th syllable at line ending

used to emphasize the word at end

We will see this effect during Hamlet’s big “To be or not to be” speech.

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Antithesis: a clash of opposites; found everywhere in Shakespeare

“To be or not to be…”(To live or to die…)

Or perhaps something more modern:“Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”

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Puns: word play

From Richard III:

“Now is the winter of our discontent

Made glorious summer by this son of York.”

Can you find the antithesis and the pun?

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“Now is the winter of our discontentMade glorious summer by this son of York.”

Winter/summer = antithesisSon = sun (What makes it summer? The sun.

That is so punny.)

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Partial lines: don’t ignore the “silent” syllables or beats; it’s a pause used for emphasis (like the “pregnant pause”)

Shared verse line: two characters sharing the iambic line; used during quick, tense conversations

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Example of a partial line: (from Hamlet)

Laertes: He is justly served.(actor pauses 5 beats before speaking line)

Example of a shared line: (from Hamlet)

Laertes: My lord, I’ll hit him now.Claudius: I do not think’t.

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Enjambment: don’t pause at line endings unless there is punctuation indicating to do so

• (hint: the “b” is silent)

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“Brilliant Elizabethan Fallacy”:

In the 1600s, most people didn’t speak like Shakespearean characters – not even Shakespeare. But our TV and movie actors don’t speak exactly like we do in everyday conversation, either (ums, like, uhhs, grammar errors deleted). Everyone sounds smarter than they really are (“heightened language”).

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Why are some of the words mixed up or out of order? Didn’t Shakespeare understand basic grammar?

Energy builds towards the line ending, so he placed key words there (for emphasis).

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Why did Shakespeare use such a high level of vocabulary if most people were illiterate anyway?

He “created” words by combining the (leapfrog), using nouns as verbs, or using sounds of words creatively for effect.

In fact…

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Shakespeare’s vocabulary consists of over 17,000 words – four times the average person’s vocabulary. The Oxford English Dictionary credits him for the derivation of over 3,000 words. Approximately 7,000 words are used only once.

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That character’s comment sounded naughty! I thought Shakespeare was supposed to be intellectual and “high culture.” Did he just make a double entendre?

Yes.

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Why does he repeat himself so much?

Because he wants to make sure you get it. If you hear something over and over, it ‘s important. Remember, there is no rewind in theatre.

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“Repeats” can be done two ways:1. a word is used many times by various characters throughout the course of the play: R&J – love, Hamlet – ear, Othello – handkerchief (all items relate directly to the plot or theme)

2. a character says a word repetitively in the same line: Hamlet – “words, words, words…”

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Argh, I don’t understand!

Take a blank piece of paper and cover up the lines. Go line by line, moving the paper down. Don’t move down until you understand each line. It’s slow, but it works.

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Wait, is he being ironic/sarcastic?

Yes.

Shakespeare ToolboxThink Like an Actor

As with the double entendres, it is easier to pick up on the ironic and sarcastic remarks in performance. Shakespeare used them well and used them liberally.

Shakespeare ToolboxClassification by Genre

Four Basic Genres of Shakespeare:

– Comedies– Histories– Romance– Tragedies

Shakespeare ToolboxClassification by Genre

Characteristics of Shakespeare’s Comedies:

disguises, cross-dressing

thwarted love

mistaken identity

romantic misunderstandings

ends with multiple marriages

Shakespeare ToolboxClassification by Genre

Characteristics of Shakespeare’s Histories:

conspiracy

fighting, war

sub-plots involving non-nobles

a decisive on-stage battle

Shakespeare ToolboxClassification by Genre

Characteristics of Shakespeare’s Romances:

natural disasters unlikely coincidences conflict between generations and w/in families unforeseen conclusion in which forgiveness and reconciliation are achieved against all odds

Shakespeare ToolboxClassification by Genre

Characteristics of Shakespeare’s Tragedies:

action revolves around a single heroic figure

a dreadful dilemma or a horribly wrong decision

fighting and madness

many deaths at the play’s end

Understanding Shakespeare’s Tragedies(before you open a vein)

1. Protagonist’s downfall affects many people (or an entire country).

2. His downfall is a result of a personal error in judgment (hamartia) or excessive pride (hubris)

3. Protagonist must be essentially good for us to care.

4. Audience becomes aware that even the most powerful individuals can destroy themselves through their imperfect understanding of the human condition.