Shakespearean language

Introduction

Many students complain that Shakespearean language is too difficult to understand or ask why Shakespeare could not have written in 'normal' English. Shakespearean, or Elizabethan, English is 'normal' English. It was the English spoken in the 16th and 17th centuries, Shakespeare did not make up his own language, although he was responsible for coining countless new words (neologisms). If William Shakespeare were alive today, he would have the same difficulty that you have in understanding the way our English is written and spoken.

There are a number of points that are very important to take into consideration when learning to read and understand Shakespearean language:

There are rules that you can learn.
If you do not understand a phrase or a word, try to think about what it may mean before looking in the notes.
The more you read the better you will become.
Studying Shakespearean texts will dramatically improve your skill in understanding other texts.

Common Shakespearean Words

There are many words not in modern usage that commonly appear in Shakespearean texts and you should be familiar with their meaning:

Word	Modern equivalent	Word	Modern Equivalent
Thee	You (objective)	Wherefore	Why
Thou	You (nominative)	Pray	Please
Ye	You (nominative, for higher status characters - particularly gods	Prithee	Please
Thine	Your (possessive, placed in front of a word that begins with a vowel)	Fare-thee-well	Goodbye
Thy	Your (possessive, placed in front of a word that uses a consonant)	Nay	No
Thyself	Yourself (reflexive)	Oft	Often
Anon	At another time/soon	Verily	In truth
E'en	Evening	Fie	A curse word
Aye/yea	Indeed	Perchance	Perhaps
N'er	Never	Morrow	Tomorrow

Some common words not in modern usage

Look carefully through these words and try to determine how they relate to the modern word. For example, morrow is very similar to tomorrow and to pray is similar to making a plea or request hence please.

Grammatical principles

Grammar in the Elizabethan period was a lot more flexible than it is now. Shakespeare used this flexibility in grammar to make phrases sound more poetic as well as to help him create rhyme. Here are some common examples to help you prepare for understanding Shakespearean texts.

Typically, in modern usage, phrases are constructed with the subject first, the verb second and the object last:

Kishani rode the bike

Kishani (subject) rode (verb) the bike (object)

Subject Verb Object

Shakespeare, on the other hand, often constructs phrases with the subject first, the object second and the verb last:

Kishani the bike rode

Kishani (subject) the bike (object) rode (verb)

Subject Object Verb

You will also find that, in some cases, Shakespeare constructs phrases with the object first, the subject second and the verb last

The bike Kishani rode

The bike (object) Kishani (subject) rode (verb)

Object Subject Verb

Examine some examples from Shakespeare to get a feel for the construction of his phrases. The following are phrases taken from famous Shakespearean quotes:

Quote
What light through yonder window breaks? (Romeo And Juliet II, ii, 1)

Analysis
What light (subject) through yonder window (object) breaks (verb)? (Romeo And Juliet II, ii, 1)

Translation to modern usage
What light breaks through yonder window?

Analysis
What light (subject) breaks through (verb) yonder window (object)?

Quote
The barge she sat in (Antony and Cleopatra, II, ii, 193)

Analysis
The barge (object) she (subject) sat in (verb) (Antony and Cleopatra, II, ii, 193)

Translation to modern usage
She sat in the Barge

Analysis
She (subject) sat in (verb) the barge (object)

Quote
O, how this spring of love resembleth (Two Gentlemen of Verona I, iii, 84)

Analysis
This spring (subject) of love (object) resembleth (verb) (Two Gentlemen of Verona I, iii, 84)

Translation to modern usage
This spring resembleth love

Analysis
This spring (subject) resembleth (verb) love (object)

Quote
Now go we in content (As you like it I, iii, 139)

Analysis
Go (verb) we (subject) in content (object) (As you like it I, iii, 139)

Translation to modern usage
We go in content

Analysis
We (subject) go (verb) in content (object)

Quote
What fools these mortals be (A Midsummer Night's Dream III, ii, 115)

Analysis
What fools (object) these mortals (subject) be (verb) (A Midsummer Night's Dream III, ii, 115)

Translation to modern usage
These mortals are fools

Analysis
These mortals (subject) are (verb) fools (object)

Common Language Techniques to Look for

Shakespeare frequently uses language techniques in his compositions. He uses them to emphasise points, make points and to generally shape meaning. There are some common techniques that he uses that you should already be familiar with:

Alliteration
Assonance
Malapropism
Metaphor
Onomatopoeia

If you are unsure of any of these techniques or how techniques shape meaning in texts, refer to Unit 11 in Reference Package Two.

Here are some that you may not be aware of:

Technique	Definition	Example
Anaphora	Anaphora occurs when the same word or phrase in one sentence is repeated in subsequent (following) sentences or phrases.	Modern example 'People; time is of the essence, time is our friend, time our enemy. And people, let's make this time count.' Shakespearean example 'Thy Juliet is alive, For whose sake thou wast but lately dead. There art thou happy. Tybalt would kill thee, But thou slew'st Tybalt. There art thou happy. The law that threaten'd death becomes thy friend And turns it to exile. There art thou happy.' (Romeo and Juliet III,iii, 134-139)
Antithesis	This is the presentation of opposite ideas in words, phrases or sentences. They generally follow each other directly with a parallel grammatical structure.	Modern examples When there is peace we move towards war and when there is war we move towards peace 'I'm in trouble if I do and I'm in trouble if I don't.' Shakespearean example 'I have thee not, and yet I see thee still' (Macbeth II, I, 36) 'My only love sprung from my only hate! Too early seen unknown, and known too late!' (Romeo and Juliet, I, v , 141-142)
Chiasmus	Words are reversed in two similar phrases.	Modern example When the going gets tough, the tough get going. Shakespearean example ...'tis true, 'tis true 'tis pity And pity 'tis true 'tis true (Hamlet II, ii, 97-98)
Epanalepsis (eh-puh-nuh-LEAP-sis)	The same word is repeated at the beginning of the phrase/sentence and at the end.	Modern Example Peace, all we need is Peace. Shakespearean Example How now? A rat? Dead, for a Ducat, dead! (Hamlet , III, iv, 23)