Breaking the Code

Strategies for Unlocking Shakespeare’s Use of Language

Why bother?

Thinking about how language works helps one…

Interpret Shakespeare’s plays. Learn another language. Understand one’s own language. Write more fluently and effectively. Perform well on “standardized” tests.

Three “Key” Areas

Diction. Syntax. Imagery.

Other things that come in threes...

The First Key: DICTION

Double Negatives. Double Superlatives. Difficult Vocabulary. Wordplay.

Double Negatives

“I pray you, bear with me; I cannot go no further.” (As You Like It)

Double Superlatives

“This was the most unkindest cut of all.” (Julius Caesar)

“Oh that this too too solid flesh would melt.” (Hamlet)

“Excellent, excellent well.” (Hamlet) “I must needs tell thee all.” (Merchant of

Venice)

Vocabulary:Same word, different meaning

WS: “I would you had won the fleece that he had lost.” (Merchant of Venice)

US: “I wish you had won the fleece that he had lost.”

WS: “What find I here? Fair Portia’s counterfeit?” (Merchant of Venice)

US: “What do I find here? Fair Portia’s picture?”

Vocabulary:Word no longer used

“Come, bring me unto my chance.” (Merchant of Venice)

“Come, bring me to my chance.”

“I will anon. First let us go to dinner.” (M. of Venice)

“I will soon. First let us go to dinner.”

“Wherefore art thou Romeo?” (Romeo & Juliet)

“Why are you [named] Romeo [Montague]?”

Wordplay: Puns

One word that has two (or more) meanings (one of which is often obscene).

Lancelet: “I beseech you, sir, go. My young master doth expect your reproach.” Shylock: “So do I his.”

[Lancelet uses “reproach” as “approach”; Shylock uses “reproach” as “reprimand” or “scold.” (Merchant of Venice)

The Second Key: SYNTAX

Unusual sentence structures. Words are arranged in an unusual order, or

“inverted.” Words usually next to each other are

separated. Words or parts of words are omitted.

Why is the syntax so unusual?

WS shifts words around …

for rhythmic effect. for rhyming effect. to emphasize certain words. to give certain characters unique voices or

speech patterns.

Inversion

Subject – verb.

WS: “Away from light steals home my heavy son.” (Romeo and Juliet)

US: “My heavy son steals home away from light.”

US: “My heavy son steals home away from light.”

Inversion

Subject – verb – object.

WS: “Me they shall feel.” (Romeo and Juliet)

US: “They shall feel me.” US: “They shall feel me.”

Inversion (continued)

Subject – verb – object.

WS: “This kindness will I show.” (Romeo and Juliet)

US: “I will show this kindness.” US: “I will show this kindness.”

Inversion

Subject – verb – compliment.

WS: “Black and portentious must his humor prove.” (Romeo and Juliet)

US: “His humor must prove black and portentious.”

US: “His humor must prove black and portentious.”

Inversion (continued)

Subject – verb – compliment.

WS: “Such comfort as do lusty young men feel shall you this night.” (Romeo and Juliet)

US: “This night you shall feel such comfort as do lusty young men.”

US: “This night you shall feel such comfort as do lusty young men.”

Inversion

Adjective placed after the noun. “…whether the body public be / A horse

whereon the governor doth ride.” (Measure for Measure)

“…whether the public body be / A horse whereon the governor doth ride.” (Measure for Measure)

Consider: little boy blue vs. little blue boy; the soup spicy vs. the spicy soup.

Separation

Words usually next to each other are separated or interrupted (sometimes by many long, intervening phrases).

“And she was weaned (I never shall forget it) / Of all the days of the year, upon that day.” (Romeo and Juliet)

“And she was weaned (I never shall forget it) / Of all the days of the year, upon that day.”

Baby, Bottle, and Mom Nurse

Omission

Words (or parts of words) are omitted.

Lancelet: “I beseech you, sir, go. My young master doth expect your reproach.” Shylock: “ So do I his.” (Merchant of Venice)

“So do I [expect] his [reproach].”

WS: “I am glad on ‘t.” (Merchant of Venice) US: “I am glad on [as in “about”] it.”

The Third Key: IMAGERY

Metaphor. Implied Action.

Metaphor

One idea or object is expressed as if it were something else.

WS often reinforces, echoes, or extends an image throughout a passage, scene, or entire play.

Metaphor (continued)

“If I profane with my unworthiest handThis holy shrine, the gentle sin is this:My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss.” (Romeo and Juliet)

Profane, holy, shrine, sin, pilgrims… Diction, syntax, as well as imagery are at

work in this passage.

What is a “metaphor”?

For putting cows in!

Metaphor (continued)

“…her sunny locks Hang on her temples like a golden fleece, Which makes her the seat of Belmont

Colchos’ strond, And many Jasons come in quest of her.” (Merchant of Venice)

Temples (pun, too), golden fleece, Colchos, Jason, quest. (diction: strond = shore)

Fun Shakespearean Images

“She is spherical, like a globe. I could find out countries in her.” (Comedy of Errors)

“…he has not so much brain as ear-wax.” (Troilus and Cressida)

“…when I shun Scylla your father, I fall into Charybdis your mother.” (Merchant of Venice)

Scylla and Charybdis

Implied Action

Lines are spoken at the same time the actors move, gesture, weep, shake their fists, draw swords, pick up objects, etc…

Watch for signals of stage directions in the language (stage the play in your imagination as you read).

“Nurse, give leave awhile. / We must talk in secret. – Nurse, come back again.” (R&J)

Mercutio is killed “under Romeo’s arm.”

Sword Fight!

Put it all together… WS: “There came divers of Antonio’s creditors in

my company to Venice that swear he cannot choose but break.” (Merchant of Venice)

Divers= several; company=group; break=bankrupt (as in “broke”).

US: “Several of Antonio’s creditors in my group that traveled to Venice swear he will surely go broke.”

Wow: inversions, omissions, vocabulary… all at work.

Take these keys and use them

Using these keys will enhance your understanding and enjoyment of Shakespeare, literature, and life.

Thanks and Credit to…

N. F. Blake for writing Shakespeare’s Language: An Introduction, a text heavily borrowed from to create this presentation, as well as Barbara A. Mowat and Paul Werstine, the editors of The New Folger Library Shakespeare drama series.