SHAKESPEREAN LANGUAGE

Decoding its meaningDecoding its meaning

 Believe it or not, the

placement of subject/verb/object DOES

count! THE DOG BIT THE BOY!THE DOG BIT THE BOY!

THE BOY BIT THE DOG!THE BOY BIT THE DOG!

Hear you nothing that I say?”Do you hear nothing that I say?

“Help you I can, yes!” Yes, I can help you.

“Stay and help you I will”I will stay and help you.

SHAKESPEARE’S TECHNIQUES

VERB BEFORE SUBJECTVERB BEFORE SUBJECT

OBJECT BEFORE SUBJECT OBJECT BEFORE SUBJECT AND VERBAND VERB

INSERTING EXTRA INSERTING EXTRA PHRASES BETWEEN PHRASES BETWEEN SUBJECT AND VERBSUBJECT AND VERB

OMMITING WORDSOMMITING WORDS

Why do poets mess with placement?

RHYTHMRHYTHM

TO TO EMPHASIZEEMPHASIZE CERTAIN WORDSCERTAIN WORDS

TO REVEAL TO REVEAL CHARACTERCHARACTER

VERB BEFORE SUBJECT

Shakespearean LanguageShakespearean Language::““In the instant came/the In the instant came/the fiery Tybalt.”fiery Tybalt.”

Translation:Translation:The fiery Tybalt came The fiery Tybalt came

in an instant.in an instant.

““At this same ancient At this same ancient feast of Capulet’s feast of Capulet’s sups the fair sups the fair Rosaline.”Rosaline.”

Rosaline sups at Rosaline sups at Capulet’s feastCapulet’s feast

HE GOES GOES HE.

OBJECT BEFORE SUBJECT AND VERB

Shakespearean Shakespearean LanguageLanguage::

““ME THEY SHALL HIT.”ME THEY SHALL HIT.”

Translation:Translation:THEY SHALL HIT THEY SHALL HIT

ME.ME.

““OF HONORABLEOF HONORABLERECKONING ARE YOURECKONING ARE YOUBOTH.”BOTH.”

YOU ARE BOTH OFYOU ARE BOTH OFHONORABLEHONORABLERECKONING.RECKONING.

I HIT HIMHIT I HIM.

INSERTING EXTRA PHRASES BETWEEN SUBJECT AND VERB

Shakespearean LanguageShakespearean Language::““AND SHE WAS WEANED (I NEVER AND SHE WAS WEANED (I NEVER

SHALL FORGET IT) /OF ALL THE SHALL FORGET IT) /OF ALL THE DAY OF THE YEAR, UPON THAT DAY OF THE YEAR, UPON THAT DAY.” DAY.”

Translation:Translation:AND SHE WAS AND SHE WAS

WEANED UPON THAT WEANED UPON THAT DAY.DAY.

““THREE CIVIL BRAWLS BRED OF THREE CIVIL BRAWLS BRED OF AN AIRY WORD BY THEE OLD AN AIRY WORD BY THEE OLD CAPULET AND MONTAGUE, CAPULET AND MONTAGUE, HAVE THRICE DISTURBED THE HAVE THRICE DISTURBED THE QUIET OF OUR STREET.”QUIET OF OUR STREET.”

THREE CIVIL THREE CIVIL BRAWLS HAVE BRAWLS HAVE DISTURBED OUR DISTURBED OUR STREETS.STREETS.

OMMITING WORDS

MISSINGMISSING

““WERE YOU BY?”WERE YOU BY?”

FILL IN THE FILL IN THE BLANKS…BLANKS…

WERE YOU NEARBY?WERE YOU NEARBY?

HEARD FROM HIM YET?

COMMON WORDS Shakespearean LanguageShakespearean Language::

AN AN Translation:Translation: IFIF

MARRYMARRY

INDEEDINDEED

COUSIN KINSMAN

STILL ALWAYS