Shakespeare’s Shakespeare’s SpeechSpeechEmily GruberEmily Gruber

History of the English LanguageHistory of the English Language

23 March 200723 March 2007

Early Modern TheaterEarly Modern Theater

Traveling Traveling CompaniesCompanies

The Queen’s MenThe Queen’s Men The Theatre and The Theatre and SwanSwan

Playscript ConditionsPlayscript Conditions

CollaborationCollaboration ““Foul” and “fair” Foul” and “fair” paperspapers

PiracyPiracy Actor revisionsActor revisions

Quarto vs. Folio

A Midsummer A Midsummer Night’s Night’s DreamDream

Written around 1595 or 1596 (around the same Written around 1595 or 1596 (around the same time as Shakespeare was probably working on time as Shakespeare was probably working on Romeo and JulietRomeo and Juliet), possibly for a court ), possibly for a court wedding or for Queen Elizabeth’s celebration wedding or for Queen Elizabeth’s celebration of the feast day of St. John; there is no of the feast day of St. John; there is no conclusive evidence.conclusive evidence.

Plotted in multiple layers: the fairy court Plotted in multiple layers: the fairy court with Oberon and Titania, the Athenian court with Oberon and Titania, the Athenian court with Theseus, Hippolyta and the pairs of with Theseus, Hippolyta and the pairs of lovers, and the ‘rude mechanicals’ putting on lovers, and the ‘rude mechanicals’ putting on the play, including Bottom the weaver. the play, including Bottom the weaver. Different Different registers of languageregisters of language make these make these different worlds distinct.different worlds distinct.

Act 5, Scene 1Act 5, Scene 1

Enter Piramus.

Pyr. Sweet Moone, I thank thee for thy ſunny beames,I thanke thee Moone, for ſhining now ſo bright: For by thy gracious, golden, glittering beames, I truſt to taſte of trueſt Thisbies ſight. But ſtay: O ſpight! but marke, poore Knight, What dreadful dole is heere? Eyes do you ſee! How can it be! O dainty Ducke: O Deere! Thy mantle good; what ſtaind with blood! Approch you furies fell: O Fates! come, come: Cut thred and thrum, Quaile, cruſh, conclude, and quell.

Du. This paſſion, and the death of a deare friend, Would go neere to make a man looke ſad.

Dut. Beſhrew my heart, but I pittie the man. Pir. O wherefore Nature, did'ſt thou Lions

frame? Since lion vilde hath heere deflour'd my deere:

Which is: no, no, which was the faireſt Dame That liu'd, that lou'd, that like'd, that look'd with cheere.

Come teares, confound: Out ſword, and wound

The pap of Piramus: I, that left pap, where heart doth hop; Thus dye I, thus, thus, thus. Now am I dead, now am I fled, my ſoule is in the sky, Tongue loſe thy light, Moone take thy flight, Now dye, dye, dye, dye, dye

Dem. No Die, but an ace for him; for he is but one.

Lis. Leſſe then an ace man. For he is dead, he is nothing.

Du. With the helpe of a Surgeon, he might yet recouer, and proue an Aſſe.

Dut. How chance Moone-ſhine is gone before? Thisby comes backe, and findes her Louer.

Enter Thisby.

Duke. She wil finde him by ſtarre-light. Heere ſhe comes, and her paſſion ends the play.

Dut. Me thinkes ſhee ſhould not vſe a long one for ſuch a Piramus: I hope ſhe will be breefe.

The Effect of the Great The Effect of the Great Vowel ShiftVowel Shift

Because the Great Vowel Shift was in variable Because the Great Vowel Shift was in variable progress during Shakespeare’s period of progress during Shakespeare’s period of activity, he could take advantage of homophones activity, he could take advantage of homophones that we no longer hear—often to make jokes, that we no longer hear—often to make jokes, mainly puns. Many of what we now call “near-mainly puns. Many of what we now call “near-rhymes” were also probably due to the GVS—when rhymes” were also probably due to the GVS—when Shakespeare wrote them, he was likely rhyming Shakespeare wrote them, he was likely rhyming perfectly.perfectly.

Things We Don’t Things We Don’t HearHear

Puns on “ace” and “Asse” – Puns on “ace” and “Asse” – during the process of the GVS, during the process of the GVS, these vowels could have been these vowels could have been identical; both would probably identical; both would probably have sounded like “ass”have sounded like “ass”

A bunch of rhymes, which are A bunch of rhymes, which are usually played for humor because usually played for humor because they no longer sound alike—for they no longer sound alike—for example:example: ““confound” and “wound”: confound” and “wound”: “confound” would probably “confound” would probably have sounded like “confoond”have sounded like “confoond”

““pap” and “hop”: “pap” would pap” and “hop”: “pap” would probably have sounded like probably have sounded like “pop”“pop”

Style Style Playing with tragedic conventions:Playing with tragedic conventions:Come teares, confound: Out Come teares, confound: Out ſword, and wound word, and wound The pap of Piramus: The pap of Piramus: I, that left pap, where heart doth hop; I, that left pap, where heart doth hop; Thus dye I, thus, thus, thus. Thus dye I, thus, thus, thus. Now am I dead, now am I fled, my Now am I dead, now am I fled, my ſoule is in oule is in the sky, the sky, Tongue loTongue loſe thy light, Moone take thy flight, e thy light, Moone take thy flight, Now dye, dye, dye, dye, dye Now dye, dye, dye, dye, dye

Shakespeare mocks the extended death-Shakespeare mocks the extended death-scenes that were tragedies’ bread-and-scenes that were tragedies’ bread-and-butter, and the often hackeneyed poetry butter, and the often hackeneyed poetry that resulted.that resulted.

Different social registers—compare the heightened Different social registers—compare the heightened verse of the ‘play’ with the spectators’ comments:verse of the ‘play’ with the spectators’ comments:

Sweet Moone, I thank thee for thy Sweet Moone, I thank thee for thy ſunny beames,unny beames,I thanke thee Moone, for I thanke thee Moone, for ſhining now hining now ſo bright: o bright: For by thy gracious, golden, glittering beames, For by thy gracious, golden, glittering beames, I truI truſt to tat to taſte of truete of trueſt Thisbies t Thisbies ſight. ight. But But ſtay: O tay: O ſpight! but marke, poore Knight, pight! but marke, poore Knight, What dreadful dole is heere? What dreadful dole is heere? Eyes do you Eyes do you ſee! How can it be! ee! How can it be! O dainty Ducke: O Deere!O dainty Ducke: O Deere!

The first four lines here are in iambic pentameter; The first four lines here are in iambic pentameter; the last four alternate between tetrameter and the last four alternate between tetrameter and trimeter, all rigidly metrical. Shakespeare also trimeter, all rigidly metrical. Shakespeare also makes heavy use of alliteration and repetition. On makes heavy use of alliteration and repetition. On the other hand, the spectators use sentences that the other hand, the spectators use sentences that could pass for normal. If the last two lines of this could pass for normal. If the last two lines of this were spelled as we would recognize the words, they were spelled as we would recognize the words, they would read:would read:

Duke. She will find him by starlight. Here she comes, and her Duke. She will find him by starlight. Here she comes, and her passion ends the play. passion ends the play.

Dut. Methinks she should not use a long one for such a Dut. Methinks she should not use a long one for such a Pyramus: I hope she will be brief.Pyramus: I hope she will be brief.

An Elizabethan “Accent”An Elizabethan “Accent” Kokeritz: we “would be able to understand Kokeritz: we “would be able to understand Shakespeare and Burbage with little effort . . . Shakespeare and Burbage with little effort . . . Their speech would probably sound like a quaint Their speech would probably sound like a quaint dialect characterized by more monophthongs and dialect characterized by more monophthongs and far purer long vowels . . . a marked far purer long vowels . . . a marked quantitative distinction between historically quantitative distinction between historically long and short vowels . . . and not a few long and short vowels . . . and not a few curious pronunciations of individual words” curious pronunciations of individual words”

At least one site on Elizabethan English claims At least one site on Elizabethan English claims “proper Elizabethan is more akin to the speech “proper Elizabethan is more akin to the speech of backwood communities on the East Coast of the of backwood communities on the East Coast of the United States”.United States”. http://www.renfaire.com/Language/Audio/AIFC/mercy.aifchttp://www.renfaire.com/Language/Audio/AIFC/mercy.aifc http://www.renfaire.com/Language/Audio/AIFC/lord.aifchttp://www.renfaire.com/Language/Audio/AIFC/lord.aifc http://www.renfaire.com/Language/Sounds/want-sounds.aifchttp://www.renfaire.com/Language/Sounds/want-sounds.aifc

……Midwest America?Midwest America?

Act 2, Act 2, Scene 1Scene 1

Oberon: I know a bank where the wild thyme blows, Oberon: I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,

Where oxslips and the nodding violet grows, Where oxslips and the nodding violet grows,

Quite overcanopied with luscious woodbine, Quite overcanopied with luscious woodbine,

With sweet muskroses and with eglantine.With sweet muskroses and with eglantine.

əi no: ə bæŋk hwəi no: ə bæŋk hwεε:r ðə wəild təim blo:z:r ðə wəild təim blo:zhwhwεε:r aksl:r akslIIps ən ðə nadņ vəilət gro:zps ən ðə nadņ vəilət gro:z

kwəit o:vərkænəpid wkwəit o:vərkænəpid wIIð lð l٨٨ ∫ ∫əəs ws wUUdbəindbəinwwIIθθ swi:t m swi:t m٨٨skro:zIz ən wskro:zIz ən wIIð ð εεgləntəingləntəin

SpellingSpelling Inconsistencies: “thanke” vs. “thank”, “Deere” Inconsistencies: “thanke” vs. “thank”, “Deere” vs. “deare”, “Die” vs. “dye”, “Piramus” vs. vs. “deare”, “Die” vs. “dye”, “Piramus” vs. “Pyr”(amus)“Pyr”(amus)

Silent e’s still very prevalent: in Pyramus’s Silent e’s still very prevalent: in Pyramus’s first four lines, we see “Moone”, “thanke”, first four lines, we see “Moone”, “thanke”, “beames”, “marke”, “poore”“beames”, “marke”, “poore”

Complex vowel spellings for long vowels have not Complex vowel spellings for long vowels have not completely been standardized: we see “heere” for completely been standardized: we see “heere” for “here”, “breefe” for “brief”, “neere” for “here”, “breefe” for “brief”, “neere” for “near”, “thred” for “thread” but also “teares”, “near”, “thred” for “thread” but also “teares”, “deare”, and “beames” approaching (or “deare”, and “beames” approaching (or “approch”ing) modern spellings“approch”ing) modern spellings

Very phonetic – “I” for “Aye” Very phonetic – “I” for “Aye” Capitalization used to cue actors to where Capitalization used to cue actors to where verbal emphasis should fallverbal emphasis should fall