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Shakespeare’s Conventions

Shakespeare’s Conventions

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Language ConventionsLanguage Conventions

Blank Verse (Iambic Pentameter); Rhymed Verse Prose Soliloquy Aside Invectives (back and forth insults) Bawdy Banter (double meanings - often sexual

undertones) Malapropism Oxymoron

Blank Verse (Iambic Pentameter); Rhymed Verse Prose Soliloquy Aside Invectives (back and forth insults) Bawdy Banter (double meanings - often sexual

undertones) Malapropism Oxymoron

Plot ConventionsPlot Conventions

Form Setting Play-within-a Play Doubling “Star-crossed Lovers” Deliberate Misunderstandings

Form Setting Play-within-a Play Doubling “Star-crossed Lovers” Deliberate Misunderstandings

Blank Verse: Iambic PentameterBlank Verse: Iambic Pentameter

Blank Verse = text written in measured lines that do not rhyme

The dominant writing form of Shakespeare's plays is Iambic Pentameter: A type of verse that has 5 poetic “feet” per line Each foot is an “iamb” = one unstressed syllable

followed by a stressed syllable

“(A horse), (a horse), (my king)(dom for)( a horse).” Richard III

Blank Verse = text written in measured lines that do not rhyme

The dominant writing form of Shakespeare's plays is Iambic Pentameter: A type of verse that has 5 poetic “feet” per line Each foot is an “iamb” = one unstressed syllable

followed by a stressed syllable

“(A horse), (a horse), (my king)(dom for)( a horse).” Richard III

Verse: Rhymed VerseVerse: Rhymed Verse Text written in measured lines which do rhyme Typically used as a special effect for:

Creating a chorus of voices (song qualities) Prologues - the start of a play Epilogues - the end of a play Plays-within-plays Showing the supernatural or spiritual world

§ Example: § “Two households, both alike in dignity

§ In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,§ From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, § Where civil blood makes civil hands

unclean.”

§ Romeo and Juliet

Text written in measured lines which do rhyme Typically used as a special effect for:

Creating a chorus of voices (song qualities) Prologues - the start of a play Epilogues - the end of a play Plays-within-plays Showing the supernatural or spiritual world

§ Example: § “Two households, both alike in dignity

§ In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,§ From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, § Where civil blood makes civil hands

unclean.”

§ Romeo and Juliet

ProseProse Unrhymed/unmeasured regular speech Typically used to show:

Seriousness and/or official documents Insanity Everyday life/class divisions “Low” comedy (dumb humor)

§ “To be, or not to be--that is the question:§ Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer§ The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune§ Or to take arms against a sea of troubles§ And by opposing end them. To die, to sleep--§ No more--and by a sleep to say we end§ The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks§ That flesh is heir to.”

§ Hamlet

Unrhymed/unmeasured regular speech Typically used to show:

Seriousness and/or official documents Insanity Everyday life/class divisions “Low” comedy (dumb humor)

§ “To be, or not to be--that is the question:§ Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer§ The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune§ Or to take arms against a sea of troubles§ And by opposing end them. To die, to sleep--§ No more--and by a sleep to say we end§ The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks§ That flesh is heir to.”

§ Hamlet

SoliloquySoliloquy

A character is thinking out loud to his/herself on the stage

Speaking only to themselves

A character is thinking out loud to his/herself on the stage

Speaking only to themselves

AsideAside

A character “breaks the 4th wall” and speaks directly to the audience

Other characters are typically not aware of this

Used to make the audience a part of the play - often times employs dramatic irony

A character “breaks the 4th wall” and speaks directly to the audience

Other characters are typically not aware of this

Used to make the audience a part of the play - often times employs dramatic irony

InvectivesInvectives

Fast paced insults thrown back and forth between two or more characters

Shakespeare was a master at crafting passages where characters really insulted each other in a mean and/or humorous way while using poetic techniques like rhyme and alliteration

It was the equivalent of using our modern swear words - but way more creative and insulting

Thou are a churlish, lily-livered canker-blossom!

Fast paced insults thrown back and forth between two or more characters

Shakespeare was a master at crafting passages where characters really insulted each other in a mean and/or humorous way while using poetic techniques like rhyme and alliteration

It was the equivalent of using our modern swear words - but way more creative and insulting

Thou are a churlish, lily-livered canker-blossom!

Bawdy BanterBawdy Banter

Language filled with double entendres (2 or more meanings)

These usually involved sexual undertones Used as a way to keep the audience engaged

and entertained “I wooed thee with my sword.” MSND

Language filled with double entendres (2 or more meanings)

These usually involved sexual undertones Used as a way to keep the audience engaged

and entertained “I wooed thee with my sword.” MSND

MalapropismMalapropism a confused use of words in which

an appropriate word is replaced by one with similar sound but (often ludicrously) wrong meaning

a form of irony

a confused use of words in which an appropriate word is replaced by one with similar sound but (often ludicrously) wrong meaning

a form of irony

OxymoronsOxymorons A deliberate pairing of two contradictory

words or phrases Examples:

“Parting is such sweet sorrow” “Oh brawling love! Oh loving hate!”

A deliberate pairing of two contradictory words or phrases

Examples: “Parting is such sweet sorrow” “Oh brawling love! Oh loving hate!”

Form/SettingForm/Setting

Shakespeare wrote 37 plays and each of them has 5 acts

The settings are very loose - characters and directors are not bound too tightly to a specific time/place. This allows for constant re-interpretation. Example: Romeo and Juliet: 1996

Shakespeare wrote 37 plays and each of them has 5 acts

The settings are very loose - characters and directors are not bound too tightly to a specific time/place. This allows for constant re-interpretation. Example: Romeo and Juliet: 1996

Play-within-a-PlayPlay-within-a-Play Plays in which the characters rehearse and

act in their own play inside the “larger play” Used to highlight a major plot point or

theme inside the “larger” play

Plays in which the characters rehearse and act in their own play inside the “larger play”

Used to highlight a major plot point or theme inside the “larger” play

DoublingDoubling

Characters act as doubles or mirror images of each other

Often, these characters are from different groups or classes within the play

Example: The Capulets and The Montagues from Romeo and Juliet

Characters act as doubles or mirror images of each other

Often, these characters are from different groups or classes within the play

Example: The Capulets and The Montagues from Romeo and Juliet

“Star-crossed Lovers”“Star-crossed Lovers”

Fate has decreed that the two lovers cannot be together

They face insurmountable obstacles and their relationship usually ends in tragedy

Fate has decreed that the two lovers cannot be together

They face insurmountable obstacles and their relationship usually ends in tragedy

Deliberate MisunderstandingsDeliberate Misunderstandings

A form of dramatic irony The characters are often confused and make

large mistakes: wrong identity, wrong directions, poor assumptions

The audience knows the truth and this is used as a way to engage the audience

A form of dramatic irony The characters are often confused and make

large mistakes: wrong identity, wrong directions, poor assumptions

The audience knows the truth and this is used as a way to engage the audience

Why is Shakespeare still so popular?

Why is Shakespeare still so popular?

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1. Illumination of the Human Experience

1. Illumination of the Human Experience

Shakespeare’s ability to summarize the range of human emotions in simple yet profoundly eloquent verse is perhaps the greatest reason for his enduring popularity.

Shakespeare’s ability to summarize the range of human emotions in simple yet profoundly eloquent verse is perhaps the greatest reason for his enduring popularity.

2. Great Storytelling2. Great Storytelling

Shakespeare was not known as a great inventor of stories; many of his most famous plays are based on plot lines taken directly from other work or actual history

What we remember him for is his ability to tell or re-tell all different genres of stories so well: histories, tragedies, comedies, adventure, romance, fairy-tales

The plot is just the vehicle for his language and story-telling ability - it is the “shell” that his art is packaged in

Shakespeare was not known as a great inventor of stories; many of his most famous plays are based on plot lines taken directly from other work or actual history

What we remember him for is his ability to tell or re-tell all different genres of stories so well: histories, tragedies, comedies, adventure, romance, fairy-tales

The plot is just the vehicle for his language and story-telling ability - it is the “shell” that his art is packaged in

3. Compelling Characters3. Compelling Characters

Shakespeare’s characters have remained popular because of their complexity and/or uniqueness; for example, we can see ourselves as gentle Hamlet, forced against his better nature to seek murderous revenge

For this reason Shakespeare is deeply admired by actors, and many consider playing a Shakespearean character to be the most difficult and most rewarding role possible

Shakespeare’s characters have remained popular because of their complexity and/or uniqueness; for example, we can see ourselves as gentle Hamlet, forced against his better nature to seek murderous revenge

For this reason Shakespeare is deeply admired by actors, and many consider playing a Shakespearean character to be the most difficult and most rewarding role possible

4. Ability to Turn a Phrase4. Ability to Turn a Phrase

Many of the common expressions now thought to be cliches were Shakespeare's creations. Chances are you use Shakespeare's expressions all the time even though you may not know it is The Bard you are quoting.

He acted as a chemist with language - combining words and phrases into a huge blender with amazing results

Some famous words/expressions: Critical, dwindle, extract, excellent,

eventful, assassination, lonely, one fell swoop, vanish into thin air, be in a pickle, won’t budge an inch, foul play, be cruel to be kind, and countless others (including the word countless).

Many of the common expressions now thought to be cliches were Shakespeare's creations. Chances are you use Shakespeare's expressions all the time even though you may not know it is The Bard you are quoting.

He acted as a chemist with language - combining words and phrases into a huge blender with amazing results

Some famous words/expressions: Critical, dwindle, extract, excellent,

eventful, assassination, lonely, one fell swoop, vanish into thin air, be in a pickle, won’t budge an inch, foul play, be cruel to be kind, and countless others (including the word countless).