Shakespeare’s language.

Compiled by Dilini Boyagoda

Introduction. During the 1590 there were no published dictionaries in England. Therefore
words were not tied down and confined. Words were spelled in many different ways. People
went to the ‘hear’ the play more than to ‘see’ it. Persuasive speaking was taught in school. It
was a time that encouraged exploration of language. It shakes could not find the word he
wanted he made one up based on an old word. Today we see much realism in drama be it TV
or movie. Shakes theatre was non-realist and nonnaturalistic. During his time people came to
see plays about kings and noblemen. They accepted the language to heighten rather than the
normal day to day speech. Such style they felt was appropriate for stage. We also need to
remember that shakes did not have the resources we have. His props were very limited, so he
had to depend on language to create the tempests, battle field, fear, joy etc. thereby he used a
variety of language elements to bring about the atmosphere he wanted to build.

Imagery.
It is the use of emotionally charged words to create and conjure up vivid mental pictures. Use
of imagery plays an important role in shakes plays. They are a kind of verbal scene paintings.
They deepen and intensify imaginative and dramatic impact. Most of his images are similes
or metaphors. Clusters of repeated images sometimes help to build a sense of themes in plays.
E.g. images of light and darkness in Romeo and Juliette. Shakes draws images from nature
sun moon stars, the seasons, animals, bustling daily life in England, hunting, jewels, banking,
religion, education etc

Personification.
Imagery turns things into persons by giving them human feelings and attributes.
Personification adds to dramatic effect because it endows the objects with life, enabling them
to act, feel and respond like a living person. It brings an active quality to language and things
spring to life.

Antithesis.
This is the opposition of words or phrases against each other. Shakespeare understood that
drama is conflict and his plays depict conflict at every level. Just as a character is set against
character Shakespeare sets the word against word. This gives a kind of see-saw effect to
language.

Repetition.
Repetition gives language a great dramatic force. Repeated words, phrases and sounds add to
the emotional intensity of a moment. Shakespeare also repeats a single word at times to
deepen irony and at times heightens comedy. It also can be deeply moving in the more
emotional scenes. Student need to experiment and find out different ways of emphasizing to
bring out the intended effect.
Alliteration, assonance and onomatopoeia.
Shakespeare knew that a pattern of repeated sounds offers opportunities to actors to intensify
emotional impact. E.g Thrice to thine, and thrice to mine and thrice again, to make up nine.

Rhyme.
Rhyme involves matching sounds at the end of each line. Shakes uses rhyme in songs,
prologues , epilogues, masques, supernatural and for plays within plays. Sometimes long
blank verse in ended with a rhyming couplet to signify the end of a scene as there were no
curtains or lights.

Lists.
One of shakes favorite methods with language is to accumulate words or phrases like a list.
He knew that such piling up of language increases dramatic effect by intensifying description,
atmosphere or argument. E.g Shylock in merchant of Venice insists on his humanity and adds
compelling force to his argument. “Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not …”

Soliloquy
This is where the actors speaks his personal thoughts out loud. As the audience we know that
only we hear him and that the other actors on stage cannot.

Verse
In shakes time the audience felt that verse is particularly fit for kings and great affairs of state
and high tragedy. Sometimes the iambic meter is changed and Shakespeare introduces seven
or eight stresses to display differences of emotional moments.

Shared lines.
Lines can be loosened by dividing them between two or more characters. in such cases the
lines should be spoken with little or no pauses between characters.

Prose.
Prose was traditionally used in the following situations.
• In proclamations, written challenges of accusations and letters.
• In lines spoken by low status characters.
• To express madness or extreme unsettled mind.
• For comedy. We need to remember that Shakespeare did not follow this rule
slavishly. He changes from one form to another for various reasons. E.g Iago speaks in prose,
but when he speaks to Othello he switches to verse.