Why is Shakespeare's modern English difficult to understand?
Reason #1: Elizabethan Context
Reason #2: Shakespeare's Vocabulary
The context of language changes the meaning. The English we speak today would be difficult for someone living in the early 1900’s to follow.
Which words, in the following sentences, would take on new meaning for someone living in the early 1900’s?
Can you believe that post?
Text me when you’re ready for the Zoom meeting.
Activity #3: Create your own sentence that would seem foreign to someone living during the early 1900’s and share it with a classmate.
Note: You will receive a paper copy of this document in class.
Shakespeare is credited with inventing words and phrases that are now part of our everyday speech such as, laughing stock, hot-blooded, ill-tempered, cold-blooded, puppy dog, eyesore, baggage, leapfrog, dwindle, gust, excellent, hint, lonely, homicide, aggravate, plus 1,685 more.
Shakespeare used 17,677 words in his writing, of which at least one tenth had never been used before. Imagine if every tenth word you wrote was original!
From 1500 -1650, English evolved with new words. Between 10,000 – 20,000 words were created (half of which still exist).
The other half of the words, those we no longer use, contribute to the level of difficulty. There are 200-300 words to be found in Shakespeare’s earlier plays that were never repeated.
Reason #3: Shakespeare's Syntax
Reason #4: Shakespeare's Meter
(Iambic Pentameter)
Shakespeare rearranged traditional syntax (word order) in his poetry and plays.
Activity #4: Consider the following simple sentence: “I ate the sandwich.” Experiment with different ways to reorder the words; you should be able to write the same sentence five different, grammatically correct ways.
Discuss: What are some practical reasons for changing traditional syntax?
In music, many people enjoy the rhythm or beat created by the words and music. Similarly, in many forms of poetry, authors create a specific rhythm with their words. Consider the following opening lines from Romeo and Juliet:
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.
Activity #5:
Follow along on your copy of the handout as we discuss the characteristics of iambic pentameter.
Apply what you learn to the first couple stanzas of Shakespeare's sonnet.
The activities on this page were created in collaboration with the Robinson Secondary English Department.