Blank Verse n n unrhymed verse iambic unstressed
Blank Verse n n unrhymed verse iambic : unstressed, stressed syllables n pentameter 5 “feet” to a line ends up to be 10 syllable lines
In the Iambic Pentameter The rhythm in each line sounds like: ba-BUM / ba-BUM If mu- / -sic be / the food / of love, / play on
Why did Shakespeare use many variations on metre? to make his verse less monotonous
Feminine Ending To be, / or not / to be: / that is / the ques- / -tion Sometimes Shakespeare added an extra unstressed beat at the end of a line to emphasize the character’s sense of contemplation.
Inversion n Shakespeare also reverses the order of the stresses to help emphasize certain words or ideas : emphasis on the word “that” To be, / or not / to be: / that is / the ques- / -tion n Occasionally, Shakespeare will completely break the rules and place two stressed syllables in the same iambus Now is / the win- / -ter of / our dis- / con- tent
Did he use verse or prose ? BOTH VERSE PROSE generally used by aristocratic characters in serious or dramatic scenes generally used by lower-class characters in comic scenes in informal dialogues
Tragedy Drama where the central character suffers disasters or great misfortune n In many tragedies, downfall results from : Fate n Fault n Combination of the two n
Theme Central idea about life which explain the downfall
Plot The sequence of events in a literary work
Exposition The plot usually begins with : 1. introduction n setting n characters n basic situation
3. Conflict The struggle that develops 1. 2. 3. 4. man vs. himself man vs. society man vs. nature
4. Crisis The point where the protagonist’s situation will either get better or worse 1. Protagonist = good guy 2. Antagonist = bad guy
2. Inciting Moment n Often called “initial incident” That is the first important bit of action that occurs Romeo and Juliet “lock eyes” at the party
5. Climax The turning point of the story neverything begins to fall from here
6. Resolution The end of the central conflict
7. Denouement The final explanation or outcome of the plot
Characters n Round n Flat n Dynamic n Static
Round characters Characters who have many personality traits, like real people.
Flat Characters n One-dimensional, embodying only a single trait n Shakespeare often uses them to provide comic relief even in a tragedy
Dynamic Character n Characters that change somehow during the course of the plot. n They develop psychologically in the course of the action
Static Characters n. Characters within a story who remain the same. n. They do not change their minds, opinions or character.
Dramatic Foil A character whose purpose is to show off another character Benvolio for Tybalt
Soliloquy or Monologue Long speech expressing the thoughts of a character alone on stage.
Monologue One person is speaking on stage n Long speech expressing the thoughts of a character alone on stage
Aside Words spoken, usually in an undertone not intended to be heard by all characters
Look for… Puns n Allusions n Metaphor n Personification n Oxymorons n Paradoxes n Foreshadowing n
Puns A pun is a humorous play on words. Mercutio – “Nay, gentle Romeo, we must have you dance. ” Romeo – “Not I, believe me. You have dancing shoes / With nimble soles; I have a soul of lead…” (Act I Sc. 4)
Allusions An allusion is a reference to a well known work of art, music, literature, or history. “At lovers’ perjuries, they say Jove laughs. ” (Act II, Sc. 2) Jove is another name for Jupiter, the Roman King of the Gods.
Metaphor A metaphor is a direct comparison between two unlike things. Romeo – “But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks? / It is the east, and Juliet is the sun. ” (Act II Sc. 2)
Personification occurs when an inanimate object or concept is given the qualities of a person or animal. Juliet— “For thou wilt lie upon the wings of night / Whiter than new snow on a raven’s back. / Come, gentle night (Act III Sc. 2)
Oxymorons An oxymoron describes when two juxtaposed words have opposing or very diverse meanings. Juliet – “Beautiful tyrant! fiend angelical!” “Why then, O brawling love, O loving hate, O any thing, of nothing first created: O heavy lightness, serious vanity” ( from Romeo and Juliet)
Paradoxes A paradox is statement or situation with contradictory components. Juliet – “O serpent heart, hid with a flowering face!” (Act III Sc. 2)
Foreshadowing is a reference to something that will happen later in the story. Juliet – “Give me my Romeo; and, when he shall die, Take him and cut him out in little stars, And he will make the face of heaven so fine That all the world will be in love with night And pay no worship to the sun. ” (Act III Sc. 2)
Time Look for references to time: • References to “time” words, such as “hours” • References to the passage of time, “rushed”
Irony Verbal irony The audience knows something that a character on stage does not Dramatic irony Saying one thing It is structural: line or scene. but meaning another contrasts with another In Julius Caesar, Mark Antony calls Brutus “an honourable man” but means the opposite In Macbeth Duncan’s line “He was a gentleman on whom I built an absolute trust” contrasts with the action on the stage
Comic Relief Use of comedy within something that is NOT comedy to provide “relief” from seriousness or sadness.
Repetition of words or phrases What for? to underline the emotional intensity of a scene “Oh horrible, oh horrible, most horrible!” (The Ghost in Hamlet) its comic effect “O night, alack, I fear my Thisbe’s promise is forgot! And thou, O wall, O sweet, O lovely wall. ” (Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream)
Hyperbole Extravagant and obvious exaggeration “Blow me about in winds! Roast me in sulphur! Wash me in steep-down gulfs of liquid fire!” (from Othello) ( Othello is haunted by the knowledge that he has wrongly killed Desdemona )
Pronouns: you and thee Send clear social signals YOU THEE Friendship towards an equal Superiority over someone considered a social inferior Can be aggressive or insulting More formal and distant form Suggests respect for a superior Courtesy to a social equal
Imagery a. b. c. d. e. repeated images to build up a sense of themes of the play, like light and darkness in Romeo and Juliet imagery from nature imagery from Elizabethan daily life, like: sports and hunting; jewels; medicine use of metaphors and similes There’s daggers in men’s smiles” (from Macbeth) use of personification “Come, civil Night; Thou sober-suited matron all in black. ” from Romeo and Juliet
Elizabethan (QE 1) Words n An, and: If n Anon: n Aye: n Art n But: n Dost n E’en: n E’er: Soon Yes Are Except for Do Even Ever
QE 1 Words (contin. ) n Haply: n Happy: n Hence: n Hie: n Nay n Thee n Thou n Thy Perhaps Fortunate Away, from her Hurry No You Your
QE 1 Words n. Whence: Where n. Wilt: Will, will you n. Would: Wish
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